Movie
Description
Terufumi Sugimoto is a student at Sohoku High School and a dedicated member of its bicycle racing club. He confidently refers to himself as an experienced cyclist. With black, heavily parted hair and an often self-assured smile, he cuts a tall and lanky figure. His typical cycling gear includes dark green shorts, gray sneakers, brown fingerless gloves, and a gray top.
His passion for cycling was forged in childhood through frequent trips with his father, who guided him through diverse environments and helped him conquer his early fears, nurturing a profound and lasting joy for the sport. This foundational experience solidified his identity as a cyclist. Upon entering Sohoku High, he sought out the racing club and attempted to impress classmates Sakamichi Onoda and Shoukichi Naruko by boasting about his experience, though they initially ignored him. He later joined the club officially alongside them.
In the First-Year Welcome Race, he secured a third-place finish behind Shunsuke Imaizumi and Shoukichi Naruko. He often dispensed advice to fellow first-years, citing his three years of cycling experience. Acknowledging his own limitations compared to more naturally gifted teammates, he proactively sought training from Shunsuke Imaizumi to hone his skills. This marked the start of a diligent process of improvement, where he learned to synchronize with other riders and endure the club's demanding practice regimen.
Despite his commitment, he lacked the innate talent required to secure top race results, prompting him to develop a unique personal cycling style built upon his accumulated experience. He also attempted to mimic techniques from cyclists he admired. He devised an unnamed technique: using his experience to detect an elevated heart rate, he stops moving to lower it, tells himself "I can still go!" five times, and then accelerates. This method prevents his heart from reaching its limit and enables him to push onward.
During a paired practice session—partnered with Junta Teshima in the anime and Kimitaka Koga in the manga—he first misunderstood the activity as a confidence-building exercise but soon realized it was intended to expose the new members' weaknesses. He took part in the club's intensive training camp but failed to complete the required one thousand kilometers, rendering him ineligible to race in the Inter High competition. Instead, he served on the support team, frequently voicing doubts about Sohoku's chances only to repeatedly retract those statements.
Inspired after the Inter High, he intensified his training to earn a team spot for the following year. He also introduced his younger brother, the soon-to-be first-year Sadatoki Sugimoto, to the club. He struck a deal with Junta Teshima that if he could win the next first-year welcome race, he would become the sixth member of the Inter High team. During that race, he collaborated with his brother and another first-year to pursue the leading duo from the elite Speed Shot team, Kaburagi Issa and Danchiku Ryuuhou.
He declined an opportunity to break away with two other riders in a no-passing zone, opting instead to race fairly. He ultimately finished in second place, narrowly losing to Kaburagi Issa. After the race, he instructed Kaburagi to "give Imaizumi a shove on the lower back" during the Inter High as a gesture of encouragement.
He demonstrates proficiency in mathematics and excels in long rides. He enjoys Mont Blanc desserts and biking with his family, an activity he pursued in middle school when his family climbed Mount Hakone in matching jerseys. He dislikes hot soup and ghost stories. He is a frequent visitor to the shop where he bought his Colnago bicycle.
His passion for cycling was forged in childhood through frequent trips with his father, who guided him through diverse environments and helped him conquer his early fears, nurturing a profound and lasting joy for the sport. This foundational experience solidified his identity as a cyclist. Upon entering Sohoku High, he sought out the racing club and attempted to impress classmates Sakamichi Onoda and Shoukichi Naruko by boasting about his experience, though they initially ignored him. He later joined the club officially alongside them.
In the First-Year Welcome Race, he secured a third-place finish behind Shunsuke Imaizumi and Shoukichi Naruko. He often dispensed advice to fellow first-years, citing his three years of cycling experience. Acknowledging his own limitations compared to more naturally gifted teammates, he proactively sought training from Shunsuke Imaizumi to hone his skills. This marked the start of a diligent process of improvement, where he learned to synchronize with other riders and endure the club's demanding practice regimen.
Despite his commitment, he lacked the innate talent required to secure top race results, prompting him to develop a unique personal cycling style built upon his accumulated experience. He also attempted to mimic techniques from cyclists he admired. He devised an unnamed technique: using his experience to detect an elevated heart rate, he stops moving to lower it, tells himself "I can still go!" five times, and then accelerates. This method prevents his heart from reaching its limit and enables him to push onward.
During a paired practice session—partnered with Junta Teshima in the anime and Kimitaka Koga in the manga—he first misunderstood the activity as a confidence-building exercise but soon realized it was intended to expose the new members' weaknesses. He took part in the club's intensive training camp but failed to complete the required one thousand kilometers, rendering him ineligible to race in the Inter High competition. Instead, he served on the support team, frequently voicing doubts about Sohoku's chances only to repeatedly retract those statements.
Inspired after the Inter High, he intensified his training to earn a team spot for the following year. He also introduced his younger brother, the soon-to-be first-year Sadatoki Sugimoto, to the club. He struck a deal with Junta Teshima that if he could win the next first-year welcome race, he would become the sixth member of the Inter High team. During that race, he collaborated with his brother and another first-year to pursue the leading duo from the elite Speed Shot team, Kaburagi Issa and Danchiku Ryuuhou.
He declined an opportunity to break away with two other riders in a no-passing zone, opting instead to race fairly. He ultimately finished in second place, narrowly losing to Kaburagi Issa. After the race, he instructed Kaburagi to "give Imaizumi a shove on the lower back" during the Inter High as a gesture of encouragement.
He demonstrates proficiency in mathematics and excels in long rides. He enjoys Mont Blanc desserts and biking with his family, an activity he pursued in middle school when his family climbed Mount Hakone in matching jerseys. He dislikes hot soup and ghost stories. He is a frequent visitor to the shop where he bought his Colnago bicycle.