TV-Series
Description
Hajime Sugoroku is a central figure in the world of Nanba Prison, serving as the formidable supervisor of Building 13. He is a 29-year-old man known throughout the institution as the strongest guard in generations, a reputation he has earned through pure dedication and hard work rather than any innate talent. Standing 199 centimeters tall and weighing 80 kilograms, Hajime cuts an imposing figure with a bald head, lightly tanned skin, and sharp dark red eyes. His most distinctive physical feature is a large, cross-shaped scar around his left eye. He wears the standard Nanba Prison guard uniform without the modifications many of his colleagues prefer, though his status as a supervisor is marked by extra gold trim on his sleeves, decorative gold pins on his collar, and a red armband that signifies his assignment to Building 13.
Hajime's personality is defined by his extreme dedication to his duties and his short-tempered, intimidating demeanor. He takes his job with the utmost seriousness and has stated that he is willing to do anything for the sake of maintaining order, including maiming or killing when necessary, actions he would carry out without any apparent remorse. This intense commitment manifests as an unquestionable workaholic tendency; he becomes irrationally bored and agitated when forced to take even short breaks from his duties. When he once received a three-day suspension, he spent the time completing paperwork from other departments and performing volunteer work just to stay occupied. Despite his professional dedication, Hajime is not above breaking certain rules himself. He keeps a pet cat named Kuu at work, smokes in non-smoking areas without regard for protests, and most significantly, consistently fails to report the frequent escape attempts from Cell 13 to his superiors to avoid repercussions and potential demotion. This deception makes him visibly nervous around the prison warden, who he fears will discover the truth.
Outside of his work responsibilities, Hajime exhibits a surprising degree of air-headedness and forgetfulness. He is prone to yelling and violent outbursts toward those who anger him, believing that brute force is the most effective method for dealing with troublesome prisoners. His stress levels regularly increase due to the constant antics of the Cell 13 inmates, which also causes him to experience chronic stomach pains. Despite his intimidating exterior, he displays a hypocritical streak; he enforces rules strictly among prisoners and subordinates while freely bending them for his own convenience. He is largely apathetic toward the opinions of others and openly admits that he acts primarily for his own sake, rarely considering how situations impact those around him.
Hajime's motivations stem from a deep-seated sense of duty and a desire for order and efficiency. He finds purpose and identity in his role as supervisor and becomes restless when separated from his work. His approach to his job is pragmatic to the point of ruthlessness; he views the inmates under his charge as responsibilities to be managed rather than people to be reformed. His background explains much of his current position. He reportedly passed his guard training with top marks and built a reputation as a talented and dedicated deputy supervisor before his promotion. His rise to supervisor came after a critical incident in which a former Building 5 supervisor named Enki Gokuu allegedly murdered an inmate and went on a rampage. Hajime stepped forward to confront Enki when his own supervisor could not, and his courage and strength in that confrontation led to his advancement.
Within the story of Nanba Prison, Hajime serves as the primary obstacle for the inmates of Cell 13, particularly the escape artist Jyugo. Despite their numerous and creative attempts to break out of the prison, Hajime consistently thwarts them, often through overwhelming physical force. He maintains a tense but regular dynamic with the four inmates, frequently losing his temper at their antics while simultaneously enabling their behavior through his failure to report their escape attempts. He holds particular suspicion toward Jyugo, viewing him as someone requiring especially careful observation.
Hajime's key relationships define much of his daily experience. His interactions with Uno, Rock, Nico, and Jyugo are characterized by constant provocation from the inmates and explosive reactions from him, though a strange familiarity has developed over time. He shares a long-standing bond of trust and friendship with Mitsuru Hitokoe, the prison broadcaster. His relationship with Samon Gokuu, the supervisor of Building 5, is one of open rivalry and condescension; Hajime consistently emerges victorious in their competitive encounters and speaks to Samon with barely concealed contempt, though this rivalry seems to fuel his drive for self-improvement. The prison warden, Momoko Hyakushiki, harbors a quiet affection for Hajime that he remains completely unaware of, while he in turn feels only nervousness around her due to his concealed rule-breaking. He also serves as an older brother to Hitoshi Sugoroku, who has a peculiar interest in cross-dressing and shares Hajime's distinctive voice upon waking.
Hajime possesses a range of notable abilities that make him the dominant force within the prison. His physical strength is described as superhuman, surpassing that of any prisoner and even opponents with supernatural powers. He has demonstrated the ability to knock Jyugo unconscious even when the inmate entered an uncontrollable berserker state, an act that impressed even legendary figures within the prison's history. His combat skills include advanced expertise in judo, in which he holds a black belt, and he is proficient in various forms of hand-to-hand combat. Beyond his physical prowess, Hajime is a master of Japanese calligraphy and holds a master's teaching license in the art. He is also a skilled strategist and deceiver, capable of outmaneuvering even the expert gambler Uno in games of chance and trickery. His endurance is equally remarkable; he has survived damage that would be fatal to most individuals and can maintain his duties through long working hours without rest. His favorite pastimes include playing shogi, or Japanese chess, and riding motorcycles, though his devotion to work means he rarely indulges these hobbies.
Throughout the narrative, Hajime shows subtle development in his interactions with the Cell 13 inmates, particularly Jyugo. Despite treating them harshly, he occasionally demonstrates a degree of leniency and even guidance. After Jyugo experiences a mental breakdown following a confrontation with the inmate Musashi, Hajime criticizes the young man for having no ambition or greed, calling his motivation empty. He then pushes Jyugo to find something he genuinely wants and arranges for him to have a radio conversation with the man connected to his cursed shackles, offering him a path forward. This moment reveals that beneath Hajime's abrasive exterior lies a twisted but functional sense of responsibility toward the prisoners under his watch, even if he would never admit to any form of care or attachment. His position as the long-suffering authority figure who must constantly wrangle chaos while receiving little appreciation makes him one of the most consistently challenged yet resilient characters within the prison's hierarchy.
