Slow Damage Character Index
Main Characters | Supporting Characters (The Takasato-gumi)

This page is for tropes related to the tropes related to the Takasato-gumi as a whole and its individual members.

Note: If the name of the character's voice actor is enclosed in quotation marks (e.g. "Name of voice actor"), it means that the name is only a pseudonym, and the voice actor's true identity remains undisclosed. If the voice actor of a character is listed as "???", it means that the character is voiced in the visual novel, but their voice actor was never specifically credited with the role of said character.

The Takasato-gumi

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_takasato_54.png

As Shinkoumi brought Japan's economy back to life, the Takasato-gumi began to expand their control. Eventually, when the tacit threats stopped working, the government designated Shinkoumi as a special administrative region.

After that, the Takasato-gumi essentially had their own little nation that they could govern as they saw fit.

The Takasato-gumi is a syndicate that oversaw the construction of Shinkoumi during the peak of Japan's financial recession, and is the authority that currently governs the city.

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In General

Ambition Is Evil: Zigzagged. The Takasato-gumi isn't trying to take over the mainland. In fact, both parties are at odds on whether Shinkoumi should be assimilated into the mainland or not. However, there are some officials in the organization who are trying to spread their influence to certain authorities in the mainland, or even outside it, and the means they use to do that are underhanded, to say the least.
Animal Motifs: Hawks. The kanji for "hawk" (鷹) is also the same one used for the name "Takasato" (鷹郷), and the imagery used for the organization's insignia is a hawk's talon, encircled by two feathers. Hawks are also known as birds of prey, which matches the way the Takasato-gumi has eyes all over the city to make sure no one becomes too much trouble and no debtor can leave. Supporting this specific symbolism is how takasato translates to "village of the hawks".
Divided We Fall: The Takasato-gumi suffered a massive divide years ago after Maya's death. A few years later, Sakaki and Toono decided to join forces against Kaga, the latter of whom was likely to succeed Ryuujirou Takasato, since they didn't agree with how he wished to run the organization. The same issue happens again later on when Ryuujirou Takasato passes away, resulting in the already-existing rivalry between Sakaki and Toono to get even worse.
Organ Theft: The Takasato-gumi has no problem killing any debtors who try to escape or refuse to pay up because the organization would still be able to collect the money they're owed by selling the debtors' organs in the black market.
Sinister Surveillance: Anyone in Shinkoumi who has incurred a large enough debt is implanted with a chip called a "webtag", which would allow the Takasato-gumi to monitor their movements and ensure that they do not leave the city. If they attempt to escape, they will be hunted down and killed.
Succession Crisis: After the death of the Takasato-gumi's founder, it's left unknown who will take his place. The two most viable candidates are Sakaki and Toono, and neither of them get along with the other, which means that the entire organization is currently divided. It only gets worse when it becomes more obvious that Sakaki is likely to be the next leader.
The Syndicate: The organization is granted full control over Shinkoumi, and they regulate everything that goes on in the city, be it legitimate or criminal.
Yakuza: The Takasato-gumi is essentially a yakuza syndicate, and the others even refer to either the organization or its members as such.

Ryuujirou Takasato

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_ryuujirou.png

Click ^here to see Ryuujirou in his prime

The founder and (late) leader of the Takasato-gumi. He was also Towa's biological father. He dies from heart failure at the age of 81, leaving a power vacuum in the organization.

Abusive Parents: Strongly implied. It's established early on that Ryuujirou rarely interacted with Towa, if at all. But when considering how Maya helped Ryuujirou keep Shinkoumi on a tight leash, with the Takasato-gumi providing support to her business, it wouldn't be far out of left field for the player to assume that Ryuujirou, if not actively supported Maya selling off their son to her customers, at very least cared very little for his son suffering from all kinds of torture.
Authority in Name Only: Played with. No one really denies his status as the head of the Takasato-gumi and no one comments on him being nothing more than a figurehead, but some of the character's remarks subtly hint that when Maya was still alive, she was the one who was truly controlling the syndicate, as her relationship with Ryuujirou gave her plenty of influence, and it was her death that first triggered dissension within the Takasato-gumi, with Ryuujirou's death simply worsening the cracks of conflict past the point of no return.
Big Ol' Eyebrows: His design in the artbook shows that he had quite the bushy eyebrows.
Evil Old Folks: No one gets to be the leader, let alone the founder, of what is essentially a criminal organization by being nice or moral.
The Ghost: He's only mentioned every once in a while, but he never makes a full appearance at any point in the story. In the one CG that features him, his face is shadowed so as to keep his appearance a mystery, and the only other instance where he shows up is in Rei's route, where he appears as a faceless figure in one of Towa's dreams. It's only in the artbook where his face is revealed in full.
The Leader: He was the head of the Takasato-gumi up until his death.
May–December Romance: He died at the age of 81. While nothing is confirmed about how old he and Maya were when they first got acquainted, it is still rather palpable that he's older than her by at least a decade.
Parental Neglect: Although he and Towa are father and son by blood, he was never present in Towa's life even when Towa was still an active member of the Takasato-gumi, hence Towa feels no grief when he hears that the other had passed away.
Posthumous Character: Early in the common route, both Towa and the player are informed of his death.
Really Gets Around: Downplayed. Ryuujirou had at least two mistresses, having sired Towa with one and Kaga with the other. The fact that he even had a favorite mistress insinuates that he had more in his harem.

Hideyasu Sakaki

Voiced by: Yasuhiro Mamiya ^note Credited as Danshaku Shimauma

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_sakaki_2.png

Age: 50
Height: 172 cm
Blood Type: B

"In this business, sometimes you need to get your hands dirty. And I've done plenty of things that I'd rather not bring up again."

The second-in-command of the Takasato-gumi. He is rumored to be its next boss after the death of the former leader. He is the owner of the Royal Seaside Hotel, and is mainly in charge of debt collection and the monitoring of all those who owe money to the organization.

