Suneo Honekawa hails from a wealthy family, his father serving as president director of a company, which finances Suneo's access to expensive toys, gadgets, and experiences. His mother indulges him materially, often without considering appropriateness. He has a younger brother, Sunetsugu, living in New York with an uncle whom Suneo respects based on embellished stories. A grandmother teaches him traditional values through folk tales, and he has a similarly wealthy cousin named Sunekichi.
Physically short and thin, Suneo is the shortest boy in his class, a point of self-consciousness. He possesses distinctive black hair and large black eyes. His appearance has evolved across adaptations, with variations in clothing and facial features, though his core traits remain consistent.
Suneo exhibits pronounced narcissism, frequently admiring himself in mirrors and declaring his perceived handsomeness. He displays arrogance, pride, and cunning, leveraging his family's wealth to brag about possessions, celebrity connections, or exclusive experiences, intentionally provoking envy, especially in Nobita. Despite this, he demonstrates complex duality: possessing extensive scientific knowledge, excelling as a talented artist and designer, and showing strategic intelligence in successful revenge schemes against Gian using careful planning and gadgets. Underlying vulnerabilities include a humiliating bed-wetting habit forcing him to sleep in the bathroom and acute sensitivity about his height. In extreme distress, he typically cries for his mother. His behavior can display cruelty toward animals, like taunting monkeys or attempting to steal pets, and environmental carelessness, such as dumping garbage in the ocean.
His relationship with Nobita Nobi is antagonistic yet intermittently friendly. Suneo habitually excludes Nobita from group activities with flimsy excuses or insults, teams up with Gian to bully him, and betrays him to avoid punishment. However, he occasionally feels genuine guilt witnessing Nobita's suffering, shares comics or snacks as gratitude for help, and collaborates with him against Gian. Their dynamic fluctuates between rivalry and shared laughter. Interactions with Gian are imbalanced; Suneo acts as Gian's sidekick for social standing and participates in bullying, but secretly resents and fears Gian's aggression. He manipulates Gian through excessive flattery to avoid violence and lies to shift blame onto Nobita. Gian exploits Suneo by demanding food, homework, or gadgets. With Shizuka, Suneo maintains a respectful friendship, frequently inviting her to events or trips and valuing her admiration for his artistic skills. He only reluctantly includes Nobita in invitations under Shizuka's insistence. Their interactions can involve disagreements over ethical decisions during adventures. Suneo views Doraemon's gadgets with fascination and occasionally attempts to steal them for advantage. Initial jealousy over Nobita owning Doraemon has subsided, replaced by a pragmatic friendship where Doraemon counters Suneo's boasts by showcasing superior futuristic technology.
Suneo receives ¥5000 monthly pocket money, funding his acquisition of trendy toys and comics, which he refuses to share with Nobita. He serves as a member of the Giants baseball team, where his modest athletic abilities surpass Nobita's. His strategic thinking shines in tactical planning scenarios, outmaneuvering adversaries or executing complex gadget-based schemes.
Across television, films, and specials, Suneo's core traits of narcissism, cunning, and materialism persist. However, in high-stakes feature-length adventures, he displays heightened bravery, loyalty, and willingness to protect friends, contrasting his usual cowardice. His vulnerabilities, like bed-wetting and height insecurity, add recurring depth, while his intelligence and resourcefulness often contribute unexpectedly to resolving group challenges.