Hajime's personality is defined by his extreme dedication to his duties and his short-tempered, intimidating demeanor. He takes his job with the utmost seriousness and has stated that he is willing to do anything for the sake of maintaining order, including maiming or killing when necessary, actions he would carry out without any apparent remorse. This intense commitment manifests as an unquestionable workaholic tendency; he becomes irrationally bored and agitated when forced to take even short breaks from his duties. When he once received a three-day suspension, he spent the time completing paperwork from other departments and performing volunteer work just to stay occupied. Despite his professional dedication, Hajime is not above breaking certain rules himself. He keeps a pet cat named Kuu at work, smokes in non-smoking areas without regard for protests, and most significantly, consistently fails to report the frequent escape attempts from Cell 13 to his superiors to avoid repercussions and potential demotion. This deception makes him visibly nervous around the prison warden, who he fears will discover the truth.
Outside of his work responsibilities, Hajime exhibits a surprising degree of air-headedness and forgetfulness. He is prone to yelling and violent outbursts toward those who anger him, believing that brute force is the most effective method for dealing with troublesome prisoners. His stress levels regularly increase due to the constant antics of the Cell 13 inmates, which also causes him to experience chronic stomach pains. Despite his intimidating exterior, he displays a hypocritical streak; he enforces rules strictly among prisoners and subordinates while freely bending them for his own convenience. He is largely apathetic toward the opinions of others and openly admits that he acts primarily for his own sake, rarely considering how situations impact those around him.
Hajime's motivations stem from a deep-seated sense of duty and a desire for order and efficiency. He finds purpose and identity in his role as supervisor and becomes restless when separated from his work. His approach to his job is pragmatic to the point of ruthlessness; he views the inmates under his charge as responsibilities to be managed rather than people to be reformed. His background explains much of his current position. He reportedly passed his guard training with top marks and built a reputation as a talented and dedicated deputy supervisor before his promotion. His rise to supervisor came after a critical incident in which a former Building 5 supervisor named Enki Gokuu allegedly murdered an inmate and went on a rampage. Hajime stepped forward to confront Enki when his own supervisor could not, and his courage and strength in that confrontation led to his advancement.
Within the story of Nanba Prison, Hajime serves as the primary obstacle for the inmates of Cell 13, particularly the escape artist Jyugo. Despite their numerous and creative attempts to break out of the prison, Hajime consistently thwarts them, often through overwhelming physical force. He maintains a tense but regular dynamic with the four inmates, frequently losing his temper at their antics while simultaneously enabling their behavior through his failure to report their escape attempts. He holds particular suspicion toward Jyugo, viewing him as someone requiring especially careful observation.
Hajime's key relationships define much of his daily experience. His interactions with Uno, Rock, Nico, and Jyugo are characterized by constant provocation from the inmates and explosive reactions from him, though a strange familiarity has developed over time. He shares a long-standing bond of trust and friendship with Mitsuru Hitokoe, the prison broadcaster. His relationship with Samon Gokuu, the supervisor of Building 5, is one of open rivalry and condescension; Hajime consistently emerges victorious in their competitive encounters and speaks to Samon with barely concealed contempt, though this rivalry seems to fuel his drive for self-improvement. The prison warden, Momoko Hyakushiki, harbors a quiet affection for Hajime that he remains completely unaware of, while he in turn feels only nervousness around her due to his concealed rule-breaking. He also serves as an older brother to Hitoshi Sugoroku, who has a peculiar interest in cross-dressing and shares Hajime's distinctive voice upon waking.
Hajime possesses a range of notable abilities that make him the dominant force within the prison. His physical strength is described as superhuman, surpassing that of any prisoner and even opponents with supernatural powers. He has demonstrated the ability to knock Jyugo unconscious even when the inmate entered an uncontrollable berserker state, an act that impressed even legendary figures within the prison's history. His combat skills include advanced expertise in judo, in which he holds a black belt, and he is proficient in various forms of hand-to-hand combat. Beyond his physical prowess, Hajime is a master of Japanese calligraphy and holds a master's teaching license in the art. He is also a skilled strategist and deceiver, capable of outmaneuvering even the expert gambler Uno in games of chance and trickery. His endurance is equally remarkable; he has survived damage that would be fatal to most individuals and can maintain his duties through long working hours without rest. His favorite pastimes include playing shogi, or Japanese chess, and riding motorcycles, though his devotion to work means he rarely indulges these hobbies.
Throughout the narrative, Hajime shows subtle development in his interactions with the Cell 13 inmates, particularly Jyugo. Despite treating them harshly, he occasionally demonstrates a degree of leniency and even guidance. After Jyugo experiences a mental breakdown following a confrontation with the inmate Musashi, Hajime criticizes the young man for having no ambition or greed, calling his motivation empty. He then pushes Jyugo to find something he genuinely wants and arranges for him to have a radio conversation with the man connected to his cursed shackles, offering him a path forward. This moment reveals that beneath Hajime's abrasive exterior lies a twisted but functional sense of responsibility toward the prisoners under his watch, even if he would never admit to any form of care or attachment. His position as the long-suffering authority figure who must constantly wrangle chaos while receiving little appreciation makes him one of the most consistently challenged yet resilient characters within the prison's hierarchy.