TV-Series
Description
Tao Men, heir to the Tao family, is the son of Tao Ren and Iron Maiden Jeanne. His appearance blends traits from both parents: silver hair and red eyes from his mother, while his facial features and signature "tongari" hairstyle mirror his father's. As he ages, his hairstyle retains its spiky form but gains a wavier texture reminiscent of Jeanne's hair.
He first appears as an infant in the original series' epilogue chapters, brought by Ren to a Five Elemental Warriors reunion. There, he unintentionally mimics Ren's mannerisms, causing others to briefly mistake him for his father. At a restaurant, he burps "Baka" at Horohoro, though whether this was intentional or accidental remains unclear.
In childhood, before Jeanne's assassination, Men displays a cheerful and mischievous personality. Her death triggers profound grief and rage, leading him to demand Ren's help in avenging her killers. Ren refuses, invoking a family promise never to kill anyone, a principle established to break cycles of hatred. Ren's assurance that Jeanne would want them to uphold this vow ultimately persuades Men to honor the pledge.
As a shaman, Men exhibits exceptional talent from a young age. By seven years old, he masters the ability to perform an Over Soul, a feat attributed to his lineage and his notably high furyoku level, recognized as the strongest within Team Hao. He inherits both parental guardian spirits: Bason, Ren's warrior spirit, and Shamash, Jeanne's spirit linked to the Iron Maiden. For combat, he wields Bason's legendary guandao and a spike from Jeanne's Iron Maiden as mediums for their respective Over Souls. He also learns specialized techniques like the "Cloud" method, enabling him to create replicas of Shamash, and achieves "New Trance" with Shamash.
During *Flowers*, Men travels to Japan for the Flower of Maize tournament. En route, two shamans confront him seeking vengeance for their fathers, killed by Jeanne during the Shaman Fight. Men apologizes on his mother's behalf and requests forgiveness. When the attackers reject his appeal and strike, he neutralizes them using Bason and Shamash, restraining them without lethal force to adhere to his family's promise.
This encounter leads him to cross paths with Hana Asakura. Upon deducing Hana's identity, Men tests his capabilities, overpowering Hana's allies Ibuki Gakko and Asakura Yohane. When Hana summons his onis, Men recognizes their destructive power as a potential means to save Jeanne's soul, shedding a tear at the realization. Later, visiting Funbari Onsen, Men inspects Jeanne's stored iron maiden and identifies it as a forgery due to the missing spike he uses for Shamash's Over Soul. He is subsequently attacked by the Munzer siblings wielding "Black Maiden," an Over Soul resembling Jeanne. The psychological shock of seeing his mother's likeness allows "Jeanne Schwarz" to severely injure him with its spikes; he survives due to external intervention and medical aid.
During Flower of Maize preparations, Men displays internal conflict between his privileged upbringing and responsibilities. He declines participation in celebratory gatherings, citing his mother's captive soul and the impending tournament. He later accompanies Team Hao to Kyoto, utilizing his family's resources to secure lodging and documenting the journey through photography. Throughout these events, his demeanor fluctuates between his father's brash impulsivity and his mother's composed austerity, particularly in non-combat situations.
He first appears as an infant in the original series' epilogue chapters, brought by Ren to a Five Elemental Warriors reunion. There, he unintentionally mimics Ren's mannerisms, causing others to briefly mistake him for his father. At a restaurant, he burps "Baka" at Horohoro, though whether this was intentional or accidental remains unclear.
In childhood, before Jeanne's assassination, Men displays a cheerful and mischievous personality. Her death triggers profound grief and rage, leading him to demand Ren's help in avenging her killers. Ren refuses, invoking a family promise never to kill anyone, a principle established to break cycles of hatred. Ren's assurance that Jeanne would want them to uphold this vow ultimately persuades Men to honor the pledge.
As a shaman, Men exhibits exceptional talent from a young age. By seven years old, he masters the ability to perform an Over Soul, a feat attributed to his lineage and his notably high furyoku level, recognized as the strongest within Team Hao. He inherits both parental guardian spirits: Bason, Ren's warrior spirit, and Shamash, Jeanne's spirit linked to the Iron Maiden. For combat, he wields Bason's legendary guandao and a spike from Jeanne's Iron Maiden as mediums for their respective Over Souls. He also learns specialized techniques like the "Cloud" method, enabling him to create replicas of Shamash, and achieves "New Trance" with Shamash.
During *Flowers*, Men travels to Japan for the Flower of Maize tournament. En route, two shamans confront him seeking vengeance for their fathers, killed by Jeanne during the Shaman Fight. Men apologizes on his mother's behalf and requests forgiveness. When the attackers reject his appeal and strike, he neutralizes them using Bason and Shamash, restraining them without lethal force to adhere to his family's promise.
This encounter leads him to cross paths with Hana Asakura. Upon deducing Hana's identity, Men tests his capabilities, overpowering Hana's allies Ibuki Gakko and Asakura Yohane. When Hana summons his onis, Men recognizes their destructive power as a potential means to save Jeanne's soul, shedding a tear at the realization. Later, visiting Funbari Onsen, Men inspects Jeanne's stored iron maiden and identifies it as a forgery due to the missing spike he uses for Shamash's Over Soul. He is subsequently attacked by the Munzer siblings wielding "Black Maiden," an Over Soul resembling Jeanne. The psychological shock of seeing his mother's likeness allows "Jeanne Schwarz" to severely injure him with its spikes; he survives due to external intervention and medical aid.
During Flower of Maize preparations, Men displays internal conflict between his privileged upbringing and responsibilities. He declines participation in celebratory gatherings, citing his mother's captive soul and the impending tournament. He later accompanies Team Hao to Kyoto, utilizing his family's resources to secure lodging and documenting the journey through photography. Throughout these events, his demeanor fluctuates between his father's brash impulsivity and his mother's composed austerity, particularly in non-combat situations.