Nagare Namikawa

Nagare Namikawa (波川 流 Namikawa Nagare) is a fighting game character from the Rival Schools series of 3D fighting games. He is one of the two new characters introduced in the updated version Nekketsu Seishun Nikki 2, and later on in the sequel Project Justice.

Personality
Nagare is a very serious person who doesn't speak much. Shoma and his brother Shuichi are friends with him; Shoma sees him as a brother figure. When not in any water-related sports, he seems to be absent-minded, but becomes sharp-minded when in the water. Nonetheless, he's a good-natured person who will not hesitate to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

Appearance
Nagare wears only a swimming cap with goggles on his head and his primary outfit is a opened green jacket with two Gorin emblems on both of his shoulders, black and white swimming trunks and black and yellow aquatic flippers. He also wears two kickboards in both of his hands.

In Project Justice, his green opened jacket and his collar now has white outlines and two Gorin emblems are not seen on his shoulders as he gains only one Gorin emblem at the left side of his jacket.

It is unknown how his hair looks, or what color it is, since there has been no official artwork so far showing Nagare without his swimming cap.

Rival Schools: Nekketsu Seisyun Nikki 2
In this game, Nagare was introduced as an additional character who followed Shoma to find out who attacked the latter's brother, upon finding out that Shoma set off alone in his mission. Though there is no ending centered on him, it is revealed that he eventually freed Shoma from Justice High's control.

Project Justice
Now a student of the Gorin's newly-established university branch, Gorin University, Nagare is a member of the university's swim team, and doubles as a swimming coach for Gorin High. After Shoma separates from Natsu and Roberto to help Momo, Nagare eventually joins the two in finding Shoma and takes part in defeating the Darkside Student Congress and a possessed Hyo. In the end, he, along with Roberto, comments on the newly-formed love triangle among Shoma, Natsu, and Momo.

Gameplay
Most of Nagare's moves make use of techniques in swimming, making him one of the weirdest fighters in Rival Schools.

His Team-Up assist, aside from being the weirdest, is also the weakest (as of Project Justice). His limbs, however, give him good range that can keep opponents at bay.

Both of his Burning Vigor Attacks can be used in indirect sequence. The player can start with the Hyper Frantic Leg, launching the opponent into the air. From there, the player can execute an Air Combo, then finish it with any of the Solo Medley's four versions.

Special Moves

 * Plunge (Japanese: 飛び込み Tobikomi) - Nagare jumps high and dives towards the opponent. This is good for keeping jumping opponents at bay. It is also usable in the air, where it makes an excellent Air Combo finisher. In the aerial version, Nagare dives straight downward. If either version entirely misses, Nagare is fully vulnerable to counterattacks while on the ground in a prone position.


 * Breaststroke Kick (Japanese: 平泳ぎキック Hira Oyogi Kick) - Nagare does a low frog-style kick that must be blocked low. Its Hard Kick version can be made to score two more hits, the last hit knocking the opponent off their feet.


 * Artificial Respiration (Japanese: 人工呼吸 Jinkou Kokyuu) - Nagare performs cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the opponent.

Burning Vigor Attacks

 * Solo Medley (Japanese: 個人メドレー Kojin Medley) - Nagare swims toward the opponent in mid-air. It can also be used in the air for an Air Combo finisher, giving this move four versions, depending on where it is done, and on the punch button pressed for this attack's button combination:

Ground Version One

Nagare swims parallel to the ground.

Ground Version Two

Nagare does a forward ascending backstroke 45 degrees up.

Aerial Version One

Same as the first ground version.

Aerial Version Two

Nagare swims 45 degrees downward until he reaches ground level, where it becomes the same as the first ground version.


 * Hyper Frantic Leg (Japanese: 超バタ足 Chou Bata Ashi) - Nagare sits on the ground and repeatedly kicks his legs, so it must be blocked low. This also launches the opponent into the air; good for starting Air Combos.

Team-Up Technique

 * Synchronized Attack (シンクロナイズドアタック) - The active character, Nagare, and the opponent all engage in a bout of synchronized swimming on dry land, with the last hit sending the opponent skyward. If the player is fast enough, an Air Combo can be started.

The nature of this attack makes it the most ridiculous Team-Up technique in Rival Schools. On top of that, this is the weakest Team-Up assist as of Project Justice.

Party-Up Technique

 * Nagare does the Hot-Blooded Giant Wheel.

Trivia

 * Jinkou kokyuu (人工呼吸) literally means 'artificial respiration', but is commomnly translated as CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in most literature.


 * The following details on Nagare's life is as described.
 * He has been friends with the Sawamura brothers since childhood.
 * He is good at all water-related sports, and fares poorly in almost any subject that does not involve the water.
 * Before graduating to university, he was the ace of Gorin High's swimming club.


 * As of Project Justice, he is the only playable character to represent Gorin University.


 * His taunt is shown that he's slapping his right head twice which he's trying to remove the water from his left ear. This also happens during swimming in real life.


 * He is voiced by Shin'ichiro Miki.