Kojiro Sasaki

Kojiro was first introduced in the Duel Masters Versus season of the Duel Masters Anime.

Details
He is one of the Junior High School students and Katta Kirifuda's new rival.

He has three smaller brothers who follow him around and eat his rice dishes. Kojiro is not wealthy, but he survives by being a cook. His other jobs include dueling and boxing. As a boxer, he is said to have a "hungry spirit", and the same is for him as a duelist. Katta himself noticed that he duels differently when he is "hungry". While apparently calm, during a duel he starts behaving wildly, entering "beast mode". In episode 38, his hair turns white and claws which resembles a wolf appears when he enters enhanced "beast mode".



Lucifer's house's location looks down on Kojiro's house, and since Lucifer is extremely wealthy, Kojiro is hostile towards Lucifer, though the feeling is not mutual. He even have a wide knowledge of Duel Masters, as he was able to explain Gyou's multicolored combination to one of his brothers. He was one of the few duelists who knows the individuals that made an impact to the Duel Masters World, such as Katta and Shobu.

History
He learned how to duel at a young age and won many competitions and tournaments. During one of the tournaments when he was in 6th grade, he heard from one of the audience members about Katta Kirifuda being one of the strongest duelist in the world of Duel Masters, thinking that he might be an interesting opponent. He has a fierce rivalry towards Lucifer since young and he always loses to him repeatedly during their duels.

Duel Masters Versus
He made his first appearance in episode 4. He duels Katta and shows his Dragheart card Go To Hell, Annihilator Blade / Deathshiraz, Demonic Corrupt King abilities. He won against Katta and gave him a curry bread for giving a good match.

In episode 9, he duels Sasori. He accepted her duel challenge, despite looking calm, his legs are shaking, noticed by Katta. Even though Sasori managed to gain an upper hand by using her Nature Dragon combination and conducting Dragon Solution, he turned the tables by using his own creatures to reduce her dragons power and conducting Dragon Solution. He mercilessly defeated Sasori, but was impressed by her dueling skills, saying his wish to duel her again.

In episode 14, during the Lucifer World Cup semi-finals, his ruthless dueling skills was too much for Katta to handle and win the duel. He told Katta that he was not at the level he expected to be in. He also tells Lulu Takigawa if Katta does not become stronger, he won't be able to make it to the Duel Masters Nationals.He duels Lucifer in the finals and revealed his ability to draw cards by just punching to create a gust of wind, countering Lucifer's "transcendence pitch". But Lucifer has a counter for his method, causing him to lose the duel.



In episode 28, he tried to get the golden chopsticks for one of his smaller brothers in a ramen shop. On his way he knocked Hattori and his comrades (even Sasori and Kaeru) out of his way running to the shop only to then realize that Sasori got them first before him.

He tried to ask nervously for the chopsticks. However, Sasori was kidnapped by Hattori the dueling ninja and he rushed with Kaeru to save her. He dueled Hattori, both using their respective 3D Dragheart cards. Kojiro barely managed to win the duel,saved Sasori and he obtained the golden chopsticks from her.

He was one of the finalist in the Nationals. He watches Katta and Hokaben's live interview together with his 3 brothers by television while he was working. His first opponent in the Nationals is Sasori. Before his duel against Sasori, he gained some words of encouragement from his smaller brothers and met Hattori. However, Sasori's personality change and her ability to stir up the audience's support causes him to be pushed to the corner.Fortunately his brothers cheered for him along the way and he knew who he was fighting for.Using his renewed confidence, he defeated her and recognized her true feelings towards him. Sasori gave him a hug and he froze due to his fear of girls.

Kojiro and his brothers watched the tournament round of Hokaben and Gyou. He paid attention to Hokaben's dueling skills and was impressed by how much he had improved. He was surprised by Gyou's metamorphosis and his devilish dueling style and explained to one of his brothers on what was going on in the match. He witnessed Hokaben's endurance and his fighting spirit. During the semi-final duel against Lucifer, he uses his punching technique, which also hits Lucifer and rips off his top,pleasing the audience. When he heard that Gyou poisoned Lucifer before their match, he was shocked by this revelation, but continued the match as Lucifer asked him to give it all he got. He defeated Lucifer by lowering Lucifer's creatures power. After the duel ends, Kojiro held Lucifer by his arms. In episode 42, he watched Katta dueling Gyou, making a slight smirk after Katta gains a comeback. He got surprised to see that Katta's brother, Shobu Kirifuda was watching the match, apparently recognizing him as one of the legenday duelists.

Before the official final match, he received a letter, in which the details shocks him.Both him and Katta have to overcome challenges before heading to the duel location; the submit of Mount Fuji. During their race, both exchanged words on reasons to be in the National Tournament. Kojiro mentions that he participates for the sake of his younger brothers and himself for a better life as their families have disappeared. Both reached to the submit and Lulu ran along to the location, bringing Hokaben, Bucyake and unknown to her, Kojiro's three brothers in tow for extra support. Both engaged in the fierce final duel, with everything on the line and at stake. Kojiro lost the match as his blockers were removed by Katta's combination of MaltNEXT, Ultra-War Dragon Edge and Gaiheart, Galaxy Sword. His received his prize, which was a cash prize and was enough to pay for the debt. Some days after the duel, he watches Katta's duel against Lucifer. He even cheered for Katta to change Lucifer's fate and future.

Duel Masters Versus Revolution
He was offered a job in Duel Masters Land after he paid the debt and his standings at the national tournament. However, he felt a bit suspicious about the offer he was given during the time in his surveillance work and about the white castle of the park. When Katta, Lulu and Hokaben sneaks into the park to find Bucyake, he dueled Katta to stop them but lost. He let them off and provided information about the park and about the white castle. It was later revealed that the phone call he was given was related to the Duel Masters Star Cup. He received a Duel Phone as one of the key items of the tournament and told Katta about it before the opening of the event. He then received a duel request from Duema Mouse and have a duel at Katta's school. At first, he almost have a deck out due to his Tenzan, Sinister Demon Dragon ability and his graveyard tactics, but won in the end by summoning Killer the Kill, Revolution Demon King from the graveyard, receiving points based by the event rules.

Duel Masters Versus
His first deck was a mono Darkness deck focused on Funky Knightmares and Demon Command Dragons with additions from DMX-16's '''Kojiro's Power! Destro Doom Pack'''.

His new deck for the tournament was a modified version of DMD-19 Super Victory Deck: Annihilation Dragon Sword Diabolos.

After the tournament, he began adding cards from DMR-14 Wild Dragon Gaiglen, DMR-15 Double Swords Ohginga and DMX-18's Kojiro's creature removal hell pack in the Duel Masters National Tournament.

For his duel against Lucifer and Katta in the semifinals and finals, he once more changed his deck, adding new cards from DMR-16極 Super Battle Guynext x Goku.

Duel Masters Versus Revolution
At the start of Duel Masters Versus Revolution, he used cards from DMD-22 Due-ma Start Deck: Destroyer Darkness Civilization.

He later uses a deck based on the Revolutionary race.

Trivia

 * His voice actor was also the voice actor of Yuuki, a rival of Boy George.
 * Besides being the new Darkness duelist, his appearance is reminiscent of Kyoshiro Kokujo, an iconic duelist of the older series.
 * In episode 9 it is revealed that he is extremely shy around girls and is even scared by them.
 * Episode 12 hints that while Lucifer might have French origins, Kojiro could be of Mediterranean descent.
 * Besides Kyoshiro Kokujo, Kojiro might also be inspired by Kojiro Hyuga from the Captain Tsubasa series. His actor has also voiced Kojiro Hyuga.