The Origin Point - YohJay in the Shaman King Manga
Before you venture further. . .
- Discussion of child sexual assault/exploitation with VJ.
- Effects of said child sexual assault on a teenage boy.
- Borderline Personality Disorder and how it affects VJ's perception (at first).
- Mentions of self-harm (specifically clawing of the skin) with VJ.
- Talks of internalized homophobia and how that affects a teen boy with Yoh.
- Explicit mentions of a pedophilic, narcissistic father and how that affects VJ.
- Mentions of suicidal ideations with VJ.
Background Info of Kowareyasuki - Shaman King
Hello! My story of Shaman King is called Kowareyasuki-Shaman King, named after a LoveLive song by 'Guilty Kiss'. It's actually one of the two YohJay anthems, and both the song name and the first part of the title are spelled as コワレヤスキ. It literally translates to 'Fragilove', since in Japanese it's a portmanteau of kowareyasui (壊れやすい, fragile) and suki (好き, love). This choice of title is probably self explanatory if you made it past the trigger warnings already, and it will become even clearer once we get into the story itself.
However, I wish to get some background details over with, starting with how VJ works as a shaman in Shaman King! This is just so the flow of storytelling isn't broken up by long-winded exposition dumps. Okay? Okay!
Unlike most Shamans who need a Guardian Ghost to achieve Oversoul, VJ (pictured later on this page) is part of a bloodline who doesn't necessarily need one. This is because the Saeran bloodline have the unique ability to Oversoul using their very soul, granting them a high furyoku pool at birth at the cost of draining furyoku the moment they achieve an Oversoul. That's not all, though. Every Saeran has an element they specialize in, and depending on that element is what determines what their soul Oversouls into. This element typically comes about when they're in their pre-teens, and the element reflects their personality or what place they are in life. For example, if a Saeran was free-spirited and unable to be shackled by their environment, they could be able to use water as their element, and thus they could Oversoul their soul into water around them or the water vapor itself. Hopefully that make sense! I lovingly call the Saerans pocket High Elemental Spirits as a result of this~
Another thing unique to the Saeran bloodline is the ability to achieve a higher form of Oversoul. These oversouls are called Monarch Oversouls. In lore, the origins of them are mysterious and little is known of them outside of the Saeran Clan (and another OC-original clan that I won't get too deep into here since this is a YohJay Database first and foremost). However, I will say to you, the viewer, that the origin of these Monarch Oversouls are otherworldly and supernatural in nature, given that the First Lady of the Saeran Clan was herself an otherworldly, supernatural being. This First Lady, Ailiseu, was a Korean fox demon (or gumiho as I will be referring to her as on most of this page), who, similar to Hao, mastered all the five elements. Due to this origin point, when a modern-day Saeran achieves full control over the element they've unlocked- usually during a particularly strenuous or emotional event -they can unlock their Monarch Oversoul.
These oversouls are pretty powerful glass cannons, able to rewrite the very laws of physics by tapping into Ailiseu's innately multi-dimensional origins. On top of this, they also gain access to a personalized pocket dimension, classified as a sorta in-between dimensional realm that reflects the Saeran Shaman's personality as well. The way you can typically tell a Saeran has unlocked their Monarch Oversoul is if they have a Soul Gem embedded in between their collarbone Because of this, legends say only another Monarch Oversoul can defeat a Monarch Oversoul. I'm here to tell you, though, that that's not necessarily true. Just ask Asakura Yoh~
With all that exposition out the way, let's begin with the start of VJ (and Yoh's, subsequently) story in the Shaman King Manga canon!
The Story of Kowareyasuki - Shaman King
And so....it begins.
