Zakuro

Zakuro (雀呂) is a youkai who possess unique powers. He was originally hired by Lady Gyokumen as an assassin meant to dispatch the Sanzo Party. His first appearance in the manga is in Sai. Reload Vol. 02, act. 08, while his first animated debut isn't until Sai R. Gunlock Ep. 03. After his first appearances, his role changes slightly depending on the form of media.

Personality
Zakuro is a theatrical type. Everything about him has an implied dramatic affect to it whether it's the way he talks or his flashy appearance. He tends to be very vain and boastful, bragging about his greatness and exaggerating details to make his defeats seem far less pathetic. He has the habit of talking to himself as well. In the manga, it also appears that he has a bad sense of direction. He became hopelessly lost and was half starved when he was rescued by Goku. Besides his hypnotic gift, he seems to lack any other redeeming qualities. He's good at making an exit.

Appearance
Zakuro is a tall and skinny, well toned Youkai (But that's what we've come to expect from Minekura-sensei). His clothes are dark--Black and dark purple. He wears a long jacket with cropped sleeve that leave his arms bare from the shoulder down. The jacket has a tattered appearance, but it is likely that this is a fashion statement rather then something that occurred to it naturally. Zakuro also wears black leather pants. In the manga he has blond hair, but for some reason it was made violet in the anime. His eyes are yellow green color and are the focal point of his unusual power.

Story
In Vol 08 of Saiyuki Reload and Episode 04 of Saiyuki Reload Gunlock a new temporary villain by the name of Zakuro appears. This occurs during the Against the Stream Arc in the series, in which the Sanzo Ikkou have reached a miles stone in their journey: a Huge River that cuts through their path. While crossing the monstrous river, youaki that have adapted to the water and its currents attack the ikkou and Goku is separated from the other. The group's boat is then capsized and the ikkou is all but washed away. They run into Dokugakuji and Yaone who are looking for Kougaiji and are rescued by their enemies. While drying off, Yaone and Dokugakuji tell the remaining members of the ikkou that something has happened to Kou, his current state, and the mind control that has taken over him.

Here enters Zakuro, an assassin attempting to get rid of the ikkou himself before Kou shows up. He calls Yaone and Dokugakuji traitors and traps the Sanzo ikkou in his hypnotic trance. He messes with Dokugakji by tutoring Gojyo specifically; making him think that his arm has caught fire and is burned off, followed by tricking him to believe that he's killed Sanzo and Hakkai. Dokugakuji does his best to snap Gojyo out of it by knocking him out. Hakkai and Sanzo are still left trapped in the vision, but have by now figured out that it is part of Zakuro's plan. Zakuro uses their resent memories of drowning to simulate the vision and Hakkai slips into unconsciousness. Sanzo, on the other hand breaks through the vision and picks up his gun that Zakuro had said was metal (there for it was in the vision) and fired it at Zakuro, injuring him. Injured, Zakuro makes a flashy retreat saying that he's not done with them yet!



In Manga

 * Later on, we see Zakuro standing on a mountain top, proclaiming to the world that he's trained himself and is now ready for round two... If only he wasn't lost... Starving and dying from dehydration, Zakuro is found by a young boy that takes him to a nearby river (how he missed it, even the boy is curious) and gives him some of the food he found. Zakuro is grateful and thanks the boy whom he thinks is human, but is actually none other than Son Goku of the Sanzo ikkou.


 * A pack of thieving youkai show up and in an act of bravery to thank Goku for saving him, Zakuro claims that he'll fight these rouges himself. He attempts to trap them in his hypnotic vision and is successful, but he's trapped an innocent and foolish Goku as well. While trying to detain their enemies and not hurt Goku, the rouge youkai see through Zakuro's tricks, but with Goku's help, the two of them defeat the enemies. Zakuro thanks Goku again just as the rest of the ikkou show up looking for him. Zakuro stands back, confused. "Nani?" (What?).


