Ikkei Ukai

Recently worried: Concerned about losing at arm wrestling to my grandson / Age: 69 Former director of the Karasuno High School boys' volleyball team. Grandfather of Ikkei Ukai. Renowned for mentoring "The Tiny Giant" and leading Karasuno High to the Spring Tournament, widely known as "Karasuno's Ukai". He was a famously strict coach, said to "keep ferocious crows". Long-time rival of the Nekoma High coach, with matches between Karasuno and Nekoma known as "battles of the dump". Opposite in coaching philosophy to Shiratorizawa's coach. Came out of retirement to coach again, but soon collapsed and was hospitalized. His daunting coaching style terrified the then second and third years (some even ran away). After being discharged, he started teaching volleyball to a broad range of people in his home garden court, from local elementary and junior high students to college students and mom's club teams. Before the first qualifying round of the Spring Tournament, upon request from his grandson Ikkei, he taught Shouyou Hinata the basic theory and techniques of spiking, aiding in the evolution of the "Freak Quick Attack". He sees the former "Tiny Giant" in Hinata, whom he calls "Chibi Taro". He watched the Kadokawa Gakuen match during the Spring Tournament preliminaries and commented that while the "Minus Tempo (Freak Quick)" is impressive alone, it's a waste if not used properly. He also watched from partway through the finals. Re-hospitalized after the Spring Tournament preliminaries. Ikkei explained it to Takeda as a "diagnostic admission."