Fuma

* Face
* Artwork

*Fūma*

**Fuma** is Kappei's main rival in the *Ninjala manga*. He was the winner of the prior year’s Ninjala tournament, and is therefore hailed as the strongest ninja. He comes off as very laid back and cool, though a bit egotistical. He’s able to make a crowd go wild with just a smile, and his mere presence draws fans. Fuma is the son of Kageroh, the Shadow Ninja Leader in the Ninjala manga, and as such he follows the orders of his father to work against Kappei, his friends, and the WNA at large.

## Appearance

Fuma is a young, pale-skinned boy with red eyes. He has short white bangs that split in the middle and cut off just at his eyebrows. The rest of his hair is white and spikes back. Each spike of his hair ends in a garnet accent, and the under layer of his hair is garnet as well. He wears a lavender sleeveless turtleneck shirt with a white “scarf” protruding from the back. He wears black fingerless gloves with a sleeve on his right arm. His pants are simple black basketball shorts with a white vertical stripe on the sides. His shoes are black with a “plated” pattern and lavender soles.

## Personality

As expected of a Ninjala prodigy and the winner of the prior year’s Ninjala tournament, Fuma is incredibly confident in his abilities—often to the point where he believes no one else can rival him. He is also incredibly charismatic. He enjoys his fame, happily flashing smiles at cameras and soaking in the applause of his fans.

However, though Fuma puts on this cool and charming demeanor, he is also incredibly two-faced. He often belittles and acts cruelly towards those he sees as adversaries. According to himself, he doesn't remember weaklings. Fuma often acts very independently, and has a bad habit of not explaining his actions to anyone until he is forced to. This tends to put his allies in physical danger and causes a lot of misunderstandings.

## Story

### History

Fuma was born the son of Kageroh and given the birth name of “Fuya.” He was gifted by his ancestor’s ninja DNA and expressed talent at being a ninja even when he was 4 years old. Fuma wanted to be a cool ninja like his father, Kageroh, and had fun training. Kageroh saw Fuma as his pride and joy, and encouraged him.

Fuma grew up with other children who were training to protect the Fuma Clan. Despite all his skill, there was one boy named Kazama who Fuma could not beat. Kazama was like a kind older brother among the kids, and would help Fuma up after defeat.

One day, when Fuma was 7 years old, he and his peers were informed that the Fuma had died. In the name of keeping peace in the next generation, a new Fuma was to be decided via a ritualistic battle to the death. The final person remaining would be the winner and be named the Fuma. The children immediately rejected the thought—saying they’d never hurt each other. But despite their initial resistance, they carried it out anyway. Fuma and Kazama escaped amidst the fight—limping and covered in blood and burns. But as they fled, a shuriken was thrown at them from behind. Kazama pushed Fuma away so it wouldn’t hit Fuma, and inadvertently sent himself tumbling backwards. Kazama fell out of reach and off the edge of a cliff, disappearing into the darkness.

As the last person standing, Fuma earned the name “Fuma,” and was no longer to be referred to as “Fuya.”

Soon after this ritual had taken place, the WNA created Ninjala as we know it—a fun, peaceful game to decide who’s the strongest ninja.

When Fuma was 10 years old, he was attacked by three boys around his age named Eisen, Tomio, and Ranmaru. Fuma easily defeated and restrained them, but was impressed by their having the guts to attack him. Upon questioning, the boys reveal they attacked Fuma in the name of revenge. Fuma had beaten all the adults in their villages so hard at Ninjala that all of them refused to teach Eisen, Tomio, or Ranmaru ninjutsu. Fuma invited the three to join him in the Shadow Ninja so they could train and fight him once more. The boys happily agree, and grow to become Fuma’s Ninjala teammates.

Within the next few years, Fuma joined the WNA, won the year’s Ninjala Tournament with a clean sweep, and became the Ninjala Master. He had happily asked his father what he should aim for next, but Fuma soon began to experience a hollow feeling that being at the top was boring.

### Volume 1

Fuma first appears standing atop a tree wearing a white jackal mask alongside two other shadowed companions. They watch as Kappei, Gumchi, Tomoya, and Gen'unsai celebrate defeating four Shadow Ninja who were hunting Gumchi. Fuma remarks that this year’s Ninjala seems like it’s going to be interesting.