Affably Evil: Even with his status as the Takasato-gumi's second-in-command, Sakaki is more personable than Toono and, while still manipulative, is more upfront about his intentions. In the true route, this is revealed to be nothing more than a charade. Though even then, the trope is zigzagged; as long as the matter doesn't concern Maya, he's generally approachable and sensible.
Asshole Victim: Though the player might not necessarily root for his death like they would with Toono's in Madarame's route, they're guaranteed to change their tune once they complete Fujieda's route and find out just how deep Sakaki's cruelty and amorality truly runs. Consequently, this also leaves no one in-game mourning for him when he dies in both of Fujieda's endings. Even Towa, who may be no stranger to violence but isn't one to casually resort to taking a life, doesn't feel the least perturbed about indirectly causing Sakaki's death in the Golden Ending.
Avenging the Villain: Before Maya died, she gave Sakaki one final order: to see to it that Towa would grow up to become her successor. But given that this can only happen if Towa willingly sought the same outcome, Sakaki gives up on fulfilling that order in the first three routes, where Towa never bothers to learn more about his past. But in the final route, Towa finally becomes curious about his childhood, to which then Sakaki becomes determined to have Towa "transform" into Maya to "undo" her death.
Ax-Crazy: To call Sakaki unhinged would still be putting it mildly when he reveals his connection to Maya and what he has planned for Towa in the final route, given that one would need to be at a certain level of insanity to wholeheartedly abet the evil Maya perpetuated and the harm that it brought to countless people.
Berserk Button: One quick way to set off Sakaki is to speak of Maya in a cold — or worse — negative tone, as he takes such words as a deeply personal insult. Even Towa simply remarking on his hatred for Maya is enough to make Sakaki shout in outrage.
Big Bad: He turns out to be the last person who has to be faced against in the true route.
Can't Kill You, Still Need You: The true route hints that in contrast to the fatherly attitude Sakaki showed Towa throughout almost the entire game, he actually holds the younger man in contempt for Maya's death. Despite that, he never tries to have Towa killed because Towa's very existence is still necessary for Maya's Last Request.
Churchgoing Villain: The liner notes confirm that Sakaki goes to church every year on the 26th of December in honor of Maya's death.
Combat Pragmatist: When Sakaki and Fujieda exchange blows, Sakaki doesn't hesitate to wear Fujieda down by hitting him right in his gunshot wound. He also quickly resorts to making Fujieda stagger by repeatedly attacking him with a knife, which nearly causes Fujieda to fall down when he attempts to dodge but ends up retreating to the edge of a staircase.
Curtains Match the Window: The artbook confirms that his hair and his eyes share the same grey-brown color.
Didn't Think This Through: Even though Sakaki wanted Maya to be Towa's priority while recovering his memories, he ends up getting the opposite of what he intended by sending Mei's bunny doll to Towa, and this is before he resigns himself to the fact that one way or another, Towa is bound to remember them both.
The Dragon: This is a given, what with his status as the second-in-command of the Takasato-gumi. The trope also turns out to apply two-fold, as he served as Maya's right-hand man and assisted her in every step of the way.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: The very fact that he worshipped Maya meant that he supported her corrupt ideals, which also meant that he could never even begin to understand why Towa would very understandably detest Maya for all the abuse she heaped on him. Sakaki even condemns Mei for trying to help Towa escape a life of physical, mental and emotional torment, going so far as to repeatedly call her a demon in the most hostile and menacing tone he could muster.
Evil Old Folks: One has to be amoral enough to have a high level of authority in the Takasato-gumi and to be in the syndicate for as long as Sakaki had, and he doesn't deny that he often delves in many kinds of unethical business. The true route, however, makes him more than fitting for the trope after The Reveal that he served as Maya's adjutant and wholeheartedly supported all her goals and misdeeds.
Evil Sounds Raspy: Sakaki speaks in a coarse voice, which sounds even harsher and more guttural near the endgame once he shows just how he's more messed up in the head than he would ever appear to be.
Expy: By the time the player finishes the entire game, it's easy to see the similarities between Sakaki and Kunihito Okinaga from sweet pool.
- Besides the fact that both men are already of an older age and are members of the yakuza, both are also the Big Bad with some loose screws in the head, except that Kunihito is already afflicted with dementia and anyone can tell that something's off with him at first sight, whereas Sakaki can put on a guise of normalcy to hide his more menacing side.
- Sakaki's fanatic-like devotion to Maya is also reminiscent to Kunihito's twisted loyalty to the Sodomites and the entire religion/cult dedicated to worshipping them. Bonus points as well for Maya having run a business that is akin to an evil cult that indulges in sin and depravity, and according to the Bible, God destroyed both Sodom and Gomorrah because their wickedness and corruption had gone to the point that everyone living in either city was considered Beyond Redemption. Even more uncanny is that Maya had raven black hair and red eyes— which is also a signature physical trait of the Pure Breeds, who are essentially the equivalent of the Messiah for the Sodomites.
Failed a Spot Check: In the Golden Ending, part of why Towa managed to fool Sakaki up until the very last minute was that when he (as "Maya") assured Sakaki that he's okay, he makes use of the masculine pronoun "ore" rather than the feminine pronoun "watashi", the latter of which Maya uses. Sakaki completely misses it and continues to believe the act just long enough for Towa to then give him a solid kick in the gut.
Failure Is the Only Option: Even in the ending where he technically gets what he wants by having Towa "change into" Maya, the outcome doesn't work out as he would have liked since Towa doesn't do anything that Sakaki would expect him to do as "Maya". To start, after his personality changes, Towa's first act is to push Sakaki down to his death. Then when Fujieda finds Towa again, while it's obvious that his sanity is beyond fractured, Towa doesn't show any signs of wanting to either rule over Shinkoumi or continue his mother's business. This means that all in all, Sakaki's plans were for naught no matter what.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: Sakaki has a large gash scar running along the right side of his face.
In Love with Your Carnage: While Sakaki denies harboring any amorous affections for Maya, he still has a very deep and demented fixation with her. His Motive Rant in the climax of the true route also leaves no doubt that he relished in her ruthless schemes and admired the way she would resort to both manipulation and murder to get what she wanted.
Insane Troll Logic: Maya raised Towa the way she did in hopes of grooming him to grow up into someone just like her. When her life was cut short, she asked Sakaki to make sure that Towa would still succeed her. Grooming a person into becoming someone else is sinister and twisted to the utmost, but it is nevertheless plausible with the right methods. Yet Sakaki is implied to take Maya's orders a little too literally, believing that in the event Towa does "become" Maya, he would absorb not just his mother's personality and beliefs, but also her memories and her very soul as well.
It's Personal: As Sakaki freely admits to Towa in the true route, when he finds out that Fujieda is also investigating Euphoria, he was content with letting Towa cooperate with Fujieda if it meant finding out the truth sooner... except he realized later that Fujieda is Mei's older brother. And given that Sakaki doesn't have a very positive opinion of Mei, to say the least, he decides to take action to have Fujieda taken out of the picture instead, even with Towa getting caught in the crossfire. And in the climax, when the two confront each other face-to-face, it's obvious that Sakaki regards Fujieda with the same amount of loathing that he harbors towards Mei.
Karma Houdini: He never gets any comeuppance for his affiliation with Maya and what he had done to Mei (and by extension, Towa) in both Taku and Rei's routes. At worst, he's just forced to live with the fact that Maya's final wish will never come to be.
