Family[]
Ashito Aoi[]
At the start of the series, Ashito's selfish decision to notify his mother and Shun about his situation angers Noriko. Shun, on the other hand, seems surprised but doesn’t interfere. Three days later, on his day off from work, Shun picks up Ashito. As they walk together, Shun, with a soft smile on his face, finally informs Ashito about who Fukuda actually is.
Shun’s passive personality combined with the accident, anxiety it caused, and the lack of confidence had led him to abandon his own dream of continuing to play football. Over time, this dream shifted onto Ashito when Shun realized his younger brother had the opportunity to succeed in the sport he loved so much. Shun saw Ashito’s chance as an outlet to fulfill the ambitions that football had taken away from him. He admires Ashito’s ability to take risks and express his desires openly, even if it meant placing burdens on their family. Despite knowing the financial strain, Ashito still came home with Esperion’s documents and declared his aspirations—something Shun himself could never have done. Shun, who always prioritized family and finances first, wanted to support his brother in ways he hadn’t been able to support himself. Determined to be a good brother, Shun gives Ashito enough money to go to Tokyo. For Shun, giving up on his own dream due to his illness and entrusting it to Ashito was the easiest option.
When the time comes for Ashito to leave, however, Shun is overcome with sadness. He displays an expression he doesn’t even realize he’s making, weighed down by feelings he hasn’t yet acknowledged.
Even when they’re far apart, the brothers continue to support each other. A good example of this is Ashito’s interview, which initially airs alongside a football match Shun doesn’t watch, since he has developed a habit of avoiding football entirely, as it reminds him of how the sport he once loved betrayed him. However, after hearing how much Ashito admires him and believes in him to be the best big brother, Shun starts to reflect, because there's Ashito who's making his wishes come true and standing alongside the first team of the best youth team in Japan. He considers himself the weakest member of the family—mentally and, because of his asthma, physically too. But Ashito’s words trigger a sense of guilt in Shun, leading him to pour out his feelings on the field during an intramurals match. There, Shun admits to not being a good brother because he ran away from his miserable experience. So unintentionally, Ashito gave Shun the courage to take the first step in his own journey of healing.
After the match, Shun is in a good mood. He asks Ashito to send him videos of the matches he’s been playing in and texts him his gratitude soon after.
The admiration between the Aoi brothers is mutual. While Ashito doesn’t answer Noriko’s calls, he always responds to Shun’s messages, keeping their bond strong.
Noriko Aoi[]
He and his mother share a relationship built on understanding. They support each other in overcoming difficulties, whether personal or financial. This bond stems from his younger years, during which he witnessed her financial struggles. As he grew older, Shun took on some of her burdens, shouldering them himself. However, this led to him not being open with her about his own financial matters.[1] He respects Noriko and sees her as a strong woman. Due to the way she acted during his childhood, he developed a perception of her as an immovable object who always wants the best for him and Ashito. However, seeing her struggles eventually led to Shun distancing his troubles and accomplishments away from Noriko, similarly to Ashito when he left Ehime. This could be seen when Shun gave a call to coach Ooshita to discuss his expenses behind his mother's back. All because he doesn't want to worry her.
He deeply cares about his mother and is aware of how much she loves both of her children; there’s no favoritism in the Aoi family. He keeps prioritizing his little brother and mother over himself, so Daigo’s persuasion falls on deaf ears. Shun realizes that he had forgotten to mention the most important part of his decision to Noriko: the simple fact that he wants to play football and that he is willing to shoulder his own expenses so that she can relax. Noriko taught him that when you don’t have money, you improvise to fill in the gaps. Torn clothes can be worn again when one sews them back up. Broken chairs can be fixed and recycled into brand-new ones.
It's also important to note that when Noriko first expressed her feelings about football and Ashito after he received his acceptance letter, Shun was also there. The brothers admit that their view of her changed after that. Which plays a major role to the events that unfolded after he was scouted.
