The Prince of Tennis/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


This includes the teams and characters that have appeared in the Prince of Tennis anime, and the tropes they embodied.

Naturally, this is chock-full of SPOILERS.


Seishun Gakuen aka Seigaku

Seigaku is a school which once knew glory as, 25 years ago, young Nanjiroh Echizen became its star and led a formerly mediocre team into a fearsome one. However, after Nanjiroh's graduation, the school slowly slipped back into the background, unable to make it into the Nationals until the arrival of talented young people like Kunimitsu Tezuka, Shuusuke Fuji and others. The strongest push comes from Nanjiroh's son, the also insanely talented Ryoma Echizen, whose presence finally gave Seigaku the strength to come back with a vengeance and reach Nationals, taking the Kanto regionals by storm.

Here are the most outstanding characters in Seigaku, as well as the tropes associated with them.


Echizen Ryoma

The child of Nanjiroh Echizen (former star of Seigaku, now a somewhat perverted and always cheerful monk who retired from tennis to further his child's career) and Rinko Takeuchi (a sweet-tempered, calm attorney who used to be quite the tomboy in her younger years). Bratty, cocky, somewhat dense in anything not related to tennis, sometimes bordering on Jerkass due to some of his actions - still, he's got some kind of charm that attracts almost everyone in his surroundings. Liking him or not might depend on the canon you're watching, though.

Tropes associated with Ryoma:


Tezuka Kunimitsu

Raised in a very traditional Japanese household (having an ex-police officer as his grandfather and role model pays off), Tezuka is a handsome, serious, no-nonsense leader whose biggest wish is to win the Nationals, ever since as a first-year his Bunny Ears Lawyer captain made him promise to be the "Pillar Of Seigaku". He's the first one to notice Ryoma, despite his great skills, still had a long way to go, and since then he wants to shape the kid into the future leader of the team. Lots of players admire him and see him as a great rival, especially Fuji, Atobe from Hyoutei and his childhood friend Sanada from Rikkaidai. Has also the misfortune of having a chronic injury plaguing him from his first year...

Tropes associated with Tezuka:


Oishi Shuichiro

Tropes associated with Oishi:


Fuji Syuusuke

A cheerful, slightly feminine-looking, always cool young man, Fuji is regarded as possibly the only one, apart of Ryoma, who can surpass Tezuka in terms of skill inside of Seigaku, especially for his use of counters (he has SEVERAL of those, all of them with impossibly cool names). However, he seems to play more for the thrill of the game, rather than to truly win against an opponent; it's not until later that Fuji comes to take tennis as more than a fun, exhilarating way to pass time, learning to truly love the sport. Meanwhile, he helps out his friends and companions as much as he can, with an almost perpetual smile that disappears completely if someone he cares for is in risk...

Tropes associated with Fuji:


Kikumaru Eiji

The epitome of bubbly and cheery is this bouncy, cheerful, slightly spoiled boy whose abilities rely on his sharp eyes, his flexibility and his ability to jump high and quick from her to there. He may look ditzy and act like a child sometimes, but if you underestimate him, you will lament it: not just because Eiji is very skillful, but can also have as much willpower and strength as the other players. Is often seen with his close friend Fuji or his partner Oishi, the other half of the "Golden Pair", and to whom he's fiercely devoted (and yes, this is the source of LOTS of Ho Yay, according to fandom - can't blame the fans one bit, though).

Tropes associated with Eiji:


Inui Sadaharu

Tropes associated with Inui:


Kawamura Takashi

Tropes associated with Kawamura:


Momoshiro Takeshi

Tropes associated with Momoshiro:


Kaidoh Kaoru

Tropes associated with Kaidoh:

Fudomine chuu

Tachibana Kippei

Tropes associated with Tachibana:


Kamio Akira

Tropes associated with Kamio:


Ibu Shinji

Tropes associated with Ibu:


Ishida Tetsu

Tropes associated with Ishida:


Sakurai Masaya

Tropes associated with Sakurai:


Uchimura Kyosuke

Tropes associated with Uchimura:


