Jakkaru (16th century vampire; Raizo Kodo foe)

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-holdryuhei JAKKARU

Real Name: Jakkaru

Identity/Class: Human vampire;
active in the 16^th century

Occupation: Warlord, predator

Group Membership: Leader of an army of warriors; Vampires of Earth;

Affiliations: Unidentified Dutch trader and his associates, unidentified palace guards, and servants (notably the one servant left in his palace), army/warriors (notably his elite guard), unidentified vampire who vampirized him

Enemies: Clan Kodo (notably Raizo Kodo, Ryuhei Kodo, and Lord Kodo), but Lady Kodo, Suzume, and everyone else in the clan was vampirized (and subsequently destroyed) due to Jakkaru's vampirizing Ryuhei

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Lord Jakkaru, Master of the Night

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly a mobile camp for his armies, relatively close to Clan Kodo's village;
formerly a palace three-days horseback ride from Clan Kodo's village in an unidentified location in 16^th century Japan

First Appearance: Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (June, 2011)

Powers/Abilities: As a vampire, Jakkaru had superhuman strength (likely lifting 1000-4000 lbs.) and speed, and he almost certainly required regular blood meals to survive. jakkaru-vampire-16thc-fighting2

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-bite Further, feeding on a human victim would turn that victim into a vampire, depending on the extent of the feeding and other circumstances.

those he vampirized may or may not have been subservient to him. If he had not been decapitated almost immediately after he vampirized Ryuhei, we may have learned if this was the case.

When fully fed, he could likely heal rapidly from non-fatal wounds. Even a steel sword through the chest was not fatal to him.

He was definitely pained by wooden weapons much more so than by steel, and he could be destroyed via decapitation with a wooden sword (even a practice sword that was not sharp).

He presumably has the standard vampire vulnerabilities, including sunlight, religious icons that were present at the time of his mortal existence (such as the Judeo-Christian cross) and to the Montesi Formula, garlic, a wooden stake through the heart, and silver.
He did not sleep or become immobile or weakened during the day, but he just kept himself within the darkness of a thick tent.

There is not evidence that he could mesmerize others with a gaze.

It is similarly unrevealed whether he could transform into a bat or wolf or into mist.

Jakkaru is an excellent combatant and swordsman, able to fight off a pair of seasoned sword-wielding warriors via his natural skills and his superhuman speed and strength.

Height: Unrevealed (he towered over Raizo Kodo, who seemed to be about 6' when compared to Dracula, so perhaps 6'6" to 6'10")
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 295 to 350 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (presumably brown originally and perhaps red as a vampire)
Hair: Black (including beard)

History:

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-mortal .

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) <Months before the main story> - Men from the west jakkaru-vampire-16thc-depravity came with trade goods, and a Dutchman promised Jakkaru power, something he had never heard of before. That night, the trader took Jakkaru to meet a strange man.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - The strange man promised Jakkaru eternal life, which Jakkaru could not resist. The man vampirized Jakkaru, and his castle subsequently became a place of darkness.

Slowly, initially, the process spread like an infection; and as the darkness grew, so did Jakkaru's power, and Jakkaru performed acts of unspeakable depravity.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Some among Jakkaru's people talked of stopping their master, as he was no longer himself, but they waited too long, and he became too powerful.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Fear of Jakkaru drove his army before him.

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-grabsword

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) <1585> - Jakkaru wandered the night, and his battles were never in daylight. Rumors and whispers existed of Jakkaru's appalling atrocities, fantastic feats, rituals dark and unimaginable (including eating the flesh and drinking the blood of enemies), striking fear into the hearts of peasants and enemy generals alike, although none seemed to know of how or why such things were possible.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) -

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) <1585> - Jakkaru and his forces defeated the armies of five warlords in a row while approaching the territory of Lord Kodo.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) <1585> - Lord Kodo sent his sons, Raizo and Ryuhei to assassinate Jakkaru.

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-steelswordstab (Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - Disguised as peasants, Raizo and Ryuhei entered Jakkaru's base and took out a quartet of guards before confronting Jakkaru.

As the two warriors challenged him, Jakkaru pushed away the two scantily clad women by his side and told them, whoever they were, they had chosen death by entering his place. jakkaru-vampire-16thc-revivetwist

Subsequently recognizing the pair as "Lord Kodo's brats," Jakkaru announced -- as he grabbed his sword -- that he would slaughter the two of them to break Lord Kodo's spirit, after which he would crush Kodo's armies as well.

