Souma, Ritsu
Seiyuu / Dub
Summary
Ritsu Souma is a young man aged twenty-one or twenty-two who was born under the curse of the sign of the monkey. This perceived burden has left him deeply insecure and apologetic, as his parents constantly had to apologize for his actions throughout his childhood. He struggles with intense feelings of worthlessness, believing that he is merely robbing the world of its air by breathing. Although he finds comfort in dressing like a girl, this preference only provided his parents with more reasons to apologize. Tooru initially mistakes him for a girl due to his feminine appearance, until Ritsu accidentally transforms. It is Tooru who convinces him that he has a reason to live, even if he has not yet found it. Shigure enjoys teasing Ritsu’s insecurities and gullibility, a dynamic similar to how he treats his editor, Mitsuru, leading Ritsu to realize they share this trait. The character’s name is derived from the eighth month of the traditional Japanese calendar, known as odakaritsuki or the rice harvest month, which corresponds to the monkey. Creator Natsuki Takaya has expressed regret in author's notes regarding how minor a role Ritsu played in the main story.
