Alex is an introverted, bookish Japanese American boy living on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where his parents work as strawberry farmers. He harbors dreams of becoming a comic book artist and frequently communicates his feelings through elaborate drawings. As a nisei (second-generation American citizen), he experiences a profound sense of isolation in a predominantly white society, a feeling that escalates into open hostility from his community following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Charlie is a bright, fiercely intelligent Jewish girl living in Paris, France. She idolizes literature, dreams of attending Sorbonne University, and views *Jane Eyre* as her absolute favorite novel. As Nazi occupation forces impose strict curfews and mandate the wearing of yellow stars, Charlie faces severe persecution, yet she maintains a rebellious spirit and a deep love for her city.

Frank is Alex's charismatic older brother, serving as the star quarterback and captain of his high school football team. Widely respected on Bainbridge Island by both Japanese and white residents, he initially maintains a confident optimism about his family's position in America. As the government strips away their rights and forces them into the Manzanar concentration camp, his sunny disposition hardens into bitter anger.

Mutt is a Hawaiian American soldier of Japanese descent assigned to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Speaking in heavy Hawaiian pidgin, he initially clashes with the mainland recruits due to vast cultural differences. Because he and his family were not forced into mainland concentration camps, Mutt possesses a pure, unconflicted patriotism that heavily influences those around him.

Monsieur Shäfer is a longtime friend of the Lévy family who operates a business in the safer Vichy zone of Nice. Recognizing the lethal danger the Nazis pose to the Jewish population long before others accept it, he actively works to persuade his friends to evacuate. He takes tremendous personal risks to shelter Charlie and manage her correspondence when conditions rapidly deteriorate.

Mr. Maki is a first-generation Japanese immigrant (issei) who works as a strawberry farmer on Bainbridge Island. Having moved to the United States out of a sense of adventure, he desires a better life for his sons, specifically pushing Alex to become a dentist to escape hard agricultural labor.

Mrs. Maki is an issei woman who originally came to America as a mail-order bride. She grows to deeply respect her husband and works diligently alongside him on their farm. She struggles severely to cope with the harsh environmental conditions of the concentration camps and her husband's sudden disappearance.

Charlie's father is a Parisian Jewish man who refuses to leave his home and factory behind despite the worsening political climate. He stubbornly believes that the situation will stabilize, causing severe friction with friends who urge him to flee the advancing forces.

Captain Ensminger is a white officer assigned to lead the segregated, all-Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He earns the profound respect of his soldiers by treating them as complete equals, evaluating them strictly on their military skills and protecting them from racist civilians.

Harry Ueno is a highly popular and influential prisoner within the Manzanar War Relocation Center. He organizes aggressive resistance against corrupt camp administrators, specifically targeting officials he suspects of stealing sugar intended for infant formula.

Teddy is a Japanese American recruit training alongside Alex in the military. He often struggles physically during drills but forms a bond with Alex when they both face hostility from the Hawaiian recruits in their shared barracks.

Ray is the well-dressed editor-in-chief for the *Manzanar Free Press*. He possesses access to outside news that ordinary prisoners lack, allowing him to track international developments that directly affect the prisoners' loved ones abroad.

Jessica is a white classmate of Alex on Bainbridge Island. She represents the complicated dynamic of the local white community—expressing genuine remorse about the evacuation orders but ultimately failing to follow through on social commitments as racial tensions rise.

Ned Campbell serves as the Assistant Project Director at the Manzanar concentration camp. He draws the ire of the imprisoned population, who suspect him of illegally selling crucial camp supplies on the black market.