Hachimaru

HachimaruHachikaku
Japanese Name:	八丸 (ハチマル) 八角 (ハチカク)
Romanized Name:	Hachimaru Hachikaku
Characteristics
Species:	Artificial Human (formerly) Cyborg
Gender:	Male
Professional Status
Affiliation:	Kongo-Yasha School Ususama School (former)
Occupation:	Samurai
Personal Status
Status:	Extant (turned into a Fudo Myo-o after discorporating)
Relative(s):	Furuta (Adoptive Father) Ikkaku (Older Twin Brother) Nikaku (Older Twin Brother) Nanakaku (Older Twin Brother)
Debuts
Manga Debut:	Chapter 1

Hachimaru (八丸 (ハチマル) , Hachimaru), born Hachikaku (八角 (ハチカク) , Hachikaku), is the main protagonist of the Samurai Eight: Hachimaruden series. Originally, a sick and feeble boy who dreamed of becoming a samurai, his dreams became realized after meeting Daruma. He is one of eight artificial humans created by Dr. Furuta.

Appearance

Hachimaru is an adolescent boy with messy light-brown hair and had a frail physique. He wears a pair of half-rim glasses and has a small tomoe-shaped marking on his forehead. He typically dresses in an asymmetrical beige hooded jacket with a long right sleeve and a short left sleeve, over a dark blue shirt and matching harem pants.

Initially, Hachimaru spends much of his time tethered to a life support device in his house by several large tubes and wires plugged into the back of his head, and his left arm and leg are replaced by simple, doll-like prosthetics. He often wears a VR headset which he uses to play online games. After becoming a samurai, his missing limbs are replaced with less obvious cybernetics and he dons a white belt with pouches and scabbards for his swords, bracers on his forearms and calves, and slip-on shoes.

After traveling into space with Daruma, Hachimaru switches his outfit to a black hooded jacket and matching pants. He also ties his hair back into a spiky ponytail and switches his glasses out for a pair of black goggles. While his goggles are normally positioned on the back of his head below his ponytail, during battle he wills them to the front of his face to cover his eyes.

Hachimaru full body as a Samurai.

Hachimaru connected to his life device.

Personality

Hachimaru began as a rambunctious brat, constantly complaining about his life and arguing with his dad every chance he got. He also loves to play video games and is even the number one player in a popular fighting game. More than anything, Hachimaru wanted to go outside and meet new people, but his weak body prevented him from doing that. Underneath his energetic and brash exterior, he is a kind and compassionate person willing to help and defend others if they truly need it.

After becoming a samurai, he shows that he is sympathetic to those whose lives are similar to his, and will go out of his way to help them. Hachimaru is quite insecure about himself, believing himself to be a weakling even after becoming a samurai, but he masks this with a tough-guy facade. His hidden insecurity drives him to lie about his past out of fear that people will think less of him. However, he discovers his inner bravery and learns that others can accept him regardless of his past, and he finds a new reason to be brave: to protect that which is precious to him despite his weakness.

As a child, Hachimaru aspired to be a samurai as famed as Fudo Myo-o, sometimes referring to himself as The Next Shooting Star. However, his sheltered lifestyle made him unable to understand the gravity of life as a samurai. Initially, he took his training under Daruma lightly. He would become easily distracted from his master's teachings due to his dislike of long speeches. He was also very impatient and haughty, shown by his attempts to use moves above his skill level without any training and expecting to succeed on the first try. He also had trouble admitting his inexperience when he failed. Despite these traits, he still pushes forward with his training until he improves.

Hachimaru's encounter with Ata exposed him to true hardship, forcing him to openly acknowledge his weaknesses. The experience made him accept his flaws and strive to become a better samurai for the right reasons. As such, he becomes more patient, humble, and willing to listen to others. He begins enduring his master's lectures without complaint, drops his trait of interrupting others while they are speaking, and improves his social etiquette.

