Shin Natsume

Shin Natsume (棗 慎, Natsume Shin) is a character in the manga and anime series Tenjou Tenge. He is the founder of the team KATANA, and the Juken club.

Shin Natsume has long, messy silver-purple hair and sharp, dark eyes. He often wears a tattered white shirt, a long black coat, and pants, and is usually seen with a baseball bat as his preferred weapon

He was the older brother of Maya Natsume and Aya Natsume. Even though he had severe mental disorders, most people still respected him.

When first introduced, Shin is portrayed as a carefree and charismatic youth. As the series progresses, the darker aspects of Shin's character come to light. In addition to having a severe sister complex, he is exceedingly possessive and violent.

Shin is defensive of Maya due to the restraint her mere presence puts on his mad frenzy. Given his insanity Shin's behavior is highly erratic, making a summation of his personality difficult. He is also a skilled martial artist as he was trained by Dogen Takayanagi, and actually managed to "steal" the Takayanagi family secret technique. Up until his death Shin was the President of the enforcement group, and the 2nd ranked fighter in the school only because he didn't actually fight in the election tournament that year. He was later beaten by Bunshichi, the 1st ranked fighter in a street fight, although he could easily kill him if he activated his Red Feather power the "Dragon's Eye", but that would also means he would go on a rampage and kill every surrounding person there, so he decided not to do it.

Despite his insanity, Shin seems to play a mentor-like role to several characters in the series. He has a massive influence on the majority of the characters in some way, even appearing to some when they need guidance. Overall a good chunk of the story is based around the possibility of a repeat of history, many fear an incident like what happened to Shin will be repeated.

Shin seems to know he's crazy, seemingly indicating he wants to be taken down if he goes too crazy. He seems almost spiteful of his own power, as he doesn't understand why he was given a "completely worthless power". Despite this, he does seem to find it funny in his own twisted way.

Shin has the power of the Dragon's Eye, which synchronizes with the spirits of all things, thus it gives Shin a type of prescience that allowed him to see anywhere past, present, possible futures, as well as seeing and hearing the dead. He gained this power as a child, and it was far too much for him. As with all Dragon's Gate related powers, losing to your Dragon and becoming insane and violent is a huge risk. Shin lost leading to his erratic and violent behavior. His power played a key role in his insanity, the other part was due to his father.

When Maya asks why he didn't just predict certain occurrences, Shin compares his power to rain. All the rain drops hit a predetermined place, based on wind and such. They congregate together to and flow, eventually making a stream, according to Shin that is fate. He basically says he can hear the rain, but he can't understand the significance of every drop. Basically indicating his Dragon's Eye will only show him bits and pieces of possible futures, and he doesn't have the ability to piece together the whole picture. This makes the power worthless in his opinion.

Reiki is an evil ceremonial Nodachi that is the heirloom of the Natsume family. It allows those with powers to use them more freely, but this is risky as the more frequently a person uses their power and the longer they sustain it, the more likely they will lose to their Dragon. As Maya does not have any powers or had the Amaterasu Dragon's Gate, Shin's father entrusted Reiki to her under orders to keep it away from Shin. She failed in this, and Reiki is largely blamed for the events leading to Shin's death. Shin carried this blade with him the majority of the time, frequently using it to slaughter innocents for a distraction. He developed a good enough connection with the blade that he could activate it without even being in the same room with it.

Uraate (裏当て; lit. "Backing", CMX Translation: "Reverse Striking"): This is fulcrum-based transference skill, an example of KI transmission that teaches one to shift the point and force of impact by striking the dead center of an object. At expert-levels, a practitioner can transmit the force of impact wherever they please, as long as a medium exists to transmit their power through. This technique forms the basis for most KI-based techniques used throughout the series.

Ryukei Qigong Tashinkō (龍形気功鍛針功; lit. "Dragon Qi, Forged Iron Needle"): Considered the greatest of secrets within the Takayanagi clan, passed down for generations. Shin adapted this technique while in the service of Dogen Takayanagi. It is a technique which uses the fulcrum-based transference skill of "reverse striking" to transmit the user's power through the air. This is achieved by collecting the rotational force of one's motion until it forms unto a needle, forged by their own KI. At that point, that collected atmospheric force would then be directed from the circular motion into a straight line (via punch), where it is sent barreling into the target. Shin would inevitably teach this technique to his sister, Maya. Tetsushikō (鉄指功; lit. Iron Finger): This is a particularly lethal technique which uses the finger to punch through muscle and puncture internal organs, particularly the liver.

Natsume Goushin-Ryū Kongou Hasshiki: Taizan Hougou (CMX translation: Natsume-Style Advanced Exercise, 8th Degree: Mt. Tai Demolishing Roar): A technique which uses "reverse striking" transference through a stiff-shoulder charge to shift the force and impact of the blow over a distant, demolishing most anything upon impact with its pressure wave. Natsume Goushin-Ryū Kongou

Hasshiki: Renkan Tenpen Tetsukageki (CMX translation: Natsume-Style, Advanced Exercise, 8th Degree: Linking Heavenly Iron Attack): This move is a set of precise, bone-crushing blows. Natsume Goushin-Ryū: Radotenko (棗剛真流 羅どう天靠, CMX translation: Natsume-Style: Eye-connecting Heavenly Twist): A technique combining a fierce shoulder charge with an immediate release of KI upon impact that sends the opponent flying backwards.

Natsume Goushin-Ryu: Tsuba Otoshi (棗剛真流鍔落とし, CMX translation: The Natsume Sword Handle Drop): A sword-technique that puts emphasis on the handle while dealing an overhead swing, upping the cutting force of the blade. However, when facing the Iron Skin of the Kagiroi family, this technique proves utterly ineffective.

Tetsushikō (Iron Finger): Known to be a particularly lethal technique. Using one finger, the user punches through the muscle and directly striking the internal organs, particularly the liver. Ryukei Qigong Tashinkō (龍形気功鍛針功; lit. "Dragon Qi, Forged Iron Needle") The Takayanagi family's greatest secret technique, one of the technique of the so-called Hatsukei, or "power release". Utilizing the skill "Uraate", the user can transmit their power through the air itself. The first step is collecting the constantly accelerating rotational force that begins from the feet on up, until it is forged into a needle using their KI. Next, this honed, atmospheric force is redirected from the circular motion to a straight line (via punch), and sent barreling into the target. Mitsuomi taught this technique to her, during their blossoming relationship.

Ryukei Qigong Tashikou: Shiryū Enretsu Sen (龍形氣功鍛針功•四龍炎裂孅, CMX translation: Dragon-Ki

Qigong Forged Needle: Four Flaming Raging Dragons' Massacre): A Triple Forged Needle combi-attack, which incorporates her Forged Needle with Souichiro's in addition to Mitsuomi's Twin King Dragon Flame Strike, producing an all-consuming, four-headed dragon of KI.