Karmic Death: In the Golden Ending, Towa defiantly tells Sakaki that he will never become Maya before throwing away her pocket watch, causing Sakaki to go after it and inadvertently die by falling down the stairs— thus meeting the same end that Maya did. While it was not necessarily Towa's intention to have that happen, no one's admonishing him for it either since by then, Towa, Fujieda and the player already know about Sakaki's true intentions.
Killed Offscreen: In Madarame's Euphoria ending, Sakaki gets sniped while attempting to escape Shinkoumi after Madarame launches an ambush on the Takasato-gumi.
Know When to Fold 'Em: Sakaki never attempts to have Towa recover his memories in the other routes because his gambit depended on whether Towa's stint as euphoria would eventually result in one of his models' deaths. As long as Fujieda's route isn't taken, the vampire that Towa encounters never commits suicide in the first three routes, so Sakaki doesn't send any package to Towa, who then doesn't become interested in finding more about his parents. Sakaki soon informs Ikuina about Towa in one final attempt to follow through with his plan... only to give up entirely since Towa still doesn't become curious about his past (or more specifically, about Maya) whether Ikuina kills himself or not. And in line with this, he outright says in Fujieda's route that he was content with leaving Towa be if he still wasn't curious about his past even after receiving the mysterious package.
A Lighter Shade of Black: Zigzagged. Sakaki is the leading figure of a criminal organization, which means that he doesn't have much in the way of scruples, but most of his scenes still paint him in a more decent light than Toono. Even with his shady dealings, he's not that interested in stirring up too much trouble that would make Shinkoumi go belly-up. However, The Reveal in Fujieda's route turns everything about him over its head. The only reason Sakaki becomes the lesser of the two evils in the other routes is because he has resigned himself to the fact that Maya's plans for Towa have become a lost cause, and knows that he'll gain more benefits than losses if he opts to not create any disturbances in Shinkoumi.
Love Makes You Dumb: Sakaki can be shrewd if he wishes, and there are some scenes which prove that he is an effective Manipulative Bastard. But whenever he acts in pursuit of completing Maya's final request, he becomes uncharacteristically rash and reckless in his actions, and he's more prone to losing his cool when his plans goes awry.
Manipulative Bastard: Sakaki won't hesitate to resort to deception or intimidation if it helps him achieve something of benefit. A good example of this is when he compelled Rei into participating in Moneymatches not by threatening to kill the latter's father but by threatening to let his father resume his job in child trafficking — which goes against every moral fiber of Rei's being.
Mask of Sanity: On the surface, Sakaki is an Affably Evil man who has done plenty of crimes but can at least be trusted to not send the city down under on some sadistic whim. However, the Golden Ending reveals that his head isn't above his shoulders as it may seem, and he's far more evil and insane than anyone would expect him to be to the point that even Toono appears less corrupt by comparison (even if by only a small margin).
Morally Bankrupt Banker: He's responsible for overseeing all matters related to debt incurred by any Shinkoumi citizens who will take a loan from the Takasato-gumi. Being one of the top honchos of said organization also certifies that he's extremely wealthy, to the point that he can casually offer 300 million yen to Towa in Rei's route like he was just handing out cheap change. And being a long-time yakuza member, Sakaki isn't afraid of using underhanded means to get his money, regardless of who he's getting his money from.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: Sakaki is first introduced mingling with some of the citizens during a charity event, showing that he gets along with the common folk. He's seen in a similar situation during a Hatsumōde festival in Taku's route.
Never Found the Body: He's officially declared missing after his death in Fujieda's route, and neither Towa nor Fujieda see Sakaki's corpse where they last saw it by the time they return to the mansion one final time. The only reason Sakaki's disappearance doesn't arouse too much suspicion from the public is because it just so happened to align with the ambush on the Takasato-gumi, which had recently occurred; hence the public assumed he was simply one of the casualties.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Delivering Mei's signature bunny doll to Towa ended up catching Fujieda's interest when the latter notices it, to which Fujieda inadvertently starts intercepting Sakaki's plans.
The Only One I Trust: After forging a connection with the Takasato-gumi through earning Ryuujirou's affections, Maya approached Sakaki almost right from the start, feeling that Sakaki was someone she could trust. While it could be one of her manipulation tactics, there are hints that she genuinely had enough confidence in the man's reliability and loyalty to share all her plans with him, and even entrusted to him her Last Request.
Pay Evil unto Evil: The true route shows that Sakaki is surprisingly one malevolent nutcase. Though no one in or out-universe is going to condemn him for killing Toono in said route, as the latter also possesses zero redeemable qualities and is a threat to everyone if left unchecked.
Pet the Dog: Though it could only be part of his façade as an Affably Evil gang leader, Sakaki is a Benevolent Boss to Igarashi. In Taku's route, he comments on how he can't bring himself to kick the younger man out despite the fact that he's not the brightest bulb in the string.
Pining After Protagonist's Parent: In Fujieda's route, Sakaki makes it clear not once, but twice, that he doesn't hold any romantic or sexual feelings for Towa's mother. That being said, he does revere Maya and harbors what is undeniably an obsession towards her— something that becomes crystal clear to the player once he shows his true colors in the climax. Besides keeping a photo of her in his office, he also holds on to her pocket watch, and keeps her office in the mansion in pristine condition.
Pragmatic Villainy: Sakaki is undoubtedly loyal to Maya, but he still knows better than to push his luck if he knows that attempting to fulfill her Last Request will only end in a Wild Goose Chase— to which he then decides to just focus on managing the Takasato-gumi.
Psycho Supporter: The true route would soon reveal that Sakaki has, in truth, absolutely zero principles whatsoever in contrast to his first impression as someone who still knows where to draw the line in spite of engaging in criminal activities. And by his own admission, he was all too glad to assist Maya in her schemes, even if that resulted in many innocents being subjected to either death or something far worse.
Sharp-Dressed Man: He's never seen outside his suit, and his only alternate wardrobe has him wear a gray overcoat alongside his usual outfit.
Slasher Smile: Once Sakaki's true motives are revealed to both Towa and the player, a lot of his scenes afterwards have him sporting a maniacal grin on his face.
Undying Loyalty: Even long after Maya's death, Sakaki still has nothing but high regard for her and would often reminisce of her. It goes to the extent that the way he speaks about Maya is similar to how a devout disciple would speak about their god. Ironically, it's also his loyalty to her that can lead to his own death, and he even dies the same way she did.
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Even when considering his status as a leader of a yakuza syndicate, he nevertheless comes across as fairly reasonable, which gives off the impression that he's more trustworthy than Toono. However, his loyalty to Maya trumps everything else, and should he sense that there's even a small chance that Maya's plans for Towa could still be put into motion, he becomes a threat instead.
Would Hurt a Child: The Golden Ending reveals that while Maya ordered for Mei to be killed, it was Sakaki himself who carried out the deed, and he made it clear that he did so with glee. Besides this, the very fact that Sakaki supported Maya's actions shows that he has no qualms about children being subjected to slavery, torture, and murder.
Yes-Man: In Sakaki's eyes, Maya is practically a divine goddess who could never say any falsehoods or make any mistakes. Even a nurse who was assigned to Maya when she got hospitalized observed that Sakaki was subservient to the woman and always deferred to her. Likewise, Sakaki's loyalty runs so deep that he is quick to show anger at anyone who even so much as talk about her in a caustic tone, and he believes that anyone who tries to defy her is a heinous creature who deserves the most painful death.

