Nobuhiko Horie, often called “Hige,” is the boss of the Hige Ranch in Hayakita Town. He is known for his love of making money and has a unique belief that weak horses should be eaten to honor them. Horie brings chaos wherever he goes, getting involved with Genjiro Obu and Midori Makibaō many times. As the story goes on, his ranch goes bankrupt, and he disappears mysteriously. There are hints he might have ended up as a suspicious dead body during the “Hige Hunt.” The character and his actions include hidden jokes about people working on Weekly Shonen Jump, making him an interesting and mysterious person in the story.
Horie is easily recognized by his thick mustache, which is why people call him “Hige.” There is no extra information given about his height, weight, or other features.
Horie is all about making money. He believes that if a horse is weak, the best way to respect it is by eating it and “sending it off” properly.
He can be greedy, cold, and stubborn about his beliefs.
He doesn’t like to lose and will take big risks for profit.
Even when his ranch is in trouble, he stays loyal to his unique ideas.
Horie is the leader of Hige Ranch in Hayakita Town.
He has a strong belief about dealing with weak horses, based on stories from the real Horie family home.
He plays a big part in causing trouble and confusion for characters like Genjiro Obu and Midori Makibaō.
The Greedy Boss and His Beliefs
Nobuhiko Horie runs Hige Ranch with a focus on profit.
He thinks weak horses should be eaten to honor them.
He often causes problems for Genjiro Obu and Midori Makibaō.
The Fall of Hige Ranch
As Midori Makibaō wins the Japanese Derby, the Hige Ranch faces bankruptcy.
Horie mysteriously disappears after losing everything.
The Hige Hunt
Later, the Miyatsuta family searches for clues about Midoriko and Blitz.
They carry out a “Hige Hunt,” which Horie becomes involved in.
There is a strong hint that Horie may have been found dead under strange circumstances.
Hidden Jokes and References
The name "Horie" is the same as the Weekly Shonen Jump editor-in-chief at that time.
Horie’s disappearance in the story happened around the same time as the real editor’s firing.
Old horses in the story have names based on famous Jump manga, which is an inside joke from the author.
Changes in the Anime
The anime version adds a son for Horie, who wasn’t in the manga.
After the ranch fails, Horie starts a fake horse race called “HRA,” believing “the house always wins in gambling.”
He tries to cheat for profit but is found by debt collectors and forced to close the race.
During the search for Midoriko and in Mexico after Trinidad, Horie meets Makibaō and friends.
He tries to escape his problems by racing for prize money and information, but he keeps losing and gets punished every time.
Horie’s True Policy
In the manga, Horie never hints at wanting to get rid of horses just to keep the HRA race running.
His true belief is still about eating weak horses as a way to honor them.
Horie interacts most with Genjiro Obu and Midori Makibaō, often causing confusion and trouble.
In the anime, he is given a son who sometimes joins in his schemes.
Horie is a character with lots of in-jokes about Weekly Shonen Jump and its staff.
Many horse names in the series are based on famous manga titles from Jump magazine.
There are small details hidden everywhere that make fun of real people and events.
Horie’s way of dealing with horses is inspired by episodes from the real Horie family’s history.
Horie’s full name is Nobuhiko Horie.
He is an original character from the Midori no Makibao series.
He appears in both the manga and the anime, but the anime gives him extra stories.
He stands out for his strong mustache and unique beliefs.
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