Fuma Kotaro/5th Generation

## Image Gallery

**Fuma Kotaro** (風 (ふう) 魔 (ま)  小太 (こた) 郎 (ろう) , *Fūma Kotarō*) is the 5th Generation leader of the Fuma clan. He was succeeded as the head of the clan by the 6th Generation Fuma Kotaro.

## Appearance

The noticeably tall 5th Generation leader has a demonic appearance, with long flame-coloured hair that is tied back into a flared high ponytail, concentric ringed eyes, long sharp finger and toenails and his hands constantly bound in stocks. He is dressed neck-to-toe in stylised dark-coloured garments though his most distinguishing feature is the fanged demonic mask that covers his face, leaving only his right eye exposed.

In the past, while the head of the Fuma clan, ⁵Kotaro did not wear a mask but his overall appearance didn't differ. His set of shark-like teeth and tusk-like markings that run upwards from each side of his mouth were thus visible. It was revealed that his left eye got punched out of its socket by a younger ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro.

## Personality

After a certain event in the past, ⁵ᵗʰFuma Kotaro has adopted a subservient role towards ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro, responding to her calling him "Doggy" (ポチ, *Pochi*)[NOTE]Pochi is a generic dog name in Japan with a woof and even woofing and making dog noises while she is fighting.

Before becoming ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro's dog (i.e. while head of the clan), ⁵ᵗʰKotaro was a practical and ruthless man, valuing those with talent and discarding the talentless without batting an eyelid.

## History

A few years before the Tenkaichi tournament, while still the clan head, ⁵ᵗʰKotaro came to inform Kurenai and Ao of their new hannin groupings. He was left disappointed by Kurenai's unwillingness to forsake Ao and ended up demoting both of them to Tsuchigumi.

Some time later, after seeing the two were the only survivors this time round, ⁵ᵗʰKotaro then said he'd test one more drug out: the Miyabi Orochi #5. Mocking the two's relationship with a lie involving who would take the drug (and still disappointed Kurenai couldn't cast away her apparent sympathy), he ended up having them both injected with the drug anyway while chastising Kurenai's seeming weakness. With Ao violently dying due to the drug, Kurenai broke free of her restraints (much to ⁵ᵗʰKotaro's surprise) and attacked, punching out his eye and massacring everyone else in the room. It was then that ⁵ᵗʰFuma Kotaro realised the true relationship Kurenai had with Ao and at the monster he had created.

## Plot

Mori Ranmaru introduced him as the the hidden sword of the Hojo clan as he walked out into the hall. Mori then quickly clarified that the person actually representing Hojo Ujimasa in the Tenkaichi was none other than the "Fuma Empress" the 6th Generation Fuma Kotaro, who jumped down from a nearby roof straight on to ⁵ᵗʰKotaro's back and used him as a seat. With ⁶ᵗʰFuma getting to her feet, Ujimasa commented to ⁵ᵗʰKotaro over everyone's surprise at ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro being a woman, but he responded that they all will be shocked by her power. ⁶ᵗʰFuma called out to ⁵ᵗʰKotaro, who proceeded to throw her the legendary Fuma Shuriken.

With the second match of the Tenkaichi being moved to the Forest of Bloody Battle and getting underway, ⁵ᵗʰFuma Kotaro sat with Hojo to view the fight. During the display, Ujimasa asked him how a blind man could fight that well, but the gagged ⁵ᵗʰKotaro could only make muffled noises in response which Ujimasa frustratedly couldn't understand. Instead of speaking coherently, ⁵ᵗʰKotaro woofed (and growled) throughout the fight. When ⁶ᵗʰFuma pulled out the Miyabi Orochi #6, ⁵ᵗʰKotaro began cowering in the corner but told Hojo that it was the Fuma's secret art. With Hojo praising the drug, ⁵ᵗʰKotaro merely stated it was just a lethal poison before recounting the day that he gave power to someone he shouldn't. As the fight came into its latter stages, ⁵ᵗʰFuma noticed how the injuries inflicted upon the 6th were reducing her stamina, but watched quietly as she stormed to victory.

In the evening, ⁵ᵗʰFuma was seen being used by ⁶ᵗʰFuma as a seat while she ate at the banquet hosted for them.

On the second day of the Tenkaichi, ⁵ᵗʰFuma was seen being used as a seat by the Sixth, while she watched the fourth match between Kamiizumi Isenokami and Hino Choko.

## Notes & Trivia

* Fūma Kotarō was the name adopted by the leader of the shinobi Fuma clan during the Sengoku era of feudal Japan.
	+ The 5th Generation is the most famous among all the Fuma clan leaders. Thus, most fictional portrayals of Fuma Kotaro are based on him. This character is his equivalent in this story.
	+ The name is actually a title, bestowed on the leader of the clan. After being chosen, they would give up their old name and take upon themselves the title of Fuma Kotaro.
	+ According to legend, his original name was Kazama. He's also said to be the offspring of an oni-human coupling which gave him his inhuman figure. The records of the Hojo Family describe him as a massive 2.2 meters tall man with bulging muscles that were knotty and uneven. His malicious grin was ringed by a thick unkempt beard, his mouth and cheeks were cut all the way to his ears, and he had slit-like pupils like a cat.
* In most fictional portrayals, Fuma Kotaro is often depicted as Hattori Hanzo's rival and arch-nemesis.

## References

1. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 10 (page 38).
2. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 7 (page 44).
3. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 10 (pages 20-24).
4. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 10 (pages 29-41).
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 History Behind Japan's Legendary Ninja-Pirate Fuma Kotaro: Demon of the Wind and Master of the Flame!