Hajime Shibata is a freelance journalist and single father to Tsugumi Shibata. He studied journalism in college, meeting his future wife Ayumi Ogawa there. After a period of secret admiration, they married. As the sole breadwinner, Hajime's career caused frequent absences from home, intensifying after Tsugumi's birth and contributing to Ayumi's emotional isolation. During a stakeout investigating a politician's affair, Hajime discovered Ayumi was the lover. He angrily expelled her from their home and forbade contact with Tsugumi. Ayumi died shortly after in a car accident, witnessed by Hajime, who carried enduring guilt over his role. He concealed these circumstances from Tsugumi. Years later, Hajime supported himself and Tsugumi through freelance journalism, including blackmailing celebrities by threatening to expose scandals for money. He investigated rumors of the supernatural "Hell Correspondence" website, enabling revenge by sending targets to hell. This intensified when Tsugumi developed a telepathic link with Ai Enma (the Hell Girl), experiencing visions of her activities. Motivated by his belief that vengeance perpetuates cycles of pain and his own remorse over Ayumi's fate, Hajime dedicated himself to intervening in Hell Correspondence cases. He aimed to dissuade clients from completing contracts, often using Tsugumi's visions to locate them. His efforts frequently complicated situations, sometimes worsening outcomes. Hajime's persistence drew attention from Ai's companions, leading to revelations about his ancestry tracing back to Sentarou Shibata, Ai's cousin from 400 years prior. Sentarou first aided Ai after her ritual sacrifice by secretly providing food while she hid. When villagers discovered she lived, Sentarou participated in burying her and her parents alive to avoid punishment. He became the sole survivor of Ai's vengeful massacre, establishing the Shibata bloodline. This lineage explained Tsugumi's supernatural connection and triggered Ai's hostility upon learning of their existence. Confronting Ai at Mutsumi Ridge, Hajime and Tsugumi faced her wrath as Sentarou's descendants. Ai attacked, forcing them into a vision of her past: her sacrifice, Sentarou's betrayal, and her transformation into Hell Girl. Later, Ai separated them, sending Hajime to the Realm of Eternal Twilight. There, he learned Ai's role was punishment imposed by Hell's Master for her rampage. Ai then attempted to manipulate Tsugumi into damning Hajime to hell, exploiting his guilt over Ayumi's death by recreating the accident scene. Overwhelmed by remorse, Hajime accepted perceived culpability and expected Tsugumi to pull the string. Tsugumi rejected this, affirming her love and forgiveness, disrupting Ai's plan and restoring her control. After this encounter, Hajime abandoned his mission to stop Hell Correspondence, emotionally exhausted by largely unsuccessful efforts. He shifted focus to chronicling Ai's story, resulting in the biography "The True Hell Girl," intended as a guide for future individuals entangled with the service. Shortly after completing the book, Hajime disappeared under unexplained circumstances. His whereabouts remained unknown to Ai's companions, who confirmed he was not sent to hell. Years later, adult Tsugumi implied no communication since childhood and suggested he might have died, though unconfirmed. Tsugumi addressed Hajime as "Hajime" or "Hajime-chan," reflecting their unconventional but close bond. Despite occasional criticism, she deeply cared for him as her only remaining family. His disappearance left her to navigate life independently; she eventually pursued careers in nursing and healthcare while retaining sporadic, involuntary visions of Hell Correspondence cases.