Sayaka Igarashi (五十嵐 清華) is a supporting character in Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler. She is the Secretary of the Student Council, and the Personal Assistant of the current Student Council President, Kirari Momobami.
Appearance[]
Sayaka is a girl of average height with hip-length dark-violet hair that is styled in a side ponytail on the right side where it is tied by a white ribbon with short bangs swept to the left side while she has neck-length hair strands hanging on either side, empty dark-violet eyes and pink lipstick.
Sayaka wears the Hyakkaou Private Academy issued uniform: a red blazer with black trim lining the cuffs and collar, a white button up dress shirt, a dark pleated skirt which stops above her knees (slightly longer than how most of the other female students wear their skirts), a black string tie, black socks that go below the knee and brown loafers with black soles.
While in middle school, she had her hair styled into two low braids and she wore black-framed oval-shaped glasses.
Personality[]
Sayaka declaring her love for Kirari.
Sayaka is a very intelligent and serious person who deeply cares about the school and Student Council. She is endlessly loyal to the Student Council President where she stated that Kirari is her one true love and she would do anything for her. Kirari states, how much Sayaka is driven by logic. Her and Kirari's wildly different personalities seem to be what attracts them to each other. Sayaka actually despises gambling, but was still fascinated by Kirari.
Sayaka's determination.
While she seems to be reserved and calm, her subduing of a violent student named Jun Kiwatari and telling him what he now owes in the debt recollection game shows that she's every bit as terrifying as the rest of the Student Council. She's also jealous of Yumeko Jabami for capturing Kirari's interest and views her as a plague. Thus when something threatens Kirari or the school she gets very enraged quickly.
After the conclusion of the student council election, Sayaka was shown to be emotionally damaged as she had inadvertently assisted the housepets and destroyed the aquarium that she tried to protect for Kirari. As a result she became withdrawn and barely made contact with Kirari as she held herself responsible for the current status quo at Hyakkaou Private Academy.
Profile[]
Past[]
During middle school and at the beginning of her freshman year in high school, Sayaka was a shy, nerdy girl who spent all of her time studying. Despite having the best grades in the entire school, she didn't have any friends and was considered unpopular by other students.
Sayaka requesting to work for Kirari.
Two years before Yumeko Jabami's transfer, Sayaka witnessed a gambling match over a Student Council President position between the former Student Council President and Kirari Momobami, then a first-year transfer student. Sayaka was so impressed by Kirari's win, that she applied for a position to be a personal secretary of the Student Council. Sayaka managed to caught Kirari's attention, due to being her complete opposition, which she found fascinating. After hiring Sayaka, Kirari also decided to give her a little makeover, which significantly improved her confidence.
Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler[]
Sayaka greeting the council.
Sayaka is first seen after a gamble between Yumeko Jabami and Itsuki Sumeragi, where she was observing the whole match from the distance. She then goes to the Student Council office to announce the defeat of Itsuki. A day after Yuriko Nishinotouin's defeat, she came in and presented Mary Saotome’s lifeplan to Kirari. When Mary stormed in wanting to talk to Runa Yomozuki about her lifeplan, Sayaka remained silent, even when Mary started screaming and waving her lifeplan around.
Sayaka tasering Jun Kiwatari.
Soon after, Sayaka was explaining and managing the debt-swap game. She announced how the game was a way for housepets to climb back up. She then observed the game between Yumeko, Mary Saotome, Nanami Tsubomi & Jun Kiwatari, specifically because the president wanted to learn more about Yumeko. Sayaka was impressed by them playing. She was surprised when Yumeko wanted not to report Jun's cheating and simply to carry on. Sayaka accepted and continued to observe. She also reminded Jun multiple times, that violence is forbidden. When Jun wanted to attack Yumeko, Sayaka tasered him.
Sayaka worrying about Yumeko's victory.
Sayaka informed him that he was now a housepet and in debt to the council. She later visited the empty council room and layed down on Kirari's chair, worrying about the future of the academy and that Yumeko might be dangerous for Kirari's perfect garden.
Sayaka wanting to stop Kirari from becoming a housepet.
