Soujirou is a diminutive and slender young man whose distinct physical traits give him a striking and unconventional appearance. His dark brown hair, tied back in a rough and unkempt ponytail, complements his smooth facial features, which are characterized by his bulging eyes that lend him a reptilian quality. His hunched posture further accentuates his peculiar demeanor, making his silhouette instantly recognizable.

In terms of attire, Soujirou is best known for his red tracksuit top, which he wears draped loosely over his shoulders, projecting a casual yet enigmatic aura. A dull practice sword, which he always carries, is another defining aspect of his appearance, symbolizing his identity as a swordsman and his unwavering dedication to honing his craft. These elements together create an image of a skilled yet unorthodox fighter who values practicality and freedom over convention.

Soujirou the Willow-Sword is a Visitor from the Beyond, transported to another world due to his deviant swordsmanship that defied the laws of physics. A battle fanatic to his core, Soujirou thrives on the adrenaline of combat, refusing to slow his pace regardless of circumstances. He revels in the thrill of challenging powerful enemies and constantly seeks stronger opponents to test his abilities. Despite his esteemed Yagyuu lineage and exceptional talent with the blade, Soujirou remains curious about other combat styles. However, he ultimately remains loyal to swordsmanship, finding it the most exhilarating and fulfilling discipline. Fear appears to be a foreign concept to him, though he is capable of exercising self-restraint when it serves the greater goal of facing more intriguing adversaries.

Freedom is a central tenet of Soujirou’s philosophy, as he claims to live a life free of regrets and unburdened by societal norms or personal relationships. This detachment often renders him oblivious to matters unrelated to fighting; for instance, he once relied on eating wild plants to survive before meeting Yuno, who became his guide. Soujirou’s lack of understanding extends to interpersonal relationships, yet he demonstrates a rare self-awareness, acknowledging that Yuno’s anger towards him is likely justified, even if he struggles to comprehend it. Despite his aloof and battle-obsessed nature, Soujirou has shown moments of genuine care, such as urging Yuno to escape during his fight with Shalk and Higuare or embarking on a journey to Lithia to rescue her. Yuno has observed that beneath his exterior lies an honorable sense of duty and obligation, proving that he is more than a mere battle fiend.

Over time, Soujirou has also developed the capacity to empathize with others. His battle with Ozonezma marked a turning point, as he experienced true terror for the first time and began to understand the fear that Yuno might feel when her life is at risk. Furthermore, Soujirou has displayed a protective side toward those he respects and considers friends. This is evident in moments such as when he threatened Kuze the Passing Disaster to protect Harghent, revealing a sense of loyalty and care that belies his otherwise carefree and combative demeanor. Through these experiences, Soujirou continues to evolve, balancing his unrelenting love for combat with a growing awareness of the world and the people around him.

Soujirou the Willow-Sword is introduced in Volume 1, where he saves Yuno the Distant Talon from an army of golems attacking Nagan City. After swiftly cutting through her attackers, he offers to defeat the Dungeon Golem in exchange for her packed lunch and questions her about Word Arts techniques. Upon learning that Visitors cannot use them, Soujirou ignores her warnings about the danger and charges into the burning city. He effortlessly dismantles the golem’s mechanical army and confronts the Dungeon Golem itself, skillfully dodging its attacks while using its body as a platform to weaken it. Despite its desperate use of Thermal Arts, Soujirou exploits a design flaw to decapitate the massive machine and destroy its core, ending the battle. Returning to Yuno, he casually remarks on the fight’s enjoyment before accepting her packed lunch and agreeing to travel with her to Aureatia, seemingly aware of her hidden intent to find someone capable of killing him.

In Aureatia, Soujirou and Yuno meet Hidow the Clamp, who tasks Soujirou with killing Taren the Punished. Although Soujirou is indifferent to the political stakes, he agrees out of his desire for exciting battles. Accompanying an Aureatian patrol to the Lithian border, Soujirou notices Shalk the Sound Slicer and Higuare the Pelagic lying in wait. After warning the group, he clashes with Shalk in a high-speed swordfight, while Higuare slaughters the patrol and forces Yuno to flee. Following the skirmish, Soujirou decides to continue to Lithia alone, where he encounters Nihilo the Vortical Stampede. Despite her claim to be an ally, Soujirou’s instincts compel him to engage her in combat, forcing her to retreat after sustaining damage to her outer shell.

Soujirou presses on to rescue Yuno, tracking her to a cell where she is held by Dakai the Magpie. Recognizing Dakai as a fellow Visitor, Soujirou shares a brief conversation about their shared values before Yuno asks him to kill Dakai. The ensuing fight showcases Soujirou’s ingenuity, as he uses his dull practice sword and precise technique to disarm Dakai and deliver a fatal blow. With the conflict resolved, Soujirou and Yuno leave the city for Aureatia. Along the way, Yuno confronts Soujirou about his actions and her lingering anger, prompting him to admit his lack of understanding about emotions or life outside of combat. Despite their differences, Yuno vows to remain his guide, while Soujirou agrees to teach her about his world.

In subsequent volumes, Soujirou takes on new roles while continuing his pursuit of challenging battles. In Volume 2, he acts as a bodyguard for Elea the Red Tag during a journey to Togie City, where he effortlessly slays a wurm threatening their carriage. In Volume 3, he and Yuno are sent by Hardy the Bullet Flashpoint to aid in subjugating the Free City of Okahu, though the mission is later canceled. During their return to Aureatia, Soujirou reveals to Yuno that his original world had been destroyed years ago. In Volume 4, Soujirou participates in the Sixways Exhibition, facing off against Ozonezma the Capricious in the third match, continuing to demonstrate his relentless drive for combat and self-improvement.

