The list of characters from the four teams which played at the Side-B1 Quarterfinals from the manga and anime series Saki, sorted according to their final placings: Kiyosumi, Himematsu, Eisui and Miyamori.
Kiyosumi and Himematsu have qualified for the Side-B Semifinals, where they are currently playing against Side-B2's Rinkai and Usuzan.
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Kiyosumi High School — Nagano
Himematsu High School — South Osaka
Eisui All-Girls' High School — Kagoshima
Team Eisui, considered to be the strongest in Kyushu, is representing Kagoshima Prefecture for the third year in a row, and is currently seeded at third. Its members bear a miko theme, and stay in solemn rooms during competitions. For this year's competition, all the branch families have come together so that ace player Komaki doesn't have to carry the team by herself.Team Eisui, together with Miyamori, has been eliminated at the National quarterfinals, chalking in a third-place finish.
Komaki Jindai
Ace player of Team Eisui and scion of the main family of the branches which make up the team. Last year, as an individual player she achieved fame as a "mahjong monster", but pushed herself too hard, and now has her teammates watching out for her. Kyouko claims that part of Eisui's strategy is to let Komaki go for the big hands and that she will play multiple styles, but is a little shaky sometimes. Her teammates call her "Princess".
Her powers seem to stem from being a vessel of seven goddesses (out of eight — the other is handled by her cousin Kasumi), and becomes a dangerous board-clear when asleep. The drawback is that she doesn’t know the sequence of her deities' appearance.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Komaki plays at her best when she's asleep, but isn't aware of this.
- Daydream Surprise: After the National quarterfinals, when Kasumi proposes going to the beach together before the individuals, it cuts to Team Eisui at the beach. In the next page, it's revealed that Komaki fell asleep.
- How Do I Shot Web?: Komaki is still in training, and can't control which "god" goes into her and unfortunately for her, gets a relatively weak god in the National quarterfinals.
- Incompletely Trained: As a spirit medium. This ultimately proved to be Team Eisui's undoing.
- Informed Ability: Komaki is supposed to play with wildly different styles based on which divine spirit is possessing her at the moment. She's also said to deliberately target second-placers with the Nine Lanterns yakuman, but again this never happens during her turn on the table.
- Punny Name: From Jindai-no-Maki, the chapters in Kojiki about the age of the gods.
Kasumi Iwato
Komaki's cousin and finisher of Team Eisui. Kasumi prefers to play defensively, refusing to deal into someone's hand, and is also a good analyst, as shown during the quarterfinals, as she had held on to the tiles that Saki would have used a kan on. She was also the first to notice Toyone’s ability and the one to tell Hatsumi to take note of Sae.
Kasumi's abilities stem from her close relationship with Komaki — since she couldn't be the vessel for all eight of her goddesses, Kasumi serves as the vessel for the odd one out, using its powers to collect honor tiles and one random suit per hand. However, she can't switch back to her usual defensive style until she is purified.
Her ability is slightly modified in the anime — rather than simply taking possession of the "extra" god among those her cousin is supposed to hold, she instead captures the negative, non-divine spirits that might try to possess Komaki (represented by a staring eye).
- Boob-Based Gag: It beats any of the Saki girls by a landslide. Kyouko even refers to her as the "booby monster of Eisui". In the second Zenkoku-hen ending credits, her large breasts stop Kinue's soccer ball and Kasumi doesn't even seem to notice the ball coming to rest in her cleavage.
- Childhood Friend: One of the BD extras reveals that she was this to Hatsumi. When Hatsumi was summoned by the head family to the "Sacred Land," Kasumi did what she could to follow her.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Saki, Kyouko and Toyone realized that she's the most dangerous player in Team Eisui... and she's on the team with Komaki, herself one of the most dangerous individuals players.
- First-Name Basis: Tends to be somewhat more familiar with Komaki than her teammates, often calling her "Komaki-chan" rather than "Princess."
- Lap Pillow: Does this for Komaki in one cover page.
- Willing Channeler: Her ability seems to work like this, where she "channels" one of the spirits "possesing" Jindai. This means that any team facing Eisui is technically facing Jindai twice.
Hatsumi Usuzumi
A senior who looks too young for her age, sporting a swimsuit tanline and very loose clothing, as well as a ceremonial headdress during gameplay.
Like Team Kiyosumi's Yuuki, Hatsumi's game is extremely powerful when she is seated on the North. Her ability, called "Gates of Evil" by Kumakura, makes it easy for her to gather north and east tiles, and to a lesser extent, south and west tiles as well. Attracting this tiles will guarantee a ‘Big Four Winds’ Yakuman if not stopped. She doesn’t believe that Sae had the power to block her and would go through great lengths just to keep her North position, which makes for easy pickings by Sae.
