Raimu Tachibana

* Current
* Former

**Raimu Tachibana** (橘 雷夢, *Tachibana Raimu*) is the main protagonist of the *Switch* series. He plays as a 1st-year point guard for Ōsen High's basketball team. He later became the captain of the team after Taichi Akabane retires. He is the younger twin brother of Riku Tachibana.

## Appearance

He has black short hair, with bangs are parted at the right, right below where his zigzag is. His hair parting zigzag runs from his bangs to the side of his head, reaching just barely closer to the back of his head than his ears, with roughly 3 peaks and 2 troughs.

## Personality

He seems to be quite the egoist, as seen with his passes.

## History

When he and Riku were very small, their mom Sayuri decided to gift the 2 of them a basketball, however since Raimu was sick at the time Riku managed to practice a bit before Raimu. This was the beginning of the gap between the twins' basketball skills.

## Plot

### Thunderbirds

#### ⠀⠀Raimu vs Riku

Dekami, a classmate of Raimu's was persistently trying to convince Raimu to join the Thunderbirds Basketball Club, and unwittingly tipped off the violent homeroom teacher, Katou about Raimu's console. Katou tries to lecture Raimu, but got physical when Raimu answered back. Later on during Katou's lecture with class 6 he disses Raimu in praise of Riku, which makes Riku snap and grapple Katou. Riku, Raimu, and Sayuri were brought to what seems to be either the guidance counselor's office, where Riku reveals that he was aware of Raimu practicing in secret. Upon learning this, Raimu gains the courage to challenge Riku to a 1-v-1. Raimu loses the match completely, however, he realizes that he actually wanted to be Riku's rival all along, and thus makes up his mind to join the Thunderbirds.
#### ⠀⠀Azure Ball Festival

Soon after joining the Thunderbirds' Basketball club, the Azure Ball Festival, a 6th grader event, was set to happen within the month. The classes were each divided into different sports, and it was announced that the winning classes were going to face the teachers as a prize. This finale event was, in reality, devised by Katou-sen in order to get back at Riku, although the other teachers seemed to be pissed off with the students too and agreed to go all out during the match. The matches were viewed by Ōsen's Coach Hasuike and his assistant coach at the time, Tokumitsu Shinji. The two realized Riku's talent almost immediately, although it was only Coach Hasuike who seemed to be interested with Raimu. Although Class 6 managed to win against Sekiguchi's Class 5, they were unfortunately beaten by Class 4, which Riku was part of, and Class 6 went on to win the basketball category of the festival, meaning they were now to face the teachers. During the match, Katou intentionally fouls Riku in the referee's blind spot, slowing Class 4's offense. Katou injures yet another kid later, and Coach Hasuike suggests to sub in Raimu, giving him only the advice "Give the 1st pass to your brother" and the advice "Don't hold back" to Coach Okada. Fortunately for Class 4, neither Katou nor his fellow teachers were no match for the twins' coordination. Making Class 6 the overall winner of the basketball category of the Azure Ball Festival.
### Ōsen High Basketball Team

#### ⠀⠀1st-years vs Regulars

Upon introducing himself as the first years who would like to join the basketball club, a third-year, Rio Kuromiya decides to gauge the new students by making them shoot layups. This however was all a set-up as Kuromiya has planned from the start to only give ball polisher positions to the new students. After almost a week of ball polishing, Raimu decides to rebel against Kuromiya. He offered Kuromiya a match between the 1st-years and the regulars in order to win the right to practice in the gym, Kuromiya agreed on the condition that he will get to beat up Raimu if the 1st-years lose. His display of courage inspires Yoneyama, who convinces Sengoku to join. They are later joined by Tōma and Tasuku. During the match proper, he overcomes Hirota's spider defense using nutmegs and rescues the team from being mentally shut down by Kuromiya's black execution by riling them up. He later wins against Kuromiya's black cage with his switch hander, and deals the finishing assist to Tasuku's buzzer beater three.
#### ⠀⠀Hibayama Practice Match