Masami Toono

Voiced by: "Miyu Sawajiri"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_toono_9.png

Age: 45
Height: 171 cm
Blood Type: A

"Anger, joy, sorrow... We humans are aggressively greedy creatures. We seek stimulation and we don't care what form it takes."

The chief administrator of the Takasato-gumi. He is an intellectual and ambitious individual, who currently has an eagle's eye over the position of the group's boss. He is the owner of the Grand Palace Hotel, and is in charge of the entertainment business as well as the hotels and resorts in the city.

0% Approval Rating: With the exception of his lackeys, none of the other characters have anything positive to say about Toono.
Ambition Is Evil: He's vying for the position of the Takasato-gumi's leader, and when it's all but confirmed that Sakaki is slated to take over, Toono resorts to extremely underhanded means to swipe the position from the other man.
Asshole Victim: The fact that he's an unscrupulous bastard with a sadistic streak makes it easy for the player to feel exultation when Madarame shoots him dead in the climax of his route.
At Least I Admit It: He openly admits that he is as corrupt as Shinkoumi itself is.
Bad Samaritan: Toono helped pay for Taku's tuition fees when the latter was still studying in university and even suggested that he take up pharmaceutical science before letting him study medicine afterwards... all to ensure that he would have Taku at his beck and call should the time come that he would need some certain drugs manufactured. And with Taku in debt to him, the man has no way of backing out of his predicament.
Big Bad: He's the main adversary in both Taku and Madarame's routes.
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Toono will quickly betray someone if he felt that it would benefit him. In the past, he used to be allied with Kaga, but then turned on him when an internal conflict started in the Takasato-gumi because he felt that siding with Sakaki brought in more profits, and even killed Kaga as proof of his change of allegiance. Then at present, many mention that he's plotting to undermine Sakaki after the latter is chosen to succeed Ryuujirou as the next leader of the organization, with certain routes proving this.
Curtains Match the Window: Both his hair and his eyes are grey in color, a fact that is confirmed in the artbook.
Defiant to the End: In Madarame's Euphoria ending, Toono manages to hiss out one final curse at Madarame before succumbing to his bullet wound.
Disc-One Final Boss: The fact that Toono is the one who Towa and either Taku or Madarame needs to deal with in the latter two's routes baits the player into assuming that Toono will serve a similar role in the final route... except that he barely shows up, if at all, and is even assassinated off-screen to make way for the other Big Bad, Sakaki, who's attempting to fulfill the Last Request of the Greater-Scope Villain: Maya.
Faux Affably Evil: Even though he presents himself with a near-unflappable disposition talks using a formal style of speech, no one is fooled by his demeanor for even a second and can immediately see him for the snake he really is.
Fiction 500: Even when Toono was still studying in university, he had more than enough money to pay for all of Taku's tuition fees. Taku explains that his father's business in property management had something to do with his massive wealth.
Incompatible Orientation: In Taku's route, Toono kidnaps both him and Towa and threatens to make Towa his mistress in order to rattle Taku and keep him in line. Though Toono openly admits to Towa that he doesn't swing that way, and even if he was truly willing to experiment with the same sex, he doesn't find Towa to be his type.
Killed Offscreen: In the epilogue of the Golden Ending, it's revealed that Sakaki murdered Toono shortly after Madarame's attack on the Takasato-gumi's headquarters.
A Lighter Shade of Black: Zigzagged. Toono is undoubtedly immoral and is generally the more active threat. But in the grand scheme of things, and especially in the true route, it's actually Toono who qualifies for the trope more than Sakaki does, even if only by a small margin. His goals — which involve illegal drug production and secret deals with certain people of import from the mainland — don't spell anything good for anyone in Shinkoumi, though that being said, he's still no more different than most other crime bosses one can see in either Real Life or other media. Sakaki, meanwhile, while pragmatic enough to focus on keeping the peace in Shinkoumi, secretly feels that the city was at its prime when it was under the rule of a psychopathic master manipulator who both committed and abetted any kind of crime as long as it was to her benefit, and Sakaki himself is also willing to stoop to rather dastardly means in order to achieve his own goals. Additionally, while Toono won't tell anyone what his plans are so easily, he never denies that he's up to no good; whereas Sakaki hides his true colors, which paint him as so twisted that he doesn't even believe that his (and by extension, Maya's) actions are evil in nature.
Morally Bankrupt Banker: Inada specifies that it's Sakaki who's in charge of debt collection. Though Toono also applies for the trope as he paid both for Taku's university tuition fees and the hospitalization bills of the latter's mother, all of which undoubtedly amount to an extremely hefty sum. He also uses said debt as leverage against Taku and browbeat him into manufacturing narcotics with very harmful effects, and the story quickly makes it clear to the player that he's one shifty character.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Taku, if his route is taken, starts to fall in love with Towa, but he keeps it to himself as he feels that it's highly inappropriate of him to see Towa that way. However, Toono's actions — such as drugging Towa, kidnapping him, and threatening to keep Towa as his male pet — force Taku to confront his feelings until he can no longer hide it anymore, which paves the way for him and Towa to mutually confess their newfound affection for one another. In short, Taku and Towa likely would have never gotten together if it weren't for Toono.
Obviously Evil: His Establishing Character Moment makes it crystal clear that he's immediately bad news and not the kind of person anyone should trust. Even though he got himself indebted to the man, Taku could already tell early on that Toono is the shifty type.
Older Than He Looks: He's one year younger than Taku, but from their appearances alone, anyone would assume that Toono is older by at least a decade.
Out of Focus:
- He only appears once during one of the Exploration sequences in Rei's route, and it's never revealed what ultimately becomes of him in the epilogue.
- He never makes an appearance in Fujieda's route either and is only mentioned a few times before he's eventually confirmed to have been Killed Offscreen since this time around, Sakaki takes his place as the Big Bad.
Pragmatic Villainy: Toono may be ruthless, sadistic and a bit petty, but he's not overly petty that he would immediately resort to disposing of someone the moment they've served their purpose to him, as long as he's sure they won't be a liability or a threat afterwards. Case in point, when Taku finishes creating the drugs in his Madness ending, Toono lets both Taku and Towa go and has them driven back to the clinic without any further issues, especially since Taku made it clear he won't get in the way of Toono's business and just wants to be left alone after he completes his task.
Right for the Wrong Reasons: Everything that Toono said about how Taku sees Towa as nothing more than a Replacement Goldfish for Maya and how he was infatuated with her? There is someone who perfectly fits the description... except that Toono accused the wrong person.
Sadist: Toono isn't above having people tortured, and occasionally engages in the torturing himself if he's in the mood to dole out pain on those who pissed him off. The hostesses at the hotel he manages say that it's actually a common occurrence, and he barely bats an eye when he punches and kicks Towa before snapping his elbow in half.
Secret-Keeper: Toono strongly hints to Towa that he knows what Taku and Sakaki are hiding from Towa, such as what Maya really was like as a person and what kind of establishment Euphoria is, though he declines to elaborate further purely because he has nothing to gain from it.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Like Sakaki, Toono wears a suit all the time.
Trademark Favorite Food: According to the liner notes, Toono loves coffee and fine cuisine.
Villain Has a Point: A cunning and cruel asshole he may be, Toono still raises a valid point when he warns Towa that in spite of Sakaki's warm and fatherly disposition towards the younger man, he's still hiding many secrets from Towa and isn't a trustworthy man. The true route would reveal just how correct Toono was.

Kaga

Voiced by: ???

Towa: How did you feel about Kaga?

Madarame: ...Didn't really care one way or the other.

Towa: What do you mean?

Madarame: He was a fool.

Towa: Excuse me?

Madarame: You heard me. A fool. Only he was stupid enough to come at me.

A high-ranking member of the Takasato-gumi and Towa's biological half-brother by virtue of being the son of Ryuujirou Takasato and another of his mistresses. He was killed during an infighting in the organization.

Brutal Honesty: According to both Towa and Madarame, Kaga was always straightforward with anyone he would speak to and was never the type to bullshit around, and was someone who always took the direct approach. It was also these same traits that earned him the respect of many members of the Takasato-gumi, including Madarame.
Cool Big Bro: While not much focus is given on Kaga's relationship with Towa even though they were half-brothers, Towa never mentions Kaga in a negative way. Towa also used to hang out often with both Kaga and Madarame, which suggests that they had a good relationship.
Honor Before Reason: Sakaki and Toono conspired to kill Kaga because the latter was too principled and consequently disapproved of the Takasato-gumi changing its ways purely to rake in more profits and power, whereas the former two believed that such thinking would only bring about the organization's downfall.
Hot-Blooded: Kaga is described as such, being outspoken and the type who often got into fights with others, whether it's the verbal or the physical kind.
Morality Pet: Even though they butted heads more often than not, Kaga was the only person who Madarame was willing to take orders from, or more accurately, show some degree of deference to. The opening narration for Madarame's route even has him denying that he's after the Takasato-gumi for revenge, which contradicts his following statement of how he nevertheless felt that Kaga's death didn't have to happen. And for someone who's not the sentimental type, Madarame still kept an old photo of them and Towa.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: According to Towa's description of Kaga, in spite of his connection to the yakuza, Kaga was a generally reasonable and fair man. He also believed that organized crime was established to protect the oppressed, not to crush them even further.
No Full Name Given: While Kaga is said to have taken his mother's maiden name, his full name is never revealed. It's not even certain whether Kaga is his family name or his birth name.
Posthumous Character: He died at least ten years prior to the start of the visual novel.
Token Good Teammate: Kaga was of the yakuza, so there's no doubt that there were times he had gotten his hands dirty. But unlike Sakaki and Toono, he was a man of principle and integrity and prioritized keeping the common folk safe far more over lining his pockets or expanding his authority. This is also precisely why Sakaki and Toono decided to take Kaga out of the picture.
Vitriolic Best Buds: Both Kaga and Madarame often came to physical blows, and according to Madarame, they actually came close to killing each other more than once. However, Kaga never backed down every time they exchanged threats or fists, and Madarame developed a form of respect towards Kaga because he was the one person who he could never intimidate.
Worthy Opponent: In Madarame's own words, Kaga may have been a fool, but he was anything but a weak fool, either in terms of physical or mental fortitude. He was the kind of man who always remained true to his principles, never backed out from a fight, and stuck to his guns no matter what anyone would try to say to him. Madarame begrudgingly admits (in his own way) that he can't help but feel respect towards the man for his conviction and his fearlessness.

