Kitano

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Kitano’s father disappeared over debt when Kitano was thirteen; his mother died the following winter. He completed high school through scholarships and part-time work, then chose veterinary medicine because of the financial support and accessible career path it offered. Although academically strong enough to enter any national university, he accepted low-interest JA loans and support from Hokkaido University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. His long-term goal was to establish a profitable pet hospital in Tokyo. 1

He took over a small clinic in Niikappu and became one of the town’s few livestock veterinarians. Most of his work consisted of rural house calls rather than clinic appointments, leaving him responsible for a wide area and frequent emergencies. 1 2

In late March, Kitano successfully diagnosed and operated on Watanabe’s cow, removing part of a feed bag that had caused ruminal bloat. During the surgery, he began hearing prompts to activate the Horse Racing Tycoon System. He completed the operation, paperwork, and equipment disinfection before accepting it. 1

The system gave him a route out of debt, but also exposed his lack of racing knowledge. By late April, he had used exchanged Green Omamori to meet the Hokkaido Racing Association’s income review and register as an individual owner, financing his first purchases with loans as well. 1 4

Kitano developed his initial industry network through seminars, business-card exchanges, racecourse visits, and his veterinary work. He ultimately completed the system task of making one hundred industry connections after meeting New Life Ranch representative Kimura Keisei. 2 19

Following Mejiro Sakuya’s growing success, Kitano began transferring his ownership activities from Hokkaido to South Kanto. He filed his South Kanto Racing Association application before the All Japan Juvenile Yushun, inspected prospective Oi stables, and reached a preliminary agreement for Sakuya to join Arayama Stable after the race. 66 67

Kitano later expanded from individual ownership into farm management through Mejiro Trading. In Shin-Hidaka, he purchased Takamura Farm for 190 million yen, intending to develop the property into Mejiro Farm while preserving care for its retired horses. 138 He subsequently developed a long-term dirt-racing and breeding strategy, targeting more attainable domestic sales and the Keeneland November Broodmare Sale rather than competing recklessly at every elite auction. 143

Appearance

Kitano is a young man with a light wheat-colored complexion, thick black brows, and bright, sharp eyes. 1

• Usually dresses for practical field work and house calls rather than racing-world formality. 2 22
• Drives a silver Isuzu D-MAX pickup for veterinary visits. 1
• His professional habit of assessing health is so ingrained that he clinically evaluated Ogawa Kanna’s physical condition on first meeting her. 4
• He adopts more formal clothing for owner ceremonies, industry meetings, and major races, though he remains visibly uncomfortable with excessive public attention. 53 196 255

Personality

Kitano is practical and professionally disciplined. Even when confronted with a supernatural system, he refuses to neglect a patient or leave his paperwork unfinished. He is similarly cautious with expensive system resources: before feeding its fresh grass to his horses, he arranged laboratory testing through Professor Ota rather than trusting its appearance or price. 1 12 15

As an owner, he prioritizes welfare over immediate returns. He rejected an overly demanding schedule for Mejiro Tenma, invested in better bedding, and instructed Ochiai to pull Mejiro Sakuya up if safety required it. 13 14 36

He is also aware of his limitations. Kitano studies magazines, racing videos, pedigrees, biomechanics, hoof care, and track layouts; he readily accepts expertise from trainers, farriers, and the Ogawa family when they know more he does. 2 16 40 48

Kitano has become increasingly decisive as his responsibilities have expanded. He seeks specialist advice when necessary, but personally accepts the consequences of major decisions, including Sakuya’s Kentucky campaign, farm acquisition, international racing plans, and breeding strategy. 56 81 138 249

His approach to horse management is guided by a belief in following each horse’s nature rather than treating racing or breeding as an absolute priority. This principle informs his care for injured horses, retired horses, and young prospects whose development does not match public expectations. 130 138 202 252

Though reserved and uneasy around overly enthusiastic people, Kitano is considerate toward employees, neighbors, and industry peers. He shares expensive farm machinery with nearby farms, treats probationary workers fairly, and remains attentive to the needs of people as well as animals. 66 143 366

Abilities & Skills

Horse Racing Tycoon System

The system presents Kitano with Abilities, Assets, Shop, and Quests. Its quests award Omamori, which can be exchanged for money or spent on special shop items. 1

1

• Initially owned no horses, farm, or club, and had total assets of negative 3.02 million yen. 1
• Green Omamori can be exchanged for 50,000 yen each; Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Rainbow Omamori have stated values of 200,000 yen, 1 million yen, 10 million yen, and 100 million yen respectively. 1
• He equipped the title “Racing Dynasty: Mejiro,” which grants minor benefits to horses with the Mejiro name. 1
• Kitano completed the task of improving his personal abilities ten times and received a Silver Amulet. 20
• He has grown more willing to spend high-tier Omamori when their practical value outweighs their exceptional cost, including purchasing three unspecified system upgrades with Rainbow Omamori. 110 366

Veterinary Medicine and Health Management

Kitano’s strongest original skill is veterinary medicine, particularly livestock and equine health management.

