Shinichi Tsukumoya

Shinichi Tsukumoya (九十九屋 真一 Tsukumoya Shinichi), is the narrator of the light novels, an author, and an online Information Broker of sorts. Claiming to be in his chatroom 24/7, Shinichi acts as the prime Information supplier for Izaya Orihara. In order to get into contact with Shinichi, Izaya often logged into his chatroom.

Shinichi claims that he usually knows what his clients are going to ask, because he can see what they were looking up on their computers prior to their visit. Although he says this, Shinichi claims that he's not hacking anything.

General
Shinichi and Izaya Orihara go back several years. The online informant first contacted Izaya when Izaya was still in high school. Izaya had created a game in his free time, although he had only given a copy of the game to Shinra Kishitani, Shinichi somehow got his hands on it. After sending Izaya a taunting email about the game, their interactions begin.

It is implied that Shinichi does not exist in the real world but only on the internet as a sort of AI.

Another character in Vamp! manga of the multiverse is called QAWSED "Hackey Mouse" and also claims to only exist on the web as part of a race of beings who live in digital form. It is likely, though not outright stated, that Tsukumoya is a member of this same race.

He serves as one of Izaya's primary information suppliers and probably one of the only people who can genuinely get Izaya upset just by talking to him. This is primarily due to the fact that Tsukumoya always seems to have the upper hand on Izaya when it comes to gathering information.

Volume 8
Shinichi gives Mikado information on who is misusing the Dollars name when Mikado decides to start 'cleaning up' the Dollars.

Shinichi also provides free information for Ruri Hijiribe when she attempts to search for information on her father's residence following his death.

Volume 11
Shingen Kishitani makes a Twittia account name 'Kitshi' where he rambles about all of Nebula's secrets and how it wouldn't matter since no one would hear him. There, Shingen considers the possibility of immortals such as vampires and how amazing this day and age has come where the sea of information connects humans like synapses, like how brain cells connect. Then Shingen considers the possibility of how there could be a superior existence that are like all of humanity's brain put together and Shinichi interrupts him by saying that such existence could have already been born. He adds how he can not perform any action outside of the Internet and that he is not a 'deus ex machina.' Shinichi also warns Shingen about Seitarou Yagiri making a move to capture Namie Yagiri.

Kasane Kujiragi considered Shinichi to be the second biggest obstacle next to Awakusu-kai being the first. Later, she will add Izaya Orihara as the third.

Volume 13
Shinichi shuts down all of Dollars sites after everything is over.

Trivia

 * Walker mentions Shinichi as a 'professional' since he has published many books.
 * One of the titles of the books Shinichi has published is called, "Ikebukuro Counterattack" (also translated as "Ikebukuro Strikes Back") published by Media Works, Japan. There are at least three volumes of this series.