Toudou Jinpachi is a former student at Hakone Academy and was a member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club, serving as their ace climber and vice-captain during the 41st Summer Inter High.
Appearance
He has notably thin, arched eyebrows giving him a constantly haughty look, and black hair (stylized often as dark violet) usually worn pulled back by a blue or white headband with a few bangs left hanging in front of his face. The anime shows Toudou wearing a white headband except for during a flashback of his first year in high school, where his headband is light blue. His eyes are light blue in the manga, while they appear to be a darker violet in the anime. For the movie, Toudou has a more purple tone to his hair and eyes. Toudou's signature pose is pointing his finger at others.
Personality
Toudou has an upfront, very cheerful, exuberant, boastful, and sometimes loud personality. His main motivation for cycling is to covet all the spotlight for himself. He constantly references his fanclub and his own beauty, a habit which often irritates others, resulting in them telling him to shut up or to dismiss his claims. His ego isn't groundless - Toudou's fanclub truly exists and he's always been quite popular, while his high climbing skill and bib number of 3 speak for themselves. His fellow club members don't seem to entirely grasp him, likening him to a kid for his excitement over trivial things and baffled by his sheer affection for people; sometimes these tendencies can drive him to become quite fixated, particularly on things that prove a challenge for him (a rival, or being told he isn't knowledgeable about something)[1]. The lack of outside understanding works in his favor, however: He often has underhanded (albeit benign) intentions behind his behavior, and may behave dramatically just for the sake of being dramatic, because that's just what he feels. His words can turn from eloquent and smooth to outbursts shrieking with offense in an instant before the insult is forgotten, as Toudou defaults to a calm, easy-going, and almost regal demeanor until needed otherwise, internally more grounded than most would think.
Despite his seemingly vain nature, Toudou shows sincere concern for other people's well-being and encourages them to grow and shine by their own achievements, discouraging shortcuts like copying homework or things like unhealthy eating habits.[2][3] When he was younger, he used to be much more concerned about his appearance, praise, and own victory than anything else, but after spending time in a team and learning that people can stand on his level, he's able to applaud others for their successes even if it means his failure. If anything, Toudou is grateful for someone's existence and time spent with them. Toudou has a keen eye that's always watching those around him to notice the details. Arakita's strength, stamina, and unkind past weren't lost to him no matter how unfriendly Toudou was initially treated; the possibility of the Inter High not going as Hakone Academy planned was within his calculations, and he made a decision to deal with this on the fly. Toudou is the vice-captain because he established his position as the best climber early on, and he normally makes very level-headed decisions. He's primarily a thinker and strategist at heart underneath his bizarre eccentricities - something Manami acknowledges and admires in him. On more than one occasion he's shown to push for bonding among his teammates (and rival teams) by orchestrating outings under the guise of a training regimen, club practice, or a race.[4][5][6]
Toudou is subtle in his manipulations no matter how loud his actions or words seem, but he's entirely honest with himself and others. He values a healthy rivalry, a constant challenge, an opportunity to grow, to the point of stating how he's jealous of those who can actually hate their rivals. Indeed, hate and downtrodden emotions seem to be a foreign concept to him that people rarely see: when Makishima couldn't compete with him, Toudou was hit with a barrage of emotions, mostly frustration, that led to losing his cool (and tears), and when he was forced to move on, Toudou couldn't understand the feeling of being in the lead but wanting the race to be over as soon as possible. His fellow club members, and fans, watching on the sidelines were equally shocked speechless to see this completely reversed demeanor.
