Inori is a central character in the story, holding the title of Suzaku of Heaven as one of the Eight Guardians. He lives in the capital city of Kyō, where he works as an apprentice to a swordsmith. His life has been shaped by hardship; he was orphaned at a young age and his parents died during his childhood. As a commoner unaffiliated with any clan, he does not possess a surname. His primary family is his older sister, Seri, who is sickly and frail, and for whom he feels a fierce, protective responsibility. This protectiveness was intensified by a traumatic past event when his sister fell in love with Ikutidaru, a member of the oni demon clan. The relationship led to their violent expulsion from their home village, an event Inori blames entirely on Ikutidaru, which solidified a deep and burning hatred within him for the entire oni race. He views the demon as a deceiver who manipulated his sister and struggles to recognize that Seri's feelings for Ikutidaru might be genuine.

Inori's personality is marked by a combination of obstinacy, fiery emotions, and a quick temper, which can sometimes manifest as unreasonableness. Despite his hot-headed and abrasive exterior, he possesses an underlying honesty and demonstrates profound loyalty to his family and allies. His deep-seated prejudice against oni strongly colors his initial interactions with his fellow Guardian, Shimon Nagareyama, who holds the complementary title of Suzaku of Earth. Because Shimon has blond hair and blue eyes—physical traits associated with oni—Inori immediately distrusts him and is openly antagonistic. This prejudice reaches a peak when he wrongly accuses Shimon of attacking children, a crime actually committed by the oni Sefuru. When the children's testimony exonerates Shimon, Inori is forced to acknowledge his error and seek reconciliation, marking a significant turning point in his development. This event forges a close friendship between the two, as they are of a similar age and begin to spend considerable time together. However, this bond is later tested when a curse erases their memories of this friendship, temporarily reverting Inori to his earlier prejudiced state.

As a Guardian, Inori wields powerful fire-based elemental magic. His abilities are channeled through a dragon jewel embedded visibly on his forehead, which focuses his ability to project flames. His role in the story involves working alongside the other Guardians to protect the White Dragon Priestess, Akane Motomiya, and to battle the plots of the oni clan. In some adaptations, Inori harbors romantic feelings for Akane and openly expresses them. Regardless, he is often perceptive about the feelings of others, notably identifying Tenma Morimura's affection for Akane and offering him support. His key relationships include friendships with other Guardians such as Minamoto no Yorihisa and Abe no Yasuaki, with whom he collaborates to fight supernatural threats and protect the capital from vengeful spirits.

The core of Inori's character arc is his struggle to overcome his intense hatred. While he maintains a general loathing for the oni clan, his experiences and interactions with Ikutidaru and others begin to shift his perspective, hinting at a reluctant, pragmatic acceptance. He learns to extend care and empathy beyond his personal vendetta, a change guided by Akane's influence. By the conclusion of the story, he is depicted alongside his sister Seri, Ikutidaru, and their newborn child, suggesting a tentative and hard-won familial reconciliation. This resolution implies his recognition that not all members of the oni clan are inherently evil and acknowledges the role human prejudice played in fueling the conflict. His journey is one of evolving from a youth singularly focused on vengeance to a young man capable of broader compassion.