Hitohito Tadano

Hitohito Tadano is the deuteragonist of the manga and anime Komi Can't Communicate, whose goal is to help Shouko Komi with her communication problems and to have 100 friends. His instant description is "An ordinary guy," though he possesses excellent observation skills.

Hitohito is described as an ordinary student with a normal appearance, from his height and weight to his clothing style; his only notable feature is the flower-shaped tuft of hair he wears on his head. Hitohito has short, spiky hair styled to the left, with two pointed strands framing his forehead and two more to the left, along with a small, pointed tuft of hair sticking up. Hitohito has large, white eyes with small, black pupils, thin eyebrows, a small mouth, and a prominent nose. He has a round head with a gently pointed chin and two ears that stick out to the sides. Hitohito is tall with fair, cream-colored skin.

In high school, Hitohito wears the standard school uniform consisting of a white smock with a purple jacket, a red tie with black stripes, olive green pants, and brown shoes.

In his childhood, Hitohito wore a red shirt with a black jacket and a slicked-back hairstyle, looking like a rebellious teenager.

At home, Hitohito usually wears a white shirt and brown pants—traditional clothing, in short. Hitohito also has a very simple appearance, much like his sister Hitomi. During high school events, when Shouko proposed a Maid Café, he was forced to cross-dress and wear a maid outfit. He was incredibly admired, implicitly, by the boys and even by Shouko herself. This was also the case when he dressed as a princess during Shouko's absence from the second-year high school play. On many occasions, he was very well-liked, especially by Makoto Katai, his closest friend, who defends him despite his intimidating appearance. Makoto, however, is actually very sensitive and kind. Like his sister Hitomi, he has a very simple appearance, which allows him to deceive millions of people while dressed as a woman, to the point that Makoto thought "she" was the one.

Over time, Hitohito began to become popular after he started dating Shouko Komi (something only seen in the manga), which indicates that he gradually became more attractive thanks to his kindness to people and always being himself.

Hitohito is always portrayed as an extremely ordinary and average boy, but with a special gift for reading his surroundings and a keen eye for people, and at the same time, a very kind person. Initially, his classmates looked down on him for being so ordinary, showing jealousy and anger during his interactions with Komi-san and preventing her from dating someone as simple as him. After understanding Komi's communication disorder, Hitohito and Najimi decided to help her overcome her fear by introducing her to people she could talk to and spending time with her. This gradually made him more popular, and some girls fell in love with him. At the same time, Komi began to speak without needing to write in her notebook.

Tadano is basically the most normal person in the entire class. Despite being average, he's incredibly kind and reliable, even towards antagonistic characters like Yamai. His descriptions of the class left everyone satisfied and happy. Because of this, he's considered one of the few sane people in the school (since most of the students have mental health issues). He also won Rumiko's heart and greatly improved her attitude after telling her she looked better without makeup.

During middle school, he was a chuunibyou. He suffered from Eighth Grade Syndrome, also known as Teenage Megalomania. At that time, he behaved like a rebellious teenager with fantastical tendencies, but he still had a good heart. After being rejected by a girl he liked, he developed his current personality. He would prefer to forget that period of his life. Tadano also shows a lot of embarrassment about his past, as Najimi took the opportunity to tease him a bit, helping him to see "his little act fall apart."

His ability to read moods and situations is closer to mind reading, even in people with altered communication, being one of the few people who was able to decipher Shouko Komi's intentions, as well as understand Makoto Katai and be consulted by Ren Yamai and Omoharu Nakanaka to get close to Shouko.

This resulted in him becoming Shouko's main emotional support, to the point that she always acts based on what he would do or suggest, stays as close to him as possible during the time they share anywhere, and mainly confides all her worries in him.

