Sawakaze appears as the personification of a World War II-era Japanese destroyer, specifically the real-life Imperial Japanese Navy Minekaze-class vessel launched in 1919. Historically scuttled to serve as a breakwater in Onahama Port, Fukushima Prefecture, this role is intrinsic to her character. Following the 2011 earthquake, a rupture in spacetime triggers an interdimensional invasion along the Onahama coast. This event propels Sawakaze, alongside fellow personified warship Shiokaze, directly into the conflict, integrating her historical origins into the science fiction narrative.