| Introduction |
| Soichiro Jin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | |
| Characteristics | |
| Gender |  Male
|
| Birthday | August 22 |
| Height | 189 cm (6'2) |
| Weight | 71 kg (156lbs) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Professional Status | |
| Team | 
|
| Year | 2nd year |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Jersey Number | #6 |
| Personal Status | |
| First Appearance | |
| Voices | |
| Japanese Voice | Nobutoshi Canna |
| [v · t · e] | |
Soichiro Jin (神 宗一郎, Jin Sōichirō) is Kainan's ace shooting guard, known and respected by his opponents for his infallibly accurate 3-pointers.
Jin initially joined Kainan's basketball team as a Center, but he lacked the strength and physique to compete for the position over players like Kazuma Takasago. When Riki Takato told him that he could not play as a Center, Jin was undeterred. He instead diverted his focus on improving his shooting, practicing 500 shots every day until he reached his current level.
Personality[]
Despite being the best in his position in the whole prefecture, Jin comes off as a modest character and speaks in a gentle manner. Similar to Shinichi Maki (and to Nobunaga Kiyota's dismay), Jin also acknowledges Hanamichi Sakuragi's basketball forte more often than most peers since he knows how tough he is to face after being man-marked by him.
Abilities[]
Jin is a deadly shooter from beyond the 3-point range, and can even step further back than the normal 3-point line (preluding what NBA players regularly began doing in 2010s). Despite being known as a sharpshooter, Jin is also an underestimated playmaker; he makes numerous plays throughout the series, such as assisting Kiyota's opening dunk against Shohoku in a fastbreak, or assisting Kazuma Takasago's wide open dunk against Ryonan with a behind-the-back pass that bypassed a double team blitz from Tomoyuki Uekusa and Jun Uozumi.
Due to his shooting prowess, Jin also has an effective pump fake since defenders have to respect his shooting. Jin's pump fakes easily beat defenders such as Hiroaki Koshino and Sakuragi (albeit the latter can recover with freakish athleticism and quickness before Jin can retake the shot).
As a member of Kainan, Jin has a good fitness level like the rest of his team. This allows him to get back on defense with his team and prevent easy transition opportunities for the opponents throughout an entire match.
Defensively, his long wingspan can guard shooters well. However, this also makes him prone against quicker guards that can blow by him. Jin also has a knack for intercepting passing lanes and getting steals.
Plot[]
Jin makes his first appearance (excluding his silhouette being shown when Ayako discusses Kainan during Shohoku's practice) riding the bicycle with Kiyota on their way to Shohoku vs Miuradai, which Maki is already watching. They arrive just as Shohoku scores its 100th point against Miuradai's 47, and Maki joins them on the sidelines. He watches the rest of the match--including Sakuragi getting dismissed with a comical dunk attempt on Tetsuya Naito's head--as Shohoku wins the match 114-51.
Jin and Tadashi Muto were the only 2 out of the regular Kainan starters that started against Takezono High School. Due to Tatsumasa Oda's ankle injury, Kainan easily demolished Takezono 150-78 without playing Maki, Takasago, or Kiyota.
Jin started against Shohoku, but subbed out for Yoshinori Miyamasu in the 1st half so that Miyamasu could nullify Sakuragi. He came back in for the 2nd half. Kainan won the match 90-88.
Jin started against Ryonan. Prior to the match, he recognized Kicchou Fukuda and briefly informed his team of him during the team huddle. Kainan won in overtime 89-83.
Jin rested toward the end of the match against Takezato where Kainan comfortably won 98-51 to secure their 17th consecutive first place finish in the Kanagawa Regional Tournament. Jin then watched Shohoku defeat Ryonan in the final match prior to the award ceremony. He was included in the team of the tournament alongside Maki, Akagi, Rukawa, and Sendo.
Jin is often seen with his team at the National Inter High Tournament, and watched both of Shohoku's matches against Toyotama High and Sannoh High. Jin was absolutely flabbergasted along with the rest of his teammates when Sakuragi scored his first official midrange jumper during Shohoku's match against Toyotama. He also witnessed Shohoku's historic victory against Sannoh and saw Sannoh's consecutive championship run come to an end.
Jin and his team Kainan finished the National Inter High Tournament in second place.
| Physical Ability | 8/10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Technique | 10/10 | |
| Stamina | 8/10 | |
| Mental Strength | 9/10 | |
| Special Ability | 10/10 | |
Etymology[]
- The name Soichiro means "religion, sect, denomination, main point, origin, essence" (宗) (so), "one" (一) (ichi) and "son" (郎) (ro).
- Soichiro's surname Jin means "god, deity" (神).
Trivia[]
- Fukuda and Jin are in fact childhood friends as they went to the same Elementary School.
- In the mobile game, Jin's shooting range can extend to half court with developments to his special moves, making him the player with longest shooting range, even longer than in the anime.
- His NBA counterpart would be Larry Bird, although both are tall but unathletic, both are considered as one of the most deadliest 3-point shooters ever
- Also the fact that Soichiro Jin and Shinichi Maki being teammates in Kainan can be a real life reference to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, both Magic and Bird are considered as one of the best rivals ever during 1980's NBA but are also friends. Unlike in real life though, Maki and Jin are actually teammates.