Tsugumi Umatachi

馬立（うまたち） ツグミ Tsugumi Umatachi ɯᵝma̠ta̠t͡ɕi t͡sɯᵝɡ̃ɯᵝmi
Tsugumi in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle
Character Titles
Eggplant-Decorating Jockey (RMI) Honest-Acting Pumpkin Auriga (BPoHC)
Information
Species	Youkai(?)
Abilities	Riding on anything at all
Occupation	Fumikado's assistant
Music Themes
ゲットレディー号　～ to_run_around! (RMI) レッツエンド号　～ to run away! (BPoHC)
Appearances
Reactivate Majestical Imperial Stage 2 Midboss, Stage 2 Boss Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle Prologue Playable Character Possible Stage 2 Neutral Boss Possible Stage 3+ Midboss

Tsugumi Umatachi (馬立　ツグミ, Umatachi Tsugumi) is someone hired by Fujiwara no Iyozane to help Taira no Fumikado with their plans to become an emperor.

General Information

Prior to working with Iyozane and Fumikado, Tsugumi used to be a researcher who worked on breeding vegetables. One day, Tsugumi came across the fliers that Iyozane had been posting around the Human Village and, thinking that Iyozane was going to be their boss, applied for the position.

Personality

Tsugumi is a very responsible youkai that uses coarse language, appearing to be a foil to Iyozane's airheaded, jovial nature. They speak in a heavy Kansai dialect. Though they have a quick temper and their attitude is rough, they are actually a very humble person and value hard work.

Species

It is not entirely clear what species Tsugumi belongs to, but they are most likely not human. As suggested in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle, where Mitsumo calls the New Emperor Team "a pack of inhuman beings", which Fumikado denies for Iyozane but not themself nor Tsugumi. They are listed as an "eggplant jockey" (お歳暮ジョッキー, oseibou jokkii) and a "harvest festival jockey" (収穫祭ジョッキー, shuukakusai jokkii) respectively in their Reactivate Majestical Imperial and Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle official profiles, both referencing the plant Tsugumi rode in the game along with their role as the "jockey" to their mounts.

In Reactivate Majestical Imperial, the term "Oseibo" (お歳暮, oseibou) is used in relation to the eggplant. Oseibo refers to both the traditional Japanese end-of-year gift-giving practice to show one's gratitude, as well as the gifts themselves. It is one of two such practices in Japan, the other being "Ochugen" (お中元, ochuugen), which takes place in the middle of each year and is often integrated into Obon festival practises. However, eggplants are not typical gifts for either Oseibo or Ochugen. Instead, the eggplant association comes from the Obon festival custom of crafting shouryou-uma (精霊馬, lit. "spirit horse"), which represent animals for the souls of departed relatives to ride on. Typically, a cucumber is used to make a horse for a swift return home from Hell, while an eggplant is used to make a cow for slow trip back.

In Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle, the term "Harvest Festival" is used in relation to the pumpkin. Harvest festivals commonly take place around Autumn, which are when pumpkins are ready for harvest.

Abilities

Riding on anything at all

Tsugumi has the ability to turn anything they sit on into a vehicle. In Reactivate Majestical Imperial they sit on an obon eggplant, and in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle, they sit on a propelled pumpkin. According to JynX, they tried to use their ability to transform it into a pumpkin carriage, Cinderella-style. But for some reason, it transformed into a rocket-propelled pumpkin instead. However, they are unable to ride anything that is beyond the scope of their own powers, such as objects that are too large or too powerful.

Background Information

Origin

Tsugumi appears to be a homage to Johnny Joestar due to similar personalities as well as clothing design. However, when asked about this comparison, JynX claimed that it was unintentional, and that designing Tsugumi with horse jockeys would lead to such a comparison.

Name

Their full name is Tsugumi Umatachi (馬立　ツグミ). "Tsugumi" (ツグミ) is the Japanese word for thrush, a type of bird. "Umatachi" (馬立) means "getting on a horse".

According to JynX, "Tsugumi" is written as "噤美" in Chinese. 噤 means "to shut one's mouth and keep silent" or "to have one's teeth chatter from shivering", while 美 means "beauty", "beautiful", "delicious", "to beautify" or "to praise". While 噤美 is not a standard vocabulary, it may mean "silent beauty".

