Akagi

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood ambition and Shohoku’s decline

Akagi had been carrying a basketball and talking about “conquering the nation” since the beginning of elementary school. By his final year at Shohoku, that ambition had become the driving force behind his training 10.

Before entering Shohoku, Akagi played alongside Kiminobu Kogure and Tomokazu Godai for all three years at Kitamura Junior High School. Although individually capable, he rarely experienced victory. The three often stayed for extra practice, but their motivations differed: Akagi pursued his national ambition, Kogure willingly supported him, and Godai grew jealous of him. Godai subsequently chose a different high school so that he could become strong enough to defeat Akagi 56.

His early hopes at Shohoku suffered when junior high MVP Hisashi Mitsui sustained a serious practice injury before playing an official game and subsequently abandoned the team. Other players gradually left, while Kiminobu Kogure remained beside Akagi 10.

Despite Akagi’s individual strength, Shohoku repeatedly finished near the bottom. Opponents could neutralize the team by double-teaming him, leaving him to struggle inside without enough support. He nevertheless insisted on holding a training camp, even if only he and Kogure attended 1 7 16.

As a first-year, Akagi watched Shoyo face Kainan after Shohoku’s early elimination. Seeing fellow first-years Kenji Fujima and Shinichi Maki competing at that level, he vowed to challenge Kainan himself. When a mustached spectator laughed at the declaration, Akagi grabbed his face and told him to remember it. The man, a basketball-shoe shop owner, quietly followed Akagi’s progress for the next three years 87.

Akagi improved considerably during his first two years. In his second year, Shohoku drew Ryonan in its opening tournament game and lost despite his strong individual performance against Uozumi. He averaged eighteen rebounds, but the one-game campaign prevented him from receiving the prefectural rebounding title 89 255.

Recruiting Shirasawa and accepting Sakuragi

Akagi accompanied Coach Anzai and Coach Takizawa to invite Shirasawa to Shohoku. He presented the team’s national ambitions but was surprised by how highly Anzai rated the newcomer 5.

After investigating Shirasawa’s delinquent background, Akagi worried about adding another troublesome player alongside Ryota Miyagi. Finding Shirasawa returning from a fight reinforced those concerns, and Shirasawa’s refusal to attend training camp further damaged his first impression 7 10.

His introduction to Hanamichi Sakuragi was openly confrontational: Sakuragi headbutted him and challenged his authority over the basketball team. Akagi dominated their one-on-one through dribbling, post play, and defense, but Sakuragi eventually scored a self alley-oop dunk after receiving a hint from Shirasawa. Recognizing the rookie’s extraordinary potential, Akagi told Shirasawa to bring him to the team the next day 12 13 14.

Developing the new team

Watching the first-years’ scrimmage changed Akagi’s assessment of Shirasawa. The newcomer built a 43–32 lead through passing without scoring himself, showing Akagi a way to strengthen teammates that his own interior scoring could not provide. Akagi subsequently endorsed him as Shohoku’s starting point guard 16 17.

Anzai assigned Akagi to develop Sakuragi’s inside game. Akagi began giving him extra rebounding instruction after regular practice, teaching positioning and boxing out. Within several days, Sakuragi could take three or four rebounds out of every ten against him 17 19 20.

During the Takezono practice game, Akagi controlled the interior while continuing to direct Sakuragi’s positioning. Against Ryonan, he faced a substantially improved Jun Uozumi. Shohoku reached halftime tied 49–49, giving Akagi and Kogure tangible evidence that their team could finally compete with a powerhouse. Both teams rested their starters afterward, and Shohoku ultimately lost 72–87 24 30 34 35.

Mitsui’s return

Akagi was absent from practice for a mathematics competition when the events leading to the gym brawl unfolded. On arriving at the damaged gym, he blocked school staff from entering and claimed the team was holding a secret training session. He then repeatedly slapped Mitsui before Kogure confronted their former teammate about abandoning basketball 35 38.

After Mitsui rejoined, Akagi accepted his one-on-one challenge and won 11–9 as Mitsui’s stamina gave out. He pulled Mitsui to his feet afterward and encouraged him to train, affirming that he was capable of more 39.

At Anzai’s request, Akagi also acted as an intermediary between Mitsui and Shirasawa. Their reconciliation left him looking at a team in which everyone could contribute, rather than one dependent on him alone 39.