Throughout certain parts of the early series, such as when Yoh gets pummelled by a Daoshi-controlled Lee Pai Long, I always envisioned in a manga and 2021 anime setting you would catch a glimpse of VJ. You can never fully make him out, but he always in a sterile-looking bedroom, always lifting or turning his head in concern. It's like he can feel an echo of someone else's pain, but he never fully is able to make it out. It's always echoes of Yoh's pain. Why? You'll see soon~ But this is the most I would imagine a viewer would see of him for the first 77 chapters of the manga and the first 12 episodes of the 2021 anime. There isn't even mentions of him in the preliminary matches (something Yoh would have noticed immediately).
VJ doesn't make his formal introduction to the Shaman King story until Yoh and his friends (as well as every other Shaman in Tokyo) reach Yokocha Naval Base. This in the manga is Reincarnation 78: The Future King, and in the 2021 Shaman King adaptation this would be in Episode 13. His debut in full features him in the outfit that's pictured on the side off this box on desktop or in this very box on mobile devices. His grand introduction? Showing up without an Oracle Pager and demanding to take on three Patch Officials to make up for the fact his father, Yoosung, didn't let him go to Tokyo on time for his preliminary matches. His idea? If he can one-shot three Patch Officials, then it's basically the same thing as doing three Preliminary matches.
Surprisingly? Silva, Kalim, and his originally assigned Patch Official, Namari, entertain his whims. Mostly, it's Namari being interested in what in the actual hell is going on with VJ for reasons that will, eventually, be explained. For now, what you need to know is Namari tells VJ flat out that if VJ fails, he will unapologetically be sent back home. These words don't really register to VJ. Not until after he's able to one shot the three of them with a single ice attack. When they do, though? Uh...VJ doesn't really take it very well. He starts getting in his own head, not really registering that Namari's tryna hand him his icy-purple Oracle Pager, and without really much of a thought he fuses his two war fans into an ice sword. Dooooes he attempt a broad daylight homocide? Mmmm yep. I feaaar he does. All while muttering that the Patch would have sent him home.
The one thing that stops VJ from letting his ice sword strike home? A familiar voice yelling out his nickname.
"Veevee!! That's far enough!! Let it go."
It's enough to stop VJ's world from spinning for a moment. Enough to cause him a moment of pause. His sword pauses mid-swing, and he finally takes a moment to focus on the world around him. VJ's Oversoul almost instantly vanishes as he tries not to panic that he almost killed a man. Publically. In broad daylight. His voice is stuck as he tries to apologize, but Namari is quick to recover, and...VJ thinks he hears him mention something about how he expected nothing less from him? It's confusing. It quickly falls to the wayside as he turns and sees...his very first and his most dearest childhood friend. Asakura Yoh.
VJ's eyes meet Yoh's...and it's like his heart stops. It kinda freaks him out, but he chooses to shove that feeling aside to bask in the fact he's at long last seeing his dearest friend after a long 4 years.
After the two kinda stare at each other in shock- Yoh baffled VJ grew so much taller since he last saw him and VJ surprised Yoh didn't really change much since he last saw him -Yoh's quick to pick up VJ's dropped Oracle Pager and hand it to him with his signature toothy grin before dragging VJ by the hand.
Hearing Yoh saying he has new friends almost instantly sours VJ's mood. His mind starts spiralling with every step he takes behind Yoh. That he's been replaced. That he's no longer as important to Yoh as he used to be. That perhaps he greatly overestimated just how strong their bond was when they were both 10. This isn't really helped when VJ actually meets these new faces. One immediately distrusts him (Ren). One asks Yoh when he'll stop picking up more colorful characters (Horohoro). And one, in particular, attempts to hit on him (Ryuu). Ryuu in particular is the one that triggers him. The air ends up growing cold around VJ as he started to berate Ryuu, essentially telling him to kill himself before Yoh had to step in again. Which, as you can imagine, also almost sent VJ into a panic attack when he realized what he did.
