A boy's word

Vova Adidas's younger half-brother. Appearance:
Marat is a sturdy teenager with fair skin, light-brown hair, and brown eyes. He wears a short haircut and sportswear, fitting the image of a "real lad" of the time. His wardrobe also includes characteristic details of the era: a Finnish "cockerel" (a knitted hat with a pompom and visor, also called a "fernandelka"), a red-and-black mohair scarf (which initially proved prickly), and an American fishnet cap.
Some character traits:
Active and impulsive. Marat constantly seeks thrills and connections, and is prone to risky and mischievous behavior.
Charismatic and a leader. He strives to demonstrate authority in the group through daring antics and is free from formal constraints.
Situational thinking. He almost never considers the long-term consequences of his actions. A prime example is the story with the fur hat: Marat "worked" it off the teacher, took it to a thrift store, and the item ended up with Andrey "Palto"'s mother, which led to serious problems. Positive traits and actions:
Compassion. A capacity for deep feelings. Marat cares for the violinist Aigul and does not abandon her after the tragedy. He cares for his family. Despite his rebellious nature, he sincerely loves his mother and brother.
Marat is the younger half-brother of Vova Adidas, who is an absolute authority figure to him. It was this desire to be like his older brother that, in many ways, led Marat to the Universam gang.
Family
Marat grows up in a wealthy family. His mother is a kind and gentle woman who loves and empathizes. His father is a successful engineer, but distanced from his children due to his constant workload. Despite his outward prosperity, Marat doesn't see his parents as worthy role models and seeks acceptance on the streets.

They often call him either Vova or Adidas. He has a younger half-brother, Marat. Appearance
Height: 178 cm.
Brown haired with brown eyes.
The moustache he grew while serving in Afghanistan.
After demobilization, he took off his light blue beret and tunic, but kept the striped shirt in his wardrobe, which often peeks out from under his sweater—both during friendly get-togethers and in tense situations.
On his body there is a tattoo with the abbreviation "DRA" (Democratic Republic of Afghanistan), which directly refers to his military service.
Character:
Vova Adidas's personality is complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, he possesses charisma, leadership potential, a sense of justice, determination, and charm. He knows how to rally people around him and lead them. On the other hand, due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) acquired in the war, he exhibits weak self-control, outbursts of aggression, and a reduced inhibition against cruelty. This leads to rash, impulsive, and risky behavior. Some of his character traits:
Loss and inner emptiness. After returning from Afghanistan, Adidas struggles to adapt to civilian life. There are scenes in the series where he lies on the couch, talking to his father, saying he's not interested in anything. A desire to fight and bring the group to a leading position in the city. A commitment to "boyish principles."
He's capable of deep feelings. For example, he cares for his younger brother Marat and falls in love with a nurse. He's emotionally torn. On the one hand, he feels guilty for his actions, but on the other, he sees no meaning in life without the streets. He's one of the founders of the Kazan gang "Universam." He opposes another leader, Koschei, who seeks personal gain, while Adidas is driven by the idea of ​​justice.

Valery Turkin (nicknamed Turbo, as he is called)
Turbo is one of the most colorful and controversial characters in the series Appearance
Turbo is a tall (183 cm) young man with an athletic build. He has light brown curly hair, gray-green eyes, and fair skin. He wears his hair long, which was uncharacteristic for the streetwear scene of the time. He dresses in a sporty and street style: warm sweaters and sweatshirts in dark or neutral shades, unbuttoned coats and windbreakers, and knitted hats. He is often seen wearing a jacket with a maple leaf on the back and a Fernandel hat. His look combines the fashion elements of the era.
Character
Turbo is a complex and contradictory character. His key traits are:
Straightforward and principled. He always expresses his opinions openly and acts according to the rules established by the group.
He has a tendency toward aggression and cruelty. He is unwilling to compromise and is willing to use force.
Lack of empathy. He has difficulty showing compassion and compassion for others.
A sense of humor and sociability. Despite his toughness, he's not without the ability to joke and communicate.
Black-and-white thinking. He divides the world into "us" and "them," and evaluates actions solely through the prism of "concepts." At the same time, Turbo is loyal to his group members and puts their interests above his own. He's willing to help his comrades, but doesn't consider the consequences of his actions on others.
Turbo is a member of the "Universam" criminal group. He is one of the oldest members, which allows him to influence the younger members and communicate directly with the leaders, particularly Vova Adidas.
Origin of the nickname: Turbo got his nickname for his speed and agility at evading the police and fighting.

