Hiko Saruta, known simply as Saruta in many iterations, is a recurring figure within the Phoenix universe, appearing across multiple eras as a character whose various incarnations are connected through themes of karma and reincarnation. His portrayal shifts significantly depending on the story’s setting, ranging from a brutal ancient general to a jealous astronaut, yet he consistently embodies ambition, aggression, and a tendency toward destructive behavior driven by powerful desires.

In the ancient setting of the Dawn story, Hiko Saruta serves as a formidable and ruthless general for Queen Himiko of Yamataikoku. He is described as harsh, cruel, and an extraordinarily powerful warrior who, on the queen’s orders, annihilated every person in the land of Hi. His background is one of loss; his own clan was destroyed, leaving him the sole survivor before he was taken in by the Yamatai kingdom. His motivations in this era are initially aligned with his queen’s quest for the Phoenix blood to gain eternal youth, leading him to invade other lands. However, his encounter with a young boy named Nagi marks a significant turning point. After enslaving Nagi and training him in archery for the queen’s purpose, Saruta experiences a change of heart. He ultimately seeks the Phoenix not for his queen or himself, but to save the life of Nagi’s dying sister, demonstrating a capacity for selflessness beneath his brutal exterior.

His role in the story of the Space Chapter shifts to a science fiction setting in the year 2557. Here, Saruta is one of four crew members on a spaceship who crash-land on a desolate prison planet after a mysterious accident. His defining motivation is his unrequited love for his fellow crewmate, Nana, which fuels a bitter jealousy toward their colleague, Makimura. Upon discovering the truth about Makimura—that he is an immortal criminal cursed by the Phoenix to perpetually age backward and forward—Saruta witnesses Nana choosing to care for the infant form of her beloved. Consumed by jealousy, Saruta attempts to murder the helpless baby. This act of spite leads the Phoenix to curse him and all his descendants, forcing him to return to Earth alone to carry the weight of his actions.

In yet another incarnation, such as in Phoenix 2772, he appears as a prisoner in a labor camp who escapes to hunt the Phoenix, believing its blood can restore Earth’s depleted resources. He is portrayed as a cunning scientist who uses his knowledge for his own ends, dying before he can fully secure his goal. Across all these lives, Saruta exhibits a set of consistent traits. He is extremely powerful and skilled in whatever field he occupies, whether as a warrior in ancient Japan or a manipulator in the far future. He is driven by intense emotions—loyalty, rage, love, and jealousy—that often lead to tragic and violent outcomes. His overall development is cyclical; a particular failing in one life appears to carry over as a burden or curse in the next. Key relationships that define him include his service under Queen Himiko, his transformative bond with the boy Nagi, and his obsessive rivalry with Makimura for Nana’s affection. His notable abilities are context-dependent but always formidable: he is a master of combat and a butcher on the battlefield in ancient times, while in future settings he possesses scientific knowledge and the cunning to pilot advanced spacecraft. A uniquely consistent physical trait across nearly all his appearances is a large, peculiarly swollen nose with a pockmarked appearance.