Black Clover: Who is Yami Ichika?

Key Takeaways

• Yami Ichika resents her brother Yami Sukehiro for a crime he didn’t commit.
• Ichika faces her past and overcomes her misplaced hatred.
• Ichika is a powerful mage with Dark Magic and Ki manipulation abilities.

Yami Ichika is the estranged younger sister of Captain Yami in Black Clover. Unlike Yami, Ichika resides in the Land of the Sun, where she serves the Shogun as a member of the Ryuzen Seven, a group of powerful mages.

When first meeting Ichika, she is a stern woman who deeply resents her older brother, as she believes Yami murdered their entire Clan. However, after meeting Asta and encountering Yrul, one of the Paladins, Ichika faces her past and begins to right her wrongs.

Who is Yami Ichika?

The Estranged Younger Sister of Captain Yami Sukehiro, Who Holds Misplaced Resentment Towards Her Brother

Yami Ichika is the younger sister of Yami Sukehiro, the Captain of the Black Bulls. Ichika and Sukehiro hail from a distant land called Hino Country, or the Land of the Sun, where Asta has been teleported in Chapter 336. Ichika was first introduced in Chapter 337, alongside the Shogun, Ryudo Ryuya of the Land of the Sun.

Upon first introduction, Ichika displays a stern personality, unlike Captain Yami. She is a stickler for the rules, often correcting Asta when he addresses the Shogun. However, this hostility could also be due to Ichika’s slight crush on Ryu when she was younger; she feels deeply indebted to him as he supposedly saved her when she was younger.

Ichika and Captain Yami are descendants of the Yami Clan, a group of assassins known as the “Kijin.” Their ancestors thus made a name for themselves through fighting numerous battles during the years of war. As samurai, they were entrusted with protecting the Land of the Sun. As there were five provinces in the country, they were tasked with guarding the province belonging to the Ryudo Family.

However, in the Ryudo Family’s province, there is also an old legend of a Five-Headed Dragon that once ran rampant throughout the Land of the Sun. Though it was appeased by a Celestial Maiden, the Dragon’s yoryoku, which is the Land of the Sun’s version of magic power, had seeped into the sea, which had turned it black and stagnant. It was also believed that the Dragon caused a distortion in Time and Space that was connected to Hell.

How Ichika’s past shaped her future

Ichika Grew up Resenting Her Older Brother, Which Pushed Her to Become an Exceptional Mage and Swordswoman

Ichika and Captain Yami’s father believed that the Yami Clan was of noble blood and disliked living in the remote territory of the Ryudo Family. Their father was also misogynistic and a drunk, believing women like Ichika were not needed in the Yami Clan, to which Captain Yami would always defend his younger sister.

I saw it with my own eyes… !! It’s the truth!!

Their father also believed that Captain Yami would inherit the title of the Clan’s strongest Kijin. When Captain Yami was 13, Ichika awoke to the sight of Captain Yami and the massacred bodies of the entire Yami Clan. However, in Chapter 347, Ichika learns this is not the case, and her hatred and resentment have been misplaced.

When fighting Yrul, one of the Paladins created by Lucius Zogratis, Yrul summons Bogeyman with his Beast Magic. This Beast Magic evokes the memories and fears of its targets and becomes them. In this case, Ichika’s fear was her father, as he had previously abused her when she was younger. However, what she did not expect was remembering her forgotten memories of the day her Clan was massacred.

On that day, Ichika learns that her father had given her the “Oni Soul Pill,” a secret drug that has been passed down the Yami Clan for generations. Her father believed this pill could boost your bloodlust and latent yoryoku at an explosive rate. After their father has forced Ichika to take the drug, her physical abilities went berserk, and she loses control of her mind; this is when Ichika murders her entire Clan.

You were my benefactor, and I knew nothing. I resented you! I am… Truly sorry!

However, it was Captain Yami who killed their father after he had gone insane, and he also took on the burden of being the one who murdered the Clan as he left the Land of the Sun. At this point, Ichika had lived her life believing Captain Yami was the source of all her hatred and resentment; as such, she lived her life accordingly, disliking men and proving her strength by joining the Ryuzen Seven. However, after learning the truth and reuniting with her brother, Ichika becomes softer and is no longer held back by her resentment.

What are Ichika’s powers?

As Captain Yami’s Sibling, Ichika Has a Similar Magic Power

As mentioned above, Ichika and Captain Yami are part of the Yami Clan. As a result, the siblings can use Dark Magic, a rare magic attribute. As Ichika was part of the Yami Clan, it’s likely her latent power had yet to manifest as her father did not see any point in training her, as he favored Captain Yami and his abilities as a swordsman.

However, after her Clan’s death, Ichika became a powerful swordswoman and mastered her Dark Magic. As Ichika hails from the Land of the Sun, she also can manipulate Ki. As Ichika can manipulate Ki, she can also use Zetten, a much more advanced version, which explosively releases a focused blast of energy. As Zetten is an advanced technique, only those within the Ryuzen Seven have been able to manipulate their Ki to such an extent. The Ryuzen Seven are a group of powerful mages that serve under the command of the Shogun, Ryuya Ryudo.

• Ki is the flow of vitality and energy within humans and requires the individual to focus all five senses to feel, as instructed by Captain Yami in Chapter 48.
• Mana and Ki exist separately from one another.
• Whereas Ki is the flow of vitality, Mana is a form of energy.

As Ichika can manipulate Ki, she can also use Zetten, a much more advanced version of Ki, which explosively releases a focused blast of energy. As Zetten is an advanced technique, only those within the Ryuzen Seven have been able to manipulate their Ki to such an extent. The Ryuzen Seven are a group of powerful mages that serve under the command of the Shogun, Ryuya Ryudo.

When training Asta in the Land of the Sun, Ichika could also win their matches consistently. However, this may likely be because of Asta’s hesitancy in his technique and conviction. During the battle with the Five-Headed Dragon, Ichika could land several blows to the Dragon, demonstrating her power as one of the Ryuzen Seven and a member of the Yami Clan.

Although Ichika had been abused by her father for being a woman in the esteemed Yami Clan, she has proven herself to be a capable mage and swordswoman throughout the years, with the ability to join a powerful group such as the Ryuzen Seven.

Black Clover is now available to stream on Crunchyroll.