Mori Tatsunori

Tropes associated with Mori:

St. Rudolph Gakuin

Mizuki Hajime

Tropes associated with Mizuki:


Fuji Yuuta

Tropes associated with Yuuta:


Akazawa Yoshirou

Tropes associated with Akazawa:

Kaneda Ichirou

Tropes associated with Kaneda:


Kisarazu Atsushi

Tropes associated with Atsushi:


Yanagisawa Shinya

Tropes associated with Yanagisawa:


Nomura Takuya

Tropes associated with Nomura:

Yamabuki chuu

Sengoku Kiyosumi

Tropes associated with Sengoku:


Akutsu Jin

Tropes associated with Akutsu:


Minami Kentarou

Tropes associated with Minami:


Higashikata Masami

Tropes associated with Higashikata:


Dan Taichi

Tropes associated with Dan:


Muromachi Touji

Tropes associated with Muromachi:


Nitobe Inakichi

Tropes associated with Nitobe:


Kita Ichiuma

Tropes associated with Kita:

Hyoutei Gakuen

The biggest Ensemble Darkhorse among the fandom is this private school majorly attended by kids from rich families, which offers education from kindergarten to university level. Hyotei's strength lies in its strict stratification and merit system, which prioritizes ability only rather than emotion; the tennis club has 200 members selected through very strict methods devised by the coach and music teacher Taro Sakaki. Its captain is Keigo Atobe, whose wealth, charisma and skills are only compared with the Draco in Leather Pants treatment he sometimes gets in fanfiction.


Atobe Keigo

The only son and heir to one of the richer families in Japan, Atobe lived a good part of his life in England and only returned to Japan when it was his turn to attend junior high. Narcissistic, arrogant, self-centered and loud, Atobe isn't only brawns and no brains though - he's also an excellent leader, multi-talented, as well as quite more noble than one would expect from a rich kid who seems to be just the male version of a Rich Bitch in his first apparition. Atobe might have a pretty face, hordes of fangirls in both the story and real life (some of them reaching ridiculous extremes in fandom), but once you see through the facade, you can expect an excellent match and a quite noble rival.

Tropes associated with Atobe:

  • The Ace
  • Anime Hair: In the games and the manga he's a blond, in the anime he's silver-haired.
  • Attention Whore
  • Big Fancy House: No doubt about that.
  • Bishie Sparkle: One of the biggest "offenders".
  • Catch Phrase: "Ore-sama no bigi no yoi na!" "Be awed at the sight of my prowess" and its variations.
  • Charm Point. His mole. There's even a song dedicated to it.
  • Die for Our Ship: Some Sanada/Yukimura fangirls loathe him.
  • Draco in Leather Pants: Some of his rabid fans often make him a pure, selfless, ultra-pure angel, overlooking the flaws and exaggerations that make him fun in the first place.
  • Fan Nickname: "Ore-sama", by the fandom. "Monkey King", in canon.
  • Fanon: It's obvious whether or not a person likes him within the fandom. He's either loved, or hated. Both is really just an exaggeration of his existing qualities.
  • Fridge Brilliance: Before the Nationals, he hones his insight to create World of Ice, a technique that can see any given player's blind spots. At first, you'd wonder why the creator chose ice. Hyotei actually means 'Ice Emperor'.
  • Gorgeous George: Fanfiction often flanderize him as one of these.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: So much. The biggest example is "Atobe kara no okurimono", in which he organizes a whole festival to cheer up Kabaji after his beloved older sister gets engaged.
    • What he spends his allowance on? Treating out his club members.
  • Junichi Suwabe
  • I Have You Now, My Pretty: He was sorta doing this to An in his first apparition.
  • Important Haircut: After losing to Ryoma in the Nationals. Subverted because he's later shown using a wig.
  • Insufferable Genius
  • Large Ham: So over the top.
  • Launcher of a Thousand Ships: Another one who's paired up with *everyone*
  • Magnificent Bastard: Don't let the pretty face fool you. He can be one nasty SOB and do it with style.
  • Pet the Dog: Is the Magnificent Bastard, but has shown a soft spot for his companion Kabaji and supported Shishido's plight without hesitation or second thoughts. And after he defeats Tezuka, he also acknowledges his deterination and instead of lifting his hand to celebrate, he takes Tezuka's hand and they both lift the together.
  • Signature Move: 'Hametsu e no Rondo.'
  • Tall, Dark and Snarky
  • The White Prince: Filthy rich, doesn't mind to either show it off or use it to help his friends.


