Artwork of Nate and his Travel Companions Whisper and Jibanyan.
A Yo-kai Companion (Japanese: おとも妖怪 Otomo Yokai) usually accompanies a human who weld the Yo-kai Watch, who follow them around and assist them in certain situations. They're sometimes referred to as "Partner Yo-kai" by the fandom, which act as their friend as well as most of them being mascots of the franchise.
They vary based on their abilities and strengths, with Whisper being used to look up information on his Yo-kai Pad for unidentified Yo-kai, or Usapyon being used as a form of combat to fight off enemies. Yo-kai who are summoned the most like Jibanyan are considered to be their "secondary partner".
Overview[]
Before humans become Yo-kai Watch users, the Yo-kai usually meet them first in an unexpected manner and usually give them the Yo-kai Watch to see and befriend Yo-kai. A bond between the Travel Companion and human is formed over time by friendship as the human gets to know them better.
They almost always follow the Yo-kai Watch welder around, with the exception mostly being at school so the human can focus on their educational studies and occasionally spending time with their other human friends. Travel Companions reside in the bedroom of the Yo-kai Watch user, usually sleeping on the floor or inside the closet.
List of known Yo-kai Companions[]
Original Series[]
Main Characters[]
| Yo-kai | Tribe | Human Partner | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper | 
|
 Slippery |
Nate | Used to assist Nate on identifying Yo-kai with the Yo-kai Pad, as well as acting as his "Yo-kai Butler". |
| Jibanyan | 
|
 Charming  Mononoke
|
Nate | Used to fight off Yo-kai as a form of combat. |
| Usapyon | 
|
 Shady |
Hailey | Used to assist Hailey on identifying Yo-kai with his Yo-kai Pad and for fighting them off. |
| Whapir | 
|
Charming Mononoke
|
Hailey | Used at the Hapyon Detective Agency to gather up clues on either humans or Yo-kai by eating their memories and depicting them in a cloud. |
Other Characters & Continuity[]
| Yo-kai | Tribe | Human Partner | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hovernyan | 
|
 Brave
|
Nathaniel, Kenny (Yo-kai Watch and Yo-kai Watch 2 as Katie and Wakuwaku Nyanderful Days.) | Used as a form of combat and assistance. |
| Whisper |
|
Slippery |
Katie (Yo-kai Watch, Yo-kai Watch 2, Yo-kai Watch Blasters and Katie's Yo-kai Butler.) | Used to assist Katie on identifying Yo-kai with the Yo-kai Pad, as well as acting as her "Yo-kai Butler". |
| Baddinyan | 
|
Charming Mononoke
|
Katie (Yo-kai Watch Blasters and Katie's Yo-kai Butler.) | Likely used as a form of combat. |
| Shadow Venoct | 
|
|
Katie (Yo-kai Watch Blasters and Katie's Yo-kai Butler.) | Likely used as a form of combat. |
| Goldenyan | 
|
 Tough |
Katie (Yo-kai Watch Blasters and Katie's Yo-kai Butler.) | Likely used as a form of combat. |
| Tomnyan | 
|
Charming Mononoke
|
Jerry (Yo-kai Watch anime series) | Used as assistance. |
Shadowside Series[]
Future-Present[]
| Yo-kai | Tribe | Human Partner | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper (Shadowside) | 
|
 Uwanosora Slippery |
Summer | Used to assist Summer on identifying Yo-kai with the Yo-kai Pad, as well as acting as her "Yo-kai Butler". |
| Jibanyan (Shadowside) | 
|
Mononoke Charming |
Summer | Used to fight off Yo-kai as a form of combat. |
| Junior | 
|
Uwanosora Charming |
Summer, Cole | Occasionally used as combat and assistance. |
| Ogu, Togu & Mogu | 
|
 Wicked |
Cole | Was used to give Cole life after beating Oniou Rasen, but then served as his partners later on. |
Past[]
| Yo-kai | Tribe | Human Partner | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suu-san | 
|
 Omamori Shady |
Jack | Used as assistance and occasionally combat. |
| Gusto | 
|
Mononoke Charming |
Jack, Alistair and Tae | Used as combat. |
| Kappa (Salaryman) | 
|
Uwanosora Charming |
Jack, Alistair and Tae | Used as combat. |
| Zashiki-warashi | 
|
Omamori  Heartful |
Jack, Alistair and Tae | Used as combat. |
Yo-kai Watch Jam series[]
Y School Heroes[]
| Yo-kai | Type | Human Partner | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wampus | 
|
Yo-kai | Jinpei | Used to transform into Kengo Benimaru. |
| Momo | 
|
Onryo | Jinpei, Kuka | Occasionally used as aviation. For Kuka, used to transform into Momonga Lady |
| Goromi | 
|
Yo-kai | Jinpei | Used to transform into Wild Boy. |
| Bluepon Perfect Body | 
|
Yo-kai | Jinpei | Used to transform into Blue Moon. |
| Komadillo | 
|
Onryo | Sandayuu | Used to transform into Little Kommander Ace. |
| Broken Clock | 
|
Onryo | Fubuki | Used to transform into Clock Lady. |
| Kazuma Shishiguro | 
|
Onryo | Mera | Used to transform into Shishi Ou. |
| Izuna | 
|
Onryo | Ryuusuke | Used to transform into Ninetail. |
| Tidas | 
|
Alien | Mataro | Usde to transform into Last T-Dine. |
| Mikettio | 
|
Yo-kai | Jinpei | Used to transform into Earth Walker and his power ups. |
| Terramin | 
|
Yo-kai | Lime | Used to transform into Ashura Gilfer |
In the games[]
In the Yo-kai Watch game, Whisper starts to follow Nate or Katie around once he is freed from the capsule at the Crank-a-kai in Mount Wildwood. He acts as the player's guide instructing on how certain things work or explaining about Yo-kai. In Yo-kai Watch 3, Usapyon takes the place of Hailey where he acts as his default companion.
From Yo-kai Watch 2, the player can change their Travel Companion by talking to Whisper in their bedroom and choosing somebody else over him, prompting a shocked reaction. They can choose to take Yo-kai they have only befriended with them either by Jibanyan in their bedroom or other Yo-kai from their party, in their Yo-kai Medallium or nobody at all. They don't give no extra effect or bonus, and this feature is more decorative that doesn't affect the story in any way.
Since Yo-kai Watch 3 has two protagonists, Both Nate and Hailey Anne can have a different Yo-kai to travel with them, and changing the Yo-kai of one does not affect the other's. That is downgraded in Yo-kai Watch 4, where there can only be one Travel Companion regardless of which protagonist is currently played. However, changing Travel Campanions is now accessible anywhere.
Trivia[]
- Jibanyan is the only Yo-kai that can always be selected, even when the player no longer has his Yo-kai Medal in their possession.
- Whisper still reacts in a depressed fashion if Whisper is befriended in Yo-kai Watch 3 to be chosen as the parter or Buchinyan.