Reiki (Tenjho Tenge)

Infobox animanga character
name = Reiki
series = Tenjho Tenge


caption = Reiki's spirit in the manga.
first = Volume 5, Page 47
last =
creator =Oh! great
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aux* = nihongo |Reiki|零毀|Reiki is a character/object in the manga and anime series Tenjho Tenge.

Overview

Reiki is actually a ceremonial Nodachi, and the heirloom of the Natsume Family. Despite its length classifying it as a nodachi, the characters tend to refer to it as a katana. It is very long, with a red sheath and hilt wrap. It has no cross-guard, and the sheath typically has a tattered cloth spiraling down it. In the past it was used to entrap all the power of evil Buddhist ceremonies. Reiki has the ability to enable people with Red Feather Powers to use their powers more freely and enhance them. Reiki is vastly influenced by the nature of the wielder, its powers can vary from making it rain to causing the wielder to go on killing sprees. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 4 tankōbon (Chapter 25, Page 183). ]

It was given to Maya Natsume by her father at the age of eight to acts as its guardian, since she only current member of the Natsume Family with no Red Feather/supernatural powers. However, Reiki spirit told Aya Natsume that eventually the two will merge together and be the katana for the person who will break the chains of fate. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 15 tankōbon (Chapter 89, Page 56). ] This seems to indicate the possession of Reiki has been to Maya Natsume from the very beginning.

Reiki actually has a spirit of its own and can manifest itself to those have the power of the Dragon's Eye. Reiki is generally blamed for Shin Natsume's insanity and although the sword is typically considered evil by the characters, its spirit is not depicted as having malice. Reiki only makes awakening the power take less effort. Given the nature of the Dragon's Gates, this often left the wielder to fight with their own power. This combination of Reiki and his power often led Shin to go crazy. However, according to Fu Chi'en, Reiki had also been helping Shin to suppress his powers. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 7 tankōbon (Chapter 41, Page 61). ]

Reiki’s power has even Sōhaku Kago apprehensive of it, as Tetsuhito Kagiroi states no one is a threat to Sohaku if they don't have Reiki. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 84, Page 15). ] Mitsuomi Takayanagi also dislikes it and wants to destroy it because he feels it brings death. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 8 tankōbon (Chapter 47, Page 61). ]

Abilities & the Blade

Reiki's power, simply defined, is the same as the Amaterasu Dragon's Gate, neutralization of power "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 108, Page 08). ] . This allows Reiki to consume large quantities of ki, and render those with Red Feather powers as nothing more than "dolls" as Madoka Mawari states. However it still has many unusual traits and abilities outside of neutralization.

Reiki can only be activated by those with special powers, and has even awakened powers in some cases. When wielded by someone without special powers it is nothing more than a very long katana. If the wielder establishes a good enough relationship with Reiki, it can even be activated while the user is not in possession of it.

When activated the blade allows the user to control and regulate their power better. The sword gains a visible aura around it and emits a piercing sound usually written as a "RIIIIIIII" in the manga. While activated the blade also becomes encircled with energy rings with kanji on them, strange symbols appear on the blade as well. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 86, Page 3). ] While activated Reiki becomes more powerful, even if it can't cut the opponent, they can be burned by the energy it emits. When Reiki true blade is completely activated by the Dragon's eye, it uses an excessive amount of ki and can wear out most users out in a short period of time.

For most of the series, Reiki was encased in gold and that functioned as its blade. Not until this casing was shattered by Tetsuhito was Reiki's “true blade” finally recognized. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 14 tankōbon (Chapter 86, Page 19-20). ]

Synopsis

Anime and OVA's

Flashback Arc

Reiki was in the possession of Kaima Natsume (Shin, Aya, and Maya's father); since Shin and Aya both had Dragon's Eyes he feared it would awaken their powers that they were too young to control. So he entrusted the blade to the eight year old Maya, who did not have any unusual power. Both her parents gave her strict orders to not let anyone touch it. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 7 tankōbon (Chapter 41, Page 47). ] Not realizing its importance she allowed Shin to touch it; the touch awakened Shin's power of the Dragon's Eye. As Shin was only 10 years old at the time, Kaima feared the other members of the 12 Founding Families would kill him out of fear he couldn't handle it. Kaima also feared the Red Wing Resonance Effect might awaken Aya's powers as well.

