TV-Series
Description
Ichirōta Kazemaru is a central supporting character in the Inazuma Eleven series. He is a student at Raimon Junior High School, where he initially serves as a key member of the school's track and field club and is later recruited to join the soccer team. His birthday is February 1st.
Kazemaru is characterized by a competitive and friendly nature, showing a genuine enjoyment for playing against strong opponents. He is portrayed as kind-hearted and deeply caring toward his teammates. However, beneath this amiable surface, he struggles with significant internal conflicts. Under high pressure, he exhibits issues with self-confidence and harbors a persistent fear of not being able to keep pace with his peers. This can lead to moments of indecision and internal turmoil. Despite these vulnerabilities, he also demonstrates strong leadership qualities, notably stepping up to guide the team when needed.
Kazemaru's motivations are driven by a love for soccer and a desire to face powerful rivals. This competitive drive, however, also becomes a source of his deepest insecurity. His fear of being a liability and his desperation to grow stronger are powerful forces that shape his actions throughout the series.
Within the team, Kazemaru plays a vital and versatile role. Initially a defender for Raimon, his exceptional speed, a remnant of his track and field background, makes him a formidable asset on the wing. During the second season, he briefly leaves the team after succumbing to his self-doubt and a thirst for power, joining the Aliea Gakuen and becoming the captain and a forward for the Dark Emperors while under the influence of the Aliea meteorite. After being freed from its control, he returns to the team and transitions to a midfielder. In the third season, he is selected for the national team, Inazuma Japan, where he continues to play as a midfielder and serves as a temporary captain during critical matches.
His most significant relationship is with Endou Mamoru, the team's goalkeeper and captain. They are established as childhood friends from elementary school, and this bond forms the emotional core of his character arc. Endou's unwavering passion and spirit serve as an inspiration to Kazemaru, but also inadvertently contribute to his feelings of inadequacy. Kazemaru acts as a confidant and advisor to Endou, and his temporary defection to the Dark Emperors is a direct result of his internal struggle, which wounds Endou deeply and pushes him into a slump. Their friendship ultimately remains unbreakable, culminating in a joyful embrace after Inazuma Japan's victory against the formidable team Little Gigant. He also shares a close friendship with other key players like Gouenji Shuuya, frequently spending time with him outside of official matches.
Kazemaru undergoes significant development over the course of the story. In the first season, he has to resolve the conflict between his loyalty to the track club and his new passion for soccer, ultimately choosing to fully dedicate himself to Raimon. The second season represents his lowest point, as he is overwhelmed by the power of the Aliea Gakuen teams and his perceived inability to help his friends. This drives him to abandon the team in search of power, losing himself to the corrupting influence of the Aliea meteorite. His redemption comes when Endou's spirit awakens him, allowing him to break free and return to the side of his true friends, now with a better understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses. By the third season, he has matured into a more stable and reliable player, using his leadership skills as the temporary captain of Inazuma Japan and demonstrating greater emotional resilience on the international stage.
Kazemaru is defined by his remarkable speed and agility, which is the foundation of his playstyle. Among his notable abilities, he is known for his signature dribbling technique, Shippū Dash (also known as Hurricane Dash). In combination with his teammate Gouenji, he can perform the powerful shooting move Honoo no Kazamidori, or Fire Rooster. While controlled by the Aliea meteorite as a member of the Dark Emperors, he gains access to enhanced techniques like Bunshin Defense and the combination shot Dark Phoenix. Later in the series, he develops more advanced wind-based hissatsu techniques, including Fuujin no Mai (Dance of the Wind God) and, in a combination with Fubuki Shirou, The Hurricane. He also masters a technique called Tatsumaki Otoshi, a combination shot performed with Kabeyama Heigorou, and the Spinning Fence.
Kazemaru is characterized by a competitive and friendly nature, showing a genuine enjoyment for playing against strong opponents. He is portrayed as kind-hearted and deeply caring toward his teammates. However, beneath this amiable surface, he struggles with significant internal conflicts. Under high pressure, he exhibits issues with self-confidence and harbors a persistent fear of not being able to keep pace with his peers. This can lead to moments of indecision and internal turmoil. Despite these vulnerabilities, he also demonstrates strong leadership qualities, notably stepping up to guide the team when needed.
Kazemaru's motivations are driven by a love for soccer and a desire to face powerful rivals. This competitive drive, however, also becomes a source of his deepest insecurity. His fear of being a liability and his desperation to grow stronger are powerful forces that shape his actions throughout the series.
Within the team, Kazemaru plays a vital and versatile role. Initially a defender for Raimon, his exceptional speed, a remnant of his track and field background, makes him a formidable asset on the wing. During the second season, he briefly leaves the team after succumbing to his self-doubt and a thirst for power, joining the Aliea Gakuen and becoming the captain and a forward for the Dark Emperors while under the influence of the Aliea meteorite. After being freed from its control, he returns to the team and transitions to a midfielder. In the third season, he is selected for the national team, Inazuma Japan, where he continues to play as a midfielder and serves as a temporary captain during critical matches.
His most significant relationship is with Endou Mamoru, the team's goalkeeper and captain. They are established as childhood friends from elementary school, and this bond forms the emotional core of his character arc. Endou's unwavering passion and spirit serve as an inspiration to Kazemaru, but also inadvertently contribute to his feelings of inadequacy. Kazemaru acts as a confidant and advisor to Endou, and his temporary defection to the Dark Emperors is a direct result of his internal struggle, which wounds Endou deeply and pushes him into a slump. Their friendship ultimately remains unbreakable, culminating in a joyful embrace after Inazuma Japan's victory against the formidable team Little Gigant. He also shares a close friendship with other key players like Gouenji Shuuya, frequently spending time with him outside of official matches.
Kazemaru undergoes significant development over the course of the story. In the first season, he has to resolve the conflict between his loyalty to the track club and his new passion for soccer, ultimately choosing to fully dedicate himself to Raimon. The second season represents his lowest point, as he is overwhelmed by the power of the Aliea Gakuen teams and his perceived inability to help his friends. This drives him to abandon the team in search of power, losing himself to the corrupting influence of the Aliea meteorite. His redemption comes when Endou's spirit awakens him, allowing him to break free and return to the side of his true friends, now with a better understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses. By the third season, he has matured into a more stable and reliable player, using his leadership skills as the temporary captain of Inazuma Japan and demonstrating greater emotional resilience on the international stage.
Kazemaru is defined by his remarkable speed and agility, which is the foundation of his playstyle. Among his notable abilities, he is known for his signature dribbling technique, Shippū Dash (also known as Hurricane Dash). In combination with his teammate Gouenji, he can perform the powerful shooting move Honoo no Kazamidori, or Fire Rooster. While controlled by the Aliea meteorite as a member of the Dark Emperors, he gains access to enhanced techniques like Bunshin Defense and the combination shot Dark Phoenix. Later in the series, he develops more advanced wind-based hissatsu techniques, including Fuujin no Mai (Dance of the Wind God) and, in a combination with Fubuki Shirou, The Hurricane. He also masters a technique called Tatsumaki Otoshi, a combination shot performed with Kabeyama Heigorou, and the Spinning Fence.