Character Forgotten Character Discussion

[Ninomiya]

This is a thread simply for the issue of Characters that seemed awesome but have been forgotten or left behind and other queries.

To begin with, the likelihoods of Zaizen, Yushi, Jirou, Hirakoba, Ibu, Kamio, Sengoku appearing again?

The likelihood of High Schoolers that have been defeated such as Washio, Suzuki, Nakagauchi, Yamato, Takei, Migihashi, Hakamada, Hara, Taira, Akiba, Ban, Date, Mitsuya, Fuwa, Mutsu twins appearing again in the series after being dropped from the storyline

Considering Konomi has brought Ryoga into the storyline due to popularity, what are the chances of Anime characters, Movie characters being brought into the storyline?

Does Konomi really cater for Character popularity? Since Sanada has been shown to be not even that popular only scoring No.17 and never gracing the Top 5 ever yet being given so much character development?

 

[Brandnewkid]

This is a thread simply for the issue of Characters that seemed awesome but have been forgotten or left behind and other queries.

To begin with, the likelihoods of Zaizen, Yushi, Jirou, Hirakoba, Ibu, Kamio, Sengoku appearing again?

Yushi, Jiro, and Hirakoba are definitely getting screentime. Sengoku as well. Zaizen, Kamio, and Ibu, however ... I dunno. Kamio kinda got pushed out the speed limelight when Kenya came through.

 

[Ninomiya]

Yushi, Jiro, and Hirakoba are definitely getting screentime. Sengoku as well. Zaizen, Kamio, and Ibu, however ... I dunno. Kamio kinda got pushed out the speed limelight when Kenya came through.

This is exactly what confuses me.

Hirakoba got 2nd for the chocolate thing, Yet in New Prince of Tennis he was outside of the Top 30. Sanada scoring in 19th appearing more than Hiyoshi Wakashi of 10th place, Shishido Ryo of 12th place, Mukahi Gakuto of 14th, Kikumaru Eiji and Oshitari Yushi of joint 16th and Zaizen Hikaru of 18th.

With the way Sanada got so much development where like I though he isnt even that popular as a character, it leaves me confused. Even Kabaji and Kawamura got screentime when they arent even in the Top 30. Same with Momoshiro who is now outside the Top 30.

Since Konomi has sped up this U -17 Camp arc with Byoudouin declaring it will be decided in 1 day, doesnt this mean that everybody will play just the once? Therefore the likes of even Fuji Yuuta who is only an individual vote behind Sanada will not get so much as a match.

 

[-Ken-]

This is exactly what confuses me.

Hirakoba got 2nd for the chocolate thing, Yet in New Prince of Tennis he was outside of the Top 30. Sanada scoring in 19th appearing more than Hiyoshi Wakashi of 10th place, Shishido Ryo of 12th place, Mukahi Gakuto of 14th, Kikumaru Eiji and Oshitari Yushi of joint 16th and Zaizen Hikaru of 18th.

With the way Sanada got so much development where like I though he isnt even that popular as a character, it leaves me confused. Even Kabaji and Kawamura got screentime when they arent even in the Top 30. Same with Momoshiro who is now outside the Top 30.

Since Konomi has sped up this U -17 Camp arc with Byoudouin declaring it will be decided in 1 day, doesnt this mean that everybody will play just the once? Therefore the likes of even Fuji Yuuta who is only an individual vote behind Sanada will not get so much as a match.

It's probably because Sanada is too strong of a tennis player to simply pushed off. I think that's it.

 

[Brandnewkid]

Maybe it just means that Konomi doesn't always base everything on popularity polls ...?

 

[LetalHawk]

Shishido, Zaizen and Jirou had definitely a great potential to become strong characters but they were left behind.

 

[Fuji Shusuke]

I reckon Shishido was too much of a try hard. Zaizen is kinda cool but bland at the same time. On the other hand Jirou is awesome

 

[Ninomiya]

Maybe it just means that Konomi doesn't always base everything on popularity polls ...?

