A 29-year-old unnamed advertising copywriter living a regimented, emotionally detached life in Tokyo. Haunted by the passage of time and his own isolation, he relies on logic and routine to manage his rootless existence before being thrust into an absurd quest to locate a mysterious sheep.

An intuitive young woman who works multiple jobs, including proofreading and ear modeling. She possesses unusually beautiful, "unblocked" ears that give her a heightened, almost magical receptivity to the world. She approaches life's absurdities with relaxed acceptance and gamely joins the quest.

The Narrator's 29-year-old former friend, a nomadic and restless individual who compulsively moves from town to town. His attempt to outrun time and conventional life leads him to remote corners of Japan. His photograph of a pastoral scene sets the main events of the story in motion.

A fastidious and inscrutable man who wears black suits and works as the personal emissary for the Boss. He represents a shadowy, omnipotent corporate and political force, threatening the Narrator's livelihood to force his compliance in locating the magical sheep.

A powerful right-wing figure who controls vast segments of Japan's media and political industries. Formerly a drifter and war criminal, he transformed into an unstoppable phenomenon after being inhabited by a specific star-bearing sheep. He is currently mortally ill.

A short, evasive figure dressed in a fake sheep costume. He speaks in a rapid slur that blends his words together, displaying a gruff yet oddly familiar demeanor. He lives in the remote mountains and dodges direct questions about the people the Narrator is looking for.

A surly old man and former Ministry of Agriculture official. Decades ago, he was possessed by the magical star-bearing sheep, an event that ruined his career and left him fundamentally changed, leading him to dedicate his life to the animal.

The Narrator's business partner at their advertising agency. An agreeable man whose alcoholism creates a rift between him and the more controlled Narrator; he is easily intimidated by external threats and deeply anxious about their corporate survival.

A Chinese widower who runs a frequently reincarnated bar in the Narrator's old hometown. He serves as a steadying presence and one of the few lasting connections in the Narrator's otherwise drifting life.

The pragmatic proprietor of a shabby hotel in Sapporo. He lives a sad, routine life and harbors a complicated estrangement from his obsessed father, who occupies the floor above him.

A methodical, realistic woman who recently left the Narrator after having an affair with his friend. Her departure leaves the Narrator bewildered but essentially detached.

The driver for the Boss and the Secretary. He is a devout but unorthodox Christian who claims to telephone God every night, maintaining a surprisingly cheerful demeanor despite his shadowy employers.

A former military man who works as a shepherd in a dying rural town. He is rough in manner but friendly, assisting the Narrator with transportation into the mountains.

A composed woman who was abruptly abandoned by the Rat five years ago. She maintains a stoic attitude about her loneliness and the unreality of her past relationship.

A young woman who shared a casual, drug-fueled affair with the Narrator during their college days. Her sudden death at age 26 prompts the Narrator's early reflections on time and mortality.

A local government official who laments the slow death of his town. He helps the Narrator locate the shepherd and provides background on the area's history.