Imai is best known as Itagaki Manabu's rival—basically the one guy who actually beat him back in high school. They threw down three times as amateurs, and Imai won every single match. Physically, he's got a lot in common with Ippo, Itagaki's senpai: similar build, similar knockout style, even the same kind of hair. It's kind of uncanny.
Most of the time, Imai's ice cold. He barely reacts to anything, even mid-fight. But there are exceptions—Ippo, Itagaki, and especially Itagaki's sister Nanako can actually get under his skin. Fans often note that he's pretty clearly got feelings for Nanako, which is basically the only time you see him show real emotion.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
