Shizuka Doumeki

Shizuka Doumeki is Kimihiro Watanuki’s classmate and considered a rival by Watanuki. He is part of the school’s kyūdō club and often participates (and tops) school competitions. Also because of his cool and calm composure he is very popular with the girls.

He lives in a shrine owned by his late grandfather, a priest in which during his childhood told him a lot of stories about folklore and shinto practices. However, despite his heritage, Doumeki has a nearly null ability of seeing ghosts or spirits, though he can still exorcise them. He does seem to be able to feel spiritual “pressure” and have a vague sense of their presence. One spirit he did see was the Lady in the Park that Watanuki often visited.

Doumeki has a pure or refreshing scent as noted by the Ame-Warashi. Kohane noted that Doumeki was a ‘beautiful’ or ‘pretty’ person, most likely referring to his spirit or aura. Naturally, Watanuki is bewildered (and rather agitated) by this. Doumeki cannot enter Yuuko’s Store, the explanation why is later revealed on volume 8. His technique of exorcising spirits is by shooting them with an invisible arrow made of pure energy, as first revealed in volume 2.

Doumeki’s personality is a total opposite of Watanuki’s. He has a cool, calm and often sarcastic demeanor. He barely speaks unless explaining folklore or asking Watanuki for impossible bento lunches (such as asking for food that is out of season or hard to find). He also has a deadpan sense of humor that is often dark and somewhat fatalistic. Much to the annoyance of Watanuki he seems to pop up everywhere, especially when Watanuki gets a chance to be with Himawari. He often replies in a one word phrase like “Hn” or “Oh”. He is also very observant, and even though he does not show it he seems to be very protective of Watanuki, such as in Volume 5 where he stood for hours in the rain to make sure Watanuki was safe and in Volume 6 during the incident with the spirit in the park. Volume 9 of the manga through Doumeki’s New Years dream we find out he looks like his late grandfather Haruka. His grandfather also knows more about Doumeki’s past, and bears an uncanny resemblance to his grandson (though Watanuki points out that Haruka smiles much more).