Bobby is a Chinese Singaporean immigrant who runs a janitorial business in Los Angeles. He is focused on material success and opposes Rafaela's idea of unionizing janitorial workers, which leads to their separation. He is determined to reunite with Rafaela and their son, Sol.

Emi is a second-generation Japanese American working for a news station. She has a complex relationship with her grandfather, Manzanar Murakami, and an on-and-off relationship with Gabriel. Emi is deeply involved in the escalating events in the novel.

Buzzworm is an advocate for the vulnerable communities in Los Angeles. He is connected to Gabriel and provides him with news leads. Buzzworm cares about the city's underprivileged populations and plays a pivotal role in the story's unfolding events.

Manzanar Murakami is an unhoused Japanese American man who composes symphonies with the sounds of freeway traffic. Formerly a surgeon, he is Emi's estranged grandfather and becomes a significant figure in the novel as events unravel in Los Angeles.

Gabriel is a Los Angeles newspaper reporter who owns a property in Mazatlán, Mexico. He has a professional relationship with Buzzworm and is involved in major investigations throughout the narrative. Gabriel is a supportive figure to Rafaela and aids in her storyline.

Arcangel is a performance artist traveling north through South and Central America. He is enigmatic and prophetic, claiming to be over 500 years old. Arcangel undertakes the persona of "El Gran Mojado" and becomes central to the climactic events of _Tropic of Orange_.