Shikaku

Shikaku
Kana	シカク
Rōmaji	Shikaku
Debuts
Manga Debut	Chapter 363 (appearance) Chapter 376 (name)
Characteristics
Gender	Male
State	Deceased
General Status
Previous Affiliation	Benjamin Hui Guo Rou Kakin Empire Halkenburg Hui Guo Rou
Previous Occupation	Private Soldier for Prince Benjamin Hui Guo Rou Royal Bodyguard for Prince Halkenburg Hui Guo Rou
Nen
Type	Manipulation
Abilities	Culdcept

Shikaku (シカク, Shikaku) was a high-ranking soldier in the Royal Army of the Kakin Empire, and one of the personal soldiers of Prince Benjamin.

Appearance

Shikaku had fair hair with a single lock falling to his forehead. He wore the standard Kakin military attire of zipper jacket, pants, and dark combat boots. He wore an earpiece in his left ear.

Personality

Shikaku was deeply loyal to Benjamin, to the point of being willing to confront 9^th Prince Halkenburg despite being terrified by the latter's overwhelmingly powerful aura. On that occasion, he proved himself capable of rapidly calming himself in a bind.

Background

As one of the First Prince's soldiers, Shikaku graduated from Kakin's Royal Military Academy and became a part of his army.

Plot

Succession Contest arc

After returning to his quarters in Room 1001 after the departure ceremony on the first day of the voyage, 1^st Prince Benjamin orders his 14 personal soldiers to both act as bodyguards and spies to all the other princes, swapping shift with the guards working for his mother 1^st Queen Unma, and to report any information regarding the Princes' Guardian Spirit Beasts and the Hunters' abilities. Shikaku is assigned to guard 9^th Prince Halkenburg in Room 1009.

Shikaku immobilized with fear by Prince Halkenburg's Guardian Spirit Beast's power

On the third day of the voyage, Halkenburg decides to lead his men in having a moment of silence for 12^th Prince Momoze, who died the night of the first day, and gathers them around him near Room 1009's entrance. Shikaku notes Halkenburg's Guardian Spirit Beast perched on his shoulders. Suddenly, a tremendous wave of aura is released from the group, accompanied by a strong rumbling. Shikaku immediately focuses and discerns that the unison of action and mindset of Halkenburg and his men was the cause of the surge, concluding that the group formed a symbiotic fellowship. Shikaku is frightened by the sudden surge in aura and immediately decides to contact Benjamin for instructions, believing that he had been suddenly presented with the possibly only chance to kill Halkenburg, before him and his men became aware of their ability, and assuming that Benjamin had noticed the aura as well.

While waiting for Benjamin's response, Shikaku continues to focus on the situation in front of him. He shifts his stance, preparing to kill Halkenburg after the moment of silence when their aura weakens, expecting that their ability would collapse without Halkenburg. He remains cognizant of Halkenburg's Guardian Spirit Beast, having noticed that it knows he can use Nen and is always alert of him, and unsure how it would respond if he approached Halkenburg with the clear intent to kill. Shikaku expects that it would shoot its feathers at him to mark him with, and recalls that although Unma's guard Orzny on another shift had received the mark with the others, he only lost his memory of being marked, and the mark itself had not remained on him, indicating that the attack had no permanent effect on those without loyalty to Halkenburg, allowing Shikaku to conclude that its attack is not a coercive manipulative ability, rather, memory revision from a manipulator attack.

From this, Shikaku concludes that Halkenburg's Guardian Spirit Beast is an Enhancer, vested with a manipulative attack because of influence from Halkenburg's nature and ability. He concludes that it is not a strong manipulator and cannot coerce, rather, it can delete and tamper with memories, and considers the possibility that it is counteractive in order to better affect memories. The possibility of a counteractive ability gives Shikaku pause, making him aware of the possibility that his target might be overwritten as Benjamin and that he would not be able to trust his own memory after a counterattack, if he was even aware of being attacked after it. After this train of thought, Shikaku concludes that it was unwise to attack Halkenburg while his Guardian Spirit Beast's ability was not definitively known, and decides that he needs at least one or two others to witness its attack.

