Saburō Jinan is the son of Sansho, the slave master who owns Anju and Zushiomaru. Occupying a place within his father's household, he consistently sympathizes with the enslaved siblings, offering a stark contrast to the surrounding cruelty. His compassion translates into secret acts of aid, such as providing food during their suffering from hunger and harsh treatment, granting them temporary relief. Saburō's role serves as a narrative counterpoint to the brutality of the slave system his father enforces, embodying inherent decency that challenges familial and societal expectations of power.