“ | That is why...! I wish to repay you! This time, it shall be me... who makes you heat up!! |
” |
— Susano'o no Mikoto to Soji Okita in Something To Heat Up Over
|
Susano'o no Mikoto is the Gods' representative in the tenth round of Ragnarok, going against Soji Okita.
A Japanese God, Susano'o is feared as both Heaven's strongest "Godslayer" (神斬り, Kamigiri)[1] and the "Aragami" (荒神; lit. "Ferocious/Tempestuous God").[2] For being the inventor of the "Art of the Sword" (Kenjutsu, later known as Kendō), Susano'o is also venerated as the "God of Swords" (剣の神様, Tsurugi no Kamisama)[3] or, more informally, the "Sword God" (剣神, Kenshin).[4]
Susano'o was one of the "Three Noble Gods" (三貴神, Sankishin) of Japan[5] alongside his siblings: Amaterasu Okami and Tsukuyomi no Mikoto. He was put in charge of governing the lands of Ancient Japan by the God of All Creation, Izanagi, until he gave up his position to learn swordsmanship from Humanity.
Appearance[]
Susano'o is a tall and muscular man that has long navy blue hair with white streaks tied in a ponytail, dark grey eyes and thick cloud-shaped eyebrows. He wears a golden-yellow pauldron on his left shoulder with cloud-shaped patterns, with a long wrist on his left arm, while on his right arm he wears a armor that reaches up to his hand. and a dark purple glove. On the upper part of his body he wears a navy blue kimono with yellow stripes covered by a long white sleeve on the left arm, held up by a dark purple belt with a huge red lace closed in the shape of a bow. He wears long trousers that cover almost all of his feet and high-tech geta. When he is not fighting, he always carries his sword wrapped in bandages and keeps it resting on his right shoulder, holding it with the aforementioned hand.
Personality[]
Susano'o gives off the impression of being a very serious and powerful person. His expression tends to be stern and when he entered the Chief Gods' conference room, his very presence was enough to make Ares feel like he'd be crushed.[6] Despite his serious demeanor, Susano'o can act more light-hearted.[7]
Susano'o can also be very stubborn. When he learned that Soji Okita would be the one to fight in the tenth round, Susano'o volunteered himself and wouldn't budge on that position, ignoring the fact that the other Gods had chosen Anubis to fight initially and forcing Anubis to give up his turn to him.[8] Susano'o also takes pride in his title of "Godslayer," to the point where he volunteered himself for the tenth round since, he knew that Soji was known as a "Manslayer" and thus, he believed he was his most fitting opponent.[9]
In the past, Susano'o was someone whose soul was always cool and collected, often defeating his enemies with a bored look on his face. However, after discovering the way that Humans had begun to use swords as an "art," for the first time in his life, Susano'o found something that could make his heart heat up.[10] It has been noted by various characters, such as Soji, Kojiro Sasaki and Hrist that Susano'o loves the sword very much, with Hrist labelling him a "sword otaku."[11] Indeed, Susano'o harbors a very deep love for the swordsmanship that he has created, particularly the swordsmanship of Humanity, who were inspired by him in ancient times. Out of all swordsmen in Human history, Susano'o has great respect for swordsmen of the Bakumatsu era in Japan, as they were able to hone swordsmanship to its peak and create the art of "manslaying."[12] As such, a long-held desire of Susano'o's was the chance to fight the one who stood at the peak of the manslayers during the Bakumatsu, Soji Okita.
He is one of the few Gods who harbors no resentment against Humanity. In the past, he didn't hesitate to save them when they were threatened by monsters, (though it was more sense of duty than attachment). He would praise any Human who showed bravery, such as when he saw a village boy willing to put his life on the line to protect his sister from an ogre. He was also genuinely touched when the village boy told him how everyone in his village admired Susano'o for imposing the "art" of swordsmanship to them, unaware he was talking to Susano'o himself. As such, Brunhilde proclaims that no other God is more familiar with the potential of Humans than Susano'o is.[13]
Abilities[]
Overall Abilities: As a fighter chosen for Ragnarok, Susano'o is a highly skilled God in his own regard. He's been able to beat countless wicked Gods and Demons (most with a single stroke of his sword) that plagued the lands of Ancient Japan, including Yamata no Orochi, which has led him to bear titles such as "Godslayer" and "Aragami."
