Levine, known also as Rubin, is the father of Ink and proprietor of the Ink Shop—a junk store dealing in assorted technical gadgets and components. A kind-hearted inventor, he is currently building his own rocket ship. To fund a journey aboard an express train to Earth, he hires one of the local children, Kouji Harada, to work in his shop. Despite Kouji’s youth, Levine involves him fully in the tasks, treating their arrangement as mutually beneficial: Kouji earns money while learning about space and technology. Levine’s personal ambition is to one day own a spaceship and find the legendary Pet Star, said to be a treasure chest containing riches enough to buy an entire galaxy.