Well, it depends on the specific ghost story. But often, the main characters could be people who encounter or investigate the paranormal phenomena.
The main characters in ghost stories can vary. Sometimes it's a brave protagonist who's determined to solve the mystery of the hauntings. Other times, it could be a group of friends who stumble upon a haunted place by chance.
Often, the main characters are the ghosts themselves. These could be the spirits of former kings or warriors who had great power in life and still retain some influence as ghosts.
I'm not sure exactly as the name doesn't ring a bell for me in terms of very well - known characters. It could be that there are some ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary ghostly situations.
It's possible that there are characters such as a psychic in 'Haunters Ghost Stories'. This psychic might be the main character who can sense the presence of ghosts and tries to communicate with them to solve the mystery behind the hauntings. Maybe there's also a skeptic character who doesn't believe in ghosts at first but then has a change of heart as the story unfolds.
It's also possible that there are both human and ghost main characters. The humans could be the ones trying to solve the mystery of the hauntings, while the ghosts are the source of the mystery. In the moonlit settings, their interactions would be the focus of the stories. The humans might be scared, curious, or determined, and these traits would shape their relationships with the spectral beings.
Maybe there are some innocent bystanders who get caught up in the spooky events in the 'book of ghost stories'. For example, a family that moves into a haunted house and has to deal with the ghosts there. They are ordinary people, but they become the main focus as they try to survive the hauntings.
I'm not sure specifically, but it could be the people who encounter the ghosts. Maybe a group of curious teenagers who go exploring in a spooky place and end up facing the ghosts.
Mostly, the characters are ordinary Japanese people. They could be students, workers, or just residents in a neighborhood. These normal characters are then thrust into strange and spooky situations involving ghosts or other supernatural entities. Since the stories vary so much, there's a wide variety of character types that get to experience the horror of the Yamshibai world.
There could be an old wise woman who has lived in Makari for a very long time. She has knowledge about the history of the place and the possible reasons for the ghosts. She might offer advice to those who are troubled by the supernatural events.
Often, there is a victim or a haunted person. This character is usually tormented by the ghosts. Maybe there is also an old wise figure, like an elder in a village who has some knowledge about the ghosts and tries to help the others. In some cases, the ghost itself can be considered a main character in a sense, as the story revolves around its presence and actions.
For some Jamesian ghost stories, often there are characters who are in a position of some vulnerability, like in 'The Haunted Doll's House', the children who are exposed to the strange events around the doll's house. Their innocence and the adults around them trying to protect or understand the situation are important elements.