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“Give me back my little brother!” ― Soya to Hinao and Shiba who he feels are causing his brother, Hakuri, to betray him.[source]
Soya Sazanami (
He is a major antagonist in the Rakuzaichi Arc.
Appearance[]
Soya is a very tall young man (standing at roughly two heads taller than Hakuri) with white hair, part of it at the front sectioned off in two small braids. He typically dons the Tou outfit; a black vest over a white dress shirt with black pants.
At the age of 13 years old, Soya tied his hair in the same braids as he did in the present. Despite his young age, he already stood at a height comparable to his father Kyora. During his grandfather Sora's funeral, he wore a black suit and tie with black pants.
Personality[]
Around most people, Soya is a cold, intelligent and professional individual, who can easily focus on the tasks assigned to him and is as dedicated to the Rakuzaichi as the rest of the clan. His nature, combined with his strength, was what led Kyora to choose him as his successor to inherit the Storehouse.
However, around his younger brother Hakuri, Soya's personality drastically changes. Soya greatly cares for Hakuri but is overly possessive; whenever he fears someone may 'lead Hakuri astray', he will immediately attempt to kill them, as seen when Hinao interrupted their conversation. Soya relishes in Hakuri's weakness, enjoying the feeling of having him under his control (hence his persistence in ensuring Hakuri stayed with the family). On several occasions he has also used tools to injure Hakuri, a further display of his abusive nature. Soya's fanaticism regarding his brother is so strong that Hakuri and Shiba planned to weaponise it in order to lure him away for the rest of the Tou, and the plan worked without a hitch. Kyora is aware of Soya's attitude towards his brother and disapproves as it gets in the way of Soya's usual pragmatic nature.
When Hakuri refused to simply let Soya abuse him and began fully opposing him, Soya immediately decided to kill Hakuri for refusing to return to his former state. After Hakuri awakened to his second power of the Storehouse, Soya grew furious, as he viewed it impossible that Hakuri, a 'worthless failure' in his eyes, could ever be as great a prodigy as a legend such as the first Sazanami Clan head.
Relationships[]
Kyora Sazanami[]
Ordinarily, Kyora holds great respect for and trust in his son, informing him of his choice to slate him as future head of the Sazanami Clan, due to Soya's high level of intelligence; while Kyora notes Tenri's combat capabilities are on par with Soya's, in the event of losing his sorcery Soya would have the better mind to make up for his loss of power. Kyora also trusted Soya enough to inform him of the first clan head's dual sorcery techniques as well as his hopes that another similar individual may reemerge within the clan.[1] Like the rest of his siblings, Soya respects his father and is dedicated to the Rakuzaichi.
However, Kyora negatively views Soya's possessiveness over and abuse of Hakuri; not due to any worry over Hakuri's health, but rather because it distracted Soya from his duties, and has repeatedly told him to stop focusing on Hakuri.[2] When Soya is in proximity of Hakuri, he immediately begins rushing towards him, even ignoring commands his father has previously ordered.[3]
Hakuri Sazanami[]
Tenri Sazanami[]
Due to Tenri's status as a prodigy in terms of combat ability, feelings of inferiority arose within Soya due to Tenri being almost as strong as he was despite their six-year age difference; hence their relationship had been somewhat strained for several years. When Kyora told Soya he had chosen him as clan head and brought up the Storehouse overriding Isou, Soya immediately brought up how that was why Tenri couldn't be the clan's head. After developing an obsession over Hakuri, however, Soya has generally overlooked his prior thoughts over Tenri in favour of focusing on Hakuri. Soya talks with Tenri often though for his part Tenri doesn't think much of it. In recent times and in light of Soya's focus on Hakuri, Tenri believes Soya should be more serious in focusing on his duty to the Rakuzaichi.
Plot[]
Background[]
Soya was born 23 years ago on the 16th of September and was raised as a member of the Sazanami Clan, expected to learn how to use spirit energy at a young age. As a blood relative of Kyora, he was viewed as 'special' by Kyora alongside Hakuri and Tenri in particular. Following the death of Soya's grandfather Sora nine years ago a few months before Soya would turn 13, Kyora (who Sora had passed down Storehouse authority to) told Soya, Hakuri and Tenri that he would one day pass down clan leadership and governance of the Storehouse to one of them.[4]
As Hakuri turned out to be unsuccessful in using his sorcery, Soya would develop an extremely possessive view over him, frequently abusing him and relishing in having Hakuri under his control, heavily opposing the idea of Hakuri leaving the family in any way. Kyora witnessed this bullying but did nothing to stop it. While Soya often brutalised Hakuri's limbs with various items, they would always go missing, having been subconsciously taken by Hakuri into his Storehouse.[5][6]
Sometime before the age of 23, Soya would become a member of the Tou. Kyora later informed him that Soya was the one he had chosen to inherit the Sazanami Clan's Storehouse, and that would it override Isou. Kyora additionally noted Tenri would be the strongest warrior of the family, and was not suited for the role of clan head due to his differing talents to Soya. He urged Soya to stop focusing on Hakuri and direct his attention to his duty.[7]
During August of the year of the 208th Rakuzaichi, Soya would begin looking for Hakuri after Kyora exiled him following his allowing of a woman slated for auction to commit suicide.
