Ryuji Azuma is a mysterious man who shows up at the cafeteria of Tohaku University. He used to be a top-level swimmer and now works as a coach, helping athletes become much better. He is known for his strict yet effective coaching, earning nicknames like "Prime Ryuji" or "Ryuji the Special." Ryuji is a graduate of Iwatobi High School. He is super tall, has a strong body, and dislikes mackerel but loves udon noodles. Even though he appears serious, he cares deeply about his athletes and carries memories from his past.
- Age: 37
- Height: 191 cm
Ryuji Azuma is very tall with a beautifully trained and muscular body. People at his old school called him "PKH (Perfect, Muscles, Handsome)" because of how strong and good-looking he is.
Ryuji often acts mysterious and says strange, deep things. At first, people like Asahi Shiina feel unsure about him. But he is also kind and thoughtful, especially when it comes to swimmers he coaches.
He has become a bit grumpy as an adult, but used to smile a lot when he was younger. He really likes reviewing university cafeterias and writes blog posts about them. He loves udon noodles but does not like mackerel, which causes some fun arguments with Haruka Nanase about lunch.
Ryuji Azuma was once called "the swimmer closest to the top of the world" because of his skill. However, his race times changed a lot depending on his mood. During a competition, his childhood friend Kiyofumi Haitou had a tragic accident and passed away. This event made Ryuji quit swimming, unable to face the sport in the same way.
After that, he traveled the world, figuring out new ways to look at swimming. He became a great coach by gathering lots of experience and knowledge in different countries.
Ryuji is an expert coach who helps swimmers improve their results very quickly. He is especially good at training them for big matches, like university championships. His methods work so well that people call him "Prime Ryuji" or "Ryuji the Special."
His own specialty as a swimmer was the individual medley, which needs top skills in all four swimming strokes.
Ryuji Azuma is a graduate of Iwatobi High School and a former member of the Iwatobi Swim Club.
He cares a lot about Haruka Nanase and keeps an eye on him so he doesn't make the same mistakes that Ryuji did—choosing swimming over loved ones. Ryuji also thinks of Kiyofumi Haitou, his old friend, especially when he watches Haruka push himself too hard, reminding him of his own painful memories.
He is known by Mikhail Makarovich Nitori, who was amazed by Ryuji's talent while studying in Japan. Ryuji is also connected to Kaede Kinjou through his past with Kiyofumi.
- Ryuji runs a blog where he reviews meals from university cafeterias.
- He really dislikes mackerel, but loves udon noodles.
- He gets into fun disagreements with Haruka Nanase about school lunch menus.
Mysterious Appearances
Ryuji Azuma first meets Haruka Nanase at the Tohaku University cafeteria. He appears out of nowhere at places like the rookie swimming meet, leaving behind words that are hard to understand but make people think.
Becoming a Coach
Because of his great coaching, Ryuji is chosen to train swimmers for the university championships. Even though he looks mysterious, everyone notices how good he is at helping athletes grow stronger and faster.
Dealing with the Past
Ryuji's life as a swimmer changed after the death of his childhood friend, Kiyofumi Haitou. That accident made him quit swimming and left him with pain that still affects how he sees the sport today. He tries to stop Haruka from making sacrifices like he did because he does not want someone else to feel the same regret.
Ryuji Azuma is one of the supporting characters in Free! -Dive to the Future-. His first official appearance in the main story is in the first episode of the third season, but he showed up earlier in a special episode.
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