Benio Hanamura
Voiced by: Keiko Yokozawa (JP, original), Saori Hayami (JP, remake), Mimi Torres (EN)
- Action Girl: Very skilled at kendo and self-defense, and can hold her own against grown men and soldiers. Being raised by an high ranking army officer helps.
- Arranged Marriage: With Shinobu. Once they get to know each other, it becomes a Perfectly Arranged Marriage:
- Driven to Suicide: She tries to do it twice when she thought that she lost Shinobu when he went MIA in Manchuria. first by putting her head in a bowl of water and then by putting herself inside in a jar of sake, but she ended up being drunk.
- Geisha: Tries to be one, briefly. In the 2017 film Kichiji won't even let her try, wisely insisting it's an especially bad idea due to all the military officers they entertain.
- Housewife: She does not want to be one, but her "bridal training" includes homey stuff. She deliberately screws it up.
- Important Haircut: She sports a bob after deciding to work with her own hands and support the Iijyuin family.
- The Lad-ette: She really likes to drink sake.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: She and Shinobu, sort of. She and Ranmaru fits the mold better.
- Missing Mom: Her mother died when she was little.
- Please Dump Me: She tries to do this on Shinobu. It doesn't work.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: She looks really good in a Western dress. And she was wearing a wedding dress at her wedding with Tousei...just when the earthquake happens...
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Why she eventually falls for Shinobu.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: She and Shinobu, after he goes MIA in Manchuria and loses his memories. They get better, but not before going through much heartbreak.
- Tomboy: Shinobu considers her energy and outspokeness a breath of fresh air.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tomboy to Tamaki and Larissa's girly girls.
- Tomboyish Ponytail: At the beginning of the series.
- Tsundere: Towards Shinobu.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: While she may not have the qualities of a YN, she does have the look and the trait of the iron will of one.
Shinobu Iijyuin
- Arranged Marriage: With Benio. It becomes Perfectly Arranged Marriage later once he gets to know her.
- But Not Too Foreign: Half-Japanese, half-German.
- Heroic Bastard: He was born of an affair between a high-ranking Colonel in the military and a German noblewoman, but his parents couldn't marry.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: He and Benio, somewhat. And while not that girly, he is more patient and sensible than she is.
- Military Brat
- Nice Guy
- Parental Abandonment: His mother is dead and his father is a high ranked Colonel who works abroad in the military. What's more, his mother was a German noblewoman who never was accepted by Japanese society, so she had to leave baby!Shinobu with the Iijyuin clan, which leads to him being...
- Raised by Grandparents
- Star-Crossed Lovers: He and Benio, after he loses his memories. They get better, though. Also, his parents were those as well, since his mom was a German noblewoman, and they were in love, but didn't marry due to her heritage and social standings.
- Trauma-Induced Amnesia: During the fight in Manchuria, which causes a lot of trouble in his relationship with Benio.
- Uriah Gambit: He subjects to this by an army major who holds a grudge against him, which is the reason why he's sent to Machuria to fight.
Shinobu's grandparents
Voiced by: Grandfather: Kohei Miyauchi (JP, original), Mugihito (JP, remake). Grandmother: Atsuko Mine (JP, original), Ikuko Tani (JP, remake).
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Shinobu's grandfather may come off as rude and standoffish towards Benio, not only that he never hesitates to say misogynistic words towards her which Benio doesn't tolerate and stands up to him by challenging him to the Kendo swordfight which she wins and then gains his respect for her. Later on, he would have kill Ranmaru disguised as a maid for a minor offense of accidentally shattering one of the family heirlooms which are ten porcelain plates if it wasn't for Benio stepping in to break all of them to take his place which he gives up out of gratitude and kindness from her.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Shinobu's grandmother and Benio's grandfather. They were in a Perfectly Arranged Marriage, but were torn apart by political/social standings (One family was pro-Shogunate, another supported the Meiji Restoration), which is the reason why the arranged marriage to Benio and Shinobu happened, so his grandmother would this as a sort-of solace.
Tamaki Kitakouji
- Beta Couple: With Shingo.
- Ojou Ringlets
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Girly girl to Benio's Tomboy.
Ranmaru Fujieda
Voiced by: Kazuko Sugiyama (JP, original), Yuki Kaji (JP, remake), Shannon McKain (EN)
- Childhood Friend Romance: Of the unlucky kind in regards to Benio.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady
- Has a Type: Masculine girls, as he founds out when he falls for an apparent Yamato Nadeshiko who, once her brother finally agrees to let her stay with Ranmaru and enter the 20th century, is revealed to have a personality really similar to Benio.
- Large Ham: Justified, since he's a kabuki performer and he has acting training.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: He and Benio.
- Meaningful Name: The first part of his name means "orchid" and the second part means "perfection". Also, his name is probably taken from Mori Ranmaru, the wakashu and most trusted servant of Oda Nobunaga.
- Missing Mom
- Teen Genius: At 13/14, he's not only accomplished kabuki actor, but he also trains people in acting.
- Wholesome Crossdresser: He also pulls this more than once. Specially as Benio's "maid" when she moves into the Iijyuin home.
Shingo Onijima
- Beta Couple: With Tamaki.
- Eye Scream: In the past, he lost his left eye very messily. He explains to Tamaki that this happened when he was a child, when trying to protect the girl who was his first love.
- I Owe You My Life: Towards Shinobu.
- Red Baron: "The Black Wolf of the Manchurian Steppe"
- "X" Marks the Hero: He has one his left cheek.
Tousei Aoi
Voiced by: Makio Inoue (JP, original), Takahiro Sakurai (JP, remake), Keith Silverstein (EN)
- The Dandy: He dresses with plenty of frills, on top of having a slightly feminine appearance.
- He-Man Woman Hater: Due to his mother, who abandoned him, so he has serious issues towards women. He falls for Benio later, because she's the only woman he trusts.
- Romantic Runner-Up: Oh, Tousei, even though you fall for Benio, you really don't stand a chance against Shinobu...
- Second Love: For Benio, until towards the end.
Kichiji
Voiced by: Eiko Masuyama (JP, original), Shizuka Itō (JP, remake)
- Broken Bird: In the past.
- Driven to Suicide: Also in the past, when her husband, an army officer, was killed during World War I.
- Geisha: A professional one in a famous district of Tokyo, since she's a widow with no desire to marry again, especially in the 2017 film. She also experiences Slut-Shaming for it, even from Benio, who spies Shinobu with her, immediately assumes the worst, and uses it as an excuse to try and break things off.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: While she's not a prostitute, she's not considered or portrayed as respectable, either, and the difference doesn't seem to matter to most people. Truth in Television. She is a very nice person.
- Second Love: She and Benio's father.
Countess Larissa Mikhailovna
Voiced by: Mami Koyama (JP, original), Maaya Sakamoto (JP, remake)
- Broken Bird: Due to the Russian Revolution.
- Fallen Princess: After the Russian Revolution, where she lost everything, including her husband.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Blond, young, pretty, girly and very sympathetic. And ultimately... so, so tragic.
- Heroic Sacrifice / Diving Save: She dies while saving Shinobu from a Falling Chandelier of Doom. In her dying words, she tells Shinobu to marry Benio and be happy.
- Loving a Shadow: She falls for the amnesiac Shinobu because she looks like her dead husband Sasha. And even more: Sasha is Shinobu's half-brother, which is why she sees the very strong resemblance between Shinobu and Sasha.
- Regal Ringlets
- Romantic Runner-Up: In regards to Shinobu, which is further complicated by the situation mentioned above. It ends...tragically.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Girly girl to Benio's tomboy.
Count Sasha Mikhailov
Voiced by: Katsuji Mori (JP, original), Mamoru Miyano (JP, remake)
- But Not Too Foreign: See Shinobu's note and the his note below.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He was killed during the Russian Revolution while trying to protect the Royal Family.
- Long-Lost Relative: He and Shinobu were half-brothers: Sasha was born from the marriage between Shinobu's mom and a Russian count.
- Posthumous Character: Mentioned a few times throughout the story.
- Walking Spoiler
Ushigoro
Voiced by: Hiroshi Masuoka (JP, original), Kenta Miyake (JP, remake)
Tsumeko Fukurokoji
Voiced by: Miyu Komaki (JP, remake)
- Arranged Marriage: With Tousei