So Sayaka decided to gather some information on Yumeko, which she then presented to the council. Sayaka stated that Yumeko has a sister, who is currently hospitalized and Yumeko is paying the costs. From that she deduced that Yumeko must be extremely rich and purposefully stays a housepet. All of them then fear that she wants to challenge Kirari to an official match. Later that day, Kirari leaves with a helicopter. Sayaka is worried and tells her to stay, since Yumeko had just beaten Midari Ikishima in a gamble. But Kirari tells her that is the exact reason she must leave.
Sayaka's reaction after Kirari's reveal
Everyone is still worried, but Yumemi Yumemite announces that she will take care of Yumeko and defeat her live on stage. During Yumemi’s gamble Sayaka sat in the audience with the others. She was still worried about the school and what would happen, especially when Yumeko won and challenged Kaede Manyuda to play. When Kirari later revealed herself to be the president, Sayaka was extremely shocked. She went down on stage to do Kirari’s braids, but stayed silent.
Kirari comforting Sayaka
Sayaka was conflicted and distraught, not knowing what to think. After that game, Yumeko and Kirari played the Tarot card game. Sayaka tried to stop the president from doing it, but realized it would be pointless. Sayaka also watched and was afraid. When it ended in a tie, she was relieved and hugged Kirari, who said everything will be fine now.
Kakegurui XX[]
Sayaka uneased by the election
Sayaka didn't take a liking to the presidential election, especially with the Hundred Devouring Families being present too. She feared that Kirari Momobami would lose her position and have to leave the school. Sayaka tried to call out Kirari, but couldn't change her mind. During the gambles, she stood next to her, threatening others that get too close, like Horo Jomaru with a taser.
Sayaka challenging Yumeko
Sayaka is later seen telling Kirari, that Terano Totobami has already acquired 168 votes. She offers Kirari to eliminate every threat to her. But Kirari denies and enjoys the thrilling situation and wants to see more from Yumeko Jabami, which somewhat breaks Sayaka's heart and she feels jealous of Yumeko. So, she calls her out as a pestilence during the live broadcast and tells everyone how dangerous Yumeko is. Sayaka then challenges her to a game of life and death. Kirari is excited by this and suggests the Tower of Doors.
Sayaka laughing about Yumeko
If Sayaka loses, she will not only die but she will also be a stranger to Kirari. This would be the worst nightmare of Sayaka and means she bet everything. Sayaka is scared, but really determined to beat Yumeko. They have to solve the riddles in order to traverse through the tower. She is quickly able to figure out the meaning behind the hexidecimal numbers and the rotations. Sayaka also chooses one of the floorpanels, since they stayed the same. She descends them and advances a floor deeper. However, she realizes she could have gone further down and smashes her head into a wall, causing it to bleed. Sayaka is even at the first floor quicker than Yumeko. When Yumeko also appears, Sayaka has to hold back laughter. She can't believe that she overestimated Yumeko and thinks of her as ridiculous.
Sayaka shocked, that she was beaten
She is still determined and climbs the Tower in the perfect time. Her will is so strong, that she gets all the questions right. At the top, she first imagines Kirari congratulating her, but Yumeko is already there. Sayaka could not believe it, until Yumeko told her how the Tower really worked. This meant Sayaka lost and had to jump. She was absolutely crushed. Kirari hurried her to chose one of the doors. Sayaka barely cared anymore.
Sayaka fearing Kirari's death
Sayaka with Kirari after jumping out of the Tower
She chose one of the outer doors and subconsciously took the one, whose answer is 5, because the Tower had five floors. She stated her love for Kirari one last time and jumped. She already accepted her death, but Kirari jumped after her. Sayaka was terrified, thinking Kirari would now die too. But they landed on a safety mat. Kirari laughed and Sayaka was still shook. Kirari proceeds to tell her, that she is absolutely fascinated by her and how she acts only logical. Kirari then again asks her to become her secretary anew, since they are now strangers. Sayaka has now learnt, that she will never be able to truly understand her, but that is exactly where their feelings come from.
Sayaka mentioning that ones defeat can be enjoyable
When Terano later discusses with Kirari about Rei Batsubami's possible climb to the top of the clan, Sayaka mentions that being devoured in an interesting way can be enjoyable as well. This goes to show that she has learnt to stray more from logic and is able to think more like Kirari. When Terano later surpasses Kirari in terms of votes, Sayaka resorts to buying votes for 8 million Yen from students, in order to secure Kirari's seat. She sell 280 million to Jun, who came back to get rid of his housepet rank. She then talks to Kirari how she will compete with Terano in buying votes and she is happy to act as one of Kirari's fishes in her aquarium.
