Narumiya Mei

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Narumiya Mei (成宫鸣)
Alias(es)	Inajitsu's Ace; Kanto's Number One Left-Handed Pitcher 44 139
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Inashiro Industrial High School baseball team
Occupation/Role	Ace pitcher; left-handed pitcher 44 109
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Narumiya entered the previous Summer Koshien as a relief pitcher. In Inashiro's quarter-final loss, a mispitched fastball cost the team a run; the mistake left him depressed for a time and burdened by the belief that he had failed the coach and his seniors. He later recovered and returned as Inashiro's ace pitcher. 110

Coach Kunimoto considers Narumiya one of Japan's best high-school pitchers, but also recognizes that the team forced significant responsibility onto him in his first year. Narumiya's determination to erase his earlier failure drives much of his training and competitiveness. 31 70

Su Qing's arrival initially provokes Narumiya's jealousy, particularly because Su Qing's pitching ability threatens the ace position. Their relationship changes after Su Qing supports his physical development, nutrition, mechanics, and pitch design; Narumiya ultimately asks that they “get stronger together.” 6 19 31

Appearance

Narumiya is a 177 cm left-handed pitcher with a round, chubby face and an expressive, often raised chin. 58 64 109

• Frequently wears a smug or proud expression, with his nostrils “pointing to the sky” when pleased. 120
• His small stature is a recurring insecurity; he worries that his height could limit his velocity and future development. 6 64
• Has a fiery on-mound presence, described as carrying an obvious, aggressive pride. 201
• Uses a sidearm delivery, adding deception and reaction-time pressure for batters. 201

Personality

Narumiya is intensely proud, competitive, and eager to prove himself against both opponents and teammates. He wants to stand “at the very top of Japanese baseball,” and he responds to talented rivals by training harder rather than accepting being surpassed. 31 65

His confidence can become arrogance. He is easily provoked, sometimes rejects his catcher's calls when angry, and has historically struggled to trust the defense behind him. Opponents deliberately target this weakness, hoping to disrupt his control and decision-making. 87 140 149

Despite his pride, Narumiya is emotionally vulnerable and deeply affected by failure. He cried after the previous year's Koshien loss, panicked when his pitching arm was injured, and can react childishly to being outperformed or ignored. 110 150 194

He gradually becomes more mature through his relationships with Su Qing and Harada. During the Kyoma game, he openly apologizes for demanding trust from teammates without giving it in return, promising to rely on the team going forward. 149

Abilities & Skills

Elite Fastball

Narumiya's primary weapon is a high-velocity fastball with strong spin and late movement. His velocity rose from 143 km/h to 152 km/h over a year; his documented maximum is 154 km/h, while his average speed is 146 km/h. 110 139

• Increased his fastball spin rate from 1,900 RPM to 2,100 RPM through Su Qing's training; it later averages approximately 2,150 RPM. 30 194
• Can sustain or exceed 150 km/h, including a 152 km/h pitch after 99 pitches during his perfect game. 109 124
• His fastball can “run” or change direction late, making it difficult for hitters to square up. 87 116 202
• He prioritizes pitch quality and movement over forcing maximum velocity, as throwing above 150 km/h can reduce the ball's movement. 120
• His directional control over the running fastball remains incomplete; he can produce different breaks through subtle changes in force but is still refining precision. 121 202

Changeup

Narumiya's changeup is his principal off-speed weapon and one of his decisive pitches. Its release resembles his fastball closely enough to deceive hitters until the ball has already changed direction. 19 87 139

• Su Qing helped stabilize his release point and improve the trajectory overlap between his fastball and changeup. 19 22
• Used the changeup to strike out strong opponents, though skilled hitters such as Chen Xin have punished predictable usage. 86 95
• Narumiya takes particular pride in proving that his changeup cannot be easily hit. 87

Breaking Pitches

Narumiya complements his fastball and changeup with a curveball, forkball, and slider. 24 117 139

• Forkball — Used to strike out Ogata Kazuhiko after the batter committed to a low pitch. 24
• Curveball — Used alongside fastballs and other breaking pitches to disrupt timing. 94 99
• Slider — Included in his strikeout repertoire during the Yogakuen game. 117
• His varied pitches become substantially harder to identify once his release point is stabilized. 22 139

Pitching Control and Game Sense

Narumiya's early-game instability was once a major flaw: his control wavered at the start of outings and his fastball lacked full power. After mechanical training, he becomes far more stable from the opening inning. 22 45 192

• Can work quickly and efficiently when in rhythm, including three consecutive strikeouts in less than one half-inning at Koshien. 112
• Uses inside-corner fastballs aggressively after gaining more confidence in his control. 118
• Can lose command when angry, overexerts himself, or feels that his catcher and teammates do not trust him. 87 133 135
• Responds well to Harada's framing, pitch-calling, and mound visits when able to regain his composure. 96 141 149

Batting

Narumiya is a capable but inconsistent hitter whose instincts exceed his technique. He can answer opponents with power, including a home run against Ogata, but struggles to apply structured batting methods against elite velocity. 31 99

