Yoichi Saotome

Yoichi Saotome 「早乙女 与一, Saotome Yoichi」 is a member of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army's Demon Moon Squad.

Appearance
Yoichi has medium length brown hair and green eyes. He wears the standard JIDA uniform. He usually wears the cap and cape as well. He is as short as Shinoa and Mitsuba.

Personality
Yoichi has an equilibrium of kindness and altruism, giving him an optimistic and sweet personality. This gives him a strong mental balance against his demon. However, he lacks strength and hates conflict. He wants neither his friends nor his family to die, but he doesn't want to kill anyone. Although he lacks the passion to exterminate vampires, he will do what it takes to protect his friends.

His sister ordered him to hide before she was killed by Lacus Welt. He feels guilty for her death, but this motivation is not strong enough for him to overcome his demon. His true strength and motivation comes from wanting to protect his friends and newfound family.

He tends to be meek and stutters when he is most nervous. He is the peace-maker of the group and often tries to break up fights between Kimizuki, Yu, and/or Mitsuba.

He is very friendly toward Yu, hugging him on multiple occasions and shouting out his name as soon as he sees him.

History
When the vampires attacked, Yoichi and his sister were in their room. His sister pushed him under the bed and told him not to come out for any reason. Then the vampire Lacus Welt opened the door, grabbed his sister, and fed on her until he dropped her corpse on the ground. Yoichi watched from underneath his bed, unable to do anything.

Like his sister, he was one of the children that was being experimented on by the Hyakuya Sect to create a weapon of mass destruction, as part of the 'Seraph of the End' plan in destroying the world. Guren knew of this beforehand, thanks to intel provided by Mahiru nine years ago.

Story
Yoichi wants to become part of the Moon Demon Squad of the JIDA, claiming his intention is to avenge his sister. He asked help from some students (Satoshi Yamanaka, Yuji, and another student), who claimed one was accepted as a member of the Moon Demon Company. Since he failed the test the first time, he wanted to be able to retest on getting in. They bullied him and made him run errands in order to receive their help, but the students lied about the Moon Demon Company. He is the first student to get close to Yu, and Yu tries to fight the bullies until Shinoa informs him that harming a civilian will lengthen his sentence. When a vampire breaks loose from a nearby laboratory, Yu attacks it. As the vampire is about to drink from a student she captured, Yoichi tackles her, saving the girl. When Yu is outside later, Yoichi tackles him with a hug, accidentally making him pass out after hugging him so ferociously with a dislocated shoulder. When Yu wake up, Yoichi is at his side with Shinoa. Since Yoichi counts as Yu's first friend, they are both enlisted in a vampire extermination unit and join the Moon Demon Company.

Later on, those same bullies chase down Yoichi, asking him to make them his disciples. They ask him to save Yuji, who entered a class-1 restriction zone and became possessed by a demon. Yu grabs onto the axe Cursed Gear, and Yoichi is there with Shinoa when he comes to.

He attends his first class for training as part of the Moon Demon Company with Yu, and Guren introduces him as "the crybaby." During their first assignment in pairs, Shinoa jumps to be Yoichi's partner, forcing Yu and Kimizuki to pair up. When Shinoa reports candidates for the Black Demon Series, she says both Yu and Kimizuki have strong desires and heartbreaking kindness; she does not list Yoichi, who she believes does not have strong enough desires.

Yu earns a zero on their first Japanese spellcraft exam. While Shinoa responds by passing it around and Kimizuki shows off his perfect scores for spellcraft in three different languages, Yoichi sympathizes with Yu, bringing up the fact that Yu was held in a vampire city when he was little. Yoichi suggests that English and Latin may be easier for Yu, Yu tries to explain until Kimizuki interrupts him; later on, Yu hints that he did not receive any schooling at all as one of the livestock. Yoichi tries to make peace when Yu and Kimizuki start fighting again, but only the appearance of Guren distracts them enough.

