TV-Series
Description
Horohoro, also known as Trey Racer in some adaptations, is a shaman and a proud member of the Ainu tribe from Hokkaido, Japan. His full birth name is Usui Horokeu, though he strongly dislikes being called this and prefers the nickname Horohoro, which was given to him as a child. He is identifiable by his tall stature, long silver-blue hair often tied up with a patterned headband, and his characteristic white and blue skiing outfit. He is almost always seen carrying his snowboard, which serves as his primary medium for channeling spirits in battle.
Horohoro has a personality that is fundamentally good-natured and cheerful, often bringing a lighthearted and competitive energy to the group. He is deeply proud of his Ainu heritage and holds a profound respect for nature, a value instilled in him from a young age. Despite his easygoing exterior, he becomes serious and focused when facing dangerous situations or entering combat. He can be very sensitive and is easily provoked, with his moods sometimes changing quickly. A notable running gag involves other characters mispronouncing his nickname. While he admits to being terrible at academics, he is quite crafty and practical, able to carve his own snowboard and create small trinkets to sell.
The core motivation driving Horohoro to participate in the Shaman Fight is rooted in his past and his love for his people and nature. His stated goal is to save the Koro Pokkuru, a tiny spirit people, and to plant a vast field of butterbur plants. However, this dream is tied to a deep personal tragedy. As a child, he was friends with a girl named Tamiko, nicknamed Damuko, who was shunned by his village. After being forbidden from seeing her, he ignored her, and she later died in a freezing accident while following him into the mountains. Overcome with guilt, his true, unspoken reason for wanting to become Shaman King is to create the butterbur field that she loved as a way to apologize to her spirit. His guardian ghost, Kororo, is later revealed to be the spirit of this same childhood friend, though Horohoro is unaware of this for much of the story.
In the story, Horohoro is introduced as one of the first opponents for the protagonist, Yoh Asakura. After their fight, he becomes a close friend and reliable ally, joining Yoh and the others in their journey. He successfully earns his place in the second round of the tournament and forms a team, Team "The Ren," with Tao Ren and Chocolove McDonell. His role evolves from a competitive rival to a steadfast member of the core group, and he is eventually identified as one of the Five Elemental Warriors, gaining the Spirit of Rain.
Horohoro's most significant relationship is his constant, bickering rivalry with teammate Tao Ren. They argue incessantly and do not seem to get along on the surface, but Horohoro deeply cares for Ren, once stating he would never forgive Yoh if he could not save him. He shares a very close bond with his younger sister, Pirica, who supports him fiercely, even designing and sewing his battle outfit and a new medium for him. He also has a noticeable crush on Iron Maiden Jeanne. His relationship with his father is more distant and strained, as he views himself as a disappointment. The most important, yet initially unknown, relationship is with his spirit, Kororo, who is the ghost of his lost friend and first love.
Throughout the series, Horohoro undergoes significant character development. He starts as a capable but straightforward fighter and gradually matures into a much more serious and powerful warrior. A key turning point is when he is taught by the shaman Pascal Avaf, allowing him to unlock his true potential and develop a powerful armor-type Oversoul. He is stubborn and secretive about his painful past, but confronting these buried emotions is essential to his growth as a shaman. By the final stages of the tournament, he becomes a grimly determined combatant, though his jovial and joking nature returns when he is not fighting.
As a shaman, Horohoro's notable abilities revolve around his high spiritual power, known as Furyoku, which is measured to be around 120,000. He specializes in ice-based attacks, freezing the water vapor in the air to create weapons and barriers. His primary techniques involve channeling his spirit Kororo into a medium. His first major Oversoul channels Kororo into his snowboard, which he can ride for swift attacks or attach to his arm to use the Nipopo Punch, a strike that freezes and shatters opponents on contact. He later receives an ikupasuy, a carved Ainu prayer stick, from his sister and uses it as a new medium for enhanced freezing speed. Under Pascal Avaf's guidance, he achieves an advanced armor-type Oversoul called the Nipopo Gauntlets, which allows him to flash-freeze and destroy targets with devastating efficiency. After being recognized as an Elemental Warrior, he gains the Spirit of Rain, a grand spirit that produces holy water and grants him even greater power. He also learns to read the flow of spiritual energy in his opponents, a skill that enables him to dodge attacks with precision.
