Tatsuya Sakuya

Biodata

Background / History

Tatsuya Sakuya is a transmigrator who enters Advanced Nurturing University already aware of its competitive structure and major events. Rather than openly pursue power at once, he initially intends to use his information advantage to secure an easy, resource-rich school life. His longer-term objective is to rise from Class 1-D to Class 1-A. 1 2

From his first days at school, Sakuya recognizes the monthly 100,000-point distribution as a test rather than a gift. While his classmates spend freely, he gathers zero-point necessities and preserves his resources for opportunities with greater value. 3

He deliberately acquires a high-end voice recorder, regarding physical evidence as the strongest asset in a school where promises and trust are fragile. He subsequently uses recordings and information to gain leverage over others, most notably Kamuro Masumi after witnessing her shoplift. He later shows Kamuro that he has deleted the video of her theft. 4 12 13 23

When Class 1-D’s Class Points fall to zero, Sakuya is one of the few students unsurprised by the outcome. He views the financial crisis and looming expulsions as the ideal opening to establish authority within the class. 31

Sakuya buys the previous year’s midterm papers, sells a copy to Class 1-A, and uses the papers to win support in Class 1-D’s committee election. Elected committee secretary with 30 votes, he begins organizing the class’s exam preparation. He later helps pool 200,000 Private Points to obtain a makeup-exam opportunity for Sudo Ken, preventing his expulsion. Class 1-D subsequently reaches 78 Class Points, though it remains far behind the other first-year classes. 35 36 41 64 65 70 73

Appearance

Sakuya is described as a tall, handsome student with a composed and polished demeanor. He is ranked first in a first-year girls’ looks-and-charm ranking. 4 21

• Usually maintains an elegant, relaxed posture. 2 6
• Has a calm expression that rarely changes, even during tense confrontations. 1 3
• Lives in Room 217 of the first-year boys’ dormitory. 4 5
• Frequently admires his own appearance and openly considers himself exceptionally handsome. 26
• Maintains an athletic build through regular gym training. 56 67

Personality

Sakuya is calculating, observant, and highly self-controlled. He routinely studies the incentives behind school rules and social behavior rather than accepting events at face value. His decision to stockpile free goods before Class 1-D’s points collapse demonstrates both his foresight and his willingness to let others suffer the consequences of poor judgment. 3 31

He often presents himself as polite, calm, and helpful, particularly toward people he considers useful or vulnerable. He respects Airi Sakura’s social anxiety, offers Karuizawa Kei patient academic support, and intervenes when classmates are harassed. 4 10 28 30

Beneath that composure, Sakuya is manipulative and mischievous. He uses secrets, intimidation, teasing, and staged social roles to gain cooperation or information. He is willing to exploit Kamuro’s shoplifting, provoke Horikita Suzune, and pressure desperate upperclassmen for old examination papers. 12 18 19 34

As committee secretary, he favors assigning work according to classmates’ strengths rather than managing every task himself. He can also be blunt when he thinks another student’s pride or poor judgment threatens the class. His practical attention sometimes comes at the expense of emotional awareness, as when he initially mistakes Karuizawa’s attempt to show him her manicure for a sign of illness. 38 44 49 56

Abilities & Skills

Strategic Analysis

Sakuya quickly identifies hidden incentives and uses them to position himself advantageously.

• Recognized the initial 100,000-point allowance as temporary startup capital rather than unconditional wealth. 3
• Correctly anticipated Class 1-D’s loss of all Class Points due to misconduct. 24 31
• Understands the comparative conditions of the four first-year classes and Class 1-D’s weaknesses. 18 32
• Plans to acquire old midterm papers through a good-cop/bad-cop negotiation with financially desperate second-years. 34
• Buys the papers for 10,000 points, then sells a copy to Sakamayanagi Arisu for 100,000 by exaggerating the threat from Class 1-B and arranging a staged competing offer with Karuizawa. He pays Karuizawa her agreed 30,000-point share. 35 36 37
• Uses access to the papers to build election support, including an offer to let Kushida earn 30,000 points by selling them to Class 1-B in exchange for canvassing on his behalf. 36 38
• Recognizes that other classes can obtain the same papers and moves Class 1-D’s group study sessions to the library, where its students can prepare more seriously alongside their competitors. 46 48 49
• Assesses Ryuen Kakeru’s rule by intimidation as vulnerable if another Class 1-C student can unite the class. 73

Academic Ability

Sakuya possesses exceptional academic knowledge but intentionally restrains his visible performance.

