TV-Series
Description
Makoto Yamazaki is a supporting character in the anime and manga series A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School!. He is a doppelgänger-type youkai who works as a police officer on Hyakki Academy Island. His true form appears as a being composed of white bandages with a simple face shape and no visible eyes, and he typically wears a police uniform paired with a hat. When interacting with humans, he often takes on the appearance of his childhood friend, Akira Takahashi, creating the illusion that they are twins. Yamazaki is around 140 years old and stands 176 centimeters tall.
His personality is defined by a strong sense of duty, responsibility, and seriousness. He is warm-hearted and kind, especially toward children and those he cares about, and he strives to keep the students of Hyakki Academy out of trouble. Growing up in a time when youkai society had few laws, he was inspired to become a police officer, and he holds the law close to his heart, wishing for children to have a safe place to live. This leads him to frequently misinterpret the actions of the human teacher Haruaki Abe as sexual harassment, often resulting in Haruaki’s arrest. When dealing with actual criminals, however, Yamazaki is ruthless and will transform into whoever he needs to in order to apprehend them. Despite his serious exterior, he is scared of cockroaches and becomes a crying drunk when intoxicated.
Yamazaki’s motivations stem from his traumatic childhood. As a child, he was shunned and nearly executed by his village, tied to a tree after being falsely accused of a crime simply because he was a doppelgänger. The villagers planned to force him to curse another child, Akira Takahashi, who was feared for his violent tendencies. Overhearing the plan, Akira cut Yamazaki down, interrogated him about his abilities, and then offered to take him in. From that night onward, Yamazaki lived with Akira, and the two became inseparable. This experience shaped Yamazaki’s commitment to law and order, and his deep gratitude toward Akira forms the core of their relationship.
In the story, Yamazaki serves as a moral compass for Akira. In their youth, after being urged by Haruaki to take a better path, Akira made a deal with Yamazaki: if Yamazaki disapproved of something Akira did, Akira would stop. Into adulthood, Yamazaki continues to play this role, checking Akira’s more extreme tendencies. Their bond runs deep; when Akira is injured, Yamazaki cries for him because Akira himself does not cry. Yamazaki also has a good relationship with Kuniko Utagawa, whom he helped raise alongside Akira, often attending school events in Akira’s place and being softer with her than Akira is. He does not get along with Kurai Takahashi, Akira’s brother, as Kurai resents Akira and Yamazaki does not like hearing him bad-mouth his friend.
Yamazaki’s primary ability as a doppelgänger is to transform into anyone he has seen, mimicking their appearance, voice, and even personality. However, he cannot eat, drink, or perform basic daily functions unless he takes on another’s form. Akira allows him to use his face for this purpose. Certain youkai, such as Dodomeki and animal-type youkai, can see through his disguises. He also possesses basic combat and self-defense skills as a police officer. Despite his abilities, he is not a strong student academically and required tutoring from Akira during their school days.
Yamazaki’s development is subtle but significant. He moves from being a lonely, mistrusted outcast to a respected officer and a reliable friend. His relationship with Akira deepens over time, and he learns to trust others, such as Haruaki, enough to help them when needed. He remains serious and law-abiding, but his care for his friends and his role as a protector of the island’s youth define his character arc.
His personality is defined by a strong sense of duty, responsibility, and seriousness. He is warm-hearted and kind, especially toward children and those he cares about, and he strives to keep the students of Hyakki Academy out of trouble. Growing up in a time when youkai society had few laws, he was inspired to become a police officer, and he holds the law close to his heart, wishing for children to have a safe place to live. This leads him to frequently misinterpret the actions of the human teacher Haruaki Abe as sexual harassment, often resulting in Haruaki’s arrest. When dealing with actual criminals, however, Yamazaki is ruthless and will transform into whoever he needs to in order to apprehend them. Despite his serious exterior, he is scared of cockroaches and becomes a crying drunk when intoxicated.
Yamazaki’s motivations stem from his traumatic childhood. As a child, he was shunned and nearly executed by his village, tied to a tree after being falsely accused of a crime simply because he was a doppelgänger. The villagers planned to force him to curse another child, Akira Takahashi, who was feared for his violent tendencies. Overhearing the plan, Akira cut Yamazaki down, interrogated him about his abilities, and then offered to take him in. From that night onward, Yamazaki lived with Akira, and the two became inseparable. This experience shaped Yamazaki’s commitment to law and order, and his deep gratitude toward Akira forms the core of their relationship.
In the story, Yamazaki serves as a moral compass for Akira. In their youth, after being urged by Haruaki to take a better path, Akira made a deal with Yamazaki: if Yamazaki disapproved of something Akira did, Akira would stop. Into adulthood, Yamazaki continues to play this role, checking Akira’s more extreme tendencies. Their bond runs deep; when Akira is injured, Yamazaki cries for him because Akira himself does not cry. Yamazaki also has a good relationship with Kuniko Utagawa, whom he helped raise alongside Akira, often attending school events in Akira’s place and being softer with her than Akira is. He does not get along with Kurai Takahashi, Akira’s brother, as Kurai resents Akira and Yamazaki does not like hearing him bad-mouth his friend.
Yamazaki’s primary ability as a doppelgänger is to transform into anyone he has seen, mimicking their appearance, voice, and even personality. However, he cannot eat, drink, or perform basic daily functions unless he takes on another’s form. Akira allows him to use his face for this purpose. Certain youkai, such as Dodomeki and animal-type youkai, can see through his disguises. He also possesses basic combat and self-defense skills as a police officer. Despite his abilities, he is not a strong student academically and required tutoring from Akira during their school days.
Yamazaki’s development is subtle but significant. He moves from being a lonely, mistrusted outcast to a respected officer and a reliable friend. His relationship with Akira deepens over time, and he learns to trust others, such as Haruaki, enough to help them when needed. He remains serious and law-abiding, but his care for his friends and his role as a protector of the island’s youth define his character arc.