Perhaps the weakness of his gift is his inability to recognize the romantic feelings Shouko harbors for him, due to his low self-esteem after being rejected, leading him to consider himself inferior to the women close to him (as Nene Onemine points out: "It's surprising how perceptive and dense you can be, Tadano"). From a very early age, Shouko demonstrated her growing affection for him through certain actions, becoming more assertive as time went on, but he interpreted them as acts of close friendship. The same occurred with Rumiko Manbagi, although in a different way, since her more intense personality (unlike Shouko's serenity) led Hitohito to interpret her actions as jokes or tantrums, until Rumiko declared her feelings for him, causing him to doubt himself and realize that if someone as beautiful as Rumiko had noticed him, Shouko would too. According to Rami Kawai, Hitohito was generous, sweet, and compassionate from childhood, as he was the only one to approach her despite her cold and unemotional nature. She fell in love with him immediately, though, as Najimi mentions, his rejection was humiliating and harsh, as if the whole charade had collapsed around her. He possessed these qualities throughout his life, even during his Chunnibyou phase. However, unlike Amami Satou, who is unconditionally generous, Hitohito knows when to hold back and what is appropriate in each situation. Because of this, and because he was the key to others interacting with Shouko, Hitohito went from being widely disliked for his closeness to becoming another object of adoration, both from men and women. This occasionally led to fleeting jealousies towards Rumiko and Shouko.

Tadano is measured in his displays of affection, always respectful, cordial, and open to dialogue, though he tends to get embarrassed, ashamed, and overly shy around physical displays, blushing even when someone gets very close to him, especially with Shouko, who has taken the initiative to show him affection numerous times, even before they became a couple. He is also very good with words and very considerate when speaking. He also acted hesitantly when Rumiko confessed to him in her sleep that she was in love with him.

Between manga and anime.

Hitohito is the first child of Jeanne Tadano and her partner, whose name is still unknown. What little is known of his early life comes from the accounts of Rami Kawai, who knew him during his childhood. Seeing Rami apart from a group of children, Hitohito kept her company by playing with her, causing Rami to fall deeply in love with him. Later, he became friends with Najimi Osana at an unspecified but fairly early point, as Najimi treats Hitohito as her closest friend, even jokingly trying to flirt with him, since Najimi claims to be almost everyone's childhood friend.

• Secondary
  During this time, Hitohito developed his Chunnibyou persona, behaving like a rogue with hints of a magical warrior and attempting at sophistication, such as reading the newspaper and drinking coffee (something common among some teenage girls). It's unknown if he was Rami's classmate from the time they met, but during this period, Hitohito was attracted to her, to the point of making an outlandish declaration by painting the word "love" in the schoolyard and speaking to her seductively. However, Rami vehemently rejected him, disapproving of his boastful attitude (although against her will, since she cared for him so much and didn't want to see him with this personality). This event marked a turning point in both of their personalities, as Hitohito became aware of his actions and became more grounded. Najimi observed him and helped him write "I love you" in the sand.

• First year of high school
  Hitohito entered Itan Private High School hoping for a peaceful and uneventful life, learning to read situations. However, something happened that would define the rest of his school life: While putting his belongings in his locker, he crossed paths with Shouko Komi, the most popular and beautiful girl in the school, and was struck by her imposing presence. But when he tried to greet her, Shouko fled in terror, leaving him bewildered.

To add to his problems, he's assigned to sit next to Shouko herself, earning him the scorn and aggression of most of his classmates. After falling asleep following the bullying, Hitohito notices Shouko playing with a stuffed animal and lamenting her communication difficulties. Hitohito notices and tries to talk to her, discovering her communication problem, and suggests they use a whiteboard. Shouko finally opens up to Hitohito, confiding in him about her dream of making 100 friends. He tells her he'll support her goal, adding himself as her number one friend.

During the following days, Hitohito would help Shouko to relate better to her classmates, while she, seeing that he values ​​her genuine side, begins to get closer, having attitudes more related to a shy romantic interest, always staying by his side even at a distance, something that he does not fully perceive.

Besides Shouko's affection, Hitohito gradually earned the respect and esteem of many of his classmates, forming a group of friends with Makoto Katai, Shisuto Naruse, and Chuushaku Kometani, as well as interacting with Shouko's circle of friends (primarily Ren Yamai, Omoharu Nakanaka, Himiko Agari, Nene Onemine, and Kaede Otori). His status as class representative (which he received after his classmates elected Shouko first as representative and then as class goddess at Najimi's suggestion) prompted him to interact with everyone, or rather, to have everyone asking him for favors.

