Kuroboshi III is the male grandson of Kuroboshi and an apprentice contract black cat studying under Tamako. Despite his ambition to succeed his grandfather as a contract black cat, he suffers from a severe fear of ghosts, which makes his progress difficult. With a blue star on his forehead, Kuroboshi III stands out as a human-shaped black cat who is polite, earnest, and a bit of a flirt, especially toward Sakura Mamiya. Though he struggles with his weaknesses, he diligently supports Tamako and tries his best in household chores. He is a supporting character with light-hearted moments, occasional comic relief, and a personal journey of overcoming his fears.
Kuroboshi III is a human-shaped black cat, unlike his grandfather Kuroboshi’s traditional feline form.
He has a distinctive blue (orange in the anime) star on his forehead.
In the manga, he wears a black kimono with a light blue hakama; in the anime, he is seen in a brown kimono with green hakama.
His eyes are designed with highlights in the anime, making him appear even cuter.
Kuroboshi III can also disguise himself as an ordinary cat when needed.
Kuroboshi III is honest, serious, and polite, always using respectful language.
He aims to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and works hard to become Tamako’s contract black cat.
Despite his black cat heritage, he is extremely afraid of ghosts.
This phobia is so severe that he often flees when confronted by supernatural phenomena and is completely unreliable in exorcism-related tasks.
He is cheerful around women and particularly enjoys sitting on Sakura Mamiya’s lap, even sometimes flattering her.
He deeply appreciates Tamako for raising him and holds her in high regard.
Kuroboshi III is also kind, willing to cooperate with Rinne Rokudo and Rokumon, often “bribing” them to help him with ghost-related tasks he cannot handle.
Kuroboshi III is the grandson of Kuroboshi, a veteran contract black cat.
He is currently apprenticing under Tamako to eventually succeed as a proper contract black cat.
Compared to Kuroboshi, who uses a classic feline appearance, Kuroboshi III has a more human-like form.
He made his first appearance in Volume 18, Chapter 176 of the manga.
Though his exact age is not stated, he is likely about elementary school age.
Like other black cats, Kuroboshi III has the ability to transform into both human-like and normal cat shapes.
He assists with household chores for Tamako and can perform them well, as long as ghosts are not involved.
Much of his supernatural assistance is negated by his fear of ghosts, making him largely ineffective in that area.
He is Tamako’s apprentice and is grateful for her care.
Kuroboshi III tries to help Tamako in every way he can.
He gets along well with Rinne Rokudo and Rokumon, often collaborating with them (usually with a bribe involved).
He adores Sakura Mamiya, enjoying both her company and affection.
He refers to other black cats with polite suffixes, indicating his respectful nature.
His grandfather, Kuroboshi, remains active as a contract black cat due to Kuroboshi III’s inability to overcome his ghost phobia.
Kuroboshi III tends to only appear in standalone episodes, making his presence infrequent.
He appeared:
- 2013: 2 times (Volumes 18, 19)
- 2014: 3 times (Volumes 23, 24, 25)
- 2015: 1 time (Volume 28)
- 2016: 3 times (Volumes 34, 36)
- 2017: 1 time (Volume 38, scheduled)
He and Kuroboshi were not featured on the official character introductions until after 2017.
He became a semi-regular character in the anime alongside Annette and Otome Rokudō.
Training Under Tamako
Kuroboshi III is currently training under Tamako as a contract black cat.
He helps her with household chores and strives to succeed his elderly grandfather, Kuroboshi.
Despite his dedication, his crippling fear of ghosts keeps him from officially taking over the contract position.
Encounters with Ghosts
Whenever ghosts are involved, Kuroboshi III panics and flees the scene, unable to assist in exorcisms or other supernatural tasks.
This weakness is a recurring source of comedy and frustration for those around him.
Due to this issue, Kuroboshi remains an active contract black cat despite his old age.
The Breakthrough Moment
In Chapter 369, Kuroboshi III finally manages to communicate with a ghost for the first time.
After overhearing Tamako and Kuroboshi discuss his lack of progress, he becomes desperate to improve and seeks advice from Rinne Rokudo.
On his way, he faints upon encountering a ghost.
When he wakes up, he realizes it was a kitten spirit.
Using a tool called the “Nekomata Plug,” he transforms the ghost into a half-human, half-beast form like himself, allowing it to talk about its lingering regrets.
However, the ghost takes on the form of a girl around his age, causing Kuroboshi III to become completely engrossed in conversation, forgetting to help her move on.
Even after this incident, his fear of ghosts remains, indicating his phobia is not completely cured.
Overall, Kuroboshi III is a lovable yet flawed character whose amusing weaknesses make him unique among the contract black cats.
Though not a main character, his moments of growth and comic mishaps add to the charm and lighter moments of the Rin-ne story.
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