Uzu Sanageyama

"I got special eyes, remember? I can't lose to her."

- Uzu Sanageyama to Satsuki Kiryūin, Episode 6

Uzu Sanageyama is a main character in Kill la Kill. He is one of the student council's Elite Four. He regulates the athletic clubs at Honnōji Academy, including the boxing and tennis clubs.

Appearance
Uzu is a teenager with mid-length dark green hair and gray eyes. He wears a Three-star Goku Uniform, specially made into a long white coat with a high collar. It has a built-in sword sheath at the back and three spikes on each shoulder. The coat is usually open at the front, which shows his cadet-blue colored vest. He also wears matching white pants and shoes, and a belt with three metal spikes on the front.

After having his eyes sewn shut, Uzu started wearing a long green bandanna with two stars from temple to temple and two white marks where his eyes should be, which often humorously spread open or squint closed accordingly. After receiving the Blade Regalia Mk.III, he started using a golden bandanna, and after Blade Regalia Mk.III was destroyed and he joined Nudist Beach, he started wearing a black bandanna. When his eyes were restored after gaining his Supreme War Regalia, he wore his bandanna around his forehead instead of his eyes.

Personality
At the start of the series, Uzu is rather laid back and cocky, possessing absolute confidence in his abilities, always eager to test himself against worthy opponents. However, this changed after his humiliating defeat by Ryūko Matoi. Humbled by the loss, he goes to great lengths to redeem himself afterwards, losing his laid back demeanor and gaining new found conviction and determination. He goes as far as having his own eyes sewed shut, believing that relying on them too much was his weakness. Thanks to this, he was able to beat Ryūko in combat.

As Sanageyama regulates the athletic clubs of Honnōji Academy, he held the presidents to a high bar; visibly angry when they met their defeat at the hands of Ryūko. He is also caring, protecting the students and their families during the COVERS attack in the Great Culture and Sport Festival and mourned those who didn’t make it out. He was also visibly distraught at Ira Gamagōri's apparent demise during the final battle against Ragyō Kiryūin.

Powers and Abilities
Natural Abilities
 * Expert Swordsman - As a fighter, Sanageyama specializes in swordplay, using the kendō style. He is always seen carrying a shinai - a wooden katana used for kendō practice - which he uses with great skill. He possess great precision, quick reflexes and heightened senses to aid him. Although not as skilled as Satsuki Kiryūin, he eventually becomes strong enough to clash with the likes of Nui Harime, even without a Goku Uniform. He is equally skilled in wielding one sword or dual-wielding and wielding different kinds of blades.
 * Enhanced Perception - Unlike what Blade Regalia's Tengantsu ability and the boost that Three-Star Goku Uniforms give, Uzu has undergone rigorous training to promote his senses; he even went as far as to sew his eyes shut to increase situational awareness. In this state he developed his Mind's Eye, forming a rough three-dimensional image of his surroundings, allowing him to use his clairvoyant abilities without actual eyesight. He removes this self-imposed limitation for the final battles with Blade Regalia Mark III.

Former Powers and Abilities
Three-star Goku Uniform:
 * Blade Regalia (の)


 * Sanageyama's uniform transforms into a hulking, dark green suit of armor that resembles a standard kendo suit. It is capable of extending shinai from its gauntlets, and carries a pair of back gauntlets from which he can produce more shinai blades. It grants Sanageyama superhuman strength and speed - coupled with his superior eyesight, it enabled him to create illusory images and outrun Ryūko at Senketsu's full speed. It was destroyed by Ryūko after she blinded Sanageyama with part of Senketsu's cloth.
 * Shinsoku: Senbonzuki (き) - Sanageyama attaches multiple shinai blades to his hands and spins them at high speeds, allowing him to assault his opponent with a series of high-speed sword thrusts.
 * Higi: Tengantsu - A form of precognition in which Sanageyama is able to predict the actions of his opponent by their preparatory motions, such as a moving eye or a twitching muscle. This ability is enhanced by his Goku Uniform, which can activate multiple eyes in order to create a better prediction. The anime highlighted the Orbicularis Oculi (eyes), Dorsal Interosseous/Adductor Pollicis (hands), Pectoralis Major (chest) and the Gluteus Maximus (buttocks)..


 * Blade Regalia Mk.II (の・)


 * A revamped version of Sanageyama's old uniform. It was given to him by Satsuki after he sewed his own eyes shut, demonstrating his resolve to overcome his own weaknesses. It loses the back pieces that allowed him to pull extra shinai blades, and the front of the helmet now resembles a multi-layered visor, giving it a slightly more streamlined look. Although it is still predominantly green, it has a lighter color scheme overall.
 * Shingantsu - By sealing away his sense of sight, Sanageyama enhances his other senses and his affinity with his Goku Uniform. He gains the ability to anticipate his opponent’s actions at a greater level by sensing the area all around him. He claims that he can see the entire world, and comments that his ability to perceive his surroundings surpassed that of anything he could have hoped to achieve with his eyes open. However, Shingantsu does not work on screens, and the enhanced senses can sometimes backfire on Sanageyama - for instance, he admits that he can no longer enjoy tea, as the heat burns his tongue.
 * Hissatsu: Isshin Zenzanken - Sanageyama combines his gauntlets into the hilt of a massive shinai blade, which he uses to strike his opponent with tremendous force. However, his uniform was destroyed by Nui Harime before he could complete this technique.


