TV-Series
Description
Izanami is the Queen of the Underworld, known as Yomi, and is one of the most powerful deities in this realm. Her character is deeply rooted in loneliness, having spent an eternity isolated in the dark, impure world she rules. This profound solitude has become the central driving force behind all her actions, making her a tragic yet immensely dangerous figure.
In terms of appearance, Izanami does not possess a fixed form that can be seen by others. When a person looks upon her, she automatically takes on the appearance of the individual with whom that person feels the most comfortable. For example, when the god Yato enters her chamber, she appears to him as his close friend Hiyori, while the god Ebisu sees her as an elderly woman who runs his favorite restaurant. This illusion is not a conscious deception but an inherent trait, though it fades when she loses her temper, revealing her true form. Her actual body is a macabre sight, resembling a living skeleton, a bare skull and bones clad in a long kimono and covered by long, flowing dark hair.
Her personality is a volatile mixture of desperate longing and savage barbarism. Initially, she may seem sweet and gentle, but this facade quickly gives way to her true nature when she does not get what she wants. Consumed by loneliness, Izanami is desperate for companionship and will go to extreme, irrational, and violent lengths to prevent anyone who visits her from leaving. She becomes impulsive and prone to fits of rage when her potential guests run away or refuse her offers of friendship. While she seeks any companion, she seems to prefer male company and has little interest in female gods like Bishamonten or the pure souls of shinki, whom she feeds to her minions without a second thought.
Izanami serves as a primary antagonist during the excursion into the underworld. Her role in the story is that of the keeper of a powerful tool called the Word or the Mandates of Hell, a special brush that allows a god to summon and control ayakashi. Ebisu ventures to Yomi specifically to obtain this brush from her. When Yato and Ebisu arrive, she attempts to trap them by offering them food from the underworld, which would prevent them from ever leaving. When that fails, she presents a deadly ultimatum: one of them must stay with her forever in exchange for the other receiving the brush.
Her most significant relationship is with Ebisu, whom mythology and the series establish as her firstborn son. This connection, however, is fraught with abandonment. Because Ebisu was born without bones and considered deformed, Izanami cast him away in a boat. In the underworld, she does not seem to recognize him or care about their shared history, treating him as just another god. For his part, Ebisu remembers his mother, and his personal quest to control ayakashi is partly born from his own sense of being a stray, abandoned by the first person who named him. Another key interaction is with Yato, whom she attempts to seduce and keep by using the form of Hiyori, preying on his personal attachments.
Izanami undergoes no personal development or change within the story; she is a static force of nature. Her immense power makes her virtually invincible within her domain. No god or shinki, including powerful figures like Bishamonten, is capable of wounding her. Her notable abilities are vast. She has complete control over the underworld, allowing her to seal all exits and locate any living being within it. She commands legions of flesh-hungry creatures called Yomotsu-shikame or beldams, which hunt down intruders at her command. Her long black hair is a terrifying and incredibly strong weapon that can extend to infinite lengths to capture her targets. Most notably, she created the Mandates of Hell, the brushes which allow a god to summon phantoms without suffering the usual blight. She herself can use these brushes to summon massive hordes of ayakashi effortlessly.
In terms of appearance, Izanami does not possess a fixed form that can be seen by others. When a person looks upon her, she automatically takes on the appearance of the individual with whom that person feels the most comfortable. For example, when the god Yato enters her chamber, she appears to him as his close friend Hiyori, while the god Ebisu sees her as an elderly woman who runs his favorite restaurant. This illusion is not a conscious deception but an inherent trait, though it fades when she loses her temper, revealing her true form. Her actual body is a macabre sight, resembling a living skeleton, a bare skull and bones clad in a long kimono and covered by long, flowing dark hair.
Her personality is a volatile mixture of desperate longing and savage barbarism. Initially, she may seem sweet and gentle, but this facade quickly gives way to her true nature when she does not get what she wants. Consumed by loneliness, Izanami is desperate for companionship and will go to extreme, irrational, and violent lengths to prevent anyone who visits her from leaving. She becomes impulsive and prone to fits of rage when her potential guests run away or refuse her offers of friendship. While she seeks any companion, she seems to prefer male company and has little interest in female gods like Bishamonten or the pure souls of shinki, whom she feeds to her minions without a second thought.
Izanami serves as a primary antagonist during the excursion into the underworld. Her role in the story is that of the keeper of a powerful tool called the Word or the Mandates of Hell, a special brush that allows a god to summon and control ayakashi. Ebisu ventures to Yomi specifically to obtain this brush from her. When Yato and Ebisu arrive, she attempts to trap them by offering them food from the underworld, which would prevent them from ever leaving. When that fails, she presents a deadly ultimatum: one of them must stay with her forever in exchange for the other receiving the brush.
Her most significant relationship is with Ebisu, whom mythology and the series establish as her firstborn son. This connection, however, is fraught with abandonment. Because Ebisu was born without bones and considered deformed, Izanami cast him away in a boat. In the underworld, she does not seem to recognize him or care about their shared history, treating him as just another god. For his part, Ebisu remembers his mother, and his personal quest to control ayakashi is partly born from his own sense of being a stray, abandoned by the first person who named him. Another key interaction is with Yato, whom she attempts to seduce and keep by using the form of Hiyori, preying on his personal attachments.
Izanami undergoes no personal development or change within the story; she is a static force of nature. Her immense power makes her virtually invincible within her domain. No god or shinki, including powerful figures like Bishamonten, is capable of wounding her. Her notable abilities are vast. She has complete control over the underworld, allowing her to seal all exits and locate any living being within it. She commands legions of flesh-hungry creatures called Yomotsu-shikame or beldams, which hunt down intruders at her command. Her long black hair is a terrifying and incredibly strong weapon that can extend to infinite lengths to capture her targets. Most notably, she created the Mandates of Hell, the brushes which allow a god to summon phantoms without suffering the usual blight. She herself can use these brushes to summon massive hordes of ayakashi effortlessly.