Zenkichi Hitoyoshi

Zenkichi is practical, observant and stubbornly loyal. He serves as a grounded counterpoint to Medaka's enormous confidence, regularly pointing out when her solutions are unreasonable even while helping her carry them out.

He rejects the idea that being Normal means being powerless. Zenkichi trains obsessively to compensate for the natural gifts possessed by many of his opponents and is willing to confront Abnormals, Minuses and other exceptional people despite understanding the difference in their abilities.

His feelings for Medaka are central to his motivations. He does not merely admire her abilities; he remembers the lonely child behind her public confidence and wants her to have a life in which she can find happiness for herself.

Zenkichi begins without an Abnormality, but his physical ability is exceptional for a Normal. He is a highly trained hand-to-hand fighter with strong reflexes, speed and endurance, allowing him to contend with opponents who possess supernatural skills.

His mother, Hitomi Hitoyoshi, teaches him Savate. Zenkichi incorporates powerful kicks and practical combat techniques into a fighting style built around training rather than innate Abnormality.

Ajimu later gives him Parasite Seeing, allowing him to see through another person's vision and better understand how that person perceives the world. He subsequently acquires Devil Style, an ability that negates coincidence and prevents outcomes from being determined by protagonist-like luck or narrative convenience.

Zenkichi begins as Medaka's reluctant first recruit. He helps process requests placed in the Medaka Box and becomes increasingly involved as seemingly ordinary school problems develop into conflicts with Abnormals and the Flask Plan.

His status as a Normal becomes progressively more important. While Medaka can learn almost any technique and surpass its original user, Zenkichi represents the possibility of reaching extraordinary people through effort, judgment and persistence rather than inherent talent.

His relationship with Medaka eventually reaches a breaking point when he realizes that continually supporting her from behind has prevented them from standing as equals. He challenges her in the Student Council election and becomes the academy's 100th Student Council president.

Zenkichi and Medaka eventually acknowledge their mutual love. Years after their school battles end, they reunite as adults and agree to marry after settling one final competition between them.

Medaka Kurokami has been Zenkichi's closest companion since early childhood. He loves Medaka Kurokami and understands that much of her relentless need to help others grew from her search for a reason to exist. Their relationship eventually becomes explicitly mutual and leads toward marriage.

Hansode Shiranui is Zenkichi's closest school friend outside Medaka. Their constant teasing hides substantial trust, and Hansode Shiranui treats him differently from almost everyone else.

Hitomi Hitoyoshi is Zenkichi's mother and one of the people responsible for his formidable physical training.

Misogi Kumagawa repeatedly clashes with Zenkichi because of their opposing attitudes toward Medaka and life itself. After Kumagawa's defeat, their relationship becomes less purely antagonistic as they serve within the same broader group.

Najimi Ajimu takes an interest in Zenkichi's potential and later provides him with Parasite Seeing.