Raizen

Raizen is proud, aggressive and direct, but considerably more thoughtful than his fearsome reputation initially suggests. He respects strength and expects those around him to survive harsh conditions without excessive protection.

He possesses an extraordinary capacity for commitment. Once Raizen decides that a promise matters, personal suffering does not persuade him to abandon it. This stubbornness defines both his political circumstances and the condition in which Yusuke eventually meets him.

Raizen also understands Demon World's political balance. He recognizes the ambitions of Yomi and Mukuro and knows that his weakening position threatens to destabilize the three-way stalemate.

Raizen is an Upper S-Class demon and, in his prime, was vastly stronger than the diminished version encountered by Yusuke. His physical strength, speed, durability and demonic energy place him among the most formidable beings in the series.

Even after centuries of weakening, Raizen can overwhelm Yusuke with startling ease. His reflexes and close-range fighting ability remain exceptional, and his presence alone reflects an enormous reservoir of demonic power.

The manga gives his weakened demonic energy a numerical value of 1,322,000. His old companions later indicate that the Raizen they knew at full strength existed on an entirely different level from his starving state.

Raizen's influence first becomes apparent during Yusuke's battle with Shinobu Sensui. Yusuke's dormant Mazoku heritage awakens after Sensui kills him, and Raizen temporarily takes control of his descendant's body, using Yusuke to defeat Sensui.

Raizen subsequently summons Yusuke to Demon World. Through his servants, he explains the political deadlock among the Three Kings and challenges his descendant to become strong enough to inherit responsibility for his territory.

Raizen is Yusuke's distant ancestor. Centuries earlier, after being wounded in the Human World, he was treated by a human woman with whom he fell in love and conceived a child. He promised not to eat another human until he saw her again, but she died before their reunion. Raizen nevertheless kept his promise for centuries, starving himself and steadily losing power.

Raizen eventually dies from starvation before Yusuke can surpass him. His death destroys the political equilibrium among the Three Kings and helps drive Yusuke toward proposing the Demon World Tournament as an alternative to war.

Yusuke Urameshi is Raizen's distant descendant and inheritor of his Mazoku bloodline. Raizen summons him to Demon World and pushes him toward becoming strong enough to assume responsibility for his territory.

Raizen's Lover is the human healer with whom Raizen falls in love after she treats his injuries. His promise concerning her becomes the reason he refuses to eat humans for the remainder of his life.

Hokushin is Raizen's loyal right-hand man and one of the principal figures responsible for bringing Yusuke into his kingdom.

Yomi is one of Raizen's two rival kings, whose territory and military strength contribute to Demon World's political stalemate.

Mukuro is the third member of the Three Kings and another ruler whose power prevents any one faction from dominating Demon World.

Enki is one of Raizen's old friends from his days as a wandering warrior and arrives in Demon World after hearing of his fate.