Tonoyasu

“Yasu” · deceased · the cheerful sycophant of Ebisu Town — revealed Shimotsuki Yasuie, Daimyo of Hakumai

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A cheerfully self-deprecating beggar/flatterer of the poverty-stricken Ebisu Town, captioned “Sycophant — Tonoyasu, aka: Yasu.” Befriends Zoro in the Kibi ruins and guides him toward Ebisu.

Arc-by-arc updates

Wano Country — referenced: the riddle decoded (Ch. 975)

• Referenced (not shown): Denjiro reveals Lord Yasuie’s dying riddle image — two lines over the belly of the Habu viper — encoded Habu Port (“remove the midsection” of Habuminato → hato, the Wharf), the true rally point that beat Orochi’s spy (pp. 14-16). His sacrifice was not in vain after all.

Wano Country — referenced: a sacrifice in vain (Ch. 974)

• Referenced (not shown): Kanjuro reveals that Yasuie’s clever last-second change of the meeting place — which Yasuie gave his life to protect — was undone, because Kanjuro relayed the new location to Orochi: “his death was officially in vain” (p. 11). A grim recontextualization of Yasuie’s Rasetsu-Town execution.

Wano — Oden flashback (Ch. 970) — flashback (Lord Yasuie shelters Toki + children)

• As Lord Yasuie, comes to Oden Castle at Oden’s messenger-borne request to protect Toki and the children; “Otoki, we must be prepared for the worst…” (p. 8).
• The chapter is framed by shamisen music (BE-BENG, pp. 2 & 17) — a quiet tie to his present-day shamisen-strumming Flower-Capital persona.

Oden flashback — “Yasu” (Ch. 968) — referenced

• Referenced as “Yasu”: Oden had lent Orochi money “out of consideration to Yasu” — money Orochi never repaid (p. 11).

Oden flashback — “Lord Yasu” of Hakumai, young Orochi’s patron (Ch. 965)

• Referenced as “Lord Yasu” of Hakumai, the daimyo a young Orochi worked for and repeatedly borrowed money from on his climb (“I owe Lord Yasu so much”; “I remember you working for Yasu”, p. 13). Earliest glimpse of Yasuie in Orochi’s pre-shogunate history.

Oden flashback — Yasuie of Hakumai polishes Oden’s vassals (Ch. 963)

• As daimyo of Hakumai (“Yasu the Hedgehog”), he catches Oden’s vassals stealing Hakumai’s funds for Oden — and, charmed that they love Oden, gives them the money plus more, telling them to clean up, learn manners, buy books and study (etiquette, samurai economy, history, religion) (pp. 9–11). Delivers the “guardian deities” prophecy: those who serve Oden will become Wano’s guardian deities and Oden its shogun (pp. 11–12). Establishes Yasuie as the mentor who polished Oden’s thugs into the gallant retinue that processes into the capital (p. 13).

Oden flashback — defends Oden against Orochi’s theft charge (Ch. 962)

• Appears in his Oden-era role as Lord Yasuie, Daimyo of Hakumai (p. 3). Scolded by his people for being “too soft on Oden,” he defends Oden against Orochi’s fabricated theft accusation — consistent with his lifelong Kozuki loyalty.

Oden flashback — Daimyo of Hakumai, welcomes the banished Oden (Ch. 961)

• Named on-page as “Daimyo of Hakumai — Shimotsuki Yasuie” (p. 17); eagerly awaits the disowned Oden and welcomes him to Hakumai (pp. 16–17).
• Has a lowly manservant named Orochi (Kurozumi Orochi) in his service — establishing that the future tyrant Shogun began under Yasuie’s roof (p. 17). (Brutal irony: Orochi later executes Yasuie, Ch. 942.)

Wano Country (Ch. 954) — referenced; his dying message saves the raid

Wano Country (Ch. 950) — referenced; the rallying cry

• His death is the rallying cry for the Onigashima raid: “Lord Yasuie’s death won’t be in vain!!” (p. 13).
• Both Zoro and the woman sheltering him vow to avenge him and make Orochi pay (p. 16). See A Hidden Shamisen-Playing Noblewoman Shelters Zoro And Vows To Kill Orochi.

Wano Country (Ch. 945)

• Retroactive purpose of his execution made explicit: he sacrificed himself so the enemy would fixate on his false “I invented the ankle-tattoo fad” story, diverting attention from the crescent-moon mark that brands the captured Kozuki allies (referenced p. 12). See The Crescent-Moon Ankle Mark Identifies The Kozuki Revenge Allies.

Wano Country — Rasetsu Town (Ch. 944) — the body reclaimed

• Confirmed executed; the Ebisu Town townsfolk riot to reclaim his body — “Tonoyasu gave his life for this!” / “His body deserves dignity!!” (pp. 3–4, 8).
• Re-confirmed to be Toko’s father: a guard names her “that bratty little daughter of Yasuie’s” (p. 3).

Wano Country — Rasetsu Town execution (Ch. 943) — the “SMILE” chapter

• The Rasetsu execution sequence is re-depicted: the crucified Yasuie is shot before the laughing crowd; the Hakumai flashback (pp. 2–3) shows the young, dignified daimyo handing his domain’s funds to Oden’s would-be-thief vassals and urging them to become “the greatest samurai of the land,” certain Oden will one day be Shogun of Wano.
• Last words: begs the world not to blame the laughing people of Ebisu Town — “Don’t blame them for laughing!! Please, I beg of you…” (p. 14).
• His daughter Toko breaks past the gate to him; the SMILE cause behind the crowd’s laughter is laid bare. (The fuller unmasking — full Shimotsuki surname, the decoy crescent-moon, the coded Onigashima directive — landed Ch. 942; not re-asserted here.)

