A high school teacher and the youngest son of the Itoshiki family. He always wears a hakama and kimono abroad, preferring flippant casual western clothing in his hometown. When his name is written horizontally it resembles zetsubou ("beyond hope" or "despair"), befitting his extremely negative, paranoid and pessimistic attitude.

He often shouts "I'm in despair!" and attempts suicide several times, though rarely with serious intent. Most of the main girls seem to have feelings for him, but only because they misunderstand what he said to each of them (during the episodes introducing them). 

His negative personality started blossoming when he was in his first year of high school when he "accidentally" joined a "Negative Club". He is based upon the main character from Dazai Osamu's No Longer Human, which is both Nozomu's and the author's favorite novel.

Itoshiki Nozomu is always in despair! Even simple things like paying for the toll on the subway can send him to a despair so deep only attempted suicide is the answer. How Strange is it then, that he should be the teacher of a High School Class filled with students with even more emotional problems than his. This great Comedy will leave you in anything but 'Despair' as you meet each of his students and watch their wacky adventures.

**Height:** 167 cm (5'6") 
**Other:** Named his cat "Nyanko-Sensei" 
**Agency:** Aoni

[Profile](https://www.aoni.co.jp/search/kamiya-hiroshi.html)

On January 1st 2025 it was announced that he had gotten married to actress and gravure model Rina Aizawa.

**Awards:**
- 2008-03: Best Supporting Actor, 2nd Annual Seiyuu Awards
- 2009-03: Best Lead Actor and Best Personality, 3rd Annual Seiyuu Awards
- 2012-03: Most Votes Award, 6th Annual Seiyuu Awards
- 2013-03: Most Votes Award, 7th Annual Seiyuu Awards  

Hosts several radio talk shows, including Dear Girl ~Stories~ with Ono Daisuke. In May 2010, he and Miyu Irino formed a Kiramune unit called KAmiYU, and sang the theme song for Mokei Senshi Gunpla Builders Beginning G.  Their first mini-album "link-up" was released on August 3, 2011.

__Non-Anime Roles:__
- Neuvillette in Genshin Impact
- Shou Ronpo in Uchu Sentai Kyuranger
- Madrex in Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger

Nozomu Itoshiki is depressed. Very depressed. He's certifiably suicidal, but he&rsquo;s also the beloved schoolteacher of a class of unique students, each charming in her own way: The stalker. The shut-in. The obsessive-compulsive. The girl who comes to class every day with strange bruises. And Kafuka, the most optimistic girl in the world, who knows that every cloud has a silver lining. For all of them, it's a special time, when the right teacher can have a lasting positive effect on their lives. But is that teacher Itoshiki, a.k.a. Zetsubou-sensei, who just wants to find the perfect place to die?
 
(Source: Kodansha USA)

More crazy antics abound as Nozomu Itoshiki, a.k.a Zetsubou-sensei, who is the worlds most negative person, tries to teach class 2-H about how life is filled with despair and darkness. A harder task than it first may seem, with his students being far from ordinary themselves, including the likes of the most positive girl he has ever met, his very own stalker, a foreign exchange student with split personalities and a perfectionist acting class president, due to the fact the real class president can't be seen by anyone, among others. 
(Source: Anime News Network)

Nozomu Itoshiki is still the bizarre teacher of the even stranger Class 2-H. He attempts to teach his students the negative aspects of the world and society, only to have each circumstance thrown at his face whenever he tries. With more students and friends than before, Zetsubo-sensei's life becomes harder and crazier than ever before. 
(Source: Anime News Network)

A continuation of Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, with more stories revolving around Nozomu Itoshiki, the extremely pessimistic or despairing teacher, and the students of class the 2-H, who are each hilariously abnormal in their own unique way except for the one relatively normal girl who hates being called normal. (Source: Anime News Network)

Despair follows Nozomu through a zombie invasion of bad ideas, the way people laugh at things they don't understand, going with the flow, and more in this sequel to Zan Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei. Also continues the use of numerous puns, inside jokes, and discussions through background text and signs. (Source: Anime News Network)

A new special episode that was distributed to those who purchase all three Blu-ray box sets of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei series on January 31, 2012. 

A special summary episode of the first season of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, focusing on seven of the girls: Komori Kiri, Matoi Tsunetsuki, Kobushi Abiru, Kimura Kaere, Kitsu Chiri, Sekiuchi "Maria" Tarou, and Hitou Nami. 
Note: This entry also includes a 24-minute version, which aired on BS11.

A special summary episode of the second season of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, focusing on the girls that were not introduced in the first Zetsubou Shoujo Senshuu: Otonashi Meru, Fujiyoshi Harumi, Kaga Ai, and Mitama Mayo.