In her report, Second Lieutenant Sayuri Hanamori, their teacher, states that Yoichi is the most stable of his entire class. When Guren tests them all, Yoichi does not even feel the attack and asks what is wrong with everyone. Along with Yu and Kimizuki, Yoichi tests for Black Demon Series Gear. Sayuri expresses concern that Yoichi's heart is not strong enough to accept the demon. Guren simply says that Yoichi will die if he fails and asks Yoichi if he still wants to continue. Kimizuki and Yu tell advise him to leave.

He continues anyway and contacts his demon. Unfortunately, his will is too weak, and the demon Gekkōin possess him, turning Yoichi into a man-eating demon. The demon feeds him flashback after flashback of his elder sister's death at the hands of the vampire Lacus Welt. His demon claims he has no strong desire for revenge. The possessed Yu attempts to kill Guren, Shinoa, Yu, and Kimizuki. Guren orders Yu and Kimizuki to kill him as their first assignment. After some fighting, Yu throws down his sword, telling the possessed Yoichi that he cannot kill him. He tells Yoichi to snap out of it, but it does not work. Guren yells at Yoichi, asking him if he is going to hide underneath his bead and watch his family die again. This pulls Yoichi to his senses, and he breaks free.

He tackle-glomps Yu again, crying as Yu pats his head. Guren gives them their next orders, and Shinoa wonders if he planned this from the start.

Mitsuba Sangu joins their squad as the fifth member, and Shinoa is in command. He enters the ruined city for the first time. When Yu walks into an obvious vampire trap to save a child, Yoichi supports him against a Four Horsemen of John by firing arrows. During the skirmish in the Omotesando Station, Yoichi also fights against the vampires.

On their way to Shinjuku, they crash into Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford. Yoichi is the first to attack, but Crowley activates his sword and easily blocks Yoichi's attack. Shinoa and Mitsuba defend Yoichi when Crowley counterattacks. Fortunately, Ferid calls Crowley away. As the squad proceeds, Shinoa coaches them on drugging up.

When Yu freezes on the battlefield against Mika, Yoichi is the first one to notice and ask if something is wrong. When the vampires attack, a vampire easily pins him down and bites him, drinking his blood. Reinforcements save him and his squad.

When Yu wakes up from his coma, Yoichi is there sleeping at the end of the bed. When Yu wakes him, Yoichi jumps him, glomping Yu again. He informs Yu that Yu was the only one badly injured before he informs the rest oft he squad.

When Lieutenant General Kureto Hiragi questions Yu, he uses Kimizuki and Yoichi as hostages, having them stabbed in the shoulder every time Yu hesitates. Afterward, Yu supports Yoichi when they leave. In private, Yoichi and Yu discuss what happened.

Yoichi arrives with Mitsuba and Kimizuki for their meeting with the rest of their squad plus Guren. Their training actually begins in the ruined city of Shinjuku, but Yoichi can already manifest his demon, which should be impossible. Yoichi easily takes out three Horsemen from a distance. He said manifestation just occurred naturally for him while talking to his demon in his sleep. He says they talked about their favorite colors yesterday. Yu and Kimizuki both try and fail to do the same.

Shinoa and Mitsuba explain the types of demons and the next step of training, which is unnecessary for Yoichi. Yu goes first. While he is unconscious, the squad agrees to tell Yu everything that happened during the battle. During the night, Shinoa and Mitsua tease Yu and Kimizuki as a yaoi couple, which Kimizuki denies. Yoichi tells Kimizuki that they are right about him being so nice, but the girls quickly warn Yoichi to not fall for Kimizuki's Nice Guy act and say that it will get him in trouble. Yu begins reacting to his demon after twenty hours go by, and he finally wakes up after succeeding in making Asuramaru yield. Kimizuki goes next, attacking Yu voluntarily when he wakes up. Shinoa reveals that the detailed reports on the past of all three boys have been removed from the army's intelligence department.

They meet at Shinoa's apartment at a later date. The group decides to remain loyal to Guren.

