sakaki shio

First appearance: Battle 7
Age: 29-30
Height: 192cm
Weight: 110kg
Type: Dou
Type: Katsujin Ken
Martial Arts: Karate (specializes in Mutenkendoku-style)
Sakaki Shio is notoriously recognized as the 100-Dan Street Brawler of Karate and is one of Ryozanpaku's masters. Initially, he claimed not to take disciples but gradually warmed up to Kenichi, always eager to train him. Despite his tough exterior, Sakaki has a soft side that he tries to conceal. He worries about Kenichi the most, even though he acts indifferent.
Sakaki is known for being arrogant, violent, and a heavy drinker, yet he might be the most normal among Ryozanpaku's masters. His intimidating presence often goes unnoticed by himself, making him uncomfortable when pointed out. Beneath this persona lies a kind and somewhat caring nature which he attempts—and fails—to hide. He is also quite hot-blooded and short-tempered, rendering him a poor liar, as noted by Kenichi when Sakaki asked him to lie about money from an underground fighting tournament.
Interestingly, Sakaki suffers from stage fright and becomes extremely flustered when in the spotlight, such as during a parent-teacher interview posing as Miu's father or while training children. His intimidating demeanor initially caused kids to cry, but with time, he managed to connect with them, remembering their names and gaining their affection.
Among all the masters, Sakaki is the kindest when it comes to training Kenichi. He is usually the only one concerned about Kenichi's condition in fights or when left alone. Although he appears hard and indifferent, it stems from genuine care and the need to push Kenichi. Sakaki often expresses admiration for Kenichi's progress, rubbing his finger under his nose whenever moved by his actions, wondering how he became such a man.
In his youth, Sakaki was a disciple of a Sei-type karate master. His only known relative was an older sister who constantly looked after him. While training seriously in various karate styles, including his master's Muntenkendou-style, his relationship with his master was strained due to Yami involvement. Sakaki opposed killing, leading to conflicts.
At some point, he met Hongou Akira, and they became good friends and strong rivals, frequently engaging in matches and stopping thugs together. During his late teens, Sakaki encountered Suzuki Hajime, who asked to be his disciple despite being only a few years younger. Refusing at first, Sakaki still found himself followed by Suzuki. When Suzuki saved Hongou from bullets during an attack, Sakaki and Hongou quickly respected and befriended him. Suzuki refereed their matches, resulting in each having 125 wins.