This time, we'll be introducing key players from the opposing teams Tokyo City Esperion faced, focusing on their characteristics and playing styles.
Tokyo Musashino Football Club Youth
Although the team lacks a well-equipped training environment, they used their limited practice time to train hard enough to compete against top schools. This was the team that Asito started in his second match after switching to defender. Taking advantage of their strengths in high pressure and counterattacks, they played a fierce battle against memorable players like Nakano and Kaneda.
Junnosuke Nakano
Junnosuke Nakano went through the Esperion selection process, along with Aoi and the others. He was unsuccessful, but was scouted by Tokyo Musashino Youth, who had been watching him, and is currently a member of the Musashino youth team. He is a defensive midfielder, primarily responsible for encircling the opponent with the team's high-pressure style.
Akinori Kaneda
Akinori Kaneda is the only forward at Musashino, a team that plays defensive, counter-attacking football and consistently stays up front, aiming for the goal. Like Nakano, Kaneda came to Musashino after being rejected during the selection process. Thanks to his winter training with Musashino's youth team before Aoi and the others moved into the dormitory in April, his tall frame developed a solid core, perfect for a top striker. He also had a strong desire to avenge his selection process by playing against Aoi and the others at Esperion.
Muto Chiaki
Muto Chiaki is the captain of Musashino. He excels at team discussions and adjustments rather than individual skills, and he quickly adapted to Esperion's long-ball tactics. From the start of the match, he formulates and communicates a game plan tailored to the opponent, acting as a playmaker and calming the team. It's clear that Musashino's success was due to this player.
Tokyo Vans Youth
This youth team, located in Tokyo, is known for the offensive power of its two wingbacks. Like Esperion, this team is known for its strong offensive capabilities. This match took place in September, coinciding with the national team's match, meaning the team was missing key players and fielded a team comprised primarily of first-year students. Their style of attacking football, utilizing a two-man attack and wings extending into forward positions, is their hallmark.
Juri Tatsumi
Juri Tatsumi is a wing player who utilizes her speed to penetrate the flanks. She has already secured a spot in the J.League and possesses impeccable footwork. She also possesses excellent individual tactical skills, quickly identifying Esperion's weaknesses. He was well-trusted by his Tokyo Vans teammates, and the ball tended to flow to him in tight situations.
Funabashi Gakuin High School
This team is characterized by the power of contact and fast pressing that are unique to high school soccer. Their scoring style relies on a two-man front line of Nihara and Tripone, but combined with the tactics of legendary coach Senichi Natsume, they were a flawless team. Coach Natsume is also a man of character, and the players' strong team spirit and caring nature make this a memorable team.
Naofumi Futahara
Naofumi Futahara is a physically gifted forward, so much so that Akutsu likened him to a heavy tank. He has also secured a spot in the J.League. His physical prowess is one of his greatest strengths, but his ability to quickly launch himself into top speed is another of his appealing qualities. His style is characterized by his reckless, single-point attacking style, which often showcases his individual breakthroughs and scores a ton of goals.
Tripone Ruffin
Tripone is a tall player with an afro, whose father is a foreigner. He is a scholarship student at Funabashi along with his younger brother Sammy, a first-year student. He is grateful to Coach Natsume, who has coached him since he was a child, and to his teammates who trust him, and he has a kind personality that seeks to repay them with his play. He plays as a two-man attack with Nihara, but Toripone is a versatile forward who uses the players around him more than Nihara. Furthermore, his unusually long and flexible legs, unusual for a Japanese player, allow him to unleash powerful shots with his legs bending like a whip.
Aomori Seiran High School
Aomori Seiran High School has already won the Inter-High School Championships, and if they win the High School Championships and the Premier League, they're in a position to win the Triple Crown. The strength of their players, who grew up in such harsh conditions that the field is often covered in snow, is what makes them so appealing. Coach Narumiya, who is turning 70, has a style that prioritizes strength over skill, resulting in a dynamic that is not found in youth teams.
Ryuki Haneda
Ryuki Haneda, originally a member of the Tokyo Vans Youth team mentioned earlier, serves as the team captain in Aomori. Feeling complacent and increasingly weaker in the privileged youth environment, he left Tokyo Vans to enroll at Aomori Seiran. He has developed the high technical skills he possessed since his youth days, as well as a strong mental fortitude and a physique capable of playing in the post, becoming the team's main offensive force.
Makimura Eito
Makimura Eito is the starting goalkeeper for the U-18 national team. He played for Esperion up to the junior youth team, but was unable to advance due to his short height. This is why he has strong personal feelings toward Esperion and the youth team. To make up for his height in Aomori, he honed his already excellent reaction time, further improving his catching and dashing skills.
Kitano Ren
Kitano Ren is a freshman at the powerful Aomori Seiran team, where he wears the number 10 jersey. He's already a player on a different level, having played for the U-18 national team and already signed with the J.League after graduating from high school. What makes him so impressive is that, in addition to possessing the same bird's-eye view as Aoi, he also possesses excellent footwork on par with Kiriki and Kuribayashi. His passing, dribbling, defensive coaching, and brilliant assists make him a truly captivating player. He truly deserves to be called a treasure.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we looked at the opposing teams and their key players that protagonist Aoi Ashito faced. Each team's style and the players' personalities meshed well, giving each team a unique flavor. Perhaps it was precisely because they faced such formidable opponents that Asito and his friends were able to grow.