Although he was not acknowledged by Tokumitsu and thus not put in the lineup in the practice match initially, he still managed to help by psyching up Tōma, reviving Ōsen's offense. He was later allowed to participate as a substitute after Akabane sprains his foot, on the condition that he will be benched the moment Daiya scores. He manages to stop Daiya by overshifting his defense, and later by teaming up with Hirota and Mano, and buys enough time for Kuromiya to enter the match. He was subbed in with Kuromiya, however despite their efforts, were unable to shrink the gap against Hibayama.
#### ⠀⠀Training Camp

He managed to come up with the plan "tap dance" against Tokumitsu's restricted 3-on-3, where he passed mid-air alley-oops to Kyōtarō and left threes on the borderline of the paint to Tasuku, overcoming the tight defense and height difference and allowing Team J to place 5th. Tokumitsu's frustration with Team J's success lead to him contacting Coach Hasuike, who clarified to him that his words 3 years ago were merely a joke. This realization made Tokumitsu's frustrations with Ōsen Middle School players also went away, as he only hated them for their relations with Hasuike. This meant that Raimu now has a real chance to participate in the Inter High.
### Inter High

#### ⠀⠀Ōsen vs Seitoku

He fell for Saijō's trash talking, and was unable to focus properly on the match until he was helped out by Kuromiya.
#### ⠀⠀Ōsen vs Wadakita

He, along with the other 4 members, managed to come up with strategies to overcome Jize's height, allowing them to win the semi-finals.
#### ⠀⠀Ōsen vs Yami-uma

He couldn't overcome Kanaka's offensive fadeaways at all, and barely overcame the third eye's defense with Kuromiya's help. Kuromiya's offense would later be thrown off by Koike forcing Raimu to come up with the pick-and-roll with Yoneyama after seeing Kuromiya bump into Yoneyama, however Shishido's developments near the end of the 3rd quarter would also invalidate the pick-and-roll. Thankfully, Raimu arrives to a realization and development himself around the end of the 4th quarter, drastically improving his offensive capabilities and even overpowering Kanaka with raw speed, however he was barely unable to close the final point gap, leading to Ōsen's first loss in the Inter High.
#### ⠀⠀Ōsen vs Hibayama

Similar to the previous Hiba high match, he was unable to play in the first half due to his point guard position being taken by Aimachi, as he was in a slump and was hung-up on his performance in the 4th quarter of the yami-uma match. He was later played in the 3rd quarter and he used his switch hander to shoot with his left to reset his touch. In the 4th quarter he and the other 4 players all agreed to a five out, which was tough for Hiba High to block against, however he nor the other members were unable to block Daiya's one-legged three, and they were unable to break through Hiba high's zone defense clustered around the paint due to a lack of effective 3-point shooters, earning them their 2nd loss in the competition so far.
#### ⠀⠀Ōsen vs Tsubakigawa

His overcoming of Misaki was a major factor in their victory against Tsubakigawa, allowing them to participate in the nationals.

Rimu and riku see each other as rivals at start rimu always practice alone and wanted to become cool and better like his big brother in basketball. and his brother admitted that that riku is more amazing then him they both were like mirror because they do same things, like same things and have same thinking or thoughts because of that after his big brother died he wanted to quit but when he see in the mirror his brother appears and he remembers the promise of becoming the best player in the world after that he decide to become best for his dream and his brother.
**Izumi Hashimoto:**
A childhood freind and classmate of raimu she love mc since childhood and she was the one who always wanted mc to play basketball and join the team. after elementary they gone to seperate school and meet again in osen highschool she studied very hard so that she could go to the same school as raimu and she start wearing contact lens to look cool in front to Raimu. her nickname is dekami.

## Skills

### Riku Projection

Raimu see riku projection after he died so after that while training Raimu always think of riku what play he will execute whjat technique he will use so like Raimu trained alone everyday day while seeing Riku Projection Learned everything of riku his moves, skills , thinking, his plays Everything.so when opponent go against raimu they feel like they are playing against 2 player instead of 1.