 * The defeated youkai began to stir and recognized the Sanzo ikkou. The youkai call Zakuro a traitor for working with the Sanzo ikkou and Hakkai and Sanzo eagerly confirm it true. The rouge youkai race off to tell those at Houtou Castle that Zakuro has switched sides. Zakuro, still very confused, chases after them, trying to correct the misunderstanding. The last that is mentioned of Zakuro is when Yaone hears a rumor about Zakuro's betrayal and is relaying it back to Kougaiji and the others. Kougaiji finds it strange that Zakuro would join the Sanzo ikkou. He has been neither seen nor heard of since.

Saiyuki Reload Gunlock (anime)
It's another story completely according to the anime. Zakuro teams up with Hazel and Gato as odered by Dr. Ni, told to defeat Sanzo and obtain the scripture. He later meets Sanzo and traps him in his illusory world. Since Hazel doesn't trust Zakuro, he's placed him under his thumb and ordered him to put Hazel in the illusory world so that he can talk to Sanzo.

After that, when Sanzo was released, Zakuro begged Sanzo not to kill him. Sanzo seemed like he couldn't careless and orders him to get out of his sight and not to bother him again. However, Zakuro has plans for Sanzo, but he was later killed by Gato and was resurrected by Hazel.

In the end, he still died.

Saiyuki Reload Blast (anime)
(to be expanded)

Relationships
Goku - Zakuro meets Goku for the first time in in Vol 06, act. 27 of Saiyuki Reload. Zakuro lay passed out, exhausted, starving and dehydrated. Goku, who was nearby gathering some fruit for a snack, simply found him, shared his food and showed him to a stream that he and Gojyo had gotten water from not too long ago. Goku thinks that Zakuro is some kind of Badass hero because he goes one about how he is looking for his "old enemies" in his own words. He claims the people he's looking for have been killing his kinsmen and that they are the worst types of people. Zakuro introduces himself, whereupon Goku comments that his name sounds like "Salmon roe" (in the translation; in the original, Goku's comment is that Zakuro's name "sounds tasty" since it's phonetically identical to the word for pomegranate), which in turn makes his stomach growl. Zakuro is truly amused with Goku. Over this, the two of them bond. When they are attacked, Zakuro steps in to protect Goku, whom he thinks is just a powerless human at the time. Goku ends up getting caught in Zakuro's illusion for a bit, which is quite humorous. Eventually the two of them work together to defeat the attackers and Goku thanks Zakuro for trying to save him. If they had met under different cerumstances, the two of them would probably have been able to become friends. This showed that simple minded people can bond easily.

Abilities/Weapons
Ability: Zakuro has the unique ability to cast hypnotic illusions with his eyes and his words. He sends his victims into a dark world of his own creation where he can torture them by describing events to them. As the victims hears his words, whatever he says become their reality. Only those that are strong of will can break out of his illusions without outside assistance, an example of this is Genjo Sanzo, who picked up his gun that Zakuro had told him had melted earlier and fired it at him. It is also possible that one can be too simple to be hypnotized. Goku was also somewhat able to break out of Zakuro's illusions.

Bells - The bells leads into the illusory world once you hear it. It was used on Sanzo in Checkmate.

Red paint gun - It looks like a colourful toy gun, but when used, splashes pink liquid that causes disintegration, even to rocks. It was used on Gato (Saiyuki Reload Gunlock), but he managed to survive and be healed by Hazel Grosse.

Trivia

 * Zakuro's hobbies include keeping a diary of his disappointments, gossiping, and keep and breed beetles and, sometimes, making them fight.


 * Favorite food are jam with almonds and least favorite is sweet potatoes because they reminds him of his poverty.


 * His specialties are unqualified Illusionist, always present, over-reactive, hold's grudges, and oozes flashiness.


 * Zakuro's preferred type is a woman with a beautiful smile and small stature and big breasts.