
The Hakone Academy Bicycle Racing Club (shortened to Hakone Academy, or "Hakogaku") is a bicycle team that represents Hakone Academy. Founded by Juichi's Father, Hakone is known for having a formidable strength after winning consecutives inter highs and being called the "kings". Due to their reputation and achievements through the club's history, the Hakone Academy's cycling club is known to have every year around fifty members and every one who becomes a regular is considered an ace.
Because of its large number of members, the team has an incredibly difficult selection process and all the club members race against each other in a system of brackets divided by six groups (A, B, C, D, E and F.). The winner of each bracket becomes a regular member and wins the right to participate of the Inter High.
Club members from first-years and second-years are often shown announcing their year and last name when entering the club room; it is possible that with a club that large, this could simply be more practical than trying to remember who everyone is. Riders are not only ranked in class, but also abilities from A-D. They have promotion-relegation races each month, while the team captains are often all-rounders or climbers, as sprinters often can't issue instructions at the end of the race.
When they are in the sprint or mountain formations, the secondary sprinter or climber will pull for extended periods, while the ace sprinter or climber would stay second-to-last until 2km before the end of the checkpoint.
They had an alternate-colored kit, where the blue was darker and much of the text on the arms and legs were dark red.
Infrastructure[]
The club consists of one large building located on the school grounds, behind the class buildings. It has a wide lot to allow for parking cars and several bikes. The club building and school are possibly away from where the dorms are, as Arakita is seen riding some distance to the club when he stays at the school dorms.
Inside the club building there is a large area for using rollers to warm up on, which also contains several weight-training equipment as well as a locker room. It's possible that there are several locker rooms: there's been some discrepancies between the anime and manga, and within the anime canon itself, whether or not the locker room used by Hakone Academy's Inter High team opens directly to the outdoors or to a hallway within the building. The locker room contains several awards on the wall and green benches to rest on.
Warning!! Proceed with caution!!
Part of the following is not yet in the anime. If you're not reading the manga, be careful.
Team Members[]
Active • Captain • Vice Captain • Manager • Resigned • Rejoined
Inter High Team | ||||||
Inter High Team | ||||
Other Members | ||||
Inter High Team | ||||
Other Members | ||||
Inter High Team | ||||
Other Members | ||||
Known Members | ||||
Known Members | ||||
Known Members | ||||
Club Known Achievements[]
- For dropping out and not finishing the whole race after placing 1st in Sprinter Checkpoint of 42nd Summer Inter High's Third Day, Masakiyo Doubashi was not considered the winner of this checkpoint.
Trivia[]
- During the storyline's first year, its mentioned that Hakone had 50 members.
- It is stated that Hakone always had at least five third-years in the Inter High team until the 40th Summer Inter High. The 41st Summer Inter High's team was the first one to have two members that aren't third years, Sangaku Manami and Touichirou Izumida.
- No first-year managed to participate on the Inter High team until Sangaku defeated Yukinari Kuroda during the Group F's Selection Race and earned his spot in the team. So far, only him, Yuto Shinkai and Tobirama managed to become regulars during their first-year.
- Before Touichirou, no sprinters have ever been the captain of the team.
- At the ending credits of season 4 (second half), Hakogaku forms a jazz band. Everybody sings, Masakiyo is the drummer, Yuto is the trumpeter, Sangaku is the saxophone player, Takuto is the pianist, Touichirou plays the trombone and Yukinari is the double bassist.