His name comes from the Japanese author (1909-1942).
Atsushi Nakajima is based on a character in one of the author's short stories, "The Tiger Man", wherein an unfulfilled bureaucrat wanders into the forest in pursuit of a voice which transforms him into a tiger. When he meets an old friend in the mountains later on, he temporarily transforms back and asks him to relay some of his poems back to humanity.
The protagonist of the series, Atsushi can transform into a white tiger, which is capable of healing itself of any wounds. However, he initially has no control over this ability.
