Sanjō Ozora

"I wanted to laugh and run like the others. I didn't want to sit and appear indifferent any longer...I wanted to do what I wanted!"

Sanjō Ozora ( 三條家 大空 Sanjō Ōzora ) is a major recurring character in the Doudaimuhi series. He is a third year at Gakushūin High and the heir to the Sanjō clan by birthright.

He is a close friend of Shiba Raiden and a member of the Tea Ceremony Club.

Appearance
Ozora is a lean, relatively tall young man with straight hair that reaches to his shoulders usually tied back neatly. He is usually seen wearing his school uniform in the majority of the series, but can be occasionally seen wearing semi-casual clothing. On rarer occasions, he can be seen wearing more traditional clothes, usually with a haori.

Personality
Ozora is, first and foremost, an individual who strives for independence. Burdened by the controlling personality of his sickly father, Sanjō Fumiō, he was unable to make friends or try new things as easily as the other children, which affected him deeply.

Around his preteens, Ozora's father was admitted to hospital care after an accident in their estate. As a result, Ozora was ceded to his uncle, Sanjō Gorō's care, albeit reluctantly, by his father. Gorō had always taken a liking to his nephew and felt guilt after seeing his brother raise him in such a strict manner, and gave the boy much more freedom, knowing well that Ozora was intelligent enough to handle responsibility anyway.

Ozora was eager to attain his newfound opportunity and gradually opened up to his repressed feelings, becoming more outspoken and bold, only furthering him in the favor of his uncle.

Nevertheless, Ozora remained as tactical and cautious as he was before, and chooses his friends wisely among the student body at Gakushūin. According to Raiden, although he seems careful, he is also genuinely interested in learning things about people.

His looks and demeanor have a tendency to attract female students, to which he politely dismisses at their proposals of affection.

Despite being generally quiet, observant, and benevolent, there are times when Ozora becomes tense. He dislikes talking about matters of his household with his peers, and his mentality seems to be split when acting before his companions versus acting before his elders. He seems to be more understanding and quiet around his peers, whereas he seems to act more tense and cold around the latter.

Plot
Ozora was born in Kyoto, Japan, to Sanjō Fumiō and his wife, Sanjō Komatsu. Fumiō, who was born sickly, was deemed unqualified as the position of heir--his greatest humiliation, as he saw it as his natural birthright. As a result of his illness, Fumiō could only find success in his work as an author of a military-based novel series, which gained critical acclaim throughout the country, thought it never seemed enough to the ambitions he had in mind.

Not much is known about Ozora's mother, Komatsu, aside from the fact that she was born from another noble clan and that her father was initially discouraged about the match, out of fear that her child would also turn out sickly.

Up to his preteens, Ozora was raised by his parents at the Sanjō main residence, where his mother spent the bulk of her time caring for his sick father. Ozora notes that most of his childhood felt 'dull and lonely', and that he spent day after day reading old histories and decoding archaic words as 'assignments' from his father, along with calligraphy, tea ceremony, and most of the traditional arts, all of which began to bore him.

Ozora mentions that he was always happy when his uncle Gorō would visit, and that he always disliked it whenever he had to leave again.

At his preteens, Ozora moved to Tokyo to his uncle's residence, so he could be looked after while both his parents remained in Kyoto.

He currently attends Gakushūin High as a third year student, and does generally well in his studies. Later, he tells Raiden that he has no intention of leaving Tokyo, and especially doesn't plan on returning to Kyoto. Ozora surprises him by saying that he does intend on becoming the next Sanjō head, promising that he would achieve great things once he 'reigns supreme' over the clan. It is implied that part of the reason he wants to say is actually because of his friends, though he never explicitly says it.

He was formerly a member of the Tea Ceremony Club, but quickly left it and joined the Kendō Club instead, which he claims 'suited him better'.

Trivia

 * Ozora's name literally means  'big sky'.
 * The Sanjō family is known for their prowess in politics and their major contributions to the National Olympic Committee. They also hold ties by marriage to a former branch of the Imperial Family.
 * His interests include reading, writing, and trying new food.
 * His favorite food is Cheese Fondue, and his least favorite food is anything with tuna.
 * He has a strong stomach.
 * He has always wanted a dog.