Matsukaze Rin

Height: 165 cm

Age: 16

Blood Type: O

Birthday: September 21 (Virgo)

Hometown: Tatenashi City, Nagano Prefecture

Rin is friendly, hardworking, and humble.

She admits her lack of experience and talent, and tackles tank mechanics with a strong will.

Even though she's not naturally bold, Rin can act quickly and bravely when needed.

She gets nervous by Shizuka's daring words and actions, but also finds them inspiring and feels deeply attached.

Rin is thoughtful and grateful for the friends and legends who have influenced her.

Rin is a student in Class 2A at Tatenashi High School.

She used to be in the going-home club, showing little interest in school activities.

Her interest in tankery awakened after watching the famous underdog school, Ooarai Girls’ Academy, win the national tankery competition.

Rin learned that Tatenashi's tankery club disbanded ten years ago.

Feeling helpless, she was encouraged by Shizuka to try "Assault Tank Competition" (Tancaslon), which they started together.

Rin drives and maintains the Type 97 Light Armored Car.

She studies tank maintenance by reading manuals and websites.

Even without a teacher, Rin’s hard work makes the vehicle ready for real competition.

Veteran mechanics praise her skills, even though her hands become rough from all the work.

Her sense for how the tank is built helps Rin become a reliable driver in action—she can escape from other experienced teams in city battles.

She comes up with creative team ideas, such as the "Centipede-san Team" name.

Rin is Shizuka’s classmate, partner, and the first friend recognized by the Tsuruhime family.

Shizuka trusts Rin completely, praising her as a "hardworking, beautiful-handed" person.

Rin looks up to the legendary Ooarai team, especially their repair crew, and is emotional when meeting them in person.

She also becomes fascinated by Shizuka’s legs—a unique twist that appears several times in the story.

Inspired by Legends

Rin’s life changes when she witnesses the small, unknown Ooarai Girls’ Academy win at the national tankery match.

She dreams of joining her school’s tankery club, but learns it closed a decade ago.

Faced with this setback, she meets Shizuka, who invites her to start tank competition together.

Learning from Scratch

Rin knows nothing about tanks or tankery.

She starts practicing with Shizuka and learns everything from basic maintenance to real driving.

She spends long hours studying repair manuals and websites for beginners.

Thanks to her dedication, the vehicle is ready for competition, and experts even praise her repair skills.

Unusual Partner Dynamics

Shizuka tells Rin, “Become my horse,” and during practice, uses her stocking-clad feet to nudge Rin’s neck and back to give directions.

At first, Rin is confused, but she learns that Shizuka’s foot signals are key for “horse and rider as one.”

Their teamwork improves quickly, and Rin is happy and proud to follow Shizuka closely.

Respect for the Greats

Rin respects the legendary Ooarai team and especially admires their repair team.

She even meets the Ooarai captain in person without realizing it!

When she finds out who she was talking to, she can’t stop crying from excitement and respect.

Taking on the Field

Rin’s skills help her team survive against experienced teams like the Duck Team in city battles.

She rushes into action, bravely follows Shizuka's bold commands, and gains experience in every match.

Rin comes up with the name "Centipede-san Team" for her group.

She sometimes dreams strange things after Shizuka’s unusual training.

Her favorite food is salad gunkan (sushi).

She admires the Kiso horse, which matches her “horse” role with Shizuka.

Some fans call her the "Original Horse Girl" because of the horse-and-rider scenes from 2014, even before the famous horse girl games.

Her voice actress also later worked on the "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" project.

"Let me tell you about my very best friend. But – only if she's still alive…"