shiba james

First appearance: Battle 173
Age: 30
Type: Dou
Type: Katsujin Ken
Martial Arts: Boxing and Underground Boxing
James Shiba, a former champion boxer renowned in the underworld with the nickname "The God of Destruction," had his right leg crippled and lost his right eye during a fight with Fuurinji Saiga, the One Shadow of Yami. Following this incident, he retreated into seclusion, living under a bridge in a shack that doubled as a boxing gym, only venturing out to play Pachinko. Takeda's reaction suggests that James is among the few Master-class Boxers globally.
Shiba is tall, lean, and muscular, sporting pale hair parted on the sides and shaved halfway down the middle, along with a long pointed mustache which he takes great pride in, similar to Akisame. His attire includes dark pants with knee guards, dark boots, and a ripped sleeveless vest. Due to his past injuries from Saiga, he has artificial joints inside his right leg and wears an eye patch over his right eye. Occasionally, he is seen smoking a cigarette.
James is humorously depicted as dishonorable and arrogant, to the extent that Akisame remarks that "even Yami would not accept him for his arrogance" (though Akisame's opinion might be biased due to a mustache rivalry). This is evident in the disciple race between him and Akisame, where he flicks a Pachinko ball at Kenichi's head, causing him to fall, thereby giving Takeda the lead.
Another example of his arrogance is refusing to cut off his mustache despite losing a bet by exploiting its wording, shaving just a few hairs, and escaping via a nearby bullet train. James also exploits Takeda by having him participate in betting matches to supplement his income, making himself quite wealthy.
James keeps various pets and names his moves after them, such as the Giant Cat Eye Frog Punch, named after a frog with cat eyes. He dislikes being called "Sensei" and punches Takeda whenever he uses the term.
During Takeda's fight with Kenichi, James shows concern for Takeda by forfeiting the match, claiming it foolish to break his source of money, and forgetting the bet about cutting off his mustache if he lost (comically in a seppuku style), which he arrogantly refused after being reminded. Like Takeda, James's best punch is the left straight, fostering a bond between master and disciple.
James' mustache and beard reflect his mood: pointing downward indicates a neutral or bad mood; upward means excitement. He makes Takeda wear restraints to exercise his boxing muscles, making his training methods akin to Akisame's, given their harsh nature.
A young James Shiba believed boxing was the strongest martial art, frequently participating in underground bouts. Despite quickly gaining fame, his world crumbled when he lost to Fuurinji Saiga, seemingly ending his career as a martial artist and leading him into years of obscurity.