Yūichirō Sawamura

**Yuichirō Sawamura** (澤村 雄一郎 , *Sawamura Yuichirō*) was a sailor who trained alongside Hiroshi Tachibana and Yoshio Onodera. He was captain of a supply ship that sank delivering supplies in the Korean War. He was the husband of Ryokō Matsuzaki whom he had the children with: Umi Matsuzaki, Sora Matsuzaki and Riku Matsuzaki, Sawamura trained the former on the ways of International Signal Flag language. Umi would raise Sawamura's flags on memory of him for years to come after his ship sank.

## Biography

He was a mariner who fell deeply in love with Ryoko Matsuzaki and defied her parents' wishes by marrying her, despite the disapproval due to his seafaring occupation. A camaraderie formed with fellow sailors Yoshio Onodera and Hiroshi Tachibana, commemorated by a shared photograph. Tragedy struck when Tachibana perished at sea, leaving his son behind. In a compassionate act, Yūichirō adopted Tachibana's son, shielding him from an orphanage fate.

Obligations at sea and Ryoko's pregnancy with their daughter Umi Matsuzaki led Yūichirō to entrust Tachibana's son to Akio Kazama and his wife. The Kazamas, grieving their recent loss, mistakenly believed the boy to be Yūichirō's biological child and named him Shun Kazama. Yūichirō and Ryoko later had two more children: a daughter named Sora Matsuzaki and a son named Riku Matsuzaki. They shared a modest life in a second-floor apartment where Yūichirō taught Umi to raise U and W flags, symbolizing safe voyages. Umi diligently raised these flags on the balcony whenever Yūichirō was at sea, taking them down upon his return. Yūichirō's naval duties took him to a supply ship during the Korean War, and Umi continued the flag-raising tradition. Tragically, Yūichirō lost his life when his ship struck a mine, leaving behind a family, particularly Umi, who continued to raise his flags daily.

### Posthumous Influence

Despite his passing, Yūichirō's impact endured. Upon moving to the Matsuzaki residence Coquelicot Manor in Yokohama, Umi, saddened by the absence of a place to display her U and W flags, saw her grandfather erect a flagpole in the garden. Umi, growing up, carried on the tradition of raising flags daily, alongside mastering domestic tasks. Shun, raised by the Kazamas, believed Sawamura to be his biological father. Shun and Umi eventually attended Conan Academy, with Shun becoming friends with Shiro Mizunuma and editing the Latin Quarter Newspaper. Shun, commuting to school on his father's tug, regularly glimpsed Umi's flags.

In this period, Sawamura's legacy echoed through conversations. Umi's grandmother Hana mourned Umi's lingering sorrow over her father's death. When the Latin Quarter faced demolition, Shun and Shiro initiated an anti-demolition campaign, further highlighting Sawamura's enduring influence. Shun, as editor of the Latin Quarter Newspaper, undertook attention-grabbing stunts, with pictures of him leaping into water sold at 30 Yen.

Eventually, Umi invited Shun to a farewell party for their housemate Miki Hokuto. During the event, Umi shared family photos, including one featuring Sawamura with two other men. Shun, possessing a copy of the same picture from Sawamura, began to unravel the truth. The revelation of Umi and Shun sharing a father led to their decision to part ways romantically. Umi dreamt of a scenario where her flags guided her father home, instigating warmth and unity.

Umi, waking from her dream, resumed her daily routine. She later conveyed her continued affection for Shun, irrespective of their newfound sibling relationship. When Ryoko returned from America, Umi inquired about Shun's familial status. The revelation unfolded – Shun was not Umi's brother but the son adopted by the Kazamas.

In the film's culmination, Akio instructed Shun to bring Umi to the harbor, where Yoshio Onodera, one of the men in the photograph, was departing. Yoshio recognized Umi and Shun, acknowledging them as the children of Sawamura and Tachibana. Umi, Shun, and Yoshio shared a poignant moment, expressing pride in the legacy of their fathers. The realization that they were not siblings allowed Umi to gaze affectionately at Shun. The two returned home with a shared glance, hinting at the continuity of their relationship. Umi persisted in her tradition of raising flags, listening to the harbor's horn with a smile.

## Abilities

* **Signal flag knowledge**: As per of his training as a sailor, Sawamura was taught International Signal Flag language, which he taught his daughter, Umi.
* **Sailor knowledge**: Thanks to his teaching, he was able to lead a supply ship in the Korean War; sadly, his ship sank after hitting a mine.

## Trivia

* In the original manga, never officially translated to English, Umi continues the tradition of raising her flags in remembrance of Yūichirō Sawamura while her mother is in America. However, the narrative differs in that it states he disappeared at sea rather than explicitly stating his death at sea.
* Yūichirō Sawamura bears a striking resemblance to Shun Kazama, notably sharing similar facial features. The clothing he wears in Umi's dream is remarkably similar to Shun's typical attire, featuring a plain white buttoned shirt and brown pants. This intentional resemblance, coupled with Yūichirō being voiced by Shun's voice actor in the Japanese version, likely served as a narrative device to mislead the audience into initially believing that Shun is Sawamura's son. This misdirection adds a layer of suspense to the storyline, making the eventual revelation at the ending all the more impactful.