Ranzō Saotome (早乙女 嵐蔵 Saotome Ranzō) is a character that appears in the Macross Frontier television series. He is the 18th sōke of the Saotome family, the widower (a man who has lost his spouse by death and has not remarried) husband of Miyo Saotome and the estranged father of Alto Saotome who has an adopted older son named Yasaburō Saotome.
Personality & Character
As one of the most respected actors in his field, Ranzō demands perfection that he would often emotionally abuse his son Alto Saotome while training him in the art of Kabuki.
After Alto left home to become a pilot, Ranzō disowned him and made Yasaburō Saotome his heir.
History
Ranzō has trained his son Alto Saotome harshly in the art of kabuki since youth, which has resulted in their current estranged relationship and he adopted Yasaburō Saotome as the heir to the Saotome family.
He is a celebrity in the Frontier fleet and becomes one of the judges in the Miss Macross Frontier contest. Towards the latter part of the series, Ranzō falls gravely ill and becomes wheelchair bound.
Relationships
Miyo Saotome
- Miyo is Ranzō's late wife.
Yasaburō Saotome
- Yasaburō is Ranzō's adopted son and heir apparent to his craft.
Alto Saotome
- Alto is Ranzō's estranged son who disowns him after he refused to be a Kabuki actor and chose to be a pilot, which has resulted in their current estranged relationship. Whenever he encounters Alto, Ranzō refuses to acknowledge his presence as seen in Episode 4.
- However, after a close brush with death, Ranzō is willing to make amends with Alto and officially name him successor to the Saotome family.
Etymology
- The name Ranzō means "storm, tempest" (嵐) (ran) and "warehouse, cellar, magazine" (蔵) (zō).
- Ranzō's surname Saotome means "already, now, fast, early" (早) (sa) and "virgin, maiden, girl" (乙女) (otome).
- Saotome is also an important name in Kabuki.
Notes & Trivia
- Ranzō claims to be friends with Isamu Alva Dyson.
Miscellaneous
- Ranzō bares many similarities with Vinsmoke Judge from Eiichiro Oda's One Piece anime and manga series:
- Both lost their wives when their sons were young.
- Miyo Saotome passed away from a weak constitution when Alto Saotome was 12 years old.
- Vinsmoke Sora took a drug during her pregnancy with quadruplets and her health began to weaken right after giving birth before she soon died from the drug's side effects during Sanji's childhood.
- Both are strict and abusive fathers towards their sons during childhood.
- Ranzō emotionally abused Alto while forcefully making him do Kabuki.
- Judge cruelly trains Sanji to become a cold-blooded soldier after learning that Sanji showed kindness and compassion instead of being emotionless.
- Both disowned their sons after they decided to choose their own paths.
- Ranzō disowns Alto after he made the decision to no longer participate in Kabuki and become a pilot.
- Judge banishes Sanji after he announced his intentions to leave the Germa Kingdom to become chef.
- Both lost their wives when their sons were young.
Gallery
External Links
Macross Frontier characters
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S.M.S. | Ozma Lee | Alto Saotome | Luca Angelloni | Michael Blanc | Canaria Berstein | Klan Klang | Nene Rora | Raramia Rerenia | Henry Gilliam | | |
New United Nations Spacy | Jessica Blanc | Major Ohgotwhai | Major Ohgotwhai's Advisor | Tehmzin | Machida | |
Macross Quarter | Jeffery Wilder | Catherine Glass | Bobby Margot | Monica Lang | Mina Roshan | Ram Hoa | |
Diva | Sheryl Nome | Ranka Lee | |
Macross Galaxy | Grace O'Connor | Brera Sterne | |
Frontier Presidency | Howard Glass | Leon Mishima | |
Others | Nanase Matsuura | Miranda Merin | Ranshe Mei | Mao Nome | Richard Birler | Elmo Kridanik | Ranzō Saotome | Yasaburō Saotome | George Yamamori | Ai-kun | Ōsanshōō-san |