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 for two consecutive years (six titles total) at the prestigious Seijoh High School and made his national team debut at age 19. He studied abroad in Italy's Serie A, the pinnacle of volleyball, starting in his university years and has been active on the world's front lines 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 search of further growth. ▷ A flawless all-rounder boasting tactical vision like a precision machine. Although small for a world-class outside hitter at 192cm, he possesses a jumping power with a maximum reach of 350cm and exceptional spiking techniques. 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 elevated everything—from powerful serves and libero-level receives to clutch blocks—to the absolute limit. ▷ Overwhelming leadership that pulled Ryujin NIPPON to the top of the world. Serving as the national team captain since 2021, he instilled a strong professional consciousness of "winning on the world stage" into the team. He has led numerous historical achievements, such as winning medals in the Nations League. He possesses a resilient mentality, calling for the toss to score himself in difficult situations, and is the absolute spiritual pillar who continues to inspire the team on and off the court. When teammates are asked whose IQ they would most want, they all answer that they want Yuki Ishikawa's IQ.

Ran Takahashi ▷ A protagonist who took the Olympic stage in his teens and swept the world at a young age. In his third year at Higashiyama High School, he won the Spring High School Volleyball Tournament with a perfect record of zero sets lost and joined the national team immediately after. At the young age of 19, he started every match at the Tokyo Olympics, contributing to the team's first advancement to the knockout stage in 29 years. He challenged Italy's Serie A while still enrolled at Nippon Sport Science University and later played for Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in Japan. Looking ahead to the LA Olympics, he transferred to the Polish powerhouse Lublin, one of the world's most competitive leagues. ▷ Overwhelming defensive power on par with a libero and tricky attacks that fascinate the audience. Due to his experience playing 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 in offense is also remarkable; in addition to high-speed pipes (back attacks), he baffles enemies with creative plays such as the "fake set," where he switches from a jump to a toss in mid-air. ▷ Immense star power and a gritty desire for improvement that is never satisfied with the status quo. With his handsome visuals and a smile that shows he truly enjoys volleyball, he boasts explosive popularity both domestically and internationally, with one of the highest social media follower counts in the world. However, at his core, he is extremely stoic. Following in Ishikawa's footsteps, he jumped into foreign leagues at a young age despite the language barrier, and he is a tough challenger who continues to hone his skills and mentality against the monsters of the world.