Saitō/Relationships

Saitō is an ancient being having existed as a vampire during the dark ages of Greece. He was turned by the first progenitor, Sika Madu along with Urd Geales. Turning Ferid Bathory into a vampire himself Saitō would depart the progenitor council and become involved with the Hyakuya Sect under the alias of "Rigr Stafford". Acquainted with Guren Ichinose and Mahiru Hīragi he would bring Yūichirō Hyakuya to the Hyakuya orphanage where he met Mikaela. Saitō interacts with various other characters throughout the Seraph of the End series, which affects himself and the story. This article details Saitō's relationships with other characters.

Mahiru Hīragi
A teenage girl born from the Hīragi family. She joins the Hyakuya Sect to oppose her family. Saitō tells her to become a vampire and though he refuses to turn her himself he helps Mahiru whilst also keeping his own objectives a secret.

Mikaela Hyakuya
A young seraph with high experimental potential. He acts as a leader toward the other orphans and is considered to be charming. Mika is half-Russian with blond hair and blue eyes. Saitō gives him money to buy ice cream. Mika's mother was a member of the Hyakuya Sect and gravely injured Mika by throwing him out of a moving vehicle. His parents died during the subsequent car crash and Saitō delivers him to the Hyakuya orphanage to live.

Yūichirō Hyakuya
A young seraph who Saitō picks up after his mother attempts to burn him alive in their apartment and then lights herself on fire and commits suicide. His father was also abusive. Saitō takes him to the same orphanage as Mika a few minutes before the Apocalypse begins, and Yu fights him the whole way. At some point Saitō orders his men at the Hyakuya Sect to infiltrate the building in Osaka where he is being held. A member disguised as one of Kureto Hīragi's scientists capture and retrieve Yu successfully on Saitō's orders.

Guren Ichinose
The heir to the Ichinose family and one who opposes the Hīragi family. Saitō encounters him multiple times after a weak attempt to assassinate him. He persistently and repeatedly offers an alliance. He takes an interest in Guren after the catastrophe and helped him with his tasks. Ferid later reveals that Saitō was only using Guren to his own benefits all along.

Sika Madu
Saitō was turned into a vampire by the First Progenitor. According to Saitō, he disregarded almost everyone in the vampire race except for Ashera Tepes, because he was bored and was not interested in them anymore. Later in Chapter 81, it was revealed that Saitō possesses a strong desire to obtain the first progenitor's attention and to be truly "seen" by him and goes to extreme lengths in order to accomplish this goal. Saitō would use his subordinates of the Hyakuya Sect and his own sired vampires by stealing their life force to strengthen his own power in order to battle the First Progenitor on even ground and finally obtain his attention. As noted by his fellow Second Progenitor, Urd Geales, he has been attempting to accomplish this goal since the early days of their immortal lives and has continued to do so up to the present time.

Urd Geales
Like him a second progenitor, when Saitō was still Rigr Starford, he and Urd had a cordial friendly relationship as the eldest sired vampires. Having shared and worked together to complete the First Progenitor's tasks they were both given the duty to teach the newly sired Ashera Tepes about his new abilities and powers as a vampire and the new rules he must follow. The two are seen friendly bantering and arguing with each other in a familiar, friendly way. During this time, Urd is also seen having been slightly annoyed by Rigr's constant attempts to gain the first's attention in such instances where he aimed a look at him as he tried to talk to the first. Over the years, their relationship was estranged as Rigr had taken up the name of Saitō and had left the Progenitor Council. Neither of them hesitated to fight the other when they met at Ferid's mansion while Krul was imprisoned. They both hold each other for their strong beliefs and desires in contempt and having known each other for so long and understood each other incredibly. Urd knew fully well that Rigr only wanted to obtain the First's attention, which Urd seemed to pity but also be angry at him for, knowing fully well and accepting that the First's complete disinterest in them would never change. Saitō likewise abhors Urd for following the laws established by the First Progenitor so unquestionably.