• Diagnosed ruminal bloat and removed a feed-bag obstruction through surgery. 1
• Treated seasonal ruminal acidosis cases using sodium bicarbonate, rumen lavage, and intravenous glucose saline. 15
• Directed the emergency treatment of twenty-six heatstruck dairy cows, including cooling measures, rehydration, adrenaline administration, and cardiac-arrest response. 34
• Developed a reduced-cost Stringhalt management plan for Mejiro Sakuya using low-sugar forage, supplementation, TENS therapy, hydrotherapy, and environmental modifications. 32
• Performs and monitors Mejiro Sakuya’s electrotherapy himself with equipment from his clinic. 46
• Personally monitored Mejiro Tenma’s synovitis treatment, including IRAP injections and long-term anti-inflammatory and cartilage-support medication. 147
• Examined Aru for suspected leg instability and, finding no obvious physical abnormality, recognized that the greater concern was Granny Takamura’s apparent cognitive decline. 68
• Provides Mejiro Farm staff with veterinary equipment and training standards for post-turnout examinations, including careful checks for small injuries hidden beneath a horse’s coat. 143

Horse-Sense Eye

Horse-Sense Eye lets Kitano assess equine condition and potential, though its early information is often incomplete. 1 4

• Initially revealed only an E- Speed rating for a colt that otherwise appeared healthy and attractive. 4
• Helped him identify Ocean Fleet 2024’s exceptional S- Health, despite her poor auction appearance. 30
• Its effectiveness is limited by Kitano’s current rank and by the many attributes that remain hidden as question marks. 4 27 30
• His increasingly experienced use of system information is paired with conventional evaluation of pedigree, conformation, gait, medical history, price, and temperament. 143 232 239

Detector

The system-shop Detector instantly reveals one random basic or breeding attribute of a selected horse. It has three uses per target. 3 232

• Cost: 20 Green Omamori. 1
• Revealed Mejiro Tenma’s A- Wisdom while she was still known as Flax2023. 5
• Confirmed Resistance Queen’s dirt aptitude, B- Acceleration, and C+ Power. 27
• Revealed Ocean Fleet 2024’s S- Health, D+ Speed, and timid, solitary personality. 30
• Can uncover inherited breeding traits as well as racing attributes; at the Hokkaido Summer Sale, it revealed explosive-acceleration breeding potential in a difficult-tempered colt. 232
• Revealed Holiday Hymn 2026’s B- Speed, C+ Health, and 1,300–1,600-meter aptitude, prompting Kitano to purchase him for 5.1 million yen. 239
• Its face-to-face requirement is a major consideration in Kitano’s auction planning, particularly for overseas bloodstock purchases. 143

Advisory Team Support

The system-shop Advisory Team Support provides recommendations from three anonymous advisers through newly added contacts. 56

• Cost: 50 Green Omamori per use. 1 56
• Kitano first used it while deciding whether Mejiro Sakuya should enter the JBC Juvenile Yushun. Nagamine, Kappoki, and Mika independently identified Sakuya’s physical gifts, future development, and right-hind-leg concerns. 56
• The advice helped Kitano recognize that Sakuya was a genuine contender rather than merely a participant and supported his decision to enter both Sakuya and Tenma. 56
• He later relied on Advisory Team guidance while selecting major targets, including Mejiro Sakuya’s Breeders’ Cup Classic route and breeding recommendations for Dazzling Move. 249 411

Equipment / Items

• Isuzu D-MAX pickup — used for veterinary house calls and transporting supplies. 1
• House-call bag and clinic equipment — his standard tools for emergency livestock work. 2
• Dynatronics electrotherapy unit — used for Mejiro Sakuya’s TENS treatment. 32 46
• Premium fresh grass and hay — system-purchased forage later verified by Professor Ota as premium-quality feed. 11 12 15
• Sterilized bedding hay — supplied to Nishiken Farm to improve Mejiro Tenma’s stall conditions. 13
• Veterinary flashlights — professional lights supplied for detailed post-turnout examinations at Mejiro Farm. 143
• High-end horse transport trucks — two system-purchased vehicles for Mejiro Farm’s transport needs. 366
• Ultra-heavy tractor, electric no-till seeder, and forage-fermentation system — system-purchased agricultural machinery used to accelerate grazing-land development and improve forage production. 366
• Hay baler — rush-ordered for Mejiro Farm’s operational needs. 221

