TV-Series
Description
Byaku is a pivotal character who serves as the primary intermediary for Princess, the enigmatic founder and leader of the Kokuboro organization. As Princess rarely interacts with anyone else directly, Byaku functions as her voice, carrying her whims and desires to the troops in the form of commands, and he possesses absolute authority to make her dreams a reality. His position is unique within the group, as he is not an ayakashi, or demon, but a human who has extensively modified his body.
His physical appearance reflects his unconventional nature. Byaku has long, gray hair that usually covers the left side of his face, hiding an oversized left eye while still revealing a large, X-shaped scar centered on his nose. Both the left side of his head and most of his left arm are composed of mechanical parts, housing the many demon bugs he commands.
Before becoming the being known as Byaku, he was a completely human man named Shiranuma. He was married to a beautiful woman named Risa Kagami, whose greatest obsession was to remain forever beautiful. Shiranuma gave in to her every whim and performed numerous experiments on her body to preserve her beauty, but one of these attempts left her hideously disfigured. Following her final wishes, she took her own life, and Shiranuma buried her and burned their home, digging two graves but leaving his own empty. Risa's body was later dug up by Heisuke Matsudo, a man who had been in love with her. After fruitless attempts to revive her, Heisuke made a contract with a demon who agreed to take on her name and form.
Byaku is a master manipulator who remains calm in almost any situation, and within Kokuboro, only Princess and the powerful ayakashi Kaguro have no fear of him. He rarely shows emotion, which was true even when he was fully human, and he claims to have never loved his wife, believing she was only using him to fulfill her own selfish desires. Despite this calculating and detached demeanor, Byaku is entirely devoted to Princess, who appears to be the only being he ever truly cared for.
His motivations are deeply rooted in his past and his encounter with Princess. At some point after his transformation, Shiranuma challenged Princess in battle, seeking her power in order to become an ayakashi. He was easily defeated, and instead chose to serve her, becoming her trusted subordinate. His primary role in the story is as a strategist and overseer for Kokuboro, directing operations from the shadows. He is responsible for sending operatives like the Spy and the powerful ayakashi Shirahago to Karasumori to gather data on the site and its protectors, the kekkaishi. He also orchestrates the first mass attack on Karasumori, observing the battle through his various bugs while keeping Princess secured nearby.
Byaku's key relationships are central to his character arc. His history with Heisuke Matsudo is one of bitter rivalry and revenge. Heisuke blames Byaku for Risa's death and spends years hunting him, culminating in a direct infiltration of Kokuboro's castle to settle the score. During their final confrontation, Heisuke's companion Kagami, who wears Risa's form, devours Byaku's swarm of demon bugs and leaves him on the brink of death. Byaku claims Risa's death was an accident and that she was the one who used him, but Heisuke refuses to believe it, asserting that Risa was insecure and loved her husband.
Byaku's development reaches its conclusion in his final moments with Princess. After she decides to abandon her collapsing castle, she heals his wounds. Though she orders him to leave so he would not see her in her weakened state, Byaku chooses to stay, carrying her on his back as their dimension falls apart around them. In this moment, he realizes that what he truly wanted Princess's power for was not to become an ayakashi, but to become human again. He does not regret this mistaken desire because being around her made him feel at peace. Princess uses the last of her power to transform the land around them into the grass of Kurosusuki, a place she had longed to see again, and Byaku smiles as they meet their end together.
Byaku's notable abilities revolve entirely around his control of countless demon bugs. He issues mental commands to these bugs through his oversized left eye, which is a mechanical nest for his worms. His primary tool is the Control Bug, a worm placed inside the foreheads of many Kokuboro demons. These bugs record events through their hosts' eyes and exert varying amounts of control over their actions, allowing Byaku to force his will upon them or cause them extreme pain. He reabsorbs these bugs through his left eye to instantly take in all the data they have gathered. By dousing an opponent with the bodily fluid of these bugs and then gaining their consent to a challenge, Byaku can create a curse that causes near-total paralysis, making them easy prey for his final attack. He also employs Camera Bugs for recording, Monitor Bugs for display, Transport Bugs for carrying large numbers of demons into battle concealed by dark clouds, and Announcer Bugs for relaying messages to his troops.
