Byakuya Togami is characterized by his cold, arrogant, and self-centered nature. He is highly reserved and prefers to distance himself from others, convinced of his own superiority and viewing most people as beneath him. This attitude stems from his upbringing within the Togami family, where heirs were forced to compete against their siblings for the right to inherit the family name and fortune. Those who lost were excommunicated, leaving Byakuya with a worldview shaped by ruthless competition and a belief that emotional ties are trivial.

During the Killing School Life, this detachment allowed him to remain composed and analytical, making him one of the group’s most capable investigators. However, he treated the killing game as little more than another competition to win. His lack of empathy was particularly evident after the murder of Chihiro Fujisaki, when he staged the crime scene to mislead others, viewing the body as an object to be used for strategy. His inability to understand altruistic or emotionally driven behavior often led him to misinterpret motives, as seen in the case of Sakura Ogami’s suicide, which forced him to confront the limitations of his worldview.

Over time, Byakuya’s outlook began to change. He shifted his focus from “winning the game” to exposing the Mastermind, marking a turning point in his development. While he continued to maintain a cold and dismissive persona, he gradually showed more willingness to cooperate with others and even demonstrated respect for their resolve. Though he continued to deny considering his peers as friends, his actions such as supporting Makoto Naegi during the Final Killing Game and aiding in the rehabilitation of the Remnants of Despair showed genuine growth. Despite his pride in the Togami name, he acknowledged the need to rebuild after Junko Enoshima revealed the destruction of his family’s legacy.

Byakuya’s haughty seriousness often gave him an unintentionally comical edge, a trait noted by creator Kazutaka Kodaka. His interactions with classmates frequently frustrated them, and his constant references to others as “plebeians” or “amoebas” highlighted his inflated sense of superiority. He also displayed a strict sense of etiquette instilled by his family, avoiding vulgar language and reacting with disdain to behavior he considered uncouth. Yet, this sheltered upbringing left him ignorant of common matters, such as preparing his own meals or understanding toy vending machines.

One relationship that did not soften over time was with Toko Fukawa. Toko, and her alter ego Genocide Jack, became obsessively infatuated with him, calling him her “Master.” Byakuya, however, was openly disgusted by her poor hygiene and erratic behavior. While he manipulated her fixation for menial tasks, he had little respect for her and even revealed her identity as Genocide Jack to the group despite her trust. Toko interpreted his insults as a form of affection, which only deepened her obsession. Although Byakuya acknowledged owing her and Komaru Naegi for saving him from captivity during the Demon Hunting game, his feelings toward her never shifted beyond apathy and disgust.

Ultimately, the Killing School Life and its aftermath reshaped Byakuya’s perspective, tempering his competitive and elitist mindset with a recognition of collective effort. While he maintained his aloof and critical manner, he became a vital ally to Makoto and the other survivors, using his influence and resources to further their shared goal of overcoming despair.

Byakuya stands at 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) and weighs approximately 68 kg. He has a tall, slender frame with long legs, pale skin, and sharp lapis-blue eyes accentuated by long eyelashes. His hair is chin-length and a distinctive canary-blonde.

His standard attire consists of a black suit jacket worn over a white dress shirt with a lapis-blue crossover tie. He pairs this with black dress trousers, a matching belt, and black dress shoes with a slight heel. Byakuya also carries a silver pocket watch in his breast pocket, and during his time at Hope’s Peak Academy, he wore the school’s emblem pin on his lapel.

After joining the Future Foundation, his appearance remains largely unchanged, though he switches to a dark green necktie and no longer carries his pocket watch or wears the Hope’s Peak pin.

Byakuya was born into the wealthy and powerful Togami family, a global financial dynasty with strict traditions of succession. As part of the family’s inheritance system, all potential heirs were forced to compete against one another in a ruthless contest to prove their worth. Those who failed were stripped of their family status and exiled, considered unfit to bear the Togami name. Byakuya emerged victorious in this competition, earning his position as the designated heir and carrying immense pride in his family’s prestige.

This upbringing in an environment of constant rivalry and absolute elitism shaped his worldview. Byakuya came to believe in a strict hierarchy of “haves” and “have-nots,” dismissing emotional connections as meaningless and viewing cooperation as weakness. His inherited wealth and influence elevated him to a position of power and privilege from a young age, reinforcing his sense of superiority.

Despite his often arrogant demeanor, Byakuya demonstrated respect for his many half-siblings, acknowledging their efforts even if they were ultimately defeated in the family’s succession battle. His reverence for the Togami name was shaken when Junko Enoshima revealed the destruction of the family and its corporation, though he later resolved to rebuild its legacy from the ground up.

Ultimate Affluent Progeny
As the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Byakuya possesses the skills and intellect expected of the heir to the Togami family conglomerate. His sharp mind and analytical ability allowed him to quickly identify betrayals and hidden motives during the Killing School Life, making him one of the group’s most capable investigators. His background also reflects his extraordinary capability: he successfully surpassed all of his siblings in the Togami succession battle, managed multiple branches of the family empire, and secured an immense fortune of his own.

Byakuya’s talent and resources also served him in his later role as a high-ranking member of the Future Foundation’s 14th Branch. Although nominally under Kyoko Kirigiri’s leadership, he frequently assumed command in critical moments and utilized his wealth and influence to further the Foundation’s efforts. He played a pivotal role in the war between Hope and Despair, contributing to the rescue and rehabilitation of the surviving Remnants of Despair and assisting in the search for his classmates’ families, many of whom had been captured or targeted by the Warriors of Hope in Towa City.

The given name Byakuya (白夜) means “white night,” referring to the natural phenomenon in which the sun remains visible at midnight in polar regions. His surname Togami (十神) combines tō (十), meaning “ten,” and gami/kami (神), meaning “god” or “deity.”