Houzouin Inshun (宝蔵院胤舜, Hōzōin Inshun?), Class Name Lancer (ランサー, Ransā?), is a Lancer-class Servant summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Grand Orders of Fate/Grand Order.
Profile
Identity
It can be a spear to thrust, a naginata to cleave, a sickle to slash; in any case, it never fails to hit the target—such is the famous cruciform spear of the Houzouin. Houzouin Inshun is the second generation master of the Houzouin-ryuuWP spearmanship, and a man whose skill is extolled as reaching the gods and buddhas.[1][2]
Houzouin Inshun was born as Mitsuda Gennosuke (満田源之助?). As the successor of the Houzouin, he received lectures in the ways of monks and spearmen from In'eiWP, founder of the Houzouin-ryuu spearmanship. At the time, the Houzouin spear was already widely known thanks to In'ei. That is because the one who improved the base spear that until then was served only for thrusting - bringing forth the ground-breaking cruciform spear that could slice, sweep and knock, in addition to thrust - was this In'ei.[1][2]
However, In'ei abandoned the spear. “It is not proper for one who serves Buddha to learn spearmanship.” “If you intend to serve Buddha, you should abandon the spear.” He died at the age of 87, while leaving such words for his successor, Inshun.[1][2]
However, Inshun did not give up on spearmanship. A member of the Houzouin should walk on both the path of Buddha and the path of the spear—like this, he revived the Houzouin-ryuu spearmanship.[1][2]
Appearance
Hozoin is a young, very athletic man, who has trained his body into peak condition for spearmanship.
He first appears wearing a Hakama that conceals almost everything of his body, grayish dark blue in the torso and dull brown for the limbs, with rather long, extended sleeves. A white clothe is wrapped around his shoulders and head, showing only his dark blue, close to purplish eyes. He wears a headband with three pieces of metal sewn into it. For footwear, Hozoin uses wooden sandals. Hozoin's weapon is a spear he holds with both hands, has a black shaft, a strip of white cloth tied around it, a portion made out of black metal at the top with short, wide spikes as a part of it, and a white blade split into three tips, though the middle one is much larger than the others.
In his second Ascension, his clothing goes from brown to bright purple, and the sleeves aren't as long as before, only reaching his elbows now, revealing a black undershirt. Hozoin no longer wears the white cloth and headband, revealing his face and the fact that he does not possess hair at all, in addition to an X-shaped scar on his forehead. He now wears white socks, fingerless gloves with guards, fit for athleticism, and a large, white bead necklace.
In his third Ascension, the purple of his outfit turns yellow. His gloves and undershirt are replaced by arm guards, and his socks are swapped out for knee high footwear while still wearing his sandals. His belt goes from black to bright red, and wears a rope on his back, of the same colour of his belt. His bead necklace increases in length, and the centremost bead now has a yellow tuft of hair attached to it. Finally, Hozoin has added a piece of clothing to his head, with an ornament with a kanji written on it.
Personality
“I don’t need alcohol. For my mowing down becomes dull. I don’t need meat. My thrusting becomes blunt.”[2] Hozoin Inshun has a very pious character and sees his martial arts abilities as a means of reaching enlightenment, seeing both his role as a warrior and a monk central to his identity. While this makes him very eager, spirited and competitive, he also takes his duties protecting others seriously. His religiousity and conscience also makes him dislike unnecessary violence.
