Teruki Hanazawa begins as a third-year student at Black Vinegar Private Middle School and an antagonist, later becoming both friend and rival to Shigeo Kageyama. This 14-year-old stands 161.4 cm tall, weighs 47.7 kg, and was born on April 13. His appearance includes a purple school uniform jacket, dark plaid pants, a white collared shirt, and a striped teal tie. Considered handsome, his blond hair (brown in the manga) and lean frame conceal well-defined muscles. His hairstyle changes dramatically: after his first defeat, he sports a bald spot covered by a tall wig; a later fight results in shorter hair; finally, his hair regrows naturally by the series' end. Initially believing himself the world's "main protagonist" due to his psychic powers and isolation from other espers, Teruki wielded his abilities with arrogance and strategic self-interest, manipulating sports and academics. This led to violent outbursts against delinquents and a dangerous psychic challenge against Shigeo. His crushing defeat by Shigeo—which destroyed his school, left him naked and bald—triggered a profound crisis. A three-day fever followed as he confronted his ordinariness, ultimately adopting Shigeo's principle of not using powers against others unless absolutely necessary. Post-defeat, Teruki develops empathy and humility while retaining core confidence. He shows genuine concern, opposing Dimple's brainwashing and expressing anger at civilian exploitation. A competitive streak and intense dislike of losing remain, sometimes causing fevers after defeats like the one against Shimazaki. His strong willpower allows him to resist Dimple's brainwashing twice. Living alone in an apartment while his parents work overseas, frequent targeting by Claw members hones his interrogation skills. As a natural esper, Teruki possesses diverse psychic abilities. His primary skill is telekinesis for attack, restraint, and object manipulation. He creates multi-layered barriers for defense and uniquely copies techniques after minimal observation, including the Air Whip (Terada), Ethereal Bodies Technique (Muraki), Pyrokinesis (Miyagawa), and Super Qigong (Takeuchi). He psychically enhances his tie into a sharp, durable "necktie sword" capable of slicing structures. Meeting Shigeo prompts physical training, enhancing his athleticism and enabling simultaneous offensive and defensive power use. His involvement spans key story arcs. In his own arc, he confronts Shigeo after dominating delinquents, resulting in defeat and ideological change. During the Big Cleanup Arc, he intimidates Ritsu Kageyama but fails to capture him due to wig concerns. In the 7th Division Arc, he allies with Shigeo against Claw, tortures Terada for information, and mentors children from Claw's Awakening Lab. The World Domination Arc sees him captured by Shimazaki during a rescue attempt; he later aids Shimazaki's defeat by creating decoys and coordinating with Reigen. In the Divine Tree Arc, he opposes Dimple's godhood plan, later intervening to prevent Shigeo from violently dismantling the cult to avoid alienating civilians. His most critical role is the ???% Arc, confronting Shigeo's unconscious rampage: attempting reasoning, using a psychic scarf for restraint, enduring attacks with a maximum barrier while invoking Shigeo's own philosophy, and prioritizing civilian evacuation despite being overpowered and partially re-bald. Teruki's relationships evolve significantly. He transitions from Shigeo's rival to a dedicated ally, respecting Shigeo's ideals while maintaining competition. He warns Ritsu against power overreliance and aids his rescue. Distant from his overseas family, he forges bonds with allies like the Body Improvement Club and Reigen's group, celebrating events like Reigen's birthday. His hobbies include cinema and bicycle touring; he favors steak and avoids raw oysters due to past food poisoning.