Shirihiko Saruta

Shirihiko Saruta (猿田 尻彦, Saruta Shirihiko) is a first-year middle school student and a former member of the Telepathy Club.

Appearance
He has close-shaven black hair, thick eyebrows, and a cleft chin. He typically is seen wearing Salt Middle school's male uniform, the gakuran.

During the Telepathy Mini-Arc, he wears a reflective puffer jacket with a hood, gloves, ripped jeans, and sneakers.

Personality
He seems an easygoing individual who is a slacker, having joined the Telepathy Club in his first year. He admits that Mob is 'easily used by everyone'.

The club was not very special to him, and he had already started planning what clubs he would join after the Telepathy Club disbanded by the end of the school year. When put on the spot, he forgets the club's intended purpose. He expresses discomfort or uninterest when Tome talks about her goals of telepathic communication with aliens.

Spring of Youth Arc
He protests against Takenaka leaving the Telepathy Club and Tokugawa attempting to disband the Telepathy Club. He helps Tome in her search for a new member.

(LOL) Cult Arc
He is seen with the Telepathy Club members in the clubroom. It is unclear what he was doing.

Teruki Hanazawa Arc
He is seen with the Telepathy Club members at the back of the clubroom, playing video games with Inukawa and Tome.

Big Cleanup Arc
He is seen with the Telepathy Club members at the back of the clubroom, playing cards with Inukawa and Tome.

He is seen with the Telepathy Club members at the back of the clubroom, playing video games with Inukawa. He asks Tome if she's given up on finding telepaths.

Mob's Girlfriend Mini-Arc
He is seen with the Telepathy Club members, shocked that Mob had a girlfriend.

Separate Ways Arc
When he discovers it's Kijibayashi's birthday and it was Kumagawa's the week before, he suggests both clubs meet up at a family restaurant to celebrate. He attends both clubs' meetups at a family restaurant to celebrate Kijibayashi's and Kumagawa's birthdays. When Tome asks Mob about finding telepaths, he does not seem to know anything about that happening.

World Domination Arc
Upon hearing Mob's goal of being in the Top 10 in the upcoming annual marathon and asking for advice, he mentions an older brother he has that is on a track team and offers to ask him for advice. When Tenga gives Mob expensive shoes, he is surprised.

On the day of the annual marathon, he feigns sickness in an attempt to get out of running, alongside Kijibayashi and Inukawa. However, Tome forces them to go. He comes 158th in the marathon.


 * [OMAKE] He is seen sitting with the Telepathy Club in Spice City, listening to the news, when Inukawa runs towards them frantically, announcing he rolled an 'ultra rare one' in his mobile game 'Puzzle Dragon'. .\ He is impressed.

Divine Tree Arc
[ANIME ONLY] He is seen with Telepathy Club members observing the broccoli in the center of Spice City.

He is seen with the Telepathy Club members when Tome rebrands the club from the Telepathy Club to the Psycho Helmet Cult Salt Mid Branch. It is unclear what he was doing.

Telepathy Club Mini-Arc
Tome summons the Telepathy Club members together. He expresses disinterest in what Tome is upset with and admits to himself that the club is not important to him. When asked what he thinks about Tome's troubles, he and the other members panic. They all worry they made her angry and are present when she disbands the club.

He and the other former Telepathy Club members (except for Tome) arrive at Mob's house for help. When initially told that the Shiratori brothers was a dead-end lead, he expresses confusion at Inukawa giving up so easily. When the Shiratori brothers suggest they could attract another telepath, he thinks that could be their only hope. When the Shiratori brothers stop emitting noise the first time, he suggests it has a physical effect on the body

He seems uncomfortable when Takenaka tries to interrupt their experiment. When Takenaka confesses to being a telepath and speaks into his head, he seems unnerved. When Tome refuses to come with them, he suggests they call her more until she agrees. Despite being essentially rejected, Saruta brings a camera and plans to take photographs for her, even if she can't be there physically.

Tome blames him for Reigen getting lost in the rental car up Mud Boat Mountain for 'saying vague things' about the direction. Reigen crashes the rental car, and Saruta and Mob split from the group briefly. Upon rejoining the group, they get lost. He seems impressed by Reigen's knowledge of hiking. He seems upset when Tome becomes angry because of their lack of enthusiasm up until then for her goals. Saruta asks Tome if she has memorized any of the books, hoping they could perform the rites without it.

The former Telepathy Club members express their new passion for Tome's goals when Takenaka reads her heart and reveals her anxieties. They help perform the incantations. He participates in sending out telepathic signals. When the UFO comes down, he seems extremely shocked. He seems incredibly happy for Tome achieving her dream and enters the UFO.

He participates in playing video games with the aliens. As a gift, he gives the aliens some bubble gum. He watches the sunrise with Reigen, Mob, Tome, and Kijibayashi.

???% Arc
When asked for romantic advice, he does not appear to have anything. However, he wishes Mob luck.

He is seen watching ???% destroying the city along with other Telepathy Club members, including Takenaka.

Epilogue
He comes to Reigen's birthday party.

Etymology

 * The name Shirihiko means "ass, buttock/buttocks, bottom" (尻) (shiri) and "boy, prince" (彦) (hiko).
 * Shirihiko's surname Saruta means "monkey, ape" (猿) (saru) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta).