Kazuya Takamori

Personality
Kazuya Takamori (高森和也 Takamori Kazuya) is a strong but emotionally confused boy born to distant but wealthy parents. He spent much of his childhood alone and separated from his family causing him to reach out to others for acceptance and support rather than relying on his parents. He even goes so far as to use violence and bullying to gain what he wants from his peers.

Background
Kazuya Takamori is Suzume Imamura’s boyfriend. As a child he spent most of his time alone usually only receiving calls from his mother on rare occasions. His parents worked away from home only returning a few times a year and even then would only eat dinner with him. His need for companionship never clouded his understanding that his parents had their own lives to lead. This pushed him to search for "a hand to hold" on his own.

As a means of protecting himself emotionally as he grew older, he decides to follow his own path and becomes a delinquent. He soon realizes, however, that neither the world nor his parents needed him. As a result he stops caring about everything, even his own existence.

Unable to deal with his feelings of rejection from his family he attempts to commit suicide. As he is about to drown himself in the canal, Suzume runs into the water to stop him. Feeling that he had finally found the "hand" he had been looking for he changes his entire outlook on life and his situation. After spending everyday after that with Suzume he eventually learns to appreciate life.

OVA I
Kazuya is first seen when Suzume Imamura’s friends, Yumemi Hidaka and Ichiko Ono, go to confront him about something they had heard from Suzume. She had stated earlier at school that she and Kazuya were going to get married the next day. Worried about what that could mean, the girls begin asking questions about him at school. They heard that he had a tendency to be violent and unstable from Ichiko’s friend, Takashi Tobe, and a few other people. Takashi said that Kazuya was suspended from school and grounded at home for attacking a third year gym teacher.

After school, Yumemi and Ichiko both went to his house to talk to him, but they found that he was not there. They begin instead searching the town, asking various students and adults alike where they could find him. Most people they spoke to became worried about young girls looking for a boy with such a bad reputation, but Suzume’s friends continued anyways.

Finding him at the canal stream, Ichiko and Yumemi approach him not knowing what to expect. He greeted them pleasantly and confirmed who they were. He states that Suzume spoke of them often and with love. They ask about the supposed marriage and he congratulates them on being good friends to go and confront him about the sort of person he was considering his reputation. He confirms his intentions for the marriage but makes sure they understand that it isn’t a real union of man and wife. His family wouldn’t allow it anyways and he understands that they are far too young. Instead, they merely intend to stand together and prove to each other that they can overcome any obstacle. They mean to leave behind the past and begin a new life together. Satisfied with his intention with Suzume, Yumemi and Ichiko leave and head home.

The next day, Kazuya appears in front of the school waiting for Suzume. She appears with a round floating tube and leaves with him after waving to her friends in excitement. Reaching the canal, they hold hands and walk in to the water with Suzume holding on to her floating tube. Kazuya begins to swim to the other side while Suzume holds onto him and paddles along. Soon after starting their endeavor, school officials arrive and begin to panic thinking that they are trying to kill themselves in the canal.

Suddenly, just as they reached the center where the current is strongest Suzume looses her grip on Kazuya and starts to float down stream uncontrollably. Yumemi and Ichiko shout in panic on the bridge where they came to cheer on Suzume. Seeing her in distress, Kazuya abandons his mission of crossing the canal and races to save her. Stretching he grabs her extended hand just as she is about to go out of reach. They then continue their attempt to cross the stream together. All of their classmates, who have gathered by the shore, yell in excitement and cheer them on. The school officials, now seeing that they are not trying to kill themselves, race to the other side of the canal to get them.

Finally reaching the shore, they are both surrounded by their parents, school teachers, and emergency personnel. Holding hands they face the consequences of their stunt and the hardships of life together.

OVA II
Kazuya Takamori is not shown in OVA II but is mentioned to have taken Suzume to the amusement park the previous month before she, Yumemi, Ichiko, and other friends go during winter break. He is also mentioned to have made it into a private high school due to his excellent grades even though his status as a delinquent was so prevalent.

Movie
Kazuya Takamori is shown only in the end of the movie. He is parting with Suzume after arriving at the crossroads between their schools. He warns her not to fall down and hurt herself, which she promptly does when she turns to run down the hill. He rushes to her to see if she is ok, but she gave herself a bloody nose when she hit the ground. This really shows his great love and concern of her even though they seem like a very mismatched couple with her childishness verses his maturity.

Voiced by: Shogo Matsui (OVA), Shinya Takahashi (TV), Michael Sinterniklaas (English OVA)