Bunji Kuraki (倉木 文治, Kuraki Bunji) is an undercover police agent from Yokohama, Japan. He is part of an investigation into an international drug ring, but runs afoul of the Karaboudjan's crew. He has an overall unassuming demeanour, which he uses to his advantage as a detective.
Appearance[]
Kuraki is a short, slim man aged somewhere in his 30s to 40s. He has short black hair, round glasses, and a black dovetail-shaped mustache. He wears a light grey black-banded fedora, a white dress shirt with a black tie and matching vest, a blue trench coat, and black trousers with matching shoes.
History[]
Kuraki appears only in The Crab with the Golden Claws. He is first seen passing by Tintin's apartment, but he is suddenly kidnapped off the street by a passing vehicle. At the end of the story, he and the authorities greet Tintin, whom has just captured Allan Thompson. Kuraki explains that he was trying to warn Tintin about the drug ring, but was imprisoned onboard the Karaboudjan. He is eventually freed when the police raid the ship in Bagghar, Morocco.
Kuraki is given a more important role in the Ellipse-Nelvana adaptation of his debut appearance, where his rendezvous with Herbert Dawes is shown. Tintin also finds Kuraki trapped aboard the Karaboudjan while imprisoned, and helps free him.
Trivia[]
- Hergé originally created Kuraki to be a more authentic and less sinister portrayal of Japanese people in contrast to characters such as Mitsuhirato as seen in The Blue Lotus. Unlike previous characters such as Mitsuhirato, Kuraki is Tintin's ally and wants to help dismantle Omar Ben Salaad's drug ring.
- Surprisingly, his character is also the opposite of Mitsuhirato, as he wants to stop a drug ring instead of assisting one.
- In the Japanese edition, he is the only Japanese character whose name is written in Kanji. The others have only written in Katakana, due to not being real Japanese names.