Name:
Ryusei Horiuchi
Name:
Ryusei Horiuchi
Alias(es): Shonosuke Ichimura, Shoen Ichimura
Birthday:
Age: 18 - 19
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Family: Father
Status: 3rd year High school student, famous Kabuki actor
Quote: I'm going to become a top-class actor and make sure no one can say anything about anything. No matter what I do.. No matter what girl I choose!!
Manga: Backstage Prince
History and Personality: A true introvert, Ryusei is completely drained by contact with other people. He is the definition of anti-social, which wouldn't be so bad... if he weren't a celebrity. In fact, the only person Ryusei can stand... isn't a person at all. It's his cat, Mr. Ken. Ryusei is handsome and talented, and gets plenty of attention, but no one is quite prepared for his abrupt and cold manner of treating others. This leads many people to think him rude and mean, but, as Akari (the heroine of the manga) soon finds out, he isn't a jerk, he's just uncomfortable around others. When Akari accidentally whacks him with a dictionary at school, and then somehow ends up following his cat backstage that night at the Kabuki theatre, Ryusei finds her a sudden and not entirely unwelcome addition to his life. A little well meaning meddling from senior actor Toshiya ensures that Akari will be around at least until Ryusei heals. What's most surprising though, is that Ryusei doesn't object to her becoming his assistant. His excuse is that his cat, Mr. Ken, likes her, but Toshiya has theories of his own.
Before long Akari's presence has made a noticeable difference in Ryusei's life. He's still short with strangers, even interviewers, but Akari is pretty good at heading off his more abrupt comments, and glossing over his social flaws. And it isn't just that she's quick, Ryusei finds himself wanting to keep her happy. So much so that he agrees to go to a movie with her when no one else will, and even buys her a gift - though he hates shopping in crowds. Things seem to be going just great until Akari overhears someone comment that she probably wants to be Ryusei's girlfriend and doesn't realize that "an assistant is just an assistant." When Akari heads inside, still reeling from the comment and the realization that she does love Ryusei, she is startled to find that Ryusei is recovered and quickly reminds him that her obligation is fulfilled. Thinking she wants to leave, Ryusei tells her she can go, but not because he wants to. That becomes fairly evident a day or so later when Toshiya drags Akari to the Kabuki theatre and Ryusei pulls her into his dressing room shouting at the reporters that they can write what they want because she's the only one for him. An awkward confession later Ryusei has got himself a girlfriend.
And it's not a moment too soon, as Ryusei's schedule fills up and he finds it harder and harder to cope. The only thing keeping him sane is the presence of Akari backstage, and he finds himself coming up with silly excuses to run back to see her. Still, he's worried what people will say about her and do to her, so, to protect her, he has a co-star pretend to be his girlfriend for the press. Too bad no one thought to inform Akari of this. Convinced that Ryusei would be better off with someone his father approves of, she becomes determined to let him go and begins to distance herself. Fortunately the stand-in clears things up just in time and Akari returns. Ryusei confesses that he hated being apart and Akari is glad to know he missed her.
Shortly thereafter Ryusei has to go to London to perform, and Akari, who is still in school (by this time Ryusei has graduated) is unable to go with him. In his absence Akari spends time with Naoki, a young new actor who does not have a family history in Kabuki. he offers to tutor her, as she's still clueless about Kabuki, and though she knows Ryusei doesn't particularly like Naoki she thinks it will surprise him if she knows something when he comes back. Unfortunately Ryusei appears to have been right about Naoki. Naoki is determined to win Akari, and he has no qualms about telling her just what Kabuki will mean to her relationship with Ryusei to do it. He's quick to tell her that he won't ever go anywhere in Kabuki because he is an outsider. Kabuki has "royalty" and only the favored sons get the good parts. But in return those sons are expected to carry on the tradition - which includes marrying another "royal". He tells her the Ryusei is a royal, and she has no chance with him. And Naoki offers to give her a normal relationship. Akari is worried, but she loves Ryusei, however when he returns early and finds her with Naoki they fight and when Akari confronts him with Naoki's words Ryusei tells her she can go if that is how she feels. Confronted by Naoki once more, who accuses Ryusei of being spoiled and lazy and selfish, Akari realizes how wrong Naoki is and how much she loves Ryusei. Much to his relief she returns tells him that she loves him and wants to be allowed to come back. Ryusei is almost overwhelmed with relief, asking how he was supposed to argue with her if she doesn't want to date an actor. He even brought her a gift from London. IN the midst of their reconciliation his father walks in. His father had never approved of Akari, but thinks that in the kimono she is wearing she looks like a decent assistant. Riled by his father's refusal to acknowledge their relationship Ryusei vows that he will become so great an actor no one will be able to say anything about his choices and he will be able to marry any girl he wants. His father walks off with things unsettled and Naoki pops his head in to say he's going to keep acting, and keep after Akari, but for a time things settle down.