Relationships
- Miyamoto Musashi
- "Musashi, huh?"[4]
- "I told you, there’s no outer space."[1]
- Li Shuwen
- "Li Shuwen...the divine spear. As a man who serves the Buddha. I think I need to spar against him once... Never mind. It'd almost certainly be a fight to the death."[4]
- Li Shuwen (Old Assassin)
- That aside, he gets on well with the elder Li Shuwen, and often discusses about techniques while drinking tea.[1]
- Musashibou Benkei / Ushiwakamaru / Sasaki Kojirou
- "Benkei? Ushiwakamaru? And even Sasaki Kojirou's here too? My gosh, Chaldea is a strange place."[4]
- Amakusa Shirou Tokisada
- "I told you. I can’t do Kamikiri-maru."[1]
- Yagyuu Munenori
- "Muh…… Humans are…… The universe is……
- 〇〇〇〇 line is……"[1]
- Amakusa Shirou Tokisada / Miyamoto Musashi / Yagyuu Munenori
- "Hm...Amakusa Shirou, Miyamoto Musashi, Yagyuu Munenori. Don't know what it is, but it seems like an amazing, and yet terrible lineup at the same time..."[4]
Role
Fate/Grand Order
Subspecies Singularity III: Shimosa
Inshun is summoned by Amakusa Shirou Tokisada at Katori Shrine to serve as one of the Heroic Spirit Swordmasters two days before Ritsuka's arrival. However, unlike the others, he had free will. He left the shrine after having a terrifying premonition, wandering and slaying the spirits that appeared.[5]
He meets Ritsuka’s party while on their way to Onui and Tasuke’s hermitage. With a single strike of his spear, he slew the evil spirits that appeared with the darkened sky. Introducing himself, he explains circumstances. He doesn’t know who summoned him, only knowing when and where he is. He suspects someone is using the Holy Grail to summon the evil spirits.[6]
Day suddenly turns into night occupied by a blood moon. Sensing there will be greater danger than before, they hurry eastward to the hermitage. They try to cut through a bamboo forest when they encounter the Swordmasters. Inshun tries to attack one, only for Tomoe Gozen to deflect him with an arrow. Musashi slashes away Ashiya Douman’s fire, and seemingly thwarts Mochizuki Chiyome’s ambush, only for it to be an afterimage. She then attacks Minamoto-no-Raikou aided by her Heavenly Eye, but her attack is blocked. Shuten-douji unleashes a wave of her special brew said to melt bodies, but Inshun deflects it with Hazy Inverted Moon - Eleven Styles. Yagyuu Munenori then appears and demands Inshun be handed over, stating everyone will be massacred afterwards. Inshun holds the Swordmasters off while the others escape.[5]
He fights Munenori with the aid of his Noble Phantasm. He eventually pierces his heart, but finds he cannot move his spear. Munenori reveals such attacks would kill a human or Heroic Spirit, and introduces himself by his Cursed Name: Saber of Empireo. Douman then casts the Curse of Annihilation on Inshun on Munenori’s command. Inshun realizes he should’ve cut Munenori’s karma, the realm his spear hasn’t reached. His final thought before the curse consumed him is for the others to not get caught, no matter what.[5]
He confronts the others as they continue escaping. He reintroduces himself by his Cursed Name: Lancer of Purgatorio. Musashi fights him when he targets the children for killing. She decapitates him, but he gets up and reattaches his head. The group escape to the village, hide in a nearby haystack. Inshun tries to antagonize Musashi by massacring the village. Afterwards, he massacred the villages to the north and the west.[7]
He comes to the hermitage and attacks Senji Muramasa. Muramasa dodges and destroys Inshun’s upper body with a single blow. Inshun regenerates and boasts there isn’t any technique nor blade that can reach the Spiritual Core of a Swordmaster. Regenerating from another attack, he reveals what he did before coming to the hermitage. He claims his body is now a puppet controlled by karma, so only his complete destruction will stop him. Musashi then challenges Inshun to a duel to reach the apex of her mastery. Inshun responds by casting a spell similar to a reality marble, a field of corpses where the loser’s soul will be consumed. Thanks to Myoujingiri Muramasa, Musashi was able to reach Inshun’s Spiritual Core and kill him.[7]
Interlude
Abilities
Houzouin Inshun is considered an invincible warrior and the strongest jumonji spear-wielder who ever lived. While none of the warrior monks Miyamoto Musashi met in her travels had any interest to determine how they compared between each other in terms of strength, they all talked about Inshun with high respect. After seeing him in action herself, Musashi claimed that the words "unparalleled with the spear" don't come close to doing his skill justice and that it would even be an insult to call him "the greatest of all time."[6] If he were up against ordinary swordmen, he could easily defeat a hundred, or even a thousand of men.[7]
