TV-Series
Description
Manzou Sakami, also known as Manzou the Saw, is a detective who serves as an undercover agent for the shogunate during the Edo period. He earns his nickname because of his relentless, almost serrated approach to his work—he hacks away at a case without concern for maintaining a polished edge, much like a dull saw. In his first appearance, he is investigating the disappearance of young girls, a case that leads him to cross paths with the traveling trio of Fuu, Mugen, and Jin. Later, he is seen participating in a baseball game, showcasing his unexpected athletic talents.

Manzou is a brash, theatrical character who speaks in a rough, colloquial dialect and frequently exclaims lines such as "Well, blow me down!" He is highly confident in his abilities and enjoys taking on disguises and mimicking different accents to get close to his targets. Despite his flamboyant demeanor, he is a sharp and competent lawman, dedicated to upholding the law and apprehending criminals. His primary motivation is a straightforward sense of duty—he pursues justice with unyielding persistence, though his methods can be unorthodox and even comical.

His role in the story is that of a recurring supporting character rather than a major antagonist. He appears in two key episodes, where he functions as a capable detective who occasionally assists or intercepts the main characters. In his first encounter, he arrests an old man connected to a slave trafficking ring, inadvertently affecting the trio’s situation. In his second appearance, he takes part in a baseball match, demonstrating his surprising skill at the sport. His relationship with Fuu, Mugen, and Jin is largely incidental; they share no deep personal ties, and Manzou treats them as ordinary civilians or suspects as the case demands.

Manzou undergoes no significant character development over the course of the series. He remains a static, colorful figure whose presence adds a layer of law-enforcement texture to the world. His notable abilities include expert detective work, a talent for disguise and vocal impersonation, and proficiency with a jitte—a specialized metal truncheon often used by Edo-period police. He carries a bladed jitte that can be combined into a larger, saw-like weapon, which he jokingly promotes as a weight-loss tool. His energetic personality and unique fighting style make him a memorable, if minor, presence in the narrative.