In battle, Hachimaru's more astute side shows. Because he is untrained, he compensates for his bad swordsmanship using his instincts as a professional gamer. He quickly studies a foe's movements and weapons to strategize, predict their attacks, and locate openings to exploit. However, he also has a one-track mind in battle, often focusing too much on the enemy in front of him and missing details in his surroundings.

History

Hachimaru's life began when the dangerous samurai of the Ususama Style sought to unlock the power of two artifacts left behind by Fudo Myo-o: Pandora's Box and Mandala's Box. The boxes can only be opened by seven specific Samurai Keys. However, the incalculable number of Samurai in the universe on top of the Samurai yet to be formed from dormant Locker Balls meant finding the right Keys could take lifetimes. Impatient, the Ususama decided to make artificial samurai with Keys that could open the boxes. However, the "Spare Key Project" was only a partial success: only seven beings were supposed to be created but eight were spawned. The eighth baby disrupted the balance of power among the created siblings, making the entire group unable to serve their purpose.

Because the eighth child was an accident, it had several deficiencies and was born weak and dying. The baby boy, named Hachikaku by his creators, nonetheless clung to life. Dr. Furuta, a scientist loyal to the Ususama, came to realize the horror his masters would unleash if they opened the legendary boxes. In an act of rebellion, he decided to kill Hachikaku, disabling the project permanently. When he made his move, he was moved by the child's fighting spirit and couldn't bring himself to kill him. Instead, he took the child and fled to a planet far away from his former masters. He escaped, but the Ususama's ace warrior Ata promised to find him one day. Settling down on an unassuming planet in the Ball Sector, he renamed the boy Hachimaru and raised him as his own, determined to keep him safe and hidden.

Hachimaru was too weak to live on his own, so Furuta used his expertise to build a life support device that kept his son alive, but restricted his movements. Hachimaru also had to undergo regular medical procedures and was unable to eat actual food due to his conditions. Though hampered by these things, he nonetheless desired to become a legendary samurai and explore the galaxy, even wishing for it to be so on shooting stars. He also developed a video gaming habit and flourished at it thanks to all his free time, eventually becoming his planet's number one player of a popular fighting game. Though he loved his father, he was constantly frustrated by his restricted movement, especially since his dad kept promising to complete a device he could use to move around while never actually finishing it.

Synopsis

One day, Hachimaru is pulled from his video games by his father for his daily routine of procedures. Furuta questions his interest in Bushi and Samurai, which leads to another fight. When Furuta leaves to buy parts for the mobile life support system he was building, Hachimaru starts to regret his behavior while playing fetch with Hayataro. He is pulled from his thoughts when his pet brings back what appears to be a human sized daruma doll. While playing with it, the ball unrolls, revealing it's true form as a cat robot. Though Hachimaru immediately deems the cat and intruder, the cat clears up the misconception over tea and reveals that he is Daruma, a Samurai trapped in an unassuming form. Hachimaru is skeptical, but when Daruma backs his claim up with a display of swordsmanship, Hachimaru begs him to train him.

Daruma agrees to see what he can do, and while Hachimaru displays some heart, he is turned down on account of his weak body. To prove him wrong, Hachimaru tries to commit seppuku only to choke before the blade touches him. At that moment, Daruma fends off a ronin crashing into the house, revaeling his identity as a famous Kongo-Yasha warrior and the creator of the video game Hachimaru mastered. However, the ronin reveals that his men have taken Furuta hostage. With Daruma unable to make a move, the ronin smashes Hayataro and demands that Hachimaru commit seppuku to expose the Samurai Soul powering his life-support. After receiving his word that his father will be spared, Hachimaru ignores Furuta's plea to save himself and takes his own life. As the ronin takes the hidden Samurai Soul, the dormant Locker Ball he had on him activates, reacting to Hachimaru and reviving him as a Samurai. With guidance from Daruma, Hachimaru uses his newfound power to resurrect Hayataro as a large mechanical lion-dog.

