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| nameJp = {{ruby-ja|西|さい}}{{ruby-ja|行|ぎょう}}{{ruby-ja|妖|あやかし}}
| nameJp = {{ruby-ja|西|さい}}{{ruby-ja|行|ぎょう}}{{ruby-ja|妖|あやかし}}
| nameEn = Saigyou Ayakashi
| nameEn = Saigyou Ayakashi
| nameIPA =  
| nameIPA = saigʲoː ajakaɕi [[Media:Pronunciation_Saigyouayakashi.ogg|(♫)]]
| image = [[Image:th07ayakashi01.png|The Saigyou Ayakashi]]
| image = [[Image:th07ayakashi01.png|The Saigyou Ayakashi]]
| caption = Sprite of Saigyou Ayakashi in every game it's been in
| caption = Sprite of Saigyou Ayakashi in every game it's been in
| species = Cherry blossom (with [[youkai]]-like powers)
| species = [[Youkai]] cherry blossom
| abilities = Charming people into resting in peace under its blossoms, then draining souls out of them
| abilities = Charming people into resting in peace under its blossoms, then draining the life out of them
| age = Unknown, but is known to be older than [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]].
| age = Over 1000 years (actual age is unknown, but is known to be older than [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]])
| occupation = Being a [[wikipedia:Tree|tree]], collecting souls
| occupation = Being a [[wikipedia:Tree|tree]], bewitching people
| location = Gardens of [[Hakugyokurou]]
| location = Gardens of [[Hakugyokurou]]
| relationships = *[[Yuyuko Saigyouji]] (Sealed soul)
*[[Youmu Konpaku]] (Gardener)
| appOfficialgames = *[[Perfect Cherry Blossom]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background, referenced in Youmu's and Yuyuko's Official Profile)
| appOfficialgames = *[[Perfect Cherry Blossom]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background, referenced in Youmu's and Yuyuko's Official Profile)
*[[Imperishable Night]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background in Last Word)
*[[Imperishable Night]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background in Last Word)
Line 19: Line 17:
*[[Ten Desires]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background)
*[[Ten Desires]] (Yuyuko's Spell Card Background)
}}
}}
The '''Saigyou Ayakashi''' ({{lang|ja|西行妖}} ''Ayakashi Saigyou'') is a [[youkai]] [[wikipedia:Cherry blossom|cherry blossom tree]], and is the largest cherry blossom in the gardens of [[Hakugyokurou]]. It has existed in the [[Netherworld]] longer than the Ghost Princess, [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]] herself. Some of the spirits in the Netherworld remember the Saigyou Ayakashi having the most beautiful blossoms they had ever seen, but the cherry tree has not bloomed for ages. There currently seems to be a powerful seal within the Saigyou Ayakashi which drains most of its energy away, leaving it unable to blossom at all during spring. Whether the tree is sealing something, or whether the tree itself is being sealed, remains a mystery to most outsiders.
The '''Saigyou Ayakashi''' ({{lang|ja|西行妖}} ''Saigyou Ayakashi'') is a [[youkai]] [[wikipedia:Cherry blossom|cherry blossom tree]] and is the largest cherry blossom in the gardens of [[Hakugyokurou]]. It has existed in the [[Netherworld]] longer than the Ghost Princess, [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]] herself. Some of the spirits in the Netherworld remember the Saigyou Ayakashi having the most beautiful blossoms they had ever seen, but the cherry tree has not bloomed for ages. There currently seems to be a powerful seal within the Saigyou Ayakashi, leaving it unable to blossom at all during spring. Whether the tree is sealing something, or whether the tree itself is being sealed, remains a mystery to most outsiders.


==Concept==
==Backstory==
A long time ago, there lived a divinely talented poet who traveled around [[Gensokyo]].  When the poet became aware that the hour of his death drew near, he chose to begin his eternal rest under the most beautiful cherry tree he could find.  After the poet's death, word of the beauty of the cherry tree began to spread across the land.  That cherry tree has grown even more beautiful since then, charming many people into choosing to rest in peace beneath its blossoms.
 
After absorbing the blood of so many people, it turned into a youkai cherry tree with the ability to lure people to their death on its own, and came to be known as the Saigyou Ayakashi.  Eventually, the beautiful blossoms of the Saigyou Ayakashi were sealed away, using the bodies of Yuyuko and several others buried beneath it, and now remains within [[Hakugyokurou]].
 