She then greets the players to the Rock Paper Scissors Poker game and announces the tournament and its goal to gather all the votes into one place, which will then go to the winner of the tournament.
Kakegurui (Kakkokari)[]
Sayaka in Kakkokari
In the spinoff manga, Sayaka is usually the "straight man," having to deal with the other character's weird antics. Like in the main series, she deeply cares about Kirari Momobami, as Sayaka is often at Kirari's side and supports her. She's often worried about her well-being, as she feels guilty when Midari Ikishima is trying to scare Kirari with a surprise toy box and makes her gamble on what her reaction will be. The two (Midari & Sayaka) are shown to be close friends, even though Sayaka is usually unamused by Midari's behavior. In a chapter, she unsuccessfully asks her to stop using the projector belonging to the Student Council to watch animal documentaries. In a different chapter, Sayaka tries to teach Midari how to be less vulgar, but ends up feeling embarrassed by her choice of words. Sayaka is also shown to be very jealous of Kirari - e.g., when she announces she will get married soon as a prank.
Drama[]
Sayaka in the drama
In the live action, Sayaka is played by Yurika Nakamura.
She was given more screentime in Season one compared to the manga or anime. Sometimes she is shown while she's working: for example, Runa Yomozuki and she carry a ladder before Yumeko Jabami meets Yuriko Nishinotouin and challenges her. When Itsuki Sumeragi is fired, she desperately asks Kaede Manyuda to reconsider; because he ignores her, she tries to beg Kirari Momobami instead but is immediately tased by Sayaka.
In the drama, Sayaka is shown to care about Midari Ikishima a lot: when she sees her playing Russian roulette in her cell, she shouts at her to stop and sheds a tear when Midari ignores her and presses the trigger anyway. Moreover, when Kaede lies to Midari and tells her that the President authorized her to play against Yumeko, letting her go, Sayaka is furious with him, fully aware of how dangerous Midari is to herself and others.
Episodes[]
Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler[]
- A Woman Named Yumeko Jabami (Cameo)
- A Boring Woman
- Slit-Eyed Woman
- The Women Who Became Livestock
- The Women Who Became Human
- Tempting Woman
- Refusing Women
- Love-Dancing Woman
- The Dreaming Woman
- Selective Woman
- The Woman Who Bets Her Life
- Gambling Woman
Kakegurui XX[]
- Gambling Girls Again
- The Women of Momobami Clan
- Communicating Girls
- The Girl who Changes (Flashback, Non-Speaking)
- The Winning Girl
- The Girl by her Side
- The Logical Girl
- The Null Girl
Kakegurui Twin[]
Chapters[]
Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler[]
Relationships[]
Yumeko Jabami[]
Sayaka feels contempt for Yumeko for the mere fact that she takes away the President's attention from Sayaka, which makes her very angry.
After the Tower of Gates game, Sayaka feels indifferent towards Yumeko.
Kirari Momobami[]
Sayaka has always felt appreciation and closeness to Kirari, and in the face of never being able to talk to her, she challenged Yumeko Jabami to let Kirari see how important she is to her.
After the game of The Tower of Doors, Kirari and Sayaka have their relationship fleshed out.
List of Gambles[]
| Opponents | Gambles |
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Etymology[]
- The name Sayaka means "clear, pure, clean" (清) (saya) and "flower, petal" (華) (ka).
- It is also written in the same Kanji characters with Tsinghua University (清華,清华), an important university in Mainland China.
- Sayaka's surname Igarashi means "fifty" (五十) (ig) and "storm, tempest" (嵐) (arashi).
Trivia[]
- It could be possible that Sayaka is ambidextrous:
- In Kakegurui (Season One), she is seen using a taser gun in her left hand.
- In Episode 4 of Kakegurui XX (Season Two), she is seen using a taser gun in her right hand as she attempts to electrocute Horo Jomaru when he starts flirting with Kirari Momobami.
- The game Sayaka played against Yumeko Jabami, the Tower of Doors, plays out during the election in the anime.
- In the manga, that game was played in place of the Tarot cards.
- Sayaka’s Undying Loyalty to Kirari was so strong that she willing to do anything to ensure that Kirari came out on top. This however, would lead to her inadvertently destroying the aquarium that she had been trying to protect for her.