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| “ | Once, like you, I was cursed. The Gods struck me with a fever but when I recovered I was blessed. They began speaking to me in my sleep. They tell me of the evil ones in the world and now they use me as their weapon of retribution. If I continue their work, I'll become one of them. | „ |
| ~ Jei explaining his mission. |
| “ | A madman, am I? As an emissary of the Gods, I set the standards for sanity in the world. | „ |
| ~ Jei to Usagi and Gen. |
| “ | Snow, wind, rain... they do not bother me... I am warmed by the flames of my mission... and we are getting closer. I put my trust in the Gods and they lead me to him... always to him... Always to... Usagi! | „ |
| ~ Jei. |
Jei, also known as Jei-san or the "Blade of the Gods", is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Lord Hikiji) of the Usagi Yojimbo franchise.
He is an insane yet highly skilled wolf samurai who claims to be an emissary of the Gods sent to purge the world of evil souls, killing anyone who gets his attention. He would later become obsessed with killing the ronin Miyamoto Usagi out of the belief that it will allow him to ascend to godhood, thus constantly terrorizing and hunting after him. It would later be revealed that Jei was originally a priest named Jizonobu who was corrupted and/or possessed by dark gods, and can possess new host bodies when his current one is destroyed, making him effectively immortal. He is one of the two archenemies of Miyamoto Usagi (alongside Lord Hikiji).
Biography[]
Past[]
Decades before the events of the series, Jizonobu was a samurai who retired from service to become the head priest of a Buddhist temple, renowned for his compassion and healing abilities. While making rounds to a nearby village, he would attempt to treat a boy named Jubei, who suffered from an unknown, uncurbable illness. Shortly afterwards, he was also tasked with treating Keifumu, daughters of the Lord Goyo, who possessed similar symptoms; with Lord Goyo threatening to raze the temple and its denizens if his daughter cannot be cured. Struggling to find a solution to his predicament, Jizonobu eventually checked on Jubei and discovered that his ailments have been cured by his enemy, the dark priest Ibaraki. Jizonobu then decided to seek Ibaraki out for help to save Keifumu and his temple.
Upon Jizonobu's arrival at his temple, Ibaraki offered his aid, but informed him that his gods demand a heavy payment—Jizonobu himself. Jizonobu accepts and entered into a dark cave at Ibaraki's instruction, screaming in horror once inside. Sometime later, Keifumu is cured, while Jizonobu returns to his temple with the same illness. Jizonubu is put under care by the other priests, and while being cared for by his assistant Kin, awakened with a new, demonic visage. He then strangled Kin to death, and renamed himself Jei from a Kin's attempts to call out his name. Jei subsequently massacred all denizens of the temple with a spear, including Lord Goyo and his entourage; with the sole exceptions of Keifumu and a young priest named Hama. Afterwards, Jei began travelling Japan in search of new evil to punish, eventually calling himself the "Blade of the Gods".
Meeting Miyamoto Usagi[]
Jei is first seen when he is attacked by a band of samurai seeking to avenge their deceased lord, whom Jei murdered. When questioned about his actions, Jei explains that the Gods informed him that the lord was evil, and that he seeks out all evil people for retribution, believing that he will ascend if he performs his duty. Jei slaughters the samurai and takes refuge from a storm in a nearby home after killing the owner. Also seeking refuge, the ronin Miyamoto Usagi arrives at the home and is let in by Jei; the two converse and Usagi notices that there is something unnatural about Jei, but spends the night regardless. As the two are sleeping, Jei suddenly awakens and attacks Usagi with his spear.
Jei claims to Usagi that the gods have revealed his evil nature to him, and that he must kill him to join them. Usagi and Jei's fight sprawls outside, where Jei gains the upper hand thanks to his longer weapon. Even so, Usagi manages to land a lethal blow against his opponent, which he mysteriously survives. Jei is shocked that he has been harmed, and quickly assumes that the gods are testing his faith and that he will soon be able to ascend. He disarms Usagi and prepares to land the final blow, only to be electrocuted by a strike of lightning. Usagi awakens in the morning and sees that there is nothing left of Jei, and wonders if he has been destroyed, or has finally joined the gods as he hoped.
Circles[]
Despite his apparent death, Jei would later reappear, now leading a gang of bandits terrorizing Usagi's home village. He subsequently kidnaps Jotaro, the son of village headman Keichi and Usagi's old flame Mariko, and brings him back to his hideout. The next day, Jei explains his mission to his henchmen and that he plans to kill Usagi in order to take his place among the gods. He permits them to go on another raid against the village, and speaks to Jotaro, declaring that the gods demanded his capture, as he has some connection to Usagi. When his men return from their raid, Jei learns about two long-eared samurai who defended the village, and realizes that Usagi has arrived. Later, Jei senses Usagi, Keichi and the villagers' approach and alerts the bandits.
He attempts to grab Jotaro to use as a hostage, only to find him free of his restraints. Jotaro escapes through a loose board and Jei pursues, not wanting to lose his link to Usagi. Usagi recognizes Jei as he flees and chases after him, while Keichi and the villagers apprehend the bandits. Jei catches up to Jotaro at a cliffside, killing a villager, Seiburo, who had been sent to recover him. Usagi arrives and confronts Jei, who admits that he died from the lightning, but was returned in order to complete his work on Earth. Jei attempts to use Jotaro as a hostage, but Usagi goads him into letting the boy go. Usagi and Jei face off; Usagi managing to disarm Jei of his spear, making him rely on his swords instead. Jei knocks Usagi down and readies a fatal blow, although Usagi stabs him with the broken head of his spear, sending him off the cliff and into the river below.
