TV-Series
Description
Genzo Gohda is the owner of a ramen stand called Gen-chan and also works as a killer mediator, connecting freelance assassins with clients. In addition to these roles, he serves as the coach for the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens baseball team.
In his younger years, Genzo was a famous killer known by the initials G.G. and was regarded as the best hitman in Fukuoka. Approximately thirteen years before the main events of the story, he was badly injured, which led him to retire from active killing and open his ramen stand. Despite his age, he retains some of the strength and speed from his youth, although he suffers from back pain and has had to stop participating in the local Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. Physically, he is described as an older, balding man with a lined, wrinkled face and sparse white hair, and he has had an old man's appearance even since childhood.
Personality-wise, Genzo is portrayed as a mentor figure who is both teasing and supportive. He is well-regarded within his professional network and receives a variety of requests which he then distributes to the numerous freelance killers he knows. He shows a forgiving and encouraging side, particularly toward younger characters. For example, when a job goes wrong and a killer named Lin fails to protect a target, Genzo forgives him and offers him ramen. He also finds Lin amusing and cute, treating him somewhat like a grandchild.
Genzo's primary motivation appears to be managing his dual roles as a shopkeeper and a mediator while fostering the next generation of killers. He acts as a confidant and mentor to Zenji Banba, having known him since Banba was a teenager who visited his shop. Genzo overheard Banba's past circumstances in a conversation and has since acted as his professional mediator, providing him with jobs and looking out for him. Similarly, trusting Banba's judgment, Genzo quickly welcomes Lin to the baseball team and his circle. He sees potential in Lin and teaches him tactics that are applicable to both baseball and real-life killing, entrusting him with difficult jobs to spur his growth and encourage trust in his friends.
Regarding his role in the story, Genzo serves as a key connector and information hub. He is aware of the various underworld dealings in Fukuoka, such as the Kakyuu Association hiring a killer, and uses his network to spread information quickly. When a killer he mediates for makes a mistake and then tries to blackmail him, Genzo cuts the killer off and spreads the word through his network of mediators, effectively leaving the troublemaker without work. He also participates directly in the baseball games of the Tonkotsu Ramens, proving himself a capable player; in one instance, he steps into the batter's box as a pinch hitter and hits a game-winning home run with the bases loaded. His notable abilities include his past expertise as a legendary hitter, his ongoing physical capabilities that belie his aged appearance, and his extensive network and influence as a mediator in the Fukuoka underworld.
In his younger years, Genzo was a famous killer known by the initials G.G. and was regarded as the best hitman in Fukuoka. Approximately thirteen years before the main events of the story, he was badly injured, which led him to retire from active killing and open his ramen stand. Despite his age, he retains some of the strength and speed from his youth, although he suffers from back pain and has had to stop participating in the local Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. Physically, he is described as an older, balding man with a lined, wrinkled face and sparse white hair, and he has had an old man's appearance even since childhood.
Personality-wise, Genzo is portrayed as a mentor figure who is both teasing and supportive. He is well-regarded within his professional network and receives a variety of requests which he then distributes to the numerous freelance killers he knows. He shows a forgiving and encouraging side, particularly toward younger characters. For example, when a job goes wrong and a killer named Lin fails to protect a target, Genzo forgives him and offers him ramen. He also finds Lin amusing and cute, treating him somewhat like a grandchild.
Genzo's primary motivation appears to be managing his dual roles as a shopkeeper and a mediator while fostering the next generation of killers. He acts as a confidant and mentor to Zenji Banba, having known him since Banba was a teenager who visited his shop. Genzo overheard Banba's past circumstances in a conversation and has since acted as his professional mediator, providing him with jobs and looking out for him. Similarly, trusting Banba's judgment, Genzo quickly welcomes Lin to the baseball team and his circle. He sees potential in Lin and teaches him tactics that are applicable to both baseball and real-life killing, entrusting him with difficult jobs to spur his growth and encourage trust in his friends.
Regarding his role in the story, Genzo serves as a key connector and information hub. He is aware of the various underworld dealings in Fukuoka, such as the Kakyuu Association hiring a killer, and uses his network to spread information quickly. When a killer he mediates for makes a mistake and then tries to blackmail him, Genzo cuts the killer off and spreads the word through his network of mediators, effectively leaving the troublemaker without work. He also participates directly in the baseball games of the Tonkotsu Ramens, proving himself a capable player; in one instance, he steps into the batter's box as a pinch hitter and hits a game-winning home run with the bases loaded. His notable abilities include his past expertise as a legendary hitter, his ongoing physical capabilities that belie his aged appearance, and his extensive network and influence as a mediator in the Fukuoka underworld.