Who is Izayoi Kyuuemon? (Wild speculation time)

[takenoko]

So you don't wear a mask unless you want to hide something. Well, what's the big twist?

Since Megumi said that Kyuuemon might turn out to be a girl, I'm guessing that's not the case. Bandai probably wouldn't have let the interview go out like that if they were planning that.

So I'm thinking, the only other thing it can be is that Kyuuemon is the real first son of Last Ninja. The clues are all there. Last Ninja wouldn't take some outsider as a pupil for guarding the Finishing Shuriken. But Last Ninja is kind of a crummy dad. So it shouldn't be surprising that Kyuuemon gets power hungry and turns to evil. In his shame, Grandpa wipes the memories of his other kids and takes away their ninjutsu.

[xiiliea]

inb4 Kyuuemon turns out to be grandpa himself

He uses bunshin no jutsu and talks to himself cuz he is bored.

[Lunagel]

I don't think they'd do him as one of Grandpa's kids, but I wouldn't count out him being a 6th grandkid.

[Jetman]

Kyuuemon has a mask because all the lieutenant villains have partial Noh masks as part of their design. The masks aren't to hide their appearances, but are essentially part of their faces. Besides, Kyuuemon isn't human anymore and behind the mask would look like some sort of tiger monster not the person he was. I think Kyuuemon is exactly who he/she claims to be. A student of Yoshitaka who felt betrayed and outraged by his refusal to give up the Finishing Shuriken and now wants to take it anyway he can.

[Phoenix512]

If Kyuuemon was a woman, it would be neat if she was a former lover of Gramps. Just imagine all the stuff could behind why she ends betraying Gramps. Also at the end of the series I really want to compare who is the worse father between Gramps and Sasuke from Naruto.

[Big One]

What if Kyuuemon is like Juzo. Umm... Maybe he wasn't the son of Last Ninja. He just studied under Last Ninja. And he wanted to get the Finishing Shuriken, but he knew that impossible. Maybe he understood the power of this thing. He thought that with it he can change the world(these thoughts very changed him). Assume that the for that moment he had not the necessary strength to defeat the Last Ninja. So Kyuuemon went to the Kibaoni Army or just used all methods to get stronger. And he became a Yokai. And Last Ninja doesn't want take the new students precisely because of the strength of shuriken. But why he trains his children and grandchildren? If he's afraid that his new student will be the same as Kyuuemon why the same can't do his grandchildren? And why Kyuuemon went to the StarNinger? Yes, Kin-chan isn't a grandson of the Last Ninja. He could have go to Yakumo or Kasumi(or to the somebody else), because they are his grandchildren, maybe then defeat the Last Ninja would have been easier. Yes, Kin-chan was an excellent victim for Kyuuemon. Perhaps they would have become a wonderful duet, I guess... Эээээээээ...
Therefore I don't understand some things from Kyuuemon's and Last Ninja's heads and guessing he is somewhat similar to Juzo.

[xiiliea]

What if Grandpa was a ghost, and it was Kyuuemon who killed him? (Remember the first episode, everyone thought he was dead, then he suddenly pops up)

[Digifiend]

And him being dead was rumoured before the show even began!

[Kogashi]

Huh... would be a fun double fake out really. Since there was the fake out of him being dead ending with 'don't write me off as dead'... Then for him to really be dead, long as they handle it right.

[takenoko]

I remember briefly speculating on that, and just forgetting about it. Would be a fitting twist.

[xiiliea]

Maybe a more epic speculation!

Grandpa also had to use his body and soul to seal Kibaoni. And Kyuuemon had to spend all those years training to become strong enough to break the seal. He only did that because he wanted the Finishing Shuriken, and he thought that he could obtain it by releasing the seal. And it released both Kibaoni and Grandpa together.

/end epic speculation

[Big One]

Or maybe if Grandpa's dead Kyuuemon's also dead. And Kyuuemon was Grandpa's student. When he began to search for ways to win over the ninja(to get the shuriken) he assume fought with a Last Ninja. And in this battle they both died. Grandpa back to life as a ghost, and he as a Yokai. It became a sort of curse..................
& it is possible that the shuriken can return from dead to live. So Kyuuemon want to back to life or bring back to life someone........................
(MAD THEORIES)

[Jetman]

Maybe a more epic speculation!

Grandpa also had to use his body and soul to seal Kibaoni. And Kyuuemon had to spend all those years training to become strong enough to break the seal. He only did that because he wanted the Finishing Shuriken, and he thought that he could obtain it by releasing the seal. And it released both Kibaoni and Grandpa together.

/end epic speculation

Best theory/story idea I've read so far. You can also get some added pathos and drama out of him having to die again to defeat Kibaoni. If they go the "Yoshitaka is dead" route, I hope they do something like that.