Isnt that somewhat odd for a mangaka?
I mean, Momoshiro Takeshi for the first time is even outside the Top 30!!

He is like Yamamoto is to Hitman Reborn.

I would expect popularity to at least have a huge influence.

---------- Post added at 03:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:58 PM ----------

Shishido, Zaizen and Jirou had definitely a great potential to become strong characters but they were left behind.

Is that simply the end of it?
Will Konomi ACTUALLY leave them behind? since he has now properly introduced a total of 50+fodders MSers and HSers to the camp. Would he fodderize all of them just like that?

 

[Brandnewkid]

Isnt that somewhat odd for a mangaka?
I mean, Momoshiro Takeshi for the first time is even outside the Top 30!!

He is like Yamamoto is to Hitman Reborn.

I would expect popularity to at least have a huge influence.

I believe popularity has something to do with it. I mean, television shows and novels and such work the same way. But I seriously doubt a manga-ka would base everything in his story based on popularity from his readers. He has his own things that he wants to do with the story too. That's why he became a manga-ka in the first place. He writes PoT, not the fans.

Is that simply the end of it?
Will Konomi ACTUALLY leave them behind? since he has now properly introduced a total of 50+fodders MSers and HSers to the camp. Would he fodderize all of them just like that?

Konomi has said in his Pair Puris that he has ideas for his characters that often get neglected, and we've seen that he acts on those ideas at times. For example, he gave Yuta, a scrubby character (come on, out of the all the pre-Hyotei era of players where things were still relatively realistic, Yuta was one of the more mediocre players and was played for sympathy more than anything else; compared to guys like Shinji, Sengoku, Akutsu, Yuta wasn't that great) some show time with the Double Twist Spin Shot. Granted, we didn't see how it worked, but Konomi hasn't neglected him.

I think Konomi has his ideas for the players you mentioned, and I think Zaizen especially will get some showtime, especially since he was hyped up as one of those Fuji/Oshitari/Jiro-kind of 'genius' players and then left for dead in the main story. I bet Konomi had an idea for him before he was told to sit the bench.

By the way, what Court is Zaizen, Jiro, and Shishido?

 

[FrostyMouse]

Off the top of my head, Shishido's part of Court 2 as he's part of the BJB. Jirou's Court 6, I believe. I don't remember what happened to Zaizen; if he lost, he's Court 2, if not, he's like 7 or 8, probably. I'm too lazy to look for the page.

 

[Kaoz]

Before the 5 day shuffle matches that took place before the 1st Stringers arrived, Zaizen and Shishido were part of 2nd court as they were both with the BJB. Akutagawa moved up to 3rd court through the team shuffle.

That was around 20 chapters ago though, and a lot of shuffle matches were played since then, so it's not really possible to say where they stand at the moment.

 

[Ninomiya]

Before the 5 day shuffle matches that took place before the 1st Stringers arrived, Zaizen and Shishido were part of 2nd court as they were both with the BJB. Akutagawa moved up to 3rd court through the team shuffle.

That was around 20 chapters ago though, and a lot of shuffle matches were played since then, so it's not really possible to say where they stand at the moment.

Exactly. The Shuffles werent even shown, but from the shuffles, they gathered that the best MSer was Yukimura. Thing is, they decided to not play any other MSers. I was expecting so many others to play.

In other words, despite the MSers popularity, we arent going to ever see PoT style full matches with each Mser of the camp again.
Meaning players like Zaizen will never actually be seen in a match.

And players like Yagyuu, Marui, Kenya, Hirakoba and Mukahi will never be seen in Singles matches ever in the series.

Am I really the only person who was expecting at least one or two more Team Shuffles or at least one or two more Player Shuffles?

 

[ashore]

there's just too many jr highs out there. and I dont think all of the jr highs are going to make the 1st string. half of them are already on first string.
Not sure how komoni is going to choose if its not based on popularity polls.