Inshun's Magical Energy is on par with Saber of Empireo's own aura.[5]
Combat
Jumonji Yari
Inshun's skill as a spearman is on the same realm as the gods and the Buddhas,[6][5] far exceeding that of any normal beast, Oni, or person.[7] His SoujutsuWP is the culmination of endless refinement.[7] In fact, Miyamoto Musashi believes that no one at any point in Japan's history has ever wielded a spear with such absolute perfection.[6] Despite having reached a different destination than Musashi, its technique is still so beautiful that it nearly brings her to tears, making her fall in love with it at first sight.[7] She is cautivated by the depth of his mindfulness and technique, as well as the way his spear cuts through the air with only the bare minimum distance required, not a single movement wasted. Furthermore, she states that every thrust, sweep, strike, and slash he performs would be an ultimate finishing blow for any other fighter. His power is great enough to kill four Evil Spirits with a single thrust, as compared to the way he holds his spear, his gait, his torso, his build, and his breathing, they might as well have been kittens.[6]
It has implied on two separate ocassions that Inshun is a more skilled fighter than his Heroic Spirit Swordmaster counterpart.[7][8] At the start of the Shimosa Subcategory Singularity, Miyamoto Musashi claimed that she would have never had any hope of defeating Inshun, however, since Lancer of Purgatorio no longer utilized his signature Suigetsu, Musashi gained an opportunity to take him down. The reason for this is that his former beautiful technique had been covered up beyond all hope of recognition by his newly-gained Monstrous Strength.[7] On the other hand, Inshun states that Purgatorio wastes a lot of his power in his strikes, leaving him vulnerable for counter attacks. Purgatorio relies on power that already exceeded his limits, failing to understand his own body. Although Purgatorio may have fared a bit better against an opponent with swords since that had been his focus as a Swordmaster, the rest was quite sloppy. He may had gained in one area, but he had lost much in others. Although his spear may have grown sharper, as a Lancer, he had grown weaker. Thus, Inshun is able to defeat him in his Interlude.[8]
Archer of Inferno claims that Inshun is like an Oni when he wields his spear. During their brief scuffle, Inshun blocked one of her arrows, which carried enough firepower to run through an ordinary Heroic Spirit's Spiritual Core. On the other hand, Inferno was able to parry Inshun's spear with another arrow.[5]
One time during a Chaldea training session, Inshun got so excited that he challenged Li Shuwen to a duel. Ritsuka Fujimaru says that they were dangerously close to killing each other and that he was forced to stop the match. Inshun later confessed to Old Li that it seems like he still has a long way to go.[3]
Skills
Class Skills
- Magic Resistance (D+ Rank): Invalidates exercise of magecraft by one step (Single-Action). Magic Resistance on the level of an amulet that repels magical energy. Only for effects of Japanese sorcery, Magic Resistance is slightly boosted.[1]
Personal Skills
- Knowledge of the Sowa (B Rank): A special ability that prevents the reduction of accuracy regardless of how many times the same technique has been used on the same foe. In other words, the ability to “render one’s attacks unreadable to the enemy”. In Hōzōin's case, it becomes impossible to see through his attacks.[1]
- Seeking the Truth of Martial Arts (B Rank): A skill granted to those who purely, wholeheartedly refine their martial arts, ignoring social position, prestige, riches and women. So long Houzouin Inshun holds on to the cruciform spear, his combat abilities improve and resistance to mental attacks will be acquired to some extent.[1][2]
- Blocking and Attacking As One (B+ Rank): Grasps the opponent’s bloodthirst, fighting spirit, hostility, etc. and commences the attack 『before that』 At B rank or above, it’s possible to play the first move as long as it’s not a large-scale attack. However, the first moves against attacks from something with no fighting spirit at all like a machine, are rather weak.[1]
Noble Phantasm
His Noble Phantasm is Hazy Inverted Moon - Eleven Forms, the ultime cross-shaped spear technique, the accumulation of all his training said to be on par with the Buddhas. It's an invincible ability capable of adapting to any opponent or technique whether he has seen it before or not. No matter the weapon, armament, or technique used against him, Inshun will never lack the advantage.[1][2][5] It allows him to parry, counter, or evade every move his opponent performs, eventually countering with a fatal strike. A direct blow of this Noble Phantasm would be enough to strike down a god, or even a Buddha.[5]
Inshun blocking Berserker of Saṃghāta Hell's Noble Phantasm.
