Masaru Ota is a supporting character defined by striking contrasts. Many people's first impression of him is merely that of a playboy who loves to flirt and hit on women, making it easy to reduce him to a simple stereotype. Yet his true charm lies in the fact that both his effortless ease and his sense of responsibility are genuine. During peaceful, safe moments, he indulges his easygoing social nature—cracking jokes, turning on the charm, and maintaining his own refined personal rituals right down to his outfits and accessories. But the moment real danger arrives and a bloody murder unfolds before his eyes, he drops the humor instantly. He is no fearless hero; seeing a corpse or confronting an axe-wielding maniac scares him just as much as anyone else. Even so, given the chance to act, he willingly steps up to organize defenses, prioritize protecting the women, and do everything he can to keep everyone together to minimize risk. In the original work, he is merely a passing guest in a standalone case who bows out as soon as the mystery wraps up, with no overarching plotline. His composure stems from the confidence of an affluent background—his career is an interest rather than a struggle for survival, affording him the leisure and peace of mind to groom himself and socialize. Yet this composure is far from an empty facade; when crisis strikes, the judgment and sense of duty concealed beneath his cynical exterior become unmistakably clear. He possesses no detective's sense of mission and feels no compulsion to solve the puzzle. He is simply an ordinary person caught up in a murder case—someone who loves to joke around in daily life, but proves dependable when it matters most.
Charm is second nature; refinement is a passion.