Movie
Description
Cheng-Long Liu is an exorcist of the Upper First Class rank, operating out of the Taiwanese branch of the True Cross Order. He is a tall individual with light brown eyes, and he styles his pale blue hair tied to the side with red ribbons, often letting the rest fall over his right shoulder. His attire typically consists of a Taiwanese exorcist's vest over a simple outfit, complemented by fingerless gloves and a belt bearing a yin-yang symbol, from which he carries a collapsible bo staff that serves as his primary weapon.
As a descendant of the legendary exorcist who sealed away a demon that devours memories, Cheng-Long Liu comes from an elite family with a long history of combating demonic threats. This lineage and its traditions have instilled in him a pragmatic and often ruthless worldview regarding demonkind, teaching that coexistence is a dangerous fantasy that leads only to misfortune. He carries the weight of this heritage, having been pushed by his clan from a young age to suppress his own empathy and exorcise demons without mercy, a lesson driven home by a childhood memory of being forced to exorcise a demon he considered a friend.
True to this upbringing, Cheng-Long Liu is a calm, collected, and highly disciplined professional who takes his duties very seriously. He is often critical of other exorcists whom he perceives as incompetent or hesitant. His personality is marked by a sharp, sarcastic wit; he has a habit of making extreme or morbid jokes, such as suggesting he would simply burn down an entire building to flush out a target, only to follow up with a dry "just kidding" before returning to the matter at hand. He appreciates a similar attitude in others, taking a liking to Yukio Okumura for what he sees as the young exorcist's serious and stoic approach to their line of work, believing they will get along well.
In the story, Cheng-Long Liu comes to True Cross Academy to assist with the ritual of renewing the aging protective barrier, a task he performs flawlessly. Upon arrival, he is initially distrustful of Rin Okumura due to Rin being the son of Satan, sharing the suspicion of many of his fellow exorcists. However, his skepticism runs deeper than mere prejudice; it is a direct challenge to Rin's core ideals. Cheng-Long Liu views Rin's belief in coexisting with demons as naive and irresponsible, seeing it as a dangerous dream with no place in the harsh reality an exorcist must face. This puts him in frequent opposition to Rin, as he advocates for the strict exorcist doctrine that a demon's nature is ultimately a threat that must be eliminated. His role throughout the events of the film is to hunt the memory-eating demon, Usamaro, and he is the only person besides Rin who retains his memory of Usamaro's sacrifice, suggesting that his disciplined mind or his own unique memories made him resistant to the demon's power.
A notable aspect of his development is the subtle, grudging shift in his perspective. Despite his uncompromising stance, he witnesses the extraordinary bond between Rin and Usamaro. This experience does not completely overturn his worldview, but it does give him pause. He acknowledges to Rin that he has seen "something extraordinary" in the power to open a demon's heart, presenting this not as an endorsement but as a thoughtful observation worth chewing on, a rare moment of admission that his black-and-white view may have more nuance.
As an exorcist, Cheng-Long Liu is highly skilled and fights with his bo staff, which can be folded away when not in use. He is a practitioner of Aria, chanting incantations to perform his exorcisms. When he recites a chant, a large purple magical circle appears at the center of his staff, unleashing an attack powerful enough to destroy demons. He is a veteran operative whose ability to handle high-level threats with practiced ease and a confident, often smug, demeanor is a testament to his elite status within the Order.
As a descendant of the legendary exorcist who sealed away a demon that devours memories, Cheng-Long Liu comes from an elite family with a long history of combating demonic threats. This lineage and its traditions have instilled in him a pragmatic and often ruthless worldview regarding demonkind, teaching that coexistence is a dangerous fantasy that leads only to misfortune. He carries the weight of this heritage, having been pushed by his clan from a young age to suppress his own empathy and exorcise demons without mercy, a lesson driven home by a childhood memory of being forced to exorcise a demon he considered a friend.
True to this upbringing, Cheng-Long Liu is a calm, collected, and highly disciplined professional who takes his duties very seriously. He is often critical of other exorcists whom he perceives as incompetent or hesitant. His personality is marked by a sharp, sarcastic wit; he has a habit of making extreme or morbid jokes, such as suggesting he would simply burn down an entire building to flush out a target, only to follow up with a dry "just kidding" before returning to the matter at hand. He appreciates a similar attitude in others, taking a liking to Yukio Okumura for what he sees as the young exorcist's serious and stoic approach to their line of work, believing they will get along well.
In the story, Cheng-Long Liu comes to True Cross Academy to assist with the ritual of renewing the aging protective barrier, a task he performs flawlessly. Upon arrival, he is initially distrustful of Rin Okumura due to Rin being the son of Satan, sharing the suspicion of many of his fellow exorcists. However, his skepticism runs deeper than mere prejudice; it is a direct challenge to Rin's core ideals. Cheng-Long Liu views Rin's belief in coexisting with demons as naive and irresponsible, seeing it as a dangerous dream with no place in the harsh reality an exorcist must face. This puts him in frequent opposition to Rin, as he advocates for the strict exorcist doctrine that a demon's nature is ultimately a threat that must be eliminated. His role throughout the events of the film is to hunt the memory-eating demon, Usamaro, and he is the only person besides Rin who retains his memory of Usamaro's sacrifice, suggesting that his disciplined mind or his own unique memories made him resistant to the demon's power.
A notable aspect of his development is the subtle, grudging shift in his perspective. Despite his uncompromising stance, he witnesses the extraordinary bond between Rin and Usamaro. This experience does not completely overturn his worldview, but it does give him pause. He acknowledges to Rin that he has seen "something extraordinary" in the power to open a demon's heart, presenting this not as an endorsement but as a thoughtful observation worth chewing on, a rare moment of admission that his black-and-white view may have more nuance.
As an exorcist, Cheng-Long Liu is highly skilled and fights with his bo staff, which can be folded away when not in use. He is a practitioner of Aria, chanting incantations to perform his exorcisms. When he recites a chant, a large purple magical circle appears at the center of his staff, unleashing an attack powerful enough to destroy demons. He is a veteran operative whose ability to handle high-level threats with practiced ease and a confident, often smug, demeanor is a testament to his elite status within the Order.