Neku SakurabaNeku is a detached, apathetic and rather dictorial boy who is forced to play the game. At first glance Neku was antisocial to the degree of wishing to be the only person in the world, distrustful of others and not wanting to stick his neck out for others. His hobbies include listening to music and creating stylized graffiti. When Neku wakes up in Shibuya, he realizes that he has amnesia and is unable to remember how or why he's there. He slowly regains his memory through each passing day.
His talent of tapping into people's minds to gather clues is essential to complete his ordeal in the game. He is able to dish out attacks by using a series of pins, which can be leveled up by acquiring pin points (BP for "badge points" in the Japanese version), shutdown points (SP), and access points (AP).
He is voiced by Kōki Uchiyama in the Japanese version and Jesse David Corti in the English version.
Shiki Misaki
Shiki is a stylish girl who makes a contract with Neku. She is outspoken and can easily befriend others. She has an avid interest in the latest fashions, and had a dream to become fashion designer. Shiki keeps a photo of her best friend, Eri, and herself on her cellphone and looks at it frequently.
Her fighting style involves magic attacks; her actions in battle are executed by a stuffed toy cat named Nyan-tan (Mr. Mew in the English Version) that she carries with her everywhere. Like Neku, Shiki can use psychs, which she uses to control Nyan-tan during battle.
She earns fusion stars by matching up symbols on cards whilst fighting. Earning enough fusion stars allows Neku and his partner to pull off a fusion attack that damages all enemies. She is voiced by Anna Hachimine in the Japanese version and Heather Hogan in the English version.
Yoshiya Kiryū
Yoshiya is a mysterious and self-confident boy who acts quite friendly with Neku even at their first meeting. Instead of his given name, he prefers to call himself Joshua which according to him, was the nickname given to him by his parents. Clever and a fast thinker, he has suspicious motives.
He knows a lot more about the Reapers' Game than he lets on. In battle, he uses arrow combinations much like Shiki, but instead he uses a cell phone to type out number combinations that let him attack the Noise. By inputting numbers that are greater than, lower than or equal to the number shown above, he'll earn fusion stars.
He is voiced by Ryohei Kimura in the Japanese version and Aaron Spann in the English version.
Daisukenojō Bitō
Daisukenojō is a muscular and aggressive boy who wears contemporary street clothes and acts overprotective around his younger sister Rhyme. He is nicknamed Beat. He is hot-headed and stubborn and his reasons for coming to Shibuya are a mystery. Fighting as Beat entails a similar technique to Shiki and Joshua – but, this time around, one must match up card combinations to defeat enemies. By selecting a skull in the combo map, he'll earn fusion stars for each pair at the top. However, if the top set of cards reaches the flames at the side, Beat will be damaged himself.
He is voiced by Subaru Kimura in the Japanese version and Crawford Wilson in the English version.
Raimu Bitō
Raimu is a young and optimistic girl who never leaves her older brother Beat's side and acts as the voice of reason to counter him. Her nickname is Rhyme. She is a very bright and cheery person, and is an all-out earnest girl. Neku mistakes her for a boy at first because of her androgynous appearance.
She is not a playable character but can appear in battle in the form of a summoning pin for Neku. She is voiced by Hitomi Nabatame.