Relationships

• Watanabe — Dairy farmer and early client; Kitano treated his cow’s ruminal bloat through surgery. 1
• Shibata Ryuichiro — Senior veterinarian who offered Kitano a position and shares in his clinic; Kitano declined while still paying off his own clinic transfer fee. Shibata later assisted with documentation for Kitano’s South Kanto transfer plans. 2 66
• Ogawa Joe — Nishiken Farm representative and a key collaborator in managing Kitano’s horses; Kitano trusts his judgment on training and development. Their farms later become neighbors in Shin-Hidaka. 7 14 17 139
• Ogawa Masaru (“A-Sheng”) — Nishiken Farm worker and hands-on caretaker for Kitano’s horses. Their relationship grows from formal acquaintance to friendly cooperation; Masaru later assists with Sakuya’s care and serves as part of Kitano’s wider farm team. 13 26 46 223
• Ogawa Kanna — Horse appraiser and Nishiken Farm staff member whose impartial assessment helped Kitano purchase Resistance Queen. She assists with Sakuya’s treatment, contributes practical early-training knowledge, and supports Mejiro Farm’s promotion and planning. 27 46 68 249
• Tanaka Junji — Trainer responsible for Kitano’s Hokkaido horses’ racing careers. Their relationship is built on candid discussion of each horse’s limitations and race plans; Tanaka also assisted with Sakuya’s South Kanto transfer strategy and continues to support Ochiai’s career. 7 17 47 66 263
• Ochiai Genta — Regular jockey for Mejiro Tenma and Mejiro Sakuya during their Hokkaido campaigns. Kitano values his professionalism, selected him for Sakuya’s Hokkaido farewell race, and later offered him an opportunity to ride Better Next Time in Kentucky. 7 33 36 65 263
• Kimura Keisei — Owner-breeder of New Life Ranch who introduces Kitano to private sales and sells him Resistance Queen. Kimura later accepts responsibility for retired gelding Katona at New Life Ranch. 24 26 27 130
• Professor Ota — Forage expert and friend of Kitano’s late mentor; independently tested the system-produced grass for safety and nutritional value. 12 15
• Nishiyama — Veteran owner and mentor who advised Kitano on the importance of owner-trainer relationships, stable transfers, accessibility, and long-term networking. 66 67 225
• Trainer Arayama — Mejiro Sakuya’s South Kanto trainer. Arayama accepted Sakuya despite her Stringhalt history, led her Kentucky Road planning, and remains Kitano’s primary partner for her major domestic and overseas campaigns. 67 78 249
• Joseph “Zepp” Schmidt — German farrier hired through an administrative workaround as a stable hand for the Kentucky expedition. Though overwhelming in manner, Zepp is an experienced farrier and later becomes one of Kitano’s trusted Mejiro Farm employees. 87 130 366
• Dr. Kobayashi — Owner, businessman, architect, and shrine priest who encourages Kitano before major races. He later assists Takeshi Yokoyama’s career and remains a close racing-world friend. 72 221
• Iwasaki Nobumichi — Racing-industry figure associated with the decline of the former Mejiro Trading. Kitano publicly rejected Iwasaki’s congratulatory flower basket and is prepared to sever ties rather than maintain false cordiality. 54
• Katsumi Yoshida — Northern Farm representative. Despite their organizations’ nominal rivalry, Yoshida sold Mejiro Dober back to Mejiro Farm for the symbolic price of five yen. 196
• Yutaka Take — Legendary jockey and Mejiro ally who invited Kitano into broader industry activities, including the World Jockey Series. Their relationship develops into professional cooperation and mutual respect. 137 138 256
• Mejiro Tenma (“Pegasus”) — Kitano’s first racehorse and first winner as an owner. Kitano manages the horse patiently, favoring gradual development over immediate prize money; he later personally oversees Tenma’s synovitis treatment and approved a Hokkaido-centered three-year-old campaign. 6 11 14 69 147
• Mejiro Sakuya — Formerly Resistance Queen; Kitano purchased her despite Stringhalt and personally committed to her rehabilitation. She became the centerpiece of his rise from local owner to international racing figure before eventually retiring from racing. 26 32 78 130 411
• Ocean Fleet 2024 (“O-chan”) — An undersized, fearful filly Kitano bought at auction after detecting her exceptional health. 30 31
• Katona — A gelding connected to the Kentucky expedition whom Kitano retired from racing and entrusted to New Life Ranch for a second life. 117 130
• Aru — Retired horse formerly kept at Takamura Farm. Kitano agreed to continue caring for Aru after purchasing the farm. 68 138 143
• Mejiro Dober — Aging mare returned to Mejiro Farm from Northern Farm for symbolic consideration, allowing her to live beside the farm’s lake. 196
• Atalanta — A cautious gray mare whose condition, training, shoeing, and major-race preparation Kitano follows closely through visits to Oi and Miho. 156 199 253
• Holiday Hymn 2026 / Mejiro Hōso — Dark bay colt purchased by Kitano at the Summer Sale after a favorable Detector result; he is a turf-oriented sprint-to-mile prospect. 239 366
• Better Next Time — American claiming-race purchase placed with trainer Eric Reed in Kentucky and initially kept in New York as Mejiro Sakuya’s companion. 263
• Baozuo — Talented but difficult-to-manage sprinter whose 2028 campaign Kitano plans with Trainer Yoshida, including the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Cup in Hong Kong. 419

