The Outsider

An ex-USMC Captain who becomes an enforcer for the Shiromatsu after saving a yakuza member. He navigates a brutal postwar Osaka by blending military ruthlessness with a growing sense of clan loyalty, ultimately aiming to protect Miyu while ascending to leadership of the Shiromatsu.

A trusted Shiromatsu yakuza who sees Nick as a valuable ally and gradually treats him as family. He helps Nick settle into clan life, provides him with resources, and entrusts him with dangerous tasks that deepen their bond—until his death in the ensuing conflict.

Kiyoshi’s younger sister, a partygoer who becomes romantically involved with Nick and reveals she is pregnant. Her safety becomes a personal stake for Nick, intensifying his commitment to the Shiromatsu and to protecting the life they’re building together.

An American businessman who despises the Japanese and seeks to negotiate with a rival clan instead of Shiromatsu. His stubborn stance triggers a broader conflict, and Nick’s forceful intervention forces a reconsideration of the deal.

A US Marine on leave who recognizes Nick and attempts to coerce him for information or favors. When Nick resists, Paulie lures him to a trap and kills him, marking a brutal turning point in Nick’s war with the rival clans.

The aging head of the Shiromatsu clan who struggles to keep his house intact amid fierce competition and a changing economy. His cautious approach to modernization threatens to fracture the clan unless Nick and Kiyoshi deliver decisive action.

Leader of a rival yakuza clan pressing for power and willing to absorb Shiromatsu by force. He embodies the more ruthless path of postwar crime, offering a fragile peace only through calculated moves and deadly threats.

A Seizu ally within the Shiromatsu fold who defects to the Seizu. His betrayal triggers the climactic conflicts, including the murder of the Shiromatsu patriarch and a vengeful duel with Nick.