TV-Series
Description
Eikichi Machimiya is a cyclist who first appears as a third-year student and the ace sprinter for the Hiroshima Kureminami Technical High School bicycle club, later becoming a second-year member of the Yonan University Bicycle Racing Club. He is known for his distinctive appearance, which includes reddish-pink hair, notably bushy eyebrows of a lighter shade, and prominent bags under his eyes that hint at his intense disposition. A physical marker of his aggressive cycling style is a set of distinctive bruises on his chest, which have formed from repeatedly striking his handlebars during his signature sprint, earning him the nickname the Fighting Dog of Kure.
Machimiya possesses a complex and often unsettling personality. He frequently describes himself as having both stars and the devil's luck, a phrase that encapsulates his paradoxical tendency to encounter severe hardships yet somehow manage to succeed in the end. His outward demeanor is often disturbingly amiable and confident, but this serves primarily as a tool for manipulation. He is extremely skilled at twisting the emotions of other cyclists to his advantage, uniting riders from different schools under the false guise of being their ally to further his own goals. This manipulative nature is accompanied by a tendency to use invasive, unwanted physical contact to unnerve his rivals, creating an uncomfortable dynamic where his polite tone clashes with his aggressive gestures.
Beneath this calculated exterior, Machimiya harbors significant internal pressures. He feels the intense weight of being his team's ace and is easily wounded when he fails to meet his own or his team's expectations. His primary motivation stems from a deep-seated grudge against Hakone Academy, which was born from a pivotal encounter during the 40th Summer Inter High. On the second day of that race, both of his water bottles broke during a brutally hot day. Desperate, he asked Juichi Fukutomi of Hakone Academy for one of his two bottles, but Fukutomi refused, citing his own need to beat a Sohoku competitor ahead. Machimiya was left behind in tears, and although he managed to place third overall in that race, this incident ignited an obsessive vendetta against the champions. This grudge became so all-consuming that he ended a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Kana, to focus solely on defeating Hakone in the following year's competition.
When his anger is unleashed, his calm and nonchalant persona disappears, replaced by a wild, frenzied state of riding fueled by pure hatred. Other cyclists speculate that this aggressive and bitter self may be his true personality, contrasting with the pleasant face he shows to the world. However, Machimiya is not without a sense of honor. He respects a clear, fair defeat and has no problem acknowledging when he has been soundly beaten by a superior opponent, demonstrating a capacity for grace in loss that surprises those who only see his ruthless side.
In the story, particularly during the 41st Summer Inter High, Machimiya plays the role of a primary antagonist and a cunning strategist. On the third and final day of the race, he gathers the pack of cyclists who are far behind the leading teams. He manipulates them by exploiting their shared resentment against the top schools, convincing them to work together to form a massive, snake-like peloton that swallows up other riders. The plan involves using an injured climber from Kumamoto Daiichi as a tool of sympathy to gain cooperation, only for Machimiya and the entire Hiroshima team to ditch their exhausted allies and break away once the pack has served its purpose. His cunning, while effective, is portrayed as insidious, as he creates an illusion of mutual interest to serve his own ends.
Key relationships define much of his arc. His partnership with his loyal teammate, Ryo Ibitani, is crucial; Ibitani admires him greatly and is instrumental in helping execute his strategies, even knowing that Machimiya sacrificed his relationship to prepare for the race. He forms a temporary, opportunistic alliance with Akira Midousuji of Kyoto Fushimi, agreeing to work together to defeat Hakone Academy, though Midousuji discards him when he is no longer useful. His most significant relationship is with Yasutomo Arakita of Hakone Academy. During a fierce confrontation on the road, Machimiya resorts to dirty tactics, including a headbutt that draws blood. However, Arakita, rather than retaliating with anger, calmly tells Machimiya that he understands his bitterness because he used to be the same way. He explains that being hung up on the past prevents forward progress and that riding with true heart would make him stronger. This moment serves as a turning point. Machimiya, having accepted his defeat, watches Arakita ride away in awe, and looks forward to a Bepsi drink that Arakita promised to buy him, signifying a begrudging respect and the beginning of a change in his perspective.
Developmentally, Machimiya transitions from a bitter, revenge-driven rival to a more composed figure. His backstory reveals a history of violence in middle school, but also a genuine desire to change, spurred initially by his girlfriend's request to join a club and honorably compete in the Inter High. While his manipulative tendencies remain, his defeat at the hands of Arakita, who offered not victory but understanding, forces him to confront the futility of his hatred. By the time he attends Yonan University alongside Arakita, he has evolved beyond the vengeful ace of Kureminami Tech.
Notable abilities include his unique and violent dancing technique. This sprinting style involves leaning his chest extremely low to the handlebars for maximum aerodynamics, causing his shoulder blades to jut out. By bouncing and striking his chest against the bike, he generates high speeds, though the technique also fuels his aggressive state. Apart from his physical skills on the bike, his primary weapon is his sharp intellect and psychological manipulation, a talent that proves as dangerous as his sprinting. Outside of cycling, he is skilled in mechanical engineering and proficient with a lathe, which he has used to craft durable metal water bottles, and he is also good at cooking teppanyaki. He ardently supports the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team and favors Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with squid.