Wano Country — Rasetsu Town execution (Ch. 942)

• Unmasked in full: the Ebisu sycophant “Yasu” / the phantom thief Denjiro is revealed to be Shimotsuki Yasuie, former Daimyo of Hakumai and a daimyo who served the Kozuki (pp. 4–6). He admits the heroics were a front: “I’m not the hero you think I am!!… That was a lie!! I figured that if I was going to die… I might as well grab your attention” (p. 5). His full surname Shimotsuki (霜月) is given on-page — see Shimotsuki.
• Hakumai flashback (pp. 2–3): as Hakumai’s daimyo he held Wano’s “only proper port,” was rumored a likelier next shogun than Oden after Sukiyaki, and mentored/disciplined a young, sea-hungry Oden (“You ARE the son of the shogun, remember!!”).
• The decoy symbol: Yasuie reveals he personally invented the public crescent-moon “riddle image” ~20 years ago after Oden’s death, framing it as “just a little prank” (pp. 9–10) to expose Orochi’s cowardice — Orochi panicked and arrested innocents wearing the moon symbol (p. 11). See The Reverse Crescent Moon Marks The Kozuki Clans Return.
• 20-years-ago uprising: after Oden died, Orochi forced the four remaining daimyo to “serve Kurozumi, or fight”; they rose, “failed to overcome the monster that is Kaido, and Wano was razed” (pp. 10–11). Yasuie survived in disguise in Ebisu Town.
• Father of Toko — confirmed on-page (“Forgive your father for leaving you behind!! Forgive me, Otoko!!”, pp. 13–15).
• Coded message to the Akazaya/Kin’emon/Momonosuke: the leaked plan is “once again a blank sheet of paper,” there is “a new gathering place,” and they must take Kaido’s head — “Go to Onigashima!! Avenge your fallen liege!!” (pp. 13–14).
• Taunts Orochi to his face: “A man of such small caliber… shall never in his life truly devour Oden!!” (p. 12).
• Executed by firing squad at Rasetsu Town, the death broadcast across Wano on light-scrolls; he sings as he dies and awaits “the good news in the afterlife” (pp. 14–15). The Ebisu crowd laughs helplessly at his corpse — the SMILE defect pays off (pp. 16–17). See Ebisu Town’s Perpetual Smiles.
• This UNMASKING closes the Ushimitsu-Kozo half of Wano Phantoms.

Wano Country (Ch. 941) — IDENTITY REVEALED

• The captured Robin-Hood thief Denjiro is revealed to be Tonoyasu (p. 12: Toko — “THAT’S MY DADDY!!!”; the crowd — “You mean Tonoyasu?!”).
• On the funeral broadcast the crowd recognizes him as Lord Yasuie, “Yasu the Hedgehog,” former Daimyo of Hakumai, “who stood alongside Lord Oden and supported the Kozuki clan” (pp. 15-16). His being alive astonishes Orochi (“HOW IS HE ALIVE?!!”, p. 4).
• Orochi decrees he be publicly executed (crucified/burned) at Rasetsu Town alongside Oiran (top courtesan of Wano)‘s funeral — “the two biggest stars of the city dying together” (pp. 5, 15).
• Crucified, he vows to “go into the great beyond LAUGHING” and to deliver two apologies plus a parting message for Orochi (p. 17). See Pirate Laugh Before Execution Mythic Doctrine.
• He is Toko’s adoptive father; Toko bolts for the Capital to save him despite being wanted herself (pp. 13, 17).

Wano Country — Ebisu Town (Ch. 940)

• Revealed as Ebisu Town’s beloved “saint” and the father of Toko — Toko sells herself into a capital job and sends her wages back to him, which he hands out as food to those who cannot work, eating none himself (pp. 8–9).
• The Straw Hats (Robin/Nami/Usopp/Franky/Shinobu) talk with him at length without realizing who he is; he calls Robin “beautiful” and passes a message for “young Kin’emon and his fellows” (pp. 6–7).
• Knows the rebels’ plan has leaked but can still rally help; names the waning-crescent-moon ankle tattoo that marks Kozuki “comrades in waiting” (p. 5). See The Crescent-Moon Ankle Mark Identifies The Kozuki Revenge Allies.

Wano Country (Ch. 930)

• Brings Zoro into Ebisu Town, where the townsfolk greet him warmly (pp. 2-3).
• Preaches the “Ebisu smile” doctrine — “only a human can smile,” “fortune comes to those who laugh” — the namesake creed of the town (pp. 2-5). See Ebisu Town’s Perpetual Smiles.
• Recounts last night’s Denjiro robbery to Zoro with conspicuous, knowing enthusiasm (“Guess what happened last night?!”) while the town feasts on the scattered gold (pp. 3-4).

Notes

• Identity resolved Ch. 941 : Tonoyasu = Denjiro = Lord Yasuie, “Yasu the Hedgehog,” former Daimyo of Hakumai and Oden-era Kozuki ally. Canonical home is THIS note; cross-link Denjiro . Do NOT fold Ebisu Town into Okobore Town despite his conflating line.
• Etymology done : Yasuie = Tokugawa Ieyasu (家康) reversed; alias Tonoyasu buries 殿 tono “lord”; surname Shimotsuki (霜月) “frost month”; his crucifixion-then-firing-squad death mirrors the Torii Suneemon legend. See frontmatter etymology.