Ogata is an excellent professional GO player (9 Dan) but he has not won a big tournament yet when you start reading the manga. He is eyeing the title of Honinbo (title given to the one that wins the tournament of the same name, which is the oldest and the most prestigious of all tournaments) this title is hold right now by Kuwabara, his biggest rival.

He seems to be in his thirties (younger than Toya Meijin, but of a certain age; he consider himself of the older generation). He is part of the studies group of Toya Meijin whom he is his student and he is watching over the progression of Akira. It appears that he had a rapid progression as a professional GO player.

One of the best players .

Principal instigator of Akira/Hikaru rivalry

He appears early in the series (in one of the tournament Hikaru plays) where he is surprise of the analytic faculty Shindo demonstrate, who understood with one single look how to play the game. After this episode, more than Toya Meijin or Akira; he watches Hikaru progression that he sees to be an incentive for Akira. Beside, he fuels from time to time that rivalry between them. It's even him who recommends Hikaru so that he becomes Hinsei and follows the footsteps of Akira.

A little anecdote

Besides tropical fishes, nice cars and running (Ogata 2 - Hikaru 0), Ogata loves Grace Jones. *Picks up people jaws from the floor* (I swear it's true, he has a poster in his office!!) About his flaws (although the tropical fishes…); he smokes too much and he has the bad habit of eavesdropping and when he is about to say something really mean, he always takes off his glasses (just in case somebody might punch him.)

Hikaru:

Akira:

Koyo Toya:

Kuwabara: