Sakamoto

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Sakamoto (坂本)
Alias(es)	Chairman Sakamoto; Mr. Sakamoto
Species/Race	Human; later a Kagune-controlled Ghoul
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sakamoto Trading Company; allied with the Jashin Cult
Occupation/Role	Chairman of the Sakamoto Trading Company
Status	Deceased
First Appearance	Chapter 11 (mentioned in a letter to the Jashin Cult)

Background / History

Sakamoto led the Sakamoto Trading Company, a major merchant guild operating from the luxury cruise ship Heaven on Earth. The company was a financial backer of the Jashin Cult, contributing large annual sums; Sakamoto offered to raise this support to fifty million ryo if the cult eliminated his shipping rival, Gato. 11

His company exploited Shuiyu Village’s fishermen, impounding their boats and detaining villagers who resisted. The cruise ship itself was designed as a floating casino, complete with restaurants, dance floors, concert halls, a colosseum, prison cells, and an arena for beast and slave fights. 21 22 25 26

When Simu and Hidan arrived, Sakamoto avoided antagonizing the Jashin Cult by inviting them aboard and compensating the families of four guards killed by Hidan. His payment of one hundred thousand ryo per family both preserved the alliance and restored his subordinates’ loyalty. 22

After Simu presented Kagune as gifts capable of empowering ordinary people, Sakamoto became intent on producing Ghouls for his company. He conducted experiments on twenty slaves, resulting in eleven deaths, six comas, and only three conscious survivors. He then forced Shiraishi Ao and Yanagishima Keiko—Shiraishi Mori’s parents—to fight each other as Ghouls for the amusement of his noble guests. 23 24 25 26

As Mori became powerful enough to threaten him, Sakamoto consumed numerous Kagune in desperation. The transformation destroyed his sanity and turned him into a massive centipede-like creature driven by a residual urge to kill. 32 33 Simu easily brought the monster down, after which Mori absorbed Sakamoto’s Kagune; Sakamoto’s corpse was later recovered for Simu’s research. 34 37

Appearance

Before transforming, Sakamoto was a heavyset man with small eyes set among folds of fat. He wore a jade thumb ring and maintained the polished appearance and manners of a wealthy merchant chairman. 23 25

• Commanded business meetings and events in formal surroundings aboard Heaven on Earth. 22 23
• Carried a Kunai Gun during his confrontation with Shiraishi Mori. 32
• After consuming multiple Kagune, his lower body became a tens-of-meters-long purple centipede, while exoskeletons covered his torso and his arms became scythe-like blades. 33
• His head warped into an insectoid form with large mandibles after his sanity collapsed. 33

Personality

Sakamoto was politically perceptive and highly pragmatic. He understood that the Jashin Cult was too valuable an ally to offend casually, using compensation payments to resolve the deaths of his guards while making his workforce feel valued. 22

His calculated business sense was paired with extreme cruelty. He treated slaves, villagers, employees, and even wealthy guests as expendable resources: he experimented on captives, coerced a married couple into a lethal arena duel, and ordered his ninja force to kill Ghouls and spectators alike when his event spiraled out of control. 25 26 29

When directly threatened by Mori, Sakamoto’s confidence gave way to panic. His fear of death drove him to consume multiple Kagune, sacrificing his humanity for temporary power and ultimately becoming a creature controlled by the Kagune’s violent will. 31 32 33

Abilities & Resources

Commercial Influence

Sakamoto controlled a wealthy merchant guild with influence across the Land of Rivers and connections extending into neighboring countries. 37

• Funded the Jashin Cult as one of its principal backers. 11
• Maintained a private ninja squad, including two chunin and six genin-level ninja during the Heaven on Earth incident. 29
• Operated Heaven on Earth as a luxury floating casino and entertainment venue. 22
• Held slaves and prisoners for labor, torture, and Kagune experimentation. 25 26

Kagune Experimentation

After witnessing a waiter transform, Sakamoto sought to mass-produce Ghouls for his company. 24

• Tested Kagune implantation on twenty slaves; most died or became incapacitated. 25
• Recycled Kagune from failed subjects for further experiments. 25
• Used Shiraishi Mori’s parents as conscious Ghoul subjects in a staged “Duel of the Mutants.” 25 26
• Failed to account for the instability and revolt of Ghoul subjects. 28 29

Monstrous Ghoul Form

Sakamoto consumed eight or more Kagune at once when Mori cornered him, creating a powerful but unstable centipede-like body. 32 33

• Overpowered Shiraishi Mori during their initial fight and crushed ordinary Ghouls with his massive body. 33
• Possessed scythe-like limbs, heavy exoskeletal armor, and high mobility despite his size. 33
• Retained only a diminishing fragment of his own will; Simu described him as a monster destined to be controlled by Jashin. 33
• Was effortlessly defeated by Simu and subsequently had his Kagune absorbed by Mori. 34

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heaven on Earth — Sakamoto Trading Company’s luxury cruise ship, casino, prison, and arena complex. 22 25 26
• Kunai Gun — A crossbow-like weapon that fired kunai; ineffective against Mori’s exoskeleton. 32
• Kagune briefcase — A case of Kagune supplied by Simu, later consumed by Sakamoto during his final confrontation. 23 32
• Jade thumb ring — Worn while negotiating with Simu. 23

Relationships

• Kamizuki Simu — Business ally through the Jashin Cult. Sakamoto initially sought Simu’s help against Gato, then became fascinated by the potential of Simu’s Kagune; Simu ultimately treated Sakamoto’s downfall as experimental data. 11 23 24 33 34
• Hidan — Jashin Cult representative whom Sakamoto tolerated as part of the alliance despite finding his behavior irritating. 22 23
• Shiraishi Mori — Victim of Sakamoto’s imprisonment and threats against his family; later became the Ghoul who fought Sakamoto and absorbed his Kagune. 25 31 34
• Shiraishi Ao and Yanagishima Keiko — Mori’s parents, imprisoned and forcibly transformed into Ghouls for Sakamoto’s arena spectacle. 25 26
• Abu — Sakamoto’s trusted ninja subordinate, who supervised Kagune experiments and enforced Sakamoto’s orders in the arena. 25 26
• Jashin Cult — A longstanding ally and recipient of Sakamoto Trading Company funding. 11 22

Story Role / Major Arcs

Gato Assassination Request

Sakamoto contacted the Jashin Cult to request Gato’s elimination, offering increased financial support in exchange. 11

*Heaven on Earth* Incident

He hosted Simu and Hidan aboard his cruise ship, accepted Kagune from Simu, and began pursuing the creation of a Ghoul force. 22 23 24

Mutant Duel

Sakamoto imprisoned Shiraishi Mori and transformed Mori’s parents into Ghouls, forcing them into a public duel while nobles gambled on their deaths. 25 26

Collapse and Transformation

When the Ghoul uprising endangered his business and Mori advanced on him, Sakamoto ordered indiscriminate killing by his ninja squad. Cornered after the squad’s defeat, he consumed multiple Kagune and became a monstrous Ghoul. 29 31 32 33

Death

Sakamoto’s transformed body was defeated by Simu, weakened further by Mori, and ultimately reduced to a source of Kagune and research material after Mori absorbed it. 34 37

Notable Quotes

“I said, kill them all.” 29

“I also have the power of Lord Jashin!” 32

“All of you, go to hell!” 33