ICE MOUNTAIN/Characters

A list of members from the fictional band, ICE MOUNTAIN.

Keyboardist: Amane Haruto
Amane Haruto (天音ハルト) is ICE MOUNTAIN’s keyboardist. He is a genius musician who can play any song he’s listened to only once without ever looking at the sheet music, thanks to his perfect pitch. He can master any musical instrument. He’s a colleague of Kiyoteru, and considers Tohma more as a friend than a coworker. He usually changes his gear and uses different combinations depending on the song, but his favourite instrument is the Roland RD-700NX + YAMAHA MOTIF XS + KURZWEIL PC361.

Stats
• Age: 25 • Birthday: December 25 • Height: 188cm • Weight: 68kg • Shoe Size: 27.5cm

Profile

 * ° Personality


 * His hobbies include: Piano, gardening, appreciating music and arts.
 * Lives by his own value standards, which in a sense makes him someone who lives in a different dimension.
 * Inherited his mother’s airheadedness.
 * Likes pretty things.
 * Always doing things at his own pace.
 * Tends to come off as cold because he doesn’t get passionate easily, but deep down he is very warm.
 * Hates conflicts.
 * Is concise when he speaks his mind, but he reflects a lot and so he knows how to teach children in the most effective way.


 * ° Childhood


 * His family members are: Imakura (grandfather), Yoshiyuki (father), Ai (mother), Yuuri (little sister).
 * While his parents are both Japanese, he was born with true blonde hair. DNA tests support the fact that his parents are indeed his true parents.
 * His grandfather is the head of an international zaibatsu.


 * ° Primary School to College Years


 * Confirmed to be intellectually gifted (innate genius).
 * Went to America to receive a special education for gifted children.
 * Returned to Japan after he graduated.


 * ° Adult Life


 * Became a teacher at the Hachigata-jou Minami primary school. He’s in charge of the grade 6 class 2, and teaches music to other classes.
 * In charge of music education. He brought in his own expensive piano.
 * Uses a custom white limousine to go to work.
 * Very popular among the children’s mothers.
 * Says out loud what he thinks in a frank manner, but isn’t mean-spirited.
 * Thinks Natsuki’s appearance is a beauty gifted by God.
 * Apparently makes huge donations to the school, so he never gets into trouble, however unreasonable his actions may be.
 * Can harmonize with animals and plants.
 * Was born with an ability to perceive people’s true nature. He took an interest in joining ICE MOUNTAIN because he was intrigued by Kiyoteru, whose nature he hasn’t been able to perceive yet.
 * His grandfather doesn’t approve of him, his heir, or being a teacher.
 * His mother is kind, and is a worldwide renowned pianist, but she’s extremely airheaded, and nothing can get her full attention. He was heavily influenced by her talent as a pianist and her airheadedness.
 * Deeply respects her and simply sees her as the perfect woman.
 * Has a much younger sister who is in first year of high school, and who is exactly like her mother was at her age. Contrary to Haruto, she has beautiful straight black hair and is a beautiful girl. She suffers from a severe brother complex, and she calls him “onii-sama.” She likes doing tarot. She loves telling her brother’s friends’ fortune when they drop by; when she did it with Kiyoteru the first time he came, her face turned pale and she stopped.

Drums: Hokaze Natsuki
Hokaze Natsuki (帆風ナツキ) hasn’t been playing the drums for a long time but mastered his instrument quickly. His frail body makes his aggressive playing style all the more surprising. He practices with buckets and tires instead of his drum set. He met Kiyoteru in college. He’s a baker at the “Hokaze-tei.” He uses the drum sets that are already in the places he performs at, except for the snare (Pearl/CS 1450), the kick pedal (Pearl/P-3002D) and his sticks (Pearl/106 H).

Stats
• Age: 22 • Birthday: March 3 • Height: 160cm • Weight: 47kg • Shoe Size: 23.5cm

Profile

 * ° Personality


 * His hobbies include: Making Kiyoteru taste his new cakes.
 * Keeps a low profile, calm and serious, but can be scary when he gets angry. More competitive than anyone else.
 * Is passionate about everything. When he starts doing something, he has to do it completely and perfectly or else he cannot settle down.
 * Kiyoteru is the one he trusts the most among his band mates.
 * Gets suddenly angry when he’s mistaken for a girl.
 * Is actually weak to fancy things.
 * Is constantly trying to act manly.


 * ° Childhood


 * His family members are: Chiyo (grandmother), Masayuki (father), Haruko (mother), Natsumi (older sister).
 * His parents made him wear Western-style girls’ clothes and raised him as a girl, which got him to think he was a girl.
 * His grandmother raised him since his parents were busy with their jobs, so he didn’t go to kindergarten. He had no friends, and that’s why he grew up thinking he was girl without thinking more about it.
 * Often played alone, with his dolls and stuffed toys.


 * ° Primary School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami primary school)


 * Because of his cute appearance and his unisex first name, his homeroom teacher mistook him for a girl, and he even lined up with the girls during the school entrance ceremony.
 * Became conscious of his real gender, and started to behave like a boy.
 * Often teased because of his girlish looks, and started to grow stronger because of the numerous fights he got in.
 * Started to drink milk every day to grow taller.


