Kotaro Ietani

**Kotaro Ietani** (家谷 光太郎 *Ietani Kōtarō*) is the protagonist of the Koukousei Kazoku (manga) series written and illustrated by Nakama Ryou. He is the son of Ichiro Ietani and Shizuka Ietani and the older brother of Haruka Ietani.

Kotaro is 15 years old (Currently 17 years old), and excited to start his first year in high school until he learns about his whole family passing the entrance exams he also took. He will have to adapt with going to school with his family (including his cat, Gomez). During his first year he was enrolled in Metropolitan Happee High School's Class 1-3. He was a Class Pet Monitor with Gomez.

He is currently enrolled in Metropolitan Happee High School's Class 2-3 and the Happee High School Boys Tennis Team.

Since Chapter 103, he is the Happe High Student Council President.

## Appearance

Kotaro has semi-long blue hair and brown eyes.

He wears his schools uniform which is a grey coat with the school's logo, a white buttoned shirt with a white-striped red tie, and grey pants with a black belt. He also wears black shoes.

## Personality

Being a teenager, Kotaro is usually sarcastic and behaves in a serious manner, despite that he is usually a good person and will always do his best to help people and his family.

## History

Kotaro would study at Meek Middle School where he would graduate alongside Masaki Kurume who would go to Nastee High School.

The first day of high school Kotaro would find out that all of his family would go to Happee High School so he would share classes with them.

Trying to enter a different club than his family's, he would decide to enter the Tennis team where he would meet his future teammates and friends.

After a few months in high school, he would meet and fall in love with Arisa Yumiki, becoming his friend and classmate in his second year.

In his second year, he would run as a candidate for the student council president against his sister Haruka Ietani where he would eventually win the election.

## Relationships

**Family:**

* Ichiro Ietani: Although at first, he was uncomfortable studying at the same school during their school year they grew closer as classmates and as a family, Kotaro respects his father and supports him in whatever he needs.
* Shizuka Ietani: As with Ichiro, Kotaro was not excited to study with his mother, as time went by they grew closer, forging a good relationship.
* Haruka Ietani: Despite their age difference, they have a good sibling relationship, supporting each other when the situation requires it.
* Gomez: Being his pet, Kotaro loves Gomez very much.
* Hachiro Ietani: Kotaro loves his grandfather and visits him in the hospital with his family.
* Grandpa Yamamura: Living in different places, they don't have much of a relationship, but they both care for each other.
* Grandma Yamamura: Kotaro loves his grandmother by coming to visit her several times.
* Ben: Being Gomez's pet, Kotaro treats him like his pet.

**Classmates:**

* Susumu Nishi: Kotaro and Susumu met in gym class since then both have been good friends, Susumu was the first to support him when he found out about his family.
* Riko Yashiki: At first, they had a normal relationship since Riko told him about being the vice principal's daughter and they have both been closer because they both have their parents at school, although Kotaro doesn't know Riko is in love with him.
* Masashi Hudson: They met during Hudson's visit, Kotaro and his family were the reason why Masashi moved to Japan so he has a special affection for him, they are currently classmates so they talk more often.
* Arisa Yumiki: Arisa and Kotaro met through Shizuka. Ever since they met, Kotaro has been in love with her that he has even written a song for her and performing at the cultural festival. They are currently classmates so they have become closer.
* Nobukatsu Takebayashi: Since Nobukatsu told him that he was in love with Shizuka and helping him with his problem, they both became friends and stayed together, currently they are both in separate classes.
* Tohru Suzaki: At first, they both didn't have much interaction due to being in different classes, due to being on the same team as their father they were both talking more, currently they are in the same class.

**Tennis Team:**

* Takumi Kitayama: Due to a misunderstanding with Arisa, Kotaro ended up joining the Tennis team, meeting Captain Takumi due to being a member of the club, they spent time together and became friends, Takumi helped Kotaro with his song at the cultural festival.
* Hayato Sano: Upon joining the tennis team, Kotaro met Hayato and became friends, just as Takumi helped Kotaro with his song.
* Ayumu Kurokawa: Upon joining the tennis team, Kotaro met Ayumu and became friends, just as Takumi and Hayato helped Kotaro with his song.
* Kazuki Tamaru: After he convinced Kazuki to join the tennis team, he and Kazuki have a good relationship as teammates.

**Others:**

* Makoto Hanazawa: He was the first person that Kotaro met in school, although at first he was afraid of him due to his appearance little by little they became friends, Makoto was the person who got him his part-time job.
* Takumi Chinen: Being his teacher, Kotaro has respect towards his teacher.
* Masaki Kurume: Having graduated from the same school as Kotaro, the two get along well even though they are not currently studying at the same school Kotaro considers him to be his friend.
* Kento Nishikikoji: After meeting the former student council president, Kotaro was inspired and decided to run a campaign for student council president.

## Etymology

* The name **Kotaro** means "light" (光) (**ko**), "thick, big, great" (太) (**ta**) and "son" (郎) (**ro**).
* Kotaro's surname **Ietani** means "house/home, family, residence/residency, building, dwelling, habitation" (家) (**ie**) and "valley" (谷) (**tani**).

## Trivia

* Kotaro's birthday is one day after his father's birthday so he is the last birthday boy of the **Ietani family birthday week**.
	+ All the Ietani have their birthday the same week, which is why this celebration has been called the **Ietani Family birthday week**.
* Although Kotaro's hair color is blue in some color pages, his hair color changes to black.

## References

1. ↑ High School Family Chapter 53 Page 8