He participates in the high school festivals: in the sports festival with a normal performance thanks to Shouko's support, and in the cultural festival, where he gained prominence by being forced by Najimi to cross-dress, obtaining varied reactions (especially Shouko's fascination)

• Second year of high school
  During his second year, Hitohito's new classmates are closer to him than they were in his first year. They respect him as the Class Representative and see him as a good friend. He shines when his homeroom teacher requires him to give feedback to the parents of all his classmates, highlighting each child's strengths. As a result, everyone is impressed with him.

This year, Hitohito helps Shouko take care of Rei Natsukido, the daughter of a former classmate of Shuuko, Shouko's mother, mediating so that the little girl opens up to both of them and manages to make friends, especially when the class travels to New York.

Besides continuing to be Shouko's emotional support, Hitohito begins to connect with Rumiko Manbagi, a girl who at the beginning of the year couldn't interact with the class because of her eccentric appearance. Hitohito and Shouko encourage her to be more natural, as she becomes more attractive that way. Rumiko gradually gets closer to Hitohito, initially in a tsundere manner, embarrassed by his compliments and responding hostilely, but inwardly feeling more attracted to him. This continues until the second Cultural Festival, where she realizes that Shouko is also in love with him. The two decide to become friendly romantic rivals, becoming more emotionally aggressive towards him.

The pivotal day was Valentine's Day, when, in a series of intense events, Rumiko confessed her feelings to Hitohito. He took this as a wake-up call, as until then he hadn't believed that two girls as beautiful as her and Shouko could be interested in him, thus ending his romantic self-sabotage. Insecure, Hitohito accepted Rumiko's confession but declined to pursue a relationship because his feelings for Shouko were stronger. So, with tears in his eyes, he rejected Rumiko and immediately went to Shouko, confessing his feelings and finally becoming a couple.

• Third year of high school
  After being congratulated by his friends, Hitohito begins his final year of high school as Shouko's boyfriend, facing the challenge of dealing with a completely new group of classmates since their social circle has moved to a different division. However, this isn't a major problem, as his growing popularity at school has gradually drawn him closer, including some juniors like Imotou Ribbon.

As for their relationship, Hitohito, unsure how to handle it, unwittingly ceded the initiative to Shouko, who became even more assertive, both pampering him and seeking his affection in her own way. Adding to this was the great affection Shouko's parents had for him, to the point of clinging to him whenever he visited.

But at an event proposed by Itan's acting director, Ichou Setoka, Hitohito was reunited with Rami, whom he hadn't seen since she rejected him, feeling uncomfortable with her presence and the fact that she was now showing interest in him, witnessing her rivalry with Shouko, and rejecting her attempts to win him back, even proposing a triple wedding with Shouko.

Hitomi Tadano: Hitohito's 15-year-old younger sister.

Jeanne Tadano: Hitohito's mother.

Osana Najimi: Najimi is Hitohito's longest-lasting friend, having known him since a young age.

Rumiko Manbagi: Although they began their relationship in a somewhat conflicted way, Hitohito empathized with Rumiko in a similar way to Shouko, highlighting her good qualities and suggesting that she be more natural, causing her to adopt a tsundere behavior when she felt overwhelmed.

Makoto Katai: Hitohito was the only one to discover that Makoto had a communication problem similar to Shouko's thanks to his gift of reading situations, and that's why he empathized with him, causing Makoto to consider him his closest person, bordering on romantic.

Shisuto Naruse: At first, Shisuto didn't notice Hitohito because he was focused on getting closer to Shouko, but thanks to him being the link that allowed them to become friends, they formed a good friendship.

Chuushaku Kometani: He shares Hitohito's perspective on situations, joining the group of friends along with Shisuto.

Shibuki Ase: As with Rumiko, Hitohito empathized with her and urged her not to lose confidence because of her condition, and to help rebuild her friendship with Kiyoko.