 * Blade Regalia Mk.III (の・)


 * A further improved version of the Blade Regalia, given to Sanageyama by Iori during the attack on Osaka. Its inactive form is similar to the previous uniforms, but with the previously silver parts turned gold. When active, it appears as a a slimmer and more agile version of the Mk.I and Mk.II. The armor is now majorly white with details in green, and has six spikes protruding from the abdomen. With this version of his Goku Uniform, Sanageyama was able to clash on even grounds with Nui, who had previously bested him effortlessly. It was ultimately destroyed after months of prolonged combat with the COVERS, being worn down to the point where it simply fell apart when Sanageyama attempted to cover the retreat of the North Kanto Gang Alliance.
 * Shingan Tensenzuki - By increasing the speed of his thrust attacks, Sanageyama can perform multiple strikes at a blinding speed, fooling his opponents into believing they are being attacked at the speed of light.


 * Blade Regalia: Secret Unsealed (の・)


 * The final version of Sanageyama's Goku Uniform. In its inactive form, it has the same form as his previous uniform, but with black instead of white. In its active form, it resembles its Mk. III uniform, except being black with neon green highlights and with his head, partial upper body and left arm uncovered. His shinai blade is now made of neon green energy, resembling a lightsaber.
 * Enhanced Physical Prowess - With this final Goku Uniform, Sanageyama's physical capabilities and sword skills are greatly enhanced, enough to destroy multiple COVERS monsters with a single swipe of his sword at great speed. He has also regained his eyesight, further increasing his prowess.
 * Energy Whirlwind - During his battle against the COVERS, he could generate a green energy whirlwind from his sword that was powerful enough to destroy multiple COVERS.

History
Three years ago before his time at Honnōji Academy, Uzu Sanageyama was the Northern Kanto Gang Leader Alliance Representative and led a contingent of 500 middle-school pompadour gangsters to confront Satsuki when she challenged them. When she easily defeated the 500 gangsters with just her fighting spirit, Uzu personally confronted her, using his Tengantsu to dodge her attacks. However, when he tried to attack her from behind, Satsuki asked him whether he had really managed to get behind her and then defeated him with a backward sword thrust. After his defeat, Sanageyama was invited to Honnōji - as an ultimate stage where he could unleash his full strength. He was the last of the Elite Four to join Satsuki.

Relationships
Satsuki Kiryūin
 * He fought against her during his third year of middle-school, as the Northern Kanto Gang Leader Alliance Representative. After his loss, he joins her and accepts her offer for a place where his skills could be fully unleashed.

Ryūko Matoi
 * Sanageyama's initial rivalry towards Ryūko was a result of her having continuously defeated several sports clubs that were under his supervision. Confident that he could beat her with his Tengantsu, he was the first Elite Four to openly challenge her but a tactic that stripped him of his Tengantsu defeated Sanageyama and left him in utter disgrace. Determined to defeat Matoi and win back his lost pride, Sanageyama sewed his eyes to become stronger for his second battle. However, as his uniform overheated from his power before he could deal the finishing blow, Matoi managed to escape, leaving Sanageyama ashamed once more, despite Satsuki's assurance. As a result, he looked forward to finishing their fight at the Naturals Election. Unfortunately, he was denied this chance by Nui's interference. By that time, he found Matoi worthy of respect, calling her "the woman who took his eyes (Tengantsu) and gave him the world (Shingantsu)".

Memorable quotes
"Things like behind and front are all the same to me now. And now that I don't use my eyes, I can sense the world in 360. So, I just wanted thank you for giving me a second chance… and a fresh start."

- Uzu's response to Satsuki as he appears in front of her after blinding himself

"I'm gonna show you what happens when you force a man to change."

- Uzu before having his rematch with Ryūko

"MEN! DOU! KOTE!"

- Uzu's battle cry, based on Kendo verbs.

"If you keep doubting her, you're gonna find yourself in a world of hurt."

- Uzu to Nonon Jakuzure, about Satsuki

Trivia

 * Sanageyama's gaining of Shingantsu is similar to the origins of Marvel Comics' Daredevil, where losing his vision enhanced his other senses.
 * Sanageyama's self-inflicted blindess in order to please Satsuki shares similarities to the legend of the Shinto storm god of Summer, Susano’o, a swordsman who was banished from Heaven to the underworld to live in total darkness.
 * When Sanageyama transforms his Blade Regalia Mk.I in Episode 6, the transformation sequence erroneously shows the head and leg of the Blade Regalia Mk.II before showing the full shot of the transformed uniform.
 * In his name, Saru means monkey in kanji.
 * Sanageyama have a similar design to Simon the Digger from Gurren Lagann.