Youkai

Bikou, a Youkai and the current Monkey King

**Youkai** (妖怪, *Yōkai*) are a group of various species of supernatural beings native to Asia shown in *High School DxD*.

## Appearance

Depending upon their specific species, Youkai have a plethora of different forms, ranging from the fox-like *kitsune* (such as Kunou and Yasaka) to the cat-eared Nekomata (such as Koneko and Kuroka). However, most Youkai either possess a human-like form with animalistic accents or have to shapeshift to assume such a form.

## Abilities

The abilities of each Youkai differs in accordance to the species. There are two distinctive types of Youkai, the Japanese Youkai and the Chinese Youkai. There are Youkai who have shown the ability to rival an Ultimate-Class Devil and are commonly known as *Daiyoukai* (大妖怪, *Daiyōkai*, lit. "Great Youkai"). A handful of Youkai races are capable of shifting from their true forms to appear more human-like as a way to blend among them. All Youkai species are capable of preforming Youjutsu, a form of spellcraft unique only to them.

## Types of Youkai

* Fox Youkai appearing before Ise and his group.jpeg
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Kitsune are fox-like Youkai known for their ability to control fire.
* 419px-High school dxd v5 287.jpg
* High school dxd v7 155.png
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Nekomata are cat Youkai capable of using Senjutsu and Youjutsu.
* HS DxD Manga Side Story3 Issei's imagined appearance of a Yuki-onna.pngIssei's imagination of what a Yuki-onna is supposed to look like.
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* Karasu-Tengu in the anime.jpeg
* Chief of the Karasu-Tengu.jpegChief of the Karasu-Tengu
* A Karasu-Tengu chasing Ise.jpeg
* 2 Karasu-Tengus.jpeg
* Karasu-Tengu fighting Irina.jpeg

## Factions

### West Youkai Faction

The **West Youkai Faction**,also known as the **Kyoto Youkai Faction**,are a group of Youkais that are led by Yasaka. The members of this faction reside in Kyoto, on the other side of Kyoto called **Urakyoto**, which is a alternate dimension created in a similar way of Devils Rating Game fields. In Volume 9, Serafall Leviathan came to Kyoto to discuss having a treaty between the Three Factions and the West Kyoto Youkai Faction, though before she could do that, their leader Yasaka was kidnapped by the Hero Faction. With the aid of the Occult Research Club and Sun Wukong, Yasaka was rescued and the Hero Faction was repelled back from Kyoto. During the Demon Beast Riot, Yasaka and her Youkai went to the Underworld to assist the Three Factions in repelling the Annihilation Maker Anti-Monsters, with Yasaka fighting a Bandersnatch by herself. After Trihexa awakened, Yasaka and her Youkai helped to defend Japan by fighting the split Trihexa body and groups of Evil Dragons that appeared at the coast of Japan. The West Youkai Faction capital of Kyoto was attacked by Erebus along with a group of artificial Devils, as Erebus attempted to get revenge on King Enma for rejecting the Alliance of Hell's invitation to join. With the help of Team DxD, the West Youkai Faction was able to repel the attack.

### East Youkai Faction

The **East Youkai Faction**, also known as the **Kanto Youkai Faction**, are another group of Youkais led by Nurarihyon. The members of the faction reside in the Kanto region of Japan. Originally, they had a agreement with the Five Principal Clans that they would not interfere with each other and protect their respective territories. However, that agreement was broken in recent times and as a result, the younger Youkai of the faction came to detest the Five Principal Clans. The East Youkai Faction also received attacks from the Hero Faction, with lead to the younger Youkai of the faction to also detest Sacred Gear users as well. The faction received a peace treaty proposal from the Three Factions, as Azazel and the leader of the East Youkai Faction; Nurarihyon negotiated, as Nurarihyon came to Kuoh Town to observe the lifestyle of the Occult Research Club, a important group within Team DxD. After the younger Youkai of the faction were able to went their frustrations by fighting members of the Occult Research Club and Nurarihyon was humiliatingly defeated by Ophis, the East Youkai Faction singed a peace treaty with the Three Factions.

## Known Youkai

### West Youkai Faction members

* Yasaka (Nine-Tailed Fox; a variant of Kitsune)
* Kunou (Nine-Tailed Fox; a variant of Kitsune)

### East Youkai Faction members

* Nurarihyon
* Magari (Nekomata)
* Retsuza (Kamaitachi)
* Kumowatari (Lightning Beast)
* Fujimai (Nekoshou, a variant of Nekomata) †

### Other Youkai

* Bikou (Monkey Youkai)
* Current Zhu Bajie (Pig Youkai)
* Current Sha Wujing (Water Youkai)
* Original Zhu Bajie (Pig Youkai)
* Original Sha Wujing (Water Youkai)
* Christie (Yuki-onna)
* Stephanie (Yuki-onna)
* Salamander Tomita (Kappa)
* Golden Horn King
* Silver Horn King

### Former Youkai

* Sun Wukong (Monkey Youkai; reincarnated into a Buddha)
* Koneko Toujou (Nekoshou, a variant of Nekomata; reincarnated into a Devil)
* Kuroka (Nekoshou, a variant of Nekomata; reincarnated into a Devil)
* Ni and Li (Nekomata; reincarnated into Devils)

## Trivia

* Youkai roughly translates into "Bewitching Mystery".
* Most Youkai lives inside of a bounded field similar to the one used for the Rating Game.
* Sun Wukong, a former Youkai, is the only known being to have gained power equivalent to a God without having started out as one.
* Yuki-onnas are actually beautiful girls when they are still young, but turn into gorillas when they mature.