Masamune Gotou ranks as a 9-dan professional shogi player, placing him among the competitive elite. His intimidating physical presence features grey hair, piercing purple eyes, and a fit build, often described as "scary looking" despite his forties. He retains a full head of hair, a trait occasionally contrasted with younger peers experiencing hair loss.

His personality exudes roughness and unpleasantness, casting a consistently cold atmosphere in shogi halls. This confrontational demeanor erupts into physical aggression, such as striking Rei Kiriyama over Rei's relationship with Kyouko Kouda, Rei's stepsister. Gotou's competitive drive fuels an aggressive yet dignified shogi style.

Married to comatose wife Misako in a Tokyo hospital, he visits her post-matches with care products. Concurrently, he maintains a toxic dynamic with Kyouko Kouda, who seeks validation from older figures due to paternal neglect, while Gotou appears to pursue companionship amid his wife's illness. Their interactions frequently escalate into arguments, ending with Gotou departing and Kyouko distraught. Though he publicly dismisses her as a stalker, he privately permits the relationship, exchanging gifts like a wristwatch and perpetuating mutual dysfunction.

His relationship with Rei Kiriyama remains adversarial, marked by psychological pressure and hostility partly fueled by Gotou's entanglement with Kyouko and his contentious nature.