List of Yo-kai Watch characters

The following is a list of characters from Level-5's video game and anime franchise, Yo-kai Watch.

The version of the manga distributed in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, by Shogakukan Asia uses the original Japanese names.^[1]

Main characters

Where available, names from the English games, North American English dub, and the North American English manga are on the left while the original Japanese names are on the right.

Main humans (Original series)

The five major human characters are students of Springdale Elementary / Sakura First Elementary School (さくら第一小学校, Sakura Daiichi Shōgakkō). Nate, Katie, Bear and Eddie are in Class 5–2, while Hailey is in Class 5–1.

Nathan "Nate" Adams / Keita "K-ta" Amano (天野 景太 / ケータ, Amano Keita)^[2]

Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch^[3] (Season 1-2), Griffin Burns^[4] (Season 3), Meyer DeLeeuw (Blasters) (English)

The main protagonist of the series. An 11-year-old boy who has a crush on Katie and is average at most things, which bothers him. However, he is active and cheerful and well-liked by his classmates. While bug hunting in the forest, he discovers a capsule machine under a sacred tree, from which he frees Whisper and is given the Yo-kai Watch, which allows him to see and befriend Yo-kai and summon them into battle. He is the male protagonist of the games and the shōnen manga series. In the shōjo manga series, he does not possess a Yo-kai Watch and is unaware of the existence of Yo-kai.^[5]

Katie Forester / Fumika "Fumi-chan" Kodama (木霊 文花 / フミちゃん, Kodama Fumika / Fumi-chan)

Voiced by: Aya Endō (Japanese); Melissa Hutchison^[3] (Season 1-2), Reba Buhr^[6] (Season 3) (English)

An 11-year-old girl in Nate's class at school who is highly intelligent, but afraid of failing to meet her mother's standards, and is often admired by her fellow male students, particularly Nate. She is the female protagonist in the video games and the shōjo manga series. In contrast to Nate's watch, Katie's Yo-kai Watch is shaped like a pocket watch with a floral design, which she wears as a pendant around her neck. In the anime series, outside of a dream Whisper has in episode 67, she does not possess a Yo-kai Watch and is unaware of the presence of Yo-kai. Katie is also featured in the Mini Corners, where Kyubi tries to win unsuccessfully over her heart.

Barnaby "Bear" Bernstein / Gorōta "Kuma" Kumashima (熊島 五郎太 / クマ, Kumashima Gorōta / Kuma)

Voiced by: Tōru Nara (Japanese); Paul Greenberg^[3] (Season 1-2), Tony Azzolino (Season 3) (English)

Nate's friend and classmate, who appears intimidating, but in reality is friendly and sensitive. He has a younger sister, Bearmie, who lives in America and has a boyfriend named Arnold.

Edward "Eddie" Archer / Kanchi Imada (今田 干治 / カンチ, Imada Kanchi)

Voiced by: Chie Satō (Japanese); Brent Pendergrass (Season 1-2), Bryce Papenbrook (Season 3) (English)

Nate's friend and classmate, who often hangs out with Bear and wears headphones. He is a son of wealthy designers, and does not believe in the paranormal and is skilled with technology.

Hailey Anne Thomas / Inaho Misora (未空 イナホ, Misora Inaho)

Voiced by: Aoi Yūki (Japanese); Erika Harlacher (English)

A young girl in Nate's school who is introduced in Yo-kai Watch 3 and the anime's second season, who loves science fiction and outer space. After Usapyon tricks her into buying the Yo-kai Watch U Prototype, she agrees to help him build a rocket to make his former owner Dr. Hughly's dreams come true. Afterwards, they start a detective agency to investigate Yo-kai "crimes" in the city of Sparkopolis.^[7]

Main humans (Shadowside)

Summer Adams / Natsume Amano (天野ナツメ, Amano Natsume)

Voiced by: Mone Kamishiraishi (movie), Aoi Yūki (anime)

The main protagonist of Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu and Yo-kai Watch Shadowside. She is a junior high schooler and the daughter of Nate and Katie, as well as Tate's older sister. She nearly drowned in a river when she was young, but was saved by a mysterious figure.^[8] In the film, she is chosen by the Yo-kai Watch Arcane, allowing her to harness the power of summoning Yo-kai. Alongside Cole and Bruno, she fights against the Demon King Rasen to protect Yo-kai and humans. In Shadowside, she runs the Yo-kai Detective Agency alongside Cole and Bruno.

