Taoka, Moichi
Summary
Moichi Taoka serves as the coach for Ryonan and is a contemporary of Riki Takato from Kainan, who is one year his junior. The two have been acquainted since their high school days, a period when Taoka earned the moniker "Kanagawa's Taoka." He often compares himself to Sendoh, a claim his players find difficult to accept. Despite their friendly bond, the two men remain fierce rivals. Taoka is known for pushing his squad to their limits; at one point, he instructed them to close their eyes and reflect, a command that left the players visibly agitated. His ideal dream team would have featured Sendoh, Uozomi, Mitsui, Miyagi, and Rukawa, with the last three occupying the same positions they eventually hold for Shohoku. Although he personally recruited these prospects, each declined his offer for different reasons: Mitsui and Miyagi chose Anzai, while Rukawa opted for Shohoku due to its proximity to his home. Nevertheless, Taoka remains content with his current roster, asserting that they have trained harder than any previous team he has led and expressing confidence that they could defeat his dream lineup. While a capable coach, Taoka has occasionally erred in his assessment of both his players and their opponents. He possesses a keen eye for talent, having identified Uozomi's potential and offering encouragement when Uozomi's skills were lacking and he considered quitting. Taoka also correctly predicted that Sendoh and Fukuda would become pivotal players upon joining the team. However, he miscalculated in his approach to motivation, believing he could drive Fukuda forward through criticism while praising Sendoh. This strategy backfired because Fukuda proved to be more sensitive; after a year of harsh feedback, Fukuda lashed out at Taoka during a practice match. This incident led to Fukuda's suspension, preventing him from playing in the subsequent practice game against Shohoku. Having learned from this error, Taoka effectively utilized Fukuda during the actual match against Kainan. Later, in the league round against Shohoku, Taoka underestimated the rapid growth of Sakuragi's abilities since their first encounter and also misjudged Kogure's capabilities. These underestimations cost Ryonan a chance at the national championships, mistakes that Taoka openly acknowledged after the game concluded.
