TV-Series
Description
Akira Ugawa is a student at Ayanagi Gakuen High School, initially in the Vocal Department before becoming a second-year candidate in the Musical Department and a member of Team Hiragi. Born on May 19th with B blood type, he stands 160 centimeters tall and has bright pink eyes and slightly curly pink hair with bangs that curl to the left. His hometown is Kyoto, and he maintains strong connections with his friends there, often spending his days off emailing or calling them, though he has not yet become accustomed to traveling by train in Tokyo. His standard school uniform includes a loosely worn tie and unbuttoned blazer, while his training attire consists of a white zip hoodie with black trims, a pink inner shirt, white knee-length pants, and white dancing shoes.
Ugawa has a personality often described as being like a small dog. Despite his cute appearance, he is quite combative and not afraid to speak his mind without considering the consequences, looking down on those he perceives as untalented and being very direct with his criticisms, even to the point of insulting people to their faces. He is a poor loser and his manner of speaking is harsh and direct. His teammates point out that he is not a bad person, and underneath his aggressive exterior lies a firm belief in his colleagues and unshakeable self-confidence. He has decided that he wants to see Team Hiragi succeed and become the best, and he is confident in his own singing and dancing abilities. Within the story, he often acts as an instigator, particularly in his interactions with Team Otori. He insults Tsukigami Kaito, accusing him of riding on his older brother’s fame, which escalates into a physical fight that only ends with the intervention of their senior, Hiragi. He has a similarly volatile relationship with Tengenji Kakeru, with Ugawa usually starting the verbal fight and Tengenji escalating it physically. Ugawa holds immense respect for his teammate Tatsumi Rui, whom he affectionately calls Tatsumin, and he takes Tatsumi’s scoldings very seriously, stopping his taunting immediately after receiving a look from him. He is roommates and classmates with Inumine Seishiro, whom he finds difficult to relax around, feeling that Inumine drains the energy from a room, though he acknowledges Inumine’s talent for musicals. While his initial relationship with Tsukigami Kaito is hostile, it evolves over time, and Ugawa later expresses concern when Tsukigami pushes himself too hard. In the second season, it is revealed that Ugawa feels a complex about not being as perfect as Tatsumi and Sawatari, not as talented as Toraishi, or a genius in one field like Inumine, which adds depth to his loud, brash front. His Kansai dialect surfaces when he is frightened, and he chants teammate Toraishi Izumi’s name as a protective charm in ominous situations.
Academically, Ugawa is strong in music and English but performs poorly in physical education, particularly hating the marathon. He is clumsy with his hands and weak at doing physical work, and he identifies his height as a weakness, drinking milk in an attempt to grow taller without success. He dislikes splatter films and horror movies, though he denies being afraid of ghosts, a preference that creates amusing conflict as Tatsumi has become addicted to them. He enjoys riding on airplanes because of the floaty feeling during takeoff. His favorite foods include tofu and dried beancurd, and he prefers drinks that are not carbonated. He likes all kinds of weather except for rain. Ugawa participates in performances including Sparkling Sparkle ☆ (a duet with Inumine), Hanamichi ∞ Go All Out!! (with Team Otori members), and Gift ～Curtain Call～ (full cast). His animal motif is the rabbit, reflected in his name (Ugawa combines “rabbit” and “river”, while Akira means “clear” or “crystal”) and in official spin-off merchandise like the AYANAGI Animal Park Series. Alternate universe depictions include roles as a police officer in the AYANAGI IF Series and a ryokan waitress in the AYANAGI April Fools Series, and in the musical spin-off Caribbean Groove he portrays Henri alongside Tatsumi’s Chris.
Ugawa has a personality often described as being like a small dog. Despite his cute appearance, he is quite combative and not afraid to speak his mind without considering the consequences, looking down on those he perceives as untalented and being very direct with his criticisms, even to the point of insulting people to their faces. He is a poor loser and his manner of speaking is harsh and direct. His teammates point out that he is not a bad person, and underneath his aggressive exterior lies a firm belief in his colleagues and unshakeable self-confidence. He has decided that he wants to see Team Hiragi succeed and become the best, and he is confident in his own singing and dancing abilities. Within the story, he often acts as an instigator, particularly in his interactions with Team Otori. He insults Tsukigami Kaito, accusing him of riding on his older brother’s fame, which escalates into a physical fight that only ends with the intervention of their senior, Hiragi. He has a similarly volatile relationship with Tengenji Kakeru, with Ugawa usually starting the verbal fight and Tengenji escalating it physically. Ugawa holds immense respect for his teammate Tatsumi Rui, whom he affectionately calls Tatsumin, and he takes Tatsumi’s scoldings very seriously, stopping his taunting immediately after receiving a look from him. He is roommates and classmates with Inumine Seishiro, whom he finds difficult to relax around, feeling that Inumine drains the energy from a room, though he acknowledges Inumine’s talent for musicals. While his initial relationship with Tsukigami Kaito is hostile, it evolves over time, and Ugawa later expresses concern when Tsukigami pushes himself too hard. In the second season, it is revealed that Ugawa feels a complex about not being as perfect as Tatsumi and Sawatari, not as talented as Toraishi, or a genius in one field like Inumine, which adds depth to his loud, brash front. His Kansai dialect surfaces when he is frightened, and he chants teammate Toraishi Izumi’s name as a protective charm in ominous situations.
Academically, Ugawa is strong in music and English but performs poorly in physical education, particularly hating the marathon. He is clumsy with his hands and weak at doing physical work, and he identifies his height as a weakness, drinking milk in an attempt to grow taller without success. He dislikes splatter films and horror movies, though he denies being afraid of ghosts, a preference that creates amusing conflict as Tatsumi has become addicted to them. He enjoys riding on airplanes because of the floaty feeling during takeoff. His favorite foods include tofu and dried beancurd, and he prefers drinks that are not carbonated. He likes all kinds of weather except for rain. Ugawa participates in performances including Sparkling Sparkle ☆ (a duet with Inumine), Hanamichi ∞ Go All Out!! (with Team Otori members), and Gift ～Curtain Call～ (full cast). His animal motif is the rabbit, reflected in his name (Ugawa combines “rabbit” and “river”, while Akira means “clear” or “crystal”) and in official spin-off merchandise like the AYANAGI Animal Park Series. Alternate universe depictions include roles as a police officer in the AYANAGI IF Series and a ryokan waitress in the AYANAGI April Fools Series, and in the musical spin-off Caribbean Groove he portrays Henri alongside Tatsumi’s Chris.