In his proper debut, Fuma appears before a lost Kappei, Tomoya and Gumchi. The three were looking for WNA HQ but had accidentally been given incorrect directions by Gen'unsai. Fuma’s presence quickly draws in a wave of fangirls praising him, who introduce him as the winner of the prior year’s Ninjala and the strongest ninja. Hearing the words “strongest” and “ninja” together in a sentence, Kappei decides that that means he and Fuma are rivals and he declares such in front of everyone. Fuma is stunned for a moment—but soon breaks out into laughter. Seemingly thoroughly amused by Kappei’s stupidity, he agrees to lead them to WNA HQ. However, Fuma moves too fast and intentionally loses the trio in an alley. There, they are once again attacked by Shadow Ninja who are after Gumchi. Just when all hope seems lost, Fuma plays hero and emerges into the alley to rescue Kappei, Tomoya, and Gumchi from his own Shadow Ninja. After patronizing Kappei just a little more, he departs.

Fuma returns after overhearing Kappei say he wants to have a practice match against him. While Kappei is delighted at his appearance, the rest of his new teammates—Berecca, Lucy, and Van—feel otherwise. Van especially seems unsettled by him. In return, Fuma says he doesn’t know who Van is. Berecca reveals it is due to that in the prior year’s Ninjala tournament, their team suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat, and Van had been IPPON’d by Fuma within the first 10 seconds.

Regardless, the practice match between “Team Kappei” and “Team Fuma” begins. Fuma plays with his teammates Eisen, Tomio, and Ranmaru. His weapon of choice appears to be a blue Ninja Yo-yo sporting a unique design on the sides.

Team Kappei seems to be winning, until Lucy stumbles upon Fuma sitting out of the action on top of a drone. He hops off the drone and walks into the middle of the battle and begins scolding his teammates for losing. Van readies to attack him, but Fuma stares him down and begins questioning him. The pressure is too much and Van completely freezes up. Fuma tells Van to quit being a ninja as he IPPONs him with a mere finger gun. Kappei angrily retaliates against Fuma’s treatment of Van, but Fuma stops his IPPON Katana with a single finger.

This match ends in a crushing defeat. Fuma attempts to make off with Gumchi while everyone is too beaten to move but he is stopped by Genryusai, who appears behind him and tells him to stop being a bully. Fuma declares that he’ll get them next time and disappears.

The volume ends with Fuma standing at the foot of a large throne, with his teammates each on one knee bowing around it. On the throne is the Shadow Ninja Leader—a large, shadowy man donning a cloak and demon mask. He tells the boys that their goal is to acquire Gumchi, and that another failure will not be forgiven.

### Volume 2

The volume begins with the start of the Ninjala tournament. Fuma and his teammates enter under the name “Team Wind Demons.” Fuma walks over to Kappei and remarks that they’re in different blocks in the tournament, so Kappei shouldn’t lose before they can meet in the finals. Then he walks off laughing.

The day before the semifinals, Fuma and his teammates meet before the Shadow Ninja Leader once more. He gives Fuma and his teammates each a “Mask of Darkness” that will enhance their powers for their next match. Fuma’s teammates don their masks without hesitation, but Fuma admits he doesn’t want to wear the mask because he wants to rely on his own power. The Shadow Ninja Leader orders him to be silent and Fuma’s teammates restrain him as the leader forces the mask onto his face.

The next day, Team Wind Demons show up completely silent and wearing dark animal masks. Their semifinals match is against “Team Brave,” led by Hiro. The aftermath of the match is brutal. Team Brave is left beaten and strung up in gum. Fuma is still unsatisfied, and continues attacking Hiro despite the drones ordering him to stop. Fuma is only stopped by Kappei jumping up from the stands and getting between him and Hiro.

### Volume 3

The finals between Team Wind Demons and Team Gumchis begin. As the action commences, Fuma sits atop a gate and watches down. Kappei launches up at him, but is instantly caught and suspended in thread by Fuma. Fuma wails on Kappei with his yo-yo until Berecca comes to his rescue. Kappei comes to the conclusion that Fuma isn’t himself right now. He and Berecca attack “Fuma” together, and manage to make a chip in his mask. This gives Fuma a single moment of clarity, but he is haunted by a voice telling him to give into the mask’s power. Fuma falls to his knees, clutching his head as an internal battle between his will and the mask’s power takes place. His turmoil reaches its breaking point, and he explodes into a berserk form surrounded by a dark ball of energy wielding various Ninjala weapons. The shockwave from the explosion takes out Berecca, Lucy, and his own teammates.

Fuma has now taken on a new form. The dark mask has imprinted into his face, with white streaks running from his jaw into his jackal mask’s ears. His hair has turned entirely dark as well. On his arms, black cracks run from his hands to his neck, and white cracks run over the dark mass where his gloves used to be. Finally, he now sports a monstrous, openly sadistic grin—no longer sneering like before his transformation.

