TV-Series
Description
Junta Teshima is a former student of Sohoku High School, where he served as the captain of the bicycle racing club. Before his third year, he was unable to secure a spot on the Inter-High racing team, but was later announced as the club's captain by his predecessor, Kinjou Shingo. He ultimately defeated his old friend and teammate, Koga Kimitaka, to earn his place on the Inter-High team. Teshima is a smart and strategic individual who relies heavily on tactics to win races, often working in close partnership with his friend Hajime Aoyagi. His personality appears nonchalant, condescending, and teasing at first, and he initially acts with subtle hostility towards newer members. This behavior, however, stems from his intense desire to win and to race alongside his mentor before graduation.
Underneath this exterior, Teshima struggles with a complex he has about being an ordinary cyclist. He views himself as someone who cannot reach the top tier of elite cyclists, a feeling that led him to nearly quit cycling altogether before entering high school. He witnessed an Inter-High race, which changed his perspective and reignited his passion. Teshima is a thorough hard worker, but he often lacks confidence in his own abilities and tends to dampen his emotions when things go wrong, accepting failure as the fate of someone ordinary. Despite this, he possesses a fierce, competitive desire to win and can become highly motivated when he refuses to accept his perceived limitations. After his own racing setbacks, Teshima reveals himself to be humble and deeply supportive of his teammates, taking his role on the support team very seriously. As captain, he becomes adept at encouraging other members, such as Shunsuke Imaizumi and Shoukichi Naruko, offering guidance and allowing them the space to grow. He also demonstrates nobility and sportsmanship during competition, once stopping to wait for an opponent, Sangaku Manami, who had encountered mechanical problems with his bicycle.
Teshima's primary motivation is to succeed as a cyclist despite his self-perceived ordinariness. His role in the story evolves from a supporting member to a leader and captain, responsible for guiding the team's younger riders. The most significant relationship in his life is with Aoyagi Hajime. The bond between them is so strong that Teshima can often guess what Aoyagi is thinking, leading others to believe he is telepathic. Teshima and Aoyagi form a team of two, where Teshima acts as the brains and strategist, managing Aoyagi's stamina to allow his partner to win races. This partnership earned them five victories in six races during their first year. Teshima also shares a strong bond with his mentor, Tadokoro Jin, and his desire to ride with him fuels his early competitiveness.
Teshima experiences significant development throughout the story. In the past, he had resigned himself to being an average cyclist and planned to quit. However, meeting Aoyagi and seeing the excitement of the Inter-High changed his resolve. After being unable to race in the Inter-High, he and Aoyagi trained relentlessly, developing their leg muscles and improving their performance. Eventually, he is named team captain and secures his own spot on the Inter-High team. In one notable race, he managed to keep up with the talented climber Takuto Ashikiba by increasing his cadence to a rate faster than both Onoda and Imaizumi. He also displayed his strategic mind by asking Onoda if Ashikiba reminded him of the team's former climber, Makishima, due to their similar riding style. This psychological tactic helped push Onoda to victory.
As a cyclist, Junta Teshima is not portrayed as a particularly powerful rider. Instead, he relies on his wits and abilities as a strategist. He is skilled at psychological warfare, using words to psych out opponents or cast doubt on his rivals, and he is effective at provoking others. He is also adept at blocking other cyclists from passing him, able to make physical contact with another bike to knock them aside without falling himself. According to Makishima, Teshima has the potential to be a climber, though he has mediocre technique and instinct. He is considered better suited to climbing than being an ace sprinter, having never won a sprint finish in an official race. Beyond his racing skills, Teshima competed in a prefectural abacus tournament in middle school and lists mathematics as his best subject. His hobbies include singing in the shower and karaoke, and he enjoys sports manga and Japanese curry.
Underneath this exterior, Teshima struggles with a complex he has about being an ordinary cyclist. He views himself as someone who cannot reach the top tier of elite cyclists, a feeling that led him to nearly quit cycling altogether before entering high school. He witnessed an Inter-High race, which changed his perspective and reignited his passion. Teshima is a thorough hard worker, but he often lacks confidence in his own abilities and tends to dampen his emotions when things go wrong, accepting failure as the fate of someone ordinary. Despite this, he possesses a fierce, competitive desire to win and can become highly motivated when he refuses to accept his perceived limitations. After his own racing setbacks, Teshima reveals himself to be humble and deeply supportive of his teammates, taking his role on the support team very seriously. As captain, he becomes adept at encouraging other members, such as Shunsuke Imaizumi and Shoukichi Naruko, offering guidance and allowing them the space to grow. He also demonstrates nobility and sportsmanship during competition, once stopping to wait for an opponent, Sangaku Manami, who had encountered mechanical problems with his bicycle.
Teshima's primary motivation is to succeed as a cyclist despite his self-perceived ordinariness. His role in the story evolves from a supporting member to a leader and captain, responsible for guiding the team's younger riders. The most significant relationship in his life is with Aoyagi Hajime. The bond between them is so strong that Teshima can often guess what Aoyagi is thinking, leading others to believe he is telepathic. Teshima and Aoyagi form a team of two, where Teshima acts as the brains and strategist, managing Aoyagi's stamina to allow his partner to win races. This partnership earned them five victories in six races during their first year. Teshima also shares a strong bond with his mentor, Tadokoro Jin, and his desire to ride with him fuels his early competitiveness.
Teshima experiences significant development throughout the story. In the past, he had resigned himself to being an average cyclist and planned to quit. However, meeting Aoyagi and seeing the excitement of the Inter-High changed his resolve. After being unable to race in the Inter-High, he and Aoyagi trained relentlessly, developing their leg muscles and improving their performance. Eventually, he is named team captain and secures his own spot on the Inter-High team. In one notable race, he managed to keep up with the talented climber Takuto Ashikiba by increasing his cadence to a rate faster than both Onoda and Imaizumi. He also displayed his strategic mind by asking Onoda if Ashikiba reminded him of the team's former climber, Makishima, due to their similar riding style. This psychological tactic helped push Onoda to victory.
As a cyclist, Junta Teshima is not portrayed as a particularly powerful rider. Instead, he relies on his wits and abilities as a strategist. He is skilled at psychological warfare, using words to psych out opponents or cast doubt on his rivals, and he is effective at provoking others. He is also adept at blocking other cyclists from passing him, able to make physical contact with another bike to knock them aside without falling himself. According to Makishima, Teshima has the potential to be a climber, though he has mediocre technique and instinct. He is considered better suited to climbing than being an ace sprinter, having never won a sprint finish in an official race. Beyond his racing skills, Teshima competed in a prefectural abacus tournament in middle school and lists mathematics as his best subject. His hobbies include singing in the shower and karaoke, and he enjoys sports manga and Japanese curry.