Cole / Touma Tsukinami (月浪トウマ, Tsukinami Tōma)

Voiced by: Yudai Chiba (movie), Yoshiaki Hasegawa (anime)

A junior high schooler who, growing up, was often alone because his parents were away overseas.^[8] As a result, he was often bullied by his peers and over time became antisocial and hateful towards others. In the film, he is cursed by one of Rasen's followers and given the Kigan Gear, which he uses to spread evil and malice. Later in the film, he is redeemed and the Kigan Gear transforms into the Yo-kai Watch Ogre, which allows him to transform into Progenitor Yo-kai. In Yo-kai Watch Shadowside, he runs the Yo-kai Detective Agency alongside Summer and Bruno.

Bruno / Akinori Arihoshi (有星アキノリ, Arihoshi Akinori)

Voiced by: Mutsumi Tamura

An apprentice shaman and the oldest of the Arihoshi siblings, who have used Yo-kai in fortune telling for many generations. Unlike Summer and Cole, he is capable of using spells and incantations. He also possesses the Yo-kai Watch Animas, allowing him to summon Celestial Yo-kai.^[9] In Yo-kai Watch Shadowside, he runs the Yo-kai Detective Agency alongside Summer and Cole.

Tate Adams / Keisuke Amano (天野ケースケ, Amano Keisuke)

Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu

One of the main protagonists of Yo-kai Watch Shadowside. He is the son of Nate and Katie and Summer's younger brother and a fifth-grade student, who does not believe in supernatural phenomena. In the film, he is cursed by the Onimaro virus and turned into a Kaodeka Oni, but is cured after the Demon King is defeated and the Onimaro virus is eradicated from the city.

Main Yo-kai

Whisper (ウィスパー, Wisupā)

Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese); Joey D'Auria (Season 1-2), Michael Sorich (Season 3) (English)

A Yo-kai of the Slippery tribe who becomes Nate’s self-appointed butler after he frees him from the capsule he was imprisoned in and helps him to understand the Yo-kai World and its interactions with the human world. Whisper claims to be very knowledgeable about Yo-kai, but in reality relies heavily on a tablet computer called the Yokai Pad (妖怪パッド, Yōkai Paddo) to look up information. He often dismisses Nate's suspicions that a Yo-kai is involved with mysterious occurrences in his life, only to be proven wrong almost instantly. Following an incident with the Yo-kai Watch Type Zero, Nate can switch between the different Yo-kai Watch models by putting his arm inside Whisper's mouth. In the anime, it is revealed he was a Yo-kai named Nonuttin (Shittakaburi (シッタカブリ; from shittakaburi (知ったかぶり, "know-it-all")) in Japan), whose belches cause people to claim to know all about things when they actually do not. When he was Nonuttin, he worked alongside Ishida Mitsunari (Shogun Waitington in English).

Jibanyan (ジバニャン; from jibakurei (地縛霊, "residual haunting") and nyan (にゃん, "meow"))

Voiced by: Etsuko Kozakura (original series), Takaya Kuroda^[9] (Shadowside) (Japanese); Alicyn Packard (Season 1-2)^[3] Kira Buckland (Season 3) (English)

