Makie Komukai

Makie Komukai is a minor character in Mai Ball. She is the coach of Franklin International High School FC.

Background
Makie used to play up front for the Japanese Women's National Team. During her playing days, her nickname was “The General.” While on a training tour with her team in Russia, she came across Dute Serbanov. Makie immediately recognises her potential and even trains with her despite the age gap. This event inspired Dute to move to Japan and join Makie's new team after she becomes coach at Franklin.

Appearance
Makie has short dark brown hair and dark eyes. She commonly wears white shorts, a black vest and a baseball cap.

Chronology
As Franklin is a brand-new school, Makie has to form a team consisting solely of first-years, eventually finding 14 players. Two of these players – Dute Serbanov and Anya Nibenvic – are foreign transfer students. She instills a strong sense of togetherness in her players, meaning that her players do their best to help each other out of trouble rather than criticising.

Main Article:  Kijikita vs. Franklin

 During Franklin's game against Kijikita, Makie quickly realises that they do not have any substitutes, therefore changes her team's game plan to retain possession in order to tire out Kijikita's players. Although she does not notice that Kijikita are gegenpressing until Reika Hakurai scores to tie the game, she picks up on this before anyone else, and swiftly changes her team's gameplan to counter this further. Unfortunately for her, Franklin fail to hold off Kijikita and eventually fall to a late goal by Rinka Aomi, thereby crashing out of the tournament.

 After the game, Makie shows her admiration for Chako Kawami's 'teacher-like' approach to coaching. Chako simply leaves Kijikita's players to play as they please without her input, however Makie misunderstands and thinks that she is a master of a more 'hands-off' coaching style. Makie then begins calling Chako “master” from this point on.