Kurenai will be at least somewhat fleshed out, OR ELSE. *threatens outline* Ginji and Tetsuko will be fleshed out as well; their backstory is inextricably entwined with Eiji's, because I like the way the Naruto world often works in threes.

I know what you mean about easing characters in gradually. I am trying to do that -- there are quite a lot of people I haven't thrown at you even though they could legitimately have appeared by now! -- but I'm sure I'm failing in various places. Anyway, unless my outline changes dramatically on me with no warning, I only have two canon characters and maybe three semi-significant OCs left to introduce, and you've technically seen one of the OCs in "Apartment Manager" anyway. As I said, we're moving out of the introductory phase and into the...

Hmm. You know, my plot has five basic stages -- introduction, people moving around, drawing together, climax, and falling action -- but 'people moving around' isn't a very good phase name. 'Complication' might work better. Yes: introduction, complication, drawing together, climax, falling action.

Anyway! The point is, the rest of the story is mostly for plot and character development, not introducing even MORE people.