Yabusame Houren

鳳聯 (ほうれん) 　藪雨 (やぶさめ) Yabusame Houren ho̞ːɺ̠ẽ̞ɴ ja̠βɯᵝsa̠me̞
Yabusame in Brilliant pagoda or haze castle Flawless Thoughtlessness More Character Titles
Species	Human
Abilities	Cross dimensions
Age	Early teens
Occupation	Youkai exterminator, Protector of Mugenri
Location	Senri Shrine
Music Themes
時空を越える翼　〜 M_theory (EE) 鳳雛天奔 (EE) ダブルキーパー　～ 魄い盧のつがひ鳥 (RMI)
Appearances
Official Games
Evanescent Existence (Playable Character, Stage 3B Midboss, Stage 3B Boss) Earthen Miraculous Sword (Playable Character) Reactivate majestical imperial (Playable Character, Stage 4C Boss) Brilliant pagoda or haze castle (Playable Character)

Yabusame Houren (鳳聯　藪雨, Houren Yabusame) is a ditzy strange person who has been given the job as the protector of Mugenri, having the power to cross into other dimensions. They are one of the main protagonists of the Len'en Project and a playable character in all games.

General Information

Personality

Yabusame is described as a weirdo who is plain and boring, as well as a thoughtless idiot. They often make bizarre and apparently nonsensical remarks and sometimes seem to overlook the obvious, leading to everyone thinking of them as stupid. However, at other times they'll reveal an extremely perceptive side and will also sometimes display an extraordinary level of knowledge. For example, in Evanescent Existence, they were the quickest to identify the culprit as Tsurubami Senri. They're also known for their bizarre taste in food (such as eating raw salt). They seem to be cheerful and friendly to others, prone to giving them nicknames.

Although it's said that they go to solve incidents tasked by the Senri Shrine without understanding them, they're a person who somehow gets the job done regardless.

Abilities

Crossing dimensions

Yabusame can cross dimensions and get in everyone's way. During Evanescent Existence, instead of being spirited away by Tsurubami Senri, like the others, they arrived in Mugenri by crossing over to the other dimension. They commonly use this ability to teleport the danmaku in front of them and zooming in to replace it. Despite the incredible potential of this ability, they're too much of an airhead to consider its implications. Since Earthen Miraculous Sword they've been given a "two-dimensional cloth" by Tsubakura Enraku, so that they don't fly off into another dimension on a whim.

Yabusame's dimension-crossing ability extends to the point where they can break the fourth wall, as proven in Brilliant pagoda or haze castle's tutorial mode featuring them and Tsubakura explaining the mechanics of the game: while Yabusame claims that they and Tsubakura are "parallel" versions of themselves, Tsubakura quickly remembers that Yabusame possesses the ability to cross dimensions, being cut off before they can point out that the "parallel" Yabusame is most likely the real one.

Manipulation of dimensions

The most common application of Yabusame's dimension manipulation abilities is opening "gaps", which act as portals between two places. They're able to use them for their attacks or simply to store things, from legendary weapons (claims to own the Mjolnir) to food (Blue Hawaii sauce). Yabusame refers to these gaps as "pockets".

Background Information

Name

Their full name is Yabusame Houren (鳳聯　藪雨). The kanji in Yabusame (藪雨) means "grove" and "rain" respectively. Although it's spelled with different kanji, Yabusame is also the Japanese word for the Asian stubtail, a type of bird. The kanji in their family name Houren (鳳聯) literally means "phoenix" and "link" or "group" respectively.

Coincidentally, Yabusame can also refer to Japanese horseback archery when written with the kanji 流鏑馬.

Design

Yabusame has been shown to have silver eyes and short silver hair with long locks. They dress in black and green clothing, covered in a light brown coat adorned with a brown scarf-like cloth tied together at the front.

Yabusame's Appearances

Evanescent Existence

Yabusame in EE

Yabusame on the title screen of EE

Main articles: Evanescent Existence: Yabusame's Scenario and Yabusame's Extra

Tsubakura is spirited away from the Outside World to a strange land called Mugenri, so their friend Yabusame becomes worried and uses their power to cross dimensions in order to search Mugenri and find Tsubakura. Along the way, they find out that all their allies and acquaintances are trapped in Mugenri as well, having been convinced that if they defeat Yabusame, they'll find a way to escape. After defeating them, they find that Tsubakura is acting very strange and is talking about a "prize" if they defeat everyone. When they defeat Kuroji Shitodo, they tell them that the answers are in "a sun that casts a shadow". Unfortunately for them, after arriving, they find out that the annoying Clause has reached first and believes that if they defeat Yabusame, they'll gain more power. Yabusame defeats them and reaches the mysterious sun, allowing them to enter Mugenri.

