Azuma Tachibana

Azuma Tachibana competes for the Tomari Transport badminton club alongside his partner Seiryu Tozaki. He shares a meaningful history with protagonist Takeru Shiratori—the two were close friends and doubles partners during their school days, and it was Azuma who first introduced Takeru to the world of badminton. Though he once struggled with feelings of inadequacy in the face of Takeru's natural talent, Azuma's unwavering seriousness and formidable mental fortitude have allowed him to carve out a respected place in professional competition, making him a significant rival with deep ties to the main character.