Oshitari Yuushi

Tropes associated with Oshitari:


Mukahi Gakuto

Tropes associated with Mukahi:


Shishido Ryou

Tropes associated with Shishido:


Akutagawa Jirou

Tropes associated with Jirou:


Kabaji Munehiro

Tropes associated with Kabaji:


Ohtori Choutarou

Tropes associated with Ohtori:


Hiyoshi Wakashi

Tropes associated with Hiyoshi:


Taki Haginosuke

Tropes associated with Taki:

  • Bob Haircut
  • Important Haircut: Invoked. In the anime, when Ryoma is going to cut Atobe's hair to fill in their bet, Taki tries to stop him and offers to have his own beautiful hair cut instead. Ryoma looks like he's considering it, but then Atobe grabs the electric razor and cuts his own hair instead.
  • Kohei Kiyasu
  • Sacrificial Lamb: Subverted. He has to sacrifice his regular spot as he lost to Shishido, he doesn't die because of it.

Jousei Shounen

The anime-only team faced after Hyotei. In a sense, they're an Expy of Hyotei, with arrogance, players with similar play-styles, etc.

Kajimoto Takahisa

Tropes associated with Kajimoto:


Shinjo Reiji

Tropes associated with Shinjo:


Wakato Hiroshi

Tropes associated with Wakato:


Tanaka Yohei

Tropes associated with Yohei:


Tanaka Kohei

Tropes associated with Kohei:


Kiriyama Daichi

Tropes associated with Kiriyama:


Oota Shou

Tropes associated with Oota:

Rokkaku chuu

Aoi Kentarou

Tropes associated with Aoi:


Saeki Koujirou

Tropes associated with Saeki:


Amane 'Davide' Hikaru

Tropes associated with Amane:


Kurobane Harukaze

Tropes associated with Kurobane:


Itsuki Marehiko

Tropes associated with Itsuki:


Kisarazu Ryou

Tropes associated with Ryou:


Shudou Satoshi

Tropes associated with Shudou:

Rikkaidai Fuzoku

Yukimura Seiichi

Tropes associated with Yukimura:


Sanada Genichirou

Tropes associated with Sanada:


Yanagi Renji

Tropes associated with Yanagi:


Kirihara Akaya

Tropes associated with Kirihara:

  • Bratty Half-Pint: Despite being already 13 years old.
  • Blood Knight
  • Catch Phrase: "Tsubusu yo" (I'll crush you), and "I'll defeat the three demons and become Number 1!"
  • Character Exaggeration: His Blood Knight tendences get exaggerated to ridiculous degrees in the manga. Made even worse in the anime, where he actually was given Character Development and seeked to not fall into this... but the Aesop Amnesia kicked in and that was lost
  • Cry Cute (in the anime
  • Evil Counterpart: to Ryoma, though not explicitly stated. They're both the young, childish, arrogant aces of their teams with exceptional skills. While Ryoma may aim for people with his twist serve and Drive A, this is a key part of Kirihara's playstyle. Ryoma's been trained from a young age, Akaya's a prodigy.
  • Green Eyes
  • Heavy Sleeper: He once fell asleep on the bus while on his way to school... and crossed all the way from Kanagawa to Tokyo. In his Sanroku no Mystic route he actually falls aleep on Tsugumi more than once.
  • I Can Still Fight: In the anime, during his match with Kevin Smith he injures his shoulder by colliding with the net pole. After so long he's forced to forfeit the match as the pain becomes too unbearable to carry on.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: His violent and cocky behavior in courts contrasts with his child-like naivete.
  • Showtaro Morikubo
  • Signature Move: 'Knuckle serve.'
  • The Berserker


