Agatsuma, Soubi
Summary
Soubi Agatsuma is a twenty-year-old art student and a former pupil of Shichisei Gakuen, known as the Academy of Seven Voices, a specialized institution for fighters where Ritsu Minami served as his instructor. Following Seimei’s death, Soubi reached out to Ritsuka as commanded, introducing him to the dangerous world of fighters and sacrifices while declaring himself his new fighter. Although their designated roles are Beloved and Loveless respectively, their partnership is considered taboo and results in a severe loss of strength; for Soubi, this manifests as bleeding from his marking during combat. He has effectively abandoned the name Beloved since meeting Ritsuka. Soubi possesses extensive knowledge regarding Seimei and the circumstances of his death, which he deliberately keeps hidden despite Ritsuka’s persistent demands for the truth. In the fourth manga volume, he asserts that Seimei is his God and claims to live by Seimei’s orders, yet he simultaneously states that he obeys every command from Ritsuka. This duality contributes to his contradictory nature, particularly regarding pain and control, which has led many readers and characters to label him as a masochist. A prevalent theory suggests he is selective, seeking punishment only from those he considers worthy and strong, such as Seimei and Ritsuka. This is supported by his rejection of Ritsu’s attempts to control his life. Additionally, Soubi is frequently associated with a shotacon complex, though some argue there is no canonical evidence to support this. The anime depicts him recurrently fondling and kissing the twelve-year-old Ritsuka, creating a sexually ambiguous dynamic that is difficult to interpret without invoking such a label. It is also noted that in the anime adaptation, Soubi displays a certain infatuation with the male Zero.
