Sazaki

Sazaki (サザキ) is one of the main characters in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. He is technically the first Suzaku of Heaven (天の朱雀, Ten no Suzaku) of the series.

His memories are used to bestow a human trait into the Suzaku of Heaven dragon gem, thus influencing the Eight Guardians in later generations of the franchise. His particular trait is "Desire" (求め, motome).

Background Story
Sazaki is a member of the Himuka Clan who was born in a rural village in Aso. He is the eldest son of the village chief who makes his living as a fisherman. For as long as he can remember, Sazaki has been best friends with Karigane. He frequently staged pranks and other mischievous deeds while his friend loyally followed him.

Ever since his childhood, Sazaki has dreamed of someday seeing the western continent which is fabled to be beyond Nakatsu Kuni's clouds. Many people call him a hopeless romantic since they believe that the land is a fairytale, and that it doesn't truly exist. When he was ten years old, he wanted to prove them wrong and he flew westward night and day. Sazaki believed he saw a glimpse of the fabled land from the sky, but he had exerted himself by this time and lost consciousness. Karigane saved him from drowning in the waves. Despite receiving an earful from his father for his recklessness, Sazaki couldn't abandon his love for the unknown land.

When he was fifteen years old, he assembled a group of Himuka Clan followers to join him into fun-loving piracy. They obtained their own ship and set sail for treasure and adventure. During the same year, Nakatsu Kuni's royal guard forcefully claimed possession of various treasures from their people. Sazaki and his pirates infiltrated the palace to reclaim it. As they wandered through the hallways, the captain spotted artifacts made of material foreign to Nakatsu Kuni. Before he could get a better glimpse of it, he and his subordinates were found by the royal guard. Regrettably, Sazaki had to abandon their crusade for the safety of his men. The incident also worsened his people's reputation with the populace.

Sazaki and his crew continued to sail the seas for treasure until their ship was no longer seaworthy. To fund another ship, they turned to banditry. Even if they are technically bandits, Sazaki insists they are still pirates and promised his subordinates they would someday obtain another ship. During this time, they were rumored to be ruthless outlaws who stole from anyone who came their way in the mountains. In reality, the pirates only stole from the rich and attacked only if the other party became aggressive.

Three years before the main story, one of Sazaki's subordinates became deathly ill. With no other means of treating his subordinate, Sazaki came to the lord of Takachiho, Levanta. Levanta bartered a trade with the winged man: the lord would give him the medicine to restore his subordinate if Sazaki gave him the stone of his people's guardian deity. Thinking that the stone had no value, Sazaki agreed to the trade and both parties swore to honor their word. The pledge over the guardian deity binded Sazaki to Levanta and activated its divine abilities. Levanta benefited the most from the trade as the stone fortified his manor with an inexhaustible wall of flames. The stone also became his bargaining chip to keep Sazaki and his men within his service.

Learning too late to revert his error, Sazaki was able to restore his subordinate back to health at the cost of a life of indentured servitude. He plotted to steal the stone away from Levanta several times, but he was effortlessly foiled by Hiiragi each time. Unable to return to their home without the stone, Sazaki and his men guarded Suzaku's pedestal of worship near Levanta's manor. They remained Levanta's unwilling lackeys in between their attempts to someday fund their ship.

Story Events
Chihiro first meets Sazaki at Takachiho. While she and her companions are visiting the village near Nakatsu Kuni's camp, she catches one of Sazaki's feathers. He mistakes her and her party for Levanta's subordinates and intends to rob them. As she expresses her confusions over his claims, Sazaki realizes he goofed and warmly offers them one of Karigane's homemade snacks as an apology.

When Chihiro and company attempt to invade Levanta's manor to save Ayuki and the captured villagers, Sazaki and his men are forced to intercept them. From their encounter, Sazaki learns Chihiro's true identity as a princess and begins to take a shine to her. Sazaki warns her of the flame barrier around the manor, which ultimately stumps Chihiro's first rescue attempt. Upon hearing Sazaki's friendly behavior towards the princess, Levanta suspects the winged man of betrayal and orders one of his soldiers to spy on him. During this time, Chihiro and company pay Sazaki a visit at his gang's hideaway. She has faith in his character and asks him to consider leaving Levanta. As Sazaki ponders her proposal, the spy reports back to Levanta.

