Rokou

Rokou
Personal Information
Full Name	Rokou Cho
Biographical Information
Birthplace	Eiyou, Konan
Age	19 (Yukiyasha Den) 22 (OVA 2)
Status	Alive
Occupation	Shop manager
Physical Information
Gender	Male
Eye Color	Light brown
Hair Color	Dark blue
Affiliation
Known Relatives	Nuriko (Younger Brother) Korin (Younger Sister) (deceased) Teishin Cho (Father) Ryouan Cho (Mother) Sojun Cho (Uncle) Fuyoh Cho (Aunt) (deceased)
Group(s)	Nan Ban Dai Cho Celestial Warriors of Suzaku
Beast God/Other	Buddha
Additional Information
Rank	High Born Merchant
Debut
Episode	OVA 2 - Episode 2
Chapter	Fushigi Yuugi: Volume 16, Chapter 91

Rokou Chou is the older brother of Nuriko and Korin. As heir to the Chou Family business, he spends his days keeping shop and managing the Chou household. He appears in Yukiyasha Den, in the last four volumes of the Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Play manga, and in the 2nd OVA.

Appearance

Rokou strongly resembles both of his siblings, possessing the signature dark purple hair of the Chou family, although it appears blue in the shadows and select scenes in the anime. He has blue-grey eyes, a fair complexion, and wears his hair long with fringe. In the manga, it is noted Rokou is taller than Nuriko. He even comments on his lack of physical strength, which is signified by his thinner frame.

During the day, Rokou ties his hair up into a bun, which he covers with a yellow hair scarf. He is seen wearing a light blue shirt with yellow trim on the sleeves. Over his undershirt, he dons a navy robe with orange and light pink trim and a purple sash wrapped around his waist. At night, Rokou ties his hair loosely over his left shoulder and wears a light blue robe with white trim on the collar and a thin black sash.

Personality

"They said you died honorably. They say you peacefully rest in the snow. But why? Why can't I bring myself to accept the fact that you're dead?"

—Rokou

Nuriko defending Rokou with Korin

According to Nuriko, Rokou is a coward who always depends on others. As a child, the shy and weak Rokou was relentlessly bullied for his lack of conviction and both of his siblings always came to his rescue.

As the eldest of the Chou family, he diligently helps run the family business in the textile district of Eiyou. He is also expected to be the mature and stronger one. But after enduring the deaths of his siblings, Rokou becomes a deeply sad and broken young man who, in true Chou fashion, refuses to let go of his loved ones due to the immense pain it would bring him. Despite this, Rokou continuously prays to Nuriko's spirit to give him strength, believing he has none of his own.

In the anime, he blames the Suzaku Seven for his brother's death and believes Nuriko's memory was dishonored when he was "buried alone in a frozen wasteland." Without a proper burial or the opportunity to view Nuriko's body, Rokou feels he has been denied a key portion of the grieving process and finds it difficult to move on.In the manga, Rokou is pleasant and friendly toward the Suzaku warriors, only growing cold when a personal or professional boundary is crossed.

Although grief has hardened him, Rokou finds strength in Buddha, instead of the Beast Gods that "stole" his brother's life away. He covets a crystal ball, seeing it as his only connection to and a stand-in for his late brother. Unbeknownst to him, the keepsake contains Nuriko's memory jewel.

Story

Yukiyasha Den

"I wanted to prove to you and show you that I could be a big brother to you. But before I could you were gone!"

—Rouko to Nuriko, OVA 2

Rokou makes a brief appearance at the end of Nuriko's light novel, Yukiyasha Den. When Nuriko makes his way through Eiyou on his way to the imperial harem, he spots Rokou in the crowded street. The warrior ponders over whether or not he should approach his brother but ultimately, he makes the choice to stay silent and continue on.

Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Play & OVA 2

"Maybe I became a little stronger... a little more like you!"

—Rokou to Nuriko, Chapter 93

Rokou appears at the end of the second episode of the 2nd OVA. Picking up two years after Nuriko's death, he prays to the crystal ball on an alter, a servant calls his name and the episode cuts to the ending theme.

