Cool-Type Guy Jin Kōgasaki Goes Tsundere?! Unexpected Behavior and Gap Moe in Anime “Tougen Anki” Episode 4

Episode 4 of the anime “Tougen Anki” began airing sequentially from August 1. Normally cool and on bad terms with Shiki Ichinose (voiced by Kazuki Ura), Jin Kōgasaki (voiced by Kōtarō Nishiyama) unexpectedly showed kindness, capturing viewers’ hearts with comments such as “Tsundere Kōgasaki-kun is such a good kid.”

In Episode 4, “Cooperate,” the new students, including Shiki, continued their participation in a high-stakes game of tag, where losing meant immediate expulsion. The rules required the players to find a ball hidden somewhere on the field within a set time and return to school with it, all while avoiding capture by instructor Naito Mudano (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya). As the time limit approached, Homare Byobugaura (voiced by Manaka Iwami), a teammate of Shiki, retired from the game, and Kōgasaki was restrained by Mudano.

At that moment, Mudano produced a ball and gave Shiki a choice, saying, “You have two options: either find the remaining ball and reach the goal in 5 minutes and 30 seconds, or snatch it from me.” Shiki, deciding to help the usually antagonistic Kōgasaki, chose to cooperate and try to steal the ball from Mudano together.

During the struggle, the ball was finally knocked away from Mudano and rolled close to Kōgasaki. Focused entirely on what was in front of him, Shiki completely forgot that “even if Kōgasaki makes it to the goal, only Kōgasaki will win” and cheered, shouting, “Alright! Grab it quickly and make it to the goal!” Kōgasaki hesitated for a moment before attempting to seize victory for himself but suddenly turned back. Handing the ball to Shiki, he said, “Don’t get the wrong idea! I just don’t want to owe you twice! Even if I get expelled, I’ll accomplish my goals on my own. So, you go to the goal!”

Though Kōgasaki is usually cold toward Shiki, his unexpected act of kindness drew reactions online such as “Tsundere Kōgasaki-kun is too good” and “It was great when Jin returned.”