Shikaku's earpiece crackles to life and Benjamin asks Shikaku if the aura was Halkenburg's. Shikaku confirms that it was, and adds that it was a symbiotic type. Benjamin asks Shikaku if he can kill Halkenburg, but Shikaku replies that he could not, and that he needed two people to verify information, and would explain more later.

Shikaku under the Prince's command

Halkenburg's moment of silence concludes, and he leaves his room for King Nasubi's chambers, to make an appeal to him to stop the succession contest. Shikaku reports the matter to Benjamin, and follows Halkenburg along with five of his guards, only to be turned away by the guards at the VVIP passage. Halkenburg promises to continue returning each day, and Shikaku escorts Halkenburg as he does so for two more days.

On the sixth day of the voyage and the fourth day of Halkenburg's attempts to appeal, Shikaku hears someone asking him to respond through his earpiece and rouses. He sits up in his bed in Room 1009's servants' quarters and groggily reports that he was in Room 1009, and that Halkenburg had gone to deliver his petition to Nasubi. He confirms that it was odd that he was sleeping while Halkenburg was out, realizes that Halkenburg's Nen beast had attacked, noting that the mark might have already faded. He is surprised to hear of Halkenburg's attempt at revolution, pointing out that Halkenburg had withdrew from the battle as he rushes though Room 1009's living room to its master bedroom. He finds it empty, and reports that Halkenburg and all his men had left, and that he would immediately head to Nasubi's quarters. While Benjamin tells him that the King is safe, Shikaku senses an aura behind him, and turns to see Halkenburg and his men surrounded in aura walking through Room 1009's entrance. Benjamin reports that Halkenburg had gone to kill Nasubi but failed, and the matter was passed off as a drill. Benjamin warns Shikaku that Halkenburg had steeled himself, had awakened, and would go all-out from then on, before ordering Shikaku to prioritize Halkenburg's elimination, and procure his ability.

Shikaku sees Halkenburg gesture the drawing of a bow and aim at him, and activates his own Yugioh: Culdecept in response. He sends the signal to indicate that he is in battle, and holds Culdecept in front of him, ready to intercept Halkenburg's shot. Halkenburg releases his shot, sending an aura arrow through both Shikaku's Culdecept and Shikaku himself. Shikaku barely has time to register the strength of Halkenburg's ability, before he collapses to the ground. Shortly after, aura surrounds Shikaku's body, and he stands up, possessed by Halkenburg's man Sumidori.

"Shikaku" shoots himself

Halkenburg spends the next few days investigating his ability. While in Shikaku's body, Sumidori reports not feeling Shikaku's presence with him. Halkenburg suggests four possibilities about what happened to Shikaku's consciousness: it could have been destroyed, resulting in his death; it has moved to Sumidori's body; it could be latent in his own body; it is somewhere or in someone else. On the ninth day, to further investigate the ability, Sumidori pilots Shikaku's body in front of 7^th Prince Luzurus' room. After Room 1007 responds, a Sumidori-possessed Shikaku loudly proclaims Benjamin and shoots himself in the head. Having listened to Shikaku's communications, Balsamilco immediately reports the matter to Benjamin, and they agree that Halkenburg has become the most dangerous Prince. Sumidori's body reawakens, and finds that it has been restrained.

Elsewhere that same day, as Rihan guards 5^th Prince Tubeppa, he wonders if being assigned to her instead of Halkenburg is the right move. He tries to reconcile Balsamilco's instructions to be patient with his own perspective that they were being too cautious after Shikaku's suicide.

On the eleventh day, when Benjamin learns that Balsamilco could have been hit by Halkenburg's coercive manipulation ability, he thinks back to what Balsamilco had said when Shikaku was hit by it, where manipulation is "first come, first served." Still, he considers that it might not apply in this situation given that Halkenburg's ability was a powerful Nen formed by a unified group working collectively.

Later that day, after a Halkenburg-possessed-Balsamilco reports to Benjamin that Halkenburg had vomited and was taken to the hospital on Tier 3, Halkenburg mentally reviews his ability, thinking about how their experiment with Shikaku and Sumidori had helped them confirm what happens when the body of the possessor dies, that only one of the swapped minds can be awake at a time, and the priority of who is awake.

Abilities & Powers

Shikaku has received military training. He has given proof of remarkable analytical abilities.

