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Robert Childan

Owner of an antique shop, American Artistic Handicrafts, which specializes in American, pre-War antiques. The shop caters to high-class Japanese buyers. Childan wavers between resenting the Japanese and having to pander to them. He accepts that his Japanese customers are responsible for his livelihood, and even appreciates their culture. Childan, above all, desperately wants respect. 

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Frank Frink

A skilled welder and craftsman who works for Wyndam-Matson making high-end replicas of pre-War American antiques, among other items. Frink was originally Fink, but he changed his name to protect himself from the Germans. After Frink mouths off to his boss and loses his job, he starts his own jewelry-making business with a co-worker, Ed McCarthy. Frink frequently consults the I Ching and misses his ex-wife, Juliana.

Read an in-depth analysis of Frank Frink.

Nobusuke Tagomi

Head of the Japanese Trade Commission in the Pacific States of America. Tagomi finds himself as a go-between in a plan to uncover a deadly German plan against the Japanese. A devout Buddhist, Tagomi struggles to find his equilibrium after he commits murder to protect a German defector. Tagomi frequently becomes ill thinking of the German’s evil.

Read an in-depth analysis of Nobusuke Tagomi.

Juliana Frink

Frank Frink’s ex-wife. She meets a mysterious Italian man, Joe, at a diner and travels with him to Denver on a romantic escapade that turns bad. Juliana teaches judo and lives in the Rocky Mountain States, a politically neutral strip of territory in the middle of the United States.

Read an in-depth analysis of Juliana Frink.

Paul and Betty Kasoura

A young, wealthy Japanese couple who stroll into Robert Childan’s antique store one day. Childan is secretly attracted to Betty. When Childan gives them a piece of jewelry, in part to seduce Betty, Paul tells Childan the piece has wu, or special magic properties, which Childan can profit from if he chooses.

Wyndam-Matson

Frank Frink’s former boss, who fires Frink after Frink defies him verbally. Wyndam-Matson runs a corrupt metalworking business that sells antique forgeries on the side. Wyndam-Matson comes up with a plan to punish Frank after Frank blackmails him for start-up money for his jewelry business. 

Baynes / Rudolf Wegener

A man posing as a businessman from Sweden, but actually the German spy and Nazi defector Rudolf Wegener. Baynes/Wegener tries to arrange a meeting between himself and Japanese General Tedeki to warn him of the Germans’ plan to annihilate the Japanese with a nuclear attack.

Hugo Reiss

The Reich Consul of the Pacific States of America (PSA). Reiss is often at odds with his colleague Bruno Kreuz vom Meere since their jurisdictions overlap. Reiss is rather passive; he is loyal to the Nazis but doesn’t always agree with their decisions. He thinks their wisdom is flawed. 

Bruno Kreuz vom Meere

Head of the German secret police force in the Pacific States of America. vom Meere is much more inflexible than Reiss and insists on carrying out the Reich’s commands unfalteringly. He is a violent man.

Joe Cinnadella

A German assassin sent to kill Hawthorne Abendsen, the author of the novel The Grasshopper Lies Heavy. Joe picks Juliana Frink up at a local diner posing as an Italian truck driver. He plans to use her as bait for Abendsen, who prefers women with her features. When Juliana finds out Joe’s true identity, she kills him in their hotel room before they reach Abendsen.

Ed McCarthy

Frank Frink’s former co-worker and his partner in Edfrank, their new jewelry business. McCarthy persuades Frink to start the business after Frink is fired. An earnest and encouraging man, he lacks skills as a salesman, which leads Frink to consider closing the business.

Shinjiro Yatabe / General Tedeki

A retired Japanese general. Baynes summons Tedeki to the Pacific States of America to discuss Operation Dandelion, the Reich’s plan to attack the Japanese islands. Tedeki poses as an ordinary retiree, Shinjiro Yatabe, to evade the Germans. 

Hawthorne Abendsen

The author of the novel The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, which details an alternate history where the Japanese and Germans lost World War II. The book angers the Germans, who consider it dangerous libel. It is rumored that Abendsen lives with his wife, Caroline, in a heavily armored bunker near Denver after being bombarded with threats over the book.  

Mr. Ramsay

Nobusuke Tagomi’s assistant. Ramsay is a young white American man who has had his skin darkened to appear more Asian.

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