Yamato Hotsuin

"Our will to make our ideals take shape... I call that power equal to the demons."

- Yamato Hotsuin, Devil Survivor 2

Yamato Hotsuin is a character from Devil Survivor 2. He is the director of JP's and leads the attacks against the Septentriones.

Appearances
Yamato is a young man who has messy, straight, sliver hair and purple eyes with his bangs hanging over his right eye. He wears a JP's standard director uniform with white gloves, black heavy trench coat, black baggy trousers, and black leather boots.

In the anime, at the end of the last episode, he has a small scar on his cheek close to his mouth that he received from Hibiki in the last day before time was reset.

In Break Record, Yamato doesn't wear his JP's trench coat anymore, but is seen carrying it in his hand, showing only his dark grey collar shirt with black tie. He also doesn't wear any shoes.

Personality
He has a calm composure when making decisions and deciding on actions while fighting the mysterious invaders. He has great leadership abilities, is smart, decisive and effective, but lacks common sense about “unnecessary” things that his parental figures never taught him about. He is also very unyielding in his views and unlike his opposite Ronaldo, who at least acknowledges the merits of Yamato's ways, refuses to give any thoughts to any views that opposes his. He can say cruel truth and make cruel decisions without feeling remorse because he has no concept of compassion taught to him. Due to his upbringing, he views the worth of individual's value from their achievement rather than artificial concept like money and power and developed belief that there is no future for the weak, so the strong ones must take the lead. He has pride in his family name and unable to accept that the current world that he viewed unworthy of being protected by his family.

Despite his perceived cruelty, Yamato truly wishes for the best of the world that his family has protected for generations and intends on using Polaris to create a new system in the world where the strong rule over the weak, believing that the only way to guide the world to the right path is through hierarchy. He is shown to be absolutely dedicated to this view and is willing to kill or sacrifice anyone that he does not deem worthy or a useful pawn. He will also not be swayed to join the Protagonist when he is beaten in the Anguished One's path or Ronaldo's path. However, he can be convinced to join in the Liberator, Restorer and Triumphant paths, provided the Protagonist has developed enough of a bond with Yamato to convince him that his way has a chance. If Yamato is convinced to join the Protagonist, Yamato seems to have shown some change on his view towards the society, trying to understand the civilians before fighting Polaris. In his route, Makoto has also commented that Yamato has changed to the better ever since he met the Protagonist.

In the anime, Yamato is much more reserved and colder than he is in the game and only truly talks when it's really necessary. He has high self-esteem to the point he chose to sacrifice his own life to fulfill his goal rather than disregarding it since it would only hurt his dignity. His relationship with Hibiki, unlike in the game, is far from friendly, as Hibiki mostly is wary toward Yamato due to their contradicting ways. Yamato, on the other hand, while he acknowledges Hibiki's talent and wished that Hibiki would follow him, he views Hibiki as a property rather than equal, unlike in the game. Another person that he often talks to is Anguished One, but their relationship is complicated. Yamato is hostile towards him and referring to him in a rather harsh and spiteful way in Japanese (He usually refers people with 'Omae', but referring Anguished One with 'Kisama'). Whenever he's talking to the Anguished One, he's always sounds somewhat annoyed, especially whenever the latter implies his concern for Hibiki, calling him a 'Blabbermouth.' However, after the last battle with Hibiki and he is revived in the restored world, Yamato seems to have change his view, and accepted his friendship with Hibiki in his own way.

Stats
Yamato takes a middle ground between Io Nitta and Makoto Sako, maximizing both his Strength and Magic growth without favouring either, while sacrificing his Vitality and Agility in the process. Fortunately, his Fate-granted Phys resistance, combined with the Anti-Most skill (which he can most likely use due to his high Magic) can cover for his lack in resilience. Although not shown on the status menu, Yamato has innate resistance against almighty attacks.