Story Role / Major Arcs

Entry into Racing

After activating the system, Kitano uses veterinary work, study, and industry networking to build enough resources to become a local racehorse owner. His first major purchase from Nishiken Farm becomes Mejiro Tenma, whom he places under Tanaka’s stable while retaining Nishiken’s more attentive daily care. 2 4 7

His early ownership career is marked by uncertainty and financial risk. Although he gains access to supernatural information, he repeatedly discovers that racing success requires practical knowledge, reliable relationships, careful budgeting, and a willingness to learn from more experienced professionals. 2 4 19

Mejiro Tenma’s Campaign

Kitano’s first victory as an owner comes when Tenma wins a dirt race with Ochiai aboard. Rather than exploiting the early success, Kitano supports a patient plan centered on muscle development, recovery, and race experience. 11 14

Tenma later wins a tightly contested 1,500-meter race by a nose and a neck, earning Kitano ten Green Omamori and breeding rights connected to War Declaration. Tanaka immediately advises rest, as the race also establishes 1,500 meters as near Tenma’s current limit. 44

After Sakuya’s departure from Hokkaido, Kitano decides that Tenma should remain in Monbetsu, where familiarity, suitable local graded races, and Tanaka’s care offer a more realistic path than pursuing higher prize money elsewhere. Tenma’s proposed three-year-old schedule begins with the NEXT STAR Northern Japan and Hokuto Cup before potentially progressing toward the Hokkaido Racing Triple Crown. 69

Tenma later develops synovitis and requires prolonged treatment, but shows significant improvement under Kitano’s direct veterinary supervision. 147

Building a Responsible Stable

Kitano uses system resources to improve his horses’ welfare, from tested forage and premium bedding to intensive rehabilitation. He purchases Resistance Queen despite her lameness, not because he expects certain profit, but because he believes ownership carries responsibility for a horse’s future. 13 15 26

After renaming Resistance Queen as Mejiro Sakuya, he finances and personally performs her Stringhalt management. He later approves Tanaka’s plan to enter both Sakuya and Tenma in the Monbetsu Future Star, with Ochiai and Shigeshi Hattori provisionally assigned between them. 34 46 47 48

When Tanaka proposes using Tenma to shape a race favorable to Sakuya in the JBC Juvenile Yushun, Kitano treats the decision as an ethical and practical responsibility rather than a simple tactical choice. He purchases Advisory Team Support, considers the consequences for both horses and their riders, then approves entry for both. 55 56

Select Sale Purchase

At the Hokkaido Yearling Select Sale, Kitano refuses to bid impulsively through 135 lots. He ultimately purchases Ocean Fleet 2024 for six million yen after his Detector reveals her S-rank health, despite widespread concern over her small build, weak hindquarters, and fearfulness. 29 30

The purchase establishes Kitano’s characteristic auction approach: he avoids fashionable but unaffordable horses, patiently looks for overlooked value, and uses system information only alongside conventional assessments of health, conformation, pedigree, temperament, and price. 28 30 143