On the 16th of September that year, Soya turned 23 years old.
Rakuzaichi Arc[]
On the 1st of November, Soya encountered Hakuri on an apartment building and was ecstatic to see him, wanting him to come back to the family. Hakuri was terrified and immediately tried to jump off the apartment stairwell ledge, but Soya saved him and dragged him back up. Hakuri voiced that he'd rather die than be killed for 'ruining the merchandise', but Soya brushed that off, claiming it was the icy-skinned woman's fault for 'influencing' Hakuri.
Soya asked Hakuri to return, but Hakuri declined again, refusing to return to his family. Soya was shocked, thinking Hakuri was not the kind of person to talk back. Hinao then walked out with an umbrella, planning to give it to Hakuri since it was going to rain soon. Soya immediately decided she was also 'influencing' Hakuri, and decided to kill her. Hakuri tried to hold him back, yelling at Hinao to run, but Soya punched him into the ground. Hakuri tried to reach out to stop Soya, but Shiba then arrived, confirming Soya's hostility with Hinao before striking Soya's face and teleporting the two of them high up into the sky.[8]
With tears streaming down his face, Soya activated Isou and rapidly shot forward at Shiba, the older man promptly dodging. While his state of mind was not at its usual professional nature due to still thinking of Hakuri, his reaction speed was still enough to launch an incredibly powerful point-blank shockwave at Shiba, who was narrowly able to dodge. Shiba then teleported the two of them to the Sazanami Estate just in time for Soya's shockwave to clash with his elder brother Enji's, the two cancelling each other out.
Soya immediately voiced his frustration at having just encountered Hakuri and Kyora overheard him, rapidly deducing Hakuri was responsible for Chihiro and Shiba's intrusion and transporting Hakuri to the estate, trading Hakuri over to Chihio in exchange for Enten.[9]
On the 8th of November, the day of the 208th Rakuzaichi, Soya and the rest of the Tou were stationed by the Naginojoen doors by Kyora rather than their usual position on the Rakuzaichi stage. Tenri and Tamaki briefly discussed the reason for their non-standard post, Soya chiming in to coldly note Chihiro had likely figured out its existence, whether by using Enten within the Storehouse or through contact with Hakuri. Tamaki wondered why their father hadn't simply told them outright and Soya sarcastically remarked it wasn't difficult to figure out.
Tamaki shrugged as Enji spoke up, theorising Kyora may have still been reeling with using Hakuri as a hostage and desired for the four of them not to over-think things, concluding that they should simply focus on protecting the door. Tenri then received a report over the radio that Chihiro had arrived on-site, briefly debating with Tamaki over the likelihood of Hakuri showing up.
A wall of trees aids Soya's pursuit of Hakuri
Soya then began concentrating on a sight at the other end of the long hallway, before spotting and shooting up the stairs to chase after him, yelling at him to come back. The two ascended into an upper hallway where Chihiro was descending on the other end, but the sudden rise of a wall of trees caused by Yura prevented the two from meeting, Soya ecstatic to finally see Hakuri, promising to kill every person who planted ideas of opposition in his head. Hakuri then declared he was there to defeat Soya, readying Isou.[10]
The Isou failed, and Soya was dismayed at Hakuri's continued resistance, urgently kicking at him in an attempt to remind him of his worthlessness. Hakuri ignored him as he spotted black lightning through the wall of trees, recognising it as Chihiro. Soya attempted to criticise Chihiro and blamed him for Hakuri's resistance, but Hakuri continued to ignore him, instead focusing on his lessons with Shiba to make use of his spirit energy and successfully using Isou, the admittedly weak blast pushing Soya back several metres to the wall of trees.
Soya was impressed at Hakuri's Isou but ultimately derided it as weak, just as Chihiro burst through the wall of trees and landed two devastating slashes in Soya's back.[11] The two then sensed a change in the air, detecting the increase in spirit energy Tenri had gained through his use of Datenseki, and rushed to charge down, but Soya stood up, black shadows flaring in his eye as he frigidly declared he would kill the two of them, Hakuri having never heard his serious tone before.
Hakuri and Soya clash
Hakuri urged Chihiro downstairs to focus on the Naginojoen and leave himself to deal with Soya, and Chihiro acquiesced despite his worry. Soya noted Hakuri was too far gone from the family and thus had to be killed, and the two launched simultaneous shockwaves at each other.[12] Soya's shockwave massively outpowered Hakuri's, and Hakuri was sent flying to the end of the hallway near the stairs, left as a bloodied mess on the ground.
