Shuji Sumimura

Shuji Sumimura (墨村修史, Sumimura Shūji) is the husband of Sumiko Sumimura, and the father of Masamori, Yoshimori, and Toshimori. He works as an author, but does not seem to be very successful at it.

Appearance
He wears glasses most of the time. In the house he usually wears an apron. His hair is brown, he wears a blue shirt and tan pants. He is tall and slender.

Personality
Shuji is a very nurturing parent, fully supporting his sons in their pursuits and always reminding them to come home and relax a little. He sometimes disagrees with how tough his father-in-law is on Yoshimori, and is always pleased when Masamori comes home unexpectedly. He also seems to be very proud of his sons and likes to praise them (as seen when he showed several photos and awards of his sons to Gen when he went to their household). Shuji is a natural host and greatly enjoys serving guests. He is also a wonderful cook. He rarely ever loses his temper, but has been known to do so if someone insults or purposely endangers his family.

History
Shuji previously worked as Heisuke Matsudo's assistant, but left this job in order to marry Sumiko and join the Sumimura family. Shuji did not support the feud between the Sumimuras and the Yukimuras, either due to his own kind nature, or because he married into the family and did not share their overall negative opinion of the Yukimuras. He introduced Yoshimori to cake at a young age, inspiring Yoshimori's love of baking.

After 11 year-old Tokine was wounded protecting 9 year-old Yoshimori from the Ayakashi Yumigane, Shuji spoke with Shizue, know Yoshimori would be concerned. Shuji later informed his family that Tokine's life was not in danger since the poison had been removed, but that her fever hadn't broken. Shuji insisted that this was not Yoshimori's fault, but Yoshimori blamed himself, and Shuji comforted him as best he could.

The Death of Heisuke Matsudo
Late one night, Shigemori tells Shuji that Heisuke Matsudo is in danger, and they rush toward Matsudo's home, running into the Night Troop's Mukade along the way. Mukade offers to transport them via his giant shadow bug. IThey arrive to find other Night Troop members outside the house, and Heisuke already dead. Shigemori and Shuji later prepare to leave home for Matsudo's funeral.

A Sumimura Suspected
Namihira and Rokurou Ougi from the Shadow Organization's Investigation Office visit the Sumimura Home to question the family. Shuji begins to leave because he is not a Kekkaishi, but Namihira asks him to stay, wanting to speak to all of the Sumimuras. Namihira informs them of the disappearance of Mashiroko Lake, noting that there was no known guardian and that people generally avoided it because of the mist. He shows them a picture of the black hole at the site, and explains how he believes a high-level ability user capable of manipulating space removed the Shinyuuchi's power, thus creating the destroyed space in the picture. Shigemori asks if he believes they are involved, and Namihira admits that is the more likely answer. Shigemori instantly dismissed Yoshimori and Toshimori as the culprits, as they aren't powerful enough, and when Namihira asks about him, Shigemori says he wouldn't reveal his secrets to an outside. Namihira is amused because Masamori said the same when asked, and mentions that he has already restored the Shinyuuchi.

Yoshimori asks how serious a crime that stealing a Shinyuuchi's power is. Namihira replies that in addition to being a sin agains the gods, it is punishable by death in the Shadow Organization. The Sumimuras refuse to accept that, and Namihira shows them another photo: Sumiko Sumimura standing near the black hole. Namihira says one of his subordinates has the power to collect memories from items and places. Shigemori calls the photo a fake, but Namihira points out that not only is Sumiko a high-level Kekkaishi, but because she is not a Legitimate Successor, she has been allowed to wander around freely. Namihira asks Shuji if he truly knows what goes on in his wife's mind. Shuji immediately asks him to leave. Rokurou says that a woman who neglects her family and children can't have a good personality. Shuji throws tea at him, but Shigemori stops the tea with a Kekkai, while Yoshimori surrounds Rokurou's hand in a Kekkai to keep him from attacking. Yoshimori says a weird thing like Rokurou has no right to judge his mother. Rokurou tries to break free, but Yoshimori places more Kekkai on him and orders him to leave without resisting any further. Rokurou loses his patience and destroys the room with a cyclone, though the Sumimura are protected by a Kekkai. Rokurou says that even a close family will cut off the black sheep when the situation gets bad enough. He creates tornadoes to carry he and Namihira away.

The Message
Yoshimori returns home from Hakuma with a Shikigami clone of Sumiko: the real Sumiko stays behind to seal Chushinmaru Karasumori's new Shinkai. Shuji made a bed for the Shikigami and made her comfortable. When he was about to leave, the Shikigami asked him if he wanted to hear a message that the real Sumiko left for him. When he accepts, she says, "It's not that I wasn't happy when I lived with you. I think that was the time in my life that I was probably the most human. But, because of who I am, in the end I wasn't able to be a wife, a mother, or a woman. That's why I, at least, wanted to do something for someone else. I'm sorry I was selfish too in the end, I still don't understand but, I was happy when you told me you are really hurt. Really, I won't forget about you."

The Shikigami then dispels, leaving Shuji crying.

Equipment
Ayakashi Detection Stone: A mysterious stone that glows when Ayakashi are nearby. Shuji wears it around his neck.

Talismans: Shuji is capable of using temporary protection charms. While these do ward off weaker Ayakashi (such as Shion's goons), they most likely would prove useless against the stronger varieties, since even Heisuke's most powerful charms are ineffective against Shion.

Powers & Abilities
Anti-Ayakashi Training: Shuji has no Kekkaishi powers, but has received some training in anti-Ayakashi tools from Heisuke Matsudo. He typically only dresses for combat in times of great emergency, and even then usually remains within the Sumimura Home, where he can safely provide minimal support.

Minimal Spiritual Power: Shuji has very little spiritual power, making him the only "normal" person in the Sumimura family (though as Yoshimori points out, because he is the only one who has no Kekkaishi potential, in their family he is anything but normal). He typically cannot even see Ayakashi, though he can barely see them as blurry figures through certain spells.

Trivia

 * For some reason, Shuji's Ayakashi-detecting stone reacts to the presence of the Night Troop's Mukade, and Shuji can easily see Mukade's shadow bug creatures.
 * That Shuji's family name is Sumimura implies that he left his own family to join his wife's. While uncommon, he is one of two men in the series (the other being Kagen Shiromi) to do this, and both seem to generally hold their wife in such high regard that they view their own desires as being less important when compared to hers.
 * 'Shuji' (修史) means compilation of a history. 'Shuu' (修) means repairing and 'ji' (史) means history.