Kaijinbō (灰刃坊, かいじんぼう, "Ash Blade Monk") was a humanoid yōkai swordsmith who was also a former apprentice of Tōtōsai. He forged Sesshōmaru's sword Tōkijin.
History
Under Tōtōsai's wing, Kaijinbō crafted weapons housing great and sinister powers. He once killed ten innocent children in order to craft a sword. Disgusted by the results of his works, Tōtōsai banished him. Even then, he continued his work in spite of him.[1] Kaijinbō created a powerful weapon using 222 yōkai corpses known as the Naginata of Kenkon at the behest of the Demon ninja Hoshiyomi.
During the story
Kaijinbō was at his home drinking sake when Sesshōmaru suddenly approached him with the head of the yōkai Goshinki. Due to the fact that Sesshōmaru and Tōtōsai were not on good terms with one another, he was looking for Kaijinbō to forge him a sword since he despised his former master. Sesshōmaru presented Goshinki's head to Kaijinbō and asked him to forge a sword with its fangs. Kaijinbō quickly dismissed his request since he could not make a sword out of something that was dead. Sesshōmaru pulled out Tenseiga and used it on Goshinki's head. Kaijinbō was surprised when the head had come back to life. Sesshōmaru went on by explaining to Kaijinbō that the fangs of Goshinki were able to break Tessaiga, a sword that Tōtōsai had forged. Kaijinbō exclaimed that the fangs would make a powerful sword and accepted Sesshōmaru's request.
Sesshōmaru's vassal, Jaken, returned to Kaijinbō's home three days later to check his progress with the sword. He was instantly cut in half by Kaijinbō with the newly forged sword Tōkijin. He commented on how magnificent a sword it was while being possessed by its evil aura.[1]
Goshinki's evil will compelled Kaijinbō to seek and kill the one responsible for his death: Inuyasha. Kaijinbō approached Inuyasha and the others in a flash of red light. He had arrived on the night when the hanyō was in his mortal form. He introduced himself to Inuyasha and claimed that his sword wished to taste his blood. Inuyasha initially had no idea why Kaijinbō was after him. Tōkijin resonated and told Kaijinbō which one was Inuyasha. He was surprise to see that his prey was a human. Still unsure as to why he wished to kill him, Kaijinbō explained to Inuyasha that it was the sword that wanted to kill him and that it was made from the yōkai that broke Tessaiga. Inuyasha was prepared to fight Kaijinbō, but Miroku and Sango intervened since he was too weak to fight in his human form. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu at Kaijinbō. It initially missed him, but it came back around to strike him from behind. Kaijinbō sliced Hiraikotsu in half with the sword just as it was about to strike him. Miroku threw a sutra at Kaijinbō's face and followed up by striking him with his staff. This created a large opening in the middle of Kaijinbō's skull. Tōkijin took possession of Kaijinbō and attempted to strike Miroku when his guard was down, but he managed to dodge it. Kaijinbō held up Tōkijin and exclaimed how great a sword it was. Everyone was surprised to see that Kaijinbō acted as if nothing happened after Miroku's attack.
Kaijinbō called out Inuyasha into fighting him. Inuyasha claimed that he would not fall for such a trick, but decided to fight him since he was the one that Kaijinbō was after. As Inuyasha ran up to face Kaijinbō, Tōtōsai suddenly appeared in front of Inuyasha in a flash of lightning with Tessaiga. Inuyasha took back his sword from Tōtōsai and was prepared to fight again. Tōtōsai turned his attention to Kaijinbō and remarked that it had been a long time since they last saw each other. Kaijinbō replied by stating that thought Tōtōsai had died. Tōtōsai noticed that he had crated another evil sword. Kaijinbō claimed that he would prove once and for all that he was the better swordsmith. Kaijinbō told Inuyasha to draw his sword and claimed that he would destroy it while Tōtōsai would observe.
