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Agawa Family
Daigo Agawa
Daigo Agawa
Daigo as he appears in the manga
The new police officer of Kuge village who arrived with his family the same day as Gin Goto's body was discovered. He believes that she was murdered but the more he investigates, more and more bizarre things unravel, threatening him and what he holds dear.- Befriending the Enemy: Strikes up what seems to be genuine friendship with Keisuke.
- By-the-Book Cop: Somewhat sympathises with Yone Goto when she begs him not to arrest one of her sons, but can't just let a violent criminal go.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Slips into this as he investigates the happening in town more and more. Then again there is a conspiracy going on.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: He gets a nasty scar on his head after being attacked by That Person. It is near identical the the scar Keisuke hides.
- Happily Married: Despite their arguing, he is shown to truly love Yuki and she reciprocates.
- Police Brutality: He takes an almost gleeful joy in beating up criminals, and it is clear he has anger issues. He also beats up the Gotos when they won't let him in their house, but they did threaten to shoot him first.
- Papa Wolf: He loves his daughter very dearly, flying into blind rage whenever he suspects she's in danger. Sadly, this what led to her being traumatized.
Yuki Agawa
Yuki Agawa
Daigo's wife and Mashiro's mother. She finds a warning written down by their new home's previous occupant; "run away", and becomes all the more anxious over her husband.- Buxom Beauty Standard: Daigo thinks himself lucky to have a wife with huge boobs(in his own words). Ryuji has noticed them aswell.
- Happily Married: Despite their arguing, she is shown to truly love Daigo and he reciprocates.
- Wet Blanket Wife: She's uneasy about Kuge village even before things start to get really bad and keeps complaining to Daigo that the place isn't safe, which causes them to argue a lot.
Mashiro Agawa
Mashiro Agawa
Daigo and Yuki's 8 year old daughter. She had PTSD and doesn't speak.- Cute Mute: An adorable 3rd grader who refuses to speak.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Believes that everyone deserves kindness, no matter their sins. Even the ones who pose a threat to her.
- Kind Hearted Cat Lover: Goes missing for the first time because she was following a cat she wanted to pet.
- Pacifism Backfire: She believed that by being kind to the convicted pedophile Tsubasa Konno he could improve his ways and would never harm her. Instead he becomes so obsessed with her that he doesn't want to live without her so when he's forced to move he tries to kill Mashiro and then himself. As a result, Tsubasa is shot in the head, with blood and pieces of brain getting in her mouth. Had she not been so adamant that he could be redeemed, he would still be alive and she would not have been traumatized into muteness.
Goto Family
The family that owns the lumber mill in the village which is its main source of income. This makes them practically the village rulers. Keisuke Goto
Keisuke Goto
Keisuke in the manga
The to-be head of the Goto family after the death of his grandmother Gin. He is intimidating, yet seems to be trying to put on a friendly face now and then. Daigo is wary of him but the daughter of the former police officer, Sumire Kano, assures him that Keisuke is the only kind soul in the family. He was born in 1987, making him 31 during the events of the series.- Aloof Big Brother: He's pretty cold most of the time, but seems to truly care for Yosuke and assures the Goto family his little brother will be able to take on the duties he himself used to do after he becomes the head.
- Big Brother Instinct: Shielded Yosuke from being hit by their grandmother when they were children. After that he took a massive beating.
- Family Theme Naming: His mother gave her children names ending in "suke". Keisuke, Yosuke, and their foster brother Kyosuke.
- "Just Joking" Justification: How he gets Daigo to not report him for pulling his rifle on him.
- One Head Taller: Than his girlfriend Sumire.
- Masking the Deformity: His bandanas and hats are to cover up a scar on his forehead. It looks almost identical to the one Daigo got.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Sumire, she's an outsider that moved to the village, he's next head of the village leading family.
- Stop, or I Shoot Myself!: He threatened to shoot himself if Gin didn't let his mother run away. Gin needed him as her heir so she complied.
