by Ume Mizunoe is the central character of the anime Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! (Seitokai ni mo Ana wa Aru!). A talented young writer with an unusual academic weakness, Ume joins his school’s student council in the hope of improving his grades and avoiding the possibility of repeating a year. However, he soon discovers that working with the student council’s eccentric members is much more complicated than he expected.
The anime is based on the comedy manga by Muchimaro, which is serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine. The television adaptation brings the manga’s combination of school comedy, awkward relationships, and heartwarming moments to life.
This article takes a closer look at Ume Mizunoe, including his birthday, personality, school life, family, relationships, and voice actor. It also covers some of the anime’s key production details and Shogo Sakata’s other notable roles.
What Is Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! About?
Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! is a school comedy and romantic comedy about a group of unusual students serving on the student council at Fujinasu Academy, a private school.
The story follows Ume Mizunoe, a first-year high school student who is exceptionally good at Japanese language and literature. He has received several literary awards and performs extremely well in humanities subjects. Unfortunately, his grades in science-related subjects are so poor that his academic future is at risk.
His homeroom teacher, Satomi Hiratsuka, recommends that he join the student council to improve his academic record. Ume accepts the suggestion, hoping that the position will help him avoid repeating a year. Instead, he finds himself surrounded by a group of unpredictable students.
The student council includes Hisako Kotobuki, its charismatic but sometimes difficult-to-read president; Arisu Terui, a refined and kind treasurer whose intimidating appearance can make others nervous; Tan Otori, a cheeky and adorable boy; and Komaro Michinoku, a petite and unusual general affairs officer.
As Ume becomes involved in their daily activities, he frequently finds himself caught in unexpected situations. His serious personality and sensible reactions make him an excellent straight man in the group’s chaotic conversations.
The anime adaptation is produced by Passione, the studio known for projects including Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou and The Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Sword Saint. Naoyuki Tatsuwa directs the series, Ryo Imamura handles character designs, and Masahiro Yokotani is responsible for series composition and the screenplay.
The opening theme is “Kaze no Naka wa Hashirikkyanai!” by Sangatsu no Phantasia, while the ending theme is “Pi” by Nanawo Akari.
Who Is Ume Mizunoe? Character Profile and Personality
Ume Mizunoe is the protagonist of Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! and a first-year student in Class 2 of the high school division at Fujinasu Academy. He serves as the student council secretary.
Ume is particularly talented in the Japanese language and literature. He has earned excellent marks in Japanese examinations and received recognition for his writing, including literary awards. His knowledge of literature is one of his defining characteristics, and he sometimes becomes especially enthusiastic when discussing books and writing.
However, his academic performance is far less impressive in science and other technical subjects. His poor results put his promotion to the next grade in jeopardy. This academic imbalance is the main reason his teacher recommends that he join the student council.
Although Ume initially joins for practical reasons, he gradually becomes an important member of the group. His secretary duties are not always particularly demanding, so he often ends up helping with other student council responsibilities as well. As a result, he is regularly pulled into the problems and unusual activities of his fellow members.
Ume’s Personality and Special Qualities
Ume is a serious, polite, and responsible student. He has a strong sense of justice and is naturally considerate of other people. His helpful attitude makes him popular with students around him, while his teachers appreciate his good manners and well-behaved nature.
He also has a strong imagination. This becomes particularly noticeable in the second episode, when he is frightened by the idea of spending time at school at night. His vivid imagination makes ordinary situations seem much scarier than they really are.
Another interesting part of Ume’s personality is his ability to react sensibly to the student council’s strange behaviour. While the other members often create chaotic situations, Ume usually responds with logical comments and sharp remarks. This comedic role is commonly known in Japanese comedy as tsukkomi—the person who points out the absurdity of another character’s behaviour.
Ume also has a softer, more domestic side. He enjoys sewing and belongs to the school’s handicrafts club. He is good at cooking, too. In the anime’s fourth episode, he prepares homemade pickles for Hisako and Komaro, showing how naturally he looks after the people around him.
His favourite flower is the morning glory, while slugs are among the things he dislikes. These small details help make him feel like a well-rounded character rather than simply a student with excellent language skills and poor science grades.
Who Voices Ume Mizunoe? Meet Shogo Sakata
The Japanese voice of Ume Mizunoe is provided by Shogo Sakata, a voice actor from Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
Sakata is known for his expressive performances and has appeared in several popular anime productions. According to his agency profile, his hobbies include reading and watching anime, while whistling is one of his special skills. He is also active in the music-related voice actor project HeavenlyHelly as a member of the unit Inferno Teller, where he voices Damsel.
Shogo Sakata’s Career and Inspiration
Sakata has spoken about his admiration for anime, manga, and light-novel protagonists. He has also named fellow voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, known for voicing Kirito in Sword Art Online, as someone he admires.
Sakata’s voice acting career includes a number of recognisable characters from different genres. Some of his notable anime roles include:
- Aki Hayakawa in Chainsaw Man
- Usato in The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic
- Jun Shirasaki in Love Is Indivisible by Twins
- Saku Chitose in Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle
- Shiki Ichinose in Tougen Anki
- Johnny Joestar in Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
These roles demonstrate his experience with a variety of character types, from serious and reserved personalities to more energetic protagonists.
What Did Shogo Sakata Say About Playing Ume?
Sakata has revealed that he was already a fan of Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! before being cast in the anime. He had been following the manga since its first volume was released.
In his casting comments, he expressed his happiness at receiving the role. He praised Muchimaro’s distinctive comedy, the heartwarming moments that appear throughout the story, and the manga’s unpredictable humour.
