Banri

Banri  (鷭里) is a youkai who is an old friend of Gojyo and they were once roommates. He appeared in Saiyuki Burial arc.

Personality
Banri possesses certain callus personality traits that one only get from growing up on the streets. But he also has a smooth-guy nature and seems readily friendly. The downside is that from long ago he would cut loose from his friends and quickly disappear if there was danger to himself. Despite his reservoir of street smarts, he has a bad habit of making not so smart decisions that have landed him and his friends in trouble a couple of times. As a youkai, he hates humans and points out that Shangri-la is just a paradise in name only, covering up the racial gap between humans and youkai. He stated to Hakkai that his limiters are a shining example of youkai discrimination.

Appearance
He has a typical "yanki" appearance. He has bleached blond hair that's cut really short and shows his forehead and small eyebrows. The reason his eyebrows are thin is because he over plucked them in the past. He is tall, well built, and really skinny as most of the males in the Saiyuki universe. While he appears in the Burial arc, he dresses in dark clothes and the first time he's seen he it wearing a black hoodie with the hood drawn up and dark glasses. This is probably because he still carries with him the need to conceal himself since he's been in hiding for over a year.

Backstory
When Banri was a child, his father was branded a murderer. His path in life was never easy because he was despised for being the child of such a man and being a youkai didn't seem to help much either. He grew up on the streets as a drifter until he met up with Gojyo after the hanyou had beat the tar out some punks. After their estranged meeting, the two became friends and ran together for awhile, even rooming in a small flat outside of town.

About a year before Hakkai and Gojyo met, Banri was being chased by yakuza for trying to get with the boss's mistress. He'd dropped off the face of the earth and his whereabouts were unknown. When the fuss died down he strutted back onto the scene. At that time he was part of a thieving gang. He'd shown up, hoping Gojyo would help him out with his new gig, just like old times. He wasn't expecting Gojyo to have hooked up with a new roommate and especially not a well mannered, pretty boy like Hakkai. Either way, Gojyo turned his offer down and the two of them got drunk. Hakkai came home from tutoring Goku at Keiun Temple to find Gojyo lying flat on his face on their table. Banri came out of the john, zipping his fly. He and Hakkai got into a heated conversation/fight over youkai and humans, in which Banri was surprised to find himself with his arm twisted behind his back by the supposed "well-bred type".

A few days later, some guys show up as Gojyo's house asking for him. Gojyo comes along even though he knows it's probably a set up. He's right. Banri's been caught stealing from the guys he'd been stealing stuff for. Who would have thought... The gang gives Gojyo the option of substituting himself for Banri until Banri comes back. Gojyo, knowing that otherwise Banri's probably going to die, takes the offer to save his friend. As Banri heads out, he comments to himself, telling Gojyo, "Later. Live another day, Gojyo." This is the last seen of Banri.

Relationships
Sha Gojyo - Banri was Gojyo first real friend after his brother, Jien abandoned him. Gojyo had been corners by some punks, punks that wanted to start something because Gojyo was a Hanyou. Gojyo simply beat them up. Banri approached Gojyo, who was good in a fight, and they started running together. He was Gojyo’s bad friend since they were boys. Banri took care of Gojyo and showed him the ropes. They were roommates for awhile there, but Banri had a knack for getting in trouble and would disappear every now again until things cooled down. He was also one to never be ashamed for leaving his friends hanging. Gojyo knew what he was like, but continued to associate with him. Even in the very end, Banri let Gojyo down, but Gojyo saw it coming and didn't think any less of him for it. It was just Banri's nature.