- White Sheep: According to Sumire, he’s the only Goto who isn't a monster. She's right about his kindness, he hates what he has to do to satisfy That Person, and wants the sacrifices to stop.
Yosuke Goto
Yosuke Goto
Keisuke's younger brother. When Keisuke becomes the family head, he becomes heir apparent, with his comes responsibilities he might not be up for. He was born in 1995, making him 23 during the series.- Older Than They Look: He looks more like a teenager in the manga, but is over 20.
- Rebel Prince: His duty as the next in line to become the head of the family is looking after the sacrificial children. He doesn't want to and attempts to free them instead.
- White Sheep: Moreso than Keisuke, He actually tries to defect on his own and set the children free.
Gin Goto
Gin Goto
The recently deceased head of the Goto family. Her death sparks a series of investigations that drags Daigo into a dangerous secret. According to the family registry she was the oldest daughter of the previous head Sada Goto, married to outsider Tadao Goto, and the older sister of Danjo, Kinji, and Kurenai Goto. She was born in 1923, and was 95 at the time of her death.- Absurdly Elderly Mother: Was 41 when her daughter Ai was born. Averted in that Ai isn't her actual daughter. She gave birth to her biological child at 22.
- Abusive Parents: Was cruel to her daughter, believing her to be useless and thought that her involvement in Keisuke and Yosuke's lives would make them weak.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: In the drama, her menacing features are toned down and she looks like any kind old granny, atleast in public.
- God Save Us from the Queen!: As the head of the Goto family, she basically owns the village.
- Post Humous Character: Her corpse being found is was gets most of the plot rolling.
Kiyoshi Goto
Kiyoshi Goto
Keisuke and Yosuke's father, Gin's son-in-law, and the mayor of Kuge village. He's was fostered by Gin as a young child to become Ai's husband when they both grew up.- Fish Eyes: In the manga his eyes always seem to point in different directions, making him look somewhat goofy.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: His name and face is taken from comedian Kiyoshi Nishikawa.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: He was married to the stunningly beautiful Ai Goto.
- Wife Husbandry: Gender inverted version. The Goto family fosters children they think will make great partners for their own kids. Kiyoshi was taken in by Gin to marry her daughter Ai.
Iwao Goto
Iwao Goto
A fiercly loyal member of the Goto family, and pretty violent. He’s part of Keisuke’s innermost circle, and was born the same year as him.- The Big Guy: Pretty heavy set, and has the strength of multiple men.
- Hockey Mask and Chainsaw: When Daigo demands that he removes a tree that blocks the road to the Goto mansion, he revs up his chainsaw while walking towards him, saying "this is our land" as he raises it. He then brings it down on the tree, sawing it in half so he can move it more easily.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: He's been raised his whole life as a Goto family soldier, and wholeheartedly believes protecting Keisuke is his life's purpose. When he starts suspecting a traitor, he begins breaking down. When he sees that Keisuke was willing to betray his grandmother's wishes, he completly loses his mind.
- One-Man Army: He's stated to be so powerful that is is wasn't for him, the village could easily over power the family.
Taichi and Yuji Goto
Taichi and Yuji Goto
Twin members of the Goto family, they are the sons of Keizo and Yone Goto, second cousins to Mutsuo Goto, and first cousins of Makoto Goto.Taichi is part of Mutsuo's gang, while Yuji is part of Keisuke's.- Always Identical Twins: They are exact lookalikes and are played by the same actor in the drama.
- Meaningful Name: Taichi's name ends with the kanji for 1 and Yuji's the kanji for 2. Taichi is the older brother while Yuji is the younger.
- Polar Opposite Twins: Taichi is violent and part of the more brutal Mutsuo's circle. Yuji is more mild mannered and polite, apologizing for his brutal twin, and is part of Keisuke's circle.
