Norachiyo

Norachiyo is the main character of Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai by Hiroyuki Takei. He is a stray cat who is wandering to find his final resting place

Character
Norachiyo is a white cat with black hair, tied up to what resembles a sushi. His fur also creates a goatee. His most noticeable feature is a cross shaped scar on his eye.

Norachiyo wears a black kimono wrapped with a white belt with tan sandals.

When Norachiyo was a young kitten, he had short hair, he was forced to wear a pink and white female kimono, a cat collar bell and pink bow was tied to his head.

Personality
Norachiyo is a very complex individual. While being a generally antisocial to the point of not wanting to going into town to avoid crowds, he is shown to be somewhat generous and considerate in a way, as he helped plow the fields for a poor father and daughter cat. His softer side also consists of feeling sorry for putting Short and Shishiwaka through his troubles.

He has, however, been shown to be very brutal when facing his enemies, never hesitating to kill them when they throw the first punch. Humorously, he even showed a wooden for hook stick right up a swordsfeline's anus as revenge for attacking him behind his back.

He does, however, go by a strict belief taught by his master to what sees as being a stray; in that he does not do anyone favors, he never reveals his secrets, nor beg. He even swatted his sword at two tom cats (who ratted him out to the local landlord) away for thanking, when he made it clear that he was not doing anyone favors.

In comical moments, he is shown to enjoy taking part in debauchery, constantly taking catnip and attempting to mate with female cats that he finds attractive. The reason for the former, however, is due to the fact that he suffers from hallucinations of the very man he killed. he frequently takes this drug to inhibit further hallucinations until their effects wear off, leading him to take more of it.

Past
Norachiyo used to live with his master in a large house. His master was killed by a unknown person known as "The Red Warrior". He began to wander for his final resting place with his sword, Kotatsu. Along the way, he was taught to fight by Shiriya Abyhei.

Volume 1
Noraciyo is stopped by a band of cats lead by Katahachi. They attempt to take his sword. The gang is killed by a single stroke of Norachiyo's sword

He arrives in a small town. He is greeted with criticism about his sword which had the symbol of a kept cat, who thought he was hired by the landlord. He reassures the townsfolk that it is just a memento. Omike, the waiter of the tea house offers him some food.

He then irrigates some land, as he has found it unsuitable. He and Omike are soon captured by the landlord, Siamechika. They are surrounded by Katahachi's henchmen. He then proceeds to attack the cats.

Norachiyo single handily killed 28 henchmen then he killed Siamchika. He then continues to wander to the next town.

He then wanders into the next town, where he is stopped by Amemura Short. They take his sword and Norachiyo tries to get it back. Short then proceeds to tell them about a catnip drug that he is going to convert the sword into. Norachiyo then hallucinates that the gang and Short as the Red Warrior.

He takes back the sword and then proceeds to kill the rest of the gang but Short then travels to a shrine. He then eats a sparrow on holy ground, which is forbidden. Short tried to kill him in his sleep but then he wakes and tries to kill him but was stabbed in the back by Norwe Shishiwaka.

He then tries to speak but only musters out the words "Help me please!"

He escapes by spitting blood into Shishiwaka's eyes. He then escapes and rolls down a hill where he is laying there. He is kicked by kids, urinated on by dogs and eventually is poured sake on by a priest. He then regains some of his strength and hides in litter box and then he attacks Shishiwaka. He then continues to wander after seeking refugee at the priest's home. But he is watched by a female ninja.

Volume 2
Norachiyo is confronted by a black cat ninja named Mukuro. Mukuro explains that the is from the Clowder of Extraordinary Cats. Norachiyo is suspicious of Mukuro, stating that he's never heard of the apparent group. Mukuro becomes annoyed and attacks Norachiyo. He unclothes himself, stating that he wants to 'lay' her. Mukuro continues to attack him. He breaks Mukuro's leg and punches her in the face. Mukuro escapes using a stump replacement.

He is found in an awkward position by Short. Short exclaims that he's come for his revenge for his gang. Norachiyo punches in Short's gut. He is then stopped by Short, asking why he didn't kill him. Norachiyo explains is that Short is not a idiot. Short replies that that was a horrible reason. Norachiyo stops to have his hallucinations act up again, he is now sees Short as the Red Warrior. He begins fighting Short. Short was then mauled to the point of death by Norachiyo. Short reminds him of his master. Norachiyo accidentally slightly stabs Short's head. Norachiyo figures out that Short's father's owner is the apparent Red Warrior. He then continues to fight Short, Short retaliates and knocks him out and Short passes out. He is found by Little-Fold and Mukuro.

Volume 3
Norachiyo wakes up with Short in the teahouse. Omike is happy to see them and Norachiyo says that she owes him.

He appears again after Shishiwaka and Short defeat Hyoe. He listens to the story of Shishiwaka and states that they should just go straight to Rican's castle. But they are stopped by Shiriya Abyhei. The two fight, but Abyhei's 'Jumanji' technique breaks Kotatsu in half. He is in shock and is defeated by Abyhei. He wakes up, cold and wet. Short and Shishiwaka explain how they escaped. Norachiyo apologizes for putting them through his troubles and begins to explain his story.

Master
He seemed to have a very good relationship with his master. He keeps a bell as a memento,

Amemura Short
Norachiyo and Short seem to be on bad terms as he stole his sword once. Though he might find Short as a silver lining, as he did not try and kill him when he tried to kill Shishiwaka.

Norwe Shishiwaka
Shishiwaka is an enemy of Norachiyo and took Norachiyo's sword. He gets revenge on Shishiwaka in a very brutal manner. After fighting Abyhei, he joins Norachiyo's group.

Mukuro
He is somewhat attracted to Mukuro. He states that headstrong females aren't his type but he likes 'pinning them under'.

The Red Warrior
The Red Warrior, despite being dead, still haunts Norachiyo in his hallucinations.

Omike
Omike is a maid from the town where Norachiyo freed them from Siamchika. He says that he owes her and is kind to her. Out of all the characters, he seems to respect Omike the most.

Shiriya Abyhei
He has past with Norachiyo, as he was the one to teach Norachiyo how to fight. Abyhei now works as a police officer tasked with hunting down Norachiyo.

Kotatsu
Norachiyo's sword. It has a grey handle with a golden bell with red ribbons with a black sheath. It was his master's sword and is very valuable to him. It broke by Abyhei's 'Jumanji' technique.

Undetectable Presence
Due to his insomnia, he has gain the ability to be completely undetectable while awake. He used this to lure a sparrow to kill it.

Trivia

 * Norachiyo shares a resemblance to Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin. Ironically Hiroyuki Takei, the author, used to be an assistant to the author of RuroKen, Nobuhiro Watsuki. Norachiyo's scar shares a resemblance to Kenshin's X-scar. Unlike Kenshin. however, who is friendly, straight-edged, pleasant, sociable, and now has sworn off killing, Norachiyo is vulgar, antisocial, ruthless, and generally does not refrain from killing his opponents.
 * Norachiyo seems to suffer from PTSD or Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder. He shows many signs of the disorder: His inability to sleep, his vivid recalling of how him and the Red Warrior fought and his general reclusive demeanor.
 * Takei cosplayed a cat to look like Norachiyo