TV-Series
Description
Len Tao is a Chinese shaman and a member of the Tao family, an ancient clan that once served as guardians of the Forbidden City before being ostracized and condemned as witches and devils. As a result of this persecution, his father, En Tao, instilled in him a deep hatred for humanity from a very young age. Rigorous training and isolation stole his childhood, shaping him into a serious, logical, and emotionally aloof individual who viewed his spirit companion, Bason, as nothing more than a tool. His initial motivation for becoming the Shaman King was to destroy the world that had wronged his family.
Len Tao first appears as a rival to Yoh Asakura, traveling to Japan to challenge him. Their encounters gradually break down Len’s hardened worldview. Yoh’s easygoing nature and the friends he makes force Len to reconsider his beliefs. He begins to trust others and realizes that not all people are cruel. After a failed attempt to defeat his father on his own, he returns to China with the help of his sister Jun and his new friends, ultimately confronting and overcoming En Tao alongside them. This victory allows him to let go of his inherited hatred, and his goal shifts from destroying humanity to restoring the Tao family’s honor.
As the series progresses, Len Tao joins the Shaman Fight as the leader of his own team, which he names Team The Ren. His teammates include the Ainu shaman Horohoro, with whom he frequently clashes but forms a deep, unspoken bond—demonstrated when Len sacrifices himself to save Horohoro during a battle. He also develops a strong friendship with Yoh, and later in life marries Iron Maiden Jeanne of the X-Laws, with whom he has a son named Men Tao. His relationship with his sister Jun is caring but strained by their upbringing, and they eventually reconcile.
Len Tao’s most notable ability is his command over the ghost Bason, a powerful Chinese commander from the era of Kublai Khan. Bason is intensely loyal and addresses Len as “Young Master” in the original version. Early in the story, Len fights using a kwan dao, which he fuses with Bason. After Hao Asakura destroys that weapon, Len acquires the Hou Rai Ken, the Tao family’s treasured heirloom sword. This blade has the property of purifying and refining any spirit fused with it, allowing Bason to recall all the techniques he possessed in life and greatly amplifying his combat power.
Len’s powers evolve significantly; he becomes one of the Five Elemental Warriors chosen by Sati and gains the Spirit of Thunder, granting him mastery over lightning. His furyoku level is measured at 100,001. He develops a range of oversoul techniques, including the armor-based Bushin and devastating lightning attacks such as Raisou. His signature sword technique is the Chuuka Zanmai, also called the Vorpal Dance in some translations, which in the manga causes the spike of his hair to grow extremely long. Later enhancements lead to the Golden Chuuka Zanmai and even faster lightning-based strikes like Elec-BANG.
Throughout his journey, Len Tao remains a skilled martial artist and swordsman, able to learn techniques by observing them firsthand. He is intuitive, quick-witted, and stubborn, with a short temper and a proud nature that sometimes annoys those around him. Despite his abrasive exterior, he is willing to risk his life for his allies and gradually becomes more trusting and open, carrying the weight of his past actions while striving to forge his own path as the head of the Tao family.
Len Tao first appears as a rival to Yoh Asakura, traveling to Japan to challenge him. Their encounters gradually break down Len’s hardened worldview. Yoh’s easygoing nature and the friends he makes force Len to reconsider his beliefs. He begins to trust others and realizes that not all people are cruel. After a failed attempt to defeat his father on his own, he returns to China with the help of his sister Jun and his new friends, ultimately confronting and overcoming En Tao alongside them. This victory allows him to let go of his inherited hatred, and his goal shifts from destroying humanity to restoring the Tao family’s honor.
As the series progresses, Len Tao joins the Shaman Fight as the leader of his own team, which he names Team The Ren. His teammates include the Ainu shaman Horohoro, with whom he frequently clashes but forms a deep, unspoken bond—demonstrated when Len sacrifices himself to save Horohoro during a battle. He also develops a strong friendship with Yoh, and later in life marries Iron Maiden Jeanne of the X-Laws, with whom he has a son named Men Tao. His relationship with his sister Jun is caring but strained by their upbringing, and they eventually reconcile.
Len Tao’s most notable ability is his command over the ghost Bason, a powerful Chinese commander from the era of Kublai Khan. Bason is intensely loyal and addresses Len as “Young Master” in the original version. Early in the story, Len fights using a kwan dao, which he fuses with Bason. After Hao Asakura destroys that weapon, Len acquires the Hou Rai Ken, the Tao family’s treasured heirloom sword. This blade has the property of purifying and refining any spirit fused with it, allowing Bason to recall all the techniques he possessed in life and greatly amplifying his combat power.
Len’s powers evolve significantly; he becomes one of the Five Elemental Warriors chosen by Sati and gains the Spirit of Thunder, granting him mastery over lightning. His furyoku level is measured at 100,001. He develops a range of oversoul techniques, including the armor-based Bushin and devastating lightning attacks such as Raisou. His signature sword technique is the Chuuka Zanmai, also called the Vorpal Dance in some translations, which in the manga causes the spike of his hair to grow extremely long. Later enhancements lead to the Golden Chuuka Zanmai and even faster lightning-based strikes like Elec-BANG.
Throughout his journey, Len Tao remains a skilled martial artist and swordsman, able to learn techniques by observing them firsthand. He is intuitive, quick-witted, and stubborn, with a short temper and a proud nature that sometimes annoys those around him. Despite his abrasive exterior, he is willing to risk his life for his allies and gradually becomes more trusting and open, carrying the weight of his past actions while striving to forge his own path as the head of the Tao family.