OVA
Description
Izuru Tsukiyoshi is a character who appears exclusively in the original video animation episode of Deadman Wonderland, titled Red Knife Wielder. He is an orphan living in a small orphanage in Tokyo some time after the Great Tokyo Earthquake, and his presence serves to illuminate the past of the character Senji Kiyomasa before the main events of the series.
In terms of background, Izuru is a young boy with somewhat long, messy brown hair and grey eyes, and he has a noticeable cross-shaped scar located under his right eye. He wears a black t-shirt beneath an open yellow vest-like shirt. The orphanage is managed by a caretaker named Hinata Mukai, and Izuru is one of several children living there. Senji Kiyomasa, who works as a police officer during this period, is a frequent visitor to the orphanage, and Izuru looks up to him greatly.
Personality wise, Izuru is depicted as a normally happy and confident child who enjoys life and is eager to help with chores around the orphanage. He becomes particularly joyful and excited whenever Senji comes to visit. However, despite his good-natured qualities, he is also noticeably reckless. This recklessness is his primary driving action, as he decides to steal what he believes are priceless trinkets from a local gang known as the Goreless Peace.
Motivation for Izuru's actions is rooted in a sense of injustice and a desire to protect his found family. He steals from the Goreless Peace because the gang has been taking all the food rations meant for the orphanage, leaving the children and their caretaker in need. His intention is to use the stolen goods to help support the orphanage, demonstrating his loyalty and care for his home despite using misguided methods.
In the story, Izuru's role is that of a catalyst for Senji Kiyomasa's backstory and eventual fate. He is first seen being chased by two thugs from the Goreless Peace after his theft. Senji rescues him, using his Branch of Sin ability to scare the thugs away, and then walks him back to the orphanage. At the orphanage, Hinata scolds Izuru for his reckless behavior. This event sets a chain of tragedy into motion. Later that night, members of the Goreless Peace set fire to the orphanage, murdering Izuru and Hinata along with most of the other inhabitants. This horrific act is orchestrated by the gang to manipulate Senji and push him towards embracing violence. Izuru's death, along with that of Hinata, is a profound trauma for Senji, devastating him and contributing directly to his eventual incarceration in Deadman Wonderland and his hardened worldview.
Key relationships for Izuru are few but significant. His primary relationship is with Senji Kiyomasa, whom he admires and wishes to emulate. He also shares a clear bond with his caretaker, Hinata Mukai, who looks after him and reprimands him out of concern. The antagonistic relationship is with the Goreless Peace gang, which ultimately leads to his demise.
Regarding development, Izuru himself undergoes little to no change within the short span of the OVA. He remains a static character whose primary narrative function is to be a tragic victim. His death is the event that defines his impact on the larger story, rather than any personal growth he might experience. He has no notable abilities or powers, as he is an ordinary human child with no traces of the Deadman phenomenon that defines many other characters in the franchise.
In terms of background, Izuru is a young boy with somewhat long, messy brown hair and grey eyes, and he has a noticeable cross-shaped scar located under his right eye. He wears a black t-shirt beneath an open yellow vest-like shirt. The orphanage is managed by a caretaker named Hinata Mukai, and Izuru is one of several children living there. Senji Kiyomasa, who works as a police officer during this period, is a frequent visitor to the orphanage, and Izuru looks up to him greatly.
Personality wise, Izuru is depicted as a normally happy and confident child who enjoys life and is eager to help with chores around the orphanage. He becomes particularly joyful and excited whenever Senji comes to visit. However, despite his good-natured qualities, he is also noticeably reckless. This recklessness is his primary driving action, as he decides to steal what he believes are priceless trinkets from a local gang known as the Goreless Peace.
Motivation for Izuru's actions is rooted in a sense of injustice and a desire to protect his found family. He steals from the Goreless Peace because the gang has been taking all the food rations meant for the orphanage, leaving the children and their caretaker in need. His intention is to use the stolen goods to help support the orphanage, demonstrating his loyalty and care for his home despite using misguided methods.
In the story, Izuru's role is that of a catalyst for Senji Kiyomasa's backstory and eventual fate. He is first seen being chased by two thugs from the Goreless Peace after his theft. Senji rescues him, using his Branch of Sin ability to scare the thugs away, and then walks him back to the orphanage. At the orphanage, Hinata scolds Izuru for his reckless behavior. This event sets a chain of tragedy into motion. Later that night, members of the Goreless Peace set fire to the orphanage, murdering Izuru and Hinata along with most of the other inhabitants. This horrific act is orchestrated by the gang to manipulate Senji and push him towards embracing violence. Izuru's death, along with that of Hinata, is a profound trauma for Senji, devastating him and contributing directly to his eventual incarceration in Deadman Wonderland and his hardened worldview.
Key relationships for Izuru are few but significant. His primary relationship is with Senji Kiyomasa, whom he admires and wishes to emulate. He also shares a clear bond with his caretaker, Hinata Mukai, who looks after him and reprimands him out of concern. The antagonistic relationship is with the Goreless Peace gang, which ultimately leads to his demise.
Regarding development, Izuru himself undergoes little to no change within the short span of the OVA. He remains a static character whose primary narrative function is to be a tragic victim. His death is the event that defines his impact on the larger story, rather than any personal growth he might experience. He has no notable abilities or powers, as he is an ordinary human child with no traces of the Deadman phenomenon that defines many other characters in the franchise.