Toramaru

Toramaru is gentle, considerate and unusually nonaggressive for someone whose profession revolves around physical confrontation. Even while being beaten, he remains attentive to the people around him; when knocked toward a child's toy, he deliberately changes how he falls to avoid crushing it.

His greatest initial weakness is a lack of self-confidence. Constant harassment at the Hamakaze stable convinces him that his poor results reflect an absence of talent rather than the psychological effects of being deliberately undermined.

Toramaru responds well to sincere encouragement. Kaoru's refusal to accept his self-defeating view gives him an environment in which his natural strength can finally emerge.

Toramaru possesses substantial natural potential as a sumo wrestler. His most notable physical attribute is exceptional balance, an especially valuable quality in a sport where forcing an opponent out of the ring or onto the ground determines victory.

Under Kaoru's training, his strength and stamina improve rapidly. He demonstrates enough raw power to stop a heavy falling object and protect people in danger.

His potential is great enough to frighten the established wrestler Senryouyama, whose harassment stems largely from recognizing that Toramaru could eventually surpass him.

Toramaru comes to Tokyo from his hometown hoping to become a yokozuna and joins the Hamakaze stable. Instead of flourishing, he is bullied by Senryouyama until he abandons the stable and loses faith in his abilities.

Kaoru encounters him after another humiliating confrontation and brings him to the Kamiya Dojo. Convinced that principles of balance and body control overlap between swordsmanship and sumo, she begins training him.

Toramaru eventually confronts Senryouyama and defeats him, exposing the senior wrestler's fear of Toramaru's potential. The stable master welcomes Toramaru back, while Kenshin encourages Senryouyama to help his former victim develop rather than sabotage him. Toramaru later visits the Kamiya Dojo to report that his training is progressing well.

Kaoru Kamiya becomes Toramaru's mentor after finding him at his lowest point. Her training restores both his physical conditioning and his confidence.

Senryouyama is Toramaru's senior at the Hamakaze stable and initially his tormentor. His bullying is revealed to stem from jealousy and fear that Toramaru's potential could eventually eclipse his own. After their confrontation, he agrees to help Toramaru train.

Kenshin Himura supports Kaoru's effort to help Toramaru and later encourages reconciliation between the two sumo wrestlers.

Sanosuke Sagara and Yahiko Myojin spend time with Toramaru during his stay at the Kamiya Dojo and support him during the conflict with the Hamakaze wrestlers.

Ayame Oguni and Suzume Oguni are present during Toramaru's training, and he protects them when the confrontation with Senryouyama's group turns dangerous.