BISHAMON

Real Name: Bishamon

Occupation: Leader of the Amatsu-Kami, God of war, justice and law, god of the north

Legal Status: Citizen of Ama

Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of Bishamon except as a mythological character.

Other Aliases: Tamon, Bishamon-temo, Bishamonten

Place of Birth: possibly Kyushu (now part of modern Japan)

Marital Status: Possibly widowed

Known Relatives: Izanagi (father), Marici-Ten-o-hime (mother), Komoku, Jigoku, Zoco (brothers), Kishijoten (sister/wife), Takamimusubi, Tsukiyomi, Susanowo, Kagutsuchi, Emma-O (half-brothers), Amaterasu, Uke-Mochi (half-sisters), Fukrokuju, Daikaiku, Hotei, Jorojin (sons), Benten (possible daughter), Ame-no-Mi-Kumari (niece), Ebisu (granddaughter), Hachiman, Jimmu Tenno, Prince Shotoku (descendants, deceased)

Group Affiliation: The Kami (Gods of Japan), The Shi Tenno (Gods of protection), the Shichi Fukujin (Gods of luck)

Base of Operations: Ama

First Appearance: Ares #5

History: Bishamon is a member of an extra-dimensional race of beings known as the Amatsu-kami who were worshipped as gods by the Ainu, the ancestors of modern people Japan. He was considered the heavenly god of the north among four gods known as the Shi Tenno, who defended the four cardinal compass points of Japan. In later Shinto religion, he was also counted as one of the Shichi Fukujin, seven gods of luck who represented and revealed the gods as symbols of nature representing fortune, magnanimity, candor, dignity, popularity, longevity and amiability. As a god, he was protector of law among gods and mortals. In Buddhist tradition, he was known as Vaisravana, a name he shares with the Hindu god Kubera.

Bishamon took Kishijoten, a goddess of luck, as his wife and fathered the other gods in the Shichi Fukujin. Through his granddaughter, Ebisu, Bishmaon was considered an ancestor of the divine emperors of Japan, including Emperor Jimmu Tenno. In the Sixth Century, one of his descendants, Prince Shotoku of Yamato, called on him in his crusade against anti-Buddhist factions invading Japan.

Unlike the majority of Earth’s gods, Bishamon and the Amatsu-kami have been worshipped by the Japanese well into the Twentieth Century. In recent years, Mikaboshi, the god of evil, recovered the Grasscutter Sword from Earth lost by Susanowo, the storm-god. The sword had been a gift to the Imperial Family of Japan for centuries, but when the empire fell during World War Two, it was hidden away in a heavily guarded temple where Mikaboshi lead demonic armies to acquire it for him. The sword was protected by those samurai who had lost their lives to it, but Thor and the Asgardian Gods eventually freed it. They were unable to safely protect it as Asgard, the home of the Asgardian gods, was frequently invaded by other threats, such as Morgan le Fay, who scattered the relics of Asgard on Earth as she seized the Twilight Sword to remake the Earth to her liking. Thor eventually led the Avengers against Morgan and reclaimed the Twilight Sword.

Using the Grasscutter Sword, Mikaboshi severed Ameno-kihasi-date, the bridge connecting Ama, the home of the Japanese gods, to Earth and unleashed the demons of Yomi upon Ama. Several of the Kami either lost their lives in the bloodshed or were forced into hiding in other dimensions. Bishamon protected a small group of the Kami as they retreated to safety. Mikaboshi then turned his attention to the other gods of Earth and lead an attack on the Olympian gods as the Asgardians gods had already succumbed to Ragnarok or Twilight of the Gods. Acting as a messenger, Inari, the rice-god, soon rallied with Hermes, the Olympian god of messengers, to use trickery and deception in uniting their two pantheons against Mikaboshi. Acting as leader of the Kami by his side, Bishamon and Zeus, the ruler of the Olympian gods, eventually defeated Mikaboshi and restored Ameno-kihasi-date linking Ama to Earth.

In the absence of Izanagi, king of the Amatsu-Kami, Bishamon is the acting ruler of the Japanese gods, but which of the Amatsu-kami have survived and their subsequent whereabouts are is unrevealed.

Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 345 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

Strength Level: Bishamon possesses superhuman strength enabling her to lift (press) 30 tons under optimal conditions.

Known Superhuman Powers: Bishamon possesses the conventional physical attributes of the Amatsu-kami or Gods of Japan. Like all of the Kami, he is extremely long-lived, but he is not immortal like the Olympian gods. He has not aged since reaching adulthood and cannot die by any conventional means. He is immune to all Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If he were somehow wounded, his godly life force would enable him to recover with superhuman speed. It would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of his bodily molecules to cause him a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for a god of significant power, such as Izanagi, Takamimusubi or Susanowo or for a number of Japanese gods of equal power working together to revive him. Though not quite as powerful as the Olympian or Asgardian gods, the Amatsu-kami have greater speed, reflexes and responses. Bishamon also possesses superhuman strength and his Kami metabolism provides him with far greater than human endurance in all physical activities. (Kami flesh and bone is about three times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to the superhuman strength and weight of the Gods of Japan.)

Bishamon also has limited ability to influence positive psychokinetic energies to promote “good luck” around himself and those around him. He can use this ability to benefit himself in combat. He can also be called upon to bestow fortune upon those mystics who know how to call upon him. He is also a powerful warrior with greater stamina and endurance than the rest of the Amatsu-kami, except perhaps for Izanagi and perhaps Takamimusubi or Susanowo.

Abilities: Bishamon is an excellent warrior and leader in the art of combat. His fighting and sword-style incorporates aspects resembling the martial arts.

Weapons: Bishamon carries two swords constructed of an unknown indestructible substance similar to but not identical to Olympian adamantine or Asgardian uru.

Paraphernalia: Bishamon carries a toy pagoda identified as a “tower of treasure.”

Comments: This profile largely describes Bishamon as he has been seen in the Marvel Universe; he has not yet been seen in the DC Universe.

In Japanese myth, Bishamon represented a blue-faced warrior clad in full armor. His attributes include a spear and a pagoda, a symbol of religious devotion.

Clarifications:  Bishamon is not to be confused with:  

Last updated: 10-8-08

 

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