The mysterious figure in Sakamoto Days, Slur, or simply X, is far from your typical villain. He is the personification of rebellion, identity loss, and the quiet madness of a broken mind. From the shadows of assassins’ underworld in Sakamoto Days, Slur does not merely challenge the JAA, he is everything that it is afraid of – a calculating and unbalanced force, determined yet disconnected. But who is Slur, why is he called X, and what does he want in Sakamoto Days?
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The Man Behind the Mask: Kei Uzuki
Slur’s real name is Kei Uzuki (有月憬). A former star student out of the same elite assassination academy that produced legends such as Taro Sakamoto and Nagumo. He wasn’t some outsider crashing into the system, he was molded by it, trained to master it. And now he’s the one trying to burn it down.
His descent into darkness began with the death of Rion Akao, his best friend. That loss shattered something inside of him, creating multiple personalities, one of which we now refer to as Slur. From there on out, his perspective warped. It was no longer about survival, but total revolution: Destroy the JAA, break its rules, and reshape everything.
The Symbol of “X”
The “X” nickname isn’t just a trendy codename—it’s his signature. Slur leaves an “X” at the scene of his killings, occasionally in the victim’s blood. It’s raw, creepy, and unmistakably deliberate, a chilling message to the world of assassins that he’s coming to get them.
Culturally and contextually, X has never stood for anything other than the forbidden, the unknown, or the erased. In mathematics, it represents variables. On maps, it represents a spot. In the adult media, it represents censoring the taboo. It’s a symbol associated with danger, mystery, and rejection of norms.
For Uzuki, the X is perfect. It conceals his identity, masks his past, and enables him to move ghostlike through the very system that brought him into being.
Why Call Him “Slur” and Not Simply “X”?
Although the title consists of “X,” the original Japanese name is read as “Slur” (スラー). Sakamoto Days, both anime and manga, never suggest so; the metaphor is deep. A “slur” is a derogatory term, offending, shunned, and censored by society. That ties into the “X,” which also represents erasure.
But in music, a slur connects notes together in one smooth, unbroken phrase. And in speech, to slur is to blur sounds, making words indistinct and fuzzy. That’s Kei Uzuki in a nutshell. His identity is a blur. His reality is distorted. “Slur” is not a name; it’s a description of his world that’s falling apart, where nothing is defined and everything is disintegrating.
The Importance of Kei Uzuki’s Name
Even his last name is symbolic. “Uzuki” (有月) is a combination of kanji for “to possess” and “moon,” implying hidden power, like the moon’s influence on the tides. “Kei” (憬) is “to yearn” or “admire,” meaning a deep desire, perhaps for peace, forgiveness, or revenge.
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Together, Uzuki Kei forms a poetic image: a man of longing and quiet strength. The name speaks of an internal philosophical conflict, suggesting things like Buddhist enlightenment and awareness.
Characters like Gojo or Goku possess inner clarity or realization. But the name Uzuki Kei reflects a search beyond himself for a world that feels just right, even if he has to destroy the current one to build it.
A Rebellion Fueled by Grief
Slur’s not driven by anger, he’s driven by a belief that the JAA has devolved into a corrupt, dictatorial government. It dominates the art of assassination, tracks down freelancers, and punishes those who won’t play by its rules.
To the next generation at the JCC–Assassin Academy, Slur is not insane. He’s a revolutionary. He’s voicing the frustrations of those who feel trapped in a failed system, even if his tactics are extreme.
A Fragmented Mind: Dissociation as Identity
Of all the creepy things about Slur, the creepiest is probably his Dissociative Identity Disorder. Not only does he impersonate individuals, he becomes them. One of his personalities is Rion, his friend whom he unintentionally killed, and Takamura, a killer swordsman, whose sword he stole to kill with.
All his alters are pieces of Uzuki’s shattered mind. His DID isn’t a flaw in his personality, it’s an open window into how shattered he actually is. He’s not faking. He is all of them.
Erasure, Emptiness, and the Need to Disappear
By calling himself X and taking on the alias of “Slur,” Uzuki is not so much rejecting society; he’s rejecting himself. He doesn’t wish to be remembered.
He doesn’t wish to carry a legacy. He wants to be forgotten. Forget the JAA. Destroy the order. Bury even his name. He is not a man seeking power; he is a man driven by emptiness, trying to make sense of a broken world in desperation.
Sakamoto Days: Slur AKA X
Slur, aka X, isn’t just any Sakamoto Days villain. He’s a well-written symbol for trauma, insurrection, and the disintegration of identity. His different names, his actions, and his mind all contribute to a much bigger tale, one that questions freedom and control. Kei Uzuki does not wish to dominate anything. He wants to watch it all collapse. And what makes him so terrifying… is that part of you might just understand why.
