Kids on the Slope/Characters

The characters from the anime and manga series Sakamichi no Apollon:

Kaoru Nishimi
"Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura"

The main protagonist. Antisocial and introverted, first year high school student Kaoru has been constantly moving from town to town and transferring schools due to his father's naval job, his latest move bringing him to Kyushu. He is a classical pianist, but after befriending Sentarou and Ritsuko, he develops an interest in jazz. He has feelings for Ritsuko.


 * Brains and Brawn: The Brains to Sentarou's Brawn.
 * Chick Magnet: After the cultural festival, much to his bewilderment.
 * Brown Eyes
 * Dogged Nice Guy: To Ritsuko.
 * The Glasses Gotta Go: A male example. He sometimes deliberately takes off his glasses around Ritsuko because she complimented his face.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Sentarou.
 * In-Series Nickname: Sentarou refers to him as "Bon," which is short for "Bonbon-dono"--the Kansai dialect for a green or naive man from a well-to-do family. The Crunchyroll subs adapt it as "Richie."
 * Intelligence Equals Isolation
 * Megane
 * New Transfer Student
 * Parental Abandonment
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue Oni to Sentarou's Red Oni.
 * Shipper On Deck: For Sentarou/Yurika, partly because he knows Sentarou is in love with Yurika and just wanted him to realize it and partly so Sentarou doesn't get in the way of his chances with Ritsuko. However, he is immediately guilt-ridden about his latter underhanded intentions when Sentarou appreciates how understanding he is.
 * Three Amigos: With Sentarou and Ritsuko.
 * Shipper On Deck: For Sentarou/Yurika, partly because he knows Sentarou is in love with Yurika and just wanted him to realize it and partly so Sentarou doesn't get in the way of his chances with Ritsuko. However, he is immediately guilt-ridden about his latter underhanded intentions when Sentarou appreciates how understanding he is.
 * Three Amigos: With Sentarou and Ritsuko.

Sentarou Kawabuki
"Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hoyosa"

Kaoru's classmate and Ritsuko's childhood friend, Sentarou often gets into fights with other students and is labeled a delinquent. He befriends Kaoru, and despite their differences, they both have a mutual passion for jazz. His preferred instrument is the drums. He has feelings for Yurika.


 * Adorkable: Especially in regards to his crush on Yurika.
 * Brains and Brawn: The Brawn to Kaoru's Brains.
 * Childhood Friends: With Ritsuko.
 * Creepy Cool Crosses: Wears a rosary around his neck. When asked about it, he quickly rebuffs the subject.
 * Curtains Match the Window
 * Dark and Troubled Past
 * Delinquent
 * Dogged Nice Guy: To Yurika.
 * Gentle Giant: In spite of his label as a delinquent and his tendency to get into fights, he is particularly upbeat with Kaoru and Ritsuko, as well as a friendly and lighthearted older brother to his younger siblings.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Kaoru.
 * Hidden Depths
 * In-Series Nickname: "Sen-bou."
 * Japanese Christian
 * Love Makes You Dumb
 * Nice Hat
 * He finally
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red Oni to Kaoru's Blue Oni.
 * Rescue Romance: He falls for Yurika immediately after rescuing her from harassers.
 * Scars Are Forever: Has a X-shaped scar by his left eye.
 * Tear Jerker: His story of his childhood is an in-series Tear Jerker for Kaoru.
 * Three Amigos: With Kaoru and Ritsuko.
 * X Marks the Hero: see Scars Are Forever.
 * Younger Than He Looks: At the start of the series, he is fifteen-years-old, a year younger than Kaoru.
 * Scars Are Forever: Has a X-shaped scar by his left eye.
 * Tear Jerker: His story of his childhood is an in-series Tear Jerker for Kaoru.
 * Three Amigos: With Kaoru and Ritsuko.
 * X Marks the Hero: see Scars Are Forever.
 * Younger Than He Looks: At the start of the series, he is fifteen-years-old, a year younger than Kaoru.

Ritsuko Mukae
"Voiced by: Yuuka Nanri"

The class representative in Kaoru's class. Ritsuko is a kindhearted and caring girl, as well as Sentarou's childhood friend. She is the poster girl of her father's record store, Welcome Records, which doubles as a hangout for Kaoru, Sentarou, and other jazz lovers. Kaoru has a crush on her,


 * Brown Eyes
 * Childhood Friends: With Sentarou.
 * Class Representative: A particularly nice one.
 * The Cutie
 * Genki Girl
 * Girl Next Door
 * Girlish Pigtails
 * Green-Eyed Monster:
 * Hair Decorations
 * In-Series Nickname: "Ricchan" and "Rikko."
 * Japanese Christian
 * Meet Cute
 * Nice Girl
 * Oblivious to Love: Towards Kaoru
 * Three Amigos: With Kaoru and Sentarou.
 * Youthful Freckles
 * Three Amigos: With Kaoru and Sentarou.
 * Youthful Freckles
 * Youthful Freckles

Yurika Fukahori
"Voiced by: Aya Endo"

A beautiful second year high school student who Sentarou rescues from harassers at the beach. She has a spunky and curious personality. Sentarou has a crush on her,


 * Curtains Match the Window
 * In-Series Nickname: She is briefly called "Ojou-sama" by Junichi until he learns her name. She feels insulted by the nickname because it makes her feel like she is being mocked.
 * Long Hair Is Feminine
 * Meet Cute
 * Oblivious to Love: Towards Sentarou.
 * The Ojou
 * Show the Forehead
 * Spoiled Sweet
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: A perfect, well-spoken lady...she's even a naginata fencer.
 * Spoiled Sweet
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: A perfect, well-spoken lady...she's even a naginata fencer.

Junichi Katsuragi
"Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe"

Ritsuko's neighbor and a big brother figure to Sentarou. Junichi attends a university in Tokyo, but he visits Welcome Records whenever he's in town. He plays the trumpet.


 * Big Brother Mentor
 * Curtains Match the Window
 * The Danza
 * In-Series Nickname: "Jun-nii."
 * Recurring Character
 * Smoking Is Cool
 * Smoking Is Cool