Jushi Mataza Tsumuji

Jushi Mataza Tsumuji
Tenjho Tenge character
Jushi Mataza Tsumuji in the manga, both masked and unmasked.
First appearance	Volume 9, Page 122
Created by	Oh! great
Profile
Notable relatives	Yorihira Mataza Tsumuji (Father)

Jushi Mataza Tsumuji (颯 又左 需子, Tsumuji Mataza Jūshi^?) is a character in the manga series Tenjho Tenge. He is a member of F.

Character outline

Jushi Mataza Tsumuji is the current head of the Tsumuji Family, a White Feather Family with expertise in regards to spears. Although every known member of his father's family carries Mataza as a middle name, this is the name he is usually called by others. Mataza is also a member of the Shukyou Family, a branch family of the Red Feather Kabane Family. He is the illegitimate son of Yorihira Tsumuji, and the half-brother of Yorimasa Tsumuji, who was the true heir of the Tsumuji family. Two years ago when Sōhaku Kago assisted Mitsuomi Takayanagi, Sohaku also exiled the rest of the leaders of the families. Mataza took over as the Tsumuji family head. He kicked his father out and took command of his men, he also locked up his brother for a horrible existence of torture where he is barely kept alive. He usually appears heavily covered up complete with a cloth covering all of his face except his left eye. With his face uncovered, he has long black hair which usually droops covering his right eye. His right eye isn't there, sealed with scar tissue from an injury as a child that awakened his powers. Mataza is very skinny, almost appearing malnourished, but he is far from weak.

Mataza's mother was so poor she was forced to work as a prostitute, eventually leaving Mataza with his father, Yorihira. Yorihira took Mataza in immediately when he realized that he was Mataza's father and raised him. He trained him in the Tsumuji family spear style. His mother being a prostitute combined with his Red Feather Blood, lead Mataza to be despised by his half-brother, Yorimasa. Mataza was frequently assaulted, taunted, and humiliated by Yorimasa. Mataza grew to hate life as a result, claiming he never wanted to be born in the first place. Eventually he attempted to assault his brother, but the spear was shattered by his father. One of the shards of the shattered spear pierced Mataza's right eye, maybe penetrating all the way into his brain. Dogen Takayangi, points out that in rare instances trauma like that leads to the awakening of hidden powers, and such was the case with Mataza. He awakened the Red Feather Power of the Shukyou Family, the Dragon's Claw. He used this power to immediately slice Yorimasa's right foot to shreds.

As a result of the treatment from his brother, Mataza grew to be highly sadistic; he takes pleasure in the torture and suffering of others. In fact there doesn't seem to be much Mataza doesn't hate aside from the suffering of others. Despite being a member of a Red Feather Family himself, he grew to hate anything associated with them (likely a result of his brother's taunting, he blamed being a member of a Red Feather Family for his misfortune). He seemed to also grow a distaste for the spear techniques of his father, electing to use his own style created with the use of eight robotic arms instead. As an extension of that he obviously has significant knowledge in robotics and computer programming. Nonetheless, he does have an attachment to spears and is knowledgeable of them, and although he'd probably never admit it, he puts a lot of emphasis on his father's teachings.

He has a strong distaste for Souichiro Nagi as he is a member of a Red Feather Family. When some of the other members of F recommended adding Souichiro to the group, Mataza argued against it. He almost appears obsessed with Souichiro as he literally memorized Souichiro's entire biography, physical characteristics, and techniques. Mataza was the one to carry out the assault on the Enmi Family Estate in order to attain a chip hidden with their family scroll. He wasn't the only F member involved however, it seemed to be a joint venture with Katsumi Kabuto. Katsumi however just laid back and allowed Mataza to handle it, as he prefers to take a more supervisory role.

Mataza and Sohaku are the only members of F known to be also part of a Red Feather Family, all other members so far are strictly from the White Feather Families.

Techniques & Abilities

Mataza using his power, Dragon's Claw.

