Masachika Kouda

Masachika Kouda (幸田 柾近 Kōda Masachika) is Rei Kiriyama's shōgi teacher and a pro eight dan who was both the friend and rival of Rei's father in shōgi.

Personality
Masachika is serious about shogi and is very strict with his biological children (Kyouko Kouda and Ayumu Kouda) when they were studying it themselves.

Because of the attention that their father showed Rei Kiriyama, both the Kouda children grew to resent Rei and treated him poorly as he was growing up in their household.

Background
Masachika ends up adopting Rei Kiriyama after his biological parents and younger sister died.

Etymology

 * The name Masachika means "straight grain, spindle tree, (kokuji)" (柾) (masa) and "near, early, akin, tantamount" (近) (chika).
 * Masachika's surname Kouda means "happiness, good luck" (幸) (kou) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta/da).