VGA Manga and Anime Resources

TAKASHI NIIMAI

Takashi Niimai is Youta's best friend. Also a student of Kannai High School, he is a member of the school band. Niimai is handsome, charismatic and popular. He looks older then his 16 years and is like an elder brother to Youta. Though very popular with the girls in school, he was not interested in any of them and made it a point not to accept the flood of gifts offered whenever it was his birthday. It is hinted in the Manga that his apparent lack of interest in girls was due to a failed romance in his earlier years.

Takashi is portrayed in the series as the 'cool guy'. Though capable of taking care of himself, he is also somewhat cold and distant towards others. A harsh point of view would be that he is thoughtless and insensitive towards the feelings of others. But certainly, 'insensitive' is a good word to describe his treatment of Moemi Hayakawa. He was resentful about being burdened with a relationship with a girl whom he didn't like - and he let his resentment show clearly. He would talk to Moemi in an abrupt and distracted sort of way, often not responding or caring when she tried to make small talk or start a conversation.
When they are on a 'date', he would walk at his normal brisk pace, forcing Moemi to hurry to keep up with him. He is the antithesis of a charming and thoughtful boyfriend and Moemi, being the sensitive kind of girl, was often hurt by his uncaring attitude. It could be argued that he acted in this way so as not to prolong a hopeless relationship. However it might be, it is clear that he shows no remorse in his cavalier treatment of Moemi, reflecting his general indifference towards other's feelings.

Niimai is also a rather emotionless young man. In the Manga, his facial expression usually stays fixed in look of perpetual boredom, with only a look of mild interest registering now and then. There is scene in Manga vol. 10 which I find really comical and it goes like this : Ai, recovering from her long bout of illness at Takashi's place regained consciousness for the first time. She sat up, naked, and stretched, yawning. Takashi, seated across the room, glanced up at her, gave a look of perfect disinterest, and returned his attention to his hi-fi set. Had it been Youta instead of Takashi, he would have been screaming, nose bleeding... etc. Another time, he picked up Ai's underwear with a faint look of interest and remarked off-handedly : "I didn't know a girl's underwear is so small; and so elastic..."

Before you start to think what a great disciple Takashi would make for Rolex, I should mention some of the more human aspects of Niimai's character. The first quality that comes to mind is his loyalty to his friend Youta. Knowing of Youta's difficulty in getting a girl, he went out of his way to try to get Youta fixed up with Moemi. Takashi felt genuine distress when things did not go Youta's way and he became quite morose, worrying about his friend's troubles.

He is also compassionate and quick to help those in need. There was a time when Ai was living on the streets. (Manga vol. 10) Due to the bitterly cold winter and the lack of proper nutrition, she quickly fall sick and was at the brink of death. Ironically, it was Takashi and not Youta who found her and rushed her to a doctor. Though Takashi later downplayed his part in saving Ai by saying that he 'just happened to pass by', the doctor described him as being frantic with worry when he first arrived at the clinic with Ai. He even stayed the night at her bedside, watching over her. In Manga vol. 11 Takashi also played a major part in helping Ai to persuade his friend, Kouji Shimizu to pay a last visit to his dying girlfriend, Natsumi. Takashi Niimai is capable of kindness but a quirk in his character prompts him to adopt a nonchalant facade each time he helps somebody. It is as if he does not wish to show people that he cares, fearing that his reputation as a 'cool guy' would be destroyed.

In both Manga and Anime, Takashi is the perfect contrast to Youta. Takashi is cool while Youta is emotional, confident and self-assured while Youta displayed insecurities, careless in his treatment of others while Youta is kind and thoughtful, charismatic and popular while Youta is not. In a story that is thick with emotion and constantly shifting in plot, Niimai remains unchanging and unruffled. At the end of Manga vol. 13, there is a short soliloquy by Takashi, addressing his friend Youta who was not present. He expressed regret for his pass unkindness towards Moemi and of his desire to make amends. He also resolved to learn from Youta in cultivating a kinder and more pleasant character. Unfortunately, it was not written in the Manga as to whether he eventually succeeded in this endeavor.

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