Physical Abilities[]
Godly Strength: Susano'o has a more than formidable strength. With it, he was able to kill Yamata no Orochi, the eight-headed serpent, as well as demolish a bunch of evil Gods and Demons with ease. His secret technique, Ama no Magaeshi, is the product of Susano'o swinging his sword with all of his speed and strength, to the point where he cuts the air itself to create a vacuum blade. This attack was powerful enough to demolish the Kyoto-era buildings in its path and had enough force to leave Soji Okita on the ground astonished, had the Shinsengumi's First Division Captain not rolled with the slash to avoid it, only getting his left arm injured as a result. Even though Avici is meant to be way weaker than the normal Ama no Magaeshi, it was still capable of cleaving through a building and crack apart the ground, showcasing how even with weaker attacks, Susano'o has still monstrous strength that has to be recognized. Despite Soji's demonic durability thanks to Demon Child, Susano'o managed to severely injure him with Ama no Magaeshi: Gathering Clouds, and even knock him out for some time, something his normal version of his technique failed to do so. Even with his sword destroyed, the Sword God instead of surrendering, used Musou-ken, using his own very gargantuan physical strength and godly swords skill to slash Soji with literally nothing, his swing strong enough to break his left arm and left leg bones into two.
Godly Speed and Reflexes: Susano’o showcases remarkable speed while fighting Soji Okita, demonstrating beyond godly reflexes. Susano’o for the opening part of Round 10 was able to block and parry Soji’s sword strikes, even blocking his Ten’nen Rishin Style, Secret Technique: Three Stage Thrust at close range. While Soji Okita was getting amped from the Demon Child, Susano’o was still able to block and parry, even after getting slashed across the torso. His reflexes are proven fast enough to catch Soji in the air with his Ama no Magaeshi: Gathering Clouds, despite Susano’o being in a vulnerable position. After Soji Okita use Demon Child Release, gaining a further boost in strength and speed, Susanoo still demonstrates great reaction time with Shinra Yaoyorozu, albeit, only for a brief moment.
Godly Endurance and Stamina: Susano'o has displayed immense endurance and stamina, as throughout the fight, despite nearly constantly blocking and parrying Soji's superhumanly quick attacks, he never showed any signs of fatigue. Even after getting injured across his torso and side, he still managed to recover rather quickly and use his powerful technique. Additionally, although Soji cut off half of his foot, Susano'o endured the pain, and managed to perform Ama no Magaeshi: Gathering Clouds. Susano’o is also able to endure Soji Okita’s relentless onslaught of sword strikes and endured Okita’s Demon Claw Three Stage Thrust, which pierced a chuck out of the left side of his body and still remained standing. Most notably, Susano'o is able to use the Unarmed Sword technique successfully without immediately dying due his constitution being able to withstand the strain of it while all the human swordsmen who managed to reach the level capable of using it died moments after performing the technique, even outside of battle, due to it far exceeding their limits to being in the realm of the gods. However, using this invisible sword technique still shaved away at his life and Susano'o was only able to use it twice during the final moments of his fight with Souji before the strain of it and the fatal injuries Souji managed to inflict on him ultimately killed him.
Fighting Abilities[]
Master Swordsman: As the one who introduced the concept of sword fighting to humanity, Susano'o not only possesses godly skills in swordsmanship, but he has seen and learned about every kind of swordsmanship across human history. This is demonstrated by the fact that before he indirectly learned proper sword techniques from the human swordsmen he inspired, Susano'o was more than capable of easily dispatching evil gods and various monsters that plagued the lands including the Yamata no Orochi with ease before obtaining proper sword skills. Furthermore, not only has he mastered every kind of swordsmanship, but Kojiro Sasaki has speculated that he reached "beyond" every one of them as well[11], implying he has taken each type of swordsmanship and has polished them to a divine level. It is with these skills, that Susano'o was able to repeatedly counter and stifle many of Soji's strikes during the tenth round. The conception of Susano'o's secret technique is the result of him swinging his sword, over and over again, for hundreds or even thousands of years. His skills in swordsmanship also gave him access to the Unarmed Sword technique that only the highest-level swordsmen can obtain which involves using his strength to inflict internal injuries onto Souji Okita without a sword.
Supernatural Abilities[]
Semi-Immortality: As a God, Susano'o has a limitless lifespan and will not die of old age.
