Ichika

Ichika Yami 「夜見一花 Yami Ichika」 is one of the Ryuzen Seven of the Hino Country and the younger sister of Yami Sukehiro.[3] She is also a descendant of the former Yami Clan.[4

Ichika is a short young woman with long black hair that is tied back in a braided ponytail. She is said to greatly resemble her late mother.[5]

Ichika wears a black kimono with a dark grey hakama and a white undershirt. She also wears a pair of light-colored socks and sandals. Her katana is tucked through her belt on her left side.

Ichika as a child Ichika as a child

As a child, Ichika wears a kimono with a dark-colored obi. Her hair is pulled back into a small ponytail and has a plain hairclip in the front, holding up hair on the right side of her forehead.

Like her older brother, Ichika has an overly serious and threatening demeanor[6] and often resorts to physical violence to make a point.[7][8] When she was a child, she was more gentle and caring. She was also too fearful of her father to fight back against his abuse.[9]

Biography

Ichika was born to the Yami Clan in Goshu of the Hino Country. Not long after her birth, her mother passed away. As a girl, Ichika is dismissed as weak by her father, so her older brother, Sukehiro, defends her from their father's anger and violence. She often accompanies Sukehiro when he is fishing, and also befriends Ryuya Ryudo, the son of the regional lord.[10]

One night, their father attempts to give Sukehiro the clan's secret drug to induce a bloodthirsty state and to forcefully draw out all of the mage's latent magic power. Ichika objects so their father gives it to her instead. Under the pill's influence, she slaughters the rest of the clan, except her brother, and collapses from exhaustion afterwards. Sukehiro and Ryuya agree to hide the truth from her, with Sukehiro taking blame for the massacre.[11][12]

After Sukehiro flees the country, Ryuya becomes Ichika's benefactor. Over the years, Ichika trains and becomes one of the Ryuzen Seven. Meanwhile, Ryuya attains the Tengentsu and manages to gain popularity and unite the country's warring factions, ultimately becoming the Shogun.[13]

Years later, after Asta washes ashore in the country, Ryuya has Humito Mikuriya heal Asta and Liebe. When Asta wakes up after being healed, Ichika is standing beside Ryuya to greet him. Asta fails to appreciate that he is far from the Clover Kingdom, so Ichika walks past him and slides open the room's doors, revealing the view of Hino Country.[14] When Asta mentions that Ryuya does not seem strong, Ichika glares at him and warns him about disrespecting the Shogun.

Ichika defeats bandits Ichika defeats the Bad News Badgers.

The three then take a tour of the nearby town. Along the way, four bandits smash their way out of a building and threaten Ryuya. At the Shogun's order, Ichika steps in and quickly and easily defeats the bandits, sending them crashing into a wall. The citizens celebrate Ichika's victory and shout her name. Recognizing the name Yami, Asta asks if she is related to his captain, but she cuts him off by grabbing and squeezing his head. She warns him that he should not get so close and that she does not like men like Asta. Ryuya reveals that she is Yami's younger sister and one of the Ryuzen Seven, under whom Asta should train to get stronger.[15]

When the citizens recognize Asta as a foreigner, Ryuya rushes Ichika and Asta to Humito's house to check on Liebe. While there, they have a meal that Humito prepared. Asta does not see how more training can help him and ignores Ryuya's assurances, so Ichika slaps Asta and reminds him that Ryuya and Humito saved his life, even though foreigners are believed to bring disaster. She asserts that if he is willing to waste his life by ignoring the Shogun who saved him, then she will go ahead and kill him there. Shocked back to his senses, Asta thanks everyone for their help and swears to repay them.

They all head outside to the bamboo forest next to the house. There, Ryuya explains Zetten to Asta, while Ichika demonstrates the technique. After she slices a bamboo stalk in half, she orders Asta to replicate it, but he uses Anti Magic instead, which causes the bamboo stalk to erode, shocking Ichika and Humito. Asta thanks her for her help and in advance for her continued help, but she silently glares at him.[16] After Asta masters the basics of Zetten, Ryuya has him fight with Ichika so he can practice utilizing the technique in combat. Asta takes on his black form, and Ichika warns him that if he does not take the fight seriously, then he will die. During the fight, she repeatedly knocks him around and easily evades his attacks. After throwing Asta into the water, she draws her sword and, although he successfully blocks the slash, her attack cuts through a large section of bamboo behind him. She then kicks him onto the rocky shore, knocking him out of his black form. She is surprised to see him stand back up and insist on continuing the fight, but then slaps his head into the ground, knocking him unconscious.[17]

