Soshiro Hoshina is the vice-captain of the Third Division of the Defense Force and a member of the Hoshina Family, a renowned clan of swordsmen from the Muromachi period. He is also Soichiro Hoshina’s younger brother. Soshiro is one of the main protagonists of “Kaiju No. 8: B-Side,” a spin-off series of “Kaiju No. 8.”

Soshiro is an athletic young man of average height with a small yet muscular build and dark violet short hair in a bob cut style. His red eyes (purple in the anime) are closed most of the time, and he usually has a jovial expression. However, in serious situations, his expression becomes imposing, and he opens his eyes.

When on duty, Soshiro wears the standard Defense Force uniform and combat suit. While wearing Numbers Weapon 10, he dons a combat suit with light-purple scale-like armor with green outlines, a long mechanical tail, and Kaiju No. 10’s signature eye on the chest plate. As a child, Soshiro looked almost identical to his current appearance and often wore a traditional training outfit.

Soshiro is laid-back and always has a smile on his face; it is rare to see him upset. He enjoys making fun of others, especially Kafka Hibino, whom he considers comic relief. However, he has serious moments when he speaks firmly and opens his eyes to emphasize his words. Soshiro also likes to tease Captain Gen Narumi from the First Division. Despite his relaxed and friendly demeanor, Soshiro is intelligent and intuitive. He correctly suspected Kafka’s identity as Kaiju No. 8 and accepted him into the Third Division to keep an eye on him.

Soshiro has a deep sense of loyalty to the Defense Force and is grateful to his captain, Mina Ashiro, for letting him join her division. His loyalty is so strong that he sees it as his only reason to live. He expressed his gratitude to Kafka two months after discovering his identity, thanking him for saving his life and his subordinates’ lives without holding a grudge.

Soshiro is also connected to his family’s swordsmanship tradition. His father’s skepticism of his abilities and his feelings of inferiority towards his older brother Soichiro drove Soshiro to hone his swordplay and identify himself through the art of the blade. He often trains alone late at night, replaying fights in his mind, demonstrating his determination to be strong enough to defeat all kaiju. During his fight with Kaiju No. 12, Soshiro realized that he always enjoyed swinging the sword, and he accepted his simplemindedness as his main resolve for fighting and improving himself.

Soshiro is aware that the era of swords is over and that many Defense Force members look down on his fighting style. Despite this, he feels it is his duty to wield his sword because he has spent most of his life training and improving his swordsmanship, and it is the only way he knows to fight kaiju. In battle, Soshiro is perceptive enough to notice his opponent’s mental state and the mood of the skirmish, allowing him to adapt quickly.

**Power & Abilities**

**Overall Abilities:** Soshiro is the vice-captain of the Third Division and a powerful combatant, capable of fighting on par with Kaiju No. 10. While his skill set disadvantages him against large-sized kaiju, his proficiency in defeating small to mid-sized kaiju surpasses that of Gen Narumi, “Japan’s Strongest Anti-Kaiju Combatant.” His older brother and captain of the Sixth Division, Soichiro Hoshina, states that Soshiro stands above everyone in the Hoshina Family, past or present.

Ever since wearing Numbers Weapon 10, Soshiro’s physical attributes have been dampened due to the weapon having a mind of its own. However, when synchronized with the weapon, Soshiro can easily overpower minor kaiju and potentially use his Numbers Weapon to its fullest.

Against Kaiju No. 12, the improved and final version of Kaiju No. 10, Soshiro is initially overwhelmed by the monster’s superior speed, strength, and fighting ability. But after revealing his secret weapon, Soshiro gains the upper hand for a short period before the monster adapts to his fighting style. Eventually, he defeats No. 12 with a new technique he develops during their battle.

**Powers**

– **High Unleashed Combat Power:** Soshiro can use a high amount of his combat suit’s power. His maximum unleashed combat power in a normal suit is 92%, but overusing the suit’s power can cause him to overheat. While wearing Numbers Weapon 10, he can use 100% of his suit’s power.
– **Enhanced Strength:** Soshiro can slice through Kaiju No. 8’s tough skin with ease. He can also cut through Kaiju No. 10’s skin despite being heavily damaged. During training with Kafka, Soshiro overwhelms him with a few punches, sending him back a great distance while holding a reinforced training bag.
– **Immense Speed and Reflexes:** Soshiro is extremely fast and has extraordinary reflexes. He can kill a kaiju without noticeable movement. Kafka, in his kaiju form, is shocked by Soshiro’s speed, comparing it to Kikoru’s. Soshiro’s speed impresses Kaiju No. 10 and allows him to dodge fast attacks from Kaiju No. 10 and Kaiju No. 12 at point-blank range.
– **Enhanced Durability:** Soshiro emerges unscathed after Kaiju No. 10 sends him flying through a building.
– **Enhanced Endurance:** Despite being heavily injured after taking a powerful punch from Kaiju No. 10, Soshiro continues fighting even after his suit overheats. He pushes beyond his suit’s limit, using 63% of its power despite being heavily fatigued.

**Abilities**

– **Master Swordsman:** Soshiro is an extremely skilled swordsman from the Hoshina Family, a family of kaiju slayers dating back to the Muromachi period. Using his custom-made twin swords or katana, Soshiro quickly cuts down opponents with extreme speed and precision. His father notes that even at a young age, Soshiro would have been considered a prodigy in the Edo period. Soshiro showcases his mastery by creating a new form during his fight against Kaiju No. 12.
– **Martial Arts Mastery:** Soshiro is a highly skilled unarmed fighter, capable of using Isao Shinomiya’s fighting style with great proficiency. He easily overpowers Kafka Hibino during training and evolves Isao’s fighting techniques.
– **Leadership Skills:** Soshiro demonstrates excellent leadership skills, guiding a platoon and multiple officers on the battlefield during major battles.
– **Keen Intellect:** Soshiro is intelligent and strategic. He explains in detail the catastrophes caused by Kaiju No. 9 and deduces its location. He also plans for the future, asking Konomi Okonogi to develop a new secret weapon in case Kaiju No. 9 observed his battle with Kaiju No. 10.

**Fighting Style**

Soshiro’s unleashed combat power with firearms is low, so he prefers close-ranged sword fighting. Unlike other Defense Force officers, Soshiro uses his family’s unique fighting style, Hoshina Style. His mastery in swordsmanship allows him to kill a kaiju without Kafka noticing any movement. After many battles, Soshiro creates a new form mid-fight against Kaiju No. 12, showing his improvement in the dual-style sword-slay technique.

Soshiro specializes in the sword-slay technique, used with a dual-blade form. His skills and power allow him to fight toe-to-toe with identified class kaiju like No. 8, No. 10, and No. 12. He also uses the quick-slash technique and the single-blade form with remarkable ability, despite the latter being Soichiro’s specialty.