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Changed line(s) 244,245 (click to see context) from:
* TheQuietOne
to:
* TheQuietOne
AwesomeByAnalysis: Like with Maruo, this is the core of his tennis. ''Unlike'' him, thus establishing Krishna as a foil, Krishna is able to keep the data in his head much more effectively. [[spoiler:Their match in the Keiryo Challenger finals basically boils down to who can analyse who the best.]]
* TheQuietOne: He doesn't talk much, usually only when he's spoken to first.
* TheQuietOne: He doesn't talk much, usually only when he's spoken to first.
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Super OCD is no longer a trope. Moving examples to other tropes when applicable.
Deleted line(s) 40 (click to see context) :
* SuperOCD: Eiichiro. Before he started playing tennis he always made a second copy of his school notes and he freaks out when they are damaged by other students.
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Changed line(s) 179 (click to see context) from:
* HotBlooded
to:
* HotBloodedHotBlooded: Highly spirited both in and out of court, especially whenever he wins a point. This can work against him as he originally had a habit of letting his emotions get the better of him whenever he begins losing to an opponent.
* SouthpawAdvantage: The fact that he's a lefty gives him an advantage against Eiichirou during their second match.
Changed line(s) 279,280 (click to see context) from:
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
to:
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
He also has a technique to regain his focus, involving visualizing all his frustration is contained within the tennis ball and deliberately hitting it out of bounds to imagine freeing himself from his anger. It costs him a point but he always mounts a fearsome comeback afterwards]].
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* CantCatchUp: The first time he played a match against Eiichirou he only loses by the skin of his teeth and partially by a fluke. The second time Eiichirou firmly dominates him and Miyagawa almost loses the will to keep playing when he realizes just how large a gulf there is between them now.
Changed line(s) 163 (click to see context) from:
* CoolShades
to:
* CoolShadesCoolShades: He wears spectacles normally but he switches them out for a pair of nifty sunglasses during his matches.
* EccentricArtist: Not by choice mind you. He was never interested in tennis for its own sake but because his parents pushed him into pursuing a different career out of fear that becoming an artist [[StarvingArtist wouldn't allow him to support himself]]. He "draws" artwork via the trajectory of the ball during each of his returns.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: A key weakness to his playstyle is the fact that he won't return any more balls in the match the minute he finishes drawing because it would ruin his artwork. To compensate he has a number of more complicated pictures that require much more aggressive and difficult to return strokes he breaks out against tougher opponents.
* EccentricArtist: Not by choice mind you. He was never interested in tennis for its own sake but because his parents pushed him into pursuing a different career out of fear that becoming an artist [[StarvingArtist wouldn't allow him to support himself]]. He "draws" artwork via the trajectory of the ball during each of his returns.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: A key weakness to his playstyle is the fact that he won't return any more balls in the match the minute he finishes drawing because it would ruin his artwork. To compensate he has a number of more complicated pictures that require much more aggressive and difficult to return strokes he breaks out against tougher opponents.
Changed line(s) 165,166 (click to see context) from:
* TheStoic
to:
* TheStoic
RequiredSecondaryPowers: When you take away his whole "drawing a picture" while playing gimmick. His most fearsome skill is the sheer amount of control he can exert over the ball, able to accurately hit to any part of the court from almost any position. A necessity when his primary goal during each match is to draw out a replica of a famous artwork through the arc of his strokes.
* TheStoic: Is noted to be a quiet and reserved person at least outwardly. On the inside he's often [[{{Squee}} gushing]] to himself whenever he completes one of his court pictures.
* TheStoic: Is noted to be a quiet and reserved person at least outwardly. On the inside he's often [[{{Squee}} gushing]] to himself whenever he completes one of his court pictures.
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
Changed line(s) 34 (click to see context) from:
* NeatFreak: Eiichirou values tidiness, which shows in his writing, manner of dress, and how orderly he arranges his boxed lunches. However he truly takes this UpToEleven with his habit of taking two sets of notes during class, one for studying and lending out to his classmates so that his treasured “master copy” can remain pristine.
to:
* NeatFreak: Eiichirou values tidiness, which shows in his writing, manner of dress, and how orderly he arranges his boxed lunches. However he truly takes this UpToEleven with his He has a habit of taking two sets of notes during class, one for studying and lending out to his classmates so that his treasured “master copy” can remain pristine.
