Uzu Sanageyama

"I have these eyes. I can't possibly lose."

- Uzu Sanageyama to Satsuki Kiryūin, Episode 6

Uzu Sanageyama (猿投山 渦) 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 brown 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 there are threes spikes on each shoulder. The coat is usually open at the front, which shows his cadet-blue colored vest. He wears a matching white pants and shoes, and a belt with a 3 metal spike buckle. After having his eyes sewn shut, he 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.

Powers and Abilities
Three-star Goku Uniform:
 * Blade Regalia (剣の装 Tsurugi no Sō)
 * Sanageyama's uniform transforms into a large-build green kendo armor that is capable of extending shinai from its gauntlets. It grants Sanageyama superhuman strength and speed (to the point where he could create illusory images and outrun Ryūko at Senketsu's full speed). It was destroyed after Sanageyama's defeat at their hands.


 * Blade Regalia Mk.II (剣の装・改 Tsurugi no Sō Aratame)
 * A revamped version of Sanageyama's old uniform, given to him by Satsuki after he sewed his own eyes shut, demonstrating his resolve to overcome his own weaknesses.


 * Blade Regalia Mk.III (剣の装・更改 Tsurugi no Sō Sara Ni Aratame)
 * ​A further improved version of the Blade Regalia, sporting a slimmer and more agile appearance than the Mk.I and Mk.II. The armor is now majorly white with details in green, and has six spikes protruding from the abdomen. His speed is dramatically increased, such that he could dodge Harime's attacks and hundreds of his sword thrusts become near-impossible to see.

Abilities:


 * Shinsoku: Senbonzuki (神速千本突き Godspeed: One Thousand Thrusts)
 * While wielding multiple swords in both his hands and spinning them like a gatling gun, he assaults his opponent with a series of high-speed sword thrusts.


 * Hissatsu: Isshin Zenzanken (必殺一心全山劍 Finishing Move: Sword of the Mind's Mountain)
 * With his gauntlets combining together, Sanageyama produces a massive shinai blade from the combined 'hilt'. However, his uniform was destroyed by Nui Harime before he could use this technique.


 * Higi: Tengantsu (秘技天眼通 Secret Technique: Clairvoyance)
 * A form of precognition in which Sanageyama is able to predict the actions of his opponent by their preparatory motions, such as from their eyes and muscles. The anime highlighted the Orbicularis Oculi (eyes), Dorsal Interosseous/Adductor Pollicis (hands), Pectoralis Major (chest) and the Gluteus Maximus (butt).


 * Shingantsu (心眼通 Authority of the Mind's Eye)
 * Sealing away his sense of sight, Sanageyama enhances his other senses and his affinity with the Goku uniform increases. He gains the ability to anticipate his opponent’s action 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.



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 Kiryūin 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 can 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 by her offer for a place where his skills can be fully unleashed.

Ryūko Matoi
 * Sanageyama's initial rivalry towards Ryūko was a result of her having continuously defeated several sports club that are 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 Harime'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

 * "Front and behind mean nothing to me now. Thanks to my eyes being sewn shut, I can now sense the world in its entirety. I only came to thank you for giving me a fresh start."
 * - Uzu's response to Satsuki as he appears in front of her after blinding himself.


 * "Watch closely what happens when you force a man to change."
 * - Uzu before having his rematch with Ryūko.


 * "MEN! DOU! KOTE!"
 * - Uzu attacking Ryuko


 * "If your faith in her falters, you may find your own footing growing unsteady."
 * - Uzu to Nonon, about Satsuki.