Rami Kawai: Better known as Kawai-san, she is his former classmate and high school love interest.

Ren Yamai: Ren is a rather feared student due to being incredibly aggressive, possessive, and violent, to the point of kidnapping Tadano and threatening to bury him in the mountains, until Najimi and Shouko happened to go to her house and saw him there, where Komi tells her that she chooses who her friends are and they leave her crying.

• Hitohito is 19 years old.

• He is of Japanese nationality.

• His birthday is June 26th.

• She studies at Itan Private High School and is part of the "Who would you like to go out with?" Club. At the end of the story, she goes on to study at one of the most prestigious universities in Japan.

• It measures 170.2 cm.

• His code name according to Hitomi is "G".

• Hitohito is 170.2 cm tall.

• His name is Hitohito, but most people prefer to call him by his last name Tadano since it sounds more like his first name, the same goes for Komi and Najimi.

• When he went to the pool with Komi, she unconsciously hit his face with her long hair from the wind as the winds came down the slide, unconsciously developing a new fetish.

• His name is a play on words of "Tada no Hitohito" (ただの人人 lit. "just a boy").

• When he cross-dresses at cultural festivals, the result is so striking that it's even pleasing to some people, especially Shouko. Fukusuki Natsu has a fantasy about him in this guise, and Lily Sukida created yuri stories between him and Shouko.

• In addition to her ability to read the environment, another of her skills is ice skating.

• He obtained second place in the popularity poll with 48831 pts.

• His ability to read the room is sometimes so keen that he can almost read minds, without the other people speaking. He's even aware of the narrator's comments, breaking the fourth wall.

• In anime.
  Hitohito: “Hello, Shouko. How are you? Good morning.” Hitohito bows, greeting in a Japanese manner.
  Shouko: Nervously, she only touches him with her cold hand.
  Hitohito: (She's acting really strange... I wonder if something happened to her?) He feels her cold hand. "Ouch!" Confused, he leaves.
  Shouko: A playful smile spreads across her face.

Hitohito: “Hello! You’re Makoto Katai, right? I heard you haven’t been able to go to school for a long time. Don’t worry, come on, I’ll give you a tour of the school.”
Makoto: The intimidating-looking blond boy feels flashes. "Thank you so... Thank you..."

Ren: Ren sits with her hands propped up, thinking. (Oh, how I wish I could see my goddess Komi's underwear...)
Hitohito: (What's wrong with her now?) Carrying papers.
Ren: (I know how!)
Hitohito: (I can hear your thoughts from here, you sick woman.)
Ren: Like a flash, he speaks loudly. “Goddess Komi! There’s a giant mud puddle at school! Don’t you want to go see it?~”
Hitohito: (A giant puddle? You actually think he's going to fall into that-)
Shouko: Nods excitedly with cat ears.
Hitohito: (Oh, that's not true...)
Ren: (Oh, the texture of love hidden in your crotch...)
Narrator: (And so, Ren's soul was purified.)
Hitohito: (My underpants are purified...)

Hitohito: By phone. “Hey, Shouko. Are you home?”
Shouko: “Yes...”
Hitohito: “Hey, the power went out in your neighborhood, are you okay?”
Shouko: “Uh…- Y-yes, I’m fine, thanks… I-it was just a power outage…” A clap of thunder strikes. “AAAAYYYYY-HIHIIIII!!”
Hitohito: "Eh- Shouko, what's wrong, what's the matter?"
Shouko: “I-I’m fine… Can you c-stay a little longer… With me…?”
Hitohito: “Yes, of course.”