At Mugenri, the sun that casts a shadow turns out to be a portal to the Senri Shrine. After dealing with Clause again, they are transported to the Mugenri Barrier and find the true mastermind, Tsurubami Senri, a priest who has been impersonating Tsubakura in order to test their powers, since they want a strong person to replace them. Annoyed, Yabusame defeats them, but soon realises that the real Tsubakura has already defeated Tsurubami before. The priest was considering for Tsubakura to be their replacement, but after witnessing Yabusame's potential, they hand both of them their job as a youkai exterminator. After that, Yabusame and Tsubakura settle in Mugenri, since Tsurubami doesn't know how to transport them back home.

Earthen Miraculous Sword

Yabusame in EMS

Main articles: Earthen Miraculous Sword: Yabusame's Scenario and Yabusame's Extra

Shortly after settling in Mugenri, Yabusame and Tsubakura live a carefree life at the shrine until autumn, when mysterious thick clouds covered the land. The familiar of the shrine, Jinbei, forces one of them to go, so they decide on a game of rock-paper-scissors. Yabusame loses and is forced to resolve the incident.

After dealing with a few youkai, Yabusame finds themself in a ritual chamber, where Adagumo no Yaorochi and their partner Sukune Katano are. The two were gathering the spiritual energy of the weather to restore a replica of the Tasouken. Realizing that the isis actually the Sword of Kusanagi, Yabusame tries to flee only to be attacked by Yaorochi, who wants to put their new sword to use. However, after Yaorochi is defeated, the sword attacks Yabusame on its own. Fortunately, the clay vessel was too much for the Tasouken and it stopped. After everything was cleared, Sukune reveals that the clay replica is actually a sword-shaped bottle opener, much to Yaorochi's chagrin. In the end, Yabusame drinks some sake with them.

Days later, the clouds return to Mugenri. Drunk after a party with their new friends at the shrine, Yabusame goes to investigate. After dealing with an empowered Lumen Celeritas, they encounter the orochi Adagumo no Saragimaru, Yaorochi's younger sibling. They want revenge for having defeated their sibling and ruining their happiness, so they lured them into a trap. Yabusame is unable to understand, but attacks them anyway. After Saragimaru is defeated, Yabusame invites them to drink together.

Reactivate majestical imperial

Yabusame on the title screen of RMI

Yabusame in RMI

Main article: Reactivate majestical imperial: Yabusame and Tsubakura's Scenario

There is a long winter that is out of season and a sudden flow of spirits, so Jinbei forces Yabusame and Tsubakura to head out. Shortly after, Yaorochi and Sukune visit the shrine and they decide which team will resolve the incident.

After dealing with a few youkai in search for answers, they arrive to the Frost Cavern, where they bump into Yaorochi and Sukune, who tell the humans to go home as they are more interested in the mastermind's identity rather than the long winter. Yabusame and Tsubakura ask them to resolve the incident together, but the youkai refuse. Later, the two bump into a strange road, where Taira no Fumikado was trying to collect spirits for their resurrection ceremony to resuscitate the vengeful spirit of Taira no Masakado and store him in their homunculus body. After defeating them, they find out that all the spirits are attracted to a certain location. They end up in the Withered Grove, where they find a newborn chimera soul, who is the avatar of the soul-eater flower Harujion. Yabusame gives them the name of Shion. Shion can sense people's minds by smelling them, and is particularly interested in Tsubakura because they have a blank, neutral soul, wanting to consume it. Realizing that the Harujion was causing the long winter, they defeat Shion.

In the end, Yabusame and Tsubakura return to the Senri Shrine, bringing Shion with them, much to Jinbei's chagrin. Shion indicates that they were attracted by the essence of the shrine and that they're still interested in consuming Tsubakura's soul.

