Akira Kunimi attended Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High, playing volleyball alongside Yūtarō Kindaichi and Tobio Kageyama. Kunimi and Kindaichi frequently clashed with Kageyama over his demanding play style and perceived lack of consideration for their capabilities. This conflict led both players to request their coach bench Kageyama during a match, citing unsustainable expectations. Kunimi viewed Kageyama's intensity as reckless, not serious, questioning whether relentless effort equated to genuine commitment. After graduating, Kunimi enrolled at Aoba Johsai High School, joining the volleyball team as a wing spiker. Standing 183 cm tall with dark hair, brown eyes, and a lean build, his appearance typically projected indifference. He maintained a reserved demeanor, rarely showing overt emotion and often wearing a calm or tired expression. This outward apathy stemmed partially from laziness, causing him to skip practices occasionally and conserve energy during matches rather than exert maximum effort immediately. His playing style leveraged strategic intellect, earning him a top rating of 5/5 in game sense. During high school tournaments, Kunimi's role evolved. In the Interhigh preliminaries against Karasuno, he demonstrated improved defensive effort compared to junior high, chasing down difficult balls he previously would have abandoned—a change noted by Kageyama. Kunimi's tactical feints and tips became crucial tools in late-game scenarios, exploiting opponents' fatigue. Despite preferring minimal exertion, he contributed efficient blocks and spikes, excelling in reading opponents' formations. His aversion to high-energy environments led him to label players like Shōyō Hinata as part of an "idiot squad." In the Spring High preliminaries, Kunimi displayed adaptability against Date Tech and Karasuno. He was strategically substituted for Kyōtani Kentarō to stabilize the team, though his predictable tipping habit became a vulnerability Karasuno exploited. After Aoba Johsai's elimination, Kunimi practiced alone at night, hinting at underlying determination beneath his laid-back attitude. He later participated in a training camp invitation. His low-effort yet clever plays frustrated peers but showcased tactical acumen. During this camp, he encouraged Kindaichi to move past junior high conflicts while promising to defeat Karasuno in future matches. After high school, Kunimi attended college and secured a job at a bank in Miyagi. In his final year, he reunited with Kindaichi and Kageyama for a beach volleyball match. Kunimi initially resisted playing outdoors but performed effectively despite complaints. After Hinata jokingly suggested he become a hermit, Kunimi adopted the persona "Kunimi the Hermit," claiming to forsake conventional life. He asserted an ability to conjure mist for sustenance and predict weather, though former teammates dismissed these claims as escapism. This hermit phase culminated in a surreal clash between self-proclaimed deities orchestrated by Tōru Oikawa, ending with Kunimi hospitalized. Teammates teased his failure to foresee the outcome despite his supposed weather-reading abilities. By the time of the Schweiden Adlers and MSBY Black Jackals match, Kunimi had abandoned the hermit persona and was completing his college education. He maintained his friendship with Kindaichi and fulfilled his promise to play volleyball with Kageyama once more, reflecting a sustained connection to the sport.