Overall, he doesn't really make the best first impressions on Yoh's friends, but even through his absolute screw-ups, Yoh is still the one defending VJ's right to exist in this circle. Yoh admits VJ is a bit harder to crack than most, but he explicitly tells his friends that VJ was his very first friend. Yoh also points out that it's hypocritical of them to jump VJ when Ren was essentially an ex-murderer and Ryuu was a former delinquent. That...kinda humbles them. Only kinda tho. Any further tension that could be had only gets cut off by Hao's formal introduction. Hao points out to them- and VJ specifically -that he knows all about them, including about "VJ's old man". This causes VJ to snap and Oversoul for a second time. He makes his ice sword and manages to cut off Hao's cloak, which surprises everyone. Yoh, though, panics as he screams to VJ to WATCH OUT, right as Hao says, "Ice? Too easy~"
Only...well. It wasn't actually VJ there behind Hao! It was an ice doll. One that shatters before Hao can even get the Spirit of Fire to melt him. VJ himself is just leaning against the ol wooden shack looking building they're all by. Part of his powerset revealed! They all seem a bit surprised and perhaps even on edge, but Yoh expresses the fact he's...actually kind of impressed by how VJ's powers have manifested.
Even more familiarity! You'll see that a lot throughout this page.
With VJ's proper introduction out the way, I'll try to keep more general lore dumps to a minimum, as this is a YohJay website first and foremost. Hope I can actually stick to that! Starting with...the plane ride to America! VJ actually complains and sinks off his seat til his knees touch the plane floor that he just got off a plane that came from there. Yoh is quick to laugh and actually try to bring VJ's spirits up, mentioning it's not that bad, and he's sure it's not like they're going to where VJ lives. In the moment it doesn't really matter to VJ that Yoh couldn't have possibly known that, but it's enough that Yoh tries to talk him down. VJ gets back in his seat, though he struggles to relax. It's something Yoh, in that moment, can feel himself, even if Yoh feels more awake now than he's felt for 4 years (wonder why that is~?).
In this moment, VJ struggles to meet Yoh's eyes. He's overthinking his place in Yoh's life now that the plane is starting to quiet down, leaving VJ alone to his own thoughts. A...not so pleasant thing for an overthinker with crippling anxiety. Yoh notices this and he opts for a silent gesture. Slipping of his orange headphones, Yoh slides them on VJ, snapping VJ out of his own thoughts and guides him into Yoh's through the music playing quietly in the headphones. VJ just... blinks at Yoh, whose brunette hair is now laying flatter on his head in a mess now that he's not wearing his headphones anymore and...VJ blushes. He thinks Yoh's really pretty with his hair down, but he won't say that aloud. He just averts his icy eyes and pouts a little.
The two of them catch up a little bit, Yoh asking VJ what even took him so long to get here- VJ has to lie and say his father, Yoosung, was just being unusually strict even more than usual -and Yoh reaching out to touch VJ's bangs curiously.
He tries not to make it known...but the simplest of gestures like that- Yoh simply rubbing strands of his hair innocently between callused fingertips -is enough to make VJ's heart lurch in pain. It takes almost VJ's entire mental fortitude to maintain the mask he's putting up as well as keep the voices telling him Yoh's dirtying himself just by touching any part of him way in the back of his head. All he can really do when Yoh pulls away is just give a small smile and, as he adjusts his glasses, tease Yoh.
It doesn't take Yoh long to eventually fall asleep, his cheek pressed into VJ's shoulder. Only afterwards does VJ allow himself the moment to finally let out a shakey exhale as quiet tears streak down his cheeks. The voices are much louder now, overpowering the music in the headphones. Thoughts of Yoh doing such a small gesture and how it's tainting Yoh's purity in the process, and yet despite this...all VJ wishes to do is be selfish. He places a trembling hand over Yoh's and just...rests it there. Eventually, he too falls asleep.
Of course, since they're on the plane right now, that means the next part iiiiis...when the plane disappears midair! The intercom voice from Goldva is actually what wakes VJ up from his moment of sleep- he realizes he doesn't have Yoh's headphones on his head anymore, they slipped off mid sleep -