South Kanto Transfer and Kentucky Road

After Mejiro Sakuya’s Hokkaido campaign, Kitano begins the process of transferring into South Kanto ownership while carefully timing the paperwork to preserve Sakuya’s eligibility for her final Hokkaido race. He inspects Oi Racecourse, considers multiple stables, and entrusts Sakuya to Arayama Stable after openly disclosing her Stringhalt history. 65 66 67

Sakuya’s second-place finish in the All Japan Juvenile Yushun gives her ten Kentucky Derby qualifying points, leading Arayama to propose the Kentucky Road. Kitano initially weighs the safer Dirt Triple Crown route against overseas alternatives, but ultimately permits the expedition after considering Sakuya’s ability, risks, costs, and welfare. 78 81 85

The Kentucky Expedition Team later disbands after Sakuya requires surgery, but its campaign transforms Kitano’s standing in racing. Wada’s Kentucky Derby victory brings international recognition to the team, while Kitano’s decision to retire Katona and arrange his care at New Life Ranch reinforces his refusal to abandon horses once their immediate utility ends. 130

Mejiro Farm and Breeding Expansion

Kitano purchases Takamura Farm through Mejiro Trading and begins rebuilding it as Mejiro Farm. Although the farm’s 9.5 hectares are difficult to expand and the purchase causes him to miss the current breeding season, he views the delay as preparation time rather than failure. 138

He preserves the farm’s retired horses, recruits staff with equal probationary pay and benefits, develops grazing land, and invests in professional equipment. His approach combines modern agricultural infrastructure with the small-scale, welfare-focused stewardship that shaped his earlier work at Nishiken Farm. 138 143 366

Kitano’s bloodstock strategy initially prioritizes dirt-oriented horses and future broodmares. He avoids overextending himself at elite sales, instead using catalog research, staff evaluations, and the Detector to identify prospects such as Holiday Hymn 2026. 143 232 239

National and International Racing

Following her recovery, Mejiro Sakuya returns to top-level competition. At the rain-soaked Teio Sho, Kitano supports Arayama and replacement jockey Takeshi Yokoyama’s aggressive front-running plan; Sakuya wins decisively by three lengths despite the difficult track conditions. 221 222 223

Kitano later chooses the Breeders’ Cup Classic over the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, accepting the more difficult challenge after consulting Arayama and the Advisory Team. 249 By the time of the Tokyo Owners Association’s eightieth-anniversary party, Sakuya has retired, and Kitano’s attention has shifted increasingly toward breeding decisions and the next generation of Mejiro horses. 411

His international involvement continues through American ownership, including Better Next Time’s transfer to Eric Reed’s Kentucky stable and an offer for Ochiai to gain overseas riding experience. 263 He also plans Baozuo’s campaign around the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Cup in Hong Kong as a conditioning race between the Breeders’ Cup and NHK Mile Cup. 419

Public Profile and Industry Influence

Kitano’s growing racing success turns him into a recognized figure among owners, breeders, fans, and pop-culture communities. He is elected auditor of the Hokkaido Owners’ Association, becomes a frequent subject of owners’ networking discussions, and is sought out for auction and breeding opinions despite habitually denying that he can judge horses well. 143 225

He supports the World Jockey Series with Mejiro Trading’s sponsorship and promotional assistance, later serving as a presentation guest at its Oi event. 138 256 Although uncomfortable with publicity, he accepts that networking and public goodwill are necessary for Mejiro Farm’s future. 225 255

Notable Quotes

“Do what should be done, rather than what he wanted to do.”
— Kitano, defining his responsibility as an owner 26

“But, since I’m her owner—at the very least, shouldn’t I try to do what I can?”
— Kitano, on funding Mejiro Sakuya’s treatment 32

“I want her to live a long and healthy life.”
— Kitano, explaining the meaning of Mejiro Sakuya’s name 34

Trivia

• Kitano is a Ferrari supporter and calls himself a Tifosi, though he is embarrassed by the team’s poor season. 46
• He dislikes bean sprouts and is sensitive to spicy food. 22
• He often hums enka after emotionally significant days or successful treatments. 11 20
• He is an enthusiastic admirer of singer Sayuri Ishikawa and was moved to tears by her performance at the Tokyo Owners Association’s eightieth-anniversary party. 411
• Though initially bewildered by the franchise’s fandom, he has become openly fond of Uma Musume, particularly Rice Shower, while still preferring to keep the interest understated in public. 255
• He is uncomfortable with overly energetic people and was initially overwhelmed by both Majima Daisuke and Zepp’s forceful greetings. 66 87
• He prefers in-person discussions for major racing decisions, believing direct observation helps him understand a trainer’s and jockey’s attitude. 249