Its power is strong enough to deflect Berserker of Saṃghāta Hell's partial Noble Phantasm. While she didn't invoke its True Name, she was surprised he managed to stop it, claiming she hand't expected him to be capable of deflecting a single drop. Inshun's technique was also able to completely destroy Saber of Empireo's heart by tricking him into parrying instead of dodging his final strike. However, Empireo simply regenerated and defeated him thanks to the Immortality granted to him by the Curse of Annihilation. Nevertheless, it's noted that had Empireo possessed the body of a Human or a normal Heroic Spirit at the time, Houzouin would have succeeding shattering his Spiritual Core, killing him instantly.[5]
Development
Creation and Conception
Houzouin Inshun was designed by MatsuRyuu in Fate/Grand Order. His scenario writer is Yuuichirou Higashide in Fate/Grand Order.[2]
Comment from Illustrator
"A pleasant and refreshing monk. There are also specifications from Takeuchi-san, youthful and cheerful while being monk-like, and I designed him to look like a man of character. The design of the priest’s garbs is imagined with the appearance of the court rank rising with each Ascension. Also the crossed wound on his forehead was done by a master fencer with two swords he had a match with in his young days… That’s my headcanon." (MatsuRyuu)[1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 Fate/Grand Order material VI - Houzouin Inshun's profile translated by King of Padoru
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25
[] Fate/Grand Order - Houzouin Inshun (Lancer) Profile Inshun Houzouin - Lancer
Illustrator and Voice actor
Illustrator: Matsuryu
Voice Actor: Namikawa Daisuke
Parameters
Strength: C
Endurance: D
Agility: A
Mana: D
Luck: B
Noble Phantasm: C
Personal Skills
Knowledge of Respect and Harmony: B
Seeking the Truth of Martial Arts: B
Blocking and Attacking As One: B+
Class Skills
Magic Resistance: D+
Noble Phantasm
Oboro-urazuki Juuichi-shiki
Rank: C
Type: Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
Profile
It can be a spear to thrust, a naginata to cleave, a sickle to slash; in any case, it never fails to hit the target--- such is the famous cruciform spear of the Houzouin.
Houzouin Inshun is the second generation master of the Houzouin-ryuu spearmanship, and a man whose skill is extolled as reaching gods and buddhas.
Level 1 Bond
Height/Weight: 177cm・79kg
Source: Historical fact
Region: Japan
Alignment: True Neutral Gender: Male
“I don’t need alcohol. For my mowing down becomes dull. I don’t need meat. My thrusting becomes blunt.”
Level 2 Bond
Houzouin Inshun, born as Mitsuta Gennosuke(1). As the successor of the Houzouin, he received lectures in the ways of monks and spearmen from In'ei, founder of the Houzouin-ryuu spearmanship.
At the time, the Houzouin spear was already widely known thanks to In'ei. That is because, the one who improved the base spear that until then served only for thrusting - bringing forth the ground-breaking cruciform spear that could slice, sweep and knock, in addition to thurst - was this In'ei.
Level 3 Bond
However, In'ei abandoned the spear.
“It is not proper for one who serves Buddha to learn spearmanship”.
“If you intend to serve Buddha, you should abandon the spear”.
He died at the age of 87, while leaving such words for his successor, Inshun.
However, Inshun did not gave up on spearmanship.
A member of the Houzouin should walk on both the path of Buddha and the path of the spear--- like this, he revived the Houzouin-ryuu spearmanship.
Level 4 Bond
- Martial Asceticism: B
A skill granted to those who purely, wholeheartedly their martial arts, ignoring social position, prestige, riches and women.
So long Houzouin Inshun holds on to the cruciform spear, his combat abilities improve and resistance to mental attacks will be acquired to some extent.
Level 5 Bond
"Hazy opposite moon, eleven styles"
Rank: C Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 1~5 Maximum Targets: 1 person
Oboro-urazuki Juuichi-shiki.
A Noble Phantasm that sublimated the cruciform spear’s martial arts that Houzouin Inshun mastered. It indicates the 11 unofficial techniques that Inshun established, which contrast with the 15 official techniques that his predecessor In'ei established.