Sakata also explained what makes Ume an interesting character to portray. At first, Ume stands out from the other students because of his strong literary interests and serious personality. However, as he spends more time with the student council, he gradually grows closer to the other members, learns about the warmth of human relationships, and eventually becomes an increasingly energetic tsukkomi.
The voice actor also joked about putting everything he had into Ume’s reactions and comedic remarks during recording. His comments highlight an important part of the character: although Ume initially appears to be the sensible member of the student council, the other students constantly push him into increasingly ridiculous situations.
Who Are Ume Mizunoe’s Family Members? Does He Have Siblings?
Ume’s family situation is another interesting part of his character background.
His parents work for a major manufacturing company and are away on a business trip to South Africa. He also has an older sister and an older brother. There is approximately a ten-year age gap between Ume and his older siblings, and he grew up receiving plenty of attention from them.
Because his family members are often away, Ume lives alone near his school. This arrangement also helps explain why he is comfortable handling everyday responsibilities, including cooking and looking after himself.
Who Is Ume’s Older Sister, Matsu Mizunoe?
Ume’s older sister is known as Matsu Mizunoe, also referred to as Sho in the anime’s English-language material. She works for a large fictional technology company called JOOJLE and is portrayed as an extremely overprotective older sister.
Matsu is very interested in Ume’s personal life and knows an extraordinary amount about him. Her behaviour sometimes crosses the line into intrusive territory, creating humorous and awkward situations.
Her appearance in the anime becomes particularly important in the fourth episode. When Ume returns home, he discovers that his sister has appeared unexpectedly. Matsu then gets involved in a playful competition with Arisu and Komaro over who knows Ume best.
This scene offers viewers a closer look at Ume’s family relationships and shows just how protective—and occasionally excessive—his sister can be.
The Japanese voice of Matsu is provided by Rena Maeda, who is also known for voicing Grass Wonder in Uma Musume Pretty Derby.
Does Ume Mizunoe Have a Romantic Interest?
Romance is one of the elements that makes Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! entertaining. Although Ume does not openly declare his love for a particular character, his interactions with the other students create several amusing and sometimes awkward moments.
His serious personality often contrasts with the more unpredictable behaviour of the people around him. This creates opportunities for misunderstandings, embarrassment, jealousy, and comedic romantic tension.
Ume and Hisako Kotobuki
Hisako Kotobuki is the student council president. She is talented, capable, and generally well-respected, but she can become surprisingly awkward when dealing with romantic or personal matters.
Ume sees Hisako as an impressive and attractive person. Their interactions sometimes suggest that she is becoming more conscious of him, particularly when he spends time with other female students.
In the second episode, Hisako becomes upset after seeing Ume and Komaro getting along. Her reaction adds another layer to their relationship and creates an entertaining moment of jealousy.
Ume and Komaro Michinoku
Komaro Michinoku is a first-year student in the same class as Ume and serves as the student council’s general affairs officer.
She is fond of Ume and often behaves affectionately toward him. Their interactions are full of unusual comedic moments, including scenes in which Komaro sits on Ume’s lap in the student council room.
Komaro’s feelings also become apparent when she meets Ume’s older sister, Matsu. During their interaction, she openly expresses that she likes Ume.
Their relationship is one of the recurring sources of comedy in the series.
Ume and Arisu Terui
Arisu Terui is the student council treasurer and a second-year student. She has a refined appearance and can seem intimidating at first, but she also has a kind and considerate side.
Ume’s first impression of Arisu is that she is extremely beautiful and cute. However, as he spends more time with her, he also begins to recognise her intimidating personality.
Their interactions include several awkward moments. In particular, Ume becomes embarrassed when Arisu sits beside him while explaining something to him. These scenes add to the playful atmosphere surrounding their relationship.
Ume and Koki from the Light Music Club
The anime also introduces Koki, a second-year student who belongs to the light music club. In the fourth episode, Ume receives guitar lessons from Koki, leading to another awkward interaction.
The scene allows Ume to interact with someone outside the student council and adds variety to his school life. Their exchange also introduces another possible source of comedic tension.
At this stage, it is better to describe these interactions as hints of attraction or romantic comedy rather than confirmed relationships. The story’s focus is on Ume’s everyday experiences and the changing dynamics between the characters.
What Makes Ume Mizunoe an Interesting Character?
Ume’s appeal comes from the contrast between his serious personality and the chaotic environment surrounding him.
He joins the student council for a straightforward reason: he wants to improve his academic record and avoid repeating a school year. However, the experience gradually becomes much more meaningful than he initially expected.
His literary talent, poor science grades, interest in sewing, cooking ability, and strong sense of responsibility give him a distinctive personality. He is not simply the intelligent student or the main character caught in a romantic comedy. He is also someone who learns to understand other people through everyday experiences.
His role as the group’s tsukkomi adds much of the anime’s humour. While the other student council members frequently behave in unexpected ways, Ume’s reactions help make their conversations entertaining.
At the same time, his growing relationships with Hisako, Komaro, Arisu, and the other characters give the story its heartwarming side.
Ume Mizunoe is the central character of Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! and one of the main reasons the series’ comedy works so well. His excellent literary skills, disastrous science grades, polite personality, and talent for reacting to absurd situations make him an entertaining protagonist.
His birthday is July 17; he is 175 cm tall, and his Japanese voice is performed by Shogo Sakata. Sakata’s experience in popular anime, including Chainsaw Man, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, and Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, makes him a notable part of the series’ cast.
As the anime continues, viewers can look forward to seeing more of Ume’s school life, his relationship with the student council members, and the amusing situations that arise whenever this unusual group gets together.