A nekomata Yo-kai of the Charming Tribe who is the ghost of the cat Rudy (Akamaru (アカマル) in Japanese). Rudy was the pet of a teenager named Amy until he died after being hit by a truck while crossing an intersection. He has since become a residual haunting and possesses people to make them cross the street without waiting for the signal so he can try to fight the cars and avenge his death. When Nate believes that Jibanyan is brave for his actions, Jibanyan is surprised and overwhelmed with joy, and befriends Nate. He later ends up staying at Nate's house, where he often spends his time eating chocolate bars or worshipping his favorite idol group, Next HarMEOWny. Jibanyan had assumed that Amy called him lame for dying, but after being sent back in time by the evil two Yo-kai Kin and Gin, he learns that she was actually referring to herself and that he had died saving her from being hit by a truck as she crossed the intersection to meet with her friends. Jibanyan can transform into different Yo-kai under certain circumstances. While possessed by Roughraff, Jibanyan becomes the bōsōzoku-inspired Baddinyan, who thinks he is doing bad things but is actually not scary. When he gets a cold, he becomes Thornyan (トゲニャン), who is green and grows cactus-like spikes that shoot out when he sneezes. In Yo-kai Watch 2, he can fuse with Whisper to create Buchinyan (ブチニャン). When Nate receives the medal of the Legendary Yo-kai Shogunyan, Jibanyan becomes possessed by his spirit and takes on the appearance of a samurai.

Komasan (コマさん; from komainu (狛犬))

Voiced by: Aya Endō (original series), Daisuke Hirakawa^[9] (Shadowside) (Japanese); Melissa Hutchison (English)

A lion dog Yo-kai of the Charming Tribe from the countryside, who Nate and Whisper meet while he is visiting the city for the first time. He is Komajiro’s brother, but when the shrine he used to guard was knocked down for construction, he tried to adapt to life in the city. However, he is overwhelmed by its sights and sounds and his love for soft serve ice cream. He is featured prominently in the anime and is one of the main protagonists of Yo-kai Watch Blasters and its sequel Yo-kai Watch Blasters 2. In the anime, his "Mini Corner" segments feature him adapting to life in the city while working in a toy company and falling in love with a manga artist. In Japanese, he tends to use Mongē (もんげー) as an exclamation and ends his sentences with zura (ズラ), while in the English dub, he speaks in a country dialect and often exclaims "Oh my swirls!" when amazed. In Yo-kai Watch: Enma Daiō to Itsutsu no Monogatari da Nyan!, he and Komajiro gain an adoptive human brother named Komasaburo.

In Yo-kai Watch 2, the player can get a special version of Komasan who has a frog-mouth pouch (がまぐちポーチ, gamaguchi pōchi).

Komajiro (コマじろう, Komajirō; -jirō (二郎) is a common name component in Japan traditionally given to the second born son in the family)

Voiced by: Aya Endō (Japanese); Alicyn Packard (English)

A Yo-kai who is Komasan's younger brother and also of the Charming tribe. He is more outgoing and ready to experience the city than Komasan, and has adapted to city life better than him. In Yo-kai Watch: Enma Daiō to Itsutsu no Monogatari da Nyan!, he and Komasan gain an adoptive human brother named Komasaburo.

Usapyon / USApyon (USAピョン; from "USA", usagi (うさぎ, "rabbit"), and pyonpyon (ぴょんぴょん, "bouncing"))

Voiced by: Kotori Shigemoto (Japanese); Katie Leigh (Season 3), Danilo Diniz (Season 3 - Portuguese), Melissa Hutchison (Blasters) (English)

A 'Merican Yo-kai of the Shady Tribe who introduces Hailey Anne to Yo-kai. Despite wearing a rabbit-shaped astronaut suit with rabbit ears on the helmet, he is not a rabbit. When Hailey pushes him too far, he activates his "Invader Mode" (ベイダーモード, Beidā Mōdo) when he gets angry and starts firing his laser gun everywhere. In life, he was an otter named Chibi (チビ), who was taken in by rocket scientist Dr. Hughly and poised to be the first small animal to survive going into space, but was killed in a rocket malfunction he accidentally caused. As a Yo-kai, Usapyon wants to make Hughly's dream a reality by making a new rocket powered by Yo-kai Medals, seeking out Hailey's help to build it.

Recurring Yo-kai

The following Yo-kai make recurring appearances in the anime, sometimes receiving their own story arcs.

