Shinki (神器, meaning “sacred treasures”) are items that gods use for various task and purposes. They are also called Sacred Treasures, Sacred Weapons, Regalias, and Sacred Tools in English.
Origins
A shinki is made from the loose spirit of a dead human (死霊, shiryou; lit. “spirit of the dead”). By “loose spirits”, it usually means wandering souls of people who died from being murdered or killed in accidents. From the eyes of the gods, people who died due to these causes deserve a second chance since they still wanted to live; this is probably why these souls are chosen to become shinki.
Since most of the loose spirits die at a young age as a human, it is common for a shinki to look young. However it also depends on the age of the human when he/she died. Yukine, for example, looks like a teenager, Mayu looks like a woman in her early twenties while Daikoku looks like a man in his late twenties / early thirties.
Before a loose spirit is taken in as a shinki, the spirit must not be corrupted in any way. A spirit can be corrupted and become unusable when it’s attacked or possessed by phantoms (partially or fully). By “possessed”, it also refers to a spirit who died due to committing suicide. If a soul is attacked and gets impure - even a little - its item form will become partially or entirely unusable; e.g. dull, torn, broken, etc.
Creation of a Shinki
When a god sees a loose spirit and wants to take it as his/her shinki, the god must give a name to it. The name is written in Kanji character using the god’s own life, and two alternate pronunciations will be given based on the Kanji character’s way of reading: the Japanese reading (kun reading), and the Chinese reading (on reading). The Kanji character will then be imprinted on the soul’s body, marking the ownership for said spirit.
The first pronunciation is the shinki’s actual name, and is based on the Japanese reading for said Kanji character. Using the first name changes the shinki into its human form. Usually another Kanji character of the god’s choice is added to the first name to become the shinki’s name as a person.
The second pronunciation is the vessel name, and is based on the Chinese reading for said character. Using the second name changes the shinki into its item / weapon form. Usually the character “ki” (器, meaning “vessel”) is added to the end of the second name to become the shinki’s name as an item / weapon.
A shinki’s item form varies from a god owner to another, such as weapons, animals, clothing, accessories, etc.
The following is the list of known shinki, alternate names, and their owner gods.
| Shinki's name in Kanji | Shinki's actual name (Japanese reading) | Shinki's vessel name (Chinese reading) | Shinki's name as a person | Shinki's name as a weapon | Owner god |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 雪 | Yuki | Setsu |
Yukine (雪音) |
Sekki (雪器) | Yato |
| 伴 | Tomo | Han |
Tomone (伴音) |
Hanki (伴器) | Yato |
| 眞 | Makoto | Shin |
Mayu (真喩)* |
Shinki (眞器) | Tenjin |
| 黒 | Kuro | Koku |
Daikoku (大黒)** |
Kokki (黒器) | Kofuku |
| 兆 | Kazu | Chou |
Kazuma (兆麻) |
Chouki (兆器) |
- Mayu’s name as a person uses the Kanji character 真 instead of 眞, but the meaning is still the same (pure).
- Daikoku’s name as a person uses the vessel name instead of the real name.
When a god wants to use a shinki’s weapon / item form, he/she will call the weapon / item’s name; e.g. “Come, Sekki!” is said when Yato wants to use Yukine as a weapon. When the job is complete and the god wants to revert the weapon form back to human, he/she will call the real name of the shinki; e.g. “Revert, Yuki!” is said when Yato wants to revert Sekki back to Yukine.
Responsibilities of a God to a Shinki
After taking a shinki as his/her subordinate, a god is to provide basic necessities for the shinki (shelter and clothing to be precise; other things like food, drink, entertainment etc. is optional). The god is also to train a shinki if the shinki is still new.
Aside from basic necessities, the god bears the responsibility of taking the burden of all the emotions the shinki has, and sins it does. The burden the god bears is in the form of stabbing pain on the back of his/her neck.
| And it's not just stabbing pain... (manga spoilers) |
|---|
| Other than stabbing pain, the area of the god's neck will also become infected by impurities, called blight. If the shinki continues to commit sin and no action is taken against it, the blight will spread all over the god’s body, causing the god to slowly degrade and die. |
Responsibilities of a Shinki to a God
A shinki is responsible to obey his/her master at all times, control their emotions, and also control him/herself from falling into temptations that lead to committing sins. This is because the name bestowed onto him/her is actually connected to the god’s life, and therefore any kinds of disturbance - intense emotions, sins committed, death - will be sensed by the god in the form of stabbing pain.