Nen

Shikaku was a Manipulator. He was proficient enough in the field to have created a Nen ability. He can also use Hatsu to manipulate himself so as to prevent himself from falling under the control of another Manipulator. His theoretical knowledge encompasses counteractive and symbiotic abilities, as well as the "first come, first serve" rule of Manipulators, which is not common knowledge, at least among the First Prince's private soldiers. Nonetheless, his superior Balsamilco fears that he is less knowledgeable than Hunters in the field of Nen.

Shikaku's Nen Type: Manipulation
Type: Unknown	Culdcept (遊戯王(カルドセプト), Karudoseputo, lit. "King of Games")
	Culdcept allows Shikaku to "procure" another Nen user's ability. He initiates it by joining his hands in front of himself, generating a flash of light, then he forms a rectangle with his thumbs and index fingers. As he spreads them out diagonally, a rectangle of aura is created between his fingers, becoming darker and darker in color. After the second change in shade, the preparations appear to be complete for him to turn the target's ability into a "card". The only time it was seen in action, Culdcept was activated while Halkenburg Hui Guo Rou was readying his own ability. Contrary to Shikaku's expectations, contact of the arrow with his aura screen did not result in him taking the Prince's ability due to its power to pierce all defenses. Following Shikaku's death, this ability was inherited by Prince Benjamin.

Battles

Battles
Succession Contest arc: Shikaku vs. Halkenburg Hui Guo Rou and his bodyguards

Manga Appearances

Succession Contest arc
340. Special Mission	Absent
341. Threats	Absent
342. Challenge	Absent
343. Invitation	Absent
344. Author	Absent
345. Signature	Absent
346. Options	Absent
347. Inauguration	Absent
348. Resolve	Absent
349. Worm Toxin	Absent
350. Prince	Absent
351. Battle to the Death	Absent
352. Troublesome	Absent
353. Cold-Blooded	Absent
354. Heat	Absent
355. Detonation	Absent
356. Unfortunate: Part 1	Absent
357. Unfortunate: Part 2	Absent
358. Eve	Absent
359. Departure	Absent
360. Parasite	Absent
361. Withdraw	Absent
362. Resolve	Absent
363. Nen Beast	Debut
364. Speculation	Absent
365. Choice	Absent
366. To Each His Own	Absent
367. Synchronization	Absent
368. Foul Play	Absent
369. Limits	Absent
370. Observation	Absent
371. Mission	Absent
372. Disappearance	Absent
373. Inheritance	Absent
374. Ability	Absent
375. Persuasion	Appears
376. Determination	Appears
377. Scheme	Absent
378. Balance	Absent
379. Collaboration	Absent
380. Alarm	Absent
381. Predation	Absent
382. Awakening	Appears
383. Escape	Absent
384. War	Absent
385. Warning	Absent
386. Hypothesis	Soul
387. Recreation	Absent
388. Reflection	Mentioned
389. Curse	Flashback
390. Clash: Part 1	Absent
391. Clash: Part 2	Absent
392. Information	Absent
393. Plea	Absent
394. Hypothesis	Absent
395. Founding: Part 1	Absent
396. Founding: Part 2	Absent
397. Founding: Part 3	Absent
398. Search	Absent
399. Expulsion	Absent
400. Secrecy	Absent
401. Moonlight	Absent
402. Letter	Absent
403. Results	Mentioned
404. Speculation	Flashback
405. Performance	Absent
406. Regalia	Absent
407. Negotiation	Absent
408. Negotiation: Part 2	Absent
409. Negotiation: Part 3	Absent
410. Negotiation: Part 4	Absent

Trivia

• Shikaku may be named after the omonymous puzzle, which would be in keeping with the game theme of his Nen ability.
  • Shikaku's name also roughly translates to "four angles", which reflects his card-inspired Nen ability and head shape.
  • Additional translations, depending on how his name is written, are "blind spot" and "assassin".

Intertextuality and References

• The first name of Shikaku's Nen ability is derived from the strategy videogame Culdcept, while the second is derived from the Japanese name of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise.
  • The Viz translation explicitly acknowledged the connection by rendering the second name as "Yugioh".

Translations around the World

Language		Name
Chinese		希卡库/希卡庫* (Xī kǎ kù)