Kurata, Atsushi
Summary
Atsushi Kurata is introduced as a rising star in the Go world, initially appearing as a 4-dan player before his later debut as a 6-dan professional. Despite being in his early twenties, he is widely regarded alongside Ogata 9-dan as one of Japan's finest players. Although he has frequently served as a title challenger, he has yet to secure a single championship. Kurata possesses a sharp sixth sense, which he considers the key to solving any problem. While generally good-natured, he is overbearing in his confidence and enjoys signing autographs for fans, often adding hypothetical titles to his name in the process. He frequently distributes these to those he perceives as admirers, such as Hikaru, much to the boy's annoyance. As one of the few Japanese players to find success in international tournaments, Kurata has been dubbed "Japan's Ahn Tae-seon," drawing comparisons to the celebrated Korean prodigy. This comparison becomes ironic when Kurata develops a personal rivalry with Ahn Tae-seon after losing to him in the quarter finals of the Samsung cup. The tension escalated when Ahn bluntly asked Kurata if he was in a slump, sparking a competitive streak in Kurata whenever the Korean player is involved.