The forms of the techniques devised by Inshun, which were extolled as “a spear that reaches gods and buddhas”, it makes possible to cope with any and all enemies with those techniques.
Also, this Noble Phantasm can cancel out disadvantage derived from fighting against opponents that he is seeing for the first time, or even against those whose weapon is too much strange.
Interlude
???
(1) not sure, but I believe that is how you read this name.宝蔵院胤舜 - ランサー
イラストレーター・声優
ILLUST：松竜
CV：浪川大輔
パラメータ
筋力：Ｃ
耐力：Ｄ
敏捷：Ａ
魔力：Ｄ
幸運：Ｂ
宝具：Ｃ
保有スキル
宗和の心得 Ｂ
武の求道 Ｂ
先の先 Ｂ＋
クラス別能力
対魔力 Ｄ＋
宝具
朧裏月十一式
ランク：Ｃ
種別：対人宝具
キャラクター詳細
突けば槍 薙げば薙刀 引けば鎌とにもかくにも外れあらまし───
音に聞こえし宝蔵院十文字槍。
宝蔵院胤舜は宝蔵院槍術二代目であり、その技、神仏に達すると謳われた男である。
アンロック条件：絆レベルを１にすると開放
身長/体重：１７７ｃｍ・７９ｋｇ
出典：史実
地域：日本
属性：中立・中庸 性別：男性
「酒は不要。薙ぎが濁る。肉は不要。突きが鈍る」
アンロック条件：絆レベルを２にすると開放
宝蔵院胤舜、俗名満田源之助。宝蔵院の継承者として、宝蔵院流槍術開祖胤栄に槍術や僧としての教えを受ける。
当時、すでに胤栄によって宝蔵院の槍術は世間に知れ渡っていた。
これまでのただ突きを行うだけだった素槍を改良して、突きに加えて斬り、払い、打ちを可能にした画期的な十文字槍を産みだしたのが、この胤栄だったからだ。
アンロック条件：絆レベルを３にすると開放
しかし、胤栄は槍を捨てた。
「私に仕える者が槍術を学ぶは、本意ではない」
「私に仕えるならば、槍を捨てるべきである」
後継者である胤舜にもそう申し送り、彼は八十七歳で入寂した。
だが、胤舜は槍術を諦めなどしなかった。
宝蔵院たる者、仏の道と槍の道双方を歩むべし───と、胤栄の死後になって宝蔵院流槍術を復興させた。
アンロック条件：絆レベルを４にすると開放
○武の求道：Ｂ
地位も名誉も富も女も無視して、ただ一心に武を磨いた者たちに付与されるスキルの一つ。
宝蔵院胤舜は十文字槍を持つ限り、戦闘能力が向上し、
精神攻撃に対する耐性をある程度獲得する。
アンロック条件：絆レベルを５にすると開放
『朧裏月十一式』
ランク：Ｃ 種別：対人宝具
レンジ：１～５ 最大補足：１人
おぼろうらづきじゅういちしき。
宝蔵院胤舜が極めた十文字槍の武芸が昇華した宝具。先代である胤栄が定めた表十五本の技に対し、胤舜が定めた裏十一本技を指す。
「その槍神仏に達す」とまで謳われた胤舜が編み出した技の型であり、あらゆる敵、技への対応を可能にする。
また、この宝具は初見の相手あるいは武器がどれほど奇妙なものであったとしても、初見ゆえの不利を解消することが可能。
アンロック条件：「？？？ 」をクリアすると開放
？？？ - Martial Asceticism: B
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fate/Grand Order - Li Shuwen (Assassin) Interlude, Perseverance Will Prevail
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Fate/Grand Order Lines
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Fate/Grand Order: Epic of Remnant - Shimosa: The Stage of Carnage, Section 2: Prima Cantica: Purgatorio (Middle)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Fate/Grand Order: Epic of Remnant - Shimosa: The Stage of Carnage, Section 1: Prima Cantica: Purgatorio (Beginning)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Fate/Grand Order: Epic of Remnant - Shimosa: The Stage of Carnage, Section 3: Prima Cantica: Purgatorio (Ending)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Fate/Grand Order - Hozoin Inshun's Interlude