Prefectural tournament

Against Miuradai, Akagi started alongside the reserve-heavy lineup while Anzai benched Shirasawa, Sakuragi, Miyagi, and Mitsui as punishment for fighting. Miuradai attacked quickly and used rough defense to unsettle Shohoku; captain Kengo Murasame deliberately elbowed Akagi in the neck during a scoring attempt 40 41.

Akagi answered by securing an offensive rebound through a triple-team, using a pump fake, and finishing a two-handed dunk while drawing a foul. The play restored his teammates’ confidence before Shohoku’s other main players entered with five minutes remaining in the first half. Shohoku eventually won 117–54, and Akagi celebrated by roaring toward the ceiling 41 46.

Although delighted by the attention the victory brought Shohoku, he insisted that training remain the priority. In the following game against Kakuno, he tipped the opening ball forward to Miyagi and later finished a Shirasawa alley-oop as Shohoku surged to 43–2. By the next chapter, his usual tension had eased as the team looked increasingly comfortable in command 48 49 50.

Before the round-of-sixteen game against Tsukubu, Akagi and Kogure reunited with Godai, now Tsukubu’s captain. During the game, Koichiro Nango’s quick movement and nimble turns caused Akagi defensive problems even as Shirasawa helped Shohoku build a lead 56 58.

Against Shoyo, Akagi initially struggled with nerves and impatience. Toru Hanagata repeatedly troubled him with fadeaway jumpers and passing, while Shirasawa scored Shohoku’s first twenty-two points. Nearly ten minutes into the game, Akagi recovered his resolve, disrupted Hanagata’s jumper, and called for Sakuragi to rebound. Their defense launched a fast break, marking a shift from dependence on Shirasawa toward coordinated team play 69 70.

Akagi subsequently boxed out both Hanagata and Takano to secure a rebound and start another fast break. After Shohoku defeated Shoyo, he granted the team two days off before preparations for the final four. He nevertheless went to the gym himself and was quietly moved to find Sakuragi already practicing there 75 79 83.

Before facing Kainan, Akagi sprained his ankle during extra practice after the rest of the team had left. Only Kogure and Haruko initially knew. Kogure urged him not to sacrifice his future, but Akagi insisted on taking the opportunity to challenge the opponent he had pursued since his first year 86 87.

Akagi scored ten points and collected four rebounds in twelve minutes against Kainan before aggravating the injury on landing after contesting Maki’s drive. Medical staff took him off the court, and Anzai moved Sakuragi to center. Although warned that continuing could cause lasting damage, Akagi asked Haruko to tape his ankle so that he could return 91 93.

Learning that Sakuragi and Kogure had helped sustain Shohoku in his absence eased Akagi’s anxiety. He returned to the sidelines, but the pain made further play impractical, and Anzai ruled him out after consulting the team doctor. Akagi accepted that reentering would only burden his teammates and urged them to fight for all of Shohoku rather than for him alone. Shohoku’s eventual victory over Kainan fulfilled his longstanding challenge 95 96 97 101.

His ankle had completely healed before the championship game against Ryonan, although Anzai remained cautious about his recovery. In that game, Shirasawa repeatedly created opportunities for Akagi to face Uozumi one-on-one. Akagi first exploited Uozumi’s slower footwork with a baseline reverse layup, then secured a contested rebound through a quick second jump and dunked over him. The performance established him as Kanagawa’s number one center and forced Taoka to withdraw the dispirited Uozumi 117 125 128.

University recruitment

Kazuo Karasawa and Shota Sugiyama approached Akagi on behalf of Fukazawa Sports University after scouting Shohoku from the Kainan game onward. Akagi acknowledged his limited past results but emphasized that Shohoku aimed to win the national championship through the whole team. Sugiyama told him that a national top-eight finish would open Fukazawa’s doors to him 104.

After Shohoku reached the national quarterfinals, Karasawa delivered a formal invitation. Akagi’s subsequent performances attracted offers from several other prestigious schools, prompting Fukazawa to strengthen its recruitment effort 193 252 261.

Fukazawa decided to offer Kogure one of its scarce roster places as an additional incentive for Akagi. The university also recognized Kogure’s shooting, tactical understanding, and determination as qualities worth developing. Akagi understood the purpose of the offer and was grateful for the chance to continue playing beside his longtime friend; he enthusiastically urged Kogure to accept 261 271.

