Munsu (Shin Angyo Onshi)
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Munsu is the protagonist of the series Shin Angyo Onshi (Blade of the Phantom Mask).
He is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in the Japanese animation.
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[edit] Character
Munsu is an Angyo Onshi, a street-judge who aims to uphold justice, help the weak, and bring justice to corrupt local government officials. Munsu is initially portrayed as an anti-hero, with methods that can be questionable and often misinterpreted as "evil." Although his physical condition seems to be good, Munsu suffers from a strange illness that resembles asthma. This illness can only be alleviated by inhaling through an inhaler-like charm he wears around his neck.
He later gained two comrades, Sando and Bang Ja, though at times he believes that they are burdensome.
He wanders the land in search of his nemesis, Aji Tae, who he blamed for the fall of Junshin and the death of the King, Hae Mo Su. Along the way, he meets and sometimes clashes with his old comrades, some of whom had switched sides to Aji Tae's side.
[edit] History
Munsu started his life as the son of a simple countryman living in a far-off border territory of Jushin. He was friends with Kye Wol Hyang, the sickly daughter of a local lord. One day, Hae Mo Su and his grandmother moved into the village, and the three become good friends. At that time, little did Munsu know that Hae Mo Su was a prince from an upstart branch of nobility who was forced to flee from the capital.
The three friends eventually climb up the nobility ladder and become renowned people. Hae Mo Su succeeded in seizing the throne and became the emperor of Jushin; Munsu became an accomplished general and lead the army; and Kye Wol Hyang became a well-known noblewoman for her lineage, beauty, and wisdom. Along the way Munsu met his war comrades: Tan, the leader of Ghost Brigade recon unit; Yeong Sil, a martial artist of considerable prowess with a knack for technology; Won Sul, a swordsman with great ability; Won Hyo, a monstrous sorcerer of great power; and Eul Paso, the shrewd and cunning leader of Jushin Army's spear brigade. In this span of time, Munsu first met Aji Tae, who was still a seemingly harmless Sonbi (a learner for the civil servant's admission tests) at the time.
Munsu then faced one of his most grueling test as a general when the Army confronted Kaidaten, an entity capable of breeding virtually limitless number of man-eating monsters. Fortunately, the Jushin Army succeeded in slaying Kaidaten and emerged victorious, but not without paying a heavy price; countless soldiers died in the final battle, including Tan and his Ghost Brigade. Hae Mo Su and Jushin's people praised Munsu's success highly, but Munsu prefers to step down from his position as the head of the Army and lead a new life as a wandering ambassador abroad.
Munsu then went abroad as an ambassador with Hae Mo Su's blessing and supply of equipment. He was also forced in taking the headstrong Kye Wol Hyang with him. They spent a happy time together, but being in an unfamiliar land aggravates Kye Wol Hyang's illness. Fortunately Hae Mo Su was also on the country on a diplomatic visit, and suggests that Munsu find a magical means of alleviating Kye Wol Hyang's illness. Munsu then searched an old mansion filled with dead body (formerly the possession of Baron Lou Ells) , confronting Gallimard and a horde of undead there. While cornered by the horde, Munsu accidentally activated the Mahai he took with him, and vanquished the horde of undead while Gallimard flees. A feather he took from Gallimard's wing then was used in a dark magic ritual to transfer Kye Wol Hyang's illness to Munsu. Hae Mo Su's stay with the couple was brief, however; he rushed back to Jushin to follow up on an unsuccessful rebellion there.
At least another two weeks passed when Munsu was forced to sever ties to his homeland. He was alleged as the mastermind behind the rebellion, and was forced to hide under the protection of Urias von Lucid, captain of the guard in Munsu's recipient country's castle. Kye Wol Hyang was not convicted, but nonetheless left the country when she was tricked by Urias in believing that Munsu is dead.
Munsu then tutored Urias' daughter in swordsmanship in return for the protection he enjoyed. Having completed his tutoring after a few years, Munsu then embarked in a journey home. Some time before embarking on that journey, however, he heard news that Hae Mo Su had married Kye Wol Hyang.
Upon setting afoot in his homeland, he was shocked to find that the present Hae Mo Su is a ruthless dictator. He then asks for help from Won Sul and a few of his former soldiers in staging an assassination attempt. Won Hyo and Eul Paso later joins the fray, but the assassination attempt was thwarted by the king, who was no other than a disguised Aji Tae.
The paralyzed Munsu was locked with the disfigured, undead Kye Wol Hyang. Aji Tae alluded to her that she can restore her beauty by killing Munsu, but Kye Wol Hyang did the opposite: she impaled herself on the heart with a sword held on Munsu's hands. With renewed determination, Munsu then left the room and battled Aji Tae.
[edit] Weapons and Powers
Munsu prefers using guns and explosives, and initially wielded a revolver in conjunction of a gun that resembles a sawed-off shotgun. Later, he obtained more advanced weapons from Yeong Sil, a grenade launcher and two golden Luger pistols. Munsu's special status as an Angyo Onshi enabled him to wield guns inside Jushin, since Jushin had a strict control over possession and sale of guns. With the collapse of Jushin, firearms became more widely available in Jushin's former territories, but gun-wielding adventurers like Munsu remain rare.
He also sport a bundle of charmed papers that Hae Mo Su gave to him prior to Munsu's first departure from Jushin. These charmed papers can be used to create various forms of illusions, but Munsu mainly used the charms to conjure body doubles (of him or someone he knew) or disguise himself.
Munsu possessed the 3-horse Mahai medallion, which can summon the Phantom Soldiers. If the situation calls it, he can call on the powers of the Mahai and conjure a phantom army to defeat multiple enemies. The phantom army itself was actually spirits of the deceased members of the Ghost Brigade, which are bound to the Mahai by Hae Mo Su. The army had limitations, however; they can be 'killed' with strong physical attacks (e.g. multiple slash wound, grenade blast, etc), and they are not effective in battling monsters, although Munsu had used those soldiers to fight undead in more than one occasion.
Munsu is also skilled in swordsmanship, but this fact is only shown in flashbacks. It is also hinted that he trained Marlene von Lucid in swordsmanship.
[edit] Historic Figure
Munsu is modeled after Pak Munsu (1691-1756) who lived in the Choson era. He was famous and was a real Angyo Onshi. This Pak Munsu has great sense of justice, and also wielded a three-horse Mahai medallion. Unlike in that story however, Munsu in the Shin Angyo Onshi manga was more of an anti-hero.
The real Pak Munsu was only active as an Angyo Onshi for one year, although in that one year he did many heroic actions. He was originally an officer in charge of training the royal army, but later was promoted to higher stations.
