Hiroshi Tsuruhashi is a lawyer who appears in the Human Crossing episode titled The 25th Hour. He is at a transitional point in his professional life, attempting to practice law before accepting a position as an assistant professor. Prior to the events of the story, Tsuruhashi spent two years studying law in the United States, after which he returned to Japan with a strong sense of purpose. He is portrayed as being determined to find genuine use and meaning behind his profession rather than simply going through the motions of a legal career.

His role in the narrative becomes clear when he meets a seventeen-year-old young woman named Midori, who seeks his help to regain custody of her four-month-old child. Midori’s partner had been killed in a motorcycle accident, and following his death, his parents took the child to raise on their own. By accepting Midori’s case, Tsuruhashi is guided toward a better and deeper understanding of the law and its real-world impact on people’s lives. This case serves as a catalyst for his professional and personal development, helping him reconcile his academic knowledge from the United States with the human realities of legal practice in Japan. His motivations are rooted in a search for professional fulfillment and a desire to see the law serve a meaningful function. Key relationships include his professional interaction with Midori, his client, and the unstated but implied connection to his academic peers regarding his potential role as an assistant professor. Notable abilities include his legal expertise, which he honed during his two years of study in the United States, and his capacity for reflection, which allows him to question the purpose of his chosen field. Information regarding his background before studying law, his personal family life, other relationships, and any specific skills outside of his legal training is not available.