[Gravitation | Characters]

Shindou Shuichi Yuki Eiri (Uesugi-san) Nakano Hisoshi (Hiro) Seguchi Tohma Seguchi Mika
Mister K Sakuma Ryuichi Usami Ayaka Fujisaki Seguru Ukai Noriko

 

Shindou Shuichi (Top)
Voice Actor: Seki Tomokazu
“And so my crazy dream continues. I wish I could wake up in the middle of it.”
Shuichi is an aspiring singer in Tokyo, though his actual age is unknown, Shuichi is probably a high school graduate looking for fame and fortune in the music industry. There is also no mention of Shuichi’s parents, so it’s possible that he was born somewhere else in Tokyo Prefecture, and he left there to look for fame in Tokyo city.
Shuichi went to school with Nakano Hiroshi (Hiro), and together with him formed the band Bad Luck. Later on, Fujisaki Suguru joined the band as the keyboard player.
Shuichi is somewhat a slacker, he cries a lot, nags all the time, has an obsession with Sakuma Ryuichi and basically drives everyone crazy. However, there is something about Shuichi, something that makes people love him regardless of his personality. In many of Shuichi’s pictures, it is hard to distinguish him as a male for his big eyes, shiny hair and round jaw reflect the finer points of the Japanese female. There are many different styles of animation that have been used to reflect Suichi’s mood over the course of the story. They are all very hilarious and prove that Gravitation was a high–budget project.
Meeting Yuki Eiri (Uesugi-san) in a local park had changed Shuichi’s life. He became consumed with the egotistical and undignified man that called him an absolute zero. To prove Yuki wrong, Shuichi wanted Yuki to come to Bad Luck’s first live performance. The love–hate relation between Yuki and Shuichi quickly turned into a romantic adventure and became the main focus of the story.

Yuki Eiri (Uesugi-san) (Top)
“I am fine being yours.”
Voice Actor: Inoue Kazuhiko
Yuki Eiri is one of Japan’s most successful novelists and very popular among women of all ages. At a young age, Yuki was taken to America by Seguchi Tohma to study English and writing. However, some horrible event changed Yuki, which resulted in his return to Japan. His novels, though full of violence, are essentially love stories.
Yuki has an older sister Mika who is married to Seguchi Tohma, and a younger brother Tatsuha. Yuki’s father is mentioned a few times, which one may perceive to be a result of a bad relationship. Yuki is engaged to Usami Ayaka, but their parents arranged their marriage. Yuki appears to be a cold-hearted man, but Shuichi’s presence reminds him of things he thought he would never have to face again.
Yuki Eiri’s real first name is Uesugi, but used the name Yuki when he became a novelist.

Nakano Hiroshi (Hiro) (Top)
“If he ever has a reason to cry, other than from his own naive stupidity, I will never forgive you!”
Voice Actor: Matsumoto Yasunori
Hiro is a school friend of Shuichi and along with Scuichi started the rock band Bad Luck. Not much is known about Hiro, however, it’s very likely that he started Bad Luck right after graduating high school. Though more masculine in appearance than Shuichi, Hiro has long hair, big eyes and a slender body.
Despite the fact that Hiro constantly argues with Shuichi, he only does this because he cares about him more than he will admit. Hiro is always there to give advice to Shuichi, and acts as a mediator in many circumstances.
Hiro fell in love with Ayaka–chan, but her connection with Eiri makes him skeptical.
Although it may sound unfair to his character, Hiro is mainly in the story to add to Shuichi’s plot line, rather than develop his own. In many cases, Hiro adds a wonderful side to the story and creates many hilarious situations.

Sakano-san (Top)
“I tried to understand your disposition better than anyone else.”
Voice Actor: Koyasu Takehito
Sakano–san is employed by Seguchi Tohma to manage the band, Bad Luck. Even when Sakano tries his best in the workplace, Shuichi’s temper and unpredictable nature have caused many troubles for Sakano. Since he is only called Sakano, I presume that it’s his last name, and that his first name is never used because of his position.
A lot of Japanese will recognize Sakano–san as the ideal Japanese worker. His qualities include his loyalty to his boss and firm, humbleness and enthusiasm, and his unselfishness towards others. Sakano is probably the least feminine character in the show, which is a refreshing difference, at least to me.
Sakano–san is eventually replaced as manager by K–san, but remains as Bad Luck’s producer and director. His goal is to keep Shuichi happy, while making sure that Bad Luck becomes the number one band in Japan.

Seguchi Tohma (Top)
“That is because, Yuki–san in the person I love most in this world.”
Voice Actor: Orikasa Ai
Seguchi Tohma was the keyboard player in the successful rock band Nittle Grasper. After their lead singer Ryuichi left for America, Seguchi Tohma started the production company NG. Tohma managed many successful bands and his popularity and influence is enormous. Tohma has known Yuki since he was a little boy, and took him to America because of his rough childhood. However, Tohma came back to Japan with Yuki after a terrible incident.
Years later, Tohma married Yuki’s older sister Mika.
Tohma is possibly the most androgynous character in the series, his appearance is that of a beautiful female and his voice is done by a female voice actor. Even so, Tohma is definitely one of the better characters in the show. His willingness to protect Yuki above all else makes him an important link in the romance between Yuki and Shuichi.
Tohma manages the band ASK personally and assigns his assistant Sakano–san as manager of Bad Luck. The rivalry between ASK and Bad Luck drove Tohma to somewhat extreme measures, but his motives aren't always clear.
Tohma eventually rejoined Noriko and Ryuichi and competed with Bad Luck by reuniting Nittle Grasper.

