"Hanebado!" is a badminton-themed anime that began airing in July 2018. Based on the manga of the same name by Kosuke Hamada, this youthful badminton story centers around the Kitakomachi High School badminton club, which is aiming to compete in the Inter-High School Championships. It depicts the fierce battles and friendships of high school students. Today, we'll be introducing the characteristics of Nagisa Aragaki, the secondary protagonist of the series.

Nagisa Aragaki's Characteristics #1: She's a third-year high school student and the captain of the badminton club!

Nagisa Aragaki and others raising their hands
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki is a third-year high school student and captain of the girls' badminton club. She fell into a slump after losing in a squon to the protagonist, Ayano Hanesaki, who was a junior high school student at the time, at the All Japan Junior Championships. At the time, she was so consumed with her own concerns that she even took out her frustrations on her teammates. However, with the advice of Kentaro Tachibana, the coach of the Kitakomachi High School badminton club, she was able to overcome her slump and regain her captaincy.

Nagisa Aragaki's Second Feature: A Cool, Androgynous Voice!

Aragaki Nagisa Gazing at the River
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki's charm lies in her cool, androgynous voice. It's slightly raspy, yet not too low, making for a refreshing voice. Nagisa Aragaki is voiced by Miyuri Shimabukuro, known for her work on "Yuragi-sou no Yuuna-san" and "Harukana Receive."

Nagisa Aragaki's 3rd Feature: Is she actually interested in her coach?

Nagisa Aragaki gazing at her coach
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki had been in a slump since losing to Ayano Hanesaki, who was a junior high school student at the time, at the All-Japan Junior Championships. However, she was able to overcome her slump after receiving advice from Kentaro Tachibana, her coach at Kitakomachi High School. Nagisa's happy expression as she sees Kentaro realize the cause of her slump and offer sincere advice suggests she sees him as more than just a coach. It will be fascinating to see how their relationship develops.

Nagisa Aragaki's Characteristics #4: Stoic and Hardworking

Nagisa Aragaki glaring at something
Source: Hanebado ©Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki fell into a slump after losing a squonk to protagonist Ayano Hanesaki, who was then a middle school student, at the All-Japan Junior Championships. However, she never gave up and continued practicing, stoically working hard to the point that she became the best player on the Kitakomachi High School badminton team.

 

Nagisa Aragaki's 5th Feature: Her Outstanding Style


Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki is tall for a girl, standing 174 cm tall. She also has a voluptuous bust, so much so that she's often referred to as the "sex appeal" character in the series. The contrast with her androgynous appearance and voice adds to her charm.

 

Nagisa Aragaki's 6th Characteristic: An Offensive Playing Style

Nagisa Aragaki glaring at something
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki's badminton style is offensive. This contrasts sharply with the main character, Ayano Hanesaki, who plays defensively. She specializes in jumping smashes, and her skills are nationally recognized.

Nagisa Aragaki's Characteristics #7: Competitive and Prideful

Nagisa Aragaki Turning Around
Source: Hanebado ©Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha/Hanebado! Production Committee
Her aggressive playing style makes her combative and competitive. Because of this, he tends to go for the outside pitch, which has led to knee injuries. He also has a high level of pride, which can sometimes lead to slumps. However, his love of badminton and hard work have allowed him to continue to improve.

 

Nagisa Aragaki's Feature #8: Short Hair and Well-Profiled Face

Nagisa Aragaki Looking Back at Riko Izumi
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki has a rather short, athletic hairstyle. Her short hair tends to give her an androgynous appearance, but she has a well-proportioned and beautiful face. With his looks, it's no wonder he's popular with female students.

Nagisa Aragaki's 9th Feature: A Classic Character in a Youth Sports Series!

Aragaki Nagisa's eyes sparkle
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Aragaki Nagisa loves badminton, is stoic, hardworking, and competitive, and continues to grow. Her character is a classic example of a youth sports story. Furthermore, original author Kosuke Hamada has stated that Aragaki Nagisa is an easy character to empathize with. She is an essential character in this work.

 

Nagisa Aragaki's 10th Feature: Surprisingly Shy?

Surprised Nagisa Aragaki
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Nagisa Aragaki may seem aloof, but she also has a surprisingly shy side. She even blushed when Erena Fujisawa got a little too close. Furthermore, when parting after a joint training camp with Fredericia Women's Junior College High School, there's a scene where, despite being embarrassed, she tells them, "Don't catch a cold." Having such a cute side is one of Nagisa's defining characteristics.

 

Summary of Aragaki Nagisa's Characteristics

Aragaki Nagisa with a cheerful expression
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
What did you think? This time, we've introduced the characteristics of Aragaki Nagisa, the secondary protagonist of this work. She is a classic character in youth sports stories, and while she has an androgynous appearance, she also has a cute, girly side, making her a character full of charm. Please keep an eye out for Aragaki Nagisa as well. Thank you for reading to the end.

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