Falsely accused of a crime he had yet to commit to, Sazaki and his men are thrown into confinement with the rest of the prisoners. Since Levanta had broke his side of the oath, the flame barrier disappears from the manor. Chihiro and company use this chance to invade the manor and free their captured companions. Sazaki calls out to her and bargains for his group's escape. He offers a pledge to her: if she agrees to grant him freedom, he will follow her for as long as she or he desire. Chihiro agrees and he and his subordinates become her new allies. Karigane helps the prisoners free by giving them an escape route.

Following Levanta's defeat, Sazaki safely retrieves his home's stone. Excited to retrieve the stone at last, he urges Chihiro and her friends to forget pursuing Levanta and accompany them back to their deity's place of worship. When the stone is properly returned to its slot, the neglected Suzaku awakens in a frenzied state. It is eventually calmed, and it gratefully blesses Chihiro with its trust.

As Suzaku peacefully returns to its slumber, Sazaki's hideaway reveals its true form as a mystical flying ship. Sazaki quickly dons himself as the ship's captain, although neither he or anyone else can control its predestined flight paths. Since it's too dangerous to leave in Tokoyo no Kuni's hands, Chihiro and company use it to travel across Nakatsu Kuni. Sazaki and his crew later serve as invaluable intelligence units for Chihiro in the war. His pet's surveillance helps them be informed of their surroundings.

Sazaki remains alive in the final and canon timeline. Although he is worried by the destruction of the mortal realm, he encourages his friends to stay positive before planning their next course of action. If the player chooses to use him, he can assist the final battle against the White Dragon. His whereabouts in the new world are not specified, but Sazaki and his crew likely returned to a free-loving life of piracy.

Personal Route
After obtaining the flying ship, it crashes in Chikushi. To lift everyone's spirits, Sazaki decides to hold an impromptu banquet. During the festivities, he tells the tale of his childhood flight for the western mainland as entertainment. While everyone accepts it as a funny, make-believe story, Chihiro believes in his childhood dream and shares his excitement for the western continent. Sazaki is left speechless by her encouragement and thanks her. He later carries her on one of his surveillance flights of the foggy terrain, although Sazaki loses himself in glee and ends up forgetting his purpose for the flight.

She later spots Sazaki looking at a map at the cliffs of Izumo. He explains he's trying to read a treasure map which he obtained years ago with the mountainous terrain. Though the map is dilapidated and seemingly a dud, Chihiro, Tooya, and Futsuhiko decide to accompany him in his treasure hunt. Sazaki is pleased when they hit pay dirt and gives the treasure to his pirate crew. The only booty he takes for himself is a bracelet decorated with a blue gem foreign to Nakatsu Kuni. When Chihiro returns to her room in the flying ship, she finds the same bracelet near the door of her room. To properly thank Sazaki for his secret gift, she chases him down on the night of Izumo's festival. While he is bashful to be cornered by her, he is glad Chihiro likes it. He explains that he treasures any proof of the western continent, including the bracelet, eventually mentioning his past experience with the Nakatsu Kuni palace. Chihiro is upset by the prejudice his people experienced, which earns her Sazaki's appreciation.

When Chihiro and company arrive in Kumano, Sazaki notices she is stressed and offers to take her away on a play date. They relax for the day and share their dreams with one another. Sazaki declines Chihiro's offer to use the flying ship to find the western continent, insisting that he dreams of sailing the world by sea. Later, when Mudgala is reported to be advancing towards Kumano, Sazaki suggests negating the general's attack by reclaiming the Nakatsu Kuni capital, Kashihara. The plan can succeed due to the winged man's knowledge of the nearby terrain and the diminished Tokoyo no Kuni troops in the westward path towards the capital. His plan is made more convincing when Asvin adds his support.

