Ume Matsuzaka is a 24-year-old unmarried teacher for the Rose Class at Futaba Kindergarten. She presents a stylish public image while privately living in an inexpensive, dusty apartment and sometimes sustaining herself on noodles and lettuce when funds are low before payday. She holds a strong dislike for her given name, Ume, due to one of its meanings implying "3rd class" or "low class," and she often insists others not use it. Although she frequently voices frustration with the kindergarten and contemplates moving to a better school, she has no real intention to leave. This was demonstrated when she harshly rejected a man who mocked Futaba Kindergarten while offering her a position elsewhere. Her relationship with Midori Ishizaka, the Sunflower Class teacher, is rivalrous yet underpinned by a deeper concern; she once assisted Midori in reconciling with her future husband, Junichi Ishizaka. A recurring comedic element involves her dates being frequently disrupted by Shinnosuke Nohara and his friends, until she meets Tokuro. She has displayed acrobatic skill, such as performing a flip to avoid tearing a new dress, which she attributes to past dancing lessons. She is an attractive woman with a fit body and beautiful facial features, which contributes to her easily attracting male interest. Her romantic history includes relationships with Kawaguchi prior to Tokuro, and later with Shingo Kakeda. She has two sisters named Matsu and Take. In other official media, such as a Nintendo DS video game, she appears in a villainous role as the boss of a Hansel & Gretel-themed stage. There, she employs attacks like dropping cakes, releasing spiky balls, summoning giant cookies, and kicking her legs during tantrums. The strategy to defeat her involves using game mechanics related to crayons or jumping on giant cookies to reach her.