Koichiro Iketani commands the Akina SpeedStars, a street racing team rooted in Mount Akina’s underground scene. While not the most technically gifted driver, his unwavering dedication and tactical mindset cement his position as the team’s anchor. By day, he pumps fuel at Shibukawa’s Esso station alongside Takumi Fujiwara and Itsuki Takeuchi, gradually pulling them into Gunma’s nocturnal racing world through Akina’s pulsating meets. When the Akagi RedSuns issue a high-stakes challenge, Iketani’s leadership fractures mid-preparation—a miscalculation during a downhill practice run sends his Nissan Silvia S13 careening into a guardrail, sidelining him with injuries. Desperate to salvage the SpeedStars’ honor, he implores reclusive legend Bunta Fujiwara for aid, reluctantly accepting Bunta’s untested son Takumi as their last hope. This pivot underscores Iketani’s pragmatism, swallowing pride to secure the team’s survival. Childhood ties bind him to SpeedStars member Kenji, their camaraderie forged during middle school fishing excursions and cemented through shared automotive obsessions. A tentative romance flickers with Usui racer Mako Sato, whom he aids in tuning her car, though timing and duty conspire against him—delayed by a highway jam, he arrives too late to a rendezvous, mirroring his struggle to reconcile personal yearning with team stewardship. Post-crash, Iketani transitions from driver to strategist, mentoring Takumi and loaning his repaired Silvia for training. Decades later in *MF Ghost*, he navigates parenthood and marriage, yet lingers at the Esso-turned-charging-station, dispensing racing lore to new generations. Across media iterations like *Legend 2: Racer*, he confronts rivals head-on—demanding accountability after ambushes—and steers the SpeedStars through upheavals, his loyalty and adaptability etching him into the team’s bedrock legacy.