Robonyan / Robonyan F / Robonyan F-gata (ロボニャン; from "robot" (ロボット, robotto))

Voiced by: Naoki Bandō, Yuko Sasamoto (episode 9) (Japanese); Joey D'Auria (Seasons 1-2), Alicyn Packard (episode 9), Tony Azzolino (Season 3) (English)

A robot cat Yo-kai of the Tough tribe from the future, who was created after Jibanyan became a robot. He can detach his paws to perform a rocket punch, and his body also contains a chocolate bar factory. While staying at Nate's house, he runs up the electric bill when he charges up overnight, much to the anger of Nate's mother. After meeting his future counterpart who sacrificed himself to save the planet from a meteor, Robonyan upgrades himself to match his form, becoming Robonyan F.

Blizzaria / Fubuki-hime / Blizzie / Fubuki-chan (ふぶき姫; from fubuki (吹雪, "snow storm") and hime (姫, "princess"))

Voiced by: Aya Endō (Japanese); Alicyn Packard (English)

A humanoid Yo-kai of the Charming tribe based on the yuki-onna, who evolves from Frostina after she is fused with the Glacial Clip. Blizzaria is one of Mr. Crabbycat's colleagues at the Yo-kai school in the Mr. Crabbycat segments. She brings a freezing blizzard everywhere she goes, and strongly believes there should be no discrimination between hot or cold types. As a result, she constantly attempts to hang out with Swelterrier's gang of fiery Yo-kai, but is unaware that her ice abilities are causing them to suffer.

Blazion / Melamelion (メラメライオン, Merameraion; from meramera (めらめら, "burning up"))  

Voiced by: Yuko Sasamoto (Japanese); Brent Pendergrass (English)

A lion-like Yo-kai of the Brave tribe that makes people more energetic and want to win things. He possesses Nate and his friends at a park clean-up field trip, but Hungramps and Happierre manage to bring things back to normal. In life, he was a circus lion who died saving a child from a fire: his scar is a result of trying to escape from his cage.

Hidabat / Hikikōmori (ヒキコウモリ; from hikikomori (引きこもり, "social withdrawal") and kōmori (コウモリ, "bat"))

Voiced by: Ryōko Nagata (Japanese); Melissa Hutchison (Season 1-2), Reba Buhr (English)

A bat Yo-kai of the Shady tribe that prefers to spend its time indoors and never go outside, and forces people to feel the same way. Hidabat appears in Nate's room, making Jibanyan feel like staying inside forever and locking Nate out. After Jibanyan is forced out by Happierre and Dismarelda, Fidgephant is used to drive Hidabat out of Jibanyan and Hidabat admits that he is afraid to go outside. Nate allows Hidabat to stay in his room and Hidabat gives Nate his Yo-kai Medal out of gratitude. He later becomes famous within the Yo-kai World.

Shogunyan / Bushinyan (ブシニャン; from bushi (武士, "warrior"))  

Voiced by: Etsuko Kozakura (Japanese); Alicyn Packard (English)

A Legendary samurai cat Yo-kai of the Brave Tribe who is Jibanyan's ancestor from the Edo period and possesses him when Nate calls on him.

Tomnyan (トムニャン; from tomukyatto (トムキャット, "Tom cat"))

Voiced by: Kazuhiro Fusegawa

A 'Merican cat Yo-kai of the Charming tribe, who has the ability to Americanize people he possesses. He wears a haramaki with a design based on the Stars and Stripes, and ends his sentences with "meow". He is a fan of Lady Nyanya. He and Jibanyan are similar in appearances and backstory, as, like him, he died saving his owner, Emily, from being hit by a truck.

The Last Nyanmurai / Last Bushinyan (ラストブシニャン)

A 'Merican Legendary samurai cat Yo-kai of the Brave Tribe. He is a recolored version of Shogunyan who wears an eyepatch.

Venoct / Orochi (オロチ; from Yamata no Orochi (八岐の大蛇))

Voiced by: Yuko Sasamoto (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)

A powerful snake Yo-kai of the Slippery tribe who seeks to fight powerful opponents. He appears in Springdale seeking to fight Rubeus J, who attacked his village and killed him, causing him to become a Yo-kai. He mistakes Jibanyan for his target but ultimately manages to defeat Rubeus J, who tells him that Hardy Hound is stronger than him.