• Earned exactly 40 points in every entrance examination subject, indicating deliberate score control. 21 22
• Correctly solves advanced calculus questions in class despite appearing disengaged. 20
• Solved the difficult bonus question on the surprise mathematics examination while keeping his final score unremarkable. 27
• Tutors Karuizawa Kei in mathematics and is confident he can improve her performance before the midterms. 28 30
• Tutors Maya Sato and Matsushita Chiaki in calculus, then concludes that Class 1-D needs coordinated group study rather than individual help from him alone. 44
• Helps organize a mutual-support study system in which stronger students assist classmates with weaker academic foundations. 45 49

Physical Ability and Combat

Sakuya conceals outstanding athleticism, reflexes, and fighting ability.

• Recorded 62 kg in grip strength and placed third overall in Class 1-D’s physical fitness test. 8
• Caught a falling runner, corrected his own balance, and finished the endurance run only one second behind Ayanokouji. 8
• Won the grade-wide 50-meter freestyle test with a school-record time of 21.91 seconds, earning Class 1-D 10,000 Private Points. 11
• Fought Student Council President Horikita Manabu to a stalemate, stopping his fist near Manabu’s face while Manabu’s fingers reached Sakuya’s throat. 25
• Trains regularly at the gym, using exercise in part to clear his mind. 56 66
• Teaches Hasebe Haruka swimming technique, emphasizing warm-ups, body position, kicking, and breathing. He helps her after she develops a cramp in the pool. 67 68 69

Chess

Sakuya is an elite chess player capable of defeating experienced opponents and matching Sakamayanagi Arisu.

• Defeated a Chess Club senior and its president during the recruitment challenge tournament. 16
• Broke the president’s King-side Fortress through a knight move creating a royal fork. 16
• Defended against Sakamayanagi’s attack and declined a forced winning continuation, intentionally steering their match into a draw. 17

Observation and Leverage

Sakuya closely watches others for weaknesses, secrets, and behavioral tells.

• Recorded an office worker during the bus dispute and used the footage to silence him. 1
• Identified Horikita Suzune’s connection to Horikita Manabu before she disclosed it. 10 11
• Recorded Kamuro Masumi’s shoplifting and used the incident to compel her cooperation; he later showed her that the video had been deleted. 12 18 23
• Deduced Ayanokouji Kiyotaka’s controlled entrance scores and physical-test performance, then established a friendship with him. 24
• Brings his voice recorder to a private rooftop meeting with Kushida and avoids confirming her suspicion that Airi Sakura is the model Shizuku. 73
• Directs Airi to record Class 1-C students provoking and attacking Sudo in a surveillance blind spot. After reviewing the footage, he considers using it for leverage against Ryuen rather than merely clearing Sudo’s name. 78 79 80

Cooking and Practical Knowledge

Sakuya is capable with food preparation and consumer electronics.

• Advises Airi Sakura on selecting a lightweight camera suited to her needs and counters an aggressive sales pitch. 4
• Prepares braised chicken and later teaches Kamuro how to cook tomato beef. 13 23
• Cooks omurice for Karuizawa during their tutoring sessions. 29 30
• Helps Airi adjust her camera for night photography and photographs her during an outing behind the Old School Building. 39 76

Equipment / Items

• Sony PCM-A10 voice recorder — Purchased for 28,500 points; equipped with a high-precision noise-reduction chip and treated by Sakuya as a key source of physical evidence. He carries it to a private meeting with Kushida. 4 73
• Smartphone — Used for messaging, recording video, exchanging contacts, and point transactions. 1 3 12 14
• Dormitory key card — Grants access to Room 217. 4
• Previous year’s midterm papers and solutions — Purchased from second-years and used in negotiations, his election campaign, and Class 1-D’s exam preparation. 35 36 37
• Footage of Sudo’s confrontation with Class 1-C — Recorded on Airi’s camera at Sakuya’s direction; it shows the Class 1-C students initiating the fight. Airi later brings him the camera with a damaged lens and screen. 78 79 84