His personality turns serious whenever he's climbing, as races take the utmost priority for him. This is one reason why the prospect of being unable to race Makishima hit him so hard - Toudou already knew that the Inter High's first day was the only time available to settle their score, as he'd long resolved himself to fulfill his role for his team for the following days (which were going to be, to him, a "death match"). Choosing between his personal desires vs. his team's needs doesn't come easy; Toudou, who acts like dice never leave his hand but felt them slip away at that moment, would rather have both, as after all the constant calls checking in, he thought Makishima had planned months ahead for everything as well as he did. It's difficult for him to handle the unexpected with what he's been looking forward to with someone he considers responsible for who he is. At the same time, however, Toudou shows true loyalty to his team: He's one of the few who outright refused to react to Midousuji's teasing and verbal attacks other than glaring coldly ahead, even when Midousuji took the red number tags (trophies for climbing checkpoints) from him, as he was dutifully pulling for his captain. His need for his team to succeed is strong enough that Makishima preventing him from reaching and assisting his captain near the end of the Inter High earned blatant panic.
At the end of it all, Toudou is someone who cares for his rivals and team just as much as he does for himself, and wants to see people thoroughly enjoy the world of cycling.
In the next year, he returned to the 42nd Inter High as a spectator. While Shinkai Hayato and Fukutomi were at the end of the Sprinters' Checkpoint on Day 2, Toudou was alone at the end of the Mountain Checkpoint. On the night after Day 2, Onoda found him riding part of the Day 3 course backwards, and Jinpachi told Onoda that Shinkai Hayato, Fukutomi and Arakita are not in the same college as him, so they are rivals from now on. Onoda later realized that Toudou was chasing Makishima, who was miles ahead of him.
Once Toudou caught up with Makishima, Toudou orders Onoda to keep pace, but only as a spectator and witness, and stay out of competing.
Skills and Techniques
Toudou is known as "Sleeping Beauty" because he is able to accelerate and pass other racers very quietly, leaving them shocked because they didn't hear him coming up behind them. Though Toudou proclaims himself "Sleeping Beauty," according to Makishima, competitors call him the "Forest Ninja" behind his back. Toudou's quiet technique makes it difficult for his opponents to block him from passing them. He is a formidable climber otherwise with powerful strength, speed, and stamina. Onoda also agrees, when he caught up with him at the night after Day 2 of Inter High.
Trivia
- Likes
- Tai chazuke.
- Thoughtful girls with short hair
- Birds
- The color orange, as an insertion. It makes his heart flutter.
- Collects
- Headbands.
- Talents
- Calligraphy
- Best Subject
- Japanese history
- Misc
- His family runs a ryokan in Hakone called Toudou-An ("Toudou Retreat House").
- Owns koi fish.
- His monthly allowance is 4500 yen.
- He has an older sister who shares his looks and personality, and he calls her by name. She inherits the family inn and before that taught Toudou how to cook, making him the best cook among the Hakone Academy third-years.
- He owns about 100 headbands and carries at least five with him. He keeps a few in his locker and has more of different colors.
- He appears at the 42nd Summer Inter High in casual clothes and with pierced ears. Toudou said that he entered university (most likely one with a bike racing club), but its name is yet to be known.
- According to Watanabe, Toudou asked for Makishima's phone number first, but Makishima replied he didn't know how to use his phone, so Toudou added his own number to Makishima's phone.
- Toudou is named "Jinpachi" because he was born on the eighth of August. ("Hachi" or "pachi" is eight in Japanese.)
- Toudou’s phone brand is “au.”
- Toudou has a signature. In big letters, he writes in English “TODO.” This can be seen on the paper fans his fanclub holds. He sells bromides to his fanclub too.
- He has no age preference with women, but just wants to be loved by all women.
- Toudou receives at least 20 chocolates from girls who seriously want to date him on Valentine's Day. On White Day, Toudou takes stuff from his family's inn to give as return presents.
- His first crush was in third grade on a girl who was a year younger than him. She often visited the family inn since her father worked there.
- Toudou's score with Makishima is tied at 7:7 prior to the Inter High. Once Toudou wins, it's 8:7 until The Movie, where Makishima ties it at 8:8 again. When he raced with Makishima again after they graduated, he won twice, while Makishima won thrice.