Wakatoshi Ushijima, a towering third-year at Shiratorizawa Academy (189.5 cm), commands the boys' volleyball team as both captain and ace. His large, muscular frame, dark olive-brown hair, and matching olive eyes often present a stoic, intimidating visage. Childhood conflict surrounded his left-handedness; his mother and grandmother attempted to "correct" it, but his father, Takashi Utsui—a former Shiratorizawa student and second-division professional volleyball player forced into retirement by injury—championed its retention as Ushijima's future advantage. Following his parents' divorce, his father moved overseas while Ushijima stayed in Japan with his mother. Inspired by his father's tales of an ideal ace radiating strength and reliability, Ushijima forged his own volleyball philosophy, choosing to become that ace rather than mimic his father. This pursuit led him to prioritize strong teams, beginning with Shiratorizawa Junior High, where his reputation for unbeatable power solidified. Personally quiet and blunt, Ushijima often appears socially awkward, interpreting figurative language literally and struggling with social cues. He speaks with candid directness, exemplified by criticizing Oikawa Toru's choice of Aoba Johsai over Shiratorizawa, labeling the former "infertile soil" for talent. He exhibits unwavering confidence in his own abilities and disdain for baseless self-assurance, initially dismissing Hinata Shoyo's aspirations. Yet, he readily apologizes if he believes offense was caused and accepts losses as growth opportunities, demonstrated post-Shiratorizawa's defeat against Karasuno when he thanked teammates and advised them on improvements. On court, Ushijima ranks among Japan's top three high school aces. His signature left-handed spikes and serves generate formidable spin and power. Physical prowess includes a pre-timeskip vertical jump reach of 345 cm (increasing to 350 cm post-timeskip), near-perfect stamina, and the ability to blast through multi-player blocks. His technique evolved significantly; he abandoned an archery-like spike form for a powerful, unpredictable circular swing. He also occasionally employs feints and devastating jump serves dubbed "demon serves." Post-graduation, he joined Schweiden Adlers in Japan's V.League division 1 and the national team, competing in the 2014 World League and 2021 Olympics. He later transferred to Orzeł Warszawa, a professional team in Poland. Key relationships feature his repeated, blunt assertion to Oikawa Toru that he "should have come to Shiratorizawa"—a recognition of skill often misinterpreted. His closest bond is with teammate Tendou Satori, whose outgoing nature contrasts yet complements Ushijima's reserve; they share candid conversations, with Tendou understanding his dry humor. Post-timeskip, Ushijima maintains connections with former teammates and shows respect for rivals like Hinata and Oikawa during professional matches. Throughout his development, refining his volleyball style and broadening interpersonal engagement, Ushijima's core traits remain consistent: stoicism, directness, and unwavering dedication to strength-based volleyball.