Relationships

• Horikita Suzune — His seatmate and a potential asset in his plan to reach Class 1-A. Their relationship alternates between mutual suspicion, verbal provocation, and reluctant cooperation. Sakuya intervenes against her brother and keeps the incident confidential. After becoming committee secretary, he appoints her to help with academics but challenges her harsh approach to weaker classmates. 2 19 25 38 41 49
• Karuizawa Kei — His “rental girlfriend” employer, who initially pays him 10,000 points per month for public protection. Their transactional arrangement develops into tutoring, meals, dates, and growing mutual reliance. She also becomes his negotiation partner in the exam-paper sale and receives 30,000 points as her share. Her improved practice-test score and his concern when she becomes ill further strengthen their connection. 14 28 30 33 36 37 56 58
• Ayanokouji Kiyotaka — A fellow Class 1-D student whose score control Sakuya recognizes. Sakuya offers friendship, creating an intelligence connection between them. Although Ayanokouji initially refuses a committee seat, Sakuya draws him into study planning and later secures a unanimous committee vote to nominate him again. 24 41 45 70
• Ichinose Honami — A Class 1-B student who first sees Sakuya as kind after the bus incident. They exchange contact information after discussing the point system. He later meets her outside the Student Council office and jokes about how she should introduce herself to Horikita Manabu. 1 3 82
• Airi Sakura — A socially anxious Class 1-D student whom Sakuya treats with deliberate respect. He helps her buy a suitable camera, and she later seeks his advice on photography. They grow closer through a swimming outing and a photo shoot in which she appears as Shizuku. She helps him secretly film Sudo’s confrontation with Class 1-C, but later comes to his room in tears carrying her damaged camera. 4 5 67 74 76 77 78 79 84
• Kamuro Masumi — A Class 1-A student initially placed under Sakuya’s leverage after he records her shoplifting. Their hostile dynamic gradually shifts toward uneasy friendship through shared meals and cooking. He shows her the video has been deleted, though their teasing rivalry continues. She later brings him Sakamayanagi’s warning of a “gift” during the Deserted Island Exam. 12 13 23 75
• Sakamayanagi Arisu — A Class 1-A leader and chess rival. Their first match ends in a draw after Sakuya deliberately declines a winning line, leading Sakamayanagi to propose future wagers. He later sells her the midterm papers for 100,000 points by exploiting her faction’s rivalry with Katsuragi. She subsequently promises him an unspecified “gift” during the Deserted Island Exam. 17 19 36 75
• Horikita Manabu — The Student Council president and Suzune’s older brother. Sakuya confronts him after witnessing his treatment of Suzune and proves able to fight him evenly. When they meet again at the gym, Sakuya recognizes Manabu’s indirect concern for Suzune and confirms that she has been growing. 24 25 66
• Hasebe Haruka — Airi’s close friend. Interested in Sakuya’s swimming ability, she arranges lessons for herself and Airi after the midterms. Sakuya coaches her and helps her after she suffers a swimming cramp. 11 66 68 69
• Kushida Kikyou — Sakuya enlists her social influence for his committee election campaign and later appoints her to help coordinate the class’s study efforts. He assigns her the task of drawing Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi back into group study. Wary of her carefully maintained public persona, he brings a recorder when she privately questions him about Airi’s identity as Shizuku. 38 41 49 73 74
• Hirata Yousuke — A cooperative classmate who accepts Sakuya’s election victory and committee role without resentment. Hirata helps organize study materials and looks to Sakuya for a solution when a study group breaks down. 41 45 49 58
• Sudo Ken — Sakuya recognizes his athletic potential despite his temper. He helps obtain a makeup-exam opportunity that saves Sudo from expulsion, then has Airi record a Class 1-C ambush that could otherwise be used to frame him. 49 64 65 70 78 79
• Shiina Hiyori — A Class 1-C student and fellow library acquaintance whom Sakuya regards as perceptive and capable of uniting others, though she has no wish to challenge Ryuen. She offers to help return his library books. 72 73