After Humito heals Asta's injuries, the group is joined by three more of the Ryuzen Seven—Jozou Hanegatsuji, Daizaemon Ōoka, and Komari Imari—who also beat up Asta with their styles of Zetten.[18] Later that night, Ichika returns to where Asta rests reflecting on the training. When he is unsure how to refer to her, she reveals that she is 24 years old and insists on being called "Ichika". She then tells Asta about Ryuya and gets excited while relating Ryuya's rise to the shogunate. Calming down, she admits that he is her benefactor and that she owes him her life. When Asta draws a comparison to his relationship with his captain, Ichika grows angry and refuses to hear any more about the man who killed their clan.[19] She tells him about the Yami Clan and her family. Asta refuses to believe Yami would do such a thing, and the two argue, growing more heated. Eventually, Ichika decides that they should settle the matter with a serious fight.

Ichika then clads herself in dark armor.[20] When Asta tries to jump back, she draws him back in with the pull of Dark Magic, so he shifts to Unite, neutralizing the magic's effects on him. As the two continue fighting, she dodges his attacks and uses Black Stars to alter her trajectories in mid-air. After the Demon-Destroyer Sword negates the stars, Ichika and Asta aim for a Zetten clash, but Ichika ducks Asta's attack and lands a kick to his head, sending him crashing into the water below. She scoffs at his attempt to outmaneuver her. She also criticizes his dream to become Wizard King, claiming that he lacks resolve, conviction, and skill. Asta claims to sense something besides hatred in her heart for him and Yami, but she disparages his opinion. They charge at each other again for another Zetten clash; however, Ryuya interrupts, grabbing Ichika's hand and blocking Asta's sword. He tells them to stop, and Ichika immediately drops her spell and offers to commit seppuku as an apology, which Ryuya refuses. Ryuya then senses the arrival of the Paladins Lily Aquaria, Heath Graice, and Yrul in the sky above the country,[21] so he sends Ichika and four of the other Ryuzen Seven to evacuate Goshu in preparation to fight the Paladins and the awakened five-headed dragon.[22]

The Ryuzen Seven gather on the rooftop of the regional lord's palace[23] and are approached by Lily. When Ginnojomorifuyu Kezoukaku voices her terror at their situation, Ichika tells her to stop whining and draw her sword, at which point Ginnojomorifuyu enters a bloodthirsty frenzy and slashes Lily across the face.[24] When Lily attempts to catch Ginnojomorifuyu in a spatial cube, Ichika uses Black Star to pull Ginnojomorifuyu aside and criticizes her for leaping into battle without a plan. Lily suggests that the dragon will destroy everything, to which Ichika counters that it will not since they have an all-seeing Shogun on their side.[25] When the dragon attacks, Ichika uses Black Crescent Moon and Zetten to cut off one of the heads. At the same time, the other Ryuzen Seven members deal with the other heads, and Ichika declares that they will never yield since Ryuya believes in them.[26] Ichika boasts that they did not need Asta's help afterall, but Lily and Heath then unleash a combined spell that strikes down all five warriors.

Ichika and Ginnojomorifuyu are heavily injured but both remain standing, so Yrul summons a Bogeyman, which incapacitates Ginnojomorifuyu by exploiting her fear of frogs. As Yrul explains how the spell works, the Bogeyman transforms into Ichika's father. Although she initially dismisses the effect of seeing her father again, she is suddenly flooded with the memories of killing the clan. She struggles to come to terms with these memories, and the Bogeyman takes advantage of her lack of focus to attack her. Meanwhile, the five-headed dragon restores its heads. Disheartened in her abilities and strength, Ichika is left defenseless as the Bogeyman swings its sword down at her. However, Asta arrives in time to block the blade, reminding Ichika of the times her brother would do the same.[27] After Yrul disparages Ichika for putting on a weak display, the Bogeyman transforms into a copy of Asta and voices his doubts, but Asta and Liebe calmly cut down the illusion, which shocks Ichika. Yosuga Musyogatake explains that Asta found his answer during training, and the pair watch as Asta and Liebe use Zetten to defeat Yrul. Ichika notices that the cut also severed Yrul's Paladin power, reverting his magic power.[28]