Main articles: Reactivate majestical imperial: Yabusame and Tsubakura's Extra and Yabusame and Tsubakura's Extra+α

It's revealed that the spirits came to Mugenri because of a hole in the Mugenri Barrier that separates the land from the Outside World. The hole was caused by Lumen, during the Clouds Incident and Tenkai Zuifeng was tasked to repair the hole, but is taking too long. Yabusame and Tsubakura go to confront Tenkai, while the latter is curious if the two are strong enough to replace Tsurubami as protectors of Mugenri. On the way back home, they are ambushed by Sese Kitsugai, a youkai they had defeated at the beginning of the story. Sese absorbs the spirits the heroes had been recollecting and transforms into a much more powerful form, but they are still defeated and the spirits leave their body.

Brilliant pagoda or haze castle

The weather is abnormal in Mugenri again, apparently because of a certain "The Heaven divides the mirror". Tsubakura mistakes the terms and believes it will rain free sake, so they drags Yabusame and Shion to go with them.

Relationships

Yabusame has co-operated with many other major characters, but is generally not close to them.

Tsubakura Enraku

They and Tsubakura Enraku have been friends since long ago, but being gullible and slow, Tsubakura tends to pick on them a lot, much to Yabusame's chagrin.

Gallery

• 

  Concept art of Yabu with Tsubakura Enraku in Len'en Wiki:Interview with JynX (2015)

Spell Cards

  Spell Cards

Name	Translated	Comments	Games	Stage
Total: 23
「次元剥離」	"Dimensional Detachment"	Bomb	EE EMS RMI BPoHC	Use Use Use Use
光牌｢レーザーレイン｣	Light Card "Laser Rain"		EE	St. 3: E/N
光牌｢レーザーグリッド｣	Light Card "Laser Grid"		EE	St. 3: H/U
交差｢フラッシュクロス｣	Intersection "Flash Cross"		EE	St. 3: E/N
交差｢スターシェル｣	Intersection "Star Shell"		EE	St. 3: H/U
元牌｢空間剥離｣	Origin Card "Spatial Detachment"		EE RMI	St. 3: E/N St. 4: H
元牌｢顕界遊離｣	Origin Card "Reality Separation"		EE	St. 3: H/U
飛移｢ワープ王国｣	Teleport "Warp Kingdom"		EE	St. 3: E/N
反復｢ループ王国｣	Recurrence "Loop Kingdom"		EE	St. 3: H/U
間牌｢ターボエリア｣	Space Card "Turbo Area"		EE	St. 3: E/N
間牌｢空間削落｣	Space Card "Spatial Erasure"		EE	St. 3: H/U
｢次元断裂｣	"Dimensional Division"		EE	St. 3: E/N
｢次元連裂幻｣	"Illusion of Repeated Dimensional Rupture"		EE	St. 3: H
混元｢スクリーンシャッフル｣	Confused Origins "Screen Shuffle"		EE	St. 3: U
「メイデンピット」	"Maiden Pit"	Flash bomb	EMS RMI BPoHC	Use Use Use
転移｢弾幕クローン｣	Transfer "Danmaku Clone"		RMI	St. 4: E/N
転送｢次元複製｣	Transmit "Dimensional Duplication"		RMI	St. 4: H/U
｢じげんはくり｣	"Dimension Detach"		RMI	St. 4: E/N
元牌｢次元剥離｣	Origin Card "Dimensional Detachment"		RMI	St. 4: U
元玄｢墨と銀｣	Mysterious Origin "Ink and Silver"	Co-owner with Tsubakura	RMI	St. 4: E/N/H/U
ヒッグスジュース	Higgs Juice		BPoHC	Upgrade
薄めの次元断層	Slightly Dislocated Dimension		BPoHC	Upgrade

Additional Information

• Some of their spell cards are similar to those used by Yukari Yakumo , since their powers are based on dimensions.
• They like giving people nicknames, sometimes to show fondness (like Tsubakura) or because they don't remember their names (like Saragimaru).
• Yabusame's theme references M-theory, the theory that combines all the different types of super-string theory.

Fandom

Main article: Fandom: Yabusame Houren

Official Profiles

  Evanescent Existence - etc_le01.txt

◯天衣無縫の能天気 鳳聯　藪雨（ほうれん　やぶさめ） Houren Yabusame 種族：ヒト 能力：次元を越える的な能力 全体的に陳腐な凡人。 けど次元の壁を越えて異世界に乱入してきたとんでもない変人。 元々、次元を越えて事象に干渉できるようなのだが、 あまり頭が良くないので、とある人物の協力がないと いまいち能力が使いこなせないとのこと。 燕楽玄鳥とは昔からの腐れ縁で、色々あったとか無かったとか。 何を考えているのか分からないときは、 大抵何にも考えてないのだろう。 凡人というより馬鹿より。

◯ Flawless Thoughtlessness Yabusame Houren Species: Human Ability: Ability to cross dimensions They're an altogether plain and boring person. However, they're also an outrageous weirdo who's come barging into another dimension. Originally, they were able to cross dimensions and interfere with events, but since they're not very smart, they can't use their power very well without a certain person's help. They had a troublesome relationship with Tsubakura Enraku since a long time ago, and they've been through various things. Or not. When you can't understand what they're thinking, they're probably not thinking of anything at all. They're really more of an idiot than just a plain person.

