Kyōsuke Oda is a character who appears outwardly as an assistant professor at Reimeikan Medical University, presenting himself as a calm, rational, and cooperative ally to the protagonists Mitsuo Ando and Natsumi Aihara as they investigate a series of mysterious deaths linked to the cursed videotape and the supernatural entity Sadako Yamamura. He consistently offers medical and scientific insights, and his demeanor remains gentle and supportive throughout much of the story. However, it is eventually revealed that Kyōsuke Oda is actually Kenichi Higashi, a man with a deeply disturbed past. As a child, he was selected by the scientist Hiroshi Rikuta to be the “guard” in a cruel psychological experiment modeled after the Stanford prison experiment, where a group of children were divided into prisoners and a single guard. Kenichi, the guard, displayed extreme cruelty, leading to the deaths of two of the prisoner children and taking satisfaction in his control. In adulthood, he assumes the identity of Kyōsuke Oda and becomes the true mastermind behind the escalating horrors, orchestrating events to revive Sadako and spread a deadly man-made virus. He is the figure known as the “King of Fear,” manipulating those around him, including the tormented fortune‑teller Toru Kawai, and using his scientific expertise to further his plans. His key relationships include his former connection to Rikuta, his manipulation of Ando and Natsumi, and his role in the fate of the other former “prisoner” children, such as Keisuke Miyajima. His character development unfolds as a shocking reversal: from a trusted confidant to a cold, smiling antagonist who revels in psychological domination. His notable abilities lie in his intelligence, medical knowledge, and capacity for manipulation, which he uses to engineer the chaos that threatens to unravel the world.