Otonoshin Koito serves as a Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army’s 7th Division. Born in Kagoshima as the second son of Commander Heiji Koito and Yuki Koito, his childhood was marked by the death of his older brother, Heinojou, during the Sino-Japanese War when Koito was eight—a loss that deeply affected his family. He attended Kaijou, a preparatory school for the Imperial Naval Academy. At age 14, he drew public notice by driving a De Dion-Bouton vehicle through town, resulting in an accident with Tokushirou Tsurumi. Koito then guided Tsurumi to Saigou Takamori’s grave, where they shared Tsukisappu anpan. During this encounter, Koito confessed his insecurities regarding his brother’s death and his family’s impending relocation to Hakodate. Tsurumi foretold they would meet again. At sixteen, while in Hakodate, Koito was abducted by Russian agents attempting to use him as leverage against his father. He resisted capture and tried to strangle one kidnapper, maintaining that his father would not submit. He was rescued by Tsurumi in a dramatic operation at Fort Goryokaku. This event, along with their shared memory of the anpan, cemented Koito’s fervent loyalty to Tsurumi, whom he regarded as a fated savior. Subsequently, Koito elected to join the Imperial Japanese Army Academy rather than the naval academy, a choice supported by his father. Together they visited Tsurumi at the 7th Division headquarters in Asahikawa, where Koito first crossed paths with Hyakunosuke Ogata, exchanging a tense glare on the stairs. Koito is a tall, dark-skinned man of Hayato descent. His dark, slightly wavy hair carries a purplish tint, parted and slicked left. He has large angular eyebrows, pronounced eyebags, and two distinct frown lines on his forehead. He wears the standard Meiji 38 khaki uniform with red lapels, the number 27 on his collar, and rank insignia. In cold weather, he dons a long, hooded, double-breasted khaki coat. A scar marks his left cheek, earned during a significant battle in Hakodate. Energetic and talented yet hotheaded, naïve, and immature, Koito’s sheltered upbringing in a wealthy naval family—having been kept from the Russo-Japanese War—often renders him inexperienced and prone to behavior seen as spoiled or pampered. He favors luxury and comfort, choosing inns over austere field conditions. His most prominent trait is his intense, near-heroic devotion to First Lieutenant Tsurumi, exemplified when he cut out all but his and Tsurumi’s faces from a division photo. He speaks bluntly and without filter, though can be polite in first meetings. When excited or nervous, he lapses into the Satsuma dialect, largely unintelligible to others. Due to his brother’s death, he suffers extreme seasickness, which he laments as an obstacle to becoming a naval officer like his father. A skilled combatant, Koito is trained in Jigen-ryu swordsmanship, which uses a distinctive “monkey’s shout” kiai. He has demonstrated this prowess by overpowering Saichi Sugimoto and confronting Toshizou Hijikata. He also exhibits acrobatic agility, such as running across paper and performing aerial flips. In military operations, Koito proves a capable fighter but shows deficiencies in tactical planning and leadership foresight. He has acted impulsively, underutilized available troops, and irritated superiors with his lack of tact, often prioritizing Tsurumi’s approval over strategic outcomes. His father expects him to become a great commander, but his development remains ongoing, requiring him to grow beyond inexperience and learn to communicate effectively without relying on interpreters like Sergeant Tsukishima. During missions, including the pursuit of Sugimoto’s group via airship and operations in Karafuto, Koito adopts a direct, headstrong approach. He questions orders but ultimately complies, as when he accepted Tsukishima’s decision to release a convict without consulting Tsurumi. His dynamic with Tsukishima has been likened to “a spoiled and tomboyish princess and a lady’s maid who acts as an educator.” His name incorporates the kanji for carp (鯉), rise (登), sound (音), and an ancient samurai title (之進). He enjoys Tsukisappu anpan but dislikes Sakurajima radish. He stands 173 cm tall and is fluent in the Satsuma dialect. He placed 5th in a popularity poll, and the author suggested that, in the present day, he might work in men’s apparel sales at Isetan.