Black Clover: Who Is Yami Ichika?

Important takeaways

• Yami Ichika hates his brother Yami Sukehiro for a crime he didn't commit.
• Ichika faces his past and overcomes his misplaced hatred.
• Ichika is a powerful mage with Dark Magic and Ki manipulation abilities.

Yami Ichika is the estranged younger sister of Captain Yami i Black clover. Unlike Yami, Ichika lives in the Land of the Sun, where she serves the Shogun as a member of the Ryuzen Seven, a group of powerful mages.

When she first meets Ichika, she is a stern woman who deeply resents her older brother, believing that Yami murdered their entire clan. However, after meeting Asta and encountering Yrul, one of the paladins, Ichika faces his past and begins to right his wrongs.

Who is Yami Ichika?

The estranged younger sister of Captain Yami Sukehiro, who holds misplaced resentment towards her brother

Yami Ichika is the younger sister of Yami Sukehiro, the captain of the Black Bulls. Ichika and Sukehiro come from a distant country called Hino Country, or the Land of the Sun, where Asta has been teleported to in Chapter 336. Ichika was first introduced in Chapter 337, along with the Shogun, Ryudo Ryuya of the Country of the Sun.

Upon first introduction, Ichika shows a stern personality, unlike Captain Yami. She sticks to the rules and often corrects Asta when he addresses the Shogun. However, this hostility may also be due to Ichika's slight crush on Ryu when she was younger; she feels deeply grateful to him because he supposedly saved her when she was younger.

Ichika and Captain Yami are descendants of the Yami clan, a group of assassins known as the “Kijin”. Their ancestors thus made a name for themselves by fighting numerous battles during the war years. As samurai, they were entrusted to protect the Land of the Sun. Since there were five provinces in the country, they were tasked with guarding the province that belonged to the Ryudo family.

But in the Ryudo family's province, there is also an old legend about a five-headed dragon that once abounded throughout the Land of the Sun. Although appeased by a heavenly maiden, the Dragon's yoryoku, which is the Sunland's version of magical power, had seeped into the sea, turning it black and stagnant. The dragon was also believed to cause a distortion in time and space that was linked to hell.

How Ichika's past shaped her future

Ichika grew up hating her older brother, causing her to become an exceptional mage and swordswoman

Ichika and Captain Yami's father believed the Yami clan to be of noble blood and disliked living in the Ryudo family's distant territory. Their father was also misogynistic and a drunk, believing women like Ichika were not needed in the Yami clan, for which Captain Yami would always defend his younger sister.

I saw it with my own eyes…!! That's the truth!!

Their father also believed that Captain Yami would inherit the title of the clan's strongest Kijin. When Captain Yami was 13, Ichika awoke to the sight of Captain Yami and the massacred bodies of the entire Yami clan. However, in chapter 347, Ichika learns that this is not the case, and her hatred and resentment have been misplaced.

When Yrul fights Yrul, one of the Paladins created by Lucius Zogratis, Yrul summons the Bogeyman with his Beast Magic. This Beast Magic awakens the memories and fears of its targets and becomes them. In this case, Ichika's fear was her father, as he had previously abused her when she was younger. But what she didn't expect was to remember her forgotten memories of the day her clan was massacred.

That day, Ichika learns that her father had given her the “Oni Soul Pill”, a secret drug that has been passed down through the Yami clan for generations. Her father believed that this pill could increase your bloodlust and latent yoryoku at an explosive rate. After their father forces Ichika to take the drug, her physical abilities go berserk, and she loses control of her mind; that's when Ichika murders his entire clan.

You were my benefactor, and I knew nothing. I disliked you! I'm… Really sorry!

However, it was Captain Yami who killed their father after he went insane, and he also took the burden of being the one to murder the clan when he left the Land of the Sun. At this point, Ichika had lived her life believing that Captain Yami was the source of all her hatred and resentment; as such, she lived her life accordingly, disliking men and proving her strength by joining the Ryuzen Seven. However, after learning the truth and reuniting with his brother, Ichika softens and is no longer held back by his resentment.

What are Ichika's powers?

As Captain Yami's sibling, Ichika has a similar magical power

As mentioned above, Ichika and Captain Yami are part of the Yami clan. As a result, the siblings can use Dark Magic, a rare magical attribute. Since Ichika was part of the Yami clan, it is likely that her latent power has yet to manifest as her father saw no point in training her, as he favored Captain Yami and his abilities as a swordsman.

But after the death of her clan, Ichika became a powerful swordswoman and mastered her dark magic. Since Ichika is from the Land of the Sun, she can also manipulate Ki. Since Ichika can manipulate Ki, she can also use the Zetten, a much more advanced version, which explosively releases a focused blast of energy. Since the Zetten is an advanced technique, only those within the Ryuzen Seven have been able to manipulate their Ki to such an extent. The Ryuzen Seven are a group of powerful magicians who serve under the command of the Shogun, Ryuya Ryudo.

• Ki is the flow of vitality and energy within humans and requires the individual to focus all five senses to feel, as instructed by Captain Yami in Chapter 48.
• Mana and Ki exist separately from each other.
• While Ki is the flow of vitality, Mana is a form of energy.

Since Ichika can manipulate Ki, she can also use Zetten, a much more advanced version of Ki, which explosively releases a focused blast of energy. Since the Zetten is an advanced technique, only those within the Ryuzen Seven have been able to manipulate their Ki to such an extent. The Ryuzen Seven are a group of powerful magicians who serve under the command of the Shogun, Ryuya Ryudo.

When training Asta in the Land of the Sun, Ichika was also able to win his matches consistently. However, this could probably be due to Asta's hesitation in his technique and conviction. During the battle with the five-headed dragon, Ichika was able to land several blows against the dragon, showing her power as one of the Ryuzen seven and a member of the Yami clan.

Although Ichika had been abused by her father for being a female in the esteemed Yami clan, she has proven herself to be a capable mage and swordswoman over the years, with the ability to join a powerful group such as the Ryuzen Seven.

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