The Mask confirms Kappei’s suspicions that he is not Fuma. This whole time it has actually been the Mask of Darkness controlling Fuma’s body, while Fuma is trapped within himself. Kappei tries to trick the Mask and attack from behind, but is caught and trapped in gum. The Mask of Darkness then punches the bound Kappei so hard in the stomach that he coughs up his Ninja Gum and becomes weaponless. Van launches at Fuma wielding his drill, but the Mask blocks with his own. In the midst of the collision, Van calls out for Fuma to battle him. These words briefly reach Fuma—enough to give an opening. They both land heavy blows on each other, with Van being KO’d and the Mask slamming to the ground.

Having no other way to fight, Gumchi makes Kappei chew him and use him to form a weapon. Chewing the entirety of Gumchi temporarily grants Kappei the ability to resonate with Fuma’s ninja DNA, allowing them to communicate directly to each other. Here, Fuma recalls his past and the first time he met Kappei. He enjoyed Ninjala in his childhood, but after reaching the top, everything had become boring to Fuma—that is until he met Kappei and he declared their rivalry. Fuma realizes that if he versus Kappei, he could once again have fun in Ninjala. However, the Mask tells Fuma he’s only a pawn of the Shadow Ninja and has no time to be playing childish games like Ninjala. Fuma almost gives in, but Kappei’s loudly rejects the Mask’s words and finally forms a golden weapon out of Gumchi. Fuma controls his own body so it can’t fight back, and together Kappei and Gumchi strike the mask off Fuma’s face.

Now back to himself, Fuma admits his defeat and declares Kappei the new Ninjala Master. Kappei refuses this. He says Fuma hasn’t actually battled him yet and demands the match continue. Fuma accepts, and so the fight continues until they both simultaneously collapse. As a result, both Team Wind Demons and Team Gumchis are acknowledged as the winners of this year’s Ninjala Tournament, with both Fuma and Kappei being declared Ninjala Masters.

After the tournament, Fuma is hospitalized. Kappei busts into Fuma’s hospital room along with Gumchi, Tomoya, and Van because he is unsatisfied with a tie and wants a rematch. Fuma says no. He couldn’t even if he wanted to. Fuma then reveals his affiliation with the Shadow Ninja. He explains that they forced him to wear the Mask of Darkness, and as a result of having worn it, his ninja powers are now sealed within it.

As Fuma is holding the mask, a purple Gumchi-like creature snatches it from his hands and hops out the window. He lands on the forearm of the Shadow Ninja Leader, who was waiting outside on top of a flagpole. The leader reveals to the boys that his name is Kageroh. He then tells Fuma that he’s served his purpose, and losing his power is punishment for going against him. Kappei and Van launch after Kageroh, but he dodges and continues his declarations. He announces that one month from now, he will destroy the ninja world. Fuma launches at Kageroh as well, but Kageroh vanishes. Fuma explains everything he said is new to him. Kageroh is very secretive, so the fact that he revealed himself means preparations must already be complete.

### Volume 4

Some time has passed, and Genryusai has assigned Fuma to be Kappei’s travel partner on his two day trip to the Shadow Ninja Hideout. Fuma has a new outfit as well—a large light colored cloak with a tall collar and buckle straps. Kappei and Fuma immediately begin bickering once they meet. Kappei argues that because Fuma can’t use his ninja powers anymore, he’ll just end up being a burden. Fuma argues that he’s more useful than an idiot. To settle the issue, the two of them decide to race to the hideout. Even without his powers, Fuma is still an incredibly skilled ninja. He’s faster than Kappei, and can jump over most walls that he can no longer stick to. They arrive at the hideout in only one day, with Fuma winning the race.

The door to the base opens, and Kappei loudly runs in. Fuma stops him, and tells him to sneak. Fuma demonstrates this by disappearing and reappearing behind Kappei—once again showing off his capabilities without his ninja powers. Kappei tries to mimic Fuma, but instead ends up standing on and promptly falling through a trapdoor. Fuma soon follows and finds Kappei bound in spiderwebs by two Shadow Ninja twins: Momo and Toto. The twins mock Fuma for losing his status and having his powers taken. They try to strike him, but Fuma dodges and uses kunai to slash Toto across the face.

Fuma’s movements lift up his cloak and reveal his new suit. This suit is specially made by Burton that allows Fuma to use his ninja powers again, but only for 3 minutes. On the back it sports a massive, ridiculous logo of Burton’s face with the text “**Burton Made**” printed boldly beneath it. Fuma gets red in the face and immediately covers it back up with his cloak.

