Live action TV
Description
Keita Iijima is a student from the third-year class B of Shiroiwa Junior High School, bearing the student number of male student number two. A friend of Yutaka Seto, Iijima is primarily characterized by a deep-seated cowardice that defines his actions and relationships, especially with fellow student Shinji Mimura. One of his notable quirks is a nervous habit of laughing at the most inappropriate or tense moments.
The central event of his backstory, which varies slightly between the novel and manga, involves a past outing with Shinji Mimura. While the two were together, Mimura was confronted by a group of attackers. Iijima witnessed the altercation but, overcome by fear, chose to hide rather than assist his friend. Although Mimura successfully fended off the attackers on his own, he became fully aware of Iijima’s abandonment and subsequent cowardice. From that moment forward, Mimura lost all respect and trust for Iijima, creating a permanent rift between them.
When the class is forced into the deadly program, Iijima is assigned a kitchen knife as his weapon in both the original novel and its manga adaptation. He understands that he lacks the nerve to effectively use his weapon if directly attacked. Desperate and seeking safety in numbers, Iijima attempts to join a group consisting of Yutaka Seto and Shinji Mimura. While Seto is welcoming, Mimura adamantly refuses to allow Iijima to accompany them, citing his cowardly behavior as proof that he would be a liability who would not defend the group in a crisis and could potentially jeopardize their plans. In an attempt to frighten Iijima away, Mimura points his gun at him. However, the trigger is accidentally pulled, and Iijima is shot and killed.
The film adaptation presents a significantly different version of the character. In the movie, Iijima is portrayed as a member of the school's basketball team and remains a loyal friend to Shinji Mimura, assisting him with a plan to destroy the school's headquarters. He receives a jitte, a traditional Japanese weapon, instead of a knife. After Yutaka Seto is killed by the rogue student Kazuo Kiriyama, Iijima is also shot. In his final moments, he laughs and repeats Mimura’s promise that they would all survive and return home together, dying in Mimura’s arms.
The central event of his backstory, which varies slightly between the novel and manga, involves a past outing with Shinji Mimura. While the two were together, Mimura was confronted by a group of attackers. Iijima witnessed the altercation but, overcome by fear, chose to hide rather than assist his friend. Although Mimura successfully fended off the attackers on his own, he became fully aware of Iijima’s abandonment and subsequent cowardice. From that moment forward, Mimura lost all respect and trust for Iijima, creating a permanent rift between them.
When the class is forced into the deadly program, Iijima is assigned a kitchen knife as his weapon in both the original novel and its manga adaptation. He understands that he lacks the nerve to effectively use his weapon if directly attacked. Desperate and seeking safety in numbers, Iijima attempts to join a group consisting of Yutaka Seto and Shinji Mimura. While Seto is welcoming, Mimura adamantly refuses to allow Iijima to accompany them, citing his cowardly behavior as proof that he would be a liability who would not defend the group in a crisis and could potentially jeopardize their plans. In an attempt to frighten Iijima away, Mimura points his gun at him. However, the trigger is accidentally pulled, and Iijima is shot and killed.
The film adaptation presents a significantly different version of the character. In the movie, Iijima is portrayed as a member of the school's basketball team and remains a loyal friend to Shinji Mimura, assisting him with a plan to destroy the school's headquarters. He receives a jitte, a traditional Japanese weapon, instead of a knife. After Yutaka Seto is killed by the rogue student Kazuo Kiriyama, Iijima is also shot. In his final moments, he laughs and repeats Mimura’s promise that they would all survive and return home together, dying in Mimura’s arms.