Kakeru Kurahara

Once a celebrated high school distance runner, Kakeru Kurahara saw his promising career derailed by a violent incident that forced him away from competitive athletics. His path changed when Haiji Kiyose spotted his extraordinary talent and invited him to join Chikusei-so, positioning him as the crucial tenth member of a team daring to challenge the Hakone Ekiden. Initially skeptical of running alongside amateurs and burdened by his turbulent past, Kakeru gradually shed his emotional armor through relentless training. As bonds with his teammates deepened, he rediscovered the pure joy of running and ultimately unleashed a level of performance that left everyone in awe.