Unbeknownst to the main cast, three Nakatsu Kuni ministers had observed the princess becoming intimate with the winged man disapprovingly. They postulate that the Himuka Clan were responsible for Chihiro's five year disappearance, a misconception which later plagues the Nakatsu Kuni army when Sazaki's plan is accepted by Chihiro. Losing trust in her leadership, they believe she is too foolish to be leader and easily swayed by the Himuka Clan. The main party invade Kashihara and defeat Mudgala –who had predicted their tactic and pursued them. As they are meters away from reaching the enemy headquarters, Chihiro and Sazaki are hit by poisonous arrows fired by distrustful Nakatsu Kuni instigators. In spite of her insistence to continue, Sazaki immediately calls off the siege for her recovery. While Chihiro is bed-ridden during the detoxification process, a still healthy Sazaki lures the traitors out by lying about her death. His plan goes without a hitch, and the Nakatsu Kuni army reclaim Kashihara after the princess recovers.

Though the Raja remains a threat on his throne, the Nakatsu Kuni attendants loyal to Chihiro want to place her on the throne to restore ally morale. As Chihiro spends days studying in seclusion, Sainokimi and the other retainers seek to drive away the Himuka Clan without her knowledge. The prejudice for them is becoming an unavoidable hindrance. Sazaki tries to visit Chihiro formally, but the guards reject him on the false pretense of following Chihiro's orders. The tension between them reaches their breaking point when Sazaki sneaks into the palace to talk to the princess. He is discovered by the palace guard, who then demand that he cut off his wings to prove his integrity and loyalty for Nakatsu Kuni. Nagi informs Chihiro of the situation, and she strongly voices her protest to the mutilation. When she fails to dissuade Sazaki and the soldiers, she throws away the bracelet in desperation and tearfully orders Sazaki and his crew to never come back. With their oath broken, the Himuka Clan depart. Chihiro is saddened to be separated from him, yet she is glad that she could at least protect the pirate and his heritage.

Soon after, the Tokoyo no Kuni army resume their offensive with Nasatya commanding. As the main party marches to intercept their invasion at nightfall, Chihiro is abducted at their headquarters by Eka and his Tsuchigumo followers. Her friends refuse to abandon her and accept imprisonment at Tokoyo no Kuni. While Chihiro yearns for the pirate's return, she is surprised when Sazaki suddenly flies to her tower to save her. She is touched that he came for her but urges him to free everyone instead. He leaves her with her bow before he flies away to fulfill her request. Nasatya ignores her weapon while escorting her to the Black Dragon. Sazaki and company arrive in time to help her fight the god. The party weakens the god's human vessel, and she imbues her arrow with enough yang energy to dispel the Black Dragon's yin powers. Injured and unable to remain in the mortal realm, the dragon god concedes defeat and returns to its slumber.

Many days later, the lands are peaceful and Chihiro establishes a harmonious reign for her people. On the day of Sazaki's departure from Kashihara, Iwanagahime allows her to leave the throne and reunite with her loved one. The pirate gladly carries the runaway princess in his arms, and they fly away together for a carefree journey. Although the ministers panic over the "kidnapping", Sainokimi assures them to remain calm and allows it. She muses that it's as though they are a living a happy fairytale.

In his epilogue scenario, Chihiro remained as a Queen in Nakatsu Kuni. Sazaki pays her a visit to proudly show her his new ship. As he thanks her for everything she has done for him, his love confession for her is interrupted by his eavesdropping crewmen. Rather than dwell on the lost moment, the captain carries Chihiro on deck to share his ship's maiden voyage with her.

Development
There are two namesakes for Sazaki. One of them is Ohosazaki-no-Mikoto, one of Emperor Nintoku's recorded names before he ascended the throne. The other stems from the myth of Amenowakahiko's life after he married a woman in the mortal realm. After the outrage over his death, a formal funeral was held for him. Two of the birds which flew for the ceremony were the tree sparrow (pronounced archaically as sazaki) and the kingfisher (karigane). The act of feigning Chihiro's death in his story is an homage of Amenowakahiko's death.

