 During Mitsui's attack on the basketball team, he is matched up with Kaede Rukawa, giving him a bloody head wound with a broken mop head, but in turn gets knocked out by Rukawa.In the anime, Ryu challenges Tetsuo's leadership by recruiting new members and targeting him after Mitsui rejoins the basketball team.The arrival of Sakuragi's gang enables Mitsui and Sakuragi to break away and head to the 3rd round match (which they are late for), and results in the trouncing of Ryu and his gang members.