Kousuke Ochi  

, 越智 康介

In the same group as Hikaru, there is another young player named Ochi who is only 12 years old when he was introduced. Despite being quite outspoken about his abilities, Ochi's boasting of his strength hides his insecurity. After each loss, he tends to retreat into the restroom for extended periods. Akira takes it upon himself to mentor Ochi and learn more about Hikaru's current strength. However, Ochi is troubled by Akira's fixation on Hikaru, which suggests that there may be more to Hikaru than what he knows. Additionally, Ochi feels angry that Akira recognizes Hikaru as a rival but not him. He demands that Akira view him as a rival if he can defeat Hikaru in the pro exam. In the end, Ochi loses to Hikaru but still manages to pass the pro exam. His family is wealthy, as evidenced by the numerous pros who come to his home to provide private tutoring in go.