To prevent those things from happening, he locked Shin in an underground dungeon where no one, particularly Aya, would go. Given the abilities of the Dragon's Eye Shin was tormented by the ghosts he saw in the dungeon, and the only human contact he had was with Maya. Naturally he became very attached to her. His father made plans to move him to a relative's house, thus separating him from Maya. To prevent this, when he was being transported out of his cell he escaped and used Reiki to slaughter his parents. Subsequently, Reiki was in Shin possession most of the time.

As Shin entered Todo, he started a motorcycle gang that he named "katana". Shin was constantly bothered by his power, hearing several people's thoughts all at once and seeing things he didn't want to see. To get a "distraction" from all the noise in his head he tended to use Reiki to kill innocent people. Once Bunshichi Tawara found out, he goes to beat sense into Shin. Bunshichi actually lets Shin stab him with Reiki many times; he waits until Reiki is taken away by Shin’s girlfriend, Mana Kuzunoha, to start another attack. Without Reiki Shin has difficulty controlling his power, Bunshichi even believes he can't use his power at all without Reiki (which is proven false shortly afterward). In the end Bunshichi defeats Shin and he loses possession of Reiki.

Dōgen Takayanagi attempts to return it to Shin, trying to let him to become evil so that Mitsuomi will be forced to fight him. Shin rejects the offer, but Dogen does not give up and orders Fu Chi'en to take actions to enrage Shin. Shin activates his Dragon's Eyes and Reiki, even though Dogen still has possession of it. As Reiki emits its usual piercing sound, Dogen claims it's because Reiki is excited at its master's awakening. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 7 tankōbon (Chapter 41, Page 58-59). ] Given that Shin can now connect with Reiki without actually holding it, he sustains his insanity just like before even though Reiki is in Dogen's hands.

As Shin fights Mitsuomi to determine who will be President of the Executive Council, Shin refuses to use his Dragon's Eye. As Shin is losing, Reiki activates in Dogen's office; Dogen claims the sword is actually crying. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 7 tankōbon (Chapter 45, Page 207). ] Shin's will fails and his Dragon's Eye activates. He subsequently beats up Mitsuomi and everyone else in the room. After he regains himself, he takes his own life with the assistance of Mana. At some point after that Reiki was returned to Maya, where she kept it in a case in a locked room that only she had a key to.

Aya and Reiki Arc

In the present, Aya looks for a new sword as hers was shattered by Tsutomu Ryuuzaki. She finds Reiki and "borrows" it, not realizing its importance. When Maya realizes Aya has taken it, it causes quite the uproar. Everyone becomes terrified that she will end up like Shin. Even Mitsuomi assists the Juken Club to help find her.

Soon after Aya overhears Souichiro’s confession of love for Maya, not wanting to go home, she asks Masataka Takayanagi if she could stay at his apartment overnight. Masataka, who has a crush on her and does not knows the full extent situation, agrees. During the night, Reiki activates and Aya comes down with a fever. She awakes with her Dragon Eye’s active to revealing Shin's ghost. Shin insists he will take Reiki away, since it will only bring her suffering, and will eventually destroy her like it did him. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 5 tankōbon (Chapter 28, Page 53). ] In the end Shin leaves it after Aya promises him that she will win against her power. Going to school, Aya is finally found by Maya and Mitsuomi who plans to "kill" Reiki as he believes it only brings death. He is stopped by Souichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara, and the blade is again returned to Maya. Maya currently carries it with her almost everywhere to prevent a repeat of that incident, but she plans eventually handing it over to Aya when the time is right. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 8 tankōbon (Chapter 50, Page 159). ]

Manga

Sohaku Arc

As Maya, Mitsuomi, and Madoka go to rescues Souichiro and confront Sohaku, Reiki makes an embodiment of its spirit that appears to Aya. Reiki takes her away to show her events of the past. It shows her Makiko Nagi participating in one of Sohaku's experiments and the events leading to Tetsuhito receiving more powers. The vision is interrupted when Reiki calls Aya to assist her sister. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 86, Page 04). ]

