Motoko Maeda

Motoko Maeda (前田 元子 Maeda Motoko), also known as Moto-chan, is a young housewife from Lower Sotoba and works in Chigusa. She is Kanami's childhood friend, Isami's wife, Iwao's and Tomiko's daughter-in-law and Shigeki's and Shihori's mother. Even before Shiki arrived, Motoko was extremely nervous, fearful, unhinged, unstable, neurotic, paranoid and xenophobic and had a habit of chewing her fingers each time she was especially anxious (shown in the manga). She is very nervous about the national highway, fears and dislikes any outsiders, and doesn't want them to come to the village. She is also extremely dedicated to her children, Shigeki and Shihori, and is completely obsessed with their safety. She forbids them to play near the highway as she believes the outsiders will take them away or harm them in any way.