==Character Basis==
===Name===
===Name===
The poet referred in the Saigyou Ayakashi's story is likely [[Wikipedia:Saigyō Hōshi|Saigyou]], an ancient Buddhist poet who often sung of his love of cherry blossoms and his desire to die beneath flowers. ''Ayakashi'' is a general term for supernatural beings, very similar to ''youkai''. The tree's name would mean something like "Youkai (Tree) of Saigyou".
The poet referred in the Saigyou Ayakashi's story is likely [[Wikipedia:Saigyō Hōshi|Saigyou]], an ancient Buddhist poet who often sung of his love of cherry blossoms and his desire to die beneath flowers. ''Ayakashi'' is a general term for supernatural beings, very similar to ''youkai'' (the kanji for ''ayakashi'' [{{lang|ja|妖}}] is identical to the ''you'' in youkai [{{lang|ja|'''妖'''怪}}] ). The tree's name would mean something like "Youkai (Tree) of Saigyou".


===Appearance===
===Design===
Shown on it's sprite, Saigyou Ayakashi is simply a very large cherry blossom tree which never fully blooms. It has no leaves in it.
Shown on its sprite, Saigyou Ayakashi is simply a very large cherry blossom tree which never fully blooms. It has no leaves in it.


==Story==
==Story==
During the events of [[Perfect Cherry Blossom]], [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]], the ghost of the human Yuyuko, attempted to overpower the seal on the Saigyou Ayakashi in order to both see the legendary blossoms, and to resurrect the soul that was sealed within.  However, Yuyuko was unaware that the sealed soul was in fact her own, and thus all of Yuyuko's attempts to unseal the soul failed due to her unconscious self-preservation.
During the events of [[Perfect Cherry Blossom]], [[Yuyuko Saigyouji]], the ghost of the human Yuyuko, attempted to overpower the seal on the Saigyou Ayakashi in order to both see the legendary blossoms, and to resurrect the soul that was sealed within.  However, Yuyuko was unaware that the sealed soul was in fact her own, and thus all of Yuyuko's attempts to unseal the soul failed due to her unconscious self-preservation.


===Backstory===
==Relationships==
A long time ago, there lived a divinely talented poet who traveled around [[Gensokyo]].  When the poet became aware that the hour of his death drew near, he chose to begin his eternal rest under the most beautiful cherry tree he could find.  After the poet's death, word of the beauty of the cherry tree began to spread across the land.  That cherry tree has grown even more beautiful since then, charming many people into resting in peace beneath its blossoms. The tree with the mortuary charm became known as Saigyou Ayakashi, and developed the powers of a youkai after a while.
{{stub|section}}
;[[Yuyuko Saigyouji]] (Sealed soul)
With the youkai-like powers, the Saigyou Ayakashi's beauty and charm increased even further, driving everyone who approached it insane with deadly peacefulness. The cherry tree had drained too many human souls and had become a danger to everyone.  Eventually, the beautiful blossoms of the Saigyou Ayakashi were sealed away by some unknown heroes, using Yuyuko's human soul as the main component.  The seal would freeze both the blossoms and the soul in place together for eternity.
;[[Youmu Konpaku]] (Gardener)


==Additional Information==
==Additional Information==
===Trivia===
===Trivia===
*Currently, this tree is canonically the only truly evil entity in the whole series so far, being a real danger to anyone who attempts to go near it.
*It is unknown if the tree can still drain the life out of people while it's not in [[Perfect Cherry Blossom#Story|full bloom]]. However, as the charm of its flowers has been removed, and due to it now residing in the Netherworld, it is largely not a real danger.
**It's unknown if the tree can still drain souls out of people while it's not in [[Perfect Cherry Blossom#Story|full bloom]].
*It appears in Yuyuko's spell card background in [[Perfect Cherry Blossom]], [[Imperishable Night]], [[Shoot the Bullet]] and [[Ten Desires]].
*It appears in Yuyuko's spell card background in [[Perfect Cherry Blossom]], [[Imperishable Night]], [[Shoot the Bullet]] and [[Ten Desires]].