On their way to the Ebina Rest Stop, Yoichi volunteers to take out a Horseman, but Yu insists on doing it instead, resulting in a series of pranks by Shinoa and Mitsuba. They claim that this was all Yoichi's idea. They arrive late, and Yu takes the blame. The three boys meet Sergeant Makoto Narumi and his squad.

When he hears Yu screaming during his punishment, he arrives with the rest of the squad. Guren challenges them to a three versus five battle. Shinya shoots at them with an attack that comes from behind, startling Yoichi and making him watch their back. He reacts too late when Guren gets past their first line.

When they commence their operation at Nagoya, Shinya coaches Yoichi on sniping. Yoichi is very nervous, but Shinya manages to calm hi down and make him relax. He informs Yoichi that their duty is to stay calmer than anyone to kill their enemies and back up their allies. In the case of a retreat, a sniper must also kill any allies who fail to escape before they can be captured and tortured. This surprises Yoichi, but Shinya tells him that is only as a last resort. They fire at Fifteenth Progenitor Lucal Wesker, who sacrifices his aide Esther as meat shield. He swings at Yoichi and Shinya, making them run and hold on to their perch for dear life. When Kimizuki goads Lucal into attacking, Yoichi and Shinya support the attack by firing from the back of the group. While everyone congratulates each other, Yu blows off Kimizuki and goes to complement Yoichi, smacking him on the shoulder.

Natural Abilities
Yoichi has high psychic resistance, but he's physically very weak. His resistance is so strong that he does not even feel Guren's attack against them when he tests them for the Black Demon Series. He is able to manifest his demon without training.

Demon Weapon

 * Gekkōin 「月光韻, lit. Moonlight Rhyme」: A weapon of the Black Demon series. It takes the form of a big, black bow. It can manifest multiple arrows and can see far away. This allows Yoichi to target multiple enemies as well as spot them before they can attack. It is a purely long-range Cursed Gear weapon.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese industry, "Yoichi" is often used with "bow," but this Yoichi's name has a different origin, which the writer, Takaya Kagami, says is a secret.
 * Saotome means "Young Maiden".

Quotes

 * "Lieutenant Colonel Guren, Sir! I'll do it!! I want more power! I want enough so that I'll never lose anybody important to me again!!!"--Yoichi to Guren, Chapter 6, "Black Asura"
 * "Oh my gosh...!"--Yoichi, multiple chapters
 * "Yuichiro!"--Yoichi, multiple chapters
 * "Th-That can't be right! I do want revenge for my sister--"--Yoichi to Gekkoin, Chapter 7, "New Family"
 * "B-But... But I... I don't want to run away anymore. I-I want... to protect my friends. I need power to keep them safe. I need power... to drive off the bad guys who'd hurt them! Give me power... Demon!!"--Yoichi to Gekkoin, Chapter 7, "New Family"
 * "Um... I-I'd like it if we didn't have to fight them again."--Yoichi to Shinoa's squad after fighting some vampires, Chapter 8, "Mitsuba's Squad"
 * "...I'd like to go home to Shibuya about now."--Yoichi to his squad before entering the battle at Shinjuku, Chapter 10, "Vampire Attack"
 * "Still, I'm not sure what I think of this. Relying on pills and all."--Yoichi to his squad, Chapter 12, "A Very Safe Supplement"
 * "Oh, come on, guys! Yuichiro's always been a nice guy."--Yoichi to his squad while the others are teasing Yu, Chapter 15, "Complicated Connections"
 * "Shoot down my enemies, Gekkouin. Let's protect everyone."--Yoichi before attacking, Chapter 19, "Cause for Madness"
 * "We are... all friends, right...?"--Yoichi to his squad, Chapter 19, "Cause for Madness"
 * "Aha ha ha! But they're right, you know. You're super nice."--Yoichi to Kimizuki, Chapter 20, "The Demon's Nightmare"
 * "Guys! Guys! Can't we try to get along?"--Yoichi to Kimizuki and Yu, Chapter 21, "Kiseki-o's Box"