Tsubasa Shiki (四季 翼, Shiki Tsubasa) is the male protagonist of the Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! manga and anime series. He is a transfer student at Kitami Hokuryo High School who is living with his grandmother, Kaede Hanamiya in her house.
On the surface, Tsubasa believes himself to be mostly a loser from Tokyo and that way of thinking followed him as well. Due to a family reason, Tsubasa moves out to Hokkaido for a year where he meets Minami Fuyuki, a Hokkaido gyaru. He wants to learn what it means to be his own person now that he has moved to a place that seems almost foreign to him with a Hokkaido gal by his side.
Background[]
Tsubasa Shiki was born on April 4th and moved to Hokkaido at 16 years old. Due to his strict mother, Tsubasa lived life never making a choice for himself. He had to live up to his mothers' unrealistic expectations while his father tried letting Tsubasa live a normal childhood. This family turmoil almost broke this family up entirely.
Since living a strict childhood, Tsubasa learned many different skills and was highly intellectual. These skills included piano, swimming, and tea ceremonies. Despite learning these under a harsh environment, Tsubasa uses them to help others in times of need.
Tsubasa transfers to Kitami Hokuryo High School where he shoots up to the top of the class in both his first and second years. Despite his exceptional academic performance and being friends with popular students, Tsubasa still doesn't try to stand out in class.
Appearance[]
Tsubasa is depicted as a young man with brown hair and brown eyes. He has a fair complexion, as commented by Minami Fuyuki, Tsubasa has lovely skin. He has a slim and moderately tall build. This makes Sayuri Akino to call him handsome on multiple occasions. He also tends to wear glasses when home studying.
Tsubasa typically wears the standard uniform of Kitami Hokuryo High School. The uniform consists of long-sleeved blue button-down, white undershirt, and a red tie. However, this fit is really suit for school in the wintertime, meaning many students bring heavier jackets or blankets for warmth.
When out in the cold, Tsubasa wears a heavy green snow jacket, red scarf, and brown stocking hat.
Personality[]
According to Minami Fuyuki, Tsubasa is a honest, straightforward, and hardworking person. He is an open-minded person who is not afraid to try new things and learn new experiences. This honest and hardworking mindset has led many people (such as Minami, Sayuri Akino and Rena Natsukawa) to have more self-confidence and set goals for themselves. However, Tsubasa loses his self-confidence when it comes to romantic situations. He believes he would let down his romantic partner and doesn't see himself as good enough for an experience like that.
Tsubasa is also noted to get flustered easily. Minami's teasing, Sayuri's newfound self-confidence, and Rena's natural beauty usually fluster Tsubasa easily. On occasion, Tsubasa unknowingly can get any of the three girls flustered in certain situations. Those actions lead everyone who sees or interacts with Minami or Tsubasa assuming they are dating.
Tsubasa's most notable trait is his pure heart. Whenever a friend has a problem, Tsubasa immediately tries to help their situation in the best way he can. This also correlates with teaching piano and swimming to elementary schoolers, basically being a teacher to his peers and others around.
Relationships[]
Friends[]
Minami Fuyuki[]
In Chapter 1, Tsubasa met Minami at a bus stop when he first arrived in Hokkaido. Minami was friendly toward him and even giving him directions. With Tsubasa being a newcomer, she tried making small talk with him. She learned about him being from Tokyo and immediately started asking more questions even learning that they are going to the same high school. Minami then cuddled up to Tsubasa's arm claiming it was cold and even asking if she should stop. Minami loved to tease Tsubasa even when they first met, taking a liking to him right away. She even got embarrassed when Tsubasa complimented her beauty.
Even since first meeting, Minami seems to have a crush on Tsubasa and enjoys flirting with him to make him embarrassed and flustered when she can. She can be seen snuggling up to Tsubasa on multiple occasions; It goes as far as everyone who interacts with Minami or Tsubasa assumes they are dating. As the months go by, Tsubasa and Minami grow a strong bond, to something more than close friends, but not lovers. Minami always grow tense when Tsubasa doesn't notice her romantic advances and usually plays it off. It goes as far as Tsubasa believing he isn't good enough for Minami, despite being in-love with her.
Both Tsubasa and Minami also help each other's family life. Minami is the reason both Tsubasa's grandmother and mother to agree to let him stay in Hokkaido after seeing his smile when Minami is around. While Tsubasa grows close to every single Fuyuki family member, even Minami's little sister and mother approved of him since the beginning.
Despite having obvious feelings for each other, both Tsubasa and Minami go through many roadblocks. Tsubasa asks Minami out, but due to a misunderstanding, Tsubasa believes he was rejected. After that misunderstanding, Minami and Tsubasa don't speak for quite some time. Minami rejects someone else stating she was still in love with someone else (Tsubasa). Minami then misunderstands a conversation between the Rena and Tsubasa believing they were dating, but Minami decides she won't let that stop her. They even decide to go out to shop for winter clothing together, getting matching scarfs (a plan made by Minami's little sister, Moko).
