TV-Series
Description
Banri Watanuki is a resident of the Ayakashi-kan and a mixed-blood youkai, specifically a tanuki, or raccoon dog. He is a short, slender teenage boy with spiky blond hair and narrowed blue eyes, often dressed in his school uniform or clothing emblazoned with aggressive slogans. His youkai form is that of a small, brown tanuki, frequently depicted with a leaf on its head. His birthday is October 10.
Banri is characterized by a stark contradiction between his self-image and his true nature. He loudly proclaims himself a delinquent and yearns to be seen as strong and intimidating. He is hot-blooded, impulsive, and prone to shouting, especially when embarrassed or angered. However, his actions consistently reveal him to be the opposite of a delinquent. He is genuinely kind, honest, and diligent, often helping others, picking up lost items, or correcting financial mistakes in his favor. This good-natured behavior is noted to be a natural trait of tanuki youkai. He is also somewhat naive and gullible, making him easy to tease. A major source of frustration for him is being called "cute," a comment he harbors a long-standing grudge over.
Banri's primary motivation is his deep-seated desire to protect his childhood friend, Karuta Roromiya. He is in love with her, and his quest to become a "delinquent" and a stronger person is directly linked to a childhood promise to shield her from harm. His insecurity and emotional instability can trigger his involuntary transformation into his youkai form. Within the story, his role is that of a loyal friend and a comic foil, whose earnest attempts at being tough are constantly undermined by his inherent kindness and the antics of those around him.
His key relationships are complex and evolve significantly over the course of the narrative. His bond with Karuta is central; he is fiercely protective of her and often becomes flustered in her presence. In the first part of the story, his Secret Service (SS) agent is Zange Natsume. Their relationship is quarrelsome, with Zange's eccentric and cheerful personality constantly grating on Banri's nerves, though they share a genuine, brotherly care for each other. He considers Soushi Miketsukami a rival, a one-sided animosity born from Soushi calling him "cute" as a child. He is also easily frightened by the more menacing Kagerou Shokiin, another figure from his past who bullied him.
Banri undergoes a significant transformation through reincarnation. In the first timeline, he dies at the age of 16 while trying to save Karuta during a demon raid. Following his reincarnation in the second part of the story, he is reborn as a 13-year-old middle school student with no memories of his previous life. In this new life, his SS agent is Karuta, and his relationships are reset. He is no longer childhood friends with Zange, Soushi, and Kagerou, and instead becomes best friends with Mikoto Inugami, viewing him as a strong and admirable delinquent leader. His rivalry with Soushi transforms into respect for Soushi's abilities. Despite lacking his past memories, his core drive to become strong enough to protect Karuta remains unchanged. He is ultimately the one who proposes the idea of sending letters to the past using the power of a cherry blossom tree, creating a time capsule to alter the course of events and prevent the tragic deaths of his friends. In the final timeline, he is seen as an adult pursuing a career as a doctor.
As a tanuki youkai, Banri possesses several notable abilities. His power is primarily based on transformation and illusion, though his combat ability is considered low compared to other characters. He can transform into his small tanuki form and can also create multiple illusory duplicates of himself to confuse opponents. Additionally, he has the ability to change his appearance to look like other people, including transforming into a woman, though he has been known to perform this imperfectly.
Banri is characterized by a stark contradiction between his self-image and his true nature. He loudly proclaims himself a delinquent and yearns to be seen as strong and intimidating. He is hot-blooded, impulsive, and prone to shouting, especially when embarrassed or angered. However, his actions consistently reveal him to be the opposite of a delinquent. He is genuinely kind, honest, and diligent, often helping others, picking up lost items, or correcting financial mistakes in his favor. This good-natured behavior is noted to be a natural trait of tanuki youkai. He is also somewhat naive and gullible, making him easy to tease. A major source of frustration for him is being called "cute," a comment he harbors a long-standing grudge over.
Banri's primary motivation is his deep-seated desire to protect his childhood friend, Karuta Roromiya. He is in love with her, and his quest to become a "delinquent" and a stronger person is directly linked to a childhood promise to shield her from harm. His insecurity and emotional instability can trigger his involuntary transformation into his youkai form. Within the story, his role is that of a loyal friend and a comic foil, whose earnest attempts at being tough are constantly undermined by his inherent kindness and the antics of those around him.
His key relationships are complex and evolve significantly over the course of the narrative. His bond with Karuta is central; he is fiercely protective of her and often becomes flustered in her presence. In the first part of the story, his Secret Service (SS) agent is Zange Natsume. Their relationship is quarrelsome, with Zange's eccentric and cheerful personality constantly grating on Banri's nerves, though they share a genuine, brotherly care for each other. He considers Soushi Miketsukami a rival, a one-sided animosity born from Soushi calling him "cute" as a child. He is also easily frightened by the more menacing Kagerou Shokiin, another figure from his past who bullied him.
Banri undergoes a significant transformation through reincarnation. In the first timeline, he dies at the age of 16 while trying to save Karuta during a demon raid. Following his reincarnation in the second part of the story, he is reborn as a 13-year-old middle school student with no memories of his previous life. In this new life, his SS agent is Karuta, and his relationships are reset. He is no longer childhood friends with Zange, Soushi, and Kagerou, and instead becomes best friends with Mikoto Inugami, viewing him as a strong and admirable delinquent leader. His rivalry with Soushi transforms into respect for Soushi's abilities. Despite lacking his past memories, his core drive to become strong enough to protect Karuta remains unchanged. He is ultimately the one who proposes the idea of sending letters to the past using the power of a cherry blossom tree, creating a time capsule to alter the course of events and prevent the tragic deaths of his friends. In the final timeline, he is seen as an adult pursuing a career as a doctor.
As a tanuki youkai, Banri possesses several notable abilities. His power is primarily based on transformation and illusion, though his combat ability is considered low compared to other characters. He can transform into his small tanuki form and can also create multiple illusory duplicates of himself to confuse opponents. Additionally, he has the ability to change his appearance to look like other people, including transforming into a woman, though he has been known to perform this imperfectly.