| “ | It happened in Misaki City, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. They were later than usual this year. My name is Yuji Sakai. The school year had just begun and I was settling in to daily routine that was the life of a high school student. A normal morning no different from any other, Nothing out of the ordinary. Days like that were supposed to last forever. At the time, I couldn't even begin to imagine what was about to happen. I had no inkling of the strange diverging world I was soon to encounter or of the fact that I was going to die. And then I saw her, the girl with the flame red hair and blazing eyes. That was the day my world...changed forever. | „ |
| ~ Yuji's opening narration. |
Yuji Sakai is the main male protagonist of the light novel and anime series Shakugan no Shana. He is a Mystes who has the Treasure Tool Midnight Lost Child inside of him, and gets involved in the seemingly never-ending battle between the Flame Haze and the Crimson Denizens, alongside the Flame Haze Shana.
He is voiced by Satoshi Hino in the Japanese version of the anime, and by Kristian Ayre and Jessie James Grelle the English version of the anime.
Overview[]
Yuji is just an average high school student. However, his world is turned upside down when he discovers that he is already dead and does not have much time before he disappears. Fortunately, Yuji is a Mystes who contains a Treasure known as the Midnight Lost Child (Reiji Maigo). The Treasure inside him restores his Power of Existence every night at midnight. With the Midnight Lost Child, Yuji has the possibility to live on like an average human as long as he makes sure that his Power of Existence does not run out before midnight. Yuji is a kind person who puts others before himself. This often causes much confusion and annoyance in the Flame Haze Shana, as prior Torches she encountered exhibited selfish attitudes. However, Yuji's compassion and empathy sow the seeds of attraction between him and Shana.
Appearance[]
Yuji (post-Snake of the Festival) is a young boy with black hair that goes down to his neck (originally they were almost thigh-length hair). He has a fair complexion, dark blue irises and slitted pupils (varying from normal human pupils to very slitted pupils). He is about 15–16 years of age, and is a first-year high school student. In the anime, he is 5 1/2 feet (165cm) tall.
Before merging with the Snake of the Festival, Yuji usually normally wore the Misaki City Municipal High School uniform, had brown hair and his eyes were of a lighter shade and a more olive complexion.
Powers and Abilities[]
Yuji demonstrates the unique potentials of a Mystes which was supported by the Midnight Lost Child, causing him to possess an almost infinite amount of Power of Existence.
Although Yuji lacks of the training and discipline of a Flame Haze, he has demonstrated an admirable amount of intelligence and logic, often thinking outside the box and solving puzzles others can't (though it still stands for a fact that he is totally clueless to the fact that Shana loves him and is often jealous of any girls who get too close to him).
While many Flame Haze and Lords of the Crimson Realm would be deceived or confused by unconventional casting of magic, Yuji is able to quickly deduce and see through the ploy despite his unfamiliarity with many magical spells, enabling his allies, generally Shana, to strike at the heart of their opposition. Furthermore, by the start of the second season, Yuji's training has enabled him to foresee as well as dodge a good majority of attacks from skilled Flame Haze such as Shana and Wilhelmina due to training from them, and he has gained the ability to cast Power of Unrestraint with the help of Margery Daw. He also has the ability to wield Blutsauger and infusing it with some of his own power. He also can create his own fire, which is silver and black in color, to fire at targets.
Trivia[]
- His name Yuji means "second child who shall live long" or "cherished second son". His parents called him such because he had a twin brother who died shortly after the birth, as a result, they gave him a name that respects him and also honouring his twin brother.
- Part of his surname, Saka (坂 slope?), is taken from the word Hirasaka, the slope which leads to the land of the dead or Yomi in Japanese. It refers to his "death" at the beginning of the story along with Yukari Hirai whose surname is also taken from the word.
- His Japanese voice actor, Satoshi Hino, also voiced Sai in Naruto: Shippuden, Kyojuro Rengoku in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Kris in Fire Emblem, Shiage Hamazura in A Certain Magical Index, Abel Nightroad (Young) in Trinity Blood, Halley Brankett in Shadow Hearts, Takuto Maruki in Persona 5 Royal, Kouichi Aizawa in Nabari no Ou, Saito Hiraga in Zero no Tsukaima, Riken Yoshinokazaru in Otome Yōkai Zakuro, Ryo Sayama in Code Geass: Akito the Exiled, and Leonhart in Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts.
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