- Awesome, but Impractical: The "Gates of Evil." When they work, they earn her a lot of points. When they don't, she ends up losing quite often.
- Bird Run: She's seen doing this at a few points, which is yet another similarity between her and Yuuki.
- Childhood Friend: She's one to Kasumi, having known her since they were seven years old.
- Girlish Pigtails: Wears a pair to emphasize her childish appearance (and personality).
- Going Commando: Expected for the franchise, but Hatsumi is a blatant example. Observe.
- In-Series Nickname: Some of her teammates call her "Hacchan".
- Mask of Power: She shows up in a ceremonial headdress. Nodoka, for all she doesn't believe in the occult, finds it quite intimidating.
- Older Than They Look/Token Mini-Moe: Hatsumi is actually older than Komaki. She looks like she's about five years younger. In the BD extra, it's revealed that Hatsumi's appearance hasn't changed much since she was seven, while Kasumi not only got a lot taller, but filled out as well.
- Pintsized Powerhouse: The first time she is shown, she has just finished flooring the competition at the Kagoshima finals, qualifying Team Eisui to the Nationals even without having to field Kasumi.
- Stripperiffic: As seen in the picture, she wears her robe very loosely.
- Tan Lines: Inexplicably, she also has them, outlined like a one-piece swimsuit.
Haru Takimi
A stoic newcomer whose emotions only come out when talking about the demon world and her favorite food, snacks coated with muscovado (a nutritious brown sugar).
Although her playstyle isn't elaborated upon in the manga, the anime expands upon it, and it is shown that she prefers to end the round via quick hands whenever she feels that a particular opponent is gathering a big-scoring hand.
- Big Eater: Particularly where muscovado chips are concerned.
- In-Series Nickname: Hatsumi calls her "Haruru."
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Her face is typically devoid of expressions, but she smiles, much to the surprise of even her teammates, when Hisa compliments her muscovado chips.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Muscovado chips.
Tomoe Karijuku
Another player for Team Eisui.
- Joshikousei: Of the girls in Team Eisui, only she prefers her school uniform over the miko garb, which she only wears during matches.
- Servile Snarker: Has some indications of this, such as when they're discussing how their friends might not be able to come until they finish their homework.Komaki: "Should be fine, it's not like we finished our homework either."
Tomoe: "Speak for yourself, Princess."
Miyamori Girls' High School — Iwate
Originally a three-girl club without any kind of aspirations for the Nationals, this all changed when pro mahjong agent Toshi Kumakura became their adviser. Bringing Toyone with her, Toshi made the girls aspire for greater things, such as representing Iwate Prefecture in the Nationals. After Aislinn watched them play with Toyone, she was inspired to join Team Miyamori, allowing them to field a Nationals-caliber team, gaining its spot after knocking off high-ranking Makabi High School.The team is notable for being composed entirely of seniors, which puts the future of the club after the summer tournament season in doubt, especially now that Team Miyamori has been eliminated from the National quarterfinals at fourth-place.
Shiromi Kosegawa
One of the three original members of Team Miyamori and classmate of Aislinn, who she invited to watch a game (against a visiting Toyone), inspiring the latter to join her team. Her style is fairly orthodox, at least compared to Toyone. She’s also not a fan of moving and exerting energy.
Shiromi's ability is given more details in the anime. Her ability is called "Mayoiga" in which the chances of her getting a high scoring hand increases the more she hesitates and thinks about her moves. Kasumi of Eisui considers her as a threat because of this.
- Conveniently Seated: As a flashback reveals, Shiromi's seat in class fits what one would normally expect a main character in any other series to be positioned in.
- Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Though it's more or less dull with apathy than unhappiness.
- In-Series Nickname: Shiro
- Laborious Laziness: In Saki Biyori. In the first Miyamori chapter, she pulls a hand cart to bring a kotatsu to school, wanting to rest under it but knowing that she won't be able to get out once she does. In the second Miyamori chapter, she rests in various places around the mall, under the pretense of doing things such as waiting for a friend or trying on shoes, but ends up moving around the mall quite a bit, as Sae points out.
- The Quiet One: She doesn't talk much.
- Rei Ayanami Expy: A very stoic, quiet and somewhat odd girl with short white hair.
- The Stoic: Usually quiet, dispassionate and apathetic...
- Not So Stoic: ...though it's soon made a point that when Shiromi begins to put together a high-scoring hand, she becomes very visibly nervous. Also, her desperately trying to maintain her stoicism while trying to keep Aislinn from crying is rather cute.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Stoic and apathetic, but very caring toward her friends.