Together, Hachimaru and Hayataro face the ronin and manage to push him back, but the ronin transforms his Holder into battle armor to prevent further damage. Daruma smashes the armor to create an opening to strike, and Hachimaru meets the ronin head-on. Though he loses his arm in the clash, he emerges victorious thanks to a hidden blade made from his father's invention. After the ronin dies and reverts back into a Locker Ball, Daruma congratulates him his newfound power, which he uses to rescue his father.

Abilities and Powers

Stats

STATS

Strength	Speed	Intelligence	Technical Sense	Gravity	Key Holder	Heroism	Charisma
∞	∞	∞	∞	∞	∞	∞	∞

General Abilities

• Samurai Gravity: Due to being a samurai, Hachimaru has a limited degree of control over the molecules that form matter and the gravity H-Particles emit. When applied, he can reshape matter and gravity at will. This allows for the use of generic samurai abilities.
  • Healing Factor: Hachimaru's cyborg body can repair itself from any injury. Anything from loss of limb to being stabbed in the head will heal given enough time. According to Ryu, Hachimaru's healing speed is above average. As with all samurai, Hachimaru's healing will fail if his will to win ever wavers in battle, allowing him to die.
  • Holder Control: Hachimaru can reshape the body of his Key Holder into various forms, such as a flying machine and armor.
  • Gravitational Pull: While all samurai have gravity that draws other samurai to them, it's noted by Daruma that Hachimaru has an unusually strong gravity about him. This causes other keys - and the samurai who own them - to be drawn to him, and in turn, allows him to track samurai keys. However, since he is not a full-fledged samurai, he cannot properly track other keys yet. His gravity can also be perceived by enemies, allowing them to locate him as well.

Samurai Key

Hachimaru Key can display a map showing the other Samurai Key's Box.

• Key License
  • Kongo-Yasha Style (金 (こん) 剛 (ごう) 夜 (や) 叉 (しゃ) 流 (りゅう) 派 (は) , Kongōyasha-ryūha lit. "Vajrayaksa​ School") (downloaded from Daruma): A school of techniques which he used.

Samurai Soul

• Takatsuna' Samurai Soul (高 (たか) 綱 (つな) , Takatsuna) : Before becomes a samurai, Hachimaru was kept alive by this samurai soul working in place of his heart.
• After becomes a samurai, Hachimaru earned his samurai soul.

Trinity

Hachimaru has an active Trinity.

• Key Holder
  • Hayataro - Hachimaru's Key Holder can support him in battle, using its shapeshifting abilities and durability to shield him from harm. Due to inexperience, Hayataro cannot properly create Samurai Armor around Hachimaru.
• Princess
  • Ann - Ann can use her powers as a Princess to enhance Hachimaru's fighting abilities. By praying, she can increase his speed, strength, and the power of his Samurai Soul. The current strength of his bond with Ann allows her best prayers to multiply his abilities, including his numerical statistics, by a maximum of eight.

Weapons

• Samurai Soul Blade: A samurai soul can be fused with a Handle Bone from a Holder turning into an energy blade stronger than any metal blade.
  • Hachimaru's Samurai Soul Blade: Using the handle bone stored in his right arm and his samurai soul. While he initially could not form a proper blade, training allows Hachimaru to form a true Samurai Soul sword. When his Princess delivers a strong enough prayer, Hachimaru's Soul can change into a shining white sword more powerful than even a seasoned Samurai's Soul.

• Katana: Hachimaru carries an antique blade from his father's collection as a secondary weapon.

• Hidden Blade: Upon becoming a Samurai, Hachimaru's artificial left arm was integrated into his cyborg body. The retractable cane stored inside that arm was upgraded with a blade attached to the end. Now serving as a hidden sword inside his forearm, he can release it with a thrust at will, making it useful for surprise attacks.

