Trump Card

Trump Cards (切り札, Kirifuda^?) were power-ups used by Heroes of the Christian Era. The Trump Cards were based on historical figures or mythical creatures, and the abilities they imbue are based on stories about that figure. For example, it is said that Yoshitsune, a spirit used by Nogi Wakaba, outmaneuvered his enemies by leaping over eight boats; thus, Yoshitsune's Trump Card gives the user great agility and many sword techniques.

In Bouquet of Brilliance, the Hero system was updated to its Divine Era version, so the Trump Cards were made into fairies or spirits but still able to transform without the side effects.

Though some Trump Cards are based on heroes, there are also myths of the hero becoming a vengeful spirit. This was mentioned in Chapter 13 of Nogi Wakaba is a Hero, as Yoshitsune was a renowned hero but in some versions of the legend, he became a vengeful spirit and cursed his brother Yoritomo to death.

History[]

Mechanically, Trump Cards were equivalent to Mankai in that they granted a temporary boost in power and unique abilities. The source of this power came directly from mighty mythological beings, and because of that, wielding the power of the Trump Cards came at a great cost. Miasma buildup from using Trump Cards generated mental and physical side effects. Some occurred within minutes of activating the Trump card, such as blood vessels bursting in the user's body, but most occured post-deactivation. Due to this, Trump Cards were scrapped from the system. Three hundred years later, the Taisha implemented a modified version of the Trump card feature, with the divine creatures materializing out of the Heroes' bodies instead of entering them.

List of Known Trump Cards[]

Nogi Wakaba[]

Minamoto no Yoshitsune （源義経） - Grants her a scarf, enhanced agility, various sword techniques and the ability to fly.
Daitengu （大天狗) - Grants her a lavender robe and many decoration bells, along with a pair of black wings and the ability to create and control fire.

Koori Chikage[]

Shichinin Misaki （七人御先） - Grants her a white cloak and seven vengeful spirits, she cannot be killed unless all seven are killed at once.

- The Shichinin Misaki means "7-person misaki", they are a collection of seven spirits in mythology and once one of the misaki possesses a human, the person who was possessed will get a high fever and die while the misaki will be able to rest in peace, the human will become one of the misaki, hence the nature of Chikage's Trump card.

Iyojima Anzu[]

Yukijorou （雪女郎） - Grants her ice-based abilities, such as invoking large blizzards strong enough to freeze enemies in seconds and shoot freezing balls of cold.

- Yukijorou is translated into "snow hooker", but other Japanese words describing youkai with yuki imply it is a snow woman, hence Anzu's ability to control ice attacks in her Trump card.

Doi Tamako[]

Wanyuudou （輪入道） - Enlarges her shield to the points the girls can all stand on it with room to spare. Once thrown, Tamako can control it without having to use the string. When wanted, it will spew fire. When activated, Tamako's outfit changes to a kimono similar to Mankai, and a large gold ring surrounding her neck. Two long ribbons extend from a place on her chest.

- A Wanyuudou is a fire wheel youkai in mythology, hence Tamako's shield and ability to spew out fire.

Takashima Yuuna[]

Ichimokuren （一目連） - Invokes a storm spirit to unleash a thousand-fold flurry of punches, said to have the destructive power of a thousand nuclear bombs.
Shuten-douji (酒呑童子） - Her gauntlets grow to a tremendous size and for two horns to sprout from Yuuna's head along with a red chin-piece. Using its power grants Yuuna godlike strength.

Akihara Sekka[]

Kosinpu（コシンプ） - There's a tail extending out of the gauntlet and the gauntlet itself has a gun built-in. Sekka can shield herself with the gauntlet part while the tail stabs. Ainu's belief in Kamuy is that everything in this world is a temporary appearance of Kamuy. In other words, this ring in Sekka's left eye is not only a spirit coming down, but also when Sekka recognizes herself as a Kamuy and releases her power, making her temporarily divine/deified.

Kohagura Natsume[]

Kijimuna （キジムナー） - Uses a double-edge spear and gains two blue orbs who can create and control water and bubbles together.

Shiratori Utano[]

Mishaguji（ミシャグジ） - Uses a whipsword, with water coming out of the weapon, snakes/dragons are heavily associated with Takeminakata's subordinate deities of fertility.

Trivia[]

In Episode 5 of Yuuki Yuuna's Chapter, Inubouzaki Fuu refers to Mankai as the "hero's Trump card". This may have been the initial basis for Trump Cards in Nogi Wakaba is a Hero.
More Trump Cards were available for during the Christian Era, but their names were censored in all Taisha documents.
In Great Mankai's Chapter, the spirits are shown to have stakes in various parts of their body. For example, Shuten-douji has stakes piercing his arms, while the Shichinin Misaki have stakes piercing their heads.
According to stories, Yoshitsune was in the care of Kurama Temple at the age of ten. This may be why Wakaba's second Trump Card is Daitengu and why the Nogi family chose a kurama tengu for Sonoko's first fairy.