Kokuho

A legendary kabuki master who leads the Tanba-ya house and embodies generations of tradition. He takes Kikuo as an apprentice, guiding the company through a shifting artistic landscape while navigating health issues and the burden of succession. Though his body weakens, his influence shapes the course of kabuki for years to come. His dedication to craft and lineage ultimately sets the stage for Kikuo’s rise as his potential successor.

A gifted onnagata with a fierce work ethic who is plucked from a yakuza background to become the Tanba-ya’s chosen successor. His devotion to the art fuels rapid ascent and intense public scrutiny, even as his outsider status sparks tension with established tradition. He forms a deep, complicated bond with Shunsuke and ultimately inherits the Hanjiro name, enduring immense personal and professional pressure. His journey is defined by reconciliation of his past with his desire to master the craft.

Hanjiro’s son, talented but more casual and sometimes hungover, who grows into a rival and then collaborator with Kikuo. He initially assumes the heir’s role would pass to him, creating friction with Kikuo and with Hanjiro’s plans. His ongoing presence—despite health issues—shapes the duo’s dynamic and the broader drama of succession. His return and fatherhood with Harue deepen the personal stakes surrounding the Hanai lineage.

Kikuo’s girlfriend (and later the mother of Shunsuke’s son), who grapples with the implications of Kikuo’s yakuza past on their relationship and his career. She hesitates to marry him at key moments, reflecting the social pressures of lineage and propriety in the kabuki world. Her presence anchors a personal dimension to the broader struggle between love, ambition, and tradition.

A veteran onnagata and Living National Treasure who serves as mentor and conscience for Kikuo and Shunsuke. He warns that beauty can be the path to downfall, yet his guidance offers a lifeline back into the world of kabuki when both are in need. His years of experience provide a bridge between past glory and ongoing reinvention of the art.

A geisha who admires Kikuo and longs for a romance with him, representing the personal desires that intersect with the rigid world of kabuki. She later becomes Ayase’s mother, shaping the intergenerational thread that informs the final act of the story. Her presence highlights the human emotional stakes behind the theatre’s public face.

Daughter of Fujikoma and Kikuo, raised in the orbit of the kabuki world. She grows into a witness who interviews Kikuo in the present, revealing the complexities of fatherhood and artistic devotion. Her perspective ties the decades of kabuki history to a newer generation and underscores the theme of legacy.

Hanjiro’s wife, wary of Kikuo’s outsider status and the threat he poses to the traditional bloodline. She embodies the protective, sometimes resistant, stance of the kabuki household toward change. Her skepticism and guard over family honor add tension to the succession narrative.