Design

Tsugumi has short blond hair and yellow eyes. They wear a strange jockey hat with a magnet and goggles on it. They also have a purple shirt with a white star over a long white shirt and blue pants. They have black bat-like wings on their back. The eggplant that Tsugumi rides on is part of an Obon tradition, in which one decorates eggplants and cucumbers to resemble cows and horses. The makeshift steeds are meant to symbolize the spirits of one's ancestors riding into the afterlife.

Appearances

Tsugumi in RMI

Reactivate Majestical Imperial

Tsugumi was hired to herd the spirits by Fujiwara no Iyozane, in order to use them to resurrect Taira no Masakado. On the way to the Gloomy Straits, they run into the heroes who proceed to make fun of their appearance. Offended, they attack the heroes, but they are defeated.

Main article: Reactivate Majestical Imperial: Yabusame and Tsubakura's Scenario

While Yabusame and Tsubakura are flying across the river, they’re ambushed by Tsugumi, who orders them to go home since they’re interrupting their job to collect the spirits. Yabusame is hungry and wants to eat the big eggplant Tsugumi is riding. In order to protect their vehicle, Tsugumi attacks them, but is defeated.

Main article: Reactivate Majestical Imperial: Yaorochi and Sukune's Scenario

Like in the previous scenario, Tsugumi asks the heroes to go home, since their presence disrupts the spirits. Sukune asks if they are the mastermind, but Yaorochi notices that Tsugumi is just a mook. Offended and wanting to finish their job already, Tsugumi attacks them, but is defeated.

Main article: Reactivate Majestical Imperial: Kuroji and Saragimaru's Scenario

Tsugumi encounters Kuroji and Saragimaru, who proceed to make fun of the eggplant they are riding. Kuroji comments that such a big eggplant would be very valuable and proceeds to fight Tsugumi in order to get it. After the fight, Kuroji loses interest and flies away.

Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle

Tsugumi in BPoHC as a player

Tsugumi becomes a playable character in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle and teams up with Fujiwara no Iyozane and Taira no Fumikado. Having been promised a reward by a desperate Iyozane (who is starting to regret allying with Fumikado), Tsugumi tags along with their group. They may also appear as a possible stage 2 boss on the neutral route.

Relationships

Fujiwara no Iyozane

In addition to being Fujiwara no Iyozane's supervisor/partner, they're also their friend whom they sometimes bicker with. They both have trouble understanding Fumikado's ambitions, but obey them nonetheless.

Taira no Fumikado

Tsugumi only serves Fumikado because they were hired by them to do so. The two have been depicted having snark conversations and while normally Fumikado doesn't tolerate insults or sarcastic comments at their persona, they normally tolerate Tsugumi. It's implied that unlike Iyozane, who serves Fumikado out of ambition, Tsugumi serves them out of business.

Members of the Youkai Alliance (Kujiru, Kaisen, Garaiya, Para, Chouki)

Unlike Iyozane and Fumikado, Tsugumi has never had any contact with about the alliance prior to the events of Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle, nor did they know anything about the alliance other than its existence.

Hibaru Kokutenshi

Tsugumi claims that Hibaru once left them for dead long ago, and seems to harbour a grudge towards Hibaru for this.

Tsurubami Senri, Tenkai Zuifeng & The Senri Shrine

Notably, both Xeno a and Suzumi Kuzu have noted that Tsugumi had once "meddled with Tsurubami's affairs" in the past, implying that there is some sort of vitriolic relationship between Tsugumi and Tsurubami.
While Tsugumi's relationship with Tenkai was not elaborated upon, they are shown to harbour a grudge towards Tenkai and it is likely that they knew each other from the same event.
Tsugumi also seems to have some sort of aversion to the Senri Shrine itself, preferring to stay away from it and declaring their desire to beat Yabusame and Tsubakura after learning that they were the new priests, despite not having any personal grudge with them.

Various Residents of Mugenri (Jun Amanomiya, Souko Shirami)

While it is unclear how they relate to Tsugumi, it is shown that Tsugumi at least knows of them.

Additional Information

Anigif of Tsugumi

• Interestingly, it is mentioned that Tsugumi was not raised in Japan.
• A regional name for the dusky thrush in the Kanto region is chouma (鳥馬), literally meaning "bird horse". This may be the inspiration behind Tsugumi's jockey theme.
• Tsugumi's spell card background features silhouettes of cranes, possibly foreshadowing and hinting at their relationship with Tsurubami Senri, later first revealed in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle.
• Tsugumi lacks a common phrase in their theme that most people associated with the Youkai Alliance have, this is because they were hired by Fumikado and Iyozane, instead of joining on their own accord.
• Tsugumi's boss sprite animation is one of the most unique in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle. It isn't based on any portrait as it is shown constantly spinning and moving in an unusual way, unlike other bosses.
• Tsugumi is the only character in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle whose skills changed between the trial and full versions.
• Tsugumi is good at making vegetable curry and Japanese pickled vegetables (漬物, tsukemono).