Nurse, Vova Adidas's girlfriend.
Natasha Rudakova's appearance (tall (height - 174 cm);
slender;
blonde with light hair;
with pleasant facial features;
With blue eyes, Natasha's character combines both the traditional dreams of her age (finding a loved one, starting a family) and determination, focus, and a willingness to face challenges for the well-being of herself and her loved ones. Some of her character traits:
Caring and helpful. Decisive and goal-oriented. The heroine is ready to face difficulties to protect herself and her loved ones.
Capable of deep feelings. Natasha has a genuine affinity for Adidas, sees him as a hero, and is willing to follow him, despite the risks.
Sacrifice. In the story, the heroine puts her life in danger by choosing a relationship with a man from the criminal underworld.

Winter, real name Vakhit.
Appearance
Winter is a tall, thin man with wide eyes. His portrayal, as created by the actor, conveys the weight of hardship, hunger, and poverty. He has a shaved head, which enhances the impression of a caricatured hooligan from Soviet posters. Winter has a lisp.
The character is reserved and taciturn, yet possesses integrity, irony, and empathy. He has a hidden agenda, is not straightforward, is forgiving, and is generally wise. Zima's personality resembles that of a "yard dad," who knows not only the gang rules but also some hidden truth about life. He strives to care for the gang members and their feelings. At the same time, Zima strictly adheres to hierarchy and "guy" principles. He abhors ambiguity and is willing to use force to subdue anyone who disobeys the general rules. A striking example is his behavior toward Marat, whom he beat up for smoking, unafraid of a conflict with his brother, Vova Adidas.
Zima is one of the "supers" close to the gang leader Vova Adidas.
His personality is not fully explored, creating an air of mystery around him. This allows viewers to interpret his actions and motives for themselves.

Andrei Vasiliev (nicknamed "Coat") is one of the central characters and one of Marat's best friends.
Appearance
Age: 14 years (as of 1989).
Height: 182 cm.
Skin color: light.
Eye color: blue.
Hair color: light brown.
Description: Andrei is described as an ordinary teenager with an unremarkable appearance, tall and thin. He has blond hair and a distinctive gaze, which likely contributes to his attractive appearance.
He studies at a music school, but his family is so poor that he has to practice his compositions at home, playing on painted keys.
Over the course of the story, Andrei's personality transforms. He tries to appear tough to earn respect and recognition in the "Universam" street gang. Despite his outward toughness, he remains empathetic, sensitive, and vulnerable inside. This is evident in his attachment to his mother and sister. Andrei has a penchant for unconventional thinking. He demonstrates responsibility and perseverance in his actions.
He lives with his mother, Svetlana Mikhailovna, and his younger sister, Yulia. The family is considered intelligent, but very poor. Andrei joins the "Universam" gang, seeing it as a chance to gain protection. However, he doubts the group's methods.

Aigul Akhmerova's appearance
Age: 14 years (as of 1989).
Height: 160 cm.
Skin color: light.
Eye color: blue.
Hair color: light brown. Personality:
Kindness and friendliness. Aigul is a kind, friendly girl, ready to help her friends.
Obedience. This is how adults—teachers and parents—want to see her.
Inner core. Despite her fragile appearance, Aigul possesses a strong spirit and strives to take all life's challenges head-on.
Passive aggression. She often expects a trick from others and therefore may "attack first."
A straight-A student, Aigul is studying violin at a music school.
Marat's girlfriend, one of the main characters, their relationship becomes an important plot point.
Family and circumstances
Strict and emotionally distant parents. They demand their daughter be a "good girl" and do everything by the book: study hard, attend music school. The father imposes restrictions. He forbids his daughter from socializing with unwanted people and from going out in the evenings.

Yellow is a tall (around 190 cm) guy with light-brown hair, blue eyes, and a slender build. His appearance is typical of a teenager of that era: he dresses in street clothes.
Character
The character is contradictory and multilayered. On the one hand, he's cruel and willing to resort to violence to maintain his authority. On the other hand, Yellow strives to adhere to his own moral principles. He believes in keeping one's word—this is especially important in his circle. In one scene, he even displays a touch of humanity, forgiving Vova Adidas despite their conflict.

