Yoshio Kou
Yoshio Kou (康 芳夫, Kō Yoshio) is the main protagonist of the one-shot Showman of the Century Who Launched Oliver: Yoshio Kou from The Lives of Eccentrics.
Appearance
Yoshio Kou is a middle aged man of average height and build. He has long straight dark hair.
He usually wears either a business suit or casual clothes with a jacket.
Personality
Yoshio Kou is a calm, collected, and confident man. These qualities allow him to use his impressive set of skills to their full extent.
When it comes to his job, Kou doesn't consider money his main priority. Rather than exclusively investing in things that are guaranteed to succeed, he often works with risky, yet remarkable, subjects, which require a lot of funding.
He doesn't think highly of the general public, deeming it gullible and easily impressed.
Abilities
History
Showman of the Century Who Launched Oliver: Yoshio Kou
Yoshio Kou was born in 1937 in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and a Chinese father. Despite being discriminated against due to his mixed blood, Kou's forcefulness and sinister gaze ensured that he was never bullied. Growing up during the war, Kou was conflicted about Japan's position in the conflict, and even more so regarding the shift in its culture after the war.
In 1955 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Kou is confronted by the Korean yakuza, who at the time, controlled the area. Instead of running away like his friend did, Kou strucks a deal with a them to manage their finances and deliver food to local Chinese people. One day, Kou notices a group of people fascinated by what was advertised to be a snake with the head of a woman. Fascinated by the audience's ability to wholeheartedly believe such a boldfaced lie, Kou goes into show business.
Kou begins his new career by partnering with Japanese businessman Akira Jin to bring Russian shows to Japan as a form of money laundering. Kou would go on to promote all types of events, including concerts, festivals, races, hunts for mythical creatures, and boxing matches.
In 1976 Yoshio Kou organizes Oliver's visit to Japan. At the Miami airport Kou demands for Oliver, a chimpanzee, at the time presumed to be human, to board the plane like any other person, threatening to sue the company for discrimination. Having successfully recieved first class tickets, he flies to Japan with Oliver sitting next to him.
In 1977, Kou makes an exlusive broadcasting contract with NBC for 500 million yen. He would arrange a fight between a Bengal tiger and a karate master in Haiti as it's one of the only places where such a thing would be legal. The show is cancelled at the last minute after animal rights groups contact the country's president. The news shocks Kou, not only due to it's suddenness, but also due to the fact, that they were more concerned for the tiger rather than the man who had to fight it. As a result of the show's cancellation, Kou loses 180 million yen and leaves Haiti in shame.
