nurarihan

Rihan Nura (奴良 鯉伴, Nura Rihan) was Rikuo's father and the second head of the Nura Clan. He was a hanyō (half-yōkai) and the creator of the Matoi technique, having no problems reconciling his human and yōkai halves.

Appearance:

Since he is the son of Nurarihyon, he resembles him and he too has long hair that protrudes out the back of his head. Unlike Nurarihyon, however, his hair is purely black and more wavy. Rihan also has a ponytail and his eyes are an amber like color. He is always seen wearing a kimono with green and black stripes and a white cloth draped over his shoulders and zōri.

Right before he exchanges sakazuki with Kurotabo, it is revealed that he has a human form where he retains all of his features except for one noticeable difference, his long hair no longer sticks up and instead falls down his back tied in a long ponytail. The hair on the front of his head also covers the right half of his face.

Personality:

Rihan has shown to be carefree man in a state of peace, but he can be aggressive and protective as seen when defending Yamabuki Otome from the Manba Centipede in a rage. He is also slightly perverted as shown when he asked Kubinashi, "How're Kino's boobs doing?" instead of a simple greeting.

History:

Born the son of Nurarihyon and Yōhime, he was often taken around on his father's patrols (much to his mother's dismay). During the Edo period, he took over as the Second Head of the Nura Clan. Under his leadership, the Nura Clan's power reached its peak and he was responsible for stopping the actions of The String Assassin of Hitachi Province. Rihan fell in love with and wedded the yōkai Yamabuki Otome, but due to Hagoromo Gitsune's curse on Nurarihyon (that his yōkai bloodline would die out), they couldn't have children. Blaming it on herself, Yamabuki Otome eventually left Rihan a poem grieving her infertility saying "Flowers bloom sevenfold and eightfold but the Kerria laments,for a single fruit does not bear Even if I can make flowers bloom brilliantly,to bear such a fruit,is beyond my ability"' and she disappears, presumably dead. Presumably before that, Rihan led the Nura Clan to defeat the Hyaku Monogatari Clan.

A fair amount of time later, Rihan married Wakana, a girl from a long haunted family that he saved. They became friends after that, and she often surprised him with her cheerful and weird personality, forcing him to smile by stretching his cheeks. Kubinashi stated, that she was the only one to finally let him out from the shadow of sorrow he lived under for so long, and said, that she was his "treasure". They married, and had a son, Rikuo. He didn't want Rikuo to know about the yakuza aspect of the yōkai world, and raised the boy in such a way as to prevent him from learning of it. He instructed his subordinates to do the same.

Eight years ago, in a scheme to get rid of Rihan, Abe no Seimei and Sanmoto Gorōzaemon revived Yamabuki Otome in a little girl's form and Hagoromo Gitsune, who possessed her body, fabricated her memories. As her form resembled his late first wife, Rihan believed her to be Yamabuki Otome's daughter and treated her as if she were his own. He was stabbed through the chest by her when he recited Yamabuki Otome's farewell poem, which had been subliminally set as a 'key' to initiate his murder.

Abilities and Techniques:

1.- Meikyō Shisui (明鏡止水): A technique likely learned from his father. It shifts an enemy's awareness of him. Rihan's Meikyo Shisui creates an illusion of himself while he shifts his enemy's awareness and leads him to an opening. (As seen in Ch. 151 on pg.7 as he tells Kurotabou "thats my Meikyo Shisui").

2.- Ougi Meikyō Shisui, "Sakura" (奥義・明鏡止水"桜",Secret Technique: Soul Mirror, Deadly Water - Cherry Blossoms) is a technique which utilizes superior yōkai sake poured into a large sakazuki cup. By blowing across the liquid, blue flames are produced which burn an opponent. These flames seem to spread according to his will, and can engulf multiple victims at once; they can also quickly incinerate low-level Yōkai almost instantly. So long as the water continues to ripple, the flames will continue until the opponent is reduced to ash.

3.- Matoi (鬼纏): A technique he created which layers the fear of an underling over his own. He performed the technique with Kurotabō to defeat Sanmoto Gorōzaemon in the Edo period and is assumed to have performed it with Kubinashi as well.

4.- Healing: He inherited the ability to heal wounds and illnesses from his mother Yōhime, as seen when he heals the poisonous injury inflicted on Yamabuki Otome by the Manba Centipede.

5.- Expert Swordsmanship: Rihan has shown to be quite a capable swordsman, using his Meikyō Shisui to get under Kurotabō's guard and deliver barrages of fast and precise blows.

6.- Nura Clan Traditional Family Technique: Flying Yōkai Yakuza Kick (奴良家一子相伝フライング妖怪ヤクザキック, Nura-ke Isshisōden Furaingu Yōkai Yakuza Kikku) is a traditional technique of the Nura family which delivers a powerful kick to an opponent. It is sometimes performed in a roundhouse manner.

Weapons:

* Nenekirimaru (祢々切丸): An exorcism blade that only harms yōkai, which was passed down from his father.

Relationships:

* Nurarihyon - Father
* Youhime - Mother
* Yamabuki Otome - first wife, deceased
* Wakana - second wife
* Rikuo Nura - Son
* Kubinashi - After joining Rihan's Hyakki Yakō, it is implied that Kubinashi became akin to Rihan's right-hand man. He was also often entrusted with looking after Rikuo, while Rihan was still alive.
* Kurotabō - A former assassin from the Hyaku Monogatari clan, he later joins Rihan's Hyakki Yakō after teaming up with him to defeat Sanmoto Gorōzaemon. Becomes one of Rikuo's bodyguards after Rihan's death.

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