Horohoro has a personality that is fundamentally good-natured and cheerful, often bringing a lighthearted and competitive energy to the group. He is deeply proud of his Ainu heritage and holds a profound respect for nature, a value instilled in him from a young age. Despite his easygoing exterior, he becomes serious and focused when facing dangerous situations or entering combat. He can be very sensitive and is easily provoked, with his moods sometimes changing quickly. A notable running gag involves other characters mispronouncing his nickname. While he admits to being terrible at academics, he is quite crafty and practical, able to carve his own snowboard and create small trinkets to sell.
The core motivation driving Horohoro to participate in the Shaman Fight is rooted in his past and his love for his people and nature. His stated goal is to save the Koro Pokkuru, a tiny spirit people, and to plant a vast field of butterbur plants. However, this dream is tied to a deep personal tragedy. As a child, he was friends with a girl named Tamiko, nicknamed Damuko, who was shunned by his village. After being forbidden from seeing her, he ignored her, and she later died in a freezing accident while following him into the mountains. Overcome with guilt, his true, unspoken reason for wanting to become Shaman King is to create the butterbur field that she loved as a way to apologize to her spirit. His guardian ghost, Kororo, is later revealed to be the spirit of this same childhood friend, though Horohoro is unaware of this for much of the story.
In the story, Horohoro is introduced as one of the first opponents for the protagonist, Yoh Asakura. After their fight, he becomes a close friend and reliable ally, joining Yoh and the others in their journey. He successfully earns his place in the second round of the tournament and forms a team, Team "The Ren," with Tao Ren and Chocolove McDonell. His role evolves from a competitive rival to a steadfast member of the core group, and he is eventually identified as one of the Five Elemental Warriors, gaining the Spirit of Rain.
Horohoro's most significant relationship is his constant, bickering rivalry with teammate Tao Ren. They argue incessantly and do not seem to get along on the surface, but Horohoro deeply cares for Ren, once stating he would never forgive Yoh if he could not save him. He shares a very close bond with his younger sister, Pirica, who supports him fiercely, even designing and sewing his battle outfit and a new medium for him. He also has a noticeable crush on Iron Maiden Jeanne. His relationship with his father is more distant and strained, as he views himself as a disappointment. The most important, yet initially unknown, relationship is with his spirit, Kororo, who is the ghost of his lost friend and first love.
Throughout the series, Horohoro undergoes significant character development. He starts as a capable but straightforward fighter and gradually matures into a much more serious and powerful warrior. A key turning point is when he is taught by the shaman Pascal Avaf, allowing him to unlock his true potential and develop a powerful armor-type Oversoul. He is stubborn and secretive about his painful past, but confronting these buried emotions is essential to his growth as a shaman. By the final stages of the tournament, he becomes a grimly determined combatant, though his jovial and joking nature returns when he is not fighting.
As a shaman, Horohoro's notable abilities revolve around his high spiritual power, known as Furyoku, which is measured to be around 120,000. He specializes in ice-based attacks, freezing the water vapor in the air to create weapons and barriers. His primary techniques involve channeling his spirit Kororo into a medium. His first major Oversoul channels Kororo into his snowboard, which he can ride for swift attacks or attach to his arm to use the Nipopo Punch, a strike that freezes and shatters opponents on contact. He later receives an ikupasuy, a carved Ainu prayer stick, from his sister and uses it as a new medium for enhanced freezing speed. Under Pascal Avaf's guidance, he achieves an advanced armor-type Oversoul called the Nipopo Gauntlets, which allows him to flash-freeze and destroy targets with devastating efficiency. After being recognized as an Elemental Warrior, he gains the Spirit of Rain, a grand spirit that produces holy water and grants him even greater power. He also learns to read the flow of spiritual energy in his opponents, a skill that enables him to dodge attacks with precision.