Mataza's Robotic Arms

Robotic Arms

Mataza usually fights using a backpack with eight robotic arms attached, each arm uses its own spear. The backpack has a wireless modem that connects to a mainframe that has all the programming Mataza has made for the control of his robotic arms. The arms are controlled through sensors attached to Mataza's fingertips, thus he usually has his real arms crossed and on his sides as he uses the controls for his robotic arms.

Dragon's Claw

He also has the power of the Dragon's Claw (龍爪, Ryūtsume^?) that turns his hands into claws. It narrowly focuses one's ki into razor-thin blades as its passes through their fingertips; effectively transforming them into nigh-impossibly sharp spears. When using his claws, his body becomes a grey color and his veins stick out; so more than just his hands transform. Mataza's missed swings bring down many a tree in his fight with Souichiro, and it sliced his brothers foot like a hot knife through butter. Aya comments that one hit from the claws would be fatal, and given the pace of the battle even her Dragon Eyes wouldn't be able to save her if she interfered.

Mataza has likely had his Dragon's Gate sealed by Souichiro, much like Ishiyumi Tessen. He should be incapable of using his powers at this point but he hasn't been in any shape to fight since his defeat to find out for sure.

Techniques

Tsumuji Spear Technique; Extreme Transmission, The First Thrust^[1]

Mataza claims this is the only thing his father ever taught him. It is a spear technique that is based on the concept that if you can control the tip of the spear, you control the battle. Mataza uses a unique variation in that he doesn't do it with a spear but his Dragon's Claw. What exactly it consists of isn't clear as Souichiro shatters Mataza's arm before he can land the blow. It does however transfer all his hate into Souichiro, tainting him, which leads to him losing to his dragon.

Synopsis

Manga

F Arc

Mataza was never animated as the anime didn't proceed that far, he appears solely in the manga. It is revealed that the Takayanagi Family has historically been supported by the 12 founding families. When Mitsuomi's takeover happened, Sohaku also had the other family heads exiled. A new alliance has formed, calling itself 'F'. Mataza is a member of F, and like the vast majority of F he holds allegiance to Sohaku instead of Mitsuomi.

Mataza is first seen immediately after Tessen Ishiyumi's defeat at the hands of Souichiro. He points out Souichiro shouldn't have been able to beat Tessen ^[2] leading to the revelation that Tessen was limiting himself with his restrictor rods.

His next appearance is at the Enmi Family Estate (Enmi is one of the 36 branch families) in Kyushu where he, commanding his father's men, attacks the estate. When his men are all laid out by the Enmi Family's illusions, Mataza steps up and brutally kills many of the Enmi Family. Mouki Enmi, the head of the Enmi Family, escapes with the assistance of Enma Enmi; Enma is captured however and is stripped naked, raped with a spear, and sexually tortured by Mataza in an attempt to find the location of the family scroll. Given Mataza's sadistic nature, Enma is tortured even more once he realizes she doesn't have the information he's looking for. ^[3] Mouki flees to the Natsume House, since the Enmi Family is a branch of the Natsume Family. Mataza sends his Armored Infantry Division (who use motorcycles in combat) to capture Mouki but Aya Natsume stops this attempt.

Mataza has his men surround Souichiro.

Aya, Souichiro, Mouki, and the stow away, Shinichirō Kurei, head to Kyushu to rescue Enma. As they arrive they search the remains of the estate for the family scroll, where they encounter Mataza's father, Yorihira. It is revealed that F is not actually after the scroll, but a computer chip hidden with it. Yorihira takes the chip and abandons Aya and the others, telling them to go home. He uses the chip to incite a showdown with his son, but it doesn't look good for him until Souichiro and Aya show up to assist him. Souichiro manages to rip off the scarf that covers Mataza's face and he reveals his eight robotic arms, each with their own spear. Souichiro attempts to get close enough to use the Forged Needle Attack on Mataza. Mataza knows all of Souichiro's techniques, including the effective range of the Forged Needle Attack. He spouts off Souichiro's whole biography ^[4] just to prove the point that Souichiro is a "gnat" in Mataza's eyes. ^[5] The 3 end up surrounded and outnumbered, but Shinichirō uses the Solar Fist Technique (it's a mock of Dragon Ball's Solar Flare, Shinichirō simply stood in front of a car with its high beams on) to blind and distract everyone while the 3 escape with Shinichirō and Mouki into the forest.