Story Role / Major Arcs

Enrollment and Early Positioning

• Defuses a bus confrontation by threatening an office worker with video evidence, drawing Ichinose Honami’s admiration. 1
• Joins Class 1-D, evaluates its students, and identifies Horikita Suzune as a valuable academic ally. 2
• Preserves his points by collecting free supplies while classmates spend their allowances recklessly. 3
• Purchases a recorder and begins forming connections with Airi Sakura. 4

Athletic Tests

• Performs near Ayanokouji during the physical fitness test while revealing exceptional reflexes in the endurance run. 8
• Uses Horikita Manabu’s status to force Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki to apologize for their harassment of female classmates. 10
• Wins the swimming test with a record-breaking 21.91-second performance and earns Class 1-D 10,000 points. 11

Class A Contacts and Chess Rivalry

• Records Kamuro shoplifting and gains leverage over her. 12 13
• Defeats Chess Club challengers before drawing against Sakamayanagi Arisu. 16 17
• Learns more about the balance among the four classes through Sakamayanagi and Kamuro. 18
• Provokes Horikita by relaying Class A’s description of Class 1-D as a “Gathering Place of Defective Products.” 19
• Later sells Sakamayanagi the previous year’s midterm papers for 100,000 points. 36
• Receives a message through Kamuro that Sakamayanagi intends to give him a “gift” during the Deserted Island Exam. 75

Alliances and Concealed Ability

• Establishes a friendship with Ayanokouji after confronting him about his controlled scores. 24
• Intervenes in the conflict between Horikita Suzune and Horikita Manabu, fighting Manabu to a stalemate. 25
• Continues to conceal the extent of his academic and physical capabilities from classmates. 21 22 25
• Develops his connections with Karuizawa through tutoring and with Airi and Hasebe through swimming and photography. 28 30 67 68 74 76

Class 1-D Crisis

• Anticipates the collapse of Class 1-D’s Class Points and remains calm when the class receives zero Private Points. 31
• Sees the class’s financial panic and expulsion risk as the opening move in his plan to take control. 31
• Recruits Karuizawa Kei into a negotiation strategy intended to obtain old midterm examination papers. 33 34
• Obtains the papers from second-years and uses them both as a source of income and to secure support in the class representative election. 35 36 38
• Wins 30 of Class 1-D’s 40 votes and becomes committee secretary. He forms a core committee, though Kouenji and Ayanokouji initially decline his nominations. 41 42
• Organizes mutual-support study sessions and shifts them to the library after discovering that the other classes also possess past papers. 44 45 48 49
• Helps pool 200,000 points to buy Sudo a makeup-exam opportunity, averting his expulsion and earning Class 1-D a Class Points reward. 64 65 70

Sudo Incident and Class 1-C

• During a photography outing with Airi, discovers three Class 1-C students attempting to provoke Sudo into a fight in a surveillance blind spot. He asks Airi to film the confrontation rather than intervening immediately. 76 77 78
• Reviews footage showing the Class 1-C students attacking first. He considers using this evidence to obtain points from Ryuen instead of simply submitting it to clear Sudo. 79 80
• As Sudo’s disciplinary hearing approaches, waits for the Student Council to contact Class 1-D. The hearing is postponed, but Airi later arrives at his room distraught with her camera visibly damaged. 82 84

Notable Quotes

“Then... the game officially begins.” 31

“Can you bury me?” 16

“I merely have the habit of considering the corresponding cost before accepting any benefit.” 31

“I have two choices in taking on this role. One is to hold office. The other is to get some work done.” 41

Trivia

• Sakuya’s Class 1-D seat is by the window in the second-to-last row, which he calls a “throne” and an ideal vantage point for observing the classroom. 2
• He refers to his recorder as Advanced Nurturing High School’s “strongest weapon.” 4
• He intentionally chose a draw against Sakamayanagi despite calculating a mating continuation. 17