Shougo Itaya (板谷翔吾 Itaya Shōgo) is a second year student in high school and ones of Ritsuka's classmates who he plays basketball with and is close to Ryou Ueki.
Appearance
Shougo has messy dark hair with his fringe parted showing his forehead and thin straight eyebrows.
He is seen wearing a T-shirt and trousers with the left leg rolled up and trainers.
Personality
An eager disposition suggesting basketball to Ritsuka, easy going around others and overall cheerful. He is inquisitive towards Ritsuka's new friendship with Mafuyu.
Story
In class 2-10 at break time Shogo enthusiastically tries to wake his classmate Ritsuka from his sleep asking if he wants to buy bread. With that passed, he is holding a basketball and suggests playing that. Declined again, he asks if Ritsuka is skipping fifth period to take a nap. Ritsuka says he is and Shogo is asked to take notes for him.[2]
Later eating in class with Ritsuka, Shogo raises that he has been hanging round together a lot with someone unmentioned but known to them both lately. Drinking a juice carton, Shogo does not pretend Ritsuka does not know who he means. It concerns the guy from the class next to them and asks what was his name again giving suggestions of other common surnames[3] but not hitting the mark. Shogo wants to know how Rituka and Mafuyu suddenly got friendly like that, pointing out that Ritsuka is not hanging around with them during lunch lately because he is with Mafuyu.
Getting Mafuyu's name wrong again, Shogo's questioning continues before being interrupted by Kasai who has observations on Ritsuka of her own, before Mafuyu himself appears at the door to the classroom[4]
In class he turns round suddenly as Ritsuka slams his own face into his desk. Concerned, Shogo asks him what is wrong, he has been strange lately and remembers Mafuyu as the guy from next class hearing the matter concerns him.
He learns that Mafuyu declined to join Ritsuka’s band as he resumes cleaning the classroom. Not before suggesting it means that Ritsuka did not expect Mafuyu to turn him down before Shogo realizes how that may have come across. Shogo defends himself from Rituka attacking him with a broom overseen by Kasai.[5]
Etymology
From Japanese 翔 (shou) meaning "soar, fly" combined with 吾 (go) meaning "I, me".
Trivia
- His zodiac sign is Taurus.[1]
- Itaya likes all ball games ranging from soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, tennis, and hand ball as specific examples.[1]
- He has a keen interest in music.[1]
- Shogo is seen wearing a t-shirt where the letters may be a real world mention of a band called "My Chemical Romance".[6]