- Unusual Eyebrows: They look like lightning bolts.
Kurumi Kakura
Position: Lieutenant
Voiced by: Moe Toyota
Another of the three original members of Team Miyamori. A very short girl who does not tolerate any non-sense and isn't afraid to speak up her mind. She usually has a sweat drop. Her style is similar to Team Tsuruga's Momoko, in that she favors damaten, meaning she can win despite not declaring riichi.
- Big "SHUT UP!": Directed at Hiroe in response to her incessant bragging during their match.
- Little Miss Snarker: Has absolutely zero patience for Hiroe's loudmouthedness.
- Older Than They Look/Token Mini-Moe: It bears repeating that Kurumi is a senior (though she looks like a little kid), which means she's as old as Toyone.
- Snub by Omission: After the sergeant match, she does this to Sae.Kurumi: "It's all right, Ei-chan! Just leave the rest to me and Toyone!"
Sae: "What about me?!"
Sae Usuzawa
Another of the three original members of Team Miyamori as well as its club president and a Toshi fangirl.
Sae's ability is to "seal" an opponent by concentrating her stare at the target. Once she has an opponent marked, it becomes nigh-impossible to complete a hand, although playing this way puts a significant drain on her. She was responsible for knocking off the high-ranking Team Makabi, getting her team to the nationals and helping Toyone hide her ability.
- Butt-Monkey: The frequent target of Kurumi's jokes
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: When Aislinn lost, Kurumi jokes that she'd be of no help. She managed to lock Hatsumi's finishing move and manipulated it to hit Nodoka the most instead.
- Fiery Redhead: Averted. While she has the hair color, Sae doesn't have the personality associated with it.
- Hero-Worshipper: To Toshi, thus her glee when actually becomes one of her protégés.
- High-Class Glass: She wears Kumakura's monocle during her matches.
- Kubrick Stare: She has this as a move-sealing ability. Impressive for what amounts to just looking at an opponent really hard.
Toyone Anetai
To say that Toyone is tall compared to the rest of Team Miyamori (or anyone else in the championships, for that matter) is an understatement. Scouted by Toshi barely half a year prior to the Nationals, Toyone hails from a mountain village with very few children her age. With only the family TV for company, Toyone had a relatively lonely childhood, which isn't helped by the fact that she is towering at 197cm (6'5"). No wonder that she treats her transfer to Miyamori, as well as entry into its mahjong club, where she can finally share her love of the game with her peers, as probably the best that has happened to her life.
Due to watching a lot of mahjong matches on TV, she is a fan of "Mahjong idols" like Komaki and Nodoka. At the end of the Captains' match, aside from asking their autograph, she also asked for Saki, Kasumi and Kyouko's autographs.
Toyone is treated as Team Miyamori's secret weapon, and her teammates went to great lengths to keep her style vague up to the Nationals. She possesses the "Rokuyou" abilities — one is to declare a riichi after another player declares, winning off the initial riichi, which is known as "Senbu", earning her the nickname "Right-Behind-You-Toyone"; another is to win when she has one tile remaining in her hand after she makes calls on sets until only one uncalled tile is left (called a naked wait since she's practically revealing her hand), which is known as "Tomobiki"; and the third is called "Shakkou", which allows her to call dora tiles by having the surrounding two tiles. It is unknown if Toyone has other abilities related to the other "Rokuyou".
- Ascended Fangirl: Started to love mahjong after watching it on TV. Little did she expect that one day she'd be sharing the table with some of the players she came to idolize.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: Toyone learned how to play mahjong by watching it on TV and arranging the tiles accordingly. Not only did she become well-versed by doing so, she became so good at mahjong a scout for professionals recognizes her ability as the real deal, and she is classified as a one of the "monsters" in the high school circuit.
- Comically Missing the Point: In Saki Biyori, when she and her friends are going shopping for summer clothing, Kurumi tells her that it will be hot outside that day, and Toyone points out that she doesn't have summer clothes, prompting Kurumi to remind her that it's the reason why they're going shopping. She then says "This is bad. I'll buy some today!" before Kurumi stops her.
- Dark Is Not Evil: She's strikes an imposing figure, wears a dark school uniform and hat, and her abilities are usually associated with shadows. She's also one of the nicest characters in the story.
- Gentle Giant/Huge Schoolgirl: It bears mentioning that Toyone is tall, and at 197 cm, she towers over many adults, too.
- Godzilla Threshold: Kumakura intended to keep Toyone's abilities hidden until Team Miyamori reached the finals, but was forced to let her play at her best because they were facing Saki.
- Graceful Loser: Once she was done crying over Team Miyamori's exit, she proceeds to ask for autographs from Komaki and Nodoka, as well as from her opponents at the Captains' match.