Preparation for nationals and national tournament

In a heavy loss to Jousei, Akagi and Mitsui carried much of Shohoku’s scoring before Jousei concentrated its defense on them. Mikoshiba drew Akagi’s fifth foul, and Shohoku lost 99–64. Akagi finished with twenty-eight points and sixteen rebounds, then joined Mitsui and Miyagi in resolving to improve rather than letting the defeat break the team 157.

Toyotama’s rough play tested his self-control at nationals. After Kishimoto deliberately fouled him, Akagi restrained Sakuragi and Miyagi from retaliating. Later, however, being dragged down by Iwata and Kyohei left him angry enough to advance on Iwata, requiring Mitsui to intervene 170.

Against Aiwa, Akagi won the opening tip and converted Shirasawa’s pass into an alley-oop over Otomo. He scored again through their combination, but Dai Moroboshi deliberately drew a defensive foul from him, exposing his relative lack of experience in reading elite opponents’ intentions 183.

After Shohoku reached the top eight, Akagi and Kogure scouted Meihou Industrial against Jousei. Hiroshi Morishige’s first-half totals of twenty-eight points, fourteen rebounds, and seven blocks left Akagi uncertain how to stop him. Before their semifinal, Kogure accompanied him on a run, and Anzai separately reassured him that his leadership and team contribution made him an exceptional center. Anzai advised fronting Morishige and forcing him away from the basket rather than dwelling on the difference in raw power 193 200.

Morishige initially overpowered Akagi despite his attempts to deny entry passes and push him out of position. Akagi also suffered a nosebleed, but his nasal bone was uninjured. After treatment, he directly asked Sakuragi for help. On returning, he restricted Morishige’s power move and forced him into a hook shot that Sakuragi blocked. Anzai regarded this willingness to seek cooperation instead of enduring alone as an important development in Akagi’s leadership. Shohoku subsequently defeated Meihou 203 204 252.

In the national final against Sannoh, Akagi rallied Shohoku and beat Masashi Kawata on the opening tip. Kawata nevertheless proved a severe mismatch: he repeatedly drew Akagi away from the basket and beat him with skills that Akagi could anticipate but could not physically counter. Akagi became consumed by self-reproach, and Anzai rested him during a planned shift toward a perimeter-oriented lineup 220 221 227.

Akagi later returned to battle Mikio Kawata for rebounding position. When Sakuragi was temporarily prohibited from returning without medical clearance late in the final, Akagi reassured him that his teammates were still there to carry the responsibility 235 237.

Four Nations Invitational and academic priorities

During the team’s three-day break after the national tournament, Akagi immediately returned to studying for examinations rather than taking time off. University basketball opportunities had reduced the practical importance of his scores, but he continued studying to satisfy his own standards and confirm the value of his effort 241.

Against Chariot Country in the Four Nations Invitational, Akagi faced a major height disadvantage and lost the opening jump ball to Brad. Rather than dwelling on an individual contest, he focused on positioning, calming Sakuragi, and helping Shohoku pursue victory. His role was described as having evolved from a dominant interior scorer into the team’s stabilizing anchor 252.

Late in the game, with Chariot applying a full-court press and Shohoku’s lead reduced to eleven points, Akagi passed to Miyagi to begin breaking the pressure 261.

Takezato rivalry

In the later Takezato-focused sequence, Akagi sprained his ankle during a practice game against Ryonan and left the court. Sakuragi helped Shohoku recover and briefly take the lead, but Sendoh’s late layup gave Ryonan a one-point victory 284.

Akagi subsequently led the second- and third-years against the first-year group headed by Sakuragi and Rukawa in a practice scrimmage. The first-years won, and Akagi acknowledged Sakuragi’s rapid improvement following his training with Takezato’s Yo Aoki 286.

Preparing to face Takezato, Akagi identified stopping Aoki as essential. Anzai assigned him to use his strength to keep Aoki away from the basket, but Aoki unexpectedly began at point guard, disrupting Shohoku’s defensive matchups. Akagi immediately called for a zone defense, then found himself unable to move Aoki in the post and had his shot blocked 304 305 307.

Aoki’s combination of strength, mobility, rebounding, and high-arcing finishes unsettled Akagi further. Forced away from the basket and feeling that his weaknesses had been exposed, Akagi began doubting his usefulness. He eventually recovered enough aggression to collide with Aoki in midair and prevent a dunk, then contributed screening and a pick-and-roll dunk with Rukawa to Shohoku’s comeback 308 309 311 312.