===Fandom===
===Fanon===
*Saigyou has occasionally been depicted with a [[wikipedia:Shimenawa|shimenawa]] around the trunk. This could be due to one of the many other tree's such as one's seen in [[Immaterial and Missing Power]] and the illustration of the Netherworld in [[Perfect Memento in Strict Sense]].
*Saigyou has occasionally been depicted with a [[wikipedia:Shimenawa|shimenawa]] around the trunk. This could be due to one of the many other tree's such as one's seen in [[Immaterial and Missing Power]] and the illustration of the Netherworld in [[Perfect Memento in Strict Sense]].
*In the aftermath of Yuyuko's suicide, it is sometimes shown as having been stained with blood splatter of said suicide
==Official Sources==
{{hidden begin|title = Official sources|titlestyle = background:pink; text-align:center;}}
*2003/08/17 '''[[Perfect Cherry Blossom]]''' - キャラ設定.txt (Youmu's profile, Yuyuko's profile)
{{hidden end}}


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{{Navbox Characters}}
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[[Category:Bestiary]]
[[Category:Bestiary]]
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[[Category:Non-humanoid Characters]]
[[Category:Non-humanoid Characters]]
[[fr:Saigyou Ayakashi]]
[[fr:Saigyou Ayakashi]]
[[ru:Сайгё Аякаши]]
[[ru:Сайгё Аякаси]]

Revision as of 21:11, 28 March 2020

Note: This article is about both a Bestiary entry and a Character.


西 (さい) (ぎょう) (あやかし)
saigʲoː ajakaɕi (♫)
Saigyou Ayakashi
The Saigyou Ayakashi
Sprite of Saigyou Ayakashi in every game it's been in
Species

Youkai cherry blossom

Abilities

Charming people into resting in peace under its blossoms, then draining the life out of them

Age

Over 1000 years (actual age is unknown, but is known to be older than Yuyuko Saigyouji)

Occupation

Being a tree, bewitching people

Location

Gardens of Hakugyokurou

Appearances
Official Games

The Saigyou Ayakashi (西行妖 Saigyou Ayakashi) is a youkai cherry blossom tree and is the largest cherry blossom in the gardens of Hakugyokurou. It has existed in the Netherworld longer than the Ghost Princess, Yuyuko Saigyouji herself. Some of the spirits in the Netherworld remember the Saigyou Ayakashi having the most beautiful blossoms they had ever seen, but the cherry tree has not bloomed for ages. There currently seems to be a powerful seal within the Saigyou Ayakashi, leaving it unable to blossom at all during spring. Whether the tree is sealing something, or whether the tree itself is being sealed, remains a mystery to most outsiders.

Backstory

A long time ago, there lived a divinely talented poet who traveled around Gensokyo. When the poet became aware that the hour of his death drew near, he chose to begin his eternal rest under the most beautiful cherry tree he could find. After the poet's death, word of the beauty of the cherry tree began to spread across the land. That cherry tree has grown even more beautiful since then, charming many people into choosing to rest in peace beneath its blossoms.

After absorbing the blood of so many people, it turned into a youkai cherry tree with the ability to lure people to their death on its own, and came to be known as the Saigyou Ayakashi. Eventually, the beautiful blossoms of the Saigyou Ayakashi were sealed away, using the bodies of Yuyuko and several others buried beneath it, and now remains within Hakugyokurou.

Character Basis

Name

The poet referred in the Saigyou Ayakashi's story is likely Saigyou, an ancient Buddhist poet who often sung of his love of cherry blossoms and his desire to die beneath flowers. Ayakashi is a general term for supernatural beings, very similar to youkai (the kanji for ayakashi [] is identical to the you in youkai [] ). The tree's name would mean something like "Youkai (Tree) of Saigyou".

Design

Shown on its sprite, Saigyou Ayakashi is simply a very large cherry blossom tree which never fully blooms. It has no leaves in it.

Story

During the events of Perfect Cherry Blossom, Yuyuko Saigyouji, the ghost of the human Yuyuko, attempted to overpower the seal on the Saigyou Ayakashi in order to both see the legendary blossoms, and to resurrect the soul that was sealed within. However, Yuyuko was unaware that the sealed soul was in fact her own, and thus all of Yuyuko's attempts to unseal the soul failed due to her unconscious self-preservation.

Relationships

Attention: This section is a stub and it needs expanding with more information related to the section's topic. If you can add to it in any way, please do so.
Yuyuko Saigyouji (Sealed soul)
Youmu Konpaku (Gardener)

Additional Information

Trivia

Fanon

  • Saigyou has occasionally been depicted with a shimenawa around the trunk. This could be due to one of the many other tree's such as one's seen in Immaterial and Missing Power and the illustration of the Netherworld in Perfect Memento in Strict Sense.
  • In the aftermath of Yuyuko's suicide, it is sometimes shown as having been stained with blood splatter of said suicide

Official Sources

Official sources