Chikara Katsumata

Chikara Katsumata
Profile
Japanese name:	勝又 力 (Katsumata Chikara)
Age:	Mid 50s
Gender:	Male
Date of birth:	unknown
Relatives:	Mina Katsumata (daughter)
Statistics
First appearance:	Manga: File 899 Anime: Episode 785
Appearances:	Chapters: 7 Episodes: 5
Cases solved:	0
Keyhole number:	Volume 85
Actors
Japanese voice:	Minoru Inaba

Chikara Katsumata (勝又 力 ,Katsumata Chikara) is a famous shogi player.

Background

Nothing is known about Chikara Katsumata's past prior to the current timeline. When first introduced, he was the holder of one of the seven most prestigious shogi titles, the Meijin, which he lost to Shukichi Haneda. As of file 947, Chikara currently holds the Osho title, having usurped it from Shukichi in a title defense match.

Personality

Chikara Katsumata is a skilled shogi player with a cool, logical temperament. He is focused and speaks respectfully of Shukichi who is his rival. He is also fair, seen when he suggested an early adjournment for lunch after he noticed Shukichi was distracted.

Appearance

Chikara is a bulky middle-aged-looking man with a clean-shaven strong jawline, short hair, and receding hairline. He wears glasses. In tournaments, he wears very traditional Japanese clothing: a wide-sleeved kimono covered by a dark colored haori with wide sleeves.

Appellations

Picture	Name	What they call Chikara Katsumata	What Chikara Katsumata calls them
	Shukichi Haneda	Meijin (while Chikara held the title)	Haneda-meijin (after Shukichi claimed the title)

Plot overview

Meijin Shogi Tournament (Manga: 899-902, Anime: 785-786)

Chikara is challenged by Shukichi Haneda who wishes to obtain the last of the seven Shogi titles he needs to becomes meijin. On the day of the final game, they are tied 3-3. Chikara is unaware that Shukichi's love, Yumi Miyamoto, has been kidnapped. Shukichi leaves the match and the building immediately, surprising Chikara, and spends almost all of his assigned thinking time looking for Yumi's whereabouts. Chikara waits patiently for Shukichi to return. Despite effectively having to play a one-sided speed match against Chikara, Shukichi wins and claims the seventh title.

Revenge Match (Manga: 946-947, Anime: 849-850)

Missing Envelope Case, Shukichi loses his title defense match for the Osho title against Chikara and subsequently only holds six titles at the moment.

Speculation

  Show spoilers »

Yusaku Kudo suspects the boss to be in fact Renya Karasuma in Search for Maria-chan!, which is confirmed by Gosho. Karasuma is Japan's richest man, although he has been dead for forty years, but he could still be alive by using APTX 4869 or any sort of drug. If we still use the theory Karasuma has taken a drug and rejuvenated, he could have disguised as Katsumata, who is about 50-year-old. Their body shape is similar since both are slightly big and Karasuma could use fake glasses or dye his hair brown. Another speculation is that if we interchange letters in Chikara's name, it can point to the boss: Chikara Katsumata = Hikkata Karasuma (in japanese meaning "The Great Karasuma"). Both are wise and quiet, and Chikara is in some of APTX's victims vicinity since he knows Shukichi Haneda, his direct rival who is ultimately related to Mary Sera and Kohji Haneda. More suspiciously, he is one of the only Rum Arc characters to not have been introduced in a suspects' box. It is unclear if he'll appear again since it has been at least 50 episodes he hasn't done so and Gosho hasn't yet revealed anything about him.

Name origin

The kanji in Chikara Katsumata's name (勝又 力) literally mean 'win-again strength'.

Trivia

• Chikara was not introduced with a suspect box, so his age and other pertinent details are still unknown. He spoke his own name in one panel.
• In James Bond series, there was also a strong chess player named Tov Kronsteen working for a terrorist group, so Katsumata's connection to Black Organization is not unprecedented in fiction.

See also

• List of minor recurring manga characters