After the warlord swiftly demonstrated his superior speed and strength, Raizo (who suspected that he could see a split-second into the future, knowing every sword thrust Raizo would make) wildly threw his sword to distract Jakkaru and then grabbed Jakkaru's sword arm.

Briefly restraining the powerful arm and feeling like he had latched onto a wild bull, Raizo allowed Ryuhei to stab him through the chest.

However, when Ryuhei attempted to find some personal token to show their father, the seemingly fallen Jakkaru swiftly spun and bit Ryuhei in the neck.

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-destroyed Lifting Ryuhei into the air, Jakkaru announced his plans to slay their clan to the last child and then burn their palace to the ground and scatter the ashes across the ocean.

Unwittingly grabbing a wood practice sword, Raizo stabbed Jakkaru through the chest and found that it pained Jakkaru more than steel, sending a jolt of pain through him. Raizo then decapitated the warlord with another wooden sword.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Raizo then stole a horse and helped the weakened Ryuhei back to their home; Ryuhei noted how strange he felt after the bite, but Raizo assured him it was merely shock. Back in their village, many suspected magical forces to be involved, although Lord Kodo refused to accept this.

When Ryuhei regained his strength but became hostile, Raizo resolved to travel to Jakkaru's castle, which was a three-day ride away.

There he learned of how Jakkaru had become monstrous after seemingly developing an infection after meeting with an unidentified Dutchman. Raizo refused the sole survivor's request to kill him, choosing to leave him for the sport of the restless yurei (ghosts) that haunted that castle.

Raizo destroyed his vampirized family and clan, but he was vampirized in the process.

Comments: Created by Victor Gischler, Goran Parlov, and Dalibor Talajic.

Per Loki:
As I understand it, Japan became a single nation centuries before the turn of the first millennium A.D. (exactly when I'm not sure), but in 1467 a prolonged civil war broke out which splintered the country. I don't think Japan was ever officially broken up, but different parts of the country were ruled by rival warlords and it wasn't effectively a unified nation again until 1590. So if they were born in 1565 or so, they might strictly speaking have been born in one of the regions ruled by a rival warlord, but would have been a citizen of a united Japan by the time they grew up.

Also, of course, they'd not call it Japan, since that's the English version of the country's name, and wouldn't be in widespread use at this time since Europeans had only come to Japan for the first time in 1543.

The standard vampiric transition involves dying from the blood loss (a single non-fatal bite would not typically cause someone to transform) and then reviving three days later. However, there are numerous cases of much more rapid transformation as seen with Raizo, Ryuhei and others. Perhaps the vampire that bit Jakkaru was from a variant sect.

He was likely revived by the prophecy fulfilled in Blade III#12 that brought back every vampire that had ever perished.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Jakkaru should be distinguished from:

JAKKA - Atlantean soldier, slain and impersonated by Proteus--Sub-Mariner II#1
JAKAL - Snark, son of Maraud, sent to Earth by her to defeat Power Pack, defeated by them, burnt by Energizer, revived by Awf & Geik, given powers of Power Pack, powers caused him to go insane, mind of Bhadsha transferred into his body, eventually retook control of body; regained control and allied with Maraud in attempt to slay other snark clans--Power Pack I#15
JAKAR - powerful extradimensional entity, impersonated Stranger, attempted to use life essence’s of Earth’s children as a means to revive his people, convinced of wrongness of this by Captain America, imprisoned on Stranger’s lab world, later sought Globes of Knowledge to gain vengeance on Stranger--Captain America I#149
JAKARAH of Earth-4489 - ship and god to the Hkkkt, cerebral core inhabited by Jason and incapacitated when he was expelled--Seeker 3000#1
JAKARRA - Wakandan general, son of Ramonda, half-brother of T'Challa, mutated by raw Vibranium into sound monster, sought to usurp Wakandan throne, destroyed by potion from Joshua Itobu. Superhuman strength + durability, generate waves of vibratory force--Black Panther I#6
JAKARRA - Shadow Riders--Shadowriders#1...I have it in my notes, but I don't have further information available at this time.
JAKARTER, CARMEN - former failed boxer, committed suicide, given tribute by Hawkeye--Marvel Comics Presents I#83/3

other "Jaka" or Jakka" characters, groups, items, events, races, or places...