 * ° Junior High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami junior high school)


 * Started to help at his grandmother’s bakery. He learned the basics of store tending and pre-cooking, and baked cakes as a leisure activity.
 * Because he was cuter than the schoolgirls, he never got a girlfriend. He had no interest in romantic relationships.


 * ° High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami high school)


 * Troubled because of his lack of facial hair; he would never have facial hair even as an adult.
 * Troubled because his voice didn’t break; his voice wouldn’t change even as an adult.


 * ° College Years (Tenshou Onkyou university)


 * While he was trying to be manly and find a girlfriend, Akito tried to pick him up, which killed his motivation.
 * Made his first friend, Kiyoteru, at their seminar, and was invited into the band, something which deeply moved him.
 * When he learned Akito was in the band, he tried to reject Kiyoteru’s proposition, but Akito told him it wasn’t manly not to keep one’s promises, which convinced him to enter the band as the official third member.
 * Kiyoteru asked him to take on the bass or the drums; since the drums seemed to be a manlier instrument to him, he chose it without hesitation. He was inexperienced, but started to practice seriously.


 * ° Adult Life


 * He takes part in ICE MOUNTAIN’s activities while working at a bakery named “Hokaze-tei.”
 * Brings leftovers and his new cakes to Kiyoteru, at his night duty room.
 * He would never let anyone in his room because of the stuffed toys placed at his bedside.
 * Weak to alcohol; when he wakes up after having drunk, he can’t remember what he did the previous day. He can be described as the type of drinker who picks quarrels and annoys people.

Vocalist: Hiyama Kiyoteru
Hiyama Kiyoteru (氷山キヨテル) / (氷山, “ice mountain”) otherwise known as Teru. A primary school teacher, he’s also vocalist for the rock band ICE MOUNTAIN during his free time. Upbeat rock songs and shouting are his strong points, but he personally likes ballads too. His favorite instrument is the microphone. From junior to high school, he used the behringer ULTRAVOIE XM8500, in college, it was the SHURE SM58, and he’s been using the SHURE BETA 58A and the RODE NT1-A since the beginning of his adult life.

Stats
• Age: 22 • Birthday: December 4 • Height: 176cm • Weight: 59kg • Shoe Size: 27cm

Profile

 * ° Personality


 * His hobbies are: Singing
 * Earnest and sincere, easy going and likes to do things at his own pace, and is a herbivorous (TN: a slang term that refers to males who act kindly, are family-oriented, and don’t “predate” women). Somewhat shilly-shally.
 * Easily influenced by other people, weak when confronted to the kind of pressure Hiyama Akito can put on him.
 * Cares a lot about children.
 * Is bad at live events such as moshing and diving.
 * Never had a relationship with a girl.
 * When he takes his glasses off, his personality changes and he becomes a cool guy! But he can’t do it for an extended period of time because it causes him severe eyestrain.


 * ° Childhood


 * His family members are: Kiyoshi (foster father).
 * Raised by a catholic priest officiating at the church located in the public park near the Hachigata-jou Minami primary school.
 * His first recollections date back to when he was in the third year of primary school (8-9 years old).
 * Admitted in grade 3 class 2. He was shy and had difficulties adapting to the class, but Akito won over his friendship and became his playmate. After that, he started to play everyday with Akito, who lived near him.


 * ° Junior High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami junior high school)


 * Was still hanging out with Akito everyday.
 * Took an interest in singing thanks to the hymns sung at the church.


 * ° High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami high school)


 * Started to write lyrics for the original songs they played during street concerts.
 * Dropping by Akito’s on his way back from school was part of his daily routine, and he always ate dinner with him when there was curry.


 * ° College Years (Tenshou Onkyou University)


 * Actively seeking to make friends, he approached and talked to Natsuki, who was taking the same seminar.
 * Due to the influence of his foster father who was a teacher at Sunday school, he started to vaguely think about getting a job through which he could help people.


 * ° Adult Life


 * Was hired as a teacher at the Hachigata-jou Minami primary school, his alma mater. By chance, he became the homeroom teacher of grade 3 class 2.
 * The subject he likes to teach the most is arithmetic.
 * Always broke because he donates a large part of his wage to the church.
 * His favourite glasses are the Zoff ZS92001A. He takes great care of them because it’s a present from his foster father.
 * Practiced the pianica a bit, which he taught at school, but he can’t play any other instrument.

Guitarist: Hiyama Akito
Hiyama Akito (火山 アキト) / (火山, “fire mountain”) is Kiyoteru’s friend since primary school, he works as a green-grocer and is the guitarist and easy-going band leader of ICE MOUNTAIN. He compensates his lack of knowledge and technique with his energy. An old guitar his primary school’s janitor had given him when he was admitted to junior high school. It’s a red Gibson 1959 ES-355TD Cherry, a custom model made for a legendary guitarist. Despite this, Akito only sees it as an “old guitar”.

