Kazue Souma

Kazue Sōma (相馬主計 Souma Kazue) is one of the main characters in Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms, as well as one of Chizuru's potential love interests (does not appear in the anime). After spending some time as a soldier in the Bakufu's army, he starts working as Kondou's page.
Souma is based on the historical Sōma Kazue.
== Personality ==
Souma is serious to a fault, concentrating on improving his strength and fulfilling his duty above all else. If he did a mistake, he's always ready to admit his wrong and take responsibility. Like Chizuru, he is very dedicated to his work at the Shinsengumi and would do everything he can to fulfil it without complaining no matter how trivial that task he is given. While honest and hardworking, he can be so focused on his idea of the truth that he is oblivious to all else, such as Chizuru's true gender. His honesty also made him gullible at certain times, easily accepting sob stories that his friends, particularly Nomura and Okita, often takes advantage of. 
== In Hakuōki: Kyoto Winds ==
See also: Souma Kazue/Route
===Chapter 1===
Souma first appears during Chizuru's first round with Heisuke, Harada, and Shinpachi. They notice a rōnin trying to run away, and Souma, who was passing by, stops the rōnin from escaping. He is quickly pushed aside, but this allows the Shinsengumi to catch the rōnin. Souma does not have a good impression of the Shinsengumi due to the rumors all around Edo, so he simply dismisses Heisuke's gratitude. He claims that the Shinsengumi are a bunch of selfish, self-absorbed and bloodthirsty monsters, which aggravates Harada, so Shinpachi advises to apologize. A piece of paper flies out of Souma's pocket, and Harada picks it up, which makes Souma panic and attempt to take it back, but Shinpachi and Heisuke hold him still. Examining the drawing, Harada, puzzled and concerned, questions Souma, who reluctantly reveals that it is a painting given to him by an acquaintance. Nagakura, who has also seen the drawing, announces that the drawing will be taken to the headquarters along with Souma. Each of the captains interrogates Souma, but the samurai keeps claiming to know nothing about the artist. The drawing displays Serizawa in a Rasetsu form, and Sannan quickly concludes that the artist was Ibuki. After Souma confirms that there is only one copy of the drawing, he is forced to give it away, and then Kondou offers him an apology for the poor treatment. Souma is flustered and asks him not to bow before someone of much lower rank, and then confirms that Ibuki is alive and well. Feeling ashamed of his own overreaction and rudeness, Souma apologizes to everyone and leaves, having a nicer chat with the trio outside. When left tete-a-tete, he asks Chizuru whether she is a warrior, and she can either deny it or say that she is actually a page.
===Chapter 2===
In September 1864, Souma meets Chizuru and Harada again during their round. He is ordered by his domain to check on the city after the battle. Their meeting reminds Souma of how they first met, particularly how Kondou, the chief himself, willingly apologized to him. Hearing Souma admit how he initially thought of the Shinsengumi, Harada suggests that Souma join them on their round. The offer piques Souma's curiosity, so he accepts, walking behind the group with Chizuru. During the round, Souma realizes that the Shinsengumi is not as the rumors suggest. Seeing Harada and his group handle criminals, Souma reprimands Harada, as it would make those who don't know the Shinsengumi think badly of them.
Harada explains to Souma that there are people who can't be convinced with words alone and quickly resort to violence, but Souma still worries. Appreciating Souma's concern, Harada reveals that when the Shinsengumi was still known as the Rōshigumi, there were indeed members as bad as the rumors suggested, but now they are different, and he believes people will eventually understand them. Impressed by Harada's story, Souma admits his dissatisfaction with how the people from his domain only care about themselves and expresses a desire to become a true warrior like the Shinsengumi. Upon hearing that Chizuru is Hijikata's page, Souma assumes that she's also a swordsman. When Harada tells him otherwise, Souma, completely oblivious to her real gender, begins to grope Chizuru's arms and shoulders to feel her muscles while advising her to train more, which flusters Chizuru.
===Chapter 3===
Souma leaves his domain because they have no desire to support the Bakufu and then enlists in the Bakufu Army. He joins the second Chōshū Expedition, but he doesn't participate in the fighting as he is placed in a backup troop. During this expedition, he meets Kondou, who invites him to join the Shinsengumi, but Souma hesitates, still unsure. After the expedition ends in failure, Souma visits the Shinsengumi compound to accept Kondou's invitation. He is assigned to be Chizuru's junior as Kondou's page-in-training. At the same time, another new member, Risaburou Nomura, is also assigned the same position. Since Souma and Nomura are the same age, they quickly become friends.
A month after Souma joined the Shinsengumi, he and Nomura train with Okita, only to end up severely beaten by the captain. The training prompts both boys and Chizuru to wonder who the strongest warrior in the Shinsengumi is. Souma thinks it's Kondou, while Nomura believes it's Hijikata. Their conversation is interrupted by Okita, who overhears them mentioning that Hijikata might be stronger than him, which leads to them being beaten up once more.
In the evening, Souma and Nomura witness Chizuru being harassed by Itou's younger brother, Miki Saburou, and quickly intervene to protect her. They remind Miki of the Shinsengumi's Code of Conduct, which must be followed by all men, including the captains. Their ruckus attracts the attention of Okita, Heisuke, and Shinpachi, who are nearby, forcing Miki to leave. Souma and Nomura then tell the captains what happened, including how they defended Chizuru by insisting she wasn't a girl when Miki accused her of being one. Their insensitive remarks earn them a punch from Heisuke and Shinpachi, while Okita is amused. Because of this incident, Chizuru and the others have no choice but to reveal earlier than planned that Chizuru is indeed a girl, as Miki suspected, which shocks Souma and Nomura. Souma immediately apologizes to Chizuru for being unintentionally rude to her all this time and promises to keep her secret. From then on, Souma and Nomura are officially promoted to pages.
== Trivia ==
* Souma and Nomura dislike training with Shinpachi, considering it more as a punishment. In Shinkai Drama CD, both immediately prefer to run away when being called by Shinpachi after tricking him.
* In Ginsei no Shou, it was explained that after knowing Chizuru's real gender, Souma and Nomura avoided Chizuru for some time. Souma, in particular, couldn't stand being alone together with Chizuru like usual and needing Nomura to accompany them together. This upset Chizuru as she assumed Souma and Nomura were angry at her for not being honest about her gender. Sometime later, at night, Souma visited Chizuru to speak, but changed his mind when he saw Chizuru preparing to sleep. However, Chizuru chased after him and apologized for keeping secret about her being a woman. Souma assured Chizuru that neither he nor Nomura were angry at her as they understood why she must kept her gender a secret. He admitted that he had been avoiding her because he was embarrassed for not only failed to realize her gender, he had also invited her to guys' activities such as inviting her to take a bath together. Chizuru was relieved knowing they didn't hate her and asked him to treat her like before, reminding how Nomura once remarked how she's not girly at all. Souma rebuffed the statement as Nomura's stupidity, and he began to tell Chizuru all of her charms that he saw in her to make his point.
Category:Characters
Category:Main
Category:Shinsengumi
Category:Rasetsu
Category:Visual Novel