Seguchi Mika (Top)
“I can only watch over your unhealed wounds.”
Voice Actor: Tsuru Hiromi
Yuki’s older sister and wife of Seguchi Tohma, Mika is a sophisticated, attractive and successful woman. Mika tries hard to get Yuki reunited with his family and wants him to marry Ayaka–chan. However, sometimes Yuki’s stubbornness drives her crazy.
Mika is aware of Yuki’s troubled past and urges him to end his relationship with Shuichi for his own benefit. Mika’s role is only a small one, but an important one nonetheless. Mika may seem harsh and mean, but in fact she is tormented by the fact that her brother is suffering.

Mister K (Top)
“The saint never goes to a dangerous place.”
Voice Actor: Okiayu Ryoutarou
A tall, handsome man with long blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, Mr. K is another example of how Gravitation artists used both feminine and male beauty in one character. Mr. K is a mysterious character, nothing is known about him, but he was Ryuichi’s manager prior to Bad Luck’s appearance. It could be that Mr. K is not of Japanese descent, but an American who knows the Japanese language. Either way, Mr. K uses a lot of English language during the series and always appears to have an arsenal of guns and explosives nearby. Mr. K is an effective and successful manager, who will do anything to reach the top of the industry.
Mr. K eventually replaced Sakano–san as Bad Luck’s manager and violently supported their claim to being the best rock band in Japan. Mr. K proved himself with his capabilities in managing many difficult situations and manipulating others to achieve his goals.
Mr. K is by far my favorite character of the show, his happy–go–lucky attitude combined with his large guns, sniper skills and unfailing charisma made him a character you just can’t ignore.
Though controversial in his ways, Mr. K is very good friends with all the people he has worked with, and earned the adoration of Ryuichi and Tohma.

Sakuma Ryuichi (Top)
“I wonder if his stomach hurts.”
Voice Actor: Yamaguchi Kappei
Ryuichi is the brilliant vocalist of the band Nittle Grasper, which sold over twenty million units of their first album. After their success in Japan, Ryuichi left Nittle Grasper and went to America with Mr. K and pursued a solo career for three years. Ryuichi’s appearance is much like Shuichi’s, and viewers who are knowledgeable in Japanese culture and pop music, may see the similarity between Ryuichi and a certain popular J–Rock band member.
Although Ryuichi’s singing is brilliant, Ryuichi himself is nothing short of an airhead. His childish, selfish behavior and his gullibility make him one of the joker’s in the story. Ryuichi feels a strong connection with Shuichi and even asks for his autograph during a live performance at Hit Stage.
Ryuichi is Shuichi’s idol, but doesn’t seem to realize his status from his actions towards Shuichi. Ryuichi is one of the reasons why Bad Luck was formed, therefore, he plays a very important role.

Usami Ayaka (Top)
Voice Actor: Tanaka Rie
Ayaka–chan is the only daughter of a hotel owner, and is the fiancé of Yuki Eiri. Ayaka’s family and Yuki’s family are probably both from Kyoto, and their marriage was arranged when they were young.
Ayaka travels all the way to Tokyo to see Yuki, but is mugged in the park. Luckily, Shuichi and Hiro rescued her and took her to safety. Ayaka–chan is a worthy opponent to Shuichi for Yuki’s attention, but since Yuki doesn’t love her, she’s fighting a futile battle. She takes a liking to Hiro, who actually loves her a lot. Though it’s hard for her to let go, she eventually moves on.
Ayaka, like all the females in Gravitation, is equally good looking to the guys. Though her role isn’t prominent, she plays an important part in the story.

Fujisaki Seguru (Top)
“Grasper is already within our reach.”
Voice Actor: Takimoto Fujiko
After Bad Luck’s first live performance, Seguchi Tohma decides that they need a new band member. Fujisaki–kun is one Tohma’s cousins and a talented keyboard player. However, Shuichi has some difficulty in accepting Fuijisaki as the new member, but eventually the two became friends. Fuijisaki is often pessimistic and the most realistic of all the band members, who often argues with Shuichi and Mr. K. Fujisaki, like Tohma, is an overwhelmingly androgynous character. His voice is very feminine and his face has no real masculine features.
Fujisaki–kun may seem uninteresting at times, but he is an honest character who wants to live up to Tohma’s expectations and impress the audience with his keyboarding skills. Obviously, Fujisaki follows Tohma as role model, since the latter was the keyboard player in the immensely popular band Nittle Grasper.

Ukai Noriko (Top)
“Things always change”
Voice Actor: Ikezawa Haruna
Noriko–chan is keyboard player and third member of the band Nittle Grasper. She doesn’t appear untill much later in the story when Ryuichi reunites Nittle Grasper. Noriko is good friends with Ryuichi and Tohma, and seems to know Mr.K as well. She’s a good looking, smart and direct woman. Noriko doesn’t appear very often in the story, and usually only to add to Tohma or Ryuichi’s story.

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