You’ve probably seen her. The small, blue-skinned girl lugging around a weapon three times her size, snacking on a hidden stash of food while chaos erupts in New Eridu. At first glance, Soukaku looks like a mascot character—the kind of unit you pull, go "aww," and then bench for a flashier S-Rank. That is a massive mistake. Honestly, if you’re sleeping on Soukaku, you’re basically playing Zenless Zone Zero on hard mode. She isn’t just a support; she is the backbone of the current Ice meta, and frankly, she puts some higher-rarity units to shame.
She's an A-Rank. Let that sink in. In a game where everyone is chasing the next shiny banner, this Section 6 member is outperforming expectations because of how her kit interacts with the core mechanics of the game. Most players look at her and see a buffer. I look at her and see a mandatory slot for anyone trying to clear Shiyu Defense with an S-Rating.
The Real Power of Soukaku in Zenless Zone Zero
So, what makes her so special? It’s the "Fly the Flag" mechanic. It sounds simple on paper, but the way it translates to actual combat is ridiculous. When Soukaku uses her Chain Attack or an Enhanced Special Attack, she can plant a flag. If you trigger a Quick Swap right after, she passes a massive Attack bonus to the next character coming onto the field. This isn't just a tiny nudge to your stats. We are talking about a flat Attack increase that can reach up to 1,000 points depending on her own stats and investment.
Think about that. 1,000 Attack.
For a DPS like Ellen Joe, that is a transformative amount of power. It’s the difference between a boss living through a stun window with 10% health and watching that health bar evaporate instantly. But it’s not just about the raw numbers. It’s about the Ice damage. Soukaku provides a 20% Ice DMG buff to the team when her Core Passive is active. If you’re running a mono-Ice or Ice-heavy comp, she is non-negotiable.
People often ask if she’s replaceable. Sure, maybe in a year when the roster is huge. But right now? No way. Her synergy with Lycaon and Ellen creates a "Freeze-Shatter" loop that is arguably the most consistent strategy in the game. You stun them with the wolf, buff with the oni, and execute with the shark. It’s a rhythmic, brutal cycle that makes the hardest content in the game feel like a tutorial.
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Why Her Playstyle Trips People Up
I’ll be the first to admit that she feels a bit clunky at first. Her animations are heavy. She doesn't zip around like Anby or Nekomata. You have to commit to her swings. This is where most people drop her—they try to play her like a fast-paced attacker and get frustrated when she gets interrupted mid-swing.
Don't do that.
You play Soukaku for the "Vortex" stacks. You want to build up three stacks, which you get by using her EX Special or just through her basic string if you have the patience. Once you have those stacks, your next "Fly the Flag" is empowered. That’s the "Fly the Flag: Undercurrent" state. This is where the magic happens. She starts spinning, dealing massive AoE Ice damage, and shredding the enemy's posture.
The trick is knowing when to hold the button. If you just tap her special, she does a quick strike. If you hold it, she plants the flag. It took me a solid week of playing her to stop reflexively tapping and start actually utilizing the buff transfer. You have to be deliberate. She demands you pay attention to the flow of the fight rather than just mashing buttons.
Building Soukaku Without Breaking the Bank
Look, we all want the best W-Engines and perfect Drive Discs, but let’s be real. Not everyone is spending thousands of Polychromes. The beauty of Soukaku is that she is incredibly low-maintenance.
Since her buff scales off her own Attack, your goal is simple: stack Attack.
For her W-Engine, "Bashful Demon" is her signature for a reason. It boosts her Ice damage and, more importantly, gives an Attack buff to the whole team when she hits an EX Special. It’s perfect. If you don't have that, even the B-Rank "Reverb" engines can work in a pinch because they provide energy regeneration. You want her to have her EX Special ready as often as possible. If she isn't planting flags, she isn't doing her job.
Drive Disc Optimization
When it comes to Drive Discs, don't overcomplicate it.
- Swing Jazz (4-piece set): This is the gold standard for supports. It gives her more Energy Regen and increases the team's damage by 15% when she launches a Chain Attack or Ultimate. Since you’ll be swapping her in for Chain Attacks constantly, the uptime on this buff is almost 100%.
- Hormone Punk (2-piece set): Just for that extra 10% Attack. Remember, more Attack for her means a bigger buff for your DPS.
In the 4, 5, and 6 slots, you’re looking for Attack%, Ice DMG, and Energy Regen. Honestly, if you get a gold Energy Regen disc in slot 6, lock it immediately. That is the single most important piece of gear for her. A Soukaku who can’t get her energy back is just a blue girl standing around getting hit.
The "Hidden" Tech: Using Her Ultimate
Most guides tell you to save your Ultimate for your main DPS. Usually, that’s good advice. In Zenless Zone Zero, the Ultimate pool is shared, so you only get one big move. Why would you ever use it on Soukaku instead of Ellen?
Well, sometimes you should.
Soukaku’s Ultimate is a massive AoE that triggers her flag buff automatically. If you find yourself in a situation where your DPS is low on health or you need to clear a screen of smaller "mobs" to focus on a boss, her Ultimate is a fantastic panic button. It provides a huge amount of "Daze" and applies the Ice element rapidly. If the enemy is one hit away from being Frozen, Soukaku’s Ult will finish the job and set up a massive Shatter hit for your attacker.
It’s about utility. I’ve seen players win Shiyu Defense floors they had no business winning just because they used Soukaku’s Ult to Freeze a boss right before a deadly attack landed. It’s a defensive tool disguised as an offensive one.
Stop Making These Mistakes With Soukaku
Even though she’s "easy" to build, I see the same three mistakes constantly. If you want to actually master her, you need to fix these.
Mistake #1: Not transferring the buff. I see people plant the flag and then stay on Soukaku to keep attacking. No! The moment that flag is in the ground and she starts her "spinning" animation, you should see a prompt for a Quick Swap. Hit it. Send in your DPS. If you stay on Soukaku, you are wasting the Attack buff on a support character.
Mistake #2: Ignoring her Cinnabar (Cinema) levels.
Since she’s an A-Rank, you will eventually get duplicates. Her Mindscapes are insane. Specifically, her M4 and M6. M4 lowers the enemy’s Ice Resistance. That is a massive damage multiplier that you can't get anywhere else easily. M6 turns her into a semi-DPS by increasing the damage of her "Undercurrent" attacks. If you have a high-constellation Soukaku, she stops being just a buffer and starts becoming a legitimate sub-DPS.
Mistake #3: Bad Positioning.
Because her flag animation takes a second, players often get hit while trying to set it up. You need to use her during a Chain Attack window or right after a Dodge Counter. Don't just stand in front of a raging boss and try to plant a flag. You’ll get flattened.
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The Lore: Why We Love the Hungry Oni
It’s hard not to talk about Soukaku without mentioning her personality. She’s obsessed with food. In a world as dark and dangerous as the Hollows, there’s something genuinely charming about a character whose primary motivation is "when is lunch?"
As a member of Section 6—the same group led by Hoshimi Miyabi—she represents the more "grounded" side of the specialized task forces. She isn’t a brooding warrior or a cold professional. She’s a kid with a job to do, and she does it with a mix of laziness and terrifying competence. Her interactions in the game, especially when she’s complaining about her heavy backpack or looking for snacks, add a layer of levity that ZZZ needs.
But don't let the cute act fool you. The lore implies that the "blue oni" are a distinct and powerful lineage. Her strength is supernatural. The fact that she can swing a giant folding fan that doubles as a thermal weapon isn't just "anime logic"—it's part of her identity as a powerhouse in a small package.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Session
If you want to see what Soukaku can really do, try this specific rotation today. It’s the standard high-level Ice team loop, and it works every single time.
- Lead with your Stunner (Lycaon or Anby). Build that Daze meter until the boss is about to break.
- Switch to Soukaku. Use her EX Special to get your Vortex stacks ready.
- Trigger the Stun. This starts the Chain Attack sequence.
- Use Soukaku's Chain Attack SECOND TO LAST. 5. Plant the Flag. When her animation triggers, use the Quick Swap to bring in your main DPS (Ellen or Corin).
- Go to Town. Your DPS now has an extra 500-1000 Attack and increased Ice DMG. Watch the health bar melt.
If you don't have a 5-star Ice DPS, don't worry. Soukaku actually makes characters like Anton or Billy much more viable because she provides a flat stat floor that compensates for their lower base numbers. She is the ultimate "fixer" for a struggling team.
Next time you're looking at your character roster and wondering who to level up next, look at the blue girl with the snacks. She’s not just a support. She’s the secret sauce to the highest damage numbers in the game. Invest in her Attack, learn the timing of her flag, and stop mashing the swap button until you’ve actually passed the buff. Your clear times will thank you.
To get the most out of her right now, go check your Drive Discs. If you aren't running at least two pieces of a set that boosts Attack or Energy Regen, go farm them. Even purple-tier discs with the right main stats are better than gold discs with "Defense" or "HP" for her. Focus on her Core Skill upgrades first—that's where the bulk of her team-wide utility is hidden. Get her to Level 40, max her buff skill, and you’ll see exactly why she’s a permanent fixture in the top-tier meta.