Dutch trader

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - <circa 1585 A.D., months before the main story> - Men from the West bearing trade goods came to Jakkaru's village in what would become Japan.

A Dutchman promised Jakkaru power, something never heard of before.

That night, the trader took Jakkaru to meet a strange man (a vampire)

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1

Note: And that's pretty much all we know about him.

Apparently this man and his associates were mortal servants of the vampire who brought him to places to seek new victims.

The trader can also be seen in the vampire image below.

Jakkaru's vampirizer

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - <circa 1585 A.D., months before the main story> - Men from the West bearing trade goods and this vampire came to Jakkaru's village in what would become Japan. A Dutch trader promised Jakkaru power, something never heard of before, and that night, the trader took Jakkaru to meet the vampire; those in Jakkaru's village only knew this vampire as a "strange man," although one of Jakkaru's servants later considered that the man must have been a demon and he feared that Jakkaru had made a covenant with this evil.

The stranger promised Jakkaru eternal life, which Jakkaru could not resist.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - The stranger vampirized Jakkaru, after which Jakkaru's household progressively became a place of darkness.

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1

Note: He appeared in the shadows in one panel, and it was referenced briefly in the text in the panels above and below that.

Apparently this vampire was transported to various locations by mortal servants so that he could find new victims.
man and his associates were mortal servants of the vampire who brought him to places to seek new victims.

Who was this vampire? He could be Dracula, who was vampirized in 1459 and who only has a few encounters recorded in the 16^th century. He was destroyed by Solomon Kane in the mid 1550's in Savage Sword of Conan I#26/2) but was revived almost immediately thereafter. But, it doesn't seem like Dracula's modus operandi, and I'd personally rather have this be some other vampire...although I'd like to learn more about that vampire.

palace

Jakkaru's palace was a three-day ride from the village of Lord Kodo, somewhere in what would be Japan in the 16^th century.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - <circa 1585 A.D., months before the main story> - Men from the West bearing trade goods (and secretly their vampire master) came to Jakkaru's village/palace. After Jakkaru allowed himself to be vampirized to gain immortality, his household became a place of darkness. "Slowly at first, but it spread like an infection."

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jakkaru departed his palace and led his forces to defeat the armies of five warlords in a row.

As Jakkaru ruled by fear, once he had been destroyed by Raizo Kodo, his army split up, and his people turned on themselves. His palace became much like a tomb. Eventually a servant and two warriors were apparently all that remained.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - Seeking to learn of Jakkaru's nature to understand what had been afflicting his own village, Raizo Kodo traveled to Jakkaru's palace, which he considered to look more like a tomb. Within the palace, Kodo incapacitated the warriors and left the surviving follower of Jakkaru behind.

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1

Jakkaru's army/camp

.
.
.
.
(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jakkaru departed his palace and led his forces to defeat the armies of five warlords in a row.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - Posing as peasants, Raizo and Ryuhei Kodo, the sons of rival warlord Lord Kodo, entered Jakkaru's camp. As they approached Jakkaru's tent, they were confronted by Jakkaru's elite guard, who assaulted them, denying their excuses. Raizo and Ryuhei then dropped the pretense and swiftly dispatched this elite guard before entering and ultimately destroying Jakkaru himself.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - As Jakkaru had ruled by fear, once he had been destroyed by Raizo Kodo, his army split up, and his people turned on themselves.

Jakkaru's follower/servant

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - <circa 1585 A.D., months before the main story> - Men from the West bearing trade goods (and secretly their vampire master) came to Jakkaru's village/palace. After Jakkaru allowed himself to be vampirized to gain immortality, his household became a place of darkness. "Slowly at first, but it spread like an infection."

Some among Jakkaru's people talked of stopping their master, as he was no longer himself, but they waited too long, and he became too powerful.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jakkaru departed his palace and led his forces to defeat the armies of five warlords in a row.

