Issa Kaburagi, a second-year Sohoku High School student, competes as a regular member of its bicycle racing club after joining during his first year. Hailing from Chiba, he previously rode for middle school's Team Speed Shot. His appearance features distinct center-parted orange hair, neck-length with spiked ends. He initially wears his Team Speed Shot jersey but transitions to Sohoku's uniform after becoming a regular, often keeping his original team's shoes. Issa displays initial arrogance, proclaiming himself a genius and openly aiming to surpass seniors. He respects formidable opponents, especially childhood friend Ryuhou Danchiku—whom he credits for his success—since their elementary school meeting after Ryuhou moved nearby. His air-headed tendencies include attributing cycling improvements to notes from the "God of Orange Beena" (an Orangina parody). Despite natural sprinting aptitude, he insists he's an all-rounder. As the youngest of four brothers, he nags others to yield to his desires, contrasting Ryuhou's steadfastness as an eldest sibling. Socially immature, he refuses food from girls like manager Miki Kanzaki. Arrogant toward outsiders, he assigns inappropriate nicknames but earnestly helps others when acknowledging mistakes. His cycling skills developed through years of duo riding with Ryuhou since elementary school. Individually, he's a determined sprinter who created a two-stage acceleration technique: briefly relinquishing pursuit before surging to disrupt opponents' timing, effective against aggressive or stronger riders. He visualizes mental gears for acceleration, evolving this into a six-level system by second year: Level 1 "White," Level 2 "Unbleached Silk," Level 3 "Pale Yellow," Level 4 "Gamboge," Level 5 "Orange," and Level 6 "Golden Yellow." At the 42nd Summer Inter High as a first-year, Issa confronted Hakone Academy's Masakiyo Doubashi pre-race after Doubashi mocked Sohoku's prior win and questioned Sakamichi Onoda's strength, seeding doubt in Issa. During their sprint checkpoint duel, Doubashi narrowly defeated him, fueling Issa's rematch resolve. By the 43rd Summer Inter High as a second-year regular, he challenged Doubashi again pre-race. He demonstrated improved tactics by initially resisting premature sprinter pursuits on senior Shunsuke Imaizumi's advice, later strategically breaking away with Ryuhou to force Hakone's response. Issa's growth includes deepening respect for teammates, solidified by mentorship from former member Hajime Aoyagi. His relationship with seniors evolved from dismissiveness—like omitting honorifics for Hajime—to respect after recognizing their contributions. Beyond cycling, Issa favors orange, Orangina, strawberries, pineapple, his mother's pork-and-cabbage hotpot, and fish sausages with mayonnaise. He keeps a kabutomushi beetle hobby. Academically, he struggles with English, misinterpreting phrases like "go to hell" mid-race. He dyed his hair orange to stand out and express cycling passion.