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None
Changed line(s) 74 (click to see context) from:
* BrilliantButLazy: Takuma starts out this way.
to:
* BrilliantButLazy: Takuma starts out this way.way due to [[spoiler:being beaten by Ike Souji]] and feeling inferior as a result. Meeting Eiichirou and not wanting him to surpass him mostly fixed this attitude but coach Miura still scolds him for his complacency from time to time.
Changed line(s) 77,79 (click to see context) from:
* FaceOfAThug
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst of one.
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towards the protagonist, and has a tendency to look down on many characters.
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst of one.
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towards the protagonist, and has a tendency to look down on many characters.
to:
* FaceOfAThug
FaceOfAThug: He is frequently frowning and tends to look hostile although he isn't particularly bad-looking.
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst ofone.
one due to [[spoiler:his loss to Ike Souji]].
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towardsthe protagonist, Eiichirou, and has a tendency to look down on many characters.
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst of
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towards
Changed line(s) 89 (click to see context) from:
* CombatCommentator
to:
* CombatCommentatorCombatCommentator: As a way to explain things to the reader, he often commentates on what is happening during matches as well as being MrExposition for Eiichirou who is new to tennis and therefore everyone he plays against.
Changed line(s) 92 (click to see context) from:
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Yukichi is a good tennis player, even making it to the third round of the All-Japan Juniors. It's just that all the other major characters are better.
to:
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Yukichi is a good tennis player, even making it to the third round of the All-Japan Juniors. He was even a top six seed. It's just that all the other major characters are better.
Changed line(s) 101,102 (click to see context) from:
* CombatCommentator
* TheMentor
* TheMentor
to:
* CombatCommentator
CombatCommentator: He commentates on Eiichirou's matches about his opponent and his progress or deficiencies.
*TheMentorTheMentor: He is Eiichriou's first coach and teaches him about the fitness aspects of the sport as well as developing his "control" playstyle. He's also Takuma's coach.
*
Changed line(s) 113,115 (click to see context) from:
* PermaStubble
* TheMentor
* TheMentor
to:
* PermaStubble
PermaStubble: He looks like he never shaves.
*TheMentor
TheMentor: Succeeds Miura as Eiichirou's coach after he starts working more full-time with Takuma.
*
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Changed line(s) 19,20 (click to see context) from:
* ButtMonkey: At first.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki.
to:
* ButtMonkey: At first.
first. He is initially at the bottom tier of players at the tennis club and constantly mocked by a younger player even as he improves. His impromptu challenge against Takuma earned him several slapstick moments, including meeting the ball with his face, his hand throbbing while trying to reach a serve, and outright tumbling backwards because of the force of the serve.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki. His burgeoning tennis career causes him to miss some of his duties.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki. His burgeoning tennis career causes him to miss some of his duties.
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* CrazyPrepared: What he becomes when he has enough data.
to:
* CrazyPrepared: What he becomes when he has enough data. Anyone who reads his notes is surprised by how ''thorough'' they are.
Changed line(s) 40 (click to see context) from:
* SuperOCD: Eiichiro.
to:
* SuperOCD: Eiichiro. Before he started playing tennis he always made a second copy of his school notes and he freaks out when they are damaged by other students.
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Meganekko is no longer a trope. It's a Fanspeak term. Moving wicks to Bespectacled Cutie when appropriate.
Deleted line(s) 414 (click to see context) :
* {{Meganekko}}
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Changed line(s) 9,10 (click to see context) from:
--->'''Voiced by:''' Taishi Murata
to:
--->'''Voiced by:''' Taishi Murata
Creator/TaishiMurata
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Added DiffLines:
* TheGadfly: He likes teasing Eiichirou, made easier by how serious Eiichirou usually is. He once made Ei-chan's entire face freeze when he joked that [[spoiler:Natsu was his fiancè]] and laughed himself stupid at the result.