Mataza instructs his men to light the forest on fire 3 minutes after he enters it to go after them. Upon catching up with the group Mataza slaughters his father, Mouki, and Shinichirō, he then moves his attention to Aya and Souichiro. Turns out the 3 he killed were merely some of Mouki's bug assisted illusions, the 3 were actually under the motorcoach that houses the mainframe for Mataza's eight robotic arms. Shinichirō had deduced Mataza's eight arms had to be connected to a wireless modem and were controlled by a mainframe, they enter the motorcoach and shutdown the mainframe, paralyzing Mataza's eight arms saving Aya and Souichiro in the process. Souichriro subsequently smashes the arms. Enma was also in the motorcoach with the mainframe and is rescued while Yorihira tries to apologize to his men for failing them, and failing as father leading to Jushi.

Souichiro, in his demon exorcist form, enters combat with Mataza who has finally realized there is a good side to being a member of a Red Feather Family. He uses his Dragon's claw as his "spear" in an attempt to defeat Souichiro. The ensuing battle was so fast paced even with her Dragon Eyes, Aya can't interfere. The tide of the battle shifts from relatively close to Souichiro having the advantage as he hits Mataza with "water bullets" made of his blood (a power he stole from Tessen Ishiyumi). Mataza elects to use the last of his power to hit Souichiro with his "True Spear", as his right arm is shattered by Souichiro's punch. Despite the loss of his arm, and the ensuing vicious beating that nearly kills him, Mataza claims his true spear has hit Souichiro's heart. ^[6] He refers to his sheer hatred as his "true spear" and that malevolent intent has consumed Souichiro allowing his dragon to take over him.

Mataza seemed to have plans to die, as he actually yells at his father for trying to save him. ^[7] There isn't much time to argue as Souichiro actually bites through Yorihira's spear, and after an attack from Aya, Souichiro is about to kill them all. Makiko Nagi steps up, arriving just in time, and uses her arm to take away all of Souichiro's power thus returning him to normal. ^[8] The cost is great however as her only remaining arm is shredded ^[9], nearly killing her. Nonetheless, if she was even a second late Souichiro would have been chewed up by his own dragon in her place. ^[10]

Mataza ends up back on good terms with his father at the end of this whole incident, and his father cares for him as he recovers.

Tournament Arc

Mataza returns

As the Tournament starts, various teams win matches they shouldn't have leading to confusion. The events seem tied to a strange girl. Jushi, his father, and Makiko appear in a SUV as Kagesada Sugano fights one of the enhanced team captains. Jushi reveals the strange girl, Nokimi Mayutsubo, is responsible. He reveals she is a member of a Kago's branch family, and she can take over and enhance people's body with the assistance of parasitic insects.

Given he isn't fully healed, he still uses his robotic arms to function, though he only uses two now. He also has made a pair for Makiko to use as she has no remaining arms. He appears to be teaching her how to use them and is assisting her in the adjustment to mechanical arms. By the end of the series, he joins the Juken Club, as well as creating a new arm for Masataka, who berates him for making the hand too unnatural.

References

1. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Page 24-25).
2. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 55, Page 122).
3. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 10 tankōbon (Chapter 60, Page 77).
4. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 10 tankōbon (Chapter 61, Page 116-117).
5. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 10 tankōbon (Chapter 61, Page 120).
6. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Chapter 64, Page 32).
7. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Chapter 65, Page 54).
8. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Chapter 65, Page 60).
9. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Chapter 65, Page 62-63).
10. ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 11 tankōbon (Chapter 67, Page 114).