Kotarou

Voiced by: "Ayato Ayano"

Age: 25
Height: 176 cm
Blood Type: O

"Debtors can't make their payments, so they try to give us the slip. Same shit, different day. That being said, when they make me play this game every single day, it starts to get on my nerves, you know?"

A member of the Takasato-gumi. His main occupation is as a debt collector, which he works alongside Mayu and Eiji. He was originally a Deathmatch participant, and was recruited into the group because of his strength of arms.

Animal Lover: Kotarou has a fondness for dogs. His name is even taken from the name of the dog that he grew up with.
Baritone of Strength: He has a rough and booming voice that perfectly fits his status as one of the Takasato-gumi's enforcers.
Blood Knight: Being a former Deathmatch participant, Kotarou is always up for the idea of a good fight or the opportunity to bash some skulls; and even laments that his ties to the Takasato-gumi now deny him the chance to fight in Deathmatches.
Child Hater: Kotarou readily admits that he sees kids as nothing more than a total pain in the neck, something that Mayu backs up.
Friends with Benefits: Towa and Kotarou hook up for sex once in a while, though they only do so if they're both in the mood for it.
Good Old Fisticuffs: He relies purely on his fists to deal with his opponents.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: Kotarou has a vertical scar just below his right eye.
Hell-Bent for Leather: His clothes are made purely of leather, and are the tight-fitting kind too.
Hidden Depths: According to the liner notes, he's good with numbers compared to Mayu, who is said to be Book Dumb.
Hot-Blooded: Downplayed. Kotarou has a bit of a temper; but despite that and his Blood Knight tendencies, he's described to actually be calmer and more calculated than he seems, even when in a fight.
Not So Above It All: In Madarame's route, Kotarou has been having trouble trying to catch a thief who managed to give him the slip multiple times... only to later catch the culprit and realize that he had been running after a literal dog the entire time, although he's not mad about it. Rather, he's actually impressed at the dog's tenacity.
One-Man Army: Though not to the same degree as Madarame, Kotarou is still strong enough to take on an entire group of armed Takasato-gumi members with only his bare hands, and come out on top as the winner.
Power Fist: Kotarou arms his fists with a pair of knuckle dusters during combat.
Punch-Clock Villain: Kotarou is only really a menace towards debtors who refuse to pay up and try to make a run for it. Otherwise, he doesn't give anyone else any trouble and is civil with debtors who readily hand over the money they owe.
Seme: Kotarou is someone who prefers to give it rather than take it during sex.
Sir Swears-a-Lot: Even when looking past the English localization, those who are familiar enough with the Japanese language can tell that Kotarou speaks in a brusque manner and occasionally says words that are essentially the equivalent of the English curse words.
Tattooed Crook: He has tattoos adorning his torso and arms, and he's a hired muscle for the Takasato-gumi.
Thrill Seeker: Kotarou loves a good fight as much as he loves the adrenaline he gets from chasing someone who manages to give him a challenge.
Trademark Favorite Food: He's fond of root beer floats and will order it whenever he can, even in places that don't sell the beverage.
Walking Shirtless Scene: Downplayed. Kotarou does wear a leather jacket for his upper body, but it does nothing to hide most of his torso.
Would Hit a Girl: Implied in Taku's route, where Kotarou gets in a foul mood after Hayato's mother stole some money from him, to which Kotarou then swears to make her pay back in both money and blood.

Mayu

Voiced by: "Do Re Mi Fa So La O"

Age: 26
Height: 186 cm
Blood Type: B

A member of the Takasato-gumi, and works as a debt collector. Like Kotarou, he used to participate in Deathmatches and was recruited for his fighting strength.

