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- For the chapter named after Soga's title, see Chapter 100.
“The Enchanted Blades have a mission. To defeat evil and protect the weak. I must fulfill that mission.” ― Soga's ideology behind wielding his Enchanted Blade.[source]
Akemura Soga (
He is a significant historical figure due to his actions during the Seitei War, and a major antagonist in the Sword Bearer Assassination Arc.
Appearance
Akemura Soga is a lanky, dilapidated looking man dressed in shabby white robes fastened with a black belt. He has black shoulder-length hair and prominent eyebags underneath his light-colored eyes. When activating Magatsumi's ability to allow external users to wield the blade while simultaneously attempting to possess them, black shadows form over his eyes.
Personality
Even when he was younger, Soga had been extremely determined, having stayed with the path of the sword from a young age. Though his hand would shake upon killing evildoers and he recognised the action as terrible, Soga still viewed it was necessary for people to wield katana for the sake of a better future later on.
Before the Seitei War, Kunishige held great trust within Soga, indicating that he was an upstanding individual who carried out Kunishige's ideals of defeating evil and protecting the weak. Soga was chosen to wield the Enchanted Blade Magatsumi due to his sheer mental fortitude as well as the incredibly high levels of determination he had in his beliefs, qualities which would stay with him for his life.
Over the course of the Seitei War, however, Soga became determined to annihilate the islanders, successfully committing genocide and killing roughly 200,000 people, to the point where he had to be forcefully suppressed and imprisoned by the other five sword bearers. Soga would later state that he had chose to do so based on his own beliefs and ideals, and believed such a course of action entirely necessary to protect the people of Japan; indicating that while he still followed Kunishige's ideals of defeating evil and protecting the weak, those ideals had become distorted in Soga's execution. He believed that somebody had to do what most would not, and viewed himself to be simply fulfilling his role after he committed Malediction. Soga knew full well that his position clashed greatly with the ethics of mainstream society, and had resigned himself to die afterwards while imprisoned.
In the present, Soga is entirely intact mentally, his mental fortitude apparent in his retained sanity even through his years of imprisonment. He has a desire to learn more about how the outside has changed, having immediately asked Yura about the weather when he approached his location and paused his mental invasion of Yura solely so he could speak with him. Earlier, when he had been able to access his blade Magatsumi for the first time in 18 years as Kyora Sazanami attempted to use it, Soga promptly activated it and attempted to possess Kyora through invading his mind, though Kyora was able to fend Soga off to his death, not letting Soga experience the outside.
When Yura made his declaration that Kunishige's inaction had led to the criminal sorcerer clans across Japan being able to terrorise the nation unimpeded, Soga appeared to acknowledge Yura, given his subsequent promise to take over the situation and Yura's body but give it back to him afterwards. Indeed, while he had previously believed his role fulfilled, Yura's position and declaration that they needed a hero galvanised Soga into action once more, once more letting him realise that his duty was not yet over.
Soga in general speaks cordially to people he interacts with, and shows little external sign of caring even when discussing people he is close to like Kunishige or Samura. He showed very little reaction when faced with the one who organised Kunishige's murder, only commenting that it made sense. While Soga talked respectfully with Samura, even complimenting his appearance, he did not hesitate to launch an attack towards him.
With Chihiro, son of one of the people he was closest to, Soga held him at blade-point before commenting on his growth and withdrawing his blade. Soga greeted Chihiro casually and expressed some degree of care when explaining their relation, but still engaged him in battle when Chihiro expressed ideals contrary to his own. Once he saw Chihiro's sheer grit and resolve in opposing him, Soga had no qualms viewing Chihiro as an enemy to be killed. After breaking Enten in two and impaling Chihiro through the heart to ensure he died, Soga took a moment to gently lay Chihiro on the ground and admitted that he pitied the latter for being set on his course of action by Kunishige.
Relationships
Kunishige Rokuhira
In the past, Soga was Kunishige's brother-in-law (Kunishige had married Soga's sister) and his closest and most trusted ally, to the point where Kunishige entrusted Shinuchi to him as the core of his Enchanted Blades' Lifelong Contract system; were Soga to die, the other sword bearers would die too. However, after the course of the war, Soga used Magatsumi to unleash Malediction, causing roughly 200,000 casualties.
Kunishige spoke little-to-nothing about Soga or his blade to his son Chihiro after the war, in stark contrast to how he spoke amicably about the other sword bearers such as Uruha and Samura. However, his guilt over Soga's actions led him to try unsuccessfully to destroy the Enchanted Blades on multiple occasions, and eventually led him to craft Enten, a blade designed to destroy Magatsumi with abilities that could counter it.
Soga views Kunishige favourably, referring to him as 'brother', indicating closeness. He did not seem overly affected when Yura informed him of his responsibility in killing Kunishige, only noting that it made sense given the sudden movement of the Enchanted Blades. One thing he questioned regarding Kunishige, however, was why he had chosen to seal the Enchanted Blades away after the war.
