Character

Kinjou Shingo

金城 真護

Kinjou Shingo is a first-year student at Yonan University and was the captain and ace of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club during his high school. Mature and logical, Kinjou cares deeply for the Sohoku Bicycle club. He supports and encourages the team in all their endeavors even at their lowest, and believes in the potential of the new first-years. As the ace, he believes it's his job to carry the dreams of the members of the club to the finish line. This feeling is heightened due to being the only ace for Sohoku (compared to Hakone Academy consisting of six aces). Initially seen as harsh and cold as a captain, the first-years soon realize that he is constantly testing them and helping them to grow, as cyclists and as people. He greatly wants to achieve victory at the Inter High and does everything he can to ensure that. In team races, while he plots out a game plan as to each member's role, he will defer to their judgment on how they fulfill that role if they have a better feel for it than himself. Even though he himself is a strong cyclist, Kinjou will not put down teams from other schools and will recognize what strengths they do have. At Chiba Prefecture's Inter High Qualifiers, Sokohu implemented their plan to overtake the leaders in the last laps, which happened to be Kashiwa East. Before moving onward, Kinjou briefly complemented their captain on having a well-organized team, and hoped that he would see them compete again next year. Kinjou is not one to hold grudges. He has a healthy and respectful rivalry with Fukutomi despite the previous Inter High incident that cost Sohoku victory, caused by Fukutomi (although not intentionally). His injury did not prevent him from finishing the race for that day, and competing in the next one, as Kinjou has near-unshakable perseverance as the "man who will never give up".