The Big Guy: Between him, Kotarou and Eiji, Mayu is the tallest of the trio with an impressive height of 186 cm. He, alongside Madarame, is also the tallest character introduced in Slow Damage, period.
Blood Knight: Downplayed. Mayu doesn't show much eagerness to fight as much as Kotarou does, but he used to be a Deathmatch fighter, and he's also happy to engage in a good fistfight once in a while.
Book Dumb: The liner notes confirm that Mayu is horrible at math.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Mayu's most prominent trait is that he's a fan of anime, and he can often be the eccentric character. However, he's both strong and skilled enough in Deathmatches to get recruited by the Takasato-gumi, and his sharp eyesight makes him useful in more ways than one.
But Not Too Foreign: Downplayed. While he can speak the Japanese language just fine, it's strongly hinted that he's of Chinese origins as he occasionally blurts Mandarin phrases, and "Mayu" is only his nickname. Mayu also mentions growing up in the grasslands, which confirms that he wasn't originally from Shinkoumi or even the mainland, so what's left unconfirmed is if he even has any Japanese heritage or not.
Casual Kink: His Funny ending has him engage in some roleplay sex with Towa.
Chekhov's Skill: In Taku's route, Mayu mentions that his sharp eyesight makes him good at throwing darts and even makes him handy with a sniper rifle. He puts the latter skill to use in the climax of Madarame's route when he is tasked with assassinating Sakaki during the ambush.
Does Not Like Spam: Mayu doesn't like the taste of both Japanese sweets and coffee.
Friend to All Children: According to the liner notes, there was supposed to be a scene where Mayu befriended Hayato, hinting at this trope.
Friends with Benefits: Towa mentions that he hooked up with Mayu a few times before.
The Hyena: Mayu has a habit of laughing often, and his trademark laugh ("Hyahaha!") always sounds like a pitched cackle.
Lousy Lovers Are Losers: On top of having his otaku tendencies regarded with a certain level of either indifference or derision, Mayu's Funny ending shows that he isn't that great in bed either, especially with his attempts to engage in both roleplay and dirty talk with a very unenthusiastic Towa. Even then, Towa being Towa, he isn't too picky in his partners, and the closing narration of the ending states that he wouldn't say no to if Mayu invited him over for sex again.
Nice to the Waiter: He surprisingly gets along with the elderly owner of Tajima's.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Mayu is not his real name, though everyone calls him that because of his tendency to huddle himself up like a cocoon whenever he sleeps, and mayu (繭) translates to "cocoon" in Japanese.
Otaku: Mayu loves anime and games, and his room is filled from ceiling to floor with merchandise of his (current) favorite character, "Yukimi".
Phrase Catcher: Some of his remarks earn the response of "Shut up, you anime otaku!" from Kotarou.
Punch-Clock Villain: Like Kotarou, Mayu is tasked with taking care of debtors who won't pay back what they owe, though he doesn't give any innocent bystanders any trouble and is friendly with everyone else who doesn't qualify in the aforementioned category.
Sweet Tooth: He is often seen with a lollipop in his mouth. Though Mayu also tells Towa that while he likes sweets in general, he considers Japanese desserts an exception to that rule.
Tattooed Crook: Played with; like Koutarou, Mayu has plenty of tattoos on his body, though said tattoos are due to his fixation on anime and has nothing to do with his affiliation with the Takasato-gumi.
What the Hell Is That Accent?: Mayu knows how to speak Japanese, although his pronunciation is somewhat accented due to Mandarin being his mother tongue.

Eiji Kobayakawa

Voiced by: "Daikichi Hiruumi"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_eiji_8.png

Age: Unknown
Height: 168 cm
Blood Type: AB

"Here in Shinkoumi, I'm a master of information. And bombs."

One of the Takasato-gumi's mercenaries, one with a rather unsettling love for explosives and everything else that brings forth a blast. Unlike Kotarou and Mayu, however, he's recruited for his ability to hack into almost anything and to obtain intel at near lightning-speed.

Cool Shades: He wears orange visors over his eyes, most likely due to his Mad Bomber tendencies, with the eyewear serving as protective gear against the flashes brought from the explosions. Though it also helps enhance Eiji's image as The Smart Guy.
The Cracker: Eiji used to hijack other people's accounts and rewrite their pages on a whim, and this is what got him recruited into the Takasato-gumi. Now, he uses his hacking skills to get information on debtors both to track them and to use any information he acquires as blackmail material.
Dissonant Serenity: Even while causing his surroundings to blow sky-high, Eiji still remains as polite and chipper as ever.
Does Not Like Spam: In one of the Explorations in Rei's route, Eiji tells Towa that he's not a fan of pickles.
Enigmatic Minion: All in all, Eiji has no loyalty to anyone who he colludes with, be it openly or in secret. The only things that drive his actions and determine who he will ultimately help depends on which side both piques his interest the most and offers him the best surprises. Even then, there are times he's willing to lend a helping hand even though he doesn't have much to gain (or to lose) from it.
Expy: While it's not apparent at first, the endgame reveals that Eiji takes a lot after Virus and Trip in terms of their role in the plot. Like them, Eiji is an Affably Evil Enigmatic Minion who aids the Big Bad's actions in their plans purely for amusement's sake and out of curiosity in seeing what might happen next, then decides to aid the protagonist one last time when the Big Bad's plan fails. And in the scenario where the real Big Bad gives up on going after the protagonist, Eiji remains on generally good terms with Towa and is of genuine help to him whenever his assistance is required.