After learning more about Kunishige's ideals and desire to seal and destroy the Enchanted Blades, Soga's view of Kunishige became far more unfavourable. He viewed that his the years of peace after the war which led to his new desire had caused his skill to decline, exemplified in Enten's weakness.
Chihiro Rokuhira
Due to his closeness with Chihiro's parents, Soga was close to Chihiro shortly after his birth, having even bought his bib. In the present, he did not immediately engage Chihiro in battle despite having just attacked Samura, instead choosing to converse with him first. He was vaguely affected to hear Kunishige had never talked about him despite the two having lived together for most of Chihiro's life, and was quick to express how he had been close to Chihiro as well. However, Soga's opinion turned sharply upon asking why Kunishige had sealed the Enchanted Blades and learning that Kunishige had taught Chihiro contrary views regarding Malediction, and that the Enchanted Blades should be destroyed.
While he accepted there could be differing views on the matter, Soga pointed out how the nation had degenerated after the Enchanted Blades' sealing, what with how the sorcerer clans had continued operations, and maintained that he would defeat evil and protect the weak by eliminating all evildoers without exception, and did not hesitate to attack Chihiro immediately afterwards. After coming face-to-face with Chihiro's resolve and properly viewing him as a fellow 'samurai', Soga stabbed him in the heart without remorse, though laid him down afterwards with grace. He pitied Chihiro for being set on his path by Kunishige.
Chihiro, while initially angered why nobody had told him his relation with Soga, quickly adapted, as the loathing he had for Soga's familiarity made him glad that he hadn't known. He is deeply apprehensive of Soga's abilities but fundamentally opposed to his philosophy, refusing to allow his extremist worldview to continue and determined to combat him no matter what. His Enchanted Blade, Enten, is specifically designed to counter Magatsumi, and Chihiro end goal is to destroy the blade.
After killing Samura and seeing the determination in Chihiro's eyes as he watched the battle, Soga recognised how strong Chihiro's resolve was. Remembering Samura's statement that he was just getting started, Soga regretted not having beheaded Chihiro instead.
Seiichi Samura
In the past, Soga fought side by side with Samura in the Seitei War and had known him well. They had first met before the Seitei War, when the two coincidentally met while clearing a building of criminals and rescuing the prisoners there. Both recognised that the other had shaking hands and agreed that murder, though their duty, was gruesome. Soga, however, viewed that it was necessary that they wield katana; for the sake of a peaceful world beyond the bloodshed. At the time, they both shared similar worldviews.[2]
In the present, however, Samura wishes for Soga to die for his actions committed in the war and is devoted to killing him, having originally made a deal with the Hishaku to do so.[3] Whereas with the other sword bearers Samura had planned to kill them but use Suzaku to resurrect them, but breaking their Enchanted Blade contract in the process, Samura wanted to eliminate Soga so as to eradicate the possibility of a second Malediction and ensure only Samura himself of the sword bearers would die in the process.[4]
Having fought Soga in the past, Samura was aware that Soga was in full possession of his mental faculties and not insane like the scholars had said to justify his levels of power; he knew that Soga was simply peerless. Face-to-face with him in the present, Samura refers to him as Akemura, due to his younger age. After meeting him in the present, Soga greeted Samura cordially and noticed he looked cool with his recovered eyes, even willing to explain his perspective, but did not hesitate to later attempt to kill him.[5] Samura, aware of Soga's extremist beliefs, viewed it crucial that he and Chihiro end them before Soga caused tragedy once again.[6]
After defeating Samura, Soga stated matter-of-factly that despite Samura's advancements since 18 years ago, there was no way he could attain victory over himself with Magatsumi. Samura knew Soga's sheer skill with the blade perfectly well, but still opposed him as much as he could, sheer determination for the future fuelling him. The two found disagreement over the future; Samura had bet on Chihiro and Enten being able to shape the future, but Soga believed them inferior and lacking, seeing his easy defeat of Chihiro and breaking of Enten as proof. Samura, however, retorted to Soga that Chihiro had only just begun, and his experience with the sword was only three chaotic years.[7]
Despite their sheer opposition in ideology, the two still share a respect as swordsmen. Though knowing that he could simply wait for Samura to burn himself out once the latter began burning his own life to fuel Suzaku to unparalleled heights, Soga decided to face him instead, out of respect of his full commitment. Seeing Soga do this prompted Samura's thanks. Even after Soga cut Samura down, Samura did not hold any hate for Soga, only muttering that they had all been cursed by the war; himself by his inability to face his daughter. However, Chihiro had rid him of that curse, and he held a belief that Chihiro would rid Soga of his own curse as well.[8]
Yura
Yura initially viewed Soga as insane; while he approved of Soga's actions and Malediction, he believed that Magatsumi was in dangerous hands and needed a different wielder to maintain order. However, after making dialogue with Soga in the lowest level of Kamunabi Headquarters and discovering Soga was entirely in possession of his mental faculties, both during Malediction and in the present, Yura was impressed and proposed that they form an alliance instead given they could understand each other.