In the manga, Miaka, Chichiri, Tasuki, and Hotohori's spirit are searching for Nuriko's spirit and jewel of memory when Miaka spots Rokou in the crowded streets of Eiyou. After the group mistakes him for Nuriko, Rokou invites them into the Chou family home to burn incense and say a prayer for his late brother. Nuriko's spirit appears and the group reacts with excitement, confusing Rokou, who cannot see spirits. When their attention is drawn to the crystal ball, Rokou explains its significance before Miaka and the warriors elect to break it. But Rokou refuses. When Taka suddenly appears, he sides with Rokou, eager to find a way to retrieve the jewel without destroying the keepsake. Pleased with this compromise, Rokou invites them to stay with the conditions that they do not touch the crystal ball or disturb the customers in the fabric shop below. He also lends Taka some new, period-accurate clothes.

In the anime, only Chichiri and Tasuki visit Rokou's home. He allows the two warriors to burn incense for Nuriko, but the solemn moment is interrupted by Tasuki's laughter when he spots Nuriko's spirit mocking their host. Blind to his brother's spirit form, Rokou takes offense to this. Tasuki and Chichiri panic and quickly try to break the crystal. But Rokou stands his ground and kicks the warriors out of his home, accusing them of not only stealing the crystal but Nuriko's life as well. With the jewel located but no means of retrieving it, the warriors break into the home a week later with Taka, Miaka, and the spirits of their fellow warriors.

The events of both the anime and the manga sync up when the group sneaks into the alter room. Tasuki is hesitant to burn the crystal ball with his Tessen, but Nuriko's spirit assures him that Rokou has to come to terms with his grief and grants him permission. But when the crystal is placed in Taka's hands, a demon suddenly possesses him. The commotion wakes Rokou, who storms into the hall and sees the demon. Fearing for his life, he seizes the crystal ball and takes a carriage to a temple for protection. There, while he prays to Buddha, Nuriko's armbands mysteriously appear before him. Nuriko's spirit uses his phantom strength to knock Rokou out and haul his brother and the jewel back to his home.

Rokou and Nuriko

As the Suzaku Seven fight to defeat the demon possessing Taka, Rokou is frozen with fear. Nuriko's spirit begs him to help restrain Taka during the painful exorcism, but he doubts his own strength. In the anime, an exacerbated and furious Chiriko attempts to possess Rokou to make him help. Both Chiriko and Rokou scream in pain when the possession fails, as Rokou's heart is not open to the warrior's spirit. Chiriko yells at Rokou for his cowardliness, finding it ironic that he is the one still alive but cannot find the courage to act.

Just when the pain becomes too much for Taka and he is about to bite his tongue, Rokou extends his arm for him to bite instead. Suddenly, Nuriko's spirit is revealed to Rokou and the two reunite after years apart. After the demon is exorcized, in tears, Rokou confesses he viewed the crystal as an extension of Nuriko when he was denied the opportunity to grieve properly. He questions whether he can still be the sibling he had envisioned himself becoming, and Nuriko reassures him that he has always been his older brother and he is even stronger now.

In the anime, Rokou then orders his servants to prepare the spare rooms for the group. In Miaka and Taka's room, Miiru suddenly appears and attacks them. But Taka retaliates with an unexpected chi/qi blast and Tenkou intervenes, transforming the room into a portal to the demon realm. Rokou and the Suzaku Seven rush to investigate. When the conflict is over, the room returns to its original state.

In the manga, Miiru does not appear and Rokou is last seen with the group following Taka's possession. He watches in awe as Miaka and Taka are transported back to Tokyo, realizing that the Priestess of Suzaku is, indeed, from another world. Rokou then parts ways with the group, and Nuriko feels secure in his belief that his brother is no longer holding onto the past, but looking ahead.

Trivia

• The crystal ball keepsake is used during the Chuugen Festival. This festival, also known as the Ghost Festival (中元節) in China, involves paying respects to ancestors. According to Nuriko, the spirits of the dead return and live inside these crystal balls for the duration of the festival.