Tessen Ishiyumi
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Tessen Ishiyumi (穹 撤仙 Ishiyumi Tessen?) is a character in the manga series Tenjho Tenge. He is a member of F, yet holds loyalty to Mitsuomi Takayanagi.
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[edit] Character outline
Tessen Ishiyumi is the current head of the Ishiyumi family, one of the White Feather families of the 12 founding families. The family consists of master archers, and Tessen follows that tradition. To that end he has trained his body to have the maximum strength and flexibility possible. It gives his body an almost rubber-like repulsion power, absorbing impacts through impact dispersion as he calls it. This allows him to take much harder hits with minimal damage. He also has a tattoo of a bow and arrow on the back of his right hand.
Although he can shoot a bow fairly well [1], he usually uses an elastic material he wraps around his body to fire darts, or simply throwing them. If the darts do not prove effective he uses his Dragon's Gate power to fire his water bullets. He follows what he calls the "you have 3 outs law" of archery: Center, Pierce, and Endurance [2]. Center is the ability to be on target, Pierce is the power to penetrate the target, and Endurance is the ability to persevere. He calls them the 3 outs because in archery without all 3 you will die.
Tessen proves to be one of Mitsuomi's most loyal subordinates. Tessen normally keeps a level-head, and good humor about himself. However, his resolve to place Mitsuomi in power makes him a fearsome combatant. As he refers to Emi Isuzu and Shirō Tagami as Mitsuomi's "Spear & Shield", Tessen analogizes himself to an arrow, who will stop at nothing until he "pierces his prey". This is contrary to the majority of F who hold loyalty to Sōhaku Kago. He is so dedicated to Mitsuomi that he is willing to break direct orders if he feels it's for the good of Mitsuomi. One example of this is when he attacked Souichiro Nagi despite the order to not attack the Juuken Club. He thinks of combat with others as a war more than a fight, and will kill or attack weakened opponents as a result of that.
Tessen's personality changed after the sealing of his dragon's gate by Souichiro. He became a borderline-sociopath, with the one goal of retrieving what once was his. The extent of his madness drove him to vengeance, on just about anyone who mocked his loss. He pursued Souichiro all the way into Sohaku's estate, but returned to normal when Mitsuomi mentioned Sohaku might be able to restore the use of his gate.
Despite their rivalry and violent clashes, Tessen has quite a bit in common with Souichiro. They both like Kamen Rider, and have similar tastes. Under other circumstances they would have been friends [3][4].
[edit] Techniques & Abilities
[edit] Looping Orange Water Dragon
Tessen's Dragon's Gate is that of the Looping Orange Water Dragon [5]. It gives him the power to manipulate water by flowing his ki into it. He typically uses it to make his "water bullets", water droplets he makes as hard as steel [3] with his ki. It also works with blood as well, as he attempted to do it with some of Katsumi's blood, since Souichiro has done it with nothing but blood.
The doctors examining Tagami were confused, thinking he was shot with a gun yet couldn't find any bullets in the holes. Obviously Tessen's powers are quite powerful, Souichiro even used the power to defeat Jushi Mataza Tsumuji.
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Manga
Tessen was never animated as the anime and OVA's didn't get that far into the storyline; he appears solely in the manga. It is revealed that the Takayanagi Family has historically been supported by the 12 founding families. Mitsuomi's takeover disturbed this setup, displacing most of the family heads. A new alliance has formed with the assistance of Sohaku, calling itself 'F'. Tessen is a member of F, and unlike the majority of F he holds allegiance to Mitsuomi instead of Sohaku. He is the first person to be revealed as a member of F.
[edit] F arc
Tessen first appears in the bathroom at Todou Academy with Shirō Tagami. They are discussing Souichiro as well as Mitsuomi's command to not attack the Juuken Club until the school's annual election tournament; Tessen plans to attack Souichiro anyway. He views Souichiro as a threat to Mitsuomi and will try to eliminate him regardless of what Mitsuomi himself ordered. Emi Isuzu sent Tagami to talk him out of it [6], but in the end Tagmi had to resort to violence. Despite beating Tessen up with his staff, Tagami falls out of the bathroom with what appear to be bullet holes riddling his body. Outside Tessen talks with Emi and refers to her and Tagami as Mitsuomi's shield and spear [7] that are always by his side; he claims he is different, Mitsuomi's arrow who will stop at nothing to pierce his target.
As Tessen's father is lending Souichiro and Aya Natsume his dojo to train with the other former heads of the 12 founding families, Tessen pays Souichiro a visit. They engage in a discussion of Kamen Rider and other similarities between the two for awhile. The mood abruptly changes as Tessen questions who Souichiro fights for, and reveals he fights for Mitsuomi's sake. Souichiro is disappointed as he thought he had finally made a new friend, but immediately throws a punch at Tessen that he dodges. Souichiro narrowly misses the dart fired by Tessen as a counter-attack as it smashes the tree behind him.
