Yuki Ishikawa ▷ A treasure of Japanese men's volleyball who soared from six high school titles to the world stage. He achieved the feat of winning the high school triple crown two years in a row (six titles total) at the prestigious Seijoh High School and made his national team debut at 19. Since his university days, he has studied abroad in Italy's Serie A, the pinnacle of volleyball, competing at the global forefront for over 10 seasons. After sweeping major titles with the powerhouse Perugia, he made a shock transfer to the Turkish powerhouse Ziraat Bank for the 2026-27 season in pursuit of further growth. ▷ A flawless all-rounder boasting tactical vision like a precision machine. Standing at 192cm, he is small for a world-class outside hitter, yet he possesses a 350cm vertical reach and exceptional spiking technique. His repertoire is the best in the world, including "block-outs" that skillfully utilize the opponent's block and exquisite feints. He is a versatile player who has refined everything—from powerful serves and libero-level receives to clutch blocks—to the absolute limit. ▷ Overwhelming leadership that elevated Ryujin NIPPON to the top of the world. Serving as the national team captain since 2021, he instilled a strong professional mindset of "winning on the world stage" into the team. He has led numerous historic achievements, such as winning medals in the Nations League. He possesses a resilient mentality, calling for the toss to score himself in difficult moments, and is the absolute spiritual pillar who continues to inspire the team on and off the court. When teammates are asked whose IQ they want most, they all answer that they want Yuki Ishikawa's IQ.

Ran Takahashi ▷ A protagonist taking the world by storm at a young age, reaching the Olympic stage in his teens. He won the Spring High School Volleyball Championship with a perfect record of zero sets lost during his third year at Higashiyama High School and joined the national team immediately after. At just 19, he started every match at the Tokyo Olympics, contributing to the team's first advancement to the knockout stage in 29 years. While attending Nippon Sport Science University, he challenged himself in Italy's Serie A and later played for the domestic team Suntory Sunbirds Osaka. Afterward, with an eye on the LA Olympics, he transferred to the Polish powerhouse Lublin in one of the world's most competitive leagues. ▷ Overwhelming defensive power on par with a libero and tricky attacks that captivate the audience. Drawing from his experience as a libero in elementary and middle school, he boasts world-class receiving skills. His reception ability, accurately returning heavy international hits to the setter, is the foundation of Japan's high-speed volleyball. His evolution on offense is also staggering; in addition to high-speed pipes (back attacks), he baffles enemies with creative plays like the "fake set," where he switches from a jump to a toss mid-air. ▷ Immense star power and a gritty drive for improvement that never settles for the status quo. With his handsome looks and a smile that shows he truly enjoys volleyball, he boasts explosive popularity both domestically and internationally, with one of the highest social media followings in the world. However, at his core, he is extremely stoic. Following in Ishikawa's footsteps, he dove into foreign leagues at a young age despite the language barrier, proving himself a tough challenger who continues to hone his skills and mentality against the monsters of the world.