Kyoichi Nekuni

**Kyoichi Nekuni** (子国恭一, *Nekuni Kyōichi*) is the main protagonist in the series and is only son of the Nekuni family. He lives out of the family house on his own in an apartment flat. He is the older brother of Miyako Nekuni with his grandfather Goichi Nekuni.

## Appearance

Kyoichi manifesting his powers
Kyoichi has gray eyes and short, ebony brown messy hair with a c-shaped cowlick. He is usually seen wearing a black or grey jacket with a white shirt. When using his powers, he gains rat ears on his head.

As an adult, his hair is slightly longer and brushed down. His bangs are swept to the side as well.

## Personality

He is extremely naive and gullible, displaying a playful and curious behaviour. According to some of his peers, he is emotional, generous, and kind.

As a member of the twelve families without any abilities, Kyoichi is generally seen as weak and a failure. Although Kyoichi is used to such comments, he sometimes feel gulity and responsible to his weakness.

## Etymology

**Kyōichi** (恭一): **Kyō** (恭) means "respect," and **ichi** (一) means "one."

**Nekuni**(子国): **Ne** (子) means the "first sign of the Chinese Zodiac, the sign of the rat," while **kuni**(国) means "country."

## Relationships

### Natsuho Nekogazaki

Being the hateful cat, Natsuho had to hate the head Nekuni Family, which she thought was Kyoichi. After spending time with him, she began developing feelings for him with the love being reciprocated; however they weren't open about their feelings for each other at the beginning. Towards the end of the series, Kyoichi confesses to Natsuho and asks her to marry him. Several years later, they have two kids, one named Akiho and the other Haruho.

### Ayaka Ushigura

Kyoichi and Ayaka are childhood friends. After being kicked out of the Nekuni household, Ayaka was assigned to guard Kyoichi. Initially, Ayaka disliked Kyoichi because of his unkind attitude, but during one night, Ayaka comforted Kyoichi because he couldn't sleep. As time went on, they became closer friends, and eventually Ayaka started developing romantic feelings for him. After she confesses her feelings to him, he turns her down because of his feelings for Natsuho. Despite being rejected, she knows and understands that he loves Natsuho, and the two remain friends.

### Goichi Nekuni

As a kid, Kyoichi would always sit at a certain spot in the Nekuni household, and his grandfather, Goichi would sit near him. They rarely exchanged words during the times they were there. After Kyoichi's father's death, Goichi kicked Kyoichi out of the household for being too weak, and this led to Kyoichi hating Goichi. The both of them hate each other to a high degree.

### Sana Inuhara

Kyoichi and Sana are close friends. They often hang out with each other, and Sana has to guard him while she's at it. She refers to him as senpai.

### Kenji Inoyama

Kyouichi and Kenij are close friends. They often challenge each other in games and joke with each other casually. Kyoichi calls Kenji, "Ken."

### Miyako Nekuni

Kyouichi cares deeply for his little sister as shown when he protected her from Toya Itachizuka. After discovering Miyako became the current head of the Nekuni Family, he was upset and stormed out the room. After his talk with Natsuho, he comes back and tells Miyako that he will return to the family because he wants to make sure that she doesn't end up like their grandfather.

### Yuzen Tatsuga

They are close, and they sometimes talk with each other casually. Yuzen refers to Kyoichi as, "little Kyo."

## History

At a young age, Kyoichi witnesses the death of his parents. His father right before his death gives Kyoichi the power of the head of the Nekuni Clan. However, he is unable to use it and is unable to save his mother. It is later noted by Miyako that the attacker was most likely an acquaintance of Kyoichi, and due to his empathy towards the attacker, the Execution of Enforcement did not work on the attacker. This incident leads to Kyoichi becoming the "failure of a head" as his grandfather, Goichi, calls him. In addition, his personality degrades into self-hatred and hatred towards Goichi for always calling him a failure. It is later implied that there was some sort of fondness between the two prior to this incident in which Goichi would sit next to Kyoichi when ever the latter felt down.

## Abilities

Although Kyoichi does not possess any special abilities like any typical Twelve Family members, he has a tactful mind and fairly good physical abilities. Kyoichi was complimented by Toya on his reaction speed and fighting abilities during their first fist fight. Kyoichi was able to give damage to Toya even though he had the advantage as a Yokai.

#### **Yokai abilities**

After transforming to a Yokai, Kyoichi has enhanced physical abilities. His Yokai abilities allow him to control spiritual rats and devour anything from trees and even ogres. In addition, he can create a chain made of those spiritual rats.

During his battle with ogre-form Ayaka, he managed to summon eighty four thousand rats to devour the ogre. According Yuzen, there was a legend of a Yokai who had the same ability, controlling rats that can bite through metals and swarm through darkness. This could be the basis of Kyoichi's power.

## Trivia

* Kyoichi's name is very similar to Goichi's name, with the only difference being two letters.
	+ They also share the same kanji for **ichi** (一).