Gadgeteer Genius: Naturally, Eiji is highly tech-savvy, as he helps monitor all webtag activity in Shinkoumi. He also can hack into phone lines and social networks, as well as assemble listening devices hot-linked to a special application that he likely had programmed himself. He even knows how to create bombs from scratch.
Graceful Loser: Eiji isn't all that bothered when Sakaki's plan to turn Towa into another Maya ends in failure and shrugs it off in a nonchalant manner.
It Amused Me: This trope is the main drive behind most of Eiji's actions— he will happily take part in anything that he finds entertaining or he thinks will make things in the city more exciting.
Karma Houdini: Played with. While he doesn't get any direct retaliation from Towa and Fujieda for aiding Sakaki in his plans, Eiji mentions how his higher-ups from the mainland are likely to give him an earful over what he's been doing behind their backs. But even then, he still gets off relatively lightly.
Knowledge Broker: When he's not busy tracking down debtors, he's using his hacking skills to find out any crucial or interesting information about any people or event of interest.
Know When to Fold 'Em: Eiji's main priority is keeping the chaos in Shinkoumi intact, no matter what it takes. But if he gets the confirmation that Sakaki's plans do not have any chance of continuing, he then just moves on to helping either Madarame or his higher-ups from the mainland. This is especially shown in Taku's route, where he tells Towa that while he liked Shinkoumi the way it was, with how things are going, the city may as well get rid of its status quo and start anew.
Lack of Empathy: Eiji may not be evil, per se, but he still proves to be disturbingly apathetic and amoral with the way he expresses his fascination towards Maya's shady business ventures which, amongst many other things, are what made Shinkoumi the kind of chaotic city that he loves, never mind the fact that Maya got the profits needed to make Shinkoumi as affluent as it was during its peak by running what's essentially a child prostitution ring. He's even all too gleeful about having to put Towa's sanity through the wringer purely out of morbid curiosity towards what could happen next if Towa's mind broke and Maya's influence took over his personality, without showing much (if any) concern whatsoever for Towa's situation.
Mad Bomber: Simply put, Eiji loves the prospect of blowing things up and is more than happy to lend his assistance when explosions are involved.
The Mole: Eiji serves the role of a spy three times over.
- Eiji is a special agent sent by the mainland police to deliver information about the goings-on in Shinkoumi on a regular basis.
- Sakaki has tasked Eiji with spying on Towa's movements every now and then.
- Despite working for the Takasato-gumi, Eiji is also colluding with Madarame in secret when the latter returns to Shinkoumi to plot against the organization.
Nightmare Fetishist: Eiji loves the unpredictable and paradoxical yet also organized chaos that thrives in Shinkoumi, and is glad to do anything to keep that aspect of the city alive for as long as possible. Even knowing about how Maya had actually been controlling Shinkoumi from the shadows for years simply makes him even more excited and intrigued, and gleefully expresses his curiosity about what would happen to the city if Maya — or someone like her — came back into the fold.
Non-Action Guy: He's the resident Techno Wizard for the Takasato-gumi, not one of their hired muscle. Eiji even admits that he's not really all that useful in direct combat.
Nothing Personal: Eiji doesn't harbor any ill will towards Towa despite assisting Sakaki in his dastardly plans to "resurrect" Maya. He only thought that it would be interesting to see what would happen if Towa were to become a second Maya, no more and no less.
Pet the Dog: After Sakaki's plans are foiled, Eiji has all of Sakaki's keycards delivered to Towa to help the latter investigate any remaining truths he has yet to find out about Maya as one final favor.
Reassigned to Antarctica: Downplayed. Near the end of Fujieda's route, Eiji lets Towa know that he'll be heading back to the mainland and Lisa will be taking his place as the mainland police's representative agent in Shinkoumi, even stating that it's unlikely they'll ever meet again.
Shorter Means Smarter: He's of a shorter height compared to most of the adult characters in the story. He's also one of the most technologically adept characters who more than knows his way around the internet and the art of explosions and bomb assembly.
The Smart Guy: While Kotarou and Mayu were hired by the Takasato-gumi for their strength and combat ability, Eiji was hired for his hacking skills, his technical know-how, and his affinity for explosives.
Techno Wizard: The man can fiddle with technology with complete ease, as shown with his expertise in both hacking and assembling explosives.
Trademark Favorite Food: Eiji loves all foods high in carbohydrates, particularly ramen and potatoes au gratin.
Vague Age: Unlike the other characters, Eiji's age is deliberately left unspecified in the artbook.
Wild Card: Although Fujieda's route reveals that Sakaki had assigned him to keep tabs on Towa, Eiji will go along with any plan that amuses him the most at the moment, even if it may go against Sakaki's interests. Whether Sakaki decides to execute his plans or not will also determine if Eiji will serve as either an ally or an adversary to Towa; thus while he's helpful for the most part to Towa in the first three routes, he becomes the opposite in the final route.
Yellow Eyes of Sneakiness: When he removes his visor in Fujieda's route, his eyes are revealed to be a bright yellow, and his eye shape is designed in a way to show that he's craftier than he seems, further cementing that even though he's no fighter, he's still not someone anyone would want to cross.