He is also based on the wren, which has been lauded as "the king of birds" in legends and folklore throughout Eurasia. The wren has been known as one of the highest flying small bodied birds of the region, sometimes said to be capable of flying high enough to hear and speak with heavenly deities. Yet even though it is given the gods' wisdom, the bird is stingy with who and when it decides to share its knowledge. These traits became the basis for Sazaki's personality. His bird cry in the game is also phonetically based on the wren's chirps and songs.

Personality
He claims himself to be a serious man of level-headed decisiveness, but Sazaki is habitually finicky. Vocal about his "absolutes" in life and a refuser of compromise, he fusses over minute grievances and never wants to force himself to commit to a cause which displeases him. One of his dominate pet peeves is the confusion over his occupation, in which he frustratingly corrects anyone who mistakes his pirate crew as simple bandits. Yet, as attentive as he is to his own needs, Sazaki may glaze over laborious details and may unintentionally miss important facts. His moments as a scatterbrain and his childish tantrums often undermines his otherwise villainous occupation. Even if they are the causes of his humiliation, the winged man faces life with unabashed honesty. Nothing can convince him to truly diverge from his beliefs, one of which includes his hunger for entertainment. Boredom is his eternal enemy and he does everything possible to fight it, sometimes leading him to create new friendships in the process. His talkative and chummy nature is capable of brightening the darkest of times, for he frequently encourages his comrades to celebrate life rather than brood on it.

As a lover of freedom and adventure, Sazaki aspires to be a chivalrous man of the sea whose curiosity is never satisfied. He and his men never piffle from the poor, and their eyes lie only in worthwhile treasure. Sazaki shelters his dreams with unwavering confidence in the eyes of skepticism. He specifically chose piracy to satisfy his wistful longing for the unknown land, hoping to someday fulfill the desires of his childhood. The treasure he desires for himself is anything which can prove its existence. Though they do not share his vision in the slightest, his crew admire Sazaki for his cunning, bravery, and undaunted dedication to them as a leader. There has never been a time when he would forsake them, and he is generous with sharing the loot. He fearlessly leads them into danger and, if they should fail, Sazaki's quick-thinking thankfully saves them from disaster.

Though his jaunty composure suggests otherwise, he is actually fond of his people's superstitions. If a woman catches one of his wilted feathers and keeps it, Sazaki believes in the Himuka Clan's lore: he has found his soul mate. When Chihiro unwittingly catches one of his feathers during their first meeting, he takes a shine towards her. As he learns more about her during their cheerful outings, he appreciates her excitement for exploration and her earnest acceptance of his heritage. He is surprised when she shares his desire to see the western continent, and his dreams soon collide with his perceptions of her. Once he becomes aware of his intimate feelings for Chihiro, he feels his self-image is in shambles in his attempts to confess to her. Sazaki can openly say his inner thoughts to her, but he is also bashful and fumbles each time he tries to admit his feelings for her. When he can't say his love for her, Sazaki instead chooses to do whatever he can for Chihiro's happiness. Sazaki playfully addresses her as "Princess" (姫さん, Hime-san), only calling her by name once he is affectionate to her.

Character Symbolism
Sazaki's symbolic color is ni-iro, a shade of cinnabar which is recorded to have existed since Himiko's time. The color is postulated to have been one of the earliest dyes created in Japan, often used to decorate pillars, pottery, or other clay constructs. During the Nara period, it was popularly used as one of the leading decorative tints. Ni-iro is thought to have once been a vibrant red (similar to Sazaki's hair), even though it looks duller with an orange tinge by today's standards (shade of Sazaki's wings).

A red azalea is his symbolic flower. This particular shade of the flower often means "the joy of being in love". The azalea has been known to exist since ancient Japan and is famed as a beautiful spring flower. It has been archaically used in poetry to symbolize a woman's lovely beauty from their smitten admirers.