 

[MochiRoll]

Meaning players like Zaizen will never actually be seen in a match.

Zaizen? Ah that supposed tensai player of Shitenhouji. Seriously, he is the player I badly wants to see in a full match. He is so damn popular I don't think he deserves it. We only saw him take a swing, a failed swing at that, and all are just going gaga. Eek. :/ Yes, he's fun with that blog he runs which apparently had all the MSers subscribed to as the databooks said but my God, that's all he offers. He even got an OVA special. Like, really..

I'm not hating or anything but there is a need to justify his popularity. One single match. Just one single match. Which I also believe will never be given by Konomi. :/

 

[FrostyMouse]

Yeah, if Zaizen had at least done something, I could buy the popularity, but he's done nothing, except prove that he's a noob.

The fangirls can be so odd at times.

 

[Ninomiya]

Yeah, if Zaizen had at least done something, I could buy the popularity, but he's done nothing, except prove that he's a noob.

The fangirls can be so odd at times.

I think its coz Zaizen has piercings and I remember in Detective Conan that it was mentioned that most schoolers in Japan dont wear piercings to school.

Also, has anyone else wondered why Konomi hasnt told us which teams Mitsuya Akuto and Fuwa Tetsuhito belonged to?

Since they are High School 2nd Years meaning that when Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi and probably Mouri first won the Nationals, Fuwa and Mitsuya would have been 3rd Years in the exact same tournament.

---------- Post added April 07, 2012 at 01:02 PM ---------- Previous post was April 06, 2012 at 04:47 AM ----------

And Tokugawa Kazuya for that matter who is also a 2nd Year HSer therefore he should know Yuki and Sanada are the badasses that won the nationals when Tokugawa was a 3rd Year MSer.

Also who gets the feeling that we will get an all MSer Top 10?

 

[Kaoz]

And Tokugawa Kazuya for that matter who is also a 2nd Year HSer therefore he should know Yuki and Sanada are the badasses that won the nationals when Tokugawa was a 3rd Year MSer.

Except that as far as we know he might have never attended a middle school in Japan (and during the time he did, he probably didn't join the tennis club) and he looked down on Japanese tennis as a whole, so he wouldn't bother to check who was doing well.

 

[Ninomiya]

Except that as far as we know he might have never attended a middle school in Japan (and during the time he did, he probably didn't join the tennis club) and he looked down on Japanese tennis as a whole, so he wouldn't bother to check who was doing well.

Surely he would have mentioned that he went to a Middle School abroad when he gave Ryoma a cool story about his past. But yeah its possible that during Middle School he only played for his outside of school clubs so didnt participate in Tournaments.
Coz im sure he would have been an OB from at least ONE school of the MSers so its likely he went to a no-name school and focused on tennis elsewhere.

Mitsuya is a Tokyo Player we can assume since he met Yanagi on the way home when Yanagi was a child. When Yanagi was young he lived in Tokyo.

 

[Fayte]

Does Konomi really cater for Character popularity? Since Sanada has been shown to be not even that popular only scoring No.17 and never gracing the Top 5 ever yet being given so much character development?

If Prince of Tennis was based upon character polls, the series would have been renamed "Atobe and friends."

On a serious note, Sanada has been Konomi's idea of the perfect "final boss" since Season 1. That's why Yukimura wasn't even mentioned until like the Kantou finals. I'm really convinced Konomi put all his effort into making Sanada the main boss, and came up with the idea of Yukimura later. Not to mention the source of the name "Sanada" that inspired Konomi to begin with. That being said, it would be absurd to think Sanada shouldn't get screen time. He means just as much to the story as any other main character. He was once the biggest Antagonist, and now he is joined together with Echizen (the very person that was in conflict with him). The entire point is to show how "the good guy" and "the bad guy" are now on the same side and both growing alongside each other at rapid rates.

 

[Fuji Shusuke]

Although you have to admit, if is wasn't slightly character biased not many people would be reading the manga.