  Evanescent Existence - etc_le01.txt (boss)

◯３面ボス　　天衣無縫の能天気 鳳聯　藪雨（ほうれん　やぶさめ） Houren Yabusame 種族：ヒト 能力：次元を越える的な能力 能天気なバカもどき。 他の奴らとは違う方法でこの世界に乱入してきたらしい。 次元を越えて物事に干渉できるらしいが、 本当はもっと凄いことが出来るとかなんとか？ 妙な単語だけは何故か知ってる。

◯ Stage 3 Boss — Flawless Thoughtlessness Yabusame Houren Species: Human Ability: Ability to cross dimensions They're a (feigned?) thoughtless idiot. It seems that they entered this world by a different method than the others. They can cross dimensions and interfere with things, but perhaps they're actually capable of doing something even more amazing? They only know weird vocabulary for some reason.

  Earthen Miraculous Sword - etc_le02.txt

◯天衣無縫の能天気 鳳聯　藪雨（ほうれん　やぶさめ） Houren Yabusame 種族：ヒト 能力：次元を越える的な能力 全体的に陳腐な凡人。 次元を越えることに定評のある変人。 よく分かりもしない異変を解決してこいと言われても、 なんとなくで解決しちゃう人。 勝手に別次元に飛んで行かないように、 厚みを持たない"二次元の布(玄鳥作)"を巻きつけられている。 曇り空より雪が好き。

◯ Flawless Thoughtlessness Yabusame Houren Species: Human Ability: Ability to cross dimensions They're an altogether plain and boring person. A weirdo with a reputation for crossing dimensions. Even if they're told to go off and solve incidents they don't understand, they're a person who somehow gets the job done anyway. They wear a "Two-Dimensional Cloth" with zero thickness (made by Tsubakura), so that they don't fly off into another dimension on a whim. They like snow better than cloudy weather.

  Reactivate majestical imperial - etc_le03.txt

◯天衣無縫の能天気 鳳聯　藪雨（ほうれん　やぶさめ） Houren Yabusame 種族：ヒト 能力：次元を越える的な能力 全体的に陳腐な凡人。 次元を越えて事象に干渉できたりする変人。 寒いのも暑いのもチャラヘッチャラ。 冬なのに何故か夏より薄着のときがある、バカなのかな？ ナベではスキヤキがスキ。

◯ Flawless Thoughtlessness Yabusame Houren Species: Human Ability: Ability to cross dimensions They're an altogether plain and boring person. A weirdo who can cross dimensions and interfere with events. They're always messing around regardless of whether it's hot or cold outside. Although it's winter, at times they wear even lighter clothes than they do in summer. Are they some sort of idiot? As for nabe, they like sukiyaki.

  Brilliant pagoda or haze castle - etc_le04.txt

◯天衣無縫の能天気 鳳聯　藪雨（ほうれん　やぶさめ） Houren Yabusame 種族：ヒト 能力：次元を越える的な能力 天然闡裡神社名誉神主。 次元を越えて事象に干渉できるとんでもない能力の持ち主。 今回ものんびり異変解決を頑張ってる。 っというかなんだか面白そうだから玄鳥に付いて行ってるだけ。 凡人よりもバカ寄りな凡人。

◯ Flawless Thoughtlessness Yabusame Houren Species: Human Ability: Ability to cross dimensions One of the renowned priests of the Senri Shrine. Has the ridiculous ability to cross dimensions and interfere with events. They're cheerfully heading out to resolve incidents once again. ...well, actually they're just tagging along with Tsubakura because it seems interesting. A plain person who's more stupid than plain.

Official Sources

  Official sources

• 2013/11/18 Evanescent Existence
• 2013/11/18 Earthen Miraculous Sword
• 2014/10/09 Reactivate majestical imperial