Skills

• Professional Gamer: Due to being unable to leave his house, Hachimaru plays many video games. His proficiency is great enough that he became his planet's best player in a popular samurai fighting game created by Daruma.
  • Battle Instincts: Thanks to his experience with gaming, Hachimaru has developed an exceptional talent for quickly analyzing and anticipating the moves of his opponents. These instincts allow him to conquer stronger, more experienced Samurai despite his lack of real-life fighting experience. His instincts are impressive enough that his master considers them on par with elite Samurai.
• Katana Skills: Though untrained, Hachimaru is skilled enough in blade work to fend off a trained ronin with little help. His experience as a gamer also allows him to apply moves and tactics used in his video games to fight in real life. His samurai body also increases his cutting abilities, to the point where he could cut a tank in half with a single slice.
• Pilot Skills: Hachimaru can pilot his Key Holder, Hayataro fairly well. Even without training, he can fly it with ease.

Techniques

• Kongo-Yasha Style
  • Blade Bark (金剛夜叉流剣腕 (こんごうやしゃりゅうケンワン) , Kongōyasha-ryū Ken Wan): is a technique - Currently the only technique Hachimaru can use with his current stats.
  • Atmos Fangs (金剛夜叉流大気剣 (こんごうやしゃりゅうたいきけん) , Kongōyasha-ryū Taikiken): Hachimaru lacks the stats to perform this technique himself. By linking his Key with Daruma's, he can be enabled to use this move. If he did use it, it would fire a slash with enough force to warp the planet’s atmosphere, folding it into a slash that can have enough power to destroy a moon.
  • Shooting Star Sword (金剛夜叉流流星剣 (こんごうやしゃりゅうりゅうせいけん) , Kongōyasha-ryū Ryūsei Ken): Hachimaru lacks the stats to use this technique, which is also the strongest Kongo-Yasha Technique the school's License affords which could summon a comet that can annihilate a target.

Relationships

Furuta

Hachimaru's relationship with Furuta was positive, albeit a little strained on his end. Hachimaru was often annoyed by his father's helicopter parenting and sometimes got into arguments with him over it. This was exacerbated by his father's promises to help him experience the outside world, only to put it off repeatedly. Under the surface, Hachimaru loved Furuta greatly. He cares about him, takes his instruction to heart, and worries about his father's safety more than his own: he has a strong wish to protect him, to the point where he would die for him. Furuta's death grieved Hachimaru a great deal, but it also inspired him to work towards becoming a true Samurai.

Trivia

• Hachi (八, Hachi^?) means "Eight", Maru (丸, Maru^?) means "Circle" but is a suffix for names of people too and Kaku (角, Kaku^?) means "Angle".
• Hachimaru's name contains the kanji for the number "eight", as Hachimaru is the eighth person Daruma met in person who wanted to become a samurai.
  • Along with the lore of Samurai Eight: Hachimaruden, the number eight is connected to there being seven keys to open Pandora's Box and Hachimaru being the eighth key.
  • There are eight codes a samurai must live by known as the Bushido Code.
  • Number 8 is also considered a lucky number in Japan as it is called suehirogari (末広がり), where it's considered lucky because it widens at the bottom which reminds one of prosperity and growth.
  • In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the oldest Japanese texts, the “Oyashima” (the Eight Great Islands which is a reference to the shape of the Japanese archipelago, the “Yata-no-Kagami” (a sacred mirror which is one of the three sacred treasures), and “Yasakani-no-Magatama” (another one of the three sacred treasures) all reference the number eight. Furthermore, “Yamata-no-Orochi”, “Yakumo”, “Yaoyorozu no Kami” also use the number eight in their names.
  • Eight is even used to represent the idea that “there are many numbers” or “a number that cannot be counted.” Also, when western version of number 8 is turned on it’s side the number takes on the meaning of infinity or multitude, which is reflected in the series of Samurai Eight: Hachimaruden by Hachimaru's stats eventually being infinite and thus uncountable.
  • Another example of the number 8 in Japanese culture (especially related to Buddhism) is the Eightfold Path (八正道, Hasshōdō).
    

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