Kanou, Shou
Summary
Kanou Shou first appeared in Battle 167. A deceased eighteen-year-old classified as a Dou/Sei fighter and a Satsujin Ken, his Yomi Symbol was the Sky. He was a disciple of Hongou Akira and served as the original leader of Yomi. Widely regarded as the organization’s most powerful member and Kenichi’s toughest opponent, Shou was described by multiple Yomi members as "perfect," a trait so extreme it arguably led to his defeat by Kenichi. Nicknamed Suparna after a mythical Hindu creature with beautiful wings, he was not necessarily the strongest in Yomi but was believed to possess the most potential. Physically, Shou was a tall, well-built man with long light-blue hair tied in a waist-length ponytail. His attire featured various bird motifs, including a caged bird earring, a facial mark, and designs on his jacket and necklace, worn alongside a blue jacket, sports pants, and a hair tie. Shou typically maintained a goofy, playful demeanor and kept a smile during combat, but became cold and merciless when annoyed. A lover of birds and hater of bugs, he referred to everyone except Miu and himself as "the ones without wings" and labeled Kenichi a "worm" to be squashed. He had a habit of failing to conceal his presence when distracted. Despite his cold exterior, Shou showed compassion to those who shared his childhood imprisonment. He once spared a young bird against his master’s orders and helped the Pankration team escape by covering their departure and using Spartacus’s ponytail as false proof of death. Although he feared his Master’s anger and potential death for contacting enemies, he respected him deeply. Shou was deeply infatuated with Miu, calling her the "light in the darkness of his life." His primary motive in the D of D arc was Miu, and he sought to defeat Kenichi because he believed the latter could not protect her. Even in death, his last wish was for Kenichi to protect Miu. His emotional fighting style drew disapproval from Sehrul Rahman, Ro Jisei, and Kushinada Mikumo, who favored emotionless combat. In contrast, his original master Hongou Akira and Ogata Isshinsai, who taught him Ancient Martial Arts, supported his development. This suggests he began as a Dou type before incorporating Sei techniques, becoming predominantly Dou while possessing both Ki. Trained harshly since childhood, Shou was bought by Yami from the Kuremisago. He quickly became Hongou Akira’s disciple, defeating many opponents, but was deemed to have a weak heart lacking mercilessness, preventing him from inheriting anything. Considered for execution, he was forced to kill a baby bird in front of the group to prove his worth, which he did without hesitation while secretly crushing grapes. Later, he was sent to Silcardo Jenazad for Pencak Silat training. Before training, he fought Radin Tidat Jihan; by preventing one of Jihan’s moves, he impressed Jenazad, who agreed to teach him as the One Shadow had requested. Shou later praised Silat alongside Karate for its adaptability and complexity. Eventually chosen as Yomi’s leader, Shou learned martial arts from the One Shadow Nine Fists, creating his Kyuu Geki Issatsu. He also met Tanimoto Natsu when the latter was still the Sixth Fist of Ragnarok. They became close friends, with Shou sharing personal details about his life. Shou was shocked by Tanimoto’s defeat at Kenichi’s hands and decided to fight him in the future.