Together, Kappei and Fuma defeat the twins. Fuma’s timer is now counting down, so they rush into the next room where Ron is waiting for them. After some talk, Ron and Fuma break into a fight. Fuma tries to end it quickly, and successfully entwines him in thread. Ron senses intent to kill behind the threads, but nothing happens when Fuma tries to use an art. This is because Fuma’s 3 minute timer had already run out, and thus he is once again powerless. Ron knocks him out instantly with a punch to the stomach. While Fuma is unconscious, Ron knocks out Kappei as well and drags them both to Kageroh.

Here, Kageroh stands in front of beakers, flasks, and test tubes. He turns to greet them, finally taking off his demon mask and revealing his face. Kageroh then reveals to them the core of his plan, his “Shadow Army”—writhing monsters made of dark sludge encased behind glass panes. Fuma’s teammates emerge from the mass, banging on the glass and begging for help. Fuma can only watch as they melt back into sludge. Kageroh explains this transformation is due to Shadow Gum. The gum erases one’s self, thus turning them into an unwavering, unfeeling, invincible army. But along with this army, he has one other trick up his sleeve: his son’s—*Fuma’s*—powers.

Kageroh reveals that their ancestor’s DNA had “chosen” Fuma over himself. By trapping Fuma’s power in the Mask of Darkness, Kageroh can finally use it for himself and for his quest for revenge. Fuma begs his father for his power back so he can pursue his own dreams. Kageroh grabs him by the shoulders and shouts at him that it’s his fault countless people’s dreams have been crushed, so Fuma has no right to speak about having a dream. The words seem to eat away at Fuma’s until he falls completely silent. He is unresponsive to Kappei telling him to ignore his father and to stand up for himself. He returns to his father’s side and says nothing as Gumchi is taken and Kappei sent to be disposed of.

### Volume 5

The one month time limit is up, and Kageroh’s attack on WNA has begun. Kappei has engaged in a showdown against him, where Kageroh has donned the Mask of Darkness and is using the power sealed inside it for himself. Kappei criticizes him for this and asks him if it’s fine to ignore Fuma’s feelings. But this question is answered by Fuma himself—who says it’s fine. And also has a new outfit.

Fuma asks Kageroh if he can fight Kappei himself. Kageroh agrees, and gives him some of his power back to do so. Fuma stands before Kappei and raises his yo-yo. Right when it seems like he’s going to attack Kappei, he instead attacks behind him and strikes the Mask of Darkness. Fuma reveals this was all done of his own free will as a part of his plan to get his powers back. Together, Kappei and Fuma obliterated the Mask of Darkness.

However, the fight doesn’t end there. From Kageroh, a dark mass rises and lifts him into the air like a puppet. This mass reveals himself to be Gumuo—the purple Gumchi-like creature and the one who Shadow Gum is made from. Gumuo summons all the dark sludge from the Shadow Army to gather to him and forms a massive body. Kappei successfully beheads the massive creature, but in retaliation Gumuo shoots out jagged tendrils that stab through the chests of every person present and pulls them into him. As a last ditch effort to stop him, Fuma launches Kappei out of Gumuo’s body with his yo-yo. Fuma is unable to save himself, and is swallowed along with everyone else. Kappei defeats Gumuo, but Fuma is nowhere to be seen in the aftermath.

### Volume 6

About 3 months have passed since Kageroh’s attack on WNA, and a new event called the N1 Grand Prix has begun. Fuma has entered under the name “F”—or as he calls himself, “F-kun”—and is wearing a massive bird costume to hide his identity.

F-kun passes the preliminary race and true first race, and moves onto the second one. In this round, they placed in pairs and chained at the ankle for a three-legged race. F-kun and a popular Nintuber named Shinji are placed in the same pair. As it begins, Shinji sneaks up behind Kappei with violent intent for revenge for Kappei’s actions in the prior rounds. However, F-kun grabs Shinji and floats away with him to a different location. They land, and Shinji starts having a meltdown over how much he wants to erase Kappei from existence. F-kun slaps him. He says Shinji can’t beat Kappei because Shinji is afraid of him. As Shinji’s self-proclaimed ally, F-kun helps Shinji by repeatedly punching him in a way that unlocks something in his DNA. The round concludes Kappei, Emma, F-kun, and Shinji moving on.

The next stage is two 1v1s above an active volcano. The matchups are Kappei vs Shinji and Emma vs F-kun. Shinji is now expressing new, extraordinary abilities that only seem to get more powerful as his match against Kappei continues. Emma attempts to question F-kun on what he did to Shinji, but he consistently dodges the questions.

