The Conqueror’s Head (Hasha no Kubi 覇者の首)
The Conqueror’s Head is said to appear during times of unrest and revolution. It holds some unknown supernatural power, and it is the mission of the Eternal Assassin (Eien no Shikaku) to seal it for good. Now by episode 1, its suppressed form has appeared in Yokohama, at the hands of a man named Nakaiya; at the same time the current Eternal Assassin, Akizuki Youjirou, has arrived at Yokohama as well...
What's the Head's origins?
According to the explanation given in episode 5, the Head was originally the decapitated head of a bitter enemy of Qin Shi Huang, an ancient Chinese emperor from 221-210 B.C. famous for being the first to unify China. It was so full of hatred and anger, that it gained its own evil spirit and eventually morphed into its current form, always bringing about war and destruction.
It may be the head of one of his famous enemies, Jing Ke, who made a failed assassination attempt on him.
So why is it in Japan?
The explanation is that the purpose of the famous trip one of Qin Shi Huang’s subjects, Xu Fu (known as Jofuku in Japanese) with 3000 virgins to find an elixir of immortality, was really to bury and dispose of the Head in Japan. During this, Xu Fu carried the head in a particular vessel (see below). However, due to the Head's inexhaustible supernatural power, it has reappeared again…
Why does Nakaiya have it?
I'd like to know too. (Once we find out I'll put it in the spoiler part below.)
What's it got to do with the Sword of Moon Tears / Getsuruitou, and the Eternal Assassin/Eien no Shikaku?
Xu Fu was originally supposed to deal with the Head in Japan. But - perhaps because it was unsuccessful - he somehow got a sword forged for him, infused with particular powers that presumably makes it the only sword ever able to cut the Head. This sword is the Getsuruitou, which has an appendage at the end of the hilt that reacts to the supernatural aura of the Head or to things under its power. There are still some mysteries as to how it works, though...
The original Eternal Assassin was descended from one of the 3000 virgins that accompanied Xu Fu on his voyage to Japan. Continuous generations of the Assassins inherit the Getsuruitou, and it is their one and only duty to cut the Head. Physically cutting it alone, like Akizuki did in episode 1, will not suffice - for they must successfully cut through the Head's soul itself.
What does the Head have to do with the history/politics of the show?
For one thing, the Head can easily shift the balance of power. That being said, it is relatively unpredictable and while many historical figures seem to be aware and cautious of its power, none of them seem to be able to control it. A notable exception is Sakamoto Ryouma, who could withstand its influence, but is unfortunately dead now.
Consider that there are 1. the ex-Tokugawa rebels who want to return to power, 2. the newly-arrived government backed by the Imperial Court 3. foreign powers (British siding with the new gvt, French with the rebels) and 4. everyone else. Everyone wants power, and the Head can provide it if controlled properly. Some parties want to control it; while others deem it too dangerous and want to destroy it outright...
Uh, so what does this Head thing do?
Well so far (up till episode 12) we know it can attribute near-demonic power to people, possess them, and it can also send out large ghostly apparitions of terracotta soldiers - which you can see in the OP. Note the connection with the Emperor Qin...
The special vessel
When Xu Fu travelled to Japan, he carried the Head in a special piece of earthenware that presumably has some sort of enhancing or amplifying effect on the Head. It had patterns of a mythical Chinese creature called a xie zhi on it. Please read this excellent entry on Henrietta's old blog to find out more about them.
The vessel can now only be recreated in a small village near Koma (Akizuki's hometown).
So what happens to the Head? (Spoilers from ep 7 onwards, but separated by episode)
Return to Objects page
The Conqueror’s Head is said to appear during times of unrest and revolution. It holds some unknown supernatural power, and it is the mission of the Eternal Assassin (Eien no Shikaku) to seal it for good. Now by episode 1, its suppressed form has appeared in Yokohama, at the hands of a man named Nakaiya; at the same time the current Eternal Assassin, Akizuki Youjirou, has arrived at Yokohama as well...
What's the Head's origins?
According to the explanation given in episode 5, the Head was originally the decapitated head of a bitter enemy of Qin Shi Huang, an ancient Chinese emperor from 221-210 B.C. famous for being the first to unify China. It was so full of hatred and anger, that it gained its own evil spirit and eventually morphed into its current form, always bringing about war and destruction.
It may be the head of one of his famous enemies, Jing Ke, who made a failed assassination attempt on him.
So why is it in Japan?
The explanation is that the purpose of the famous trip one of Qin Shi Huang’s subjects, Xu Fu (known as Jofuku in Japanese) with 3000 virgins to find an elixir of immortality, was really to bury and dispose of the Head in Japan. During this, Xu Fu carried the head in a particular vessel (see below). However, due to the Head's inexhaustible supernatural power, it has reappeared again…
Why does Nakaiya have it?
I'd like to know too. (Once we find out I'll put it in the spoiler part below.)
What's it got to do with the Sword of Moon Tears / Getsuruitou, and the Eternal Assassin/Eien no Shikaku?
Xu Fu was originally supposed to deal with the Head in Japan. But - perhaps because it was unsuccessful - he somehow got a sword forged for him, infused with particular powers that presumably makes it the only sword ever able to cut the Head. This sword is the Getsuruitou, which has an appendage at the end of the hilt that reacts to the supernatural aura of the Head or to things under its power. There are still some mysteries as to how it works, though...
The original Eternal Assassin was descended from one of the 3000 virgins that accompanied Xu Fu on his voyage to Japan. Continuous generations of the Assassins inherit the Getsuruitou, and it is their one and only duty to cut the Head. Physically cutting it alone, like Akizuki did in episode 1, will not suffice - for they must successfully cut through the Head's soul itself.
What does the Head have to do with the history/politics of the show?
For one thing, the Head can easily shift the balance of power. That being said, it is relatively unpredictable and while many historical figures seem to be aware and cautious of its power, none of them seem to be able to control it. A notable exception is Sakamoto Ryouma, who could withstand its influence, but is unfortunately dead now.
Consider that there are 1. the ex-Tokugawa rebels who want to return to power, 2. the newly-arrived government backed by the Imperial Court 3. foreign powers (British siding with the new gvt, French with the rebels) and 4. everyone else. Everyone wants power, and the Head can provide it if controlled properly. Some parties want to control it; while others deem it too dangerous and want to destroy it outright...
Uh, so what does this Head thing do?
Well so far (up till episode 12) we know it can attribute near-demonic power to people, possess them, and it can also send out large ghostly apparitions of terracotta soldiers - which you can see in the OP. Note the connection with the Emperor Qin...
The special vessel
When Xu Fu travelled to Japan, he carried the Head in a special piece of earthenware that presumably has some sort of enhancing or amplifying effect on the Head. It had patterns of a mythical Chinese creature called a xie zhi on it. Please read this excellent entry on Henrietta's old blog to find out more about them.
The vessel can now only be recreated in a small village near Koma (Akizuki's hometown).
So what happens to the Head? (Spoilers from ep 7 onwards, but separated by episode)
Return to Objects page
