Utsuro

Utsuro was the founder and first leader of the Tenshouin Naraku before Oboro took his position. He is the original identity and self of Yoshida Shouyou and now part of the Tendoshu. Utsuro (original name unknown) was born with the ability to absorb and contain a high amount of Altana within his body, granting him near ageless immortality and high regenerative capabilities. Unfortunately he was persecuted by a wary populace who continuously tried to kill him to no avail, leading to them becoming more fearful and greater attempts to kill him, sparking a vicious cycle. To cope with the constant suffering and death, Utsuro created multiple personalities. He was then placed in prison and forgotten about for decades until he was able to leave when his cell door rotted away. But at the same time, Utsuro's other personalities took over their shared body and decided to kill people, partially as revenge and partially to strive to become human again. He continued being a serial killer until he was caught by the imperial government, who instead of executing him, decided to make him into an assassin, seeing his potential. So he formed and lead the Naraku for 500 years, continuing to slaughter and kill; yet along the way, developing a death wish.

The original personality watched in the background at his blood-thirsty personas and wanted to fight back and resist them. Thus he created another personality, Shouyou. Shouyou suppressed the other personalities, defected from Naraku, took in a child, and with their help opened a school to teach children. It appeared that Shouyou succeeded in living a life without killing and death. Unfortunately with the Naraku searching for him and opening a unique school during the Joui Wars, it seemed inevitable that he will be found. Someone reveals his location to the Naraku, and he is arrested with his school destroyed. Before Shouyou was executed by Gintoki, the original personality decides to act and kills his other personalities, including Shouyou, to become the only mind in his body. He had decided to end all his personalities' suffering and accept that they will continue to suffer forever. So he concludes that he will end all suffering and emptiness.

Utsuro was then revived in front of his former Naraku subordinates, who never knew that their former master was an immortal being who had continuously lead them for centuries. Utsuro was taken to the Tendoushuu where tests were run on him about his immortality and he tells the Amanto group about himself. In exchange for sharing his immortality to the Amanto group, he joins the group as a means to find a way to end his suffering.

Utsuro's clothing of Tendoushuu includes a dark-green cape with feathers on the shoulders and the mask of the Yatagarasu. In later chapters he was shown to wear a black kimono with no mask on. In contrast to Shouyou, he's wearing his hair laid back and has red eyes filled with emptiness. Just like all Naraku assassins, he's carrying a shakujō with a hidden blade inside. The tsuba of his blade has the form of the manji.

Utsuro is rarely shown without a cold, weary smile, which neither shows happiness nor hides sadness.

In the beginning, as a result of experiencing many deaths, Utsuro is shown to be emotionless, even fearless. His longing for death is shown in every appearance, and even though he is immortal, knowing that Kouka, who was immortal as well, died in the end, gave him a little hope. The only thing that awakens his interest is an opponent who seems to be able to kill him, just like Umibouzu. Utsuro is the personification of his name, for even Batou couldn't read his mind at all, since it seemed like an empty, unreadable vessel.

Later in the chapters as his plan begin to unfold, Utsuro shows his more psychopathic and ruthless side as he orchestrate massive destructions to start a universal war to destroy earth and himself. He taunts and sneers at his opponents with gleeful malice as he cuts down anyone who stood in front of him.

Utsuro is mentioned to have jealousy, fear and hatred of humankind, going so far as to form Shouyou as an alternate personality to rein in and control his overwhelming emotions. However, his hatred for humanity ends up winning out over his alternate personality, and he cuts down his mental image of Shouyou during the teacher's execution.

His name, "Utsuro", means "emptiness". His wardrobe is similar to a Tengu (天狗), a hybrid of bird and human represented in Japanese mythology. The tsuba on his katana is shaped as 卍, that is the family crest Yoshida Shōin used, who Shouyou was based on.