### Volume 7

Shinji vs Kappei has progressed to a point where their ring is destroyed by Shinji, so Kappei hops onto Emma and F-kun’s. Kappei attempts to attack Shinji again, but F-kun grabs his sleeve and stops him. This annoys Kappei, so he grabs F-kun and uses him as a shield against a (literal) rain of fire coming from Shinji. The flames force Fuma to emerge from his suit, but he whispers encouragement to Kappei before immediately disappearing.

When Kappei does win, Fuma reappears and challenges him to a match. Fuma reveals that he awoke powers within Shinji just so Kappei would have a stronger opponent to fight before their match. They set up for a climactic showdown—but are interrupted by the announcers. Fuma did not register for the tournament as himself, and therefore can’t participate. Embarrassed, he says they’ll settle things once and for all later and then disappears.

Fuma returns during preparations for a festival to celebrate the anniversary of the creation of Ninjala that will be held the next day. He throws a kunai with a challenge to duel attached to it at Kappei and reveals himself atop a cherry blossom tree. The two both agree to finally have their decisive duel tomorrow. That night, Fuma reminisces about Kappei atop a roof. His moment is interrupted by someone speaking behind him. The person comments on how much fun Fuma seems to be having, and refers to Fuma as “Fuya.” Fuma recognizes him as Kazama—his childhood friend who he thought had died.

The next day, Kazama launches an attack on the Ninjala festival. He announces he does this in the name of revenge for the Fuma Clan. As Kappei stands against him, Fuma emerges from behind Kazama carrying a relic weapon from the Fuma Clan. Kappei yells at Fuma for breaking their promise to duel today. Fuma apologizes, but can’t meet Kappei’s eyes. It is then when Kazama orders Fuma to kill Kappei. Fuma does in an instant. Kappei’s body falls with a bloody slit through his chest, and he is no longer breathing nor is his heart beating.

Kazama leads Fuma to the place where they and their kin once engaged in the battle over who would become the Fuma. He recollects the events, and reveals he survived by being found and taken to the hospital by Genryusai. Kazama found the creation of Ninjala to be an insult after the suffering he endured, and wishes to kill every single Ninjala player as revenge for the Fuma Clan. Fuma hesitates, and starts to tell Kazama to stop doing this. But in the midst of their discussion, Kappei appears. He lived because Fuma intentionally only put Kappei into a state of suspended animation instead of killing him. Kappei feels insulted by this. So does Kazama. Kazama snatches the Fuma Clan weapon from Fuma, and declares that if Fuma is going to betray him, then he’ll kill Fuma and become the Fuma himself. Kappei and Fuma stand aside each other before Kazama, ready to fight.

And then Kappei punches Fuma in the face.

He’s still furious at Fuma for breaking their promise, which forces Fuma to explain that the reason he put Kappei in stasis is so they could battle after Kazama had been dealt with. The conversation enrages Kazama further, and so he attacks them. The three engage in a series of back and forths. Eventually, Kazama accuses Fuma of forgetting about the Fuma Clan and their suffering. Fuma retorts that he has remembered, and it is because he remembers he doesn’t want to lose Kazama too. Fuma reveals a large scar on his right arm that had been covered by his sleeve the whole time. Kazama destroys the ground, sending all three of them falling. In this instant, Fuma resolves to free Kazama of his revenge, and so he destroys Kazama’s relic weapon. Kazama falls back off the edge of a cliff, but Kappei and Fuma catch his arms and pull him up to join them.

The conflict is settled, and thus Kappei and Fuma can finally have their decisive match. They exchange remakes on each other’s growth and what they mean to each other. Fuma’s story ends with a final shot of him and Kappei flying at each other with pictures of people they’ve met along the way cheering for them.

## Trivia

* Fuma hates carrots.
* Fuma’s cocky, competitive nature is not limited to Ninjala. He is shown to get incredibly serious about Babanuki as well—bullying Van and seeing through all of Kappei’s tricks.
* Fuma’s birthday, August 31st, is the last day of summer break for Japanese schoolchildren. In a Twitter post made by Kaneyabashi-sensei, Kappei is shown to smugly believe that no one celebrates Fuma’s birthday because they’re too busy cramming in their summer schoolwork.
* Fuma’s name is written in katakana (フーマ), which has no inherent meaning. The “Fuma” in the Fuma clan and the position of Fuma are spelled with the kanji “風魔,” which means “wind demon.”
* Tomoya wrote a T.M.Y. Note on Fuma. It reads:

Fuma
 Profile
 ✩ Blood Type A
 ✩ Personality
 ✩ Strengths
 ✩ Weaknesses

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