Kyubi (キュウビ, Kyūbi; from Kyubi no kitsune (九尾の狐, fox with nine tails))

Voiced by: Ryōko Nagata (Japanese); Melissa Hutchison (English)

A nine-tailed fox (九尾狐, kyūbiko) Yo-kai of the Mysterious tribe who figuratively steals women's hearts through his charm. In his "Mini Corner" segments, he attempts to steal Katie's heart by transforming into a charming boy, but she proves to be immune to his charms and it seems that he is the one falling for her. Nate later meets Kyubi in episode 31.

Roughraff / Gurerurin (グレるりん; from gureru (グレる, "to turn delinquent"))  

Voiced by: Naoki Bandō (Japanese); Brent Pendergrass (English)

A gremlin (グレムリン, guremurin)/lizard Yo-kai of the Tough tribe, who has a large pompadour. He has the ability to bring out rudeness in people he possesses, turning Eddie into a delinquent and Jibanyan into Baddinyan. He is ultimately impressed by Manjimutt's fighting skills, ending his reign of terror in the town and befriending Nate.

Manjimutt / Jinmenken (じんめん犬; lit. "human-faced dog")

Voiced by: Naoki Bandō (Japanese); Paul Greenberg^[3] (English)

An dog Yo-kai of the Eerie tribe who was once a human salaryman until he got drunk one night and died alongside a toy poodle after being crushed by several boards. Due to the circumstances of his death, he can be seen by people without a Yo-kai Watch. His resemblance to a human gets him in trouble with the police after he is found urinating in public and then claims to be a dog. Manjimutt has his own segments in some episodes, often starting a new job only to be arrested for troublemaking. These have included owning a high fashion salon for dogs, photography, baking, pottery, going to Hollywood, and becoming a movie superhero. However, he is arrested and imprisoned on Alcatraz, where he plots his escape.

Hovernyan / Fuyunyan (フユニャン; from fuyūrei (浮遊霊, "wandering ghost"))

Voiced by: Yuki Kaji (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)

A cat Yo-kai of the Brave tribe who is Nathaniel's friend. When he powers up, he transforms into Darknyan of the Eerie tribe.

Lord Enma / Great King Enma (エンマ大王, Enma Daiō)

Voiced by: Ryōhei Kimura (Japanese); Meyer DeLeeuw (English)^[10]

A humanoid Yo-kai of the Enma tribe who is the leader of the Yo-kai World and seeks to unite it and the human world. Yo-kai Watch: Forever Friends reveals that he is the reincarnation of Yasha Enma, who was born when Ancient Enma's son Shien fused with the soul of a human boy, Alistair, and sacrificed himself to defeat Overseer.

Zazel / Nurarihyon (ぬらりひょん)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

A Yo-kai of the Shady tribe who is the head of the Yo-kai Council, with Aristokat and Duke Doggy working for him, and Lord Enma's right-hand man. He formerly served under Ancient Enma, who influenced his mindset and caused him to be a misanthrope, until he sees the error of his ways.

Sergeant Burly / Captain Bully (ブリー隊長, Burī-taichō; from Birī-taichō (ビリー隊長, a nickname for Billy Blanks))

Voiced by: motsu (Japanese); Brent Pendergrass (English)

A humanoid Oni Yo-kai of the Brave tribe who is obsessed with exercise, putting people and Yo-kai through "Burly's Boot Camp". He is also one of the performers of the anime's second ending theme. He first appears when he inspirits Whisper to exercise, doing the same thing to Nate and Jibanyan after giving Nate his Yo-kai Medal. He later encounters Nate, and, along with Sergeant Slug, urge him to grow as an individual by confronting Gargaros.

Sighborg Y / Android Yamada (アンドロイド山田, Andoroido Yamada)

A humanoid robot Yo-kai of the Wandroid Tribe.

Koma Knomads / KK Brothers (ＫＫケーケーブラザーズ, Kēkē Burazāzu)

Voiced by: Aya Endō

'Merican Yo-kai of the Charming Tribe who are recolored versions of Komasan and Komajiro. Knomad Koma has a girlfriend named Brenda.