Sasaki, Koutaro
Summary
Koutaro Sasaki is the dedicated kicker for the Bando Spiders, wearing jersey number 99. A second-year student born on November 30 with blood type B, he is a direct rival of Musashi. Hiruma notes that Sasaki has never missed a try-for-point kick, a skill highlighted by his ability to easily sink field goals from 50 yards away. His precision is legendary, evidenced by a feat where he kicked a soft drink can into a trash bin from a bridge railing, despite the bin not being empty. This reliability led the Bando Spiders to adopt a philosophy centered around a specialized kicking team designed to win through kicking alone. However, his predictable accuracy can be exploited, as opponents can anticipate where his kicks will land and return them. During the match against Deimon, Sasaki succumbed to stress and missed a game-winning field goal attempt. Known for his catchphrase "That's smart" (Smart daze), or variations like "That's not smart," Sasaki is often seen combing his hair whenever possible, even during matches. He dislikes Akaba Hayato, primarily because Hayato constantly talks about music. In a display of his team's history, Sasaki used a time-out solely to explain the background of the Spiders to the Deimon team. His surname mirrors that of the famous samurai Sasaki Koujiro, a rival of Miyamoto Musashi. He has asked his childhood friend and Bando manager, Sawai Juri, to go out with him on three occasions. Each time, she responded with "Whatever, stop saying stupid things, moron!" which, while seemingly a rejection, was never an explicit "No." In a Japanese poll, Sasaki stood out as the only non-Deimon player to win a showdown, defeating Taki in the "coolest character" battle.