His physical appearance reflects his unconventional nature. Byaku has long, gray hair that usually covers the left side of his face, hiding an oversized left eye while still revealing a large, X-shaped scar centered on his nose. Both the left side of his head and most of his left arm are composed of mechanical parts, housing the many demon bugs he commands.
Before becoming the being known as Byaku, he was a completely human man named Shiranuma. He was married to a beautiful woman named Risa Kagami, whose greatest obsession was to remain forever beautiful. Shiranuma gave in to her every whim and performed numerous experiments on her body to preserve her beauty, but one of these attempts left her hideously disfigured. Following her final wishes, she took her own life, and Shiranuma buried her and burned their home, digging two graves but leaving his own empty. Risa's body was later dug up by Heisuke Matsudo, a man who had been in love with her. After fruitless attempts to revive her, Heisuke made a contract with a demon who agreed to take on her name and form.
Byaku is a master manipulator who remains calm in almost any situation, and within Kokuboro, only Princess and the powerful ayakashi Kaguro have no fear of him. He rarely shows emotion, which was true even when he was fully human, and he claims to have never loved his wife, believing she was only using him to fulfill her own selfish desires. Despite this calculating and detached demeanor, Byaku is entirely devoted to Princess, who appears to be the only being he ever truly cared for.
His motivations are deeply rooted in his past and his encounter with Princess. At some point after his transformation, Shiranuma challenged Princess in battle, seeking her power in order to become an ayakashi. He was easily defeated, and instead chose to serve her, becoming her trusted subordinate. His primary role in the story is as a strategist and overseer for Kokuboro, directing operations from the shadows. He is responsible for sending operatives like the Spy and the powerful ayakashi Shirahago to Karasumori to gather data on the site and its protectors, the kekkaishi. He also orchestrates the first mass attack on Karasumori, observing the battle through his various bugs while keeping Princess secured nearby.
Byaku's key relationships are central to his character arc. His history with Heisuke Matsudo is one of bitter rivalry and revenge. Heisuke blames Byaku for Risa's death and spends years hunting him, culminating in a direct infiltration of Kokuboro's castle to settle the score. During their final confrontation, Heisuke's companion Kagami, who wears Risa's form, devours Byaku's swarm of demon bugs and leaves him on the brink of death. Byaku claims Risa's death was an accident and that she was the one who used him, but Heisuke refuses to believe it, asserting that Risa was insecure and loved her husband.
Byaku's development reaches its conclusion in his final moments with Princess. After she decides to abandon her collapsing castle, she heals his wounds. Though she orders him to leave so he would not see her in her weakened state, Byaku chooses to stay, carrying her on his back as their dimension falls apart around them. In this moment, he realizes that what he truly wanted Princess's power for was not to become an ayakashi, but to become human again. He does not regret this mistaken desire because being around her made him feel at peace. Princess uses the last of her power to transform the land around them into the grass of Kurosusuki, a place she had longed to see again, and Byaku smiles as they meet their end together.
Byaku's notable abilities revolve entirely around his control of countless demon bugs. He issues mental commands to these bugs through his oversized left eye, which is a mechanical nest for his worms. His primary tool is the Control Bug, a worm placed inside the foreheads of many Kokuboro demons. These bugs record events through their hosts' eyes and exert varying amounts of control over their actions, allowing Byaku to force his will upon them or cause them extreme pain. He reabsorbs these bugs through his left eye to instantly take in all the data they have gathered. By dousing an opponent with the bodily fluid of these bugs and then gaining their consent to a challenge, Byaku can create a curse that causes near-total paralysis, making them easy prey for his final attack. He also employs Camera Bugs for recording, Monitor Bugs for display, Transport Bugs for carrying large numbers of demons into battle concealed by dark clouds, and Announcer Bugs for relaying messages to his troops.