- I Am Not Left-Handed: Upon Toyone's reveal of her Sembu and the subsequent analysis of the others as to how it works, Kyouko thought that as long as nobody declares Riichi, then Toyone can't get a winning hand. It was to her shock that Toyone has another ability hidden up her sleeve.
- I Just Want to Have Friends: She was a very lonely kid prior to her transfer to Miyamori.
- Informed Ability: Toyone has six different abilities, and in the course of the match we're shown two. We'll never get to learn what the others are, as Saki knocks out both Miyamori and Eisui.
- Luminescent Blush: When Komaki arrives to drop off the autograph in person.
- Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: She didn't have many friends while growing up, but she's cheerful and friendly.
- Never Bareheaded: Always wears a nice black brim hat, even during matches.
- Red Baron: Apparently the nickname she had in her town was "Right-Behind-You Toyone" in reference to her playing style.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Given the black-and-white nature of the manga, her eyes seem like Prophet Eyes at first, but Chapter 94 reveals that the color of her eyes are actually a bright red. Unlike the usual example though Toyone is actually really nice.
Aislinn Wishart
Position: Sergeant
Voiced by: Mariko Mizuno
An exchange student from New Zealand, Shiromi's classmate, and final member of Team Miyamori, having joined after being invited to watch them play a game against Toyone, who was visiting the club at the time.
Prior to the Nationals, Aislinn was noted to always get a closed hand tenpai before the thirteenth turn, ensuring a winning hand. According to Team Himematsu's Kyouko, Aislinn also has the highest percentages in New Zealand's global matches. During the National quarterfinals, she is considered the strongest player in the Sergeants' match until Mako disrupted her by winning small hands.
Aislinn's propensity to get a guaranteed win via tenpai was upgraded into an outright occult skill in Zenkoku-hen. After getting her first hand at the start of a round, she then "draws" in her mind the most ideal hand she could get based on it. She also draws what she expects the tiles in her opponents hands to be at that point. There doesn't seem to be a point limit to what Aislinn can envision, but when she does imagine the hand she wants, all she needs to do is get the tiles she needs to complete it. Still, her tiles follow conventional patterns, which Mako exploits to her advantage.
- Conveniently Seated: Like Shiromi, Aislinn's seat in class — at the corner close to the window — is where a main character in any other series might be seated.
- Cute Mute: While she can talk, she speaks very little Japanese and thus communicates via a drawing pad.
- Graceful Loser: Despite her dismay over her performance, she doesn't hold any hard feelings against the three teams who defeated hers, and uses her drawing pad to draw a picture of the members of Miyamori, Eisui, Himematsu and Kiyosumi joining hands.
- Gratuitous English: Thinks "Why?" as Mako starts getting the upper hand on her.
- Heroic BSoD: A minor one after Mako defeated her.
- Informed Ability: Aislinn's ability to draw her "ideal" table, and always get a win. While we finally see how the ability works in the anime, much like the manga nothing comes of it, as Mako blocks her attempts to get a winning hand at every turn.
- Oh, Crap!: In the anime, gets increasingly distressed as Mako keeps blocking her attempts at winning, to the point at which her drawing pad, which typically shows her how best to advance to victory, shows the tiles getting away from her.
- Phenotype Stereotype: Blonde? Blue Eyes? Why yes, she is a foreigner.
- Silent Snarker: She has a moment like this when Shiro, who stayed behind after her opponents from Kiyosumi, Eisui and Himematsu have gone back, asks Aislinn to carry her back. Aislinn draws a picture of a person's silhouette kicking another in the backside and Shiro, reading it aloud, says "'Screw you?' How dull..." before walking back as Aislinn smiles and waves.
- The Worf Effect: Other characters noted that they shouldn't underestimate her. However she loses very badly to Mako, and their lead is overtaken in the process.
Toshi Kumakura
Adviser of Team Miyamori, who helped motivate her charges by scouting Toyone, and herself a pro mahjong talent scout. Years ago, she scouted Harue Akado (current adviser of Team Achiga) for a corporate team, and when she encounters the latter again at the Nationals, she tries so again, this time for another company.
- Cool Old Lady: A really good-natured, gentle elderly lady who is also shown to have an eye for talent.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: She apparently hands out a few to Shiro, Kurumi and Sae off-panel, taking all three of them under zero more than once.
- Full-Name Basis: Most people tend to refer to their school's rivals by their last names without honorifics, unless they know them. Toshi tends to refer to opposing players by their full names.
- Older Than They Look: Despite being significantly older than most of the cast, she looks no older than any of her students in a bathtub scene in Chapter 84.
