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Hajime Kurai 倉井一 Хадзимэ Кураи | Hajime Kurai | 倉井一

Part of the 3 players called up by Tokuchi from the Saikyou Saitama Lycaons' second squad, and eventual pitcher for them. Introduced in chapter 84 of the manga, he was originally a pitcher, but is now seen as a "catcher". He is seen running errands for his teammates, as instead of a "catcher", they see him as nothing more than an errand boy who does chores for them all day. Kurai has been looked down upon, made fun of, and bullied all his life. According to Oikawa, as a child, he "didn't have any worthwhile traits". His report cards were all Fs, he didn't have any friends, his teachers marked him as useless, and he even got abandoned by his parents. He is also said to have lived "a life of booing." Kurai is saved by this desolate life by his 8th grade teacher Minamida, who gives him a glove and tells him he can become Japan's best pitcher after seeing him throw rocks. After calling him up, Tokuchi says that Kurai will "definitely awaken". Indeed he does, because at a team practice, we find out that Muruwaka's phobia is from Kurai, who pitched a 160 kmph (approximately 99.4 mph, which was unheard of at the time) fastball and hit him in the head. His teammates do not believe it because they do not witness Kurai's 164 kmph heater to catch some thieves. After a disastrous debut where he throws 4 pitches and gives up 2 hits, a balk and an earned run (and is booed endlessly), Kurai is put on again a few games later against the Fingers. Kurai is already doing very bad, giving up a homer on his very first pitch, until Minamida shows up in the 8th inning, now blind, and yells at Kurai to throw a ball that will move all 40,000 spectators in the stadium. Kurai, complying with tears in his eyes, winds up and throws two fastballs that clock at 164 kmph (102 mph), tying the major league record. He then winds up again, and throws one at 165 kmph (103 mph), striking out the batter with ease and breaking the major league record. Kurai's pitching style is referred to as "tornado", or using your whole body to pitch. His windup is very similar to Hideo Nomo's. Following these events, he becomes a very good relief/closing pitcher for the Lycaons. Manga spoiler: He strikes out the Mariners' Takami in the 9th inning of the last game to win the championship for the Lycaons.