Quotes

 * "Yah-ha! I'm fired up now!"
 * "There's one. Have another!"
 * "I'm taking it easy. You can take it from here."
 * "Whoa! And here I thought I could save you first. You got the jump on me!"
 * "If you're tired, just tell me. Don't worry, I'll pick up the slack for you."
 * "Hey, don't push yourself too hard. Your face looks like it's begging me for help."
 * "Here comes my princess, coming straight for me."
 * "I'm here to save you, Princess."
 * "Relax. I'm not going to let you cry on my watch."
 * "Tu~ ruru~ ri~ fururi~ tu~ruri~♪. I've gotcha ya now!"
 * "Ask me anything about my ship, Princess. But you leave everything to me, got it?"
 * "W-wait a sec. Hold on. Wouldn't it look bad if the two of us came back together? Well, I mean there's a festival going on tonight. It would look like we were... Um, that is to say..."
 * "You look better with a smile on your face, Princess. So, next time you're feeling down, just tell me. I'll get you smiling again in no time."
 * "You don't know it, but the first time I carried you in my arms as I flew, I was thrilled. It's the same feeling I got when I find a precious treasure. It was like I got my hands on one helluva prize. My heart was racing the entire time. And then it hit me: I'm the most wanted man in the country when I'm embracing you."
 * "Take a good look. She's a beauty, isn't she?"
 * "What a huge ship. Is this really yours?"
 * "Yup! At long last, after many, many, many hardships, I own my ship. Argh! It brings a tear to me eye!"
 * "Amazing! It's like you're a real pirate now!"
 * "...You may be my princess, but I won't overlook that last remark."
 * "Ah, sorry! I mean, I know you've always been one. It's just that the ship reminds me that you are one."
 * "Well, I'll agree with you on that. Who believes you're a pirate without a ship? No one, that's who. You can tell them over and over again who you are, but imagination's got its limits. Even I got miffed over it. But, that all ends today. Today, we're going to celebrate!"
 * Sazaki and Chihiro

Fighting Style
As an enemy character, Sazaki has average health and probably won't cast too many spells on the party. His attacks may devastate Chihiro's health if she has Metal as her innate element, so face him after leveling up her Heal ability if this is the case. Otherwise, Sazaki and his minions are an easy boss encounter.

He doesn't boast the highest physical or magical attributes of the main party. However, Sazaki's crowning trait over other characters is his speed. Since he will dodge most hits and tends to not miss, the player should probably invest in his Twin Strikes and Counter abilities to make the most of his AI. His switching ability may be handy if Chihiro doesn't have a Fire attribute or to defend him against Water spell casters. Similar to Kazahaya, his abilities allows him to hold his ground against Fire and Metal foes.

Sazaki can boost his vitality, defense, magic power, speed, and will power to Level 5 within the menu screen. Here are his optimized stats:


 * Attack - 85
 * Defense - 78
 * Magic - 78
 * Speed - 93

Special Abilities
The following lists other abilities Sazaki can learn by using the Five Elements the party gathers.

Magic
Here are the spells Sazaki can cast in the game.


 * Retsuka Shou (烈火掌) - Moderate Fire magic. Can only perform when Chihiro is not in the party.
 * Kouki Endan (紅輝炎弾) - Stronger Fire magic. Requires Chihiro to be in the party.
 * Enbu Tenshou (焔舞天翔) - Strong Fire magic on a single target. Build four star bonds with Chihiro.
 * Suzaku Shoukan (朱雀召喚) - Summons Suzaku to hit all enemies. Usable after Chapter 2. Chihiro must have Sazaki and Nagi in the party with two stars of affection.
 * Tengen Shousha (天幻晶射) - Metal magic which hits all enemies. Must have Chihiro, Hiiragi, and Tooya in the party. Chihiro must talk to Sazaki in Chapter 4 and must have two stars of affection with these characters to unlock it.

Trivia

 * In the Sengoku Angelique skit preformed at Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2010, Sazaki stood in as the Fukushima Masanori for the cast. His name was "Fukushima Sazaki Masanori".