Ame Okumura

Origin

Ame Okumura was the daughter of a Japanese prostitute. After her mother’s untimely death, she was adopted by the head of the Tokyo-based Ishiguro Clan. Cared for like a daughter, Ame was given her most prized possession – a stuffed bear that she named Uta. A childhood crush, Spirit, would gift her two dozen hummingbird skulls in honor of Ame’s nickname of “Hummingbird Heart;” these were sewn inside Uta as a reminder of her lost mother.

Entering her teens, Ame began to grew rebellious, often running off with Spirit to indulge in a world of punk music, racing, and drugs. Her actions drew dishonor among the yakuza, leading to the elderly leader losing a finger and the family relocating to Los Angeles.

Creation

Ame Okumura was created by Joshua Dysart and Pop Mhan. Her first appearance was in Demon: Driven Out #1 (2003).

Demon: Driven Out

Now age seventeen, Ame had been clean for years and was being groomed as Ishiguro’s second-in-command. Despite her tendency to carry Uta everywhere, she established herself as a loyal and knowledgeable aide to the elderly crime head. Away from prying eyes, however, Ame continued her street racing passion in secret.

During one race, a figure darted out in front of her opponent’s car as was struck. Both the driver and the figure were fatally injured, but Ame approached the scene to inspect the mystery man. Upon touching him, she unknowingly became fused with the demon Etrigan. Shaken, Ame fled the scene and attempted to return to her normal life. Instead, she began subconsciously scribbling out a spell – one that freed Etrigan to walk upon the mortal plane. When Ame regained control, her business allies were slaughtered and her bodyguard attempted to kill her.

Hunted by the yakuza, Ame once again found herself replaced by Etrigan. The demon sought to consolidate his power by taking over the Ishiguro Clan, using them to help generate a spell to unleash literal Hell upon the world. Toying with Ame, Etrigan allowed his host to regain control of their form amid the chaos reigning in Los Angeles. Encountering the demon’s true host, Jason Blood, Ame discovered that the mage had utilized techno-magicks to split Etrigan from his own form. Needing to contain Etrigan once again, Ame and Blood located the lab and equipment originally used in the separation spell.

During their efforts, Ame’s former friend Spirit arrived to assassinate his ex-lover. Ame chose to release Etrigan to save her life, and the demon gleefully killed Spirit and mortally wounded Jason Blood. Choosing to savor the moment of Blood’s demise, Etrigan instead walked into a trap set by Ame and was once again bound to his rightful host. Disgusted at the mess both of them has made with her life, Ame cursed them as one before demanding that Etrigan repair her shredded bear. Once this was completed, Ame Okumura walked away with her only treasured possession.