Toru Igarashi

Voiced by: Haruki Ishiya ^note Credited as Kinniku Ii

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sd_igarashi_0.png

Age: 26
Height: 173 cm
Blood Type: O

"My goal is to be a sensitive, sweet, badass yakuza!"

A member of the Takasato-gumi, and works directly under Sakaki. He often visits Murase Clinic and is good friends with Towa and Taku.

Animal Motifs: More than one character has likened Igarashi to a dog due to his eager and excitable personality, and how he's friendly albeit not all that clever. Even the artbook notes liken Igarashi to a Golden Retriever.
Sakaki: He's not too bright, but his heart's in the right place. Makes me want to look out for him.
Towa: ...Like a stray dog?
Sakaki: [laughs] You could say that. He's stupid and slow and always screws up, but whenever he wags his tail at me, I can't possibly leave him out in the cold. In the end, I feed him anyway.
Ascended Extra: He's only a background character at most in Fujieda's route, although he plays a bigger role in the latter's After Story drama CD.
Beneath Notice: Because of his personality, he's the last person anyone would suspect of sneaking into Taku's basement and stealing some drug samples to find proof of Toono's nefarious plans for Shinkoumi.
Beware the Nice Ones: He's genuinely kind and affable, though the fact that he works for the Takasato-gumi makes it clear that he's still capable of getting his hands dirty if needed be. Even then, he's never seen getting involved in the organization's much shadier dealings.
Delinquent Hair: Igarashi's character sprite makes it apparent that his natural hair color is black and he just dyed his hair blonde.
Good Is Dumb: Almost all the characters lampshade how Igarashi is nice but not precisely the sharpest tool in the shed, even jokingly likening him to a lapdog.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Igarashi has blonde hair (accompanied with black highlights). In addition, he's a pleasant man who anyone can't really bring themselves to dislike simply because of how genial he is.
Locked Out of the Loop: Igarashi is the only named member of the syndicate who never gets personally involved in the whole dispute with Madarame. Likewise, he has no idea of what his boss is secretly up to in Fujieda's route.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: While he works for the yakuza, Igarashi gets along well with the common folk and is the only member of the Takasato-gumi that the main cast do not feel cautious around.
Nice Guy: Even when considering who he works for, Igarashi is nothing but friendly to Towa and the others. It's almost difficult to picture someone like him being a member of the yakuza.
Token Good Teammate: Although not all members of the Takasato-gumi are outright evil, Igarashi stands out for being an all-around Nice Guy, which makes it a bit hard to believe that he's working for the yakuza. Even his comrades in the organization think that he doesn't belong there either.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: The way Igarashi gushes about yakuza movies in Rei's route hints that he has a rose-colored view on what life really is like when working for a criminal organization.

Characters / Slow Damage - The Takasato-gumi

The Takasato-gumi