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Adorkable TRS.
Deleted line(s) 13 (click to see context) :
* {{Adorkable}}: He originally cannot speak to Natsu properly and blooms into a blush whenever someone brings her up as a romantic interest. He also gets flustered when people mess with his notebooks.
Added DiffLines:
* GibberishOfLove: Maruo originally cannot speak to Natsu properly and blooms into a blush whenever someone brings her up as a romantic interest. He also gets flustered when people mess with his notebooks.
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Changed line(s) 223 (click to see context) from:
* ForeignFanService: In the second Florida arc, her first appearance is in a skimpy bikini. She's first comes into frame shown from the [[MaleGaze ground up]], focusing on her legs and butt, before we see her face.
to:
* ForeignFanService: GorgeousGaijin: In the second Florida arc, her first appearance is in a skimpy bikini. She's first comes into frame shown from the [[MaleGaze ground up]], focusing on her legs and butt, before we see her face. She's an American.
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Changed line(s) 58 (click to see context) from:
* ObliviousToLove: Zigzagged. On the one hand, not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him. On the other hand, to everyone else Takuma's feelings for her are obvious to everyone ''except'' her.
to:
* ObliviousToLove: Zigzagged. On the one hand, not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him. On the other hand, to everyone else Takuma's feelings for her are obvious to everyone ''except'' her.
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Changed line(s) 58 (click to see context) from:
* ObliviousToLove: Completely inverted. Not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him.
to:
* ObliviousToLove: Completely inverted. Not Zigzagged. On the one hand, not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him.him. On the other hand, to everyone else Takuma's feelings for her are obvious to everyone ''except'' her.
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Updated through to Chapter 300 or so
* ConfusionFu: As his experience grows, Ei-chan's style is becoming like this. His change-of-pace style, tactical thinking, and the sheer variety of shots he is able to use makes him extremely hard to read, and his data allows him to pick the most effective patterns against his opponents, either catching them off-guard or slowing them down with indecision.
Changed line(s) 52 (click to see context) from:
* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group. She also feels like this in regards to Ike Souji. Aside from the obvious gender differences, there's also the fact that [[spoiler:they are childhood friends and she started tennis before him. In fact, she introduced him to the sport.]]
to:
* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group. [[spoiler:She finally beats her for the first time at the All-Japan Junior finals.]] She also feels like this in regards to Ike Souji. Aside from the obvious gender differences, there's also the fact that [[spoiler:they are childhood friends and she started tennis before him. In fact, she introduced him to the sport.]]
* CharacterDevelopment: Being with Ei-chan has inspired her to think more deeply and thoroughly about her future and plan out her path, even though planning isn't her forte. By the time of the All-Japan Championships, she's decided [[spoiler:to go to university in America on a tennis scholarship in order to give herself better conditions for going pro.]]
* CharacterDevelopment: Being with Ei-chan has inspired her to think more deeply and thoroughly about her future and plan out her path, even though planning isn't her forte. By the time of the All-Japan Championships, she's decided [[spoiler:to go to university in America on a tennis scholarship in order to give herself better conditions for going pro.]]
* FaceOfAThug
* PutOnABus / TheBusCameBack: Leaves along with Coach Miura once he graduates and goes pro, just before the Kanto Juniors. He reappears in the lead-up to the All-Japan Championships, winning a tournament in Thailand before heading back to Japan.
Changed line(s) 78 (click to see context) from:
to:
* TookALevelInBadass: Coming into the All-Japan Championships, he is already ranked ninth in Japan and has won three Challenger tournaments after only a year as a pro player.
Changed line(s) 98 (click to see context) from:
to:
* PutOnABus / TheBusCameBack: Leaves along with Takuma as his coach once the latter goes pro, with Aoi taking on the coaching duties from then on. He and Takuma both reappear in the lead-up to the All-Japan Championships.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Has some of this towards Marcia. [[spoiler:Especially when she says she'll get a sexier bathing suit for the next time Ei-chan visits.]]