Miraculously, he survives this, and floats downstream to where a fisherman discovers and nurses him back to health. Jei awakens several days later and is informed of his situation by the fisherman. In response, Jei recounts the story of The Farmer and The Viper to the fisherman—in which a viper bites a merciful farmer who rescued it—and kills him. Some time later, Jei arrives at a cabin that has been taken over by bandits, moments after they have killed the man who owns it. Jei slaughters the bandits and prepares to kill the owner's granddaughter, Keiko, only to spare her as the gods sense no evil within her. Jei leaves the cabin as it catches fire; and, with nothing else left, Keiko decides to follow after Jei.
Grasscutter[]
Now accompanied by Keiko, Jei continues on his pursuit of Usagi, killing dozens of people along the way; including the bandit Hosuko's gang, and Lord Sakana and his men after refusing to pay tribute to them. The same day, Jei and Keiko come across the swordswoman Inazuma after she is badly injured during a fight with the bounty hunter Gen, causing Jei to laugh maniacally. Jei and Keiko take Inazuma to safety, who begins suffering vivid nightmares about Jei. At Keiko's suggestion, she and Jei deliver Inazuma to Priest Sanshobo's temple, where his presence leaves Sanshobo unnerved. Jei and Keiko leave, with him assuring Keiko that Inazuma will survive.
Suddenly, Jei hears a summons calling him and runs in pursuit of it, leaving Keiko alone. Jei follows the summons and arrives to find Kitanamono, the familiar of the witch Ryoko, in possession of the legendary Grasscutter blade. He remarks that the sword has summoned him, and offers to spare Kitanomono if he hands it over, as a "gift from the gods". Knowing of Jei's reputation, Ryoko orders Kitanamono to flee with the sword, although he instead stays to fight Jei after being taken over by his feral instincts. Jei impales Kitanamono and rips out Ryoko's soul in the process, killing them both. He seizes the sword and attempts to consecrate it as he has other blades, only to discover that it is immune to his powers.
Usagi and Gen shortly arrive in pursuit of the sword, where Jei reveals himself, and realizes that he now wields the true blade of the gods. Jei faces off with Usagi and Gen, using Grasscutter to create an earthquake—although Usagi attributes this to an aftershock. The three battle, with Jei disabling Gen by impaling him in the shoulder with his spear, claiming to have taken his soul in the process. Usagi battles Jei using Grasscutter, but is defeated by being impaled by his spear. At that moment, Keiko arrives and is endangered by a tree knocked over by another earthquake, distracting Jei. Usagi takes advantage of this and stabs Jei with Grasscutter, causing countless souls to fly out of his body, killing him.
Sanshobo and his priests are drawn to the explosion caused by Jei's death, finding the unconscious Usagi and Gen. Sanshobo and his priests return Usagi and Gen to their temple, where they discover that all of the priests inside have been massacred, and that Inazuma has disappeared. Usagi wakes up sometime later and questions Sanshobo about what happened to Jei, becoming horrified when he realizes that his body was not discovered. Elsewhere, the remnants of Hosuko's gang attempt to attack Inazuma to collect the reward money for her capture; where it is revealed that Jei has taken possession of her body. Jei then kills the gang and reunites with Keiko, telling her that they will now be going to hell.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Combat Proficiency: Jei is an immensely capable and powerful warrior. In one particular instance instance, Jei slaughtered an entire group of heavily armed ronin warriors without any weapons at all. Jei is also notable for being so tough that even his arch-enemy Miyamoto Usagi has a hard time keeping up with him, resulting in Jei having nearly killing him on multiple occasions and encounters.
- Immortality: His most notable ability, Jei is shown to be immortal on various occasions, having been struck by lightning, fallen off a cliff and even sliced in half by a holy blade, yet still managing to return in one form or another.
- Possession: As shown on different occasions, if he is killed, Jei's spirit can posses another person's body and use them to continue his legacy, although this possession can be undone by an exorcism.
- Consecration: Jei can turn any weapon he collects or touches black to match his soul. After doing this to a weapon, Jei can use said weapon to steal the soul of anyone he strikes.
Trivia[]
- Jei has appeared in over 47 Usagi Yojimbo stories, making him the series' most recurring antagonist. He has also appeared as a main antagonist in three storylines, "Circles", "Grasscutter" (alongside Kotetsu), and "The Return of the Black Soul".
- Additionally, Jei has made more crossover appearances than any other Usagi Yojimbo villain, appearing in both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo comics and the 2012 TMNT series.
- Because of this, Jei is more of a nemesis to Usagi than Lord Hikiji, the main antagonist overall.
- Currently, it hasn't been confirmed whether or not Jizonobu was corrupted into his current state, or if he was possessed by a demon or other dark force that used him as its first host.
- Jei's name, specifically when combined with the honorific "-san", is a reference to Jason Voorhees, the main antagonist of the Friday the 13th franchise. Like Jason, Jei is also a supernatural serial killer known for wielding a bladed weapon, and is similarly immortal, always returning no matter how he is killed.
- Jei was originally intended by Stan Sakai as a one-shot character, but was brought back again for later issues due to his popularity.
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 Villains
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