Akira Shibuya

Akira Shibuya is a starting right-handed pitcher who entered the professional league in the same draft class as the protagonist, Natsunosuke Bonda, making them both friends and rivals. During his time with the Jingu Spiders, despite having great pitching skills, his record suffered due to a severe lack of run support from his team. It wasn't until he was traded to the Nagoya Wild Ones that he truly broke out, achieving a stellar record of double-digit wins in a single season and seeing a massive increase in his annual salary. His status as a starter and his lucrative salary make him a benchmark for Bonda's secret rivalry. Shibuya is incredibly strict about his personal nutrition and physical conditioning. Although Bonda sometimes finds him fussy and a bit difficult to approach, he still considers Shibuya a rare confidant with whom he can deeply discuss the hardships of professional baseball and share survival tips in the top-tier league.