Dr. Saotome, director of the Saotome Institute and creator of the Getter Robo series, spearheads groundbreaking research on Getter Rays to counter existential threats like the Dinosaur and Hyakki Empires. A father to Tatsuhito, Michiru, and Genki, he navigates familial ties entangled with his scientific ambitions. Pragmatic and morally complex, he employs ruthless tactics—deploying assassins to test pilots or eliminating compromised colleagues—yet harbors profound remorse, mourning his son Tatsuhito’s death and clinging to hope for humanity’s future. Over time, his obsession with Getter Rays corrodes his sanity, culminating in his fusion with the energy in later timelines. In *Getter Robo G*, he oversees the upgraded Getter Robo G’s deployment against the Hyakki Empire, advising pilots on strategic countermeasures against extraterrestrial plagues and ancient threats like Atlantis. During an invasion of his institute, he and his family are rescued from the basement by the Getter Team moments before the facility’s destruction. Alternate continuities reimagine his fate: in the *Armageddon* OVA, infection by alien Invaders transforms him into an antagonist. Resurrected as their puppet, he engineers bio-mechanical horrors like the Metal Beast Dragon. In a fleeting moment of clarity before death, he acknowledges the Getter Team’s victory, detonating himself to halt his rampage. His legacy persists through successors like Hayato Jin, who inherits his Getter Ray research. Posthumous spectral appearances guide pilots or embody Getter Rays’ lingering influence. Later narratives, such as *Getter Robo Arc*, depict his creations evolving beyond control—Getter Robo G mutates into organic entities like Shin Dragon, echoing his vision’s unintended consequences. Portrayals fluctuate across media: manga iterations emphasize his ruthless pragmatism shadowed by grief, the 1970s anime softens him into a compassionate mentor, and OVAs reframe him as a tragic villain. These variations underscore his duality—a visionary whose innovations shield humanity while fueling endless conflict.