It is once assumed that when a soul becomes a god’s shinki, the god and the shinki become one in mind and body, therefore the pain should go in both directions. However it is not so; the pain will only transfer from the shinki to the god owner because the shinki is previously human, and humans have been applied with the concepts of good and evil, sin, heaven and hell. Gods on the other hand are not restricted by this concept and therefore are free to do as they please.
| Actions a god should take when his/her shinki commits sins (manga spoilers) |
|---|
| Once a god feel stabbing pain due to his/her shinki’s doing, appropriate action should be taken against the offending shinki. Usually a ritual called the purification ceremony is performed against the shinki, making it confess all of its sins, and depending on the severity of the offense the shinki will also have its name released and banished, or worse killed by the owner god. However the decision to release the shinki’s name and banish it is up to the owner god. For example, Yato didn’t release Yukine’s name even though Yukine nearly killed him with the sins the shinki did; Tenjin on the other hand released Miyu’s name and banished her on the spot when she cut her own wrist “a little”. |
It is also unethical for a shinki to bow down on a god when it is already serving another. This action is considered rude towards the god it’s supposed to serve.
Abilities of a Shinki
A shinki is able to use many skills depending on the form it takes. However in human form, all Shinki in general can use a skill called Boundary (境界線, kyoukaisen; lit. “boundary line”).
Boundary is a shinki’s only weapon and is used to protect itself from phantom attacks. This unique ability can only be used by a shinki; it cannot be used by gods, loose spirits, phantoms, and living beings.
To make a boundary, a shinki uses his/her right hand’s index and middle fingers to draw a horizontal line between themselves and the phantoms. This gesture will make a temporary barrier, and phantoms cannot move across it. However, if the phantom is too strong the barrier will break, and the shinki will be attacked.
| Other uses for Boundary (manga spoilers) |
|---|
| Aside from protecting a shinki from phantoms, the Boundary has another use. It can be used to perform a purification ceremony - a ritual to cleanse a shinki that has been committing sins. Some also use it to attack a god. |
Releasing a Shinki's Name
When a shinki wants to quit his/her job and serve a new master, it is common practice for the god owning it to release the name given to the shinki. By writing the name in Kanji character and say, “I release you,” the name imprinted on the shinki will disappear, making the shinki available for another god’s use. The abilities obtained as the god’s shinki will also disappear. However, it is unknown whether the shinki in this form is still able to use Boundary.
When the shinki is given a new name under a new master, it is possible for the shinki to take a different form, thus having different abilities. The best example for this case is Mayu; as Yato’s weapon Tomone/Hanki she takes the form of a dagger; however as Tenjin’s weapon Mayu/Shinki she takes the form of a smoking pipe.
| Other ways to release a shinki's name (manga spoilers) |
|---|
| A shinki’s name can also be released by force; usually through the purification ceremony or when the shinki is killed. However these methods cause pain to the gods owning them. |
"Stray"
There are cases where a shinki has more than one name on its body, indicating that it’s owned by more than one god. The shinki with this characteristic is called a "Stray" (“Nora”, 野良; lit. “stray”). A shinki becomes a "Stray" when a god gives a new name to it while it’s still having the name given by a previous master. One known "Stray" is a Shinki merely known as Nora.
| Another way to become a "Stray" |
|---|
| If a shinki is dismissed by a god and still have its given name intact, it’s also considered a "Stray" (in this context, “stray” as in “a godless shinki” / “a shinki without its god”). |
A Shinki's Lifespan
A shinki’s lifespan is still unknown; however they can live for as long as hundreds of years. Although they can live for very long, a shinki can die like any other living beings. One known cause for a shinki’s death is from being killed; however it is unknown whether they can die from natural causes. When a shinki dies, his name disappears and the owner god will sense it.
One known shinki’s death is one of Bishamonten’s shinki – he was killed by Yato using Nora.