- This article is about the Downtown Nekketsu series character. For the Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun character, see Saori (Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun).
Saori (砂織, さおり ), full name Saori Gōda (豪田砂織, ごうだ さおり ), is a first year student at Seikin Girls High School and is the younger sister of Tsuyoshi Gōda. Saori is described as being quiet and having an innocent personality. She highly respects her older brother and has been looked after since childhood. She is sickly and has poor eyesight.
The character existed as early as Downtown Nekketsu Story and was also mentioned in Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun, but she only made her first physical appearance in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX.
Appearances[]
Downtown Nekketsu Story[]
Saori is mentioned by Tsuyoshi during his boss fight, where he'll ask for her forgiveness when defeated by the player for the second time.
Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun[]
Saori is mentioned in the game's manual to be Kojirō Murasaki's crush.
Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX[]
Saori makes her first physical appearance in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX where she is kidnapped by Ryūichi and Ryūji Hattori as a way to force Tsuyoshi to guard the gates of Reihō Academy. If Kunio or Riki run into Kuniko Ashino, she will save Saori and will later make a brief appearance herself doing some shopping if the player meets with Kuniko for the second time. Saori will assume Kunio and Riki are friends of Tsuyoshi, though she leaves shortly after anyways.
Nekketsu Kōkō Online: Yamada no Fukushū[]
River City Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~[]
Saori appears as the cheerleader and manager for the Cheering Girls team.
River City: Rival Showdown[]
River City: Rival Showdown is a remake of Downtown Nekketsu Story.
In the story mode, Saori is first able to be talked to during the first day where she will tell Kunio that she's currently waiting for Tsuyoshi. On the second evening, Kunio is able to protect Saori from some punks harassing her. Upon rescuing her, Tsuyoshi rushes in and thanks Kunio for protecting her. Saori is later mentioned by Tsuyoshi on the third day after he's defeated by Kunio outside of Reihō Academy's entrance as the sole reason why he knuckled under to Reihō, as they were threatening to harm her.
River City Girls[]
Saori appears as a clerk at Amy's Candy in Crosstown.
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms[]
Saori plays the role of Mi Zhu, a powerful aristocrat in Xuzhou.
In the story mode, Mi Zhu is first seen in the third chapter with Tao Qian in Xiapi's castle. When Guan Yu (Kunio), Liu Bei (Tsuyoshi), Zhang Fei (Godai), and Zhao Yun (Sugata) walk into the castle to see Tao Qian, she greets them and asks who they are. Guan Yu states their name and tells Mi Zhu that they've come to their aid after hearing Cao Cao (Yamada)'s army has their sights on the land, which shocks Mi Zhu that someone would be so kind. With Liu Bei looking to negotiate with Cao Cao instead of fighting his army, Mi Zhu thanks him as she doesn't wish for all the citizens to be involved in anymore fighting. When the group come back from passing their message for Cao Cao to Yue Jin (Mochizuki), Mi Zhu informs the group that Tao Qian has passed away due to his illness and hands Liu Bei a letter he left for him before he passed. In the letter, Tao Qian asks that the Brothers of the Peach Garden govern Xuzhou to the confusion of the brothers, which Mi Zhu implores that the brothers take on the role. Liu Bei and Zhao Yun believe this would be a move that Cao Cao would view as them trying to start a fight, so Liu Bei instead offers support from the outskirts of the castle, to which Mi Zhu happily accepts. Mi Zhu informs the group that the war has taken a toll on the cities and that she appreciates the help. In a side quest, Guan Yu notices Mi Zhu is feeling overwhelmed, so he talks to Liu Bei where he suggests they bring her a snack to get her to take a break.
In the beginning of the fourth chapter, Mi Zhu is captured by Cao Cao's army which infuriates Guan Yu, though he eventually surrenders when Zhang Liao (Hasebe) bargains with him that Mi Zhu won't be harmed, as Cao Cao is fond of Guan Yu. As apart of Guan Yu's conditions, he wishes that Mi Zhu remains unharmed. While Guan Yu is under Cao Cao's army, Mi Zhu will be seen outside of Cao Cao's castle and thank Guan Yu for being there with her and gather as much information on their allies as she can. Mi Zhu later meets up with Guan Yu at Cao Cao's castle and informs him that she's been unable to gather any information on Liu Bei or Zhang Fei's whereabouts. The two are interrupted by Zhang Liao where she tells them the rumor that Liu Bei may currently be with Yuan Shao (Tōdō)'s army. Mi Zhu and Guan Yu then make their departure together to go look for Liu Bei.
During the fifth chapter, Mi Zhu is able to be talked to in Xiangyang and will express her gratitude towards being able to live in the area. Later in the chapter, Mi Zhu leaves with Zhao Yun as he evacuates the citizens of Xinye from the pursuit of Cao Cao's army. Guan Yu learns that Zhao Yun got separated from Mi Zhu after being attacked by Cao Cao's army and after fighting some of his troops together, Guan Yu finds her in a well. Upon being rescued, she thanks Guan Yu and tells him that she fell into the well while fleeing Cao Cao's army. The two then return to go meet up with their allies at the Dangyang Bridge.
River City Girls 2[]
Saori retains her previous role as a clerk at Amy's Candy in Crosstown.
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next[]
Saori retains her role as Mi Zhu.
Other media appearances[]
Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun: Rantō Enbu-hen[]
Saori was played by Mizuki Fujimine.
Localized versions[]
Trivia[]
- Saori is the moe character of the Downtown Nekketsu series.
- Saori wears glasses and uses contacts simultaneously.
- During development of Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun, Saori would've made her first appearance in a scrapped story for Hōryō High School which revolved around Tsuyoshi and his struggles with various things. In this story, Tsuyoshi attempts to convince Murasaki to pitch for his team to no avail. It wouldn't be until Murasaki met Saori for the first time where he'd instantly decide to join the team.[3]
- Although River City Ransom: Underground references characters from River City Ransom EX (such as Conan), Ivan in the game is loyal to Slick. This likely implies that Abby does not exist in the continuity of River City Ransom: Underground, or that Conatus Creative was unaware of her existence and relation to Ivan.