Athletica Club Ehime[]
Staff and Supporters[]
Jinbachi Ōshita[]
In elementary school, Shun caught Ōshita’s attention with his beautiful kick technique, prompting Ōshita to invite him to the Ehime FC Junior tryouts. Because of this, he was present when Shun experienced a severe asthma attack during practice and was seen rushing to his side.[2] Despite ultimately letting him go, Shun’s talent remained in the back of Ōshita’s mind for a long time. However, things take a turn when, after going to Daigo’s high-school to speak about the his horrible grades with the principal and witnessing Shun’s explosive corner kick during intramurals, he decides to support him. Ōshita stands by Shun during the three days he spends earning his acceptance. He is also the one who explains the various expenses—from tuition to housing to the improvisations they make for their small club, which lacks a strong sponsor unlike Esperion. Expecting judgment from Shun, Ōshita is instead met with understanding, as the boy relates to his words. However, he's shocked when his colleague, interrupts to deliver the news of Noriko's refusal.[1]
Makoto Kenzaki[]
Shun's relationship with Makoto is neutral. Even with the manager’s harsh demands and quiet demeanor, Shun remains focused on his task and accepts the tryout rules Makoto set for him. Makoto was also present when Shun experienced a severe asthma attack during practice and was aware that Shun left the sport because of his weak constitution. Years later, he witnessed Shun’s kick after a J2 match at the stadium and seemed impressed.[3]
The purpose of such practice was to determine whether Shun could believe in himself, and Shun gave the answer Makoto was hoping for. As a form of congratulations, Makoto gives Tirol chocolate to Shun while complimenting his talent.
Players[]
Daigo Shiraishi[]
Daigo's first impression of Shun came when the teen, instead of playing table tennis for his class, was watching the ongoing football game and therefore experienced Shun's left leg at work.[2] Judging from his gaze and later encounters, he becomes enamored with the older Aoi brother. Shun, on the other hand, meets Daigo at the end of a J2 match and, with the help of a crest, recognizes him. However, Daigo's unfiltered personality—mixed with compliments and jabs toward Shun or the team—does little to improve Shun’s first impression of him. Shun also isn't fond of the nickname "Brainy Lefty," given to him by Daigo. Due to the forward’s aloof behavior off the field, Shun is surprised by the ominous change in mood whenever Daigo gets involved in football. Based on their earlier interaction, Shun can safely assume the other’s playstyle during his tryout, while also solidifying his own confidence.
He takes Daigo's intervention in his relationship with his mother—and his unresolved hatred toward his family—with confusion. Unironically, instead of making him mad, Daigo plays a big role in mending the communication between mother and son. Shun doesn’t pay much attention to Daigo’s rambling after that however they seem to coexist without an issue.
Friends[]
Nanami Shiina[]
Shun is good friends with Nanami, Ashito's former classmate, who, after seeing Ashito off to Tokyo, notices Shun's sad expression—one even he was unaware of making. This leads to Shun wanting to clarify exactly what she saw, but he is confused by her answer. Their relationship blossoms as Shun progresses in his story. She is the one who calls out his avoidance of football and urges him to change his mind and watch Esperion's match against Tokyo Van's Youth and Interview, which later on motivates Shun to score in {Intermurals}, and even though 'Advanced Academic Course' lost against 'Sports Course B', Shun's corner kick caught the eye of Ōshita. Thanks to her calling out his bluffs, Shun was able to make up his mind about playing football. [3]
Nanami also seems anxious about Shun and his tryouts, admitting that she doesn't want to see him make such a sad face again—she cares about him as a friend.[4] It's important to note that Nanami was the first person Shun told about his tryout results, and despite her exhaustion at the time, she was relieved and happy for him, congratulating him. However, that relief quickly turned into understanding once she heard that Shun hadn't told Ashito about his tryouts. Once again, she calls Shun out on his priorities—if he had no plan to turn pro after passing, then why did he even try out? Shun seems to respect her for that. He apologizes and informs her that he will notify his mom.
References[]
[]
TBA