Sarutahiko, alternately named Saruta or Dr. Honma Jotaro across narratives, is a recurring figure marked by a grotesque, pockmarked nose, distinguishing him from counterparts like Dr. Ochanomizu. His name echoes Sarutahiko Okami, a Shinto deity linked to guidance and earthly spirits, aligning with his role as a morally ambiguous agent woven into multiple tales.

In *Phoenix: Dawn*, he commands as General Sarutahiko, spearheading Queen Himiko’s army to raze a village and enslave Nagi, a youth compelled to hunt the Phoenix for its immortality-granting blood. This iteration frames him as a ruthless strategist driven by ambition and fealty to his ruler, igniting a narrative of humanity’s relentless pursuit of power and transcendence.

Other *Phoenix* chapters recast him in disparate roles: *Phoenix: Future* portrays Professor Saruta, a scientist striving to salvage life in a crumbling dystopia, while *Phoenix: Karma* casts him as Gao, a one-armed bandit turned sculptor consumed by redemption and obsession under the Phoenix’s sway. Each identity underscores his thematic ties to existential strife and humanity’s shadowed facets.

In *Black Jack*, he emerges as Dr. Honma Jotaro, a disgraced surgeon shunned by peers, who mentors the young Black Jack, saving his life and shaping his medical path. This arc intertwines with mortality and ethical ambiguity, mirroring his *Phoenix* roles as a bridge between life, death, and rebirth.

Persistently, Sarutahiko embodies endurance amid suffering, serving as a lens for human resilience and moral duality. His iterations oscillate between cruelty and vulnerability, threading cycles of existence and the universal quest for meaning across stories.