A very skilled boxer who attended Teiken High, and is attempting to secure a place in the Olympics. Him and Maeda come to blows, with Maeda knocking him out with a wrestling move. However, when people begin to question the authenticity of the win due to Maeda being two weight categories heavier than Hatanaka and him not fighting in a straight boxing match Maeda forces Hatanaka to fight him again. This time Hatanaka easily defeats the emaciated Maeda. He leaves Teiken to train at boxing at a prestigious college by the sea. He is very easy-going and cheerful, but can be moved to anger. He used to be one mistake away from being expelled from Teiken High. According to Hatanaka, Maeda has been the only one to knock him down yet in a boxing match and that no one at his college compares to him.