As Jakkaru ruled by fear, once he had been destroyed by Raizo Kodo, his army split up, and his people turned on themselves. His palace became much like a tomb. Eventually the servant/follower and two guards were apparently all that remained.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - A servant/follower considered that the stranger who had met with Jakkaru must have been a demon, and he feared that Jakkaru had made a covenant with this evil.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - When Raizo Kodo investigated Jakkaru's palace, the servant was shocked to see him; noting that the invader did not belong there, he instructed the two warriors to kill him. After Jakkaru had incapacitated the two warriors, the servant willingly revealed Jakkaru's history and descent into evil. Insisting this to have been some sort of infection, the servant considered that perhaps they had acted sooner.

When Kodo asked him why he stayed in this hollow place, the man asked where was there to go. He further noted that those who had served the master most closely were tainted, and decent people would not suffer them. As Kodo disgustedly turned to depart, the man begged Kodo to kill him, as he was too cowardly to take his own life but that he could not go on there alone (see note). Kodo refused, however, leaving him for the sport of the restless yurei who haunted the castle.

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1

Note: Raizo Kodo clearly slew the one warrior, spearing him through the mid-section. He only cracked the other across the back of the head with the shaft of his spear. Certainly the injury could have been fatal, but I don't think it was clear from what we saw on panel.

Yurei are figures in Japanese folklore analogous to the Western model of ghosts.

Jakkaru's elite guard

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jakkaru departed his palace and led his forces to defeat the armies of five warlords in a row.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) <1585> - Jakkaru wandered the night, and his battles were never in daylight. Rumors and whispers existed of Jakkaru's appalling atrocities, fantastic feats, rituals dark and unimaginable, striking fear into the hearts of peasants and enemy generals alike, although none seemed to know of how or why such things were possible.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - Posing as peasants, Raizo and Ryuhei Kodo, the sons of rival warlord Lord Kodo, entered Jakkaru's camp. As they approached Jakkaru's tent, they were confronted by Jakkaru's elite guard, who assaulted them, denying their excuses. Raizo and Ryuhei then dropped the pretense and swiftly dispatched this elite guard before entering and ultimately destroying Jakkaru himself.

As Jakkaru ruled by fear, once he had been destroyed by Raizo Kodo, his army split up, and his people turned on themselves. His palace became much like a tomb. Eventually the servant/follower and two guards were apparently all that remained.

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1

Jakkaru's remaining guards/warriors

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-remainwarriorsdispatch1

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jakkaru departed his palace and led his forces to defeat the armies of five warlords in a row.

As Jakkaru ruled by fear, once he had been destroyed by Raizo Kodo, his army split up, and his people turned on themselves.

Jakkaru's palace became much like a tomb.

Eventually a servant/follower and two guards were apparently all that remained.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb)) - When Raizo Kodo investigated Jakkaru's palace, the servant was shocked to see him; noting that the invader did not belong there, he instructed the two warriors to kill him.

Kodo first cracked the one guard in the back of the head with the shaft of his spear and then stabbed the other through the abdomen.

(Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (fb) - BTS) - Considering both guards to have perished, the servant futilely noted that he could not live there all along.

--Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 jakkaru-vampire-16thc-remainwarriorsdispatch2

jakkaru-vampire-16thc-remainwarriorsdispatch2

Note: Certainly the blunt injury could have been fatal, but I don't think it was clear from what we saw on panel. Maybe it was clear he wasn't breathing, or he landed with his head/neck at some unnatural angle.

images: (without ads)
Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood, story pg. 4, panel 2 (army camp);
        pg. 5, panel 3-4 (elite guard);
        pg. 6, panel 2 (shoving women away);
            panel 3 (grabbing sword);
        pg. 9, panel 1 (stabbed);
            panel 4 (turning to bite Ryuhei);
        pg. 10, panel 2 (holding up Ryuhei);
            panel 5 (decapitated);
        pg. 17, panel 1 (castle);
        pg. 18, panel 1 (castle close-up);
            panel 3 (follower; face);
            panel 4 (follower with remaining warriors);
        pg. 19, panel 2-3 (Raizo dispatching warriors);
        pg. 20, panel 1 (meeting with Dutch trader);
            panel 3 (debauchery);
        pg. 21, panel 3 (follower pleading for death);

Appearances:
Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood#1 (June, 2011) - Victor Gischler (writer), Goran Parlov (penciler), Dalibor Talajic (inker), Sebastian Girner (assistant editor), Daniel Ketchum (editor)

First posted: 07/01/2022
Last updated: 07/01/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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