Nate Torres (Tōru Naruse (成瀬 徹, Naruse Tōru) Japanese version) - main character of Harlem Beat. In the original Japanese version, Tohru Naruse goes by his nickname Naruchiyo and is often associated with a monkey, serving as a mascot to the team. Nate is a perennial bench-warmer. Lacking in both coolness and talent, he is the most unlikely basketball player. But through persistence and support from his friends, Nate slowly teaches himself the art of basketball. In the process, he slowly builds up his confidence and begins to realize his dream of success on the high school basketball court. He also develops feelings for Mizzy Kusuda, an ex-classmate, but later falls for another girl named Tomomi Koizumi. His signature move in basketball is known as the airwalk. Nate incorporated many flashy moves into his game, such as his signature airwalk, evolved lay-up (double-clutch) miracle J, and his invincible lay-ups. Every single one of these skills are pulled off subconsciously, indicating a preternatural natural talent for the sport.

Thompson states that Nate is "a lovable, sincere little guy".[4]