Soya walked over to Hakuri and blasted him again at near point-blank range, damaging the ground and Hakuri's body even further. Believing him dead, a teary-eyed Soya turned to walk back to the Naginojoen, but then heard a noise and turned around. Lying near Hakuri was a pair of familiar pliers, while the discolouration on Hakuri's eye had intensified into a larger flare than before.[13]
Soya noticed numerous tools he once used to torture Hakuri had started to reappear one by one, akin to items being summoned from the Storehouse. As Hakuri stood up, a white eyepiece identical to that of the guardian of the Storehouse emerged over his left eye, alongside the black flare of Isou.
Soya was aghast, recalling his father's words that the first Sazanami clan head held the unprecedented status of wielding two unique types of sorcery; Isou and space manipulation. Soya thought it impossible that Hakuri was the same, slamming Hakuri into the cracked wall. He angrily screamed why Hakuri had inherited the two types of sorcery, when Hakuri had been unable to do anything for the longest time, yelling at him to die. Internally, Hakuri reflected on his time and words with the icy-skinned woman, appreciating their chats which had helped him so much, and apologising for not being able to show her the hope in the world.
As Soya stepped back, thinking Hakuri to be finished, Hakuri fell but landed on one leg; identically to how Chihiro had steadied himself in his first battle against Sojo. Hakuri blasted a shockwave much stronger than his last at Soya, which was enough to knock him out and defeat him.[14]
Abilities[]
Overall Abilities: Soya is a distinguished sorcerer from the Sazanami Clan, a family renowned for its powerful sorcery, and is a master of his family's signature technique, Isou. Soya is a member of the Tou, distinguishing his status as one of the family's four best sorcerers, and was reckoned by Shiba to be the strongest of the four.[15]
As a sorcerer, Soya has accomplished the first stage of spirit energy usage, being able to use his spirit energy to strengthen his body to superhuman levels.
Sorcery[]
The destructive power of Soya's shockwaves
Isou: As a member of the Sazanami Clan, Soya is able to use the family's signature technique, which allows him to create and manipulate shockwaves. Soya is extremely adept at using his shockwaves, using them to move through the air at extreme speed. The power of his shockwaves are extremely potent, able to swiftly travel through the air and deal severe damage to a building several metres away from where he was fighting Shiba midair,[16] and also blast Hakuri across half a corridor and destroy the wall at the corridor's end, dealing severe damage to Hakuri.[17]
Etymology[]
The name Soya Sazanami (漣宗也 Sazanami Sōya) can be broken down as follows:
- The surname Sazanami (漣) means 'ripples'.
- His given name Soya (宗也) consists of the characters for 'religion' or 'principle' and 'to be'.
References[]
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 36 (Pages 5-7, 9).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 36 (Page 7).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 30 (Pages 6-7).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 34.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 24.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 36.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 36 (Pages 5-7).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 24.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 25.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 30.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 32 (Pages 9-21).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapters 33-34.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 35 (Pages 14-19).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 36 (Pages 2-14).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 25 (Page 3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 25 (Pages 2-3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 35 (Pages 14-15).
[]
| List of Characters | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chihiro's Allies | Rokuhira Swordsmith | Chihiro Rokuhira • Kunishige Rokuhira† | |
| Sorcerers | Togo Shiba • Soshiro Azami • Hakuri Sazanami • Hiyuki Kagari • Tafuku Mihara • Iori Samura | ||
| Other | Hinao • Char Kyonagi | ||
| Kamunabi | Leaders | Kudo • Soshiro Azami | |
| Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces | Ikuto Hagiwara • Kazane Machi • Shiyumi Harima† • Hajime Kugara† • Kiyohiko Uzuki† • Makoto Kasahara† | ||
| Other Members | Hiyuki Kagari • Tafuku Mihara | ||
| Masumi | Ro • Sumi • Moku | ||
| Seitei War Enchanted Blade Wielders | Misaka† • Yoji Uruha† • Seiichi Samura • Subaru • "Master Swordsman" | ||
| Hishaku | Yura • Hishaku Sorcerer • Hiruhiko • Kuguri • Toto | ||
| Sazanami Clan | Kyora Sazanami† • Soya Sazanami‽ • Tenri Sazanami† • Tamaki Sazanami • Enji Sazanami | ||
| Other Characters | Sojo's Group | Genichi Sojo† • Norisaku Madoka† • Mohawk Henchmen† | |
| Independent Sorcerers | Clone Sorcerer† • Trauma Sorcerer† • Oni Mask Sorcerer • Yojiro Sengoku† • Itsuo Shirakai‽ | ||
| Non-Sorcerers | Yuu • Ikura | ||