They even start studying together again, but this time, Tsubasa being more of a teacher for Minami. They go to Minami's house to study, studying over phone calls at night, and even sleeping on call. It became a routine for the next several days. Then one day, Tsubasa meets Minami's father, who is impressed by Tsubasa in every way and approves of Tsubasa.
After many misunderstandings and support from their close friends, at midnight on Christmas and Minami's birthday, Minami asks Tsubasa if he would go out with her, to which Tsubasa enthusiastically accepts, and finally share their first direct kiss.
As of Chapter 118, they moved in together, went to university and later got married and had a daughter named Mio.
Mio Shiki[]
His daughter.
Sayuri Akino[]
Sayuri didn't pay attention to Tsubasa when he first transferred to her class initially. It isn't until the class ski trip does Sayuri open up to Tsubasa because he was the first person to accept her faults in a positive way. Even though Tsubasa was close with Minami Fuyuki, Sayuri also became a close friend.
Soon after, Sayuri begins to develop strong romantic feelings for Tsubasa because of his pure heart, even if she couldn't admit to him. Sayuri's childhood friend, Asuka, realizes Sayuri's feelings toward Tsubasa and tries playing matchmaker for them as well. Even a significant event like Tsubasa admitting Minami giving him a bracelet starts to hurt Sayuri more than usual. After Tsubasa helped Asuka unconditionally, Sayuri decide she can't hide her true feelings toward Tsubasa, even admitting she loves him. To Sayuri, it was now a friendly race for Tsubasa's love (against Minami and Rena). Sayuri even invited Tsubasa to the firework festival and kissed him on the cheek.
After more failed attempts to admit to Tsubasa, Sayuri decides to change her look and personality to become the superior version of herself, becoming more flirtatious and daring. Tsubasa even questioned the thought of Akino getting a boyfriend, but finally understood Akino's feelings after she found out he overheard her reject someone and basically told Tsubasa to let her in his heart. Sadly, after going on their own "field trip", Tsubasa ultimately rejects Sayuri saying he still cares for her deeply but is in love with Minami. Sayuri respects his decision and becomes one of her bestfriends' biggest cheerleaders.
Rena Natsukawa[]
Tsubasa meets Rena while taking out the trash for his grandmother. He learns they are neighbors when Rena comes to his door with a Neighborhood Bulletin. Rena seemed to take an early liking to Tsubasa, even lying to his grandmother that she tripped when she hugged Tsubasa.
Rena apologizes by helping tutor Tsubasa, since she is first in her class. While studying in the preparation room, Rena is impressed with Tsubasa academically and asks he is works so hard on exams. Tsubasa answering, he wants to keep seeing the people close to him. Rena then asks for a date in exchange for helping his studies. While on their date, Rena and Tsubasa bond over their trauma of never receiving praise for their hard work and find comfort and respect in each other.
Rena also has a deep connection with Tsubasa in the past. When they were kids, Tsubasa's grandmother comforted Rena when Tsubasa came running. Then since that day has admired Tsubasa then, and even now. However, this friendship makes Tsubasa's mother believe Rena and Tsubasa should marry, where Rena denies it saying she will decide who she marries.
Rena tries expressing her feelings by being flirtatious, even asking Tsubasa to stay the night and bringing him into her bed. After Tsubasa told her Minami rejected him, she openly admitted to liking Tsubasa, even kissing his forehead for encouragement during the sports festival. However, Tsubasa ultimately rejects Rena, but Rena appreciates his honesty and has no regrets becomes one of her juniors' biggest cheerleaders.
Takayumi Matsuo[]
Takayumi didn't start out as a friend to Tsubasa, just more of a classmate. However, when Tsubasa helps Takayumi apologize to Minami and Sayuri, Takayumi values Tsubasa highly and becomes his friend. Takayumi even invites Tsubasa out to ice fishing during spring break.
At the beginning of their second year, Takayumi elects Tsubasa to become the Class Representative due to this intelligence and diligence. Over the course of the year, Takayumi continues to support Tsubasa's decisions and cares deeply about their relationship.
Etymology[]
- The name Tsubasa means "wing" (翼)
- Tsubasa's surname Shiki means "four seasons" (四季)
Trivia[]
- Tsubasa loves cherry blossom trees.
- Tsubasa had his first indirect and direct kiss with Minami Fuyuki.
- Tsubasa studied piano, even learning Minami's favorite song by ear to play it for her.
- In his second year, Tsubasa reached the top of his class while studying with Minami.
- Tsubasa was a skilled swimmer, even winning a Regional Championship in middle school.
- Tsubasa says he prefers dark-haired, neat and serious girls in Episode 1 (anime) and Chapter 1 (manga).
- Matt Shipman (Tsubasa's English voice actor) is married to Brittany Lauda (Sayuri Akino's English voice actress).
- Tsubasa is one of two characters who appear in every episode in the anime in some capacity, the other being Minami.
References[]
- ↑ 「道産子ギャルはなまらめんこい」公式 no X: "🎉Happy Birthday to 翼 🎉 本日4月4日は、四季 翼の誕生日✨✨ #伊科田海 先生からのお祝いイラストが到着！ 誰にも素直で優しく、一生懸命な翼のアニメでの活躍をお楽しみに🎵 #道産子ギャル #どさこい)