The fight continues and Aya hears the commotion and comes running, Tessen views her as a threat to Mitsuomi as well and tries to shoot her with one of his darts. Aya doesn't know where they are and has no idea she is being targeted. To prevent this, Souichiro enters his demon exorcist form and smashes the dart. Realizing Souichiro can open the Looping Red Earth Dragon gate, which when open allows the user to shoot electricity, Tessen moves the fight to the water [8]. Souichiro can't use his power if his feet aren't on the ground and the water under his feet serves as a barrier preventing him from using his electric attacks. None the less, Souichiro just switches to the Forged Needle Attack, eventually connecting. Given his rubber-like body Tessen is primarily unharmed despite taking the Forged Needle Attack, and he reveals his own power. Fighting in the water is to his advantage not only because Souichiro can't use his electric attacks, but also because his power is that of water energy. He hits Souichiro with several of his water bullets, but then Aya jumps in the way blocking the bullets with her hands (severely damaging her hands in the process). Despite Aya's claim Souichiro can no longer fight, Tessen continues and Souichiro tells her to stay out of it. In a surprisingly clever move for Souichiro he uses the Forged Needle Attack to splash the water out of the way revealing the ground, thus allowing him to use the Earth Dragon powers. He uses the only Red Belt Dragon technique he's ever used; the Thunderous Lighting Rapid Strike [9], the electricity evaporates Tessen's water bullets, breaking Tessen's fingers and arm in the process [10]. Despite it all Tessen continues to attempt to fight, to little avail, even spitting a water bullet at Souichiro's forehead. In the end Tessen loses, but Souichiro "loses" his left leg to his own dragon [11] as his own power tries to consume him.
In the hospital Tessen converses with Tagami and Emi regarding the tournament; Tetsuhito Kagiroi enters (along with other F members) hitting Tessen with his Dragon's Palm, shattering Tessen's cast and healing him instantly. Jushi Mataza Tsumuji comments that Souichiro shouldn't have been able to beat Tessen, and Tessen reveals he was limiting himself. Using the rubber like properties of his body he pull the skin back and restrictor rods fall from his arms and chest[12]. He likens them to the plastic casts used for training in major league baseball, they resist his motion like shocks on a car. He would have popped them out in the middle of the fight, but says he didn't because he still hasn't heard Souichiro's answer of who he fights for.
Tessen later appears as he has a phone conversation with Katsumi Kabuto. Katsumi asks him if anything strange has happened since his fight with Souichiro, such as the inability to open his Dragon's Gate and make his water bullets. Although Tessen dodges the question Katsumi knows its true. Tessen is quite upset by the loss of his powers to Souichiro's Dragon Fist.
[edit] Sohaku Arc
Tessen appears again much later inside Sohaku's estate. Katsumi had fought and lost to Souichiro, but made a deal with him to escape. He goes to Tessen to ask a favor [13], but is met with a dart that narrowly misses his head. He planned to use Tessen as a "breakwater", but immediately notices Tessen is so different that he's not sure if it's even him anymore [14]. Tessen hits Katsumi in the face with multiple darts saying he was ordered by Sohaku. He attempts to make a water bullet with some of the blood but can't, just to show Katsumi he was right about him not being able to open his Dragon's Gate, referring to his dragon as "spilt water". His anger at his inability to open his Dragon's Gate leads him to mercilessly riddle Katsumi with darts, killing him.
As Souichiro and Shizuru Kamura go to escape from Sohaku's estate, the huge door confining them is suddenly riddled with holes that makes a section fall out for an entrance. On the other side is Tessen, Shizuru immediately notices his blood lust and senses a dangerous ki coming from him, even suspecting he isn't human [15]. As Souichiro notices the many bodies behind Tessen, Tessen fires darts. The darts are blocked by Shizuru, but can't do much more since she can't open her Dragon's Gate as she lost her powers to Souichiro just like Tessen did. Despite Souichiro's objections Tessen tells him to attack him with his own water dragon technique, planning to go all out without his restrictor rods. If his dart wins he won't miss his dragon one bit, but if it loses then it's what he wanted all along [16]. Souichiro comments that if he knew how to give it back he would, and refers to it as a "piss dragon". Tessen throws his dart so hard it rips his muscles squirting blood from his shoulder; at the same time Souichiro takes a bite out of his own wrist, planning to use the blood to make water bullets. Shizuru realized the two will kill each other, but Mitsuomi and Maya Natsume intervene.
Mitsuomi tells Tessen there is only one person who can return his ability to him, and he's going after the wrong person. Shizuru later references the person that can return it to him is Sohaku [17]. Tessen helps Shizuru battle the "double headed goblins" [18], a group of people that protect the Soul's Echo Spirit Barrier (a gate inside Sohaku's estate). Mitsuomi, Maya, Souichiro, and Madoka Mawari proceed ahead, while Shizuru and Tessen distract the double headed goblins. Later after Sohaku is beheaded, Mitsuomi sends Madoka back with Reiki to assist Tessen and Shizuru. Despite this Tessen hasn't been seen in the manga since.
[edit] References
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 53, Page 53).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 81, Page 1).
- ^ a b "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 54, Page 85).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 53, Page 57).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 81, Page 13).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 52, Page 32).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 52, Page 34).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 54, Page 83).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 54, Page 94-95).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 54, Page 92-93).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 55, Page 106-107).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 55, Page 123).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 79, Page 26).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 79, Page 27).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 80, Page 29).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 81, Page 6).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 83, Page 20).
- ^ "Tenjho Tenge" Manga; (Chapter 83, Page 17).
