The Family Game

Kōsuke Numata is a salaryman who is emotionally absent and relentlessly pushes his sons toward elite schools. He delegates responsibility to tutors and uses achievement as a measure of his own success, often at the expense of genuine family connection. His aloofness creates a vacuum that affects the whole household.

Chikako Numata is a stay-at-home mother exhausted by caretaking and isolated from other relationships. She lacks personal hobbies or social outlets and becomes emotionally drained by the constant pressure around her sons. Her vulnerability underscores the family's emotional fragility.

Shigeyuki is a junior high student under pressure to excel, bullied at school, and initially disinterested in academics. He becomes more driven under Yoshimoto’s unconventional tutoring, but his vulnerability and need for affection reveal the emotional costs of manipulation and dependency.

Shinichi is the elder brother performing well in school, embodying the standard the father expects. He serves as a foil to Shigeyuki's struggles, highlighting the pressure-filled path toward top schools and the competitive family environment.

A seventh-year university student hired as Shigeyuki’s tutor, Yoshimoto becomes a surrogate father figure whose affection and discipline create an intense, sometimes unsettling mentorship. His unconventional methods—close conversations, physical discipline, and secret emotional investment—reshape Shigeyuki’s motivation and self-image.

The Japanese teacher represents the official education system around which the family’s ambitions orbit. His interactions with Shigeyuki show the tension between standardized schooling and the personal coaching provided by private tutors.

The English teacher is part of Shigeyuki’s extended learning network, reflecting the global language demands placed on Japanese students and the college entry pressures that come with it.

A minor figure who represents the culture of knowledge and the pursuit of test preparation materials that accompany the family’s educational obsession.