Changed line(s) 214 (click to see context) from:
Marcia is Alex's younger sister and a junior player at Florida Tennis Academy. She is the first to play against Ei-chan when he arrives, but doesn't think much of his lack of ambition.
to:
Marcia is Alex's younger sister and a junior player at Florida Tennis Academy. She is the first to play against Ei-chan when he arrives, but doesn't think much of his lack of ambition. This changes during the second Florida arc, where it's very clear she develops a crush on him.
Changed line(s) 223 (click to see context) from:
One of Eiichirou's roommates in Florida. As a fellow Japanese, he helps Eiichirou find his way around at first.
to:
One of Eiichirou's roommates in Florida. As a fellow Japanese, he helps Eiichirou find his way around at first. [[spoiler:By the time Eiichirou returns to Florida, he has given up on going pro and instead become a coach at the academy.]]
Changed line(s) 234,241 (click to see context) from:
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakahiroSakurai
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation.
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakahiroSakurai
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation.
to:
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakahiroSakurai
A tennis player from Kanto
Ike Souji's coach, who takes an interest in
Changed line(s) 243,252 (click to see context) from:
* AceCustom: Even among top players, he pays lots of attention to his racquets and gets them specifically tuned for him.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/{{KENN}}
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/{{KENN}}
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
to:
* RenownedSelectiveMentor: Has produced many top-ranking athletes at the world level, and
!!Pete Gonzales
A rising tennis star, becoming runner-up at the US Open juniors after only three years playing tennis. Used to play baseball, only starting tennis in high school, and like Eiichirou
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/{{KENN}}
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
* GentleGiant: Towers over most of the other characters at 2 meters tall, but a very friendly guy overall and very close to his family.
* HeroicBSOD: Suffered one in his backstory when the pressure and expectations on him as a baseball player finally caused him to blow up and get into a fight. He switched to tennis after that.
* IKnowMaddenKombat: Pete is able to apply a lot of his baseball experience to tennis.
* LightningBruiser: Has all the power that comes with being big and tall, while also noted to be incredibly speedy.
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: While only 4 of them are actual siblings, there are 23 people together in Pete's immediate family.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: His name and appearance may evoke Pete Sampras.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Towards his entire family; he feels he's betrayed their expectations after they supported his baseball playing for so long and needs to make up for it, even though they don't actually blame him.
* WorthyOpponent
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakahiroSakurai
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation. [[spoiler:He wins the All-Japan Juniors yet again by defeating Kanda after the latter's win against Ei-chan, and later beats Krishna at the Super Junior finals in Osaka.]]
----
* AceCustom: Even among top players, he pays lots of attention to his racquets and gets them specifically tuned for him.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/{{KENN}}
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
----
* HeroicBSOD: Suffered one in his backstory when the pressure and expectations on him as a baseball player finally caused him to blow up and get into a fight. He switched to tennis after that.
* IKnowMaddenKombat: Pete is able to apply a lot of his baseball experience to tennis.
* LightningBruiser: Has all the power that comes with being big and tall, while also noted to be incredibly speedy.
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: While only 4 of them are actual siblings, there are 23 people together in Pete's immediate family.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: His name and appearance may evoke Pete Sampras.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Towards his entire family; he feels he's betrayed their expectations after they supported his baseball playing for so long and needs to make up for it, even though they don't actually blame him.
* WorthyOpponent
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakahiroSakurai
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation. [[spoiler:He wins the All-Japan Juniors yet again by defeating Kanda after the latter's win against Ei-chan, and later beats Krishna at the Super Junior finals in Osaka.]]
----
* AceCustom: Even among top players, he pays lots of attention to his racquets and gets them specifically tuned for him.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/{{KENN}}
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
----
Changed line(s) 298 (click to see context) from:
* HormoneAddledTeenager: Gets caught sneaking out of the dorm to date girls, and seems pretty jealous of the fact that [[spoiler: Eiichirou and Nacchan are dating.]]
to:
* HormoneAddledTeenager: Gets caught sneaking out of the dorm to date girls, and seems pretty jealous of the fact that [[spoiler: Eiichirou and Nacchan are dating.dating, and again when Eiichirou recognizes Marcia in Florida.]]
