Sōichirō Kiryūin

Sōichirō Kiryūin, also known by his alias Isshin Matoi, was the husband of Ragyō Kiryūin and father of Ryūko Matoi and Satsuki Kiryūin. He was a brilliant scientist and Life Fiber researcher who went on to create Senketsu, the Scissor Blades, and Nudist Beach. He was murdered by Nui Harime under Ragyō's orders, impaled by his own Scissor Blade.

After the presumed death of his daughter, Soichiro faked his death along with his daughter and forged a new identity, calling himself Isshin Matoi and raising the infant Ryuko on his own in a mansion.

Sōichirō had aimed to "thwart the ambitions of the Kiryūins by using the Kamui". His actions are the posthumous driving forces behind the plot of the series—including Ryūko's search for her father's killer.

Appearance
As Sōichirō, he had the appearance of a youthful man of medium-length hair and large bangs that covered the right side of his face. When he took on the guise of Isshin, his appearance became that of an old man with a long beard, hunched back and wore an eye patch over his right eye.

Early Life
Sōichirō Kiryūin married Ragyō Kiryūin and worked alongside her in the research of Life Fibers. A year after the birth of their first child, Satsuki Kiryūin, Ragyō had attempted to merge her body with Life Fibers but failed to do so, as Satsuki was too old to be compatible with them. This caused Ragyō to resolve to using her second child, whom she was currently pregnant with, to use it as her next test subject. After the birth of their second child, who was unnamed at the time, Ragyō used her as another test subject but allegedly died during the experiment. After the baby's supposed death, she disposed of her unnamed daughter for her apparent incompatibility with them, but, unbeknownst to Ragyō, Sōichirō had faked their daughter's death, and he resolved to turn against his wife and to destroy all Life Fibers.

For the next five years, Sōichirō secretly raised the baby whose death he faked in an unknown mansion, naming the girl Ryūko, while raising his oldest daughter in a separate home. Since he knew he would soon be punished for his betrayal and assassinated by Takiji Kuroido, he taught Satsuki, who, at the time was five years old, about the secrets behind Life Fibers, its research and her presumed deceased sister, leaving her with the legacy of the rebellion against the Life Fibers.

Sōichirō went into hiding after an assassination attempt by Takiji; faking his death and forging a new identity, naming himself Isshin Matoi, while also changing his appearance to that of a short, hunchbacked old man.

Death
Six months before the events of the main story, Isshin was attacked by Nui Harime, who was sent to his laboratory to retrieve his creation under Ragyō's orders. As Nui approached the building, Isshin hid Senketsu and fought against her until he was driven back and forced to use the Rending Scissor; a pair of scissors that can cut and prevent Life Fibers from regenerating. Isshin was eventually overwhelmed and mortally wounded by the scissors when Nui managed to snag them from his hands. In a moment of distraction upon hearing Ryūko's voice, Nui ended up having her left eye taken by Isshin, who split the scissors in two. In a fit of rage, she took the scissor half used to damage her eye and slashed Isshin three times before thrusting the blade into his stomach, and fled.

Ryūko found Isshin laying on the ground with the other scissor half-driven through his body. He told her that, if she wanted to have a peaceful life, she was to leave him there and walk away. If she wished to fight in his place, however, she should take the very Scissor Blade that was used to kill him. Isshin proclaimed to Ryūko that she would be sure to find his assailant, but a cruel fate would be in store for her. Before he could say anything else, Ryūko saw Nui wielding the Scissor Blade, but couldn't make out the silhouette. With the other half of the scissor in her hands, she immediately gave chase, ignoring the pleas of her father, who said he still had much to say. The mansion then exploded, with Isshin still inside.

At some point before his death, Isshin sent a letter to Aikurō asking him to lead Ryūko to Senketsu.

Ryūko Matoi
According to Ryūko herself, the two never had a close relationship. Isshin spent a great part of his time with his research, leaving him little time to spend with his daughter. Coupled with the lack of a mother, this led Ryūko to lead a lonely life, eventually becoming a juvenile delinquent. However, while little is known about Isshin's actual personality, it is known that he obviously loved his daughter deeply enough to risk his life by betraying Ragyō and REVOCS, and sending a letter to Aikurō requesting him to aid Ryūko.

Satsuki Kiryūin
As her father, Sōichirō trusted her with the true nature of the Life Fibers prior to his disappearance and subsequent faked death. Although Satsuki never knew it until late in the series, her father had disguised himself as Isshin Matoi in order to raise Ryūko.

Ragyō Kiryūin
While Sōichirō obviously loved her at the time they got married, that love disappeared completely by the time Ragyō used her own daughters as test subjects to observe their resistance to Life Fibers. Sōichirō eventually left his wife and dedicated his life to counteracting her goals.

Senketsu
As Senketsu's creator, Isshin left a bit of his likeness for Ryūko. Senketsu, in his normal state, shares the eyepatch and the "mustache" (part of the scarf) with Dr. Matoi's appearance. Senketsu only knows what his creator looked like. However, after Ragyō's defeat in Episode 24, he tells Ryūko that he is sure that her father is satisfied.

Trivia

 * The name Sōichirō means "general, whole, all, full, total" (総) (sō), "one" (一) (ichi) and "son" (郎) (rō).
 * The alias name Isshin means "one person, oneself" (一身).
 * Sōichirō's surname Kiryūin means "demon, ogre" (鬼) (ki), "dragon" (龍) (ryū) and "hospital" (院) (in).
 * The alias surname Matoi means "wear, wrap, tie, follow around, collect" (纏).