Soujirou’s swordsmanship transcends human limits, earning him recognition as both a Shura and a candidate for the title of True Hero. Even among the elite Shura, Soujirou proves to be an exceptionally formidable contender, engaging powerful opponents such as Shalk, Nihilo, and Dakai in a single day without sustaining significant injuries beyond a superficial shoulder wound. Yuno describes him as an opponent mortals cannot hope to defeat, and Elea the Red Tag entrusts him as her sole bodyguard on dangerous missions into enemy territory.

Despite his small stature, Soujirou possesses extraordinary strength, as demonstrated when he pinned down Dakai’s limbs and deflected Shalk’s spear attacks with his bare hands. His unparalleled speed and stamina allow him to match the pace of an Aureatian patrol on horseback, ascend vertical surfaces, and navigate the burning streets of Nagan City faster than any explorer Yuno had ever encountered. In battle, his movements are so rapid they appear imperceptible, and his sword strikes are powerful enough to break the sound barrier, deflecting multiple bullets fired simultaneously. Soujirou’s agility enables him to evade artillery fire, outmaneuver Nihilo’s devastating attacks, and traverse a swarm of mass-produced golems while dodging arrows and cannon fire. Notably, he leaped across airborne debris to reach the head of the colossal Dungeon Golem before it could complete a Word Arts chant.

Soujirou’s cutting technique is unmatched, allowing him to cleave through seemingly any solid material. This ability is rooted in his precision, as he instinctively targets weak points or openings in his opponent’s defenses. Using a cheap, blunt practice sword—too dull to crack ribs in the hands of Dakai Soujirou effortlessly slices through metal golems, thick wurm scales, and the massive stone neck of the Dungeon Golem. His cuts are described as so clean they leave surfaces with a mirror-like sheen. During his clash with Nihilo, Soujirou severed parts of her outer shell so subtly that she only realized her loss when three of her eyes were missing. Even with his dull sword, he succeeded in cutting through the deep celestial charsteel armor of Nihilo’s tank, which had been impervious to all other attacks. He can also unleash slashes beyond the physical reach of his blade, bisecting iron golems from a distance.

Soujirou’s instincts and combat experience grant him near-supernatural precision and tactical insight. He can instantly identify weaknesses and predict his enemies’ next moves, akin to a sixth sense. In Nagan City, he targeted and destroyed the cores of hundreds of golems with pinpoint accuracy. He deduced Nihilo’s vulnerability after a single strike and executed a plan to kill a wurm by precisely slicing its right atrium, causing its heart to rupture from blood pressure buildup. Despite being unable to visually track Shalk the Sound Slicer’s attacks due to the skeleton’s speed, Soujirou successfully parried and countered every strike. He defended against Higuare the Pelagic’s tendrils while simultaneously managing Shalk’s onslaught. In his duel with Dakai, he saw through the Visitor’s multi-layered strategy, exploiting misreads to secure victory. Even while asleep, Soujirou’s heightened senses were so reliable that the legendary assassin Kuuro the Cautious believed any attempt to attack him would be instantly thwarted.

Yuno the Distant Talon
Soujirou initially viewed Yuno the Distant Talon as little more than a useful guide, valuing her knowledge of the world and her ability to point him toward strong opponents. While fully aware of the thinly veiled animosity she harbored toward him, Soujirou regarded her hostility with mild amusement rather than concern. He found her mindset perplexing, noting that she allowed herself to be constrained by the expectations of others, in stark contrast to his own philosophy of living freely and indifferently to societal opinions. Their relationship began as a pragmatic partnership, devoid of emotional attachment or deeper understanding.

Over time, however, Soujirou began to develop a sense of obligation to protect Yuno. This shift became evident when he expressed genuine worry after she was kidnapped by Higuare and later risked his life to rescue her during her confrontation with Dakai. Following Dakai’s defeat, Soujirou opened up to Yuno, admitting that his empathy was underdeveloped due to a life shaped by constant threats of death and a singular focus on survival. He acknowledged his struggle to fully comprehend her anger toward his indifference but conceded that her feelings were likely justified. In response, Yuno offered to help him understand the value of the world and its inhabitants in exchange for him sharing insights about himself and the Beyond. Soujirou accepted this proposal, and their relationship gradually evolved into a more amicable partnership, marked by mutual respect and a growing understanding of one another.

Harghent the Still
Following Soujirou’s intense battle with Ozonezma the Capricious, which resulted in his defeat and the loss of his leg, he finds himself in a period of vulnerability during his subsequent hospitalization. During this time, he forms an unlikely friendship with Harghent the Still. Despite their contrasting personalities and circumstances, their bond develops through shared conversations and mutual respect. Harghent’s composed demeanor and unwavering presence provide a grounding influence for Soujirou, who, despite his battle-hardened nature, begins to show a different side of himself through this newfound companionship.

Their relationship also highlights Soujirou’s capacity to forge meaningful connections beyond combat. Harghent, in turn, seems to find Soujirou’s resilience and unyielding spirit both inspiring and perplexing. This friendship becomes a testament to the growth of Soujirou’s character, showcasing his ability to build bridges with others even amidst adversity and personal loss.

Aureatian Warriors
Soujirou engages with various warriors from Aureatia, fostering respect or animosity based on their character and skills.

Soujirou the Willow-Sword is remembered as a symbol of elegance and discipline in swordsmanship. His role in the story highlights the balance between preserving tradition and embracing change, inspiring others to pursue mastery in their respective fields.