Character | Gallery | Relationships |
Itsuki Kitamura | |
---|---|
You have yet to meet the raw determination of a starving university student! | |
Info | |
First Appearance | One Day At The Office |
Tag | None (wears a signature mawashi) |
Gender | Male |
Species/Breed | Japanese Raccoon Dog (Also known as a Tanuki) |
Owner(s) | None |
Relationship | Single |
Friends & Family | Earl Sandwich (boss), College Students, Family (never seen) |
Affiliation | Sandwich Auto Repair Shop |
Not-so-much Friends |
N/a |
Location | Dimension Prime, Babylon Gardens |
Itsuki Kitamura is a minor character in Housepets!. He was introduced in The Interview.
He is an immigrant from Japan who came to America to go to university and works part-time at Earl Sandwich's auto-body garage.
Physical Appearance[]
Itsuki is a tanuki, meaning he is a more akin to a canine or fox rather than an actual raccoon, something he points out to raccoon Falstaff. Itsuki's usual attire is a Japanese mawashi--a belt and loincloth usually worn by sumo wrestlers. He wears nothing else outside of work or school; he wears a buttoned-up white dress shirt and tie while attending college, and an unbuttoned blue work shirt when working at Earl's garage. He has yellow eyes.
Personality[]
Itsuki, being Japanese, exhibits behavior that is typical of someone from his culture; he speaks with an accent, wears a mawashi when not in his uniform or at school, he gives formal apologizes when he feels he has done something to shame himself or others, he eats odd food such as bee larvae, and he is expected to maintain a high GPA in university. Being a college student with school debts, he also does not have much money to spend on food.
He is also a skilled mechanic, but Earl has mentioned that while he is quick his technique does need a lighter touch.
General Information[]
With his family wanting to start their own auto-repair business, Itsuki arrived in America to go to school, as Japanese entrance exams are brutal. He applies for a part-time job at the Auto Mechanic Garage run by Earl Sandwich. He gets the job by demonstrating his skill, and was so grateful that he invites the Sandwich family over for dinner, but all he is able to afford is one bowl of rice, a bowl of noodles and one fish. Earl later instructs him on how to "give the customers what they want", even though their requests are impossible (ex. changing oil on an electric car) and use that time to watch TV in the break room.
Studying for his summer exams, he attempts to apologize to Earl for needing time off, but Earl allows for it, annoying Itsuki for having to waste a perfectly good apology. During the exam, his cell-phone loudly goes off, and it's revealed later that he scored very poorly. While Itsuki is ashamed and apologizes, his professor states his high grade point average has not been affected, which leads Itsuki to frustratedly complain that nobody allocates shame in this country.
He later goes to Jack's yard sale looking for a bumper and a muffler for a 1999 Silverado 1500, which Jack easily supplies. Itsuki even notices it matches the one that went missing and that it was even sawed off at the same angle...
Itsuki attempts to compete in the state fair's food eating contest with the raccoons, Falstaff and Truck, but is so nauseated by his first encounter with hot dogs that he throws up and drops out. Itsuki's most recent appearance was in the hot springs, in which he refused to be seen in a unisex onsen.
Trivia[]
- Itsuki is the only tanuki, as well as the only Asian character in the comic.