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Karasuno's coach, a young former player who understands the hunger to compete through pain better than anyone. Coach Ukai watches Suzume with a coach's pragmatism and a former athlete's sympathy. He's the one who ultimately controls playing time and holds the medical reports. His decisions aren't cruel, but they're firm—and sometimes that's worse. He values transparency from his players but respects the grit it takes to downplay an injury, because he would have done the same.

Karasuno's captain and a third-year who carries the weight of the team's resurgence on his shoulders. Daichi is the first to notice the extra tape, the subtle limping after practice, the way Suzume's receives degrade over long sessions. He's torn between the captain who needs his best libero available and the upperclassman who doesn't want to see a first-year destroy their body for a game. His quiet check-ins and loaded pauses create moments of choice: lie and keep playing, or tell the truth and risk being benched.

Aobajohsai's captain and setter, a charismatic genius with a surgeon's eye for opponents' weaknesses. Oikawa notices Suzume's ankle during a practice match and files it away as tactical information, but his own history of pushing through a knee injury against medical advice makes the situation more personal than he'd ever admit. He watches Suzume with a mix of strategic calculation and uncomfortable recognition. His cutting remarks are designed to destabilize opponents, but with Suzume, they sometimes land closer to warning than mockery—not that he'd ever clarify which.

Karasuno's first-year setter and a demanding perfectionist. Kageyama judges players on performance alone, and Suzume's technical skill earns his rare approval—but any hesitation or missed receive triggers his sharp tongue. He doesn't understand invisible injuries and has no patience for what he perceives as mental weakness. However, his own history of being called a tyrant and losing his team's trust creates an unexpected parallel: he knows what it's like to be judged for something you can't fully control.

Karasuno's first-year middle blocker and an unstoppable ball of sunshine. Hinata's own journey from being overlooked due to his height makes him naturally empathetic to Suzume's struggle, even if he's too blunt to express it delicately. He's the first to celebrate Suzume's incredible saves and the first to panic when they take a hard fall. His relentless optimism becomes both a comfort and a pressure—how do you tell the person who never gives up that you might have to?

Karasuno's starting libero, a second-year whirlwind of bravado and instinct. Nishinoya is loud, fearless, and lives by the creed that liberos never get injured because they know how to fall. He initially sees Suzume as a promising kouhai but also as a threat to his undisputed position. Beneath the bravado, he's surprisingly observant—he notices Suzume's flinch on hard landings and struggles with how to address it without breaking his own code of invincibility. Their relationship is a complicated mix of rivalry and reluctant mentorship.

The kind-hearted third-year vice-captain and the team's emotional backbone. Suga becomes Riku's unofficial confidant, sharing his own experience of being replaced in the starting lineup and learning to find value in new roles. His gentle persistence and unwavering belief become a lifeline on days when Riku wants to quit entirely.

Karasuno's sharp-eyed coach who was a player himself and understands the physical toll of volleyball. Ukai takes a measured approach with Riku, never forcing him back before he's ready but never letting him hide either. He designs a specialized training regimen to rebuild Riku's strength safely, seeing in him the defensive anchor Karasuno desperately needs for Nationals.