Kolik is a tall, dark-haired man. He has low stress tolerance—an inability to cope with emotional stress.
Focus on one's own desires - a willingness to enter into conflict to satisfy personal needs, even to the detriment of the group's interests.
Stubbornness and mood swings.
He is from a Kazan group called "House of Life"

Misha Tilkin, nicknamed Yeralash, is one of the most colorful characters. Appearance
Age: about 14 years.
Height: 165 cm.
Skin color: light.
Eye color: gray-green.
Hair color: light brown. Yeralash is a thin teenager, indistinguishable from the other gang members. He wears clothes typical of the 1980s.
Yeralash is a skinny teenager, indistinguishable from the other gang members. He wears clothes typical of the 1980s.
Honesty and keeping one's word. This is Yeralash's key character trait, highly valued in his circle. He strictly adheres to the unspoken "boy code," which prohibits lying.
Kindness and naivety. Misha grows up without parents, raised by his grandmother, whom he loves dearly. Naive dreaminess. Unlike the other members of the group, who dreamed of wealth, Yeralash's main goal is to earn money to buy his grandmother a new iron. He promised her this, and when the opportunity arose, he kept his word. Naive dreaminess. Unlike the other members of the group, who dreamed of wealth, Yeralash's main goal is to earn money to buy his grandmother a new iron. He promised her this, and when the opportunity arose, he kept his word.

Kashchei is a tall man (181 cm) with blond hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. His appearance matches the stereotypical image of a youth gang leader of the time.
Kashchei's personality is contradictory and multifaceted. On the one hand, he possesses toughness, cunning, composure, and ruthlessness. He suffers no emotional torment and is willing to break any oath to achieve his goals. Kashchei trusts no one, convinced that sooner or later he will be betrayed, and this compels him to act decisively and cruelly. For him, the concepts of friendship and honor are empty words. On the other hand, behind this tough exterior lies a deeply unhappy man who realizes he is heading down a dark path. He is incapable of making tough, unpopular decisions and tends to avoid conflict with other groups. At the same time, Kashchei possesses charisma, organizational skills, and the ability to manipulate people, which allows him to maintain influence within the gang.
Some key character traits:
Addiction. Koshchei spends his time idle, uses alcohol and drugs, is unaccustomed to exertion, and strives for a carefree lifestyle.
Lack of inner strength. His authority is based on his age and criminal record, but this is merely an outer shell, lacking any solid foundation.
Pragmatism. Unlike many other characters, Koshchei knows how to acknowledge others' strength and retreat when necessary for survival.
Role in the plot
Under Kashchei's leadership, the "Universam" gang primarily engaged in petty fraud. Thus, Kashchei is a complex and ambiguous character, not a classic villain, but rather an old-school figure giving way to a new generation.

Character
Strict but humane, Irina doesn't approach her professional duties formally and genuinely empathizes with teenagers.
Height: 176 cm.
Skin color: light.
Eyes: blue.
Hair: Brown. She strives to help. Her main goal is for her charges (Andrey in particular) to choose a different path: to give up gangsterism, start families, and become productive members of society.
Juvenile Affairs Inspector Irina works with teenagers involved in street gangs, trying to guide them toward recovery.
His first encounter with Andrey. He sees her in class when she invites the students to a debate about protecting the city from violence. The next time they meet, they're at the police station. Role in the plot. Irina becomes Andrey's first love interest. His ideas about "adult" behavior are narrowed by the constraints of the "asphalt" law, creating an internal conflict.

Yulia Vasilyeva, Andrey Palto's younger sister.
Julia's appearance:
height - 119 cm;
skin color - light;
eye color - blue;
Hair color - light brown.
She is five years old.

Dilyara Suvorova. Husband: Kirill Suvorov.
Housewife.

Kirill Suvorov.
Appearance
Age: about 50 years.
Height: 174 cm.
Skin color: light.
Eye color: green.
Hair color: light brown. Personality:
A wealthy Soviet man of the old school. Thanks to his high social standing, he provided his family with everything they needed, including scarce goods unavailable to ordinary citizens.
Naive. Until a certain point, Kirill Suvorov couldn't imagine that his son Marat, surrounded by care from childhood, would become involved in a criminal gang. He doesn't understand where he went wrong in his upbringing.
Having lost control of the situation, the character's actions are permeated with hopelessness. His muffled intonations, shaky voice, and facial expressions indicate that he can't find a way to improve the situation.
Attempts to rectify the situation by force. For example, he ties up Marat, puts him in a car, and tries to take him away from his friends. Marat and Vova's father, Adidas. The brothers have different mothers.

Svetlana Mikhailovna, a single mother, is raising her son and daughter alone. Her cultural and empathetic nature doesn't really shine through in the story.