Yagyuu Hiroshi

Tropes associated with Yagyuu:


Niou Masaharu

Tropes associated with Niou:


Marui Bunta

Tropes associated with Marui:


Jackal Kuwahara

Tropes associated with Jackal:

American Team

Kevin Smith

Tropes associated with Kevin:


George Smith

Tropes associated with Smith:


Billy Cassidy

Tropes associated with Billy:


Michael Lee

Tropes associated with Lee:


Tom Griffey

Tropes associated with Tom:


Terry Griffey

Tropes associated with Terry:


Bobby Max

Tropes associated with Bobby:


Arnold Ignashov

Tropes associated with Arnold:

  • East Germany: Was born there, then his parents left to the USA.

Shitenhouji chuu

Toyama Kintarou

Tropes associated with Kintarou:


Shiraishi Kuranosuke

Tropes associated with Shiraishi:


Chitose Senri

Tropes associated with Chitose:


Ishida Gin

Tropes associated with Gin:


Oshitari Kenya

Tropes associated with Kenya:


Konjiki Koharu

Tropes associated with Koharu:


Hitouji Yuuji

Tropes associated with Yuuji:


Zaizen Hikaru

Tropes associated with Zaizen:

  • Mouthy Kid: Calling your own sempai "gross"?
  • Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette
  • Teen Genius: Subverted. Gets mentioned as one, though we never see him play a match.
    • Played Straight when the 2nd lot of the 'Another Story' OVAs came out. We see him team up with Koishikawa.


Koishikawa Kenjirou

Tropes associated with Koishikawa:

  • Demoted to Extra: Was supposed to have a larger role, but Chitose's appearance shot that to hell.

Higa chuu

Kite Eishirou

Tropes associated with Kite:


Kai Yuujirou

Tropes associated with Kai:


Tanishi Kei

Tropes associated with Tanishi:


Hirakoba Rin

Tropes associated with Hirakoba:


Chinen Hiroshi

Tropes associated with Chinen:


Shiranui Tomoya and Aragaki Koichi

Tropes associated with Shiranui and Aragaki:

Other Characters

Karupin


Echizen Rinko (née Takeuchi)

  • Biker Babe: In her youth
  • Hot Mom: When we see a young Rinko with an equally young Nanjirou and a toddler!Ryoma... holy crap
  • Love At First Punch: She was the first girl who didn't take Nanjirou's crap. Of course, they ended up married.
  • Pettanko: And not amused when Nanjirou lampshades the trope.
  • Plucky Girl
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: The first proof of her growing feelings for Nanjirou is how she switches from a t-shirt and baggy pants into a cute tennis dress. He keeps teasing her, though.
  • SHe Who Must Not Be Seen: We barely get to see her face in the modern time stories.
  • Tsundere: Type B: Normally sweet and soft-spoken, but used to be rather violent to Nanjirou before they got together, and now she's hinted to be the main breadwinner.


Echizen Nanjirou


Meino Nanako


Yamato Yuudai

Tropes associated with Yamato:


Ryuuzaki Sumire

Tropes associated with Sumire:


Banda Mikiya

Tropes associated with Banda:


Sakaki Tarou

Tropes associated with Sakaki:


Hanamura Aoi

Tropes associated with Hanamura:


Ojii

Tropes associated with Ojii:


Richard Baker

Tropes associated with Baker:


Hannah Essenheimer


Iijyuin Kurumi


Iijyuin Narumi


Chitose Miyuki


Akutsu Yuki


Fuji Yumiko


Inoue Mamoru


Shiba Saori


Horio Satoshi

Tropes associated with Horio:


Kato Kachirou

Tropes associated with Kachirou:


Mizuno Katsuo

Tropes associated with Katsuo:


Arai Masashi

Tropes associated with Arai:


Ikeda Masaya

Tropes associated with Ikeda:


Hayashi Daisuke

Tropes associated with Hayashi:

Ryuuzaki Sakuno

Tropes associated with Sakuno:


Osakada Tomoka

Tropes associated with Tomoka:

Tachibana An

Tropes associated with An:

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