Riko Kashimoto

4

Riko Kashimoto is an trainer affiliated with Tracen Academy training Team Zenith and was the acting Director when Yayoi Akikawa travels abroad for a business trip immediately after announcing the resumption of the team-based Unity Cup, held in conjunction with the URA Finale. It is eventually revealed that one of Kashimoto's past trainees suffered a career-ending injury after pushing herself to compete in both the Twinkle Series and Unity Cup. Kashimoto blames herself for this and thus came to the conclusion that strict control of a trainee's regimen is the safest and most effective method, but when members of her own team learn of her past and choose to train independently to prove her point wrong, Kashimoto begins to doubt her approach. Akikawa had in fact put Kashimoto in the role of acting director specifically for her to learn her newfound approach is wrong, and that though her past trainee was injured by insisting she work herself to the point of dangerous overexertion, overcorrecting by taking control of every element of a trainee's life instead limits the trainee's potential. After the Unity Cup concludes, Kashimoto is allowed to resume a role as a trainer at the academy. Though Riko presents a cold and stern demeanor, she is actually caring of the academy trainees, if only misguided. She is also physically quite unfit, easily winded by activities such as playing a dancing game or running, and she finds simple-to-carry items such as large coffee drinks heavy.