Divine Physiology: As a God, Susano'o possesses physical abilities far greater than any ordinary Human. His body cannot be harmed by mortal weapons. However, he can still be harmed by unarmed attacks from individuals with superhuman strength and Divine Weapons.
Menacing Aura: Susano'o possesses an imposing presence, as Ares noted his body began to feel heavy when Susano'o had entered the Chief Gods’ Conference Room. Ares also mentioned that just standing next to Susano'o made him feel like he'd be crushed.[6]
Shapeshifting:[14] Susano'o has the unique ability to turn into a three-legged crow (Yatagarasu). Besides that, there is no knowledge of other animals that Susano'o can shapeshift into or the limitation of this ability. Susano'o uses this ability as a form of surveillance towards various swordsman and watching his craft, swordsmanship grow throughout countless millennia whilst hidden from the gaze of humanity.
Techniques[]
Equipment[]
Quotes[]
- (To Amaterasu Okami and Tsukuyomi no Mikoto) "If you learned of something so fun... could you stop yourself from indulging!? For the first time since I was born... my heart is heating up!!"[10]
- (To the Gods Fighters) "My opponent is Humanity's strongest "Manslayer". In which case... he should face the Gods' strongest "Godslayer"!"[9]
- (To Soji Okita) "The Bakumatsu is... my cherished place."[29]
- (To Soji Okita) "I am he who created swordsmanship and it has been cultivated by you Humans over your long history. But you of this Bakumatsu era stand above all others... as those who honed it to its peak to create the "art" known as "manslaying.""[12]
- (To Soji Okita) "For the day to finally use this to come... I can think of a blade no more fitting... for slaying the "Demon Child"!"[30]
- (To Soji Okita) "As I wield this blade now... this is my everything. Let me see your everything as well... Soji Okita!"[31]
- (To Soji Okita) "That is why...! I wish to repay you! This time, it shall be me... who makes you heat up!!"[32]
- (To Soji Okita) "You surprise me! To think there was yet another side to the Demon Child... I'm burning up!"[33]
- (To Soji Okita) "I wish this could go on forever. This... happy moment..."[34]
- (To Soji Okita) "It is a shame, Soji... but this... is my win."[35]
- (To Soji Okita) "...It was all worth it. Descending from Takamagahara... Eons of swinging the sword all alone... It was all worth it. I had a dream that one day I could use it... the swordsmanship that I devoted my everything to... and now I am convinced... my entire life... has been for the sake of this very moment."[36]
- (To Soji Okita) "I have finally reached it... my own sword's "peak". Unparalleled... Unrestrained... Unarmed... This is... my Unarmed Sword."[37]
- (Final words before being banished to Niflhel) "Ah… I see… I can no longer… swing my sword… That’s a bit… lonely…"
Trivia[]
- Susanoo-no-Mikoto (須佐之男命/素戔嗚尊/須佐能袁命/須佐能乎命), is one of the most prominent gods (kami) of Japanese mythology. The younger brother of the supreme sun goddess Amaterasu and the moon god Tsukuyomi (the "three noble children" of creator god Izanagi), Susanoo was portrayed as a wild, impetuous god of storms, the sea, and agriculture, as well as a hero who slew a legendary serpent monster, Yamata-no-Orochi. The latter he accomplished wielding a Totsuka-no-Tsurugi ("sword of ten fists/hand-breadths") named Ame-no-Habakiri, consequently discovering another such sword, the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi (more commonly known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi), within the serpent's tail.
References[]
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 84 (Page 36).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 7).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 26).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 88 (Page 40).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 89 (Page 12-13).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 84 (Page 30).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 84 (Page 32).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 84 (Page 33).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 84 (Page 35-36).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 89 (Page 35).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 88 (Page 43).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 25).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 89 (Pages 7-25).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 89 (Page 40).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 87 (Page 42).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 87 (Page 36-43).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 90 (Page 16).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 90 (Page 2-6).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 90 (Page 8-11).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 90 (Page 13-23).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 91 (Page 12-13).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 91 (Page 24).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 91 (Page 36).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 94 (Page 28).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 87 (Page 33).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 94 (Page 11-15).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 6).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 5).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 86 (Page 24).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 87 (Page 34).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 87 (Page 43).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 89 (Page 43-44).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 90 (Page 27-28).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 91 (Page 30).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 91 (Page 52).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 92 (Page 40-41).
- ↑ Shuumatsu no Valkyrie Manga: Chapter 94 (Page 28-29).