Ikkokudō

Ikkokudō (一刻堂) is a chief priest onmyōji and head of the Ikaruga Style (いかるが流, Ikaruga-ryū) of exorcism. He appeared in Episode #101 of the 4th anime adaptation. He was voiced by and modeled after horror writer Natsuhiko Kyōgoku, who also wrote the episode he appeared in.
==Appearance==
Ikkokudō has black hair, purple eyes, and wears a black kimono that displays the pentagram star symbol; two on the front and one on the back. His face has a consistently displeased expression, even after he befriends Kitarō. He wears black gloves, black tabi socks and a pair of black geta with red thongs.
Natsuhiko Kyogoku.jpg|Ikkokudō was modeled after his voice actor, horror writer Natsuhiko Kyōgoku.
==Personality==
His personality is based largely on Kyōgoku's signature character, the "atheist onmyōji" Akihiko Chūzenji (aka, Kyōgokudō). As such, Ikkokudō believes rather strongly that there is "no such thing as things like yōkai in the first place". He is very cold and stern and almost never loses his cool.
==History==
==1996 Anime==
500 years ago, Ikkokudō's ancestors signed a contract with Nurarihyon promising to vanquish Kitarō for him, and Nurarihyon decides to cash in on this deal with him. At this time, he scoffs that there is "nothing mysterious about this world". In his confrontation with the Kitarō Family, he uses his shikigami to lure each of them into a pentagram drawn in the sand, which has the effect of paralysis potion. He then uses kotodama words to make them forget each other's names, and one by one turns them all into their "true form" when they can't remember their names in a certain amount of time. However, just as he is about to transform Kitarō, Nurarihyon and Shu-no-Bon shout "So long, Kitarō" in celebration, reminding him of his name and canceling the spell. Kitarō then remembers all of his friends' names and calls them out, returning them each to normal. Despite this, Ikkokudō does not lose his cool, revealing that he can use the spell anytime he pleases. However, he instead admits relief at his failure to exorcise Kitarō, saying he only attempted it because he was contractually obligated. Since Nurarihyon's interference ruined his attempt, he considers the contract voided and reconciles with Kitarō, having learned that yōkai have a place in this world after all.
==Powers and Abilities==
He is a practitioner of kotodama, the Shinto art of spell casting. He runs a house of worship where clients can drop of off cursed items for him to exorcise.
He has the ability to chant a spell that changes yōkai into whatever creature or object inspired their legend. To him, he does not make these forms reality with his spells, they were simply the truth all along. No lies or ill intent can sneak past these magic words. He is well studied in Shingon Buddhism and can recite the Mantra of Light. His movement is so instantaneous that he can appear right behind a yōkai without them sensing his presence at all, and he can disappear from that spot just as fast. He can also use shikigami, such as Seto-Taishō and Gohō-Dōji.
=="True Forms"==
The following is a list of the "true forms" Ikkokudō converted everyone into:
*Shu-no-Bon - A red serving tray
*Sunakake-Babaa - A pile of sand and a gust of wind
*Ittan-Momen - A roll of cloth
*Nurikabe - A broken-down wall
*Konaki-Jijii - A pumpkin
*Neko-Musume (Half-yōkai) - A young girl holding a cat
*Medama-Oyaji - An eyeball keychain toy
*Nurarihyon - An octopus (Not shown, but mentioned by Ikkokudō)
Nezumi-Otoko was also threatened with the technique but only to scare him for working with Nurarihyon, and as such his true form is never shown.
==Trivia==
*During production, Natsuhiko Kyōgoku was unaware that Nurarihyon and Shu-no-Bon were supposed to die during Episode 99, and included the two of them in his draft for Episode 101. Due to this, their deaths were retconned.水木しげる, 京極夏彦 (May 1st, 1998). 水木しげるｖｓ京極夏彦 ゲゲゲの鬼太郎解体新書 Pp. 156
==References==
Category:Characters
Category:Males
Category:Humans
Category:Anime original characters
Category:Former Antagonist (1996)
Category:Articles under construction