Yamato is challenged at the Tsuutenkaku. However, he soon reveals that he chose this location as he can easily channel the Dragon Stream from there, allowing him to sharply raise his otherwise pitiful speed. He comes accompanied with Remiel and Arioch, with the former restoring his MP and the latter allowing him to destroy teams with a double-cast Megido from afar. Should any of them go down, he is also capable of reviving them with his Auto Skill and healing them with Prayer, giving his team more longevity. All members of his team have a degree of immunity to Physical attacks, deterring obliteration via Multi-Strike. Bring Dragons or Viles to match his range, or use Avians to close the gap quickly. As the final boss of the faction fights, Yamato is the most dangerous due to his unique "Dragon Power" skill. With huge range, the ability to attack twice in one round, and the potential to get 3-4 turns to attack a team before that team even gets one, if you do not defeat him quickly or have powerful defensive demons, you are almost certain to lose a team or two.

Yamato attacks the party at the enhanced Shinsekai Terminal, and gains the ability to start up a magic circle within the center of the battlefield, dealing damage to each member's HP and MP while they are there. If all members manage to escape the area, Yamato disables this harmful effect. Unlike the battles with him at the Tsuutenkaku, Yamato neither has long range nor boosted speed, but instead uses the Magic Yin + Megidolaon combo to wreak havoc on opposing teams (even worse if it gets double-cast by Dual Shadow), and keeps his MP replenished via boosted Drain. The Norn team in the corner of the battlefield can also use Samarecarm to revive his defeated demons. Have Avians around to quickly escape the central area of the battlefield, and Megami or Prayer to remove the Curse ailments that his Purple Mirror will inflict.

Yamato is challenged at the Tsuutenkaku. However, he soon reveals that he chose this location as he can easily channel the Dragon Stream from there, allowing him to sharply raise his otherwise pitiful speed. He comes accompanied with Remiel and Arioch, with the former restoring his MP and the latter allowing him to destroy teams with a double-cast Megido from afar. Should any of them go down, he is also capable of reviving them with his Auto Skill and healing them with Prayer, giving his team more longevity. All members of his team have a degree of immunity to Physical attacks, deterring obliteration via Multi-Strike. Bring Dragons or Viles to match his range, or use Avians to close the gap quickly.

Trivia
To Yamato, to live is to continue protecting.
 * It can be inferred that Yamato's yellow cell phone model is standard-issue amongst all JP's staff, since they also carry similar phones. In the anime, however, his cell phone model is the only one different from all JP's staff.
 * His Fate route unlocks demons that hold high ranks in their respective mythologies, referencing his role as the leader of JP's and his (perceived) ruthless behavior.
 * According to Fumi, his ancestors were missionaries to Tang China during the Nara period.
 * His name was romanized in the trailer and JP's big screen in anime as Yamato Houtsuin.
 * If the player fails to save Keita on Monday, Yamato will replace him in missions that requires players to choose between three groups such as Delta Battle and Barrier Failure.
 * After tasting takoyaki during one of his fate events, he seems to develop fondness for takoyaki. If the player choose his route, Yamato will offer the Protagonist and his group plates of takoyaki as a reward. In his latest profile in anime episode 11 and character archives, takoyaki became his favorite food when he doesn't have time for a proper meal and even learn how to make it himself.
 * In the game, he eventually refers the Protagonist with his first name, unlike other characters whom he still refers with their family names.
 * In the anime, he refers Makoto with her first name and Ronaldo as "former detective", instead of their family names like he refers to others.
 * He is the first Shining One that Anguished One chose before the Protagonist.
 * In the anime flashback, it's hinted that he used to live in Kyoto until he became the chief director of JP's three years before the storyline.
 * According to his personal data, he states that he doesn't get days off for vacation or holiday. He also claims to not ponder any specific activity deemed as hobby, so he doesn't have one.
 * In the anime, he summoned Cerberus, a demon that he summoned on Monday in the game, and later Baal, the demon unlocked at the end of his fate route.
 * In the anime, he has a death clip on the last day, Sunday's Fruitions Part I.
 * In the anime, he has two cell phones, first is his JP's cell phone and his own black cell phone.
 * In the anime, he is the only character who overcome his death clip on his own.
 * In the character archives, when asked what is his ideal friendship like, he answered while he doesn't need friends, but if there's someone whom he could argue with, he would consider that person important.
 * He doesn't pay much about his hairstyle and just get it cut at the Hotsuin family salon.
 * He's the only known male who has Male Tico as his Nicaea contact.
 * His ideal bride is someone who is wise.
 * If he's having a wedding, his bride must make her oaths to him, not gods.