Norihiro Saenoyama

Saenoyama is calm, polite and difficult to read from his facial expressions. He speaks respectfully even to wrestlers beneath him in rank and does not use his professional status as an excuse to belittle younger competitors.

He describes himself as curious, and that curiosity is visible in his willingness to test unusual opponents. Hinomaru's combination of tiny stature and extraordinary strength attracts his attention rather than provoking dismissal.

Saenoyama takes sumo seriously without becoming severe in ordinary life. His composed temperament makes him a stabilizing senior presence at Shibakiyama Stable.

Saenoyama is an established top-division professional wrestler. His 191 cm, 149 kg frame provides enormous physical power, and his experience allows him to apply that strength with considerably greater refinement than most high-school competitors.

His open-hand strikes carry enough downward force to destabilize opponents, while his flexible lower body helps him maintain balance and recover from compromised positions.

During sparring with Hinomaru, Saenoyama demonstrates how narrow the margin between elite amateur talent and professional sumo can become. Hinomaru is capable of threatening him, but Saenoyama's strength, balance and experience allow him to survive situations that would decide most high-school bouts.

Saenoyama is one of the first active professional wrestlers to play a meaningful role in Hinomaru's development. He trains at Shibakiyama Stable and provides the young wrestler with direct exposure to the level he eventually wants to enter.

Their sparring allows Hinomaru to measure himself against a salaried top-division rikishi rather than another high-school opponent.

Saenoyama remains an important senior figure after Hinomaru enters professional sumo, where the two become stablemates and competitors working toward their own ambitions within the same heya.

Shibakiyama is Saenoyama's stablemaster and has entrusted him with carrying the stable's hopes toward Yokozuna.

Hinomaru Ushio first encounters Saenoyama as a high-school wrestler visiting Shibakiyama Stable. They later become stablemates when Hinomaru enters professional sumo.

Chizuko Hori shows signs of developing an interest in Saenoyama late in the story.