Just when things are finally settling down for the two Ryusei tells the press that he's engaged, bring the attention of the media, and the wrath of his father down on their heads. With no privacy, Naoki still in the wings, and Toshiya pushing Ryusei to do everything from TV commercials to modeling (in an effort to build an outside fanbase so that Ryusei will be closer to being able to call the shots for himself), Ryusei and Akari can hardly see one another. And then her parents hand down a 5pm curfew because her grades are slipping. With no time to see one another Ryusei's on edge and it seems their relationship might fall apart. In an effort not to lose the one person he cares for Ryusei asks Akari to marry him immediately, but they are neither one old enough to do so without parental permission. A few days later Ryusei collapses and Akari rushes to his side. Ryusei admits that he wouldn't be surprised if she left him and she promises never to leave, to which he responds that if she says that he'll never let her leave no matter what. Unfortunately fate seems to have other plans for these two. Ryusei has a job in Kyoto, and he was going to commute, but tabloid speculation sparked by a picture of Ryusei and Akari on a date force him to move to Kyoto for the duration of the run. He does get to see Akari for a few days, however, when her school takes a trip to Kyoto. They manage to meet up once before his dad finds Akari and tells her to stay away. blaming her for Ryusei's degrading performance quality. This sets Ryusei off and, unbeknownst to Akari, he ditches Kabuki the next day to spend it with her - telling her he got a day off. By the end of the day Akari realizes that something is not right and, recalling an earlier comment he made about how they could be a normal couple if he quite acting, she worries that he's giving up his dream for her. Though he wants to stay with her she takes him to his performance, stating that if he wants to quit it's fine, but he shouldn't do it for them - they'll be alright. Surprisingly this earns her a great deal of respect from his father, who feared he would never come back.
After that Ryusei insists on going home and then commuting to Kyoto, and he promises to take care of Akari. He does so by arranging to have her be in charge of all his work outside of Kabuki. If she's officially in charge of that no one can say anything about them being seen together. It turns out he had been planning this for some time, and it was the reason he had stopped accepting work for a while. With his dad placated for the moment, and the press thrown off the scent, everything is looking up, which is why you know it can't last. Naoki is adopted by a Kabuki family, and his first real role will be opposite... Ryusei. Ryusei isn't exactly happy about it, and tells Akari as much, but she thinks it will be okay. Too bad she didn't count on Naoki egging Ryusei on at every turn and making comments about taking her from him. Nor did she count on him flirting with her every chance he gets. Things come to a boil and Ryusei punches Naoki and then disappears for days. Everyone is convinced that even Ryusei won't get away with this, and with Naoki playing the martyr in his absence Akari is worried as well. Naoki is moving in for the kill with Akari when Ryusei comes back and intervenes. Plus he brings news that he's been to see the Prime Minister of England (who took a liking to him when he performed in London in Volume 1) and that the Prime Minister is looking forward to their performance. He then states that he'd be willing to perform with Naoki as a favor. For the sake of his career, Naoki is forced to back down. Akari follows Ryusei away and tells him that even if he hadn't come back she'd have refused Naoki. He says he knows and he trusts her, but that doesn't mean he won't get jealous when Naoki or someone else is clearly after her.
The performance is a ssuccess and Ryusei's relationship is safe. Naoki is still around, and there is still his father to deal with, but Ryusei is finally confident that things will work out. Two years later he and Akari are still together, he is about to begin his "succession" as a Kabuki senior, and he and Akari are finally, officially engaged. It was a rough ride, but Ryusei definitely thinks it was worth it.
Relationships: According to Toshiya, Akari is the only person Ryusei hasn't pushed away. Though they didn't meet under the best of circumstances, Ryusei quickly becomes attached to her - too bad he isn't quite sure how to show her that. Though their relationship has many ups and downs - mostly caused by others - the two are truly in love. Akari makes Ryusei a better person, and he draws strength from her.
Toshiya is Ryusei's senior at the Kabuki theatre and has taken it upon himself to be Ryusei's friend, manager, and a sort of big brother. He tries to get Ryusei to warm up to others, or at least behave more amiably. He is the one who initially pushes Ryusei and Akari together, upon seeing that Ryusei seemed a little different around her. Unlike most people Toshiya is not put off by Ryusei's awkward and even rude mannerisms. Now what Ryusei thinks of him... well, he hasn't decked him yet...
Naoki is a newbie is Kabuki and he seems determined to steal Akari from Ryusei. needless to say Ryusei can't stand him, especially since he loves to make comments about Akari in front of him. Still, the two have to maintain a professional relationship, and, frankly, Naoki needs Ryusei if he's going to get anywhere in Kabuki. Ryusei essentially tells Naoki that he'll be glad to perform with him, as soon as he promises to stay away from Akari...
Ryusei and his father do not often see eye to eye. His father cares only about Kabuki and his son's success in it. He disapproves of Akari and tries to break the two up, but Ryusei isn't afraid to tell his father no when it comes to the woman he loves.
Mr. Ken is Ryusei's cat, and the only thing breathing besides Akari that he actually likes...
Trivia: Backstage or at home Ryusei wears kimonos, he practices kabuki in yukata, and when he goes outside he wears normal clothes.
In a short comic at the end of the first Volume Ryusei compares Akari to his cat. Apparently he finds the circumstances of their first meetings very similar...
To calm himself and reenergize after a stressful conversation or performance Ryusei likes to sit and rest his forehead on Akari's shoulder.
Why we love him: He's moody, and difficult, and completely devoted to the girl he loves... it's adorable. And it doesn't hurt that he's hot ^_^
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