That Person (unmarked spoilers for season 1)
A 2 meter tall man who lurks in Kuge village, frequently referenced by the Goto family. Apart from his height, he is reconized by his foul smell. The Goto family turns to him for guidance and sacrifices a child to him to be eaten once a year.
- Evil Smells Bad: He might not ever have showered in his life. All other characters who meet with him are repulsed by his odor.
- It Can Think: Seems to be almost a mindless zombie, but as the manga progresses he is shown to have some level of intelligence. He can separate "family" from "others". He is able to speak, although not like a grown man. He had contracted Kuru by the age of 6, so most likely he has never progressed past that age.
- Large and in Charge: Towers over everyone in the village. He is also seen as the "true" head of the Goto family.
- Mental Handicap, Moral Deficiency: He has the mind of a young child even though he's over 75, and he kills and eats people.
- Physical God: Is worshipped as such by the Gotos. Gin convinced her followers and the rest of the village that he was one, and required a child sacrifice each year.
Ai Goto (unmarked spoilers for season 1)
Ai Goto
Keisuke and Yosuke’s biological mother and Kyosuke’s foster mother. She saved Kyosuke from being sacrificed when he was a toddler, and has been living in hiding with him, away from her family.- Chosen Conception Partner: Kiyoshi seems to have been this for her, with the Goto family fostering children for their biological children to marry and have children with. Turns out she is also a "fostered partner". Gin adopted her and had That Person rape her when she came of age, continuing Gin's true bloodline.
- Mama Bear: She set fire to That Person to save Kyosuke. She also can't bring herself to out the family's crimes because it would mean that her biological sons would get arrested or worse.
- Narcissist: Gin believed that Ai is unable to love anyone but herself, and is only caring for her children because it makes her feel like the center of something big.
- Rebellious Princess: Stood up against Gin to spare a sacrificial child.
Kuge Village
Munechika Kamiyama
Munechika Kamiyama
The priest to be of the local shrine. He is Keisuke's childhood friend and former classmate. He considers Kuge village cursed and warns Daigo not to get to deeply involved in the village and the Goto family.- Only Sane Man: Seems to be the only one in the Village who isn’t hiding anything out of malice.
- We Used to Be Friends: He was Keisuke’s childhood friend, seen in flashbacks to be playing with him, Iwao, and Ryuji.
Outsiders
Sumire Kano
Sumire Kano
The daughter of the previous officer Osamu Kano. She left the town after he vanished, but came back to try and find out what really happened to him. Believing the Goto family to be cannibals who either murdered or are holding her father captive. Despite her hatred for the family, she had an ammicable relationship with Keisuke. They were lovers, and she has become pregnant by him.- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Keisuke, she's an outsider that moved to the village, he's next head of the village leading family.
- Meganekko: Stands out mostly thanks to her glasses.
Disfigured Man
Disfigured Man/Kyosuke Terayama
A 21 year old man who contacts Daigo, claiming to know the truth about the village cannibalism. Indeed he has experiences with it, as half of his face was eaten when he was 3. His mother saved him and left the village, but she never told him about her past.- Eye Scream: A panel in the manga shows That Person sucking on his eyeball.
- Happily Adopted: Ai Goto, the woman he calls mom, did not give birth to him but he is happy with her. Upon realizing he wasn’t her biological son, his feelings remained unchanged.
- Masking the Deformity: He wears a mask to cover up the parts of his face that were eaten.
Manabu Utada
Manabu Utada
A fan of the occult who runs the website "Chronicle". He became fascinate with cannibalism and was contacted by the disfigured man, getting in touch with Officer Kano through him and together they tried to investigate the mysteries surrounding Kuge Village.- Nightmare Fetishist: He is very fascinated by the occult and the grotesque, cannibalism being his lastest subject.
- Silver Fox: In the manga he has white hair and beard, but is fairly tall and handsome.
- Straight Gay: Daigo panics when another man comes into Utada's hotel room, believing it to be a Goto, but it turns out it was a call boy Utada had hired, and is implied to have been seeing for some time.