* TheRival / WorthyOpponent: Acts as this to Eiichirou during [[spoiler:the second Florida arc, being also from Japan and very close to Ei-chan in skill level.]] There is a sense of camaderie between the two, but he's notably not all that friendly about it.
Changed line(s) 325,330 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Others]]
!!Kageyama Kojirou
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakumaTerashima
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
!!Kageyama Kojirou
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakumaTerashima
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
to:
!!Kageyama Kojirou
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakumaTerashima
!!Konishi Kimio
Ei-chan's
Changed line(s) 332,339 (click to see context) from:
* Dogged Nice Guy: To Sasaki, he goes to work his ass to the ground for her to have a chance to go and cheer Eichiro on the Nationals.
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
to:
* Dogged Nice Guy: To Sasaki, he goes to work HappilyMarried: And expecting a baby, too!
* {{Salaryman}}: Works at a bank, while playing tennis in hisass to spare time as an amateur.
!!Akimoto Isao
Ei-chan's second opponent in theground for her to have a chance to go and cheer Eichiro on the Nationals.
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.preliminaries, an intercollegiate player from Inada University.
* {{Salaryman}}: Works at a bank, while playing tennis in his
!!Akimoto Isao
Ei-chan's second opponent in the
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
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* ClassRepresentative: Along with Ei-chan.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* {{Meganekko}}
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
* Tsundere: Amazingly enough, she becomes this to Kageyama, as she starts to notice the feelings she's developed for him.
!!Sanae and Kazuya Maruo
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
Eiichirou's parents.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* {{Meganekko}}
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
* Tsundere: Amazingly enough, she becomes this to Kageyama, as she starts to notice the feelings she's developed for him.
!!Sanae and Kazuya Maruo
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
Eiichirou's parents.
to:
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou,
* {{Meganekko}}
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
* Tsundere: Amazingly enough, she
!!Asano Shin
A 35-year-old veteran player, the oldest participant at the Championships. He becomes
!!Sanae and Kazuya Maruo
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
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* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries that his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
to:
* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries BadassDecay: Was once in the top ten in Japan, but is now at rank 71 due to being past his prime. Still, Coach Aoi states that keeping such a rank at all at his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club,age is pretty incredible, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted can be a dangerous opponent due to try becoming a his experience.
* WeakButSkilled: Has lost some speed and power over the years, but his technique is astounding.
!!Yamaguchi Jou
A 28-year-old professionaltennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter foreleventh-ranked in Japan and the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of tenth seed in the Championships. Briefly meets Eiichirou as his performance improves.and Natsu at a tennis shop before the tournament.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club,
* WeakButSkilled: Has lost some speed and power over the years, but his technique is astounding.
!!Yamaguchi Jou
A 28-year-old professional
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter for
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!!Ooguro Shirou
Ranked fourteenth in the JTA. Serves as Souji's training partner right before the tournament.
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* EyesAlwaysShut
!!Monma Ayumu
The second-ranked tennis player in Japan and second seed of the Championships, behind only Ike Souji.
----
* TheAce: Has won the All-Japan Championships four times in a row.
* CoolShades: Hasn't been seen without them yet.
Ranked fourteenth in the JTA. Serves as Souji's training partner right before the tournament.
----
* EyesAlwaysShut
!!Monma Ayumu
The second-ranked tennis player in Japan and second seed of the Championships, behind only Ike Souji.
----
* TheAce: Has won the All-Japan Championships four times in a row.
* CoolShades: Hasn't been seen without them yet.
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[[folder:Others]]
!!Kageyama Kojirou
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakumaTerashima
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
----
* Dogged Nice Guy: To Sasaki, he goes to work his ass to the ground for her to have a chance to go and cheer Eichiro on the Nationals.
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
----
* ClassRepresentative: Along with Ei-chan.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* {{Meganekko}}
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
* {{Tsundere}}: Amazingly enough, she becomes this to Kageyama, as she starts to notice the feelings she's developed for him.
!!Sanae and Kazuya Maruo
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
Eiichirou's parents