During Maya's fight with Tetsuhito, she quickly discovers Tetsuhito’s original defining characteristic, his family’s Iron body. Reiki's current form was incapable of cutting him as every strike just bounces off of him. Using his Iron Fist, Tetsuhito beats Maya to near death. Before Tetsuhito could take Reiki from Maya’s stiff hands, she gets back up claiming Shin kicked her back from the River Styx. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 85, Page 26-27). ] Maya soon realizes the ki is not Shin’s, but Aya’s. Using her Dragon’s Eye, Aya was able to astral project herself and activate Reiki. Even with Reiki activated, Tetsuhito is able to stop the blade, however the energy of the blade does burn his skin.

When Tetsuhito loses Makiko’s eye that regulates his power, he loses control and Maya struggles to stay alive. She blocks most of his attacks with Reiki (with Aya actually taking the brunt of it), but Reiki’s blade appears to be cracking. In desperation, Maya even offers Reiki her life if it will help her to defeat Tetsuhito. Eventually, much to Maya surprise, Reiki’s gold casing shatters and Reiki's "true blade" is revealed. "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 86, Page 20). ] Fully realized, Reiki wraps its hilt weaving around Maya’s arm and together slices through Tetsuhito's Iron body killing him with ease.

Afterward Mitsuomi gives Reiki to Madoka and sends her back to assist Tessen Ishiyumi and Shidzuru Kamura. Madoka ends up the only one of the three not hospitalized afterward, she attributes her lack of injury to Reiki's power.

Feudal Japan Arc

With Maya's fight now concluded, Reiki takes Maya’s ki that she has stored up for two years to continues its "trip" with Aya. Aya doesn't want to continue, but Reiki insists that once she knows everything the two will merge and break the chains of fate. She takes Aya to Feudal Japan, to see her ancestor of the same name. Reiki says the Aya of the past was her master at the time, and the Reiki looks much different in the past. Reiki actually had a cross-guard, the end of the handle had a tassle, and the sheath had a rope spiraling down it instead of the cloth.

Reiki reveals Sohaku has the power to control death and is in fact centuries old. In the past he attempted to use the Red Wing Resonance Effect to awaken powers in people worldwide. Aya's ancestor was one of the group of four other 12 Founding Families sent to kill Sohaku to end the long war. With the assistance of Tokuan Shōjō's shape shifting power, the group was hoping to infiltrate Osaka Castle and assassinate Sohaku. With the death of Myouun Kabane, the group plan changes to a more direct attack. During that attack Reiki was wielded by a pile of bugs that looks like Aya's ancestor (the Dragon's Eye and the Dragon's Pupil were still the same power, allowing the past Aya to create bug-assisted illusions). After the fake Aya's destruction, Reiki used its power to aid Tokuan. In the end Aya's ancestor fatally wounds Sohaku, but dies herself in the process. Reiki shows Aya how Sohaku manages to survive, gain a body, and forces his adversaries into a truce.

The "trip" sucks up the majority Aya’s ki and she can no longer sustain the visions. She is forced back into the present. Reiki for the time being has been placed along side Maya's body in the hospital by Aya.

Tournament Arc

After returning from Souhaku's compound, the Reiki is left next to Maya in the hospital. Reiki actually sucked all of the ki out of Maya leaving her an empty shell, so despite being fully healed she remains essentially, dead. Aya told Madoka she can actually see her sisters ki inside Reiki and Ms. Hotaru indicates only Sohaku could bring Maya back to normal.

Ms. Hotaru also indicates Aya is the "true master" of Reiki "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 18 tankōbon (Chapter 106, Page 17). ] . As Aya continues her fight with Hirohiko, in a technique similar to the Kabane Blade, she manages to turn her long hair into an exact replica of Reiki. After the fight Aya starts thinking about the mysteries of the blade such as its creation and how it always returns to the Natsume family and it role in Sōhaku's and Ichiyō's plans. Reiki makes a brief appearance and reminds Aya that she has yet to see the whole story, and there is more Reiki needs to show her before they can unite and shatter the chains of fate.

References