Kenbumajin
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This article deals with some information present within canon materials, however there is a lot of information that is new and applies only to Beyond Light and Shadow.  The Kenbumajin first introduced in Shadowside (from left to right: Byakko, Suzaku, Fudou-Muyoou, Genbu, Asura) |
Kenbumajin (剣武魔神) are a type of yokai introduced in Shadowside related materials. They are further elaborated on in Beyond Light and Shadow, classified further as extremely powerful beings that are stronger than the average S rank yokai, but are below any supreme ranking yokai (IE: Enma).
If you are gauging by PuniPuni ranks, Kenbumajin typically fall into the SSS or ZZ Ranks. Each region has their own name for them as they aren't restricted to Japan, but most articles calls them all Kenbumajin for the sake of convinence.
While it seems like they would fit in, The Knights of Camelot are technically not Kenbumajin, as they do not have Youseiken or a similar item, and are in fact quite a bit weaker compared to Kenbumajin, Bled Aatma, and Dao Ling.
Overview
Kenbumajin are humanoid yokai that branish some sort of weapon called a Youseiken. Typically they are bladed weapons like swords, spears, and axes, but as seen with The Sacred King's Armory series of Kenbumajin, youseiken can also take the form of long range weapons (bows) and blunt force insturments (maces).
It's typically the duty of Kenbumajin to act as guardians of a specific region, or as overseers in important parts of yokai culture. In yokai socitey, they are treated like how we treat our own legendary folk heroes, stories about their feats being common bedtime stories and required reading in school.
Some Kenbumajin have what is known as a Supreme Kenbumajin in their ranks that functions as their leader, as well as being able to accept new members. They are of a slightly higher rank than the Kenbumajin that follow their lead.
List of Known Kenbumajin
Soranaki Kenbumajin
The Soranaki Kenbumajin, sometimes called the Shadowside Kenbumajin or the Neo Beast Kenbumajin, is a term to retroactively refer to the original group of Kenbumajin introduced in the Shadowside anime and Yo-Kai Watch 4.
Within the canon of Beyond Light and Shadow, it's revealed that the Gen'ou spoken of by a few of them was merely Soranaki in disguise tricking innocent yokai to be the keys in reawakening the primordial evil. A majority of them (Suzaku, Genbu, and Byakko) were powerful beast yokai (Genjuu), but a few (Fudou-Muyoou and Asura) lack any sort of Genjuu form.
Because of their rather ragtag nature, their role in Yokai socitey is largely unknown, but seem to function as wandering folk heroes for the most part.
 Genbu
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*= Kenbumajin status is currently tempoary
**= Presumed dead, confirmed dead in Chapter 3
Sacred King's Armory Kenbumajin
The Sacred King's Armroy Kenbumajin, sometimes called the Bled Aatma, is a set of Kenbumajin introduced in Beyond Light and Shadow. They are a group of yokai that fought in The Great Throne war, an event that spurred sometime after the fall of the Oni clan to fill the power vaccum in the yokai world. As a result, they are considered the founding members of the Enma Clan (Midako Tribe), and oversee the offical cordination of the title of Great King Enma and the throne of the yokai world.
Unlike the Soranaki Kenbumajin, they are all capable of taking a human form that perfectly blends into human socitey, not even a yokai as powerful as Enma can sense their yokai powers. Each individual member is drawn to a specific aspect or emotion in a the heart of a human or a yokai, those being bravery, trust, wits, compassion, and justice.
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* = While technically a member of this group, does not adhere to any honor codes the core group follows.
Beast General Kenbumajin
The Beast General Kenbumajin are a group of Kenbumajin (or Dao Ling if you want to use their regional term) mentioned brifely by Genbu in Chapter 4 of Beyond Light and Shadow. They are said to have been heroic youkai hailing from ancient China, lead by Huanglong and Fenghuang. Their most wellknown folkstory is facing against a grand calamity that alongside with a young and brave king, was defeated thanks to their combined efforts.
It is speculated that Genbu, Suzaku, Byakko, and Seiryuu are reincarnations of the core members of this group, and it's currently unknown what happened to Huanglong and Fenghuang.
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The Four Calamity Generals
The Four Calamity Generals are a group of kenbumajin (or natively known as Dao Ling) mentioned briefly in Chapter 5 of Beyond Light and Shadow, and may be subject to further elaboration. They were a quartet of truly evil youkai that were sealed within a book alongside their god king, and were faced by the original Watchers (Keita, Fumika, and Inaho) as part of the One Hundred Demons Army.
At some point, they tried to pass themselves off as the Warlord Kenbumajin as various important figures from the Three Kingdoms era, but it was revealed to be nothing more than a ruse.
Not much is known about their specific powersets or abilities at the moment. Much like the Sacred King's Armory, they are drawn to specific emotions, those being superiroity, greed, terror, and ill-intent whereas their god king is powered by violent conflict and strife itself.
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The Saint Kenbumajin
The Saint Kenbumajin is a Kenbumajin that has a role in the Special Chapter, Blades of Camelot and the Savior Messiah. It is said to have the power to grant a wish of whoever it deems worthy of holding it's holy blade.
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