Machimiya possesses a complex and often unsettling personality. He frequently describes himself as having both stars and the devil's luck, a phrase that encapsulates his paradoxical tendency to encounter severe hardships yet somehow manage to succeed in the end. His outward demeanor is often disturbingly amiable and confident, but this serves primarily as a tool for manipulation. He is extremely skilled at twisting the emotions of other cyclists to his advantage, uniting riders from different schools under the false guise of being their ally to further his own goals. This manipulative nature is accompanied by a tendency to use invasive, unwanted physical contact to unnerve his rivals, creating an uncomfortable dynamic where his polite tone clashes with his aggressive gestures.
Beneath this calculated exterior, Machimiya harbors significant internal pressures. He feels the intense weight of being his team's ace and is easily wounded when he fails to meet his own or his team's expectations. His primary motivation stems from a deep-seated grudge against Hakone Academy, which was born from a pivotal encounter during the 40th Summer Inter High. On the second day of that race, both of his water bottles broke during a brutally hot day. Desperate, he asked Juichi Fukutomi of Hakone Academy for one of his two bottles, but Fukutomi refused, citing his own need to beat a Sohoku competitor ahead. Machimiya was left behind in tears, and although he managed to place third overall in that race, this incident ignited an obsessive vendetta against the champions. This grudge became so all-consuming that he ended a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Kana, to focus solely on defeating Hakone in the following year's competition.
When his anger is unleashed, his calm and nonchalant persona disappears, replaced by a wild, frenzied state of riding fueled by pure hatred. Other cyclists speculate that this aggressive and bitter self may be his true personality, contrasting with the pleasant face he shows to the world. However, Machimiya is not without a sense of honor. He respects a clear, fair defeat and has no problem acknowledging when he has been soundly beaten by a superior opponent, demonstrating a capacity for grace in loss that surprises those who only see his ruthless side.
In the story, particularly during the 41st Summer Inter High, Machimiya plays the role of a primary antagonist and a cunning strategist. On the third and final day of the race, he gathers the pack of cyclists who are far behind the leading teams. He manipulates them by exploiting their shared resentment against the top schools, convincing them to work together to form a massive, snake-like peloton that swallows up other riders. The plan involves using an injured climber from Kumamoto Daiichi as a tool of sympathy to gain cooperation, only for Machimiya and the entire Hiroshima team to ditch their exhausted allies and break away once the pack has served its purpose. His cunning, while effective, is portrayed as insidious, as he creates an illusion of mutual interest to serve his own ends.
Key relationships define much of his arc. His partnership with his loyal teammate, Ryo Ibitani, is crucial; Ibitani admires him greatly and is instrumental in helping execute his strategies, even knowing that Machimiya sacrificed his relationship to prepare for the race. He forms a temporary, opportunistic alliance with Akira Midousuji of Kyoto Fushimi, agreeing to work together to defeat Hakone Academy, though Midousuji discards him when he is no longer useful. His most significant relationship is with Yasutomo Arakita of Hakone Academy. During a fierce confrontation on the road, Machimiya resorts to dirty tactics, including a headbutt that draws blood. However, Arakita, rather than retaliating with anger, calmly tells Machimiya that he understands his bitterness because he used to be the same way. He explains that being hung up on the past prevents forward progress and that riding with true heart would make him stronger. This moment serves as a turning point. Machimiya, having accepted his defeat, watches Arakita ride away in awe, and looks forward to a Bepsi drink that Arakita promised to buy him, signifying a begrudging respect and the beginning of a change in his perspective.
Developmentally, Machimiya transitions from a bitter, revenge-driven rival to a more composed figure. His backstory reveals a history of violence in middle school, but also a genuine desire to change, spurred initially by his girlfriend's request to join a club and honorably compete in the Inter High. While his manipulative tendencies remain, his defeat at the hands of Arakita, who offered not victory but understanding, forces him to confront the futility of his hatred. By the time he attends Yonan University alongside Arakita, he has evolved beyond the vengeful ace of Kureminami Tech.
Notable abilities include his unique and violent dancing technique. This sprinting style involves leaning his chest extremely low to the handlebars for maximum aerodynamics, causing his shoulder blades to jut out. By bouncing and striking his chest against the bike, he generates high speeds, though the technique also fuels his aggressive state. Apart from his physical skills on the bike, his primary weapon is his sharp intellect and psychological manipulation, a talent that proves as dangerous as his sprinting. Outside of cycling, he is skilled in mechanical engineering and proficient with a lathe, which he has used to craft durable metal water bottles, and he is also good at cooking teppanyaki. He ardently supports the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team and favors Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with squid.