#### ⠀⠀King's Pass

By envisioning where Riku would likely run to to receive his pass, he manages to pick the best out of all the open spaces in the defense and passes towards that space without regard for whether a team mate can make it there. It was nicknamed the King's Pass because whereas most players would adjust to their team mates' position and pass toward them or towards somewhere they could reasonably reach, Riku just passes to the spaces sometimes without telegraphing to any of the team mates and forcing them to adjust to his pass instead. It requires team mates skilled enough to react to the pass, however without the hint that he'll pass to a specific player the defense is also left a beat behind since they don't know which player will go to the open space to receive the ball.
#### ⠀⠀Switch Hander

Because his brother is left-handed while he's right handed, after tons of copy practices with his Riku projection he has learned to be ambidextrous and shoot from either hand. This vastly increases his attacking options and slapping fouls become more likely since the supporting hand also switches sides, making blocking him much more difficult. when Raimu shoot with his left kyuotaro said he feel he was seeing riku.
### Attack the Rim/Zone

He first unlocked this skill after thinking how Riku would think in order to win, and concluded that Riku's mind must be solely focused on basketball, so in a last ditch effort, he empties his head of everything, even of his Riku projection, and only looks at the rim. This hyper focusing on the rim puts his body in a sort of autopilot mode where he immediately goes for the quickest, shortest path to delivering the ball to the hoop as possible.

**Genius of Competivness:**

Riku said Raimu is more awsome than him. whether it is race or game at first it looks like he is going to win but Raimu always Works hard like a demon and catches up to him with force thats why raiku works hard so that he can not get passed by Raimu. when Onsen coatch find riku he was fascinated at his talent. that same fascination he showed when he saw raimu talent.

**Strong Memory:**

Raimu beat kyuotaro because he remember his playing pattern.

**Extraordinary Observation:**

Raimu observe kyoutaro pattern and counter attack him. While playing with his opponents he observe them to find their weakness. Raimu stopped riku in festival because of his habbit he observed when riku is playing he do fake. Raimu was able tell the weakness of the first years by seeing them once.

**Extraordinary Commanding/Leading skill:**

Ousen elementary coach Hasuike who won national said to Raimu that raimu would become a great commanding officer because of his Right commadings that he gave when he was asked by the coach on his older brother situation where he was in corner while playing with teachers. Raimu was able to tell that which position is best for first year players by seeing their abilities once.

**Same Thinking:**

Raimu and riku always have same thoughts because of that they knew what they both will do against each other and what both wants thats why raimu always able to do the same play actionand techniques as his brother just like mirror

**Predicting:**

Reading/predicting 1 step or 2,3 step ahead of opponents.

**Same Playing:**

riku and raimu are like mirror they can use eachother skills and when playing its like that 2 person become one after riku dies whenever Raimu is against an opponent he thinks if riku was here what he will do against this opponent and does the same thing as his big brother. like when he was playing againt onsen coach he thought if riku was here what he would do and he used the techniques riku does and raimu goes past his defence.

**Spatial Awareness**

**Extraordinary Eyesight**

**Extraordinary planner/Strategist:**

Raimu personally thinks of strategies while playing and counter attacks them players like these are very terrifying noted by coach of onsen high school.

**Extraordinary Creativness**

**Tap Dance**

**Extraordinary Basketball Sense**

Noted by yami tech high school basketball club PG(point guard).

**Switch:**

Raimu have two style of plays

1. In his first style he do alot of thinking and is always passive and plays smartly.
2. in his second style he become a tyrant and is always think about pointing in this style he see the world same as his brother this is riku style which he masters while training with riku projection for 3 years. In this style he gives a killer look all he thinks about is making buckets.

**Passing:**

1. **King pass (unique ability of raimu)**: riamu send passes in open space only riku could catch those pass. the coach said those who can not catch this special pass are at fault since Raimu is point guard he is the king of court he will make the rules and other will follow those rules. while using this Raimu will not hold back that is the pass of king. with these passes Raimu won against the kyromiya team.
2. fake pass
3. deciving pass
4. pro pass
5. Drive pass
6. Pin pont pass
7. Quick Drive

**Shooting:**

1. Scoop shot
2. Double clutch
3. fadeaway Shot

**Dribbling:**

Self taught Ramu learned it by himself.

1. Between the legs.
2. High dribble.
3. Low dribble.
4. Front Facing Dribble.
5. Fake eyes.
6. fake
7. Feint

## Trivia

His name actually contains 2 puns, as Raimu (雷夢) both means thunder dream in reference to the lightning-like zigzag parting his hair, and sounds like lime, as referenced by the DQN matchup in page 6 of Chapter 27.