In the ethereal world of Gensokyo, Chen stands out as a vibrant and mischievous nekomata, distinguished by her signature red outfit, green mob cap, and the two tails that mark her as a powerful feline youkai. As the shikigami of Ran Yakumo—who is herself the shikigami of the legendary sage Yukari Yakumo—Chen occupies the unique and often humorous position of being a "shikigami of a shikigami." Despite her fearsome title as the "Black Cat of Bad Omens," she is widely beloved for her childlike innocence and playful nature, often possessing the intellect and whimsy of a human child. Her power is deeply tied to her proximity to her master; while she can use formidable black magic and move with blinding, feline speed, her abilities are significantly dampened when she is far from Ran. Perhaps her most famous quirk is her absolute vulnerability to water, which instantly dispels her shikigami possession and reverts her to a more "feral" and ordinary cat state. When she isn't acting as a loyal (if occasionally unreliable) servant to the Yakumo household, Chen can be found in the abandoned village of Mayohiga, where she fruitlessly attempts to lead a kingdom of ordinary cats who almost entirely ignore her commands.