Soga, for his part, merely viewed Yura as someone he could talk to after 18 years about the outside world. He had a very muted reaction to Yura's declaration that he approved of his actions, merely asking who Yura was. After Yura made his declaration to Chihiro that the criminal organisations of the world had been exploiting the innocent for years without the Enchanted Blades being mobilised to stop them, Soga told Yura to relax and hand over control of his body, promising he would return it, indicating an acknowledgement of Yura's view from Soga's part. Soga additionally viewed that with cognisance of Yura's position, he once again had a role to play in helping the people of the nation.
Itsuo Shirakai
Soga apparently developed a disliking for Shirakai sometime in the past, which led him not to train in the Iai White Purity Style, despite (according to Samura) having sufficient talent to learn it quickly.
Abilities
Overall Abilities: As indicated by his title, Soga is an extremely powerful individual. He was entrusted with wielding the Enchanted Blade Magatsumi in the Seitei War, and his blade was noted to have an especially large role in turning the tides of battle and ensuring Japan's victory.[9] His talent with the sword has been noted to be unparalleled, with Soga himself viewed as "peerless".[10][11]
Soga has been noted to have immense mental fortitude by Samura, which alongside his ironclad beliefs were key factors as to why he was chosen to wield Magatsumi.[11] He was able to last 18 years in isolation within the Kamunabi's Dungeon without losing his mind, and was able to carry out a perfectly coherent conversation with Yura afterwards with little-to-no fatigue. Even with pillars designed to sap his physical strength and give him the bare minimum energy necessary to survive, Soga was able to stand and perform basic stretches.[12]
As a sorcerer, Soga has accomplished the first stage of spirit energy usage, being able to use his spirit energy to strengthen his body to superhuman levels.
Enhanced Speed: Soga is extremely fast, being able to easily match Samura's incredibly fast Iai White Purity Style attack without amplifying his speed using Magatsumi.[13]
Combat Prowess
Master Swordsman: Soga is an immensely skilled swordsman, being one of the six Enchanted Blade bearers who fought and helped achieve victory during the Seitei War, and the one trusted by Kunishige to wield his strongest sword Magatsumi. His strength with Magatsumi was so great that it necessitated the combined forces of all five other sword bearers in order to halt his rampage. A single Butterfly-enhanced swing using Magatsumi was sufficient to sever an entire building in half.
Soga's innate talent and skill with the sword is extraordinary, able to easily parry one of Samura's extremely fast Iai White Purity Style attacks. Samura himself has acknowledged that with his talent, Soga could have quickly and easily mastered the Iai White Purity Style, only choosing not to due to personally disliking Itsuo Shirakai.[11]
Equipment
Magatsumi
Magatsumi (
Through accessing the True Realm using his own desire to eliminate the enemy and resonating it with Magatsumi's nature as the blade made for the same purpose, Soga is able to passively drain all life from the vicinity simply by unsheathing the blade, flowers appearing on anyone nearby.[14]
Magatsumi is unique among Enchanted Blades in that it has the ability to bypass its Lifelong Contract. If another individual places spirit energy within Magatsumi and attempts to use it, Soga can activate the blade and grant them access to the blade's techniques, though they are only able to channel a small fraction of its power. In addition, in order to maintain the connection with Magatsumi, the proxy wielder's body and spirit energy are gradually consumed; willingly or not, the latter being the case during possession.[15]
While proxy wielders are using Magatsumi, Soga can attempt to possess them, shadows forming over his eyes as well as those of the proxy wielder's. The shadows over the proxy wielder's eyes may shift lighter or darker to reflect their resistance to Soga's possession.[16] In general, the strength of the shadows indicates the strength of the connection between the wielder or proxy wielder with Magatsumi, possessed or not.
Due to his contract with Magatsumi, even while separated from the blade, Soga is able to generally sense the surroundings of the area around Magatsumi.[17]
Techniques
Magatsumi is the only Enchanted Blade to possess more than three primary abilities.
Etymology
The name Akemura Soga (
曽 (So): Means "former" or "before".我 (Ga): Means "ego" or 'self'.明 (Ake): Means "light" or "bright".無 (Mu): Means "none" or "nothing".良 (Ra): Means "good" or "pleasing".
Trivia
- In Chapter 105, Akemura's surname was written as
蘇我 (Soga) instead, similar to the historic Soga clan. - Soga is left handed.
- In Chapter 81, Soga is seen for a single panel chained to a stake within his cell. This stake disappears by his next appearance.[27]
References
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 110 (Page 9).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 111 (Pages 1-3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 58 (Pages 7-8).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 82.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 105.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 106 (Page 17).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapters 107-110.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 111 (Pages 5-13).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 31 (Page 12).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 106 (Page 15).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 105 (Page 11).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 100.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 106 (Pages 14-15).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 107 (Pages 1-3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 104 (Pages 3-4).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapters 41-42.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 106 (Page 4).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 105 (Pages 16-19).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 108 (Pages 10-11).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 107 (Page 16).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 108 (Pages 8-9).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 107 (Pages 3-5).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 109 (Pages 4-8).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 109 (Page 13).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 72 (Pages 6-7).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 74 (Page 3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 81 (Page 2).