Despite having been able to match him in their fight, it was revealed that Saitō was actually wary of facing Urd, which he already indicated in their previous fight by asking Urd to stand down and fleeing instead of continuing to fight him. Rather than confronting him directly, Saitō send a large missile attack on Urd and his compatriots as they were traveling via aircraft. After surviving the attack, Urd expresses confidence he can kill Saitō if that is what he wishes. When Saitō was heavily wounded and cursed from being struck by a sinful key and Ferid with Crowley had come to kill him Saitō also only saw Urd's imminent arrival as a threat. Unable to move away before Urd arrived Saitō commented that Urd was the last person he wanted help from. Although he reluctantly accepted Urd's aid against Ferid it was also done out of the practical need to buy time for his body to recover so he would slip away. However Saitō was pleased to see Crowley and Ferid activate the Sinful Key to take down Urd.

Urd in turn has shown active frustration in Rigr's actions stemming from wanting him to carry out his original duties as a Second Progenitor. From his words as he had him captured, Urd would likely forcibly have him retake his position as a Progenitor in the Council if need be.

Ferid Bathory
Saitō turned Ferid into a vampire but then disregarded him because he did not act according to his expectations. Saitō is ambushed by Ferid wielding a sinful key and consequently loses his chance to defeat Guren and his demons, as well as the first progenitor. Found by him again, Saitō assumes Ferid has a point in mind for wanting to kill him. Attacked with a sinful key, Saito uses his chains to restrain Ferid and says it was a mistake to turn him into a vampire, first and foremost since he was abnormal.

Basteya Irclu
A sixth progenitor vampire noble and member of the Hyakuya Sect who works under Saitō's commands. Basteya addresses him as lord Rigr Stafford and reveals that he is the one in control and they just simply play their part. This is evident further when they sided with an agent from the Hyakuya Sect to retreat from the battlefield. When Saitō was found by the first with Mirai as a seraph in between them he would count on Basteya crashing into the area and initiate the spell to sacrifice members of his army. The chain in Basteya would channel power into Saitō to the point where he could attempt to capture Shikama Doji who was possessing Shinoa's body.

Caek Sanorium
A vampire noble where Saitō is his master. He sent him to meet with Guren as a guide so that Saitō and Guren could meet, he gave him a mission to test Guren's strength by fighting him as well. At first Mahiru was hesitant if she and Guren should meet and talk, or fight each other. Caek obeys Saitō's orders without a question where they were to delay Guren's friends until Saitō and Guren are done with their conversation. Stating that he understands very little of his goals, everything Saitō does doesn't make sense to him. He addresses him as Rigr Stafford, but he knew his name as Saitō as well.

Crowley Eusford
Crowley was turned into a vampire using a vial containing Saitō's blood. It is unknown if Saitō is aware that Crowley is sired from him. He does not pay him much mind when he sees him with Ferid.

Krul Tepes
Saitō meets this third progenitor who ruled as the queen of Japan while she is imprisoned in Ferid's mansion. He is recognised as the one who tagged behind the First Progenitor and he talks to her about how the First was only interested in her brother Ashera Tepes.

Lest Karr
Although their actual relationship is unknown and it is still not shown if Rigr and Lest had any actual contact prior to his defection from the Progenitor Council. Finding Lest in his way as he was fleeing from Urd, Saitō promptly cut the third progenitor apart. Lest is shown to actively fear and be wary of him due to knowing of the immense difference in power between him and Rigr where his behavior is in stark difference to Lest's usual arrogant behavior even towards his fellow Progenitors.

Ashera Tepes
Rigr and Ashera possessed an acquaintanceship a thousand years prior during his early years as a vampire. Along with Urd, Rigr was one of the two vampires charges by the First Progenitor to familiarize Ashera with his new abilities and powers as a vampire and teach him the new mechanics of his body and how to deal with them. Rigr offered to help Ashera handle his new bodies aversion to sunlight and deal with their never ending craving for blood

During a conversation with Urd a thousand years later, Rigr now using the name Saitō has implied to harbor immense jealousy for Ashera due to him being the only vampire the First Progenitor has ever displayed any form of attachment or interest in. Saitō has shown to long for the same treatment the first has shown to Ashera.

Asuramaru
Originally a vampire Ashera Tepes, Saitō along with Urd Geales were witnesses when the first progenitor, Sika Madu disappeared with him one thousand years ago. Sika Madu intentionally turned Ashera into a demon against his sister Krul Tepes wishes which he ignored.

Mahiru-no-Yo
The demon that resides in Guren's sword, he only met her once when she materialized next to Saitō after he throws a sinful key at her throat. It seemed to Mahiru-no-Yo that she had no memory of him prior to becoming Guren's Cursed Gear.