Stats
• Age: 22 • Birthday: January 1 • Height: 179cm • Weight: 66kg • Shoe Size: 28cm

Profile

 * ° Personality


 * His hobbies include: Guitar, teasing Kiyoteru, bullying Natsuki.
 * Passionate and relentlessly leading those who surround him.
 * Doesn’t really pay attention to what people tell him.
 * Acts before thinking.
 * Good-hearted and easily moved to tears.
 * Spontaneously says out loud what he is thinking.
 * Never had a relationship with a girl.


 * ° Childhood


 * His family members are: Hachirouta (father), Taeko (mother), Akiko (older sister), Tatsuhiro (little brother).
 * First-born son of a green-grocer. Brat-in-chief.
 * Around the 6th year of primary school, he kept telling people he’d create a band.
 * Used to speak for hours with the school’s janitor about his strong desire to play in a band. He received an old guitar as a present from the janitor when he graduated. He had no idea that the janitor was in reality a legendary guitarist.


 * ° Junior High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami junior high school)


 * Invited Kiyoteru to start musical activities. The name “ICE MOUNTAIN” comes from the first part of Kiyoteru’s name and the second part of his own name (TN: their names are pronounced the same, but the first kanji differs both in meaning and writing. However, they share the same second kanji, 山 yama “mountain”). He later realized saying it was “his” yama didn’t make sense and felt down.


 * ° High School Years (Hachigata-jou Minami high school)


 * Started doing street concerts with Kiyoteru. It was also at this time that he improved a little in his guitar skills.


 * ° College Years (Tenshou Onkyou University)


 * Love at first sight when he mistook Natsuki for a girl. He then tried to pick him up, which turned out to be a bitter experience that traumatized him. He would later have troubles with trying to pick up girls.
 * Akito tried to recruit a bassist, but he always caused troubles during the sessions.
 * Got busy with helping at the green-grocery after his father got forced to bed. ICE MOUNTAIN temporarily stopped its activities.


 * ° Adult Life


 * Suggested to Natsuki and Kiyoteru that they resume ICE MOUNTAIN, on the spring of his graduation.
 * Akito never wrote lyrics, but one day he hit on an idea while working at the green-grocery, and started to write something about vegetables and fruits. His lyrics were rejected unanimously.
 * Intrigued by a young girl wearing twintails, who comes to the greengrocery every day to buy negi in large quantity.

Bassist: Azuchi Tohma
Azuchi Tohma (安土トウマ). He had to step back from his musical activities because of bitter experiences he had in the past. He picked up his bass again when he joined ICE MOUNTAIN. He’s Kiyoteru’s confidant, and works at the same school as his senpai teacher. He was given his bass by his female cousin, and has always used it with great care. It’s a Fender Japan PB62-DMC BLK, black, which is Tohma’s favourite color. It looks brand new because of his maintenance work.

Stats
• Age: 25 • Birthday: September 5 • Height: 180cm • Weight: 65kg • Shoe Size: 28cm

Profile

 * ° Personality


 * His hobbies include: Smoking and drinking coffee.
 * Reliable like a big brother. However, people may see him as a slacker because of his beard which he doesn’t shave out of laziness, and his loose necktie.
 * ICE MOUTAIN’s leader is Akito, but Tohma often gathers everyone’s opinions and puts them together.
 * Most mature of all the band members.
 * Amusingly watches over the younger members when they get excited.
 * Likes doing laundry and keeps hygiene, but he doesn’t care about stains or creases on his white shirts because he thinks they can’t be avoided.


 * ° Childhood


 * His family members are: Nobuhide (father), Hana (mother), Ichiko (cousin).
 * Bullied because he was short, thin, and prone to getting ill.
 * 155cm (5’1) tall when he graduated.


 * ° Junior High School Years


 * Rebellious. Got into fights every day.
 * Saw his cousin, a female bassist who was in high school, perform live, which made him want to try bass.
 * Severed his ties with bad company, and started learning bass with the help of his cousin.
 * Often spent his days off at his cousin’s.
 * Suddenly started growing up. He was 178cm (5’8) tall by the time he graduated.


 * ° High School Years


 * His cousin offered him a bass (which would become his trademark instrument) to celebrate his entry to high school.
 * Spent his days practicing bass.
 * Hired in different popular amateur bands, but each time he caused trouble and got fired.
 * 180cm (5’9) tall by the time he graduated.


 * ° College Years


 * After having been told by his cousin he was really suited to become a teacher, he received a teacher’s license.


 * ° Adult Life


 * Became a teacher at the Hachigata-jou Minami primary school.
 * The day he was hired, his cousin told she was going to get married. It came as a shock to him, and he couldn’t play bass anymore.
 * Moved in “Park Side Minami,” an apartment building, alone.
 * Made the science classroom his own, where he smokes tobacco.
 * Doesn’t let anyone touch his bass, which reminds him of his cousin.
 * Invited to become part of the band by Kiyoteru, but refused at first.
 * Secretly looks forward to Kiyoteru’s reaction (“HOT!”) when he gives him a cup of hot coffee.