A high-impact gekiga-style Japanese manga illustration depicting a runner during the steep uphill section of the Hakone Ekiden relay race. Scene & Composition: – Close-up to medium-close shot – The runner fills most of the frame – Camera positioned slightly below eye level to emphasize struggle and slope – The uphill road curves behind him – 16:9 aspect ratio Character: – Young Japanese male marathon runner – Lean but powerful athletic build – Face clearly visible, tightly framed – Teeth clenched, jaw tense – Eyes wide with fierce determination – Sweat dripping heavily from face, neck, and shoulders – Veins and facial tension clearly defined Action: – Running uphill at maximum effort – Arms pumping forcefully – Body leaning forward against gravity – Expression shows pain, endurance, and willpower Clothing: – University-style running singlet (fictional team) – Purple-and-white color scheme – Simple bib with Japanese characters (no real teams, no logos, no brands) – Realistic fabric folds and sweat-soaked texture Environment: – Steep mountain road inspired by Hakone – Dense spectators lining both sides of the road – Mountains rising in the background – Overcast winter sky – The road, crowd, and mountains are ALL illustrated in the same manga/gekiga style – No photorealistic elements anywhere Art Style (VERY IMPORTANT): – Japanese gekiga manga style – Thick, expressive ink lines – Strong cross-hatching and shading – Slightly exaggerated facial features for emotional impact – High contrast lighting – Hand-drawn look throughout the entire image – Background and character must share identical linework, texture, and illustration style Color & Mood: – Muted, earthy colors for background – Strong contrast on the runner’s face and body – Dramatic, gritty, intense atmosphere – Emphasis on human endurance and suffering Restrictions: – No real athletes – No real university names – No logos – No brand text – No photorealism – No CGI look – No anime “cute” style Overall Goal: Create a powerful, emotional illustration that visually communicates the brutal difficulty of the Hakone Ekiden uphill climb through raw facial expression and unified manga-style artwork.