Aoki blocked another Akagi dunk during the closing sequence, but Shohoku ultimately won. Akagi later learned that Sakuragi had invited Aoki to participate in special training with Anzai 313 328.

Kanagawa representative team and planned retirement

During joint practice, Coach Takato asked Akagi to continue guiding Sakuragi through the fundamentals. Akagi also kept Sakuragi and Kiyota focused during the players’ informal one-on-one sessions 340.

Akagi told Sakuragi that, after discussing the matter with Anzai, he had decided the Autumn National Sports Festival would be his last competition. Miyagi would become Shohoku’s next captain, while Sakuragi would have to carry the inside game in the Winter Selection Tournament. Akagi urged Sakuragi to obey Miyagi and warned that Aoki would be one of Shohoku’s greatest future rivals despite their friendship 340 341.

Akagi started alongside Maki, Sakuragi, Rukawa, and Kiyota for Kanagawa’s warm-up game against Chiba. He won the opening tip and scored the first basket from Maki’s pass, using a smooth post fake and pivot to beat Akashi. When Sakuragi complained that the offense was supposed to revolve around him, Akagi reminded him that this did not require passing to him on every possession and ordered him back on defense 345.

Appearance

• Build: Nearly two meters tall, with a broad, powerful frame repeatedly compared to an iron tower, a wall, or King Kong; his height is later specified as 197 centimeters 7 12 38 307.
• Face and complexion: Described as dark-faced, with stern, gorilla-like features 5 13.
• Demeanor: His size and severe expression intimidate both younger teammates and outsiders 5 12 38.

Personality

Akagi is intensely disciplined and stubbornly committed to his national championship ambition. Even after repeated early eliminations and teammates quitting, he continues training and treats his final high school season as his last opportunity to realize that dream 7 10.

As captain, he demands punctuality, serious practice, and respect for Coach Anzai. His enforcement is often physical: he punches Sakuragi for insulting others or behaving disrespectfully and punishes misconduct with additional training. However, ordinary conditioning punishments prove ineffective against the stamina of Shirasawa, Sakuragi, and Miyagi, forcing him to ask Kogure to reason with them instead 12 15 28.

His sternness often conceals genuine affection and hope. He outwardly calls the newcomers troublemakers while privately welcoming the possibilities they bring. He also defends Kogure’s importance when the vice-captain suggests that Shohoku would be stronger with someone else in his position 14 28.

Akagi values victory over personal prominence. He welcomes his teammates’ improvement, even if they eventually surpass him, and is willing to play a supporting role. His growing trust is evident when he tells Uozumi that stopping him alone will no longer be enough to defeat Shohoku 20 31.

His sense of responsibility can become excessive. He injures his ankle while doing unnecessary extra training before Kainan, conceals the problem, and initially prioritizes returning over the medical risks. He eventually accepts that trusting his teammates and protecting his future are more useful than playing through pain that would make him a liability 86 93 97.

Despite his imposing confidence, elite opponents can make him tense, impatient, or self-critical. Hanagata, Morishige, Kawata, and Aoki each expose this vulnerability in different ways. Support from Anzai and his teammates helps him refocus on concrete tasks and collective play rather than proving that he can overcome every opponent alone 70 200 204 227 311 312.

His academic discipline is equally personal. He intends to maintain strong grades even if admitted to university as an athlete, and studies for his own satisfaction rather than merely for admission or praise 117 241.

Abilities & Skills

Strength and Interior Scoring

Akagi uses his strength to establish position, back defenders down, and finish through contact 12 41.

• Set Shohoku’s bench-press record at 140 kilograms during his second year 15.
• Combines power dribbles, turns, close-range finishes, and forceful two-handed dunks 12.
• Scored through a triple-team sequence against Miuradai and completed a dunk despite Murasame striking his arm 41.
• Finishes Shirasawa’s passes with layups, dunks, and alley-oops 24 42 49.
• Develops increasingly refined post technique, including sealing a half-fronting defender, underhand finishes, baseline reverses, and hop-step attacks 89 125 128.
• Defeats Uozumi through a combination of strength, judgment, and superior agility rather than relying exclusively on direct physical clashes 125 128.
• Reads a defender’s shifting weight through contact, using a head fake and clockwise pivot to score smoothly against Chiba’s Akashi 345.

Interior Defense and Rebounding

His broad frame allows him to deny driving lanes and contest shots near the basket 13.