Shouko: Even though Tadano is practically next to her, she keeps calling him on the phone. "Hitohito..."
Hitohito: “I’m sorry… I-I’m sorry for lying like that… What… I said wasn’t true. The truth is… I’ve never been to Kyoto… It’s just that…- oh- it’s just that…” Komi grips the notebook tightly, her eyes hidden by the shadow of her hair.
Hitohito: “Relax, take your time.”
Shouko: “When I was in middle school, we were divided into groups for field trips. I had no way to communicate with… the others… In the end, they decided to draw straws to see who would have to join my team. No matter how hard I tried, fear overwhelmed me… And shame… It made it so I couldn’t even look them in the eye. I thought they were upset about being forced to join their team because everyone was friends except me. I thought… Inhales That maybe they were all indifferent… In the end… I decided to skip so I wouldn’t have to go on the field trip…” Komi starts sobbing. “I’m scared…”
Hitohito: “But, uh… Why? You already have so many friends.”
Shouko: “Yes, but the others… They have friends they’re closer to… Cheerful, more interesting friends… And many better than me.”
Hitohito: “But, Shouko…!—Now you have me!”
Shouko: "...Thank you so much for listening to me."
Hitohito: “Relax.”
Shouko: “Huh…?” Her eyes are now visible.
Hitohito: “If you’re so worried and don’t feel ready, that’s okay, we can skip school together.”
Shouko: “What…? But…! How…? We can’t…”
Hitohito: !?
Shouko: “Uh—Thank you, but you don’t have to do this for me. I… I know you really enjoy going on… excursions with everyone else…” Komi takes a deep breath. “Th-thank you so much. I’m feeling much better now…”
Hitohito: "What? Really? I'm glad to hear it!"
Shouko: “Hitohito… I’m ready… I’ll go on the excursion.”
Hitohito: “Yes… We’ll go together.”

Shouko: “MILESTONE...!”
Hitohito: "If...?"
Shouko: "T-ten... They're friendship chocolates..."
Hitohito: Turns bright red. "A-ah, yes, of course they're friendship chocolates!"
Shouko: Komi covers her mouth in embarrassment and trembles, waving her briefcase in front of her. "T-they're... Chocolates, t-the ones they gave me..."
Hitohito: “Wow! Seriously, thank you so much!” Tadano smiles charmingly as he holds the chocolates in his winter gloves. It's impossible not to feel tenderness for him.
Shouko: Komi's blush and embarrassment intensify, and she runs away. "Aaaayyyy!"
Hitohito: “Shouko...!”

• In the manga.
  Hitohito: Second year of high school, arriving. "I'm sitting one seat back now, I'm glad we're still close."
  Shouko: Komi-san is trying not to show how relieved she feels.
  Hitohito: “I also checked the school roster… Hardly any of the girls from our previous class… are with us… now…”
  Rumiko: A girl with excessive makeup, glitter, and very strange, long, upward-pointing hair sat in front of Hitohito and next to Shouko. Both were distressed.
  Hitohito: “…”
  Ren: Yamai-san's voice could be heard throughout the school. "Why am I not in the same class as Komi-san?! I'm going to sue the education department!!!"

Rumiko: The next day, after Hitohito removed her makeup, she returned with even worse makeup. Rumiko noticed everyone at school looking at her with disgust and revulsion, unaware that she looked better without all that glitter and makeup. "H-hey... About yesterday... Th-thanks..."
Hitohito: “Yesterday? What?” He doesn’t remember.
Rumiko: Manbagi becomes violent to hide her embarrassment. “That 'thing,' that! The shine... How else do you want me to tell you!?” Yeah, you know...”
Hitohito: “Ahhh!! That’s right… Th-that thing… Yes…! Don’t worry about it, it can happen to anyone who’s sick.”
Rumiko: Rumiko snaps out of it, feeling a pang of sadness as she remembers vomiting on the stairs due to nerves and insecurities, but... it wasn't because she was sick. "Oh... Right..."
Hitohito: “Oh, by the way, we didn’t tell anyone. Neither Komi-san nor I. So you can just forget about it.”
Rumiko: Insecure, she just stares at him. "...It's not like I'm doubting you or anything...!"
Hitohito: “I’m sorry…” A sorry smile.
Rumiko: (Tadano, huh...) Look at his name on the student list.
Hitohito: “Ah… Maybe it’s… Your makeup…”
Rumiko: “Oh? What’s wrong with my makeup?”

