nomiya tomomi

On the surface, Nomiya appears to be the quintessential delinquent—he sports an afro, has dropped out of high school, and even goes so far as to defile the school steps with his own waste before leaving for good. However, it quickly becomes evident that Nomiya is burdened by profound guilt stemming from a traffic accident he caused, which left a girl, Yamashita Yasumi, paralyzed. Though only an average student, Nomiya was deeply passionate about basketball, and not being able to play on the school team has left him feeling lost and devoid of joy. While taking the now paraplegic and seemingly unresponsive Yasumi for a walk, Nomiya overhears Togawa playing basketball. Desperate for any opportunity to play, Nomiya challenges Togawa to a game and is impressed by Togawa's skill and determination. Soon, Nomiya becomes a sort of cheerleader and mascot for the Tigers, forming a friendship with Togawa. Even though he rarely gets to play himself, it seems to be enough for Nomiya just to be around those who do. Later in the series, Nomiya attempts to join a professional basketball team. He leaves a strong impression but ultimately is not selected. Over time, he gains weight and gradually starts to lose his will. He finds himself questioning if this marks the end of his basketball career. Nomiya spends much of his time in the manga reflecting on where he went wrong and striving to mend his life—inspired by the Tigers' spirit, he shaves his head and embarks on a monk-like quest to change his fate. Against all odds, his desire to change and positive attitude begin to influence his co-workers and acquaintances positively. (Source: Wikipedia)