Makoto Kitazume coaches Toho Academy during the Boys' Fight story arc, training Kojiro Hyuga in a relationship defined by tension. He refused to play Hyuga, his best player, in the Middle School National Tournament until the final match, maintaining this stance despite Hyuga's importance to the team. He only relented after the entire Toho Academy squad pleaded for Hyuga's reinstatement. Kitazume's coaching philosophy strictly prioritizes rules and team structure over individual talent. This led him to bench Hyuga following an unsanctioned training trip to Okinawa, where Hyuga developed the Tiger Shot without Kitazume's approval. Kitazume viewed this act as a breach of team discipline, reinforcing his emphasis on authority and procedure. He required Hyuga to prove his commitment through physical challenges and perseverance to earn his place back. His philosophy centers on collective team integrity. His refusal to play Hyuga persisted until the entire team recognized Hyuga's critical role and collectively intervened ahead of the finals, underscoring Kitazume's respect for team unity as fundamental to his methodology. In *Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions*, Kitazume's depiction aligns with these traits, showing him enforcing discipline by benching Hyuga and only reconsidering after external appeals, maintaining character consistency across adaptations.