• Repeatedly cut off Sakuragi’s drives and blocked his shot during their one-on-one 13.
• Controls space through physical positioning and teaches Sakuragi how to prevent opponents from receiving inside passes 19 24.
• Recognizes that Sakuragi’s natural rebounding instincts exceed his own 20.
• Is not unbeatable athletically: Sakuragi jumped higher during their duel, and the improved Uozumi won their opening tip against Ryonan 13 30.
• Uses powerful box-outs to hold off multiple opponents, including Hanagata and Takano together, before starting transition offense with an outlet pass 75.
• Possesses a quick second jump, allowing him to recover after Uozumi’s initial touch and seize a contested rebound 128.
• Averaged eighteen rebounds during his second-year prefectural campaign. Before Sakuragi’s emergence, he is described as Kanagawa’s best rebounder despite never receiving its rebounding title 255.
• Willingly takes a secondary rebounding role once Sakuragi’s superior instincts and development make him the better option 255.
• Learns to coordinate against physically superior centers: he restricts Morishige’s power and forces a less favorable shot for Sakuragi to block 204.
• Remains vulnerable to mobile, technically versatile opponents. Nango’s movement, Hanagata’s fadeaway, Kawata’s perimeter play, and Aoki’s strength and speed all create difficult matchups 58 69 221 307 308.
• Can overcommit to blocks when seeking a morale-changing play; Moroboshi exploits this tendency to draw a foul 183.

Ball Handling and One-on-One Play

Although normally stationed inside, Akagi has solid dribbling fundamentals that he rarely needs to display in his usual role 12.

• Uses crossovers, spins, jab steps, and body feints to create openings 12 13.
• Adjusts his approach when a defender improves, shifting from perimeter drives to physical post play against Sakuragi 12.
• Can struggle against quicker, versatile opponents: Mitsui’s combination of shooting, drives, and fakes forced him to defend with full concentration 39.
• Combines perimeter screening with a direct roll to the basket, completing a textbook pick-and-roll dunk with Rukawa against Takezato 312.
• His effectiveness declines when opponents force him away from his preferred interior positions; both Kawata and Aoki exploit this limitation 221 227 309 311.

Leadership and Training

Akagi handles much of Shohoku’s daily training because Anzai’s health limits his attendance 15.

• Organizes fitness testing and targeted practice based on Anzai’s player assessments 15 19.
• Provides Sakuragi with individual instruction after team practice 19 20.
• Directs teammates during games and warns them against retaliating when opponents deliberately provoke fouls 24 42.
• Serves as Anzai’s intermediary when resolving conflict between Mitsui and Shirasawa 39.
• Can steady the team from the sidelines, accepting medical restrictions and rallying Shohoku without making its goals dependent on his own participation 97.
• Recognizes when to request help rather than persist in an unfavorable individual matchup, notably against Morishige 204.
• Reacts to unexpected offensive arrangements by changing defensive schemes and directing new assignments, including an immediate switch to zone against Aoki’s point-guard role 307.
• Creates offense without scoring through off-ball screens and pick-and-roll cooperation 312.
• Prepares for succession by directing Sakuragi to develop as Shohoku’s future interior mainstay and respect Miyagi’s incoming captaincy 340.