Rumiko: “Oh? What’s wrong with my makeup?”
Hitohito: “No, errr… Presence! It’s just my personal opinion! Nothing more than my own opinion! I think you look better without it… Personally.”
Rumiko: Rumiko feels those words touch her heart. “...”
Hitohito: Very nervous. “Komi-san, do you think the same?”
Rumiko: A fit of anger seizes Rumiko. "TADANO... YOUR NAME... I'M GOING TO REMEMBER IT...!" Rumiko goes to the bathroom. Once there, Rumiko removes all her makeup, thinking about what Hitohito said. (That was the first time... a boy called me pretty...! How am I supposed to react to that...) Rumiko finally comes out of the bathroom. Now everyone at school likes her and admires her tan skin. Rumiko commits Hitohito's words to memory, words that will lead her to never wear makeup again.

Students: “Huh?”
Shouko: She's looking at the insect so lovingly! How beautiful...! Komi-san fainted in the pose where she was holding the chalk.
Hitohito: Apparently the only one who isn't afraid of the insect. "Even Komi-san!?"
Rumiko: The insect crawls into Manbagi-san's hair. In a split second, Rumiko begins to cry alarmingly and heartbreakingly. "KYAAAAA!? OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! SOMEONE GET IT OUT!"
Hitohito: Seeing the other students, seemingly even more terrified than Rumiko herself, he decides to help her. “Manbagi-san, don’t move…! He’s not very good with insects either. I’ll take him away from you!”
Rumiko: Rumiko repeats 'fast' in an exaggerated and repetitive way.
Hitohito: He finally takes it off.
Rumiko: “YOU ALREADY TOOK IT DOWN!?”
Hitohito: “Ah, yes, I already have it.”
Rumiko: Rumiko, crying, smooths her hair and looks at him gratefully. "Th... Thank you..."

Students: “Tadano-kun, that’s awesome…”
Hitohito: Tadano is surprised by his classmates' compliments. "Ah..." The insect escapes.
Students: “TADANO-KUN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”
Hitohito: “I-I’M SORRY!”
Students: Everyone tells him to hold the insect.
Najimi: Najimi grabs the insect, she's nice to them. "Ahaha, it's just a beetle! It won't hurt you!" Najimi cruelly and comically massacres it, excitedly showing the insect's stomach.
Everyone except Shouko: “KYAAAAA!? WAAAAH! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER! DON'T SHOW US AN INSECT'S STOMACH, NAJIMI!”

Imotou: “Ah, excuse me. Onii-tama!” Imotou throws herself at him passionately.
Hitohito: “Who!? What!?”
Imotou: Almost crying. “Did you forget about me? I’m your little sister, Imotou Ribbon!”
Hitohito: “No, seriously, who are you!?”
Imotou: “I still remember that passionate year I spent with you...”
Hitohito: “Oh… Now I feel like I’ve seen you before.”
Imotou: “Kyaa~! You were aware of me this whole time! Onii-tama, you're so mean! But if you pet my head, I'll forgive you.”
Shouko: "..."
Hitohito: “No, no! I have no idea what’s going on here either!”
Imotou: “About to kiss him. “Please, Oni-tama, make me your number one…~” She looks at Shouko in a very teasing and cheeky way. “Ah, don’t worry, Onee-sama, I can be your number one too!” Najimi: “Hey, you, stop right there!” Najimi observes the passionate and funny scene and how this girl has Tadano wrapped around her neck like he’s her boyfriend in front of Shouko, so she decides to joke around, arriving with her classic glasses and joke mustache. “Tadano-kun’s number one person is me!”
Imotou: "Are you the person who's known Onii-tama since elementary school, Osana Najimi!?"
Sekimatsu: “Tadano-kun’s number one… It must be me!”

Ogiya: “Gaga! (I’m the only one worthy of being Tadano-kun’s number one!)
Makoto: Makoto watches longingly from afar as everyone argues about being Tadano-kun's number one.
Wakai: With Makoto. “So that Tadano-kun, is he the person you wanted to introduce me to? He’s quite popular…” Wakai pats him down to go talk to him. Makoto enters the room and shyly tries to grab Hitohito’s arm.
Hitohito: “K-katai-kun?” Everyone applauds.