Shuichi SHINDO

FIRST APPEARANCE
Volume 1 Track 1

VITAL STATISTICS
Age: 19
Birthday: 16 April
Star sign: Aries
Blood type: A
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 51 kg
Foot size: 25.5 cm
Vision: 10.0

DESCRIPTION
Shuichi looks like an ordinary teenager in his final year of high school - but he doesn't care about exams, or girls, or the other preoccupations of the typical teenage boy. His first love is his music, and his dream is to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Ryuichi Sakuma of the legendary band Nittle-Grasper. Shuichi's fledgling band Bad Luck is the living manifestation of this dream. His best friend Hiroshi - who shares his vision - is the band's guitarist, while Shuichi performs the vocals. Shuichi also has responsibility for the keyboards (at which he is fairly competent) and the lyrics (which are of more debatable quality).

When Shuichi meets Yuki - and falls for him hard - he finds his life is not made easy at all. Shuichi has to face not only the long struggle of breaking into the music scene, but the unpredictable drama of his relationship with Yuki. The world seems to be conspiring against them - jealous rivals, family pressures, industry politics, and above all else, the haunting shadow of Yuki's past. It's almost as if this relationship was destined never to be. All the same, something keeps drawing Shuichi back towards this contradictory, enigmatic man. But what force would be more powerful than fate? Could it be the inexplicable, inescapable pull of gravitation?

Shuichi is one of the most likeable and engaging characters I have ever encountered. He is passionate about everything, full of reckless determination, and possesses an unquenchable spirit that buoys him through the darkest of times. He is totally unselfconscious about expressing his emotions, whether he is crying like a baby or running around in a manic high. His moods shift like quicksilver - one moment outraged, the next sunk into despair, and then once more shining with renewed confidence.

While Shuichi's hyper antics are fun to watch, the Shuichi I like best is the serious one: the reflective young man with a surprisingly mature attitude, resolution dark in his eyes, capable of acts of courage and sacrifice that have you cheering for his bravery even as your heart is breaking. Because of this, Shuichi is my favourite character in the series, and ultimately the one I admire most.