Power Progression

Relationships

• Haruko Akagi — Younger sister. She brings him fruit during workouts and worries about his overexertion; he is fiercely protective when Tatsuhiko Aota declares his interest in her. She is one of the few people initially aware of his ankle injury before Kainan, and he asks her to tape it during his attempt to return 10 18 86 93.
• Kiminobu Kogure — Vice-captain and longtime teammate who stayed through Shohoku’s decline. Their shared perseverance makes the Ryonan halftime tie especially emotional for both. Their partnership began at Kitamura Junior High School; Kogure later prioritizes Akagi’s long-term health over their immediate basketball dream. Fukazawa’s offer to Kogure creates an opportunity for them to remain teammates at university 10 34 56 86 271.
• Coach Anzai — Respected coach. Akagi carries out his training plans, accepts responsibility for disciplining the rookies, and undertakes Sakuragi’s development at his request. Anzai later protects him from worsening his ankle injury and helps him approach Morishige through confidence, tactics, and cooperation rather than raw physical comparison 15 17 19 97 200 204.
• Shirasawa — Recruit and starting point guard. Akagi’s distrust of his delinquency develops into appreciation of his playmaking and his role in transforming Shohoku. He credits Shirasawa’s arrangements and trust for creating his opportunity to prove himself against Uozumi 7 16 17 48 128.
• Hanamichi Sakuragi — Talented but unruly rookie and rebounding pupil. Their relationship mixes insults and physical discipline with Akagi’s growing investment in his progress. Sakuragi’s performance at center during the Kainan game deepens Akagi’s trust in him, and they later cooperate against Morishige. Akagi identifies him as the player who must carry Shohoku’s interior after his retirement 13 14 19 20 95 204 340.
• Ryota Miyagi — Returning guard whose fighting and suspensions previously frustrated Akagi. Akagi welcomes him back with a firm warning to train seriously and avoid further trouble. Miyagi is later designated as his successor as Shohoku captain 18 20 340.
• Hisashi Mitsui — Former teammate whose departure embittered Akagi. After Mitsui returns, Akagi tests him on court, encourages his recovery, and helps reconcile him with Shirasawa. Mitsui later prevents Akagi from retaliating against Toyotama’s Iwata 28 38 39 170.
• Jun Uozumi — Rival center and Ryonan captain. Their competition includes a fiercely contested opening tip and an excessively forceful postgame handshake. Beneath their hostility lies mutual respect: Uozumi wants to compete alongside Akagi at nationals and later watches his national-final challenge as a measure of their generation’s standing 30 35 70 96 218.
• Tatsuhiko Aota — Childhood acquaintance and judo rival. They compete over whose club will conquer the nation first, and clash over Aota’s attempts to recruit Shirasawa and Sakuragi 17 18.
• Tomokazu Godai — Former Kitamura teammate and Tsukubu captain. Godai’s jealousy of Akagi motivated him to attend a different school and train toward defeating him 56.
• Shinichi Maki — Longstanding competitive benchmark. Akagi’s first-year vow to challenge Kainan centers on reaching Maki’s level. Maki shows concern when Akagi is injured, congratulates him after Shohoku’s victory, and later plays alongside him for Kanagawa 87 91 101 345.
• Kazuo Karasawa and Shota Sugiyama — Fukazawa Sports University recruiters who recognize his potential as a college center. Their interest progresses from a conditional top-eight opportunity to a formal invitation and an effort to recruit Kogure alongside him 104 193 261.
• Hiroshi Morishige — Meihou’s physically overwhelming rookie center and the opponent Akagi resolves to treat as his strongest challenge. Their matchup forces Akagi to rely on tactical cooperation with Sakuragi 200 203 204.
• Masashi Kawata — Sannoh center whose skill and versatility expose a substantial individual gap in the national final. Akagi studies his moves extensively but struggles to match his execution and perimeter mobility 221 227.
• Kaede Rukawa — Shohoku teammate in the Takezato-focused sequence and fellow Kanagawa representative. Their screening and pick-and-roll cooperation helps Shohoku recover against Takezato 312 345.
• Yo Aoki — Takezato ace whose strength, mobility, and tactical versatility severely test Akagi. Despite Aoki’s friendship with Sakuragi and participation in his training, Akagi warns that he will be one of Shohoku’s greatest future rivals 307 308 328 341.
• Mustached shoe-shop owner — An initially skeptical spectator who remembers Akagi’s first-year vow and follows his progress. Akagi forgets their first encounter and mistakes a later shoe discount for a reaction to his frightening appearance 87.

Notable Quotes

“This is no time to rest. This year's my last chance. To conquer the nation, I've got to give a hundred and twenty percent, no matter what.” 10

“A word of advice: stopping me alone won't be enough to beat this year's Shohoku.” 31

“Whoever plays and whoever sits, we represent Shohoku. Get your heads in the game. We have to win this!” 40

“Don't fight for me. Fight for every one of us, for Shohoku!” 97

“Sakuragi, I need your help.” 204

“This Autumn National Sports Festival will be my last competition.” 340

Trivia

• Despite his intimidating appearance, Akagi is a recognized third-year honors student and participates in a mathematics competition 35.
• He first voluntarily accepts the “Gorilla” nickname while trying to reassure Haruko that his ankle injury is minor 86.
• He mistakenly believes the shoe-shop owner discounted his purchases because he looked frightening, becoming embarrassed enough to ask Haruko to buy his shoes for him 87.
• His second-year eighteen-rebound average exceeded eventual prefectural rebounding title winner Uozumi’s thirteen, but Shohoku’s opening-round elimination left him without the award 255.
• His retirement plans develop over time: he initially expects to return his attention to academics after nationals, but later confirms the Autumn National Sports Festival as his final competition 117 340.