• Relies heavily on instinct and aggressive full swings. 99
• Has difficulty tracking high-speed pitches from pitchers such as Furuya Satoru and Sawamura Eijun. 99 106
• Was moved down to seventh in the batting order after putting less effort into batting practice. 116
• Can become especially motivated to bat after being challenged, insulted, or outperformed. 26 31 194

Notable Performances

Event	Result	Details
Practice match vs. Ikuei	Complete game	113 pitches; 1 run allowed; 8 strikeouts; 4 hits; 1 walk; 0 errors. 23
Kanto Tournament opening	Perfect first inning	Struck out all three opposing batters. 3
Game vs. Shu Bei	Three up, three down	Overpowered the lineup in the first inning with improved stability and control. 45
Koshien game vs. Yogakuen	Perfect game	Inashiro won 3–0; Narumiya recorded 21 strikeouts and broke the Koshien single-game strikeout record. 124

Relationships

• Su Qing — Roommate, friendly rival, pitching mentor, and close friend. Su Qing's training improves Narumiya's release point, spin rate, and pitch development; Narumiya responds by committing to improve alongside him. 6 19 30 31
• Harada Masaru — Longtime catcher, senior, and primary battery partner. Harada helps manage Narumiya's emotions and pitching strategy, while their disagreements ultimately lead to greater honesty and trust. 87 133 135 149
• Coach Kunimoto — Head coach. Kunimoto trusts Narumiya as Inashiro's ace but disciplines him for reckless behavior and remains wary of his emotional fragility. 44 70 176
• Tadano Itsuki — Junior catcher with whom Narumiya has a strained partnership. Narumiya doubts Tadano's catching and pitch-calling, prompting Su Qing to arrange a bet intended to repair their working relationship. 184 190 202
• Shirakawa — Teammate and member of Narumiya's close social circle. Shirakawa often mediates or comments on Narumiya's childish conflicts with Su Qing. 31 177 189
• Carlos — Teammate and close companion. Carlos joins Narumiya, Su Qing, and Shirakawa in their frequent roughhousing and supports team activities around him. 31 38 191
• Chen Xin — Rival batter whose home runs and provocations directly test Narumiya's pride and composure. 86 95 100
• Miyuki Kazuya — Rival catcher and verbal adversary. Miyuki intentionally tries to exploit Narumiya's emotional instability during games. 87 89 98

Story Role / Major Arcs

Kanto Tournament

Narumiya opens the tournament by striking out three batters in a perfect first inning. He is later replaced by Su Qing, an early sign that Inashiro now possesses another pitcher capable of drawing attention away from its established ace. 3

Following Su Qing's mechanical guidance, Narumiya stabilizes his release point, improves his fastball spin, and reduces the control problems that previously plagued his starts. 19 22 30

Seido Matches

Narumiya's games against Seido repeatedly test the balance between his talent and his temperament. Chen Xin hits his changeup for a home run, while Miyuki exploits Narumiya's visible frustration and tendency to reject Harada's calls. 86 87

He later regains his rhythm by striking out powerful Seido hitters, though Yuuki's solo home run demonstrates that elite batters can adapt to his repertoire. 96 99

Summer Koshien

At Koshien, Narumiya establishes himself as one of the tournament's defining pitchers. He combines high velocity, improved opening-inning control, deceptive breaking balls, and a running fastball to overwhelm opposing lineups. 112 116 120

Against Yogakuen, he throws a perfect game and records 21 strikeouts, surpassing the Koshien single-game strikeout record in Inashiro's 3–0 Round of 16 victory. 123 124

Kyoma Final

Kyoma deliberately provokes Narumiya and exploits his tendency to lose control under pressure. After being confronted by Su Qing and his teammates, Narumiya recognizes that he has failed to trust the defense and apologizes openly. 140 149

He is subsequently struck in the right arm by Aoyagi's line drive and fears that he may no longer be able to pitch. Su Qing promises to support his recovery, and Narumiya remains focused on Inashiro's victory despite the injury. 150 151

Autumn Tournament

Narumiya retains Inashiro's ace number for the Autumn Tournament, though Coach Kunimoto limits his appearances to develop other pitchers and catchers. 176 184

His ongoing conflict with Tadano Itsuki becomes a central obstacle. Su Qing arranges a formal bet around Narumiya's performance against Ichidai Third High in an effort to force both pitcher and catcher to rebuild trust. 190 201

Notable Quotes

“Let's get stronger together.” 31

“I want to win. I want to stand at the very top of Japanese baseball!” 65

“I never trusted you, but I demanded that you trust me unconditionally!” 149

Trivia

• Narumiya follows only two magazines: JUMP and MAGAZINE. 190
• He is notably possessive of his catcher and becomes irritated when Tadano Itsuki pays too much attention to Su Qing. 202
• He prefers the sound of certain catchers receiving his pitches and dislikes working with catchers whose receiving feels unsatisfactory to him. 190
• Despite his confident public image, he worries intensely about his height, body development, and long-term pitching future. 6 64