Gaku Nakamura is not cruel—he is a man whose pride has been battered by circumstance. Internment, poverty, humiliation, and the collapse of his imagined future for his family all strike at the core of his identity. Because he cannot admit mistakes, he doubles down on control.
His bitterness grows over time, feeding frustration that spills out toward Nomo in particular. He believes he is protecting her, pushing her to be stronger than he ever was—yet his fear of failure distorts his love.