Inuyasha charged at Kaijinbō with Tessaiga, but was instantly pushed back down to the ground after coming in contact with Tōkijin and had bits of spilled blood. Kaijinbō then proceeded to attack Inuyasha with Tōkijin. Inuyasha was able to hold him back with Tessaiga, but the attack caused more blood to spurt out from his body. Kaijinbō pulled back after Inuyasha was able to hold of his attack. He remarked how Inuyasha's body would break before his sword. Inuyasha then remarked that Kaijinbō was not nearly skilled enough to use a sword as impressive as Tōkajin and the he should have kill him when he had the chance. It was at that moment that the sun began to rise and Inuyasha regained his powers. He was eager to test his reforged sword against Kaijinbō and transformed it. Inuyasha immediately had trouble holding his sword due to it being a lot heavier than before. Kaijinbō remarked at Inuyasha that it was no good in having a sword that he couldn't wield, and that he would destroy both him and it. He pointed Tōkajin straight at Inuyasha and came charging at him. Inuyasha mustered all his strength to hold Tessaiga and managed to counterattack. Both of them were equally matched as they confronted each other. Kaijinbō remarked to Tōtōsai about how unimpressed he was with Tessaiga, but his body suddenly disintegrated from Tōkijin's pressure. Tōtōsai remarked how foolish Kaijinbō was for being possessed by his own sword. Sesshōmaru claimed Tōkijin for himself shortly after.[2]
Personality
Unlike Tōtōsai, Kaijinbō is a rude, ruthless demon, who feels no remorse for his heinous actions (like killing children and using their flesh to forge a sword) and even claims that he could make stronger swords precisely because of his lack of goodness. He is also vengeful, as he accepts to forge a sword for Sesshōmaru upon hearing that he could use the fangs of Goshinki, which destroys the original Tessaiga, a work of Tōtōsai.
Physical description
Kaijinbō is a humanoid demon with light orange skin and small horns on his head. He has fangs, black hair that only grows on the sides of his head and small mustache on the sides of his face. When he is possessed by Tōkijin, his eyes wee blank and occasionally glow red.
Outfit
He wears blue short sleeve kosode that has a pattern of white arrows and a dark gray hakama. He he a necklace made from skulls.
Powers & Abilities
Kaijinbō completes Tōkijin.
- Master Swordsmith: Kaijinbō had great skills in forging demon swords as he was the former disciple of Tōtōsai himself. Due to using gruesome methods of using human blood and yokai souls to strengthen his creations , Sesshōmaru noted his creations were seethed in great hatred and power, but this could cause great danger to the wielder and even himself.
Known creations
Manga vs. Anime
- In the manga, after Tōtōsai tells Inuyasha and the others that Kaijinbō killed ten children to make his sword, he asks Tōtōsai what is wrong with such methods and claims that his sword could cut well as a result.
- In the manga, he is killed after his first strike against Inuyasha and Tessaiga in its transformed state. In the anime, he survives the first strike and is killed after clashing with Tessaiga a second time.
- After Kaijinbō is killed, his right hand remains holding on to Tōkijin. In the manga. it holds on until it is destroyed by A-Un's lightning attack when Sesshōmaru arrives afterwards. In the anime, it immediately disintegrates after Tōkijin lands on the ground.
Trivia
- His seiyū, Takeshi Aono, voiced several characters from Rumiko Takahashi's previous series Ranma ½. They include Kinnii, The Gambling King, and Shinnosuke Shinnosuke's grandfather.
- His English voice actor, Robert O. Smith, also voiced several characters from Ranma ½. The most notable being Genma Saotome.
Media appearances
Manga
- Chapter 158 (First appearance)
- Chapter 159
- Chapter 160
- Chapter 161
Anime
- Episode 44 (First appearance)
- Episode 45
- Episode 137 (Appears in a flashback)
- Episode 140 (Appears in a flashback)
Notes
- ↑ In the anime only
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 InuYasha anime; Episode 44
- ↑ InuYasha anime; Episode 45