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Araya Kawakami (川上 新夜, Kawakami Araya) was an early Itto-ryu member in Blade of the Immortal (manga)

Plot[]

Araya is introduced when Anotsu and the Ittou-ryu kill Rin's father. He leads the assault on her mother, O-Toki, and paints her body with her husband's blood before violently raping her. During a flashback, while talking about how blood and gore and the chance to rape someone else's wife excites him, Magatsu disgustedly tells him those are the reasons his wife ran out on him.

Two years later, Araya is at a festival at his stall selling masks, and tries to resolves a conflict between two children. Manji approaches his stall to presumably buy a mask and ends up being a witness to the resolution. Araya notices Manji's presence and asks him for his sword to help resolve the conflict by cutting one of his other masks in half to appease one of the children.

After the children leave, Araya comments on how much blood the sword has seen and eyes Manji. Manji in turn smiles back and says that something is bothering him and asks Araya if he and his Itto-ryu friends are always following him because they seem to be everywhere he goes. Araya replies that the Itto-ryu swordsmen are always wandering about unless they are called by Anotsu, and that if they see someone like him the orders are always the same: "If you see them, kill them."

They are about to battle, but are suddenly interrupted by Araya's son, Renzo, who asks what they're doing. Not wanting his son to know his true nature, Araya tells him that Manji criticized his work and he lost his temper. He then leaves, telling Manji to pick a mask if he wants one, but that if he does, he must be one twisted guy. As he walks away, Rin sees him and freaks out.

While at his home later, Araya is pulled out by his son to meet a new friend. When he walks into the room and sees Rin, he doesn't recognize her. Renzo leaves them together to go buy some tea leaves, and while they're alone the two start a conversation. Rin reminds him who she is and asks him to formally apologize for what he did to her mother. Araya pretends to do so, but attacks her instead. He knocks her out and uses blood to paint up her body, as he had with her mother. As he begins strangling her, he hears a noise and goes downstairs to find some of his companions apologizing and telling him he's been tricked.

Araya runs back upstairs and sees Manji holding Rin. Manji asks him why he wants to kill Rin, who has nothing at all. He and Araya begin fighting, and after a while, Rin knocks Araya and Manji down by throwing her body against a large cabinet. When she looks over the edge to see her damage, Araya grabs her hair rings and throws her off the cabinet and onto the floor. He has her up in his grasp when Manji returns to the fight.

Manji makes quick work of Araya, but when he is on the verge of death, Rin asks Manji not to kill him. Araya asks Manji to finish him off, and he does, just as Renzo walks into the room. Renzo buries his father in a graveyard and then cries as Rin is holding him.

Equipment and Abilities[]

Weapons[]

Araya fought with a standard Katana, along with a Tanto for backup

Abilities[]

Araya is shown to be fairly adept with the sword, and is able to gain the upper hand on Manji, untill Rin steps in.

Relationships[]

Renzo[]

He and his son share a great relationship due to his son not knowing of his father's atrocities in the Itto-ryu. When Araya is killed, Renzo stabs Manji through the chest and runs away. When he comes back to the house, he notices that Manji's body is no longer there, and concludes that he is still alive. Renzo decides to take revenge on Manji, but is shut down by Rin when she claims that Manji's body is no longer there because she decided to give him a proper burial.

Rin[]

Rin hates Araya for raping and torturing her mother, but still shows sympathy for his son Renzo when Araya is killed by Manji.

Quotes[]

  • "You just don't get it, do you, kid? I get hard because of all the blood and guts, because it's his wife!"
  • "Huh? A crying woman doesn't turn you on? What's your problem, kid? Can't get it up? Or maybe you like boys, huh? Heh, heh..."
  • "About your buddy... this is what Anotsu told us to do-- 'kill him on sight'."
  • "Two years ago... I committed numerous outrageous act against your honored mother. Representing myself and those others who joined me in that insult, I..."
  • "You almost never remember to put out tea for company! And this time you even did up some snacks-- way to go, kiddo!"
  • "But if you appreciate Kawakami Araya's masks... then you are one twisted guy!"
  • "If it was just my problem, I could grit my teeth and bear it. But sons, friends, parents, brothers... once they get mixed up in it, I can't keep my blade sheathed."
  • "Yeah, maybe the folk I kill got problems of their own. But if it comes down to their problems versus my problems... I'm not going to hesitate."
  • "Don't leave me like this. I can't face my boy."

Gallery[]

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Manji and Araya about to face off before being interrupted by Renzo

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Araya is stabbed by Manji

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