After Asta's Anti Magic also fails to permanently injure the dragon, the Ryuzen Seven still refuse to give up, and Ryuya and Fujio Tenmanyashiki encourage and bolster them from the palace rooftop.[29] While Ryuya uses his Tengentsu to analyze the dragon, Fujio reinvigorates the other Ryuzen Seven and communicates Ryuya's commands to them. After the others knock their dragon heads into position, Jozou falters in his attempt due to his injuries, but before the fifth dragon head can blast him, Ichika interrupts the attack, saving Jozou and knocking the head back into the air. With the five heads in position, Asta severs all five simultaneously, killing the dragon.[30]

Following the dragon's defeat, Ryuya and the people of Goshu hold a feast to celebrate their victory. Ichika sits at Ryuya's side and asks if he knew that Asta would defeat the dragon, to which Ryuya says that everyone has their own stories. Ichika then reflects on the revelation that she, not Yami, was the one who destroyed their clan. She later approaches Asta, who has gotten drunk from sake, and offers to pour for him. As she does, Ichika apologizes for speaking badly about Yami, which surprises Asta, who is relieved it was all a misunderstanding, and compliments her for apologizing, prompting Ichika to leave.[31] Later that night, Ichika washes up in the hot spring, where she is found by Asta. Unlike her usual serious demeanor, Ichika becomes flustered and screams while Asta runs away and apologizes. In the morning, Ichika greets Asta and tells him that he is going to take responsibility for what happened last night, much to his confusion. Afterward, she and the rest of the Ryuzen Seven gather to train with Asta for the three remaining days until Judgement Day.[32]

On Judgement Day, Ichika and Musyogatake see off Asta as he prepares for his return to the Clover Kingdom. When he is picked up by his ally, Finral Roulacase, Ryuya asks if he can take Ichika, much to her surprise. Ryua tells her to go with Asta, reasoning that Lucius Zogratis must be defeated for the safety of their land. Musyogatake also tells her to go, telling her that thing of Asta's works best with her and assuring her that he will guard Ryuya and their land. Before Ichika leaves with Asta and Finral, Ryuya tells her to see Yami and to come back alive.[33]

After arriving to the Clover Kingdom, Asta shares his Anti Magic with the Black Bulls and introduces them to Ichika, who explains his new technique to the squad.[34] Ichika and Nacht Faust then arrive to Yami to help him in his fight with Morgen Faust.[35] While Nacht takes on his brother, Ichika rushes to the wounded Yami's aid. After explaining how she got here, Ichika reveals her knowledge of the truth behind their clan's massacre and apologizes to Yami for resenting him all this time.[36] She gives Yami medicine that Ryuya told her to give him, but is shocked to learn that it is a demon soul pill. Ichika then watches as Yami eats the pill, which boosts his mana and healing. A clone of Lucius appears behind Ichika and attacks her, but she is saved by a transformed Yami, who promises to protect her this time.[37]

After Yami defeats the clone, he and Ichika watch Nacht's fight with with Morgen, with Nacht losing due to to his inability to cut down his brother again.[38] While Yami fights Morgen, Ichika appears next to Nacht, telling him how Yami inspired so many people in the Clover Kingdom and declaring to not stand by and watch him shoulder everything again. Ichika then dons her dark armor and enters the battle to fight alongside Yami. They then combine their magic to knock Morgen's light magic off course. Nacht rejoins them in battle, and after the three combine their magic together, he defeats Morgen.[39]

Abilities Master Swordsman: Ichika is a highly skilled swordswoman. She is capable of slicing an entire forest of bamboo in half with just one swing of her sword.[43] Enhanced Strength: Ichika is strong enough to lift Asta with one hand gripping his head.[7] By manipulating her own ki, she can dramatically increase her physical strength. Her subsequent palm strikes are capable of lifting larger adult men off of their feet and sending them crashing into a wall.[40] Enhanced Speed: By manipulating her own ki, Ichika can dramatically increase her physical speed. She is capable of striking multiple people almost simultaneously.[40] Large Magic Power: Ichika possesses a large amount of magic power, even impressing the Paladin Lily Aquaria.[44] Ki: Ichika is able to manipulate her own ki, increasing it to enhance her physical abilities.[40]

Zetten: Ichika is capable of manipulating her ki to concentrate her magic power in her body and subsequently release it in a single attack.[45] By concentrating it into her arms and legs, she can increase the power of her palm thrusts and kicks, as well as her sword slashes.[46]

Equipment Katana: Ichika carries a katana[47] and uses it in combat.[48][49] Scroll: Ichika possesses a scroll that contains various dark-based spells. The backside is decorated with a bamboo design.[49]