Gallery

• 

  Illustration of Tsugumi with Fumikado and Iyozane for Len'en Project's 2nd anniversary.[1]

Spell Cards

Spell Cards

Name	Translated	Comments	Games	Stage
Total: 11
廻命「回転木馬」	Revolving Life "Merry-Go-Round"		RMI BPoHC	St. 2: E/N
廻生「レディーゴーアラウンド」	Reincarnation "Ready-Go-Around"	Bomb	RMI BPoHC BPoHC	St. 2: H/U St. 2: H/U Use
回獄「ロウディオウヘル」	Spinning Hell "Rodeo Hell"		RMI	St. 2: E/N
「翻弄永久機関」	"Perpetual Toss-About Machine"		RMI	St. 2: H/U
蹄牌「純潔遺伝子」	Hoof Card "Pure Genes"		RMI BPoHC	St. 2: E/N St. 2: E/N
異牌「スローブレッド」	Differing Card "Thoroughbred"		RMI BPoHC	St. 2: H/U St. 2: H/U
「チープインパクト」	"Cheap Impact"	Flash bomb	RMI BPoHC BPoHC	St. 2: E/N St. 2: E/N Use
「ディバインパクト」	"Diva Impact"		RMI BPoHC	St. 2: H/U St. 2: H/U
カボチャロケット	Pumpkin Rocket		BPoHC	Upgrade
黄色い片瞳	One Yellow Eye		BPoHC	Upgrade
劣悪遺伝子	Low-Quality Genes		BPoHC	Upgrade

Notes

Official Profiles

Official profiles

Reactivate Majestical Imperial - Official Profiles

〇２面ボス　茄子を綾なす騎手 　　馬立 ツグミ（うまたち　つぐみ） 　　Umatachi Tsugumi 　　種族：お歳暮ジョッキー 　　能力：ありとあらゆる物を乗りこなす的な能力 　　とある人物に雇われて、霊を所定の場所に追い立てるという、 　　牧羊犬のようなことをしている。 　　多々ツッコミどころが多い奴だが、そもそも日本育ちじゃない。 　　色々と日本を間違えて認識してる、ニンジャー！ 　　コイツを見かけた誰もが口にする。 　　『ボケなす』と。

◯ Stage 2 Boss — Eggplant-Decorating Jockey Tsugumi Umatachi Species: Eggplant Jockey Ability: Something like riding anything at all They were hired by a certain person to herd the spirits into a certain place. Their job is basically like that of a sheepdog. They have a lot of points that a straight man makes fun of, starting with not being raised in Japan when they were a kid. This is why they have a lot of mistakes about it, Ninjas! Everyone who sees them calls them "stupid eggplant".

Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle - Official Profiles

義者張る南瓜のアウリガ 馬立　ツグミ Umatachi Tsugumi ●種族 収穫祭ジョッキー ●能力 あらゆる物を乗りこなす 　　　　　　　　　的な能力 伊代真に雇われている謎のジョッキー。 エセ関西弁とカボチャロケットを巧みに操る。 報酬を貰うために未だに他の二人に付き合っているが、 ビジネスライクな関係で、別に忠誠心があるわけじゃない。 本当はカボチャの馬車を作りたかったらしいが、 何かの手違いでロケットエンジンになった。

Honest-Acting Pumpkin Auriga Tsugumi Umatachi ●Species: Harvest festival jockey ●Abilities: Something like riding anything at all A mysterious jockey hired by Iyozane. They're a skillful user of both awkward pseudo-Kansai dialect and their pumpkin rocket. Although they are still following the other two in order to get payment for their work, it's a business-like relationship and they're not particularly loyal or anything. Apparently, they wanted to make a pumpkin carriage, but it became a rocket engine by some kind of bizarre mistake.

Notes

Official Sources

Official sources

• 2014/10/09 Reactivate Majestical Imperial - Official Profiles, Stage 2 Boss
• 2016/12/01 Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle - Official Profiles, Prologue, New Emperor Team scenarios, Possible Stage 2 Boss