Matamune

Matamune is a fictional character in the Shaman King manga. Matamune, who appears in volume 19 and 20, is not in the Shaman King anime. Matamune is a Nekomata, a type of cat spirit with two tails; he also carries around a pipe with him and wears a necklace with three bear claws (which later is owned by Yoh Asakura). He has served the Asakura family for a millennia, although he spends much of his time travelling the world. He professes to have seen everything, and is almost constantly reading books.

History

A thousand years ago, he was just a normal cat, but he was abandoned by his mother, and his eight other siblings died. He was found and taken in by Asakura Hao (ordered "Hao Asakura" in modern Japan in the English manga, Zeke Asakura in the English anime) who sensed the cat's strong spirit. He became Hao's faithful companion and a real friend.

When Matamune died, Hao turned Matamune's spirit into a Goryoushin, a special type of spirit employed by Onmyouji to guard against demons and other spirits that would seek to harm them. Hao also imbued Matamune with a portion of his own furyoku - a type of mana - using the Bear's Claw Necklace. This mana allowed Matamune to have a physical body, and so long as Matamune's furyoku was not used up, his physical body would continue to exist.

Matamune sided with the Asakura family to defeat Hao, who was driven mad eventually. When Hao was reborn 500 years later, Matamune teamed up with Asakura Yohken, and killed Hao in the Shaman Fight. Matamune holds himself responsible for what happened to Hao, believing that his loss of faith in Hao was part of the cause of Hao's madness. As such, Matamune has spent the last thousand years searching for a way to atone, and to save Hao.

When Yoh went to meet Anna Kyoyama for the first time, his grandfather, Yohmei Asakura (麻倉葉明 Asakura Yōmei) summoned Matamune to accompany him. Matamune and Yoh became good friends, and Matamune taught Yoh a number of things. Matamune resolved to help Yoh save Anna - who also had the power of reishi (spirit's sight), the ability to telepathically read hearts (a power which had ultimately led to Hao's madness) - partly as an act of penance for not being able to save Hao a thousand years ago. This power of empathy drove Anna to become withdrawn and distrustful and manifested into dangerous Oni (demonic ogres).

The Oni turned on Anna, terrorizing and threatening to destroy her. Matamune gave his power to Yoh, who was then able to defeat the Oni which was terrorising Anna. However, it used up his remaining furyoku and meant that Matamune was unable to return to his normal form. Yoh promised Matamune that one day he would become strong enough to be able to summon Matamune once again.

Abilities/Techniques

Chou SenjiRyakketsu FumonGoryouE (Chou·SenjiRyakketsu - Mystic Spirit Duel) A technique bestowed on Matamune when he was reborn as a Goryoushin, by Hao. This technique allows Matamune to create his OverSoul (by using his pipe as the medium, he transforms it into a sword), and he uses it when he fights other spirits.

OverSoul Onigoroshi Through Hao's power, Matamune was granted a physical body and the ability to create his own OverSoul. Using his pipe as a medium, Matamune creates this giant katana, which drains the reiryoku (spirit energy) of his opponent, whilst also consuming some of Matamune's furyoku.

Kokusatsu (Deathblow) An attacking technique Matamune uses with his OverSoul. Matamune can increase the strength of the attack by pouring more of his furyoku into it.

Inspired by

His character might be inspired by Miyazawa's "Night on the Galactic Railroad" : in fact, he's even seen reading it in tome 19 (chapter 164). Night on the Galactic Railroad was also a movie (1985), based on Kenji Miyazawa's work, and the main characters were depicted as cats, just like Matamune. Matamune is often seen travelling in trains (with Yoh, or in Hell, and eventually at the very end of the manga, when he appears on a gigantic train with all the other characters). Therefore, it's made very clear that Hiroyuki Takei was inspired by Kenji Miyazawa's work.