| Introduction |
"Outside, there are monsters that make me appear like a tiny ant. And you will be out there someday. When that time comes, continue to hate me, Atsushi. Never hate yourself." |
The orphanage director (孤児院の院長, Kojiin no inchō?) headed the institution where Atsushi grew up.
Appearance[]
He has an angular, plain face with a dark brown bowl cut. He either wears robes in the orphanage or a plain suit (tan overshirt, black dress shirt, and red tie).
Personality[]
From Atsushi's perspective, he is cold and abusive, though he seems to take no joy in being so. He eventually smiles when he hears the news about Atsushi saving Yokohama, and his character and personality are expanded on a bit more, from a cold and abusive orphanage director to that much more of an adoptive father figure.
Background[]
The orphanage director grew up in an orphanage where he experienced a hellish life and ruthless violence. After graduating from the orphanage, he and five others joined and worked in the criminal underground during a time of war. Hence, supplies were scarce, and corpses of children were found everywhere on the roadsides. Moreover, his companions were driven to desperation and died one after another, leaving him the sole survivor of the group.[1]
History[]
He wants to congratulate Atsushi on his accomplishment after the Guild war. He plans to sell his private gun to obtain money to buy some flowers for Atsushi, but on the way to the transaction, he is hit by a truck, resulting in his death.[1]
Relationships[]
Atsushi Nakajima[]
The director's harsh attitude towards Atsushi.
He is Atsushi's "guardian" at the orphanage. Their relationship is abusive at best when he is first introduced, where Atsushi has nothing but horrific memories of him abusing him during his childhood. However, it has been indicated that the orphanage director was a man filled with self-loathing for being weak and powerless for not being able to save his friends. He projected these feelings onto Atsushi to ensure he wouldn’t end up like himself when he eventually left for the outside world. Dazai has considered the orphanage director’s teachings unforgivable, yet beneficial to Atsushi, who learned to understand human suffering, reject evil, and have the will to live. It was later revealed that the orphanage director wished to praise Atsushi and visit him after he landed in the newspaper as a hero, showing he had some form of paternal feelings towards him. However negative their relationship, Atsushi is shown crying over the complex feelings over his death as he identified him as both an abuser and a father figure.
Appearances[]
- Chapter 25 - Q (hallucination)
- Chapter 28 - The Emergancy Plan (vision)
- Chapter 34 - The Last Tycoon (mentioned)
- Chapter 39 - Portrait of a Father
- Chapter 51 - Echo, Part 1 (flashback)
- Chapter 52 - Echo, Part 2 (vision)
- Chapter 53 - Echo, Part 3 (vision)
- Episode 19 - Will of Tycoon (flashback)
- Episode 22 - Part 1: Poe and Rampo; Part 2: Moby Dick, Swimming in the Sky (vision)
- Episode 23 - Rashoumon, The Tiger, and The Last Emperor (flashback)
- Episode 31 - Part 1: Herurisu! / Part 2: Portrait of a Father
- Chapter 1.2 (dream)
- Chapter 2 (hallucination)
- Chapter 7 (illusion)
- Chapter 12.1 (illusion)
Quotes[]
- (to Atsushi Nakajima) "If an imbecile like you seeks to survive in a world that abandoned you, you must learn to endure pain. If not, you will die in short order."[1]
- (to Atsushi Nakajima) "'Atsushi, do you hate me? So be it. Go ahead. Hate me. Behold! Open your eyes and take a good look! This is the face of the evil! One who causes violence to abuse the weak!"[1]
- (to Atsushi Nakajima) "Outside, there are monsters that make me appear like a tiny ant. And you will be out there someday. When that time comes, continue to hate me Atsushi. Never hate yourself."[1]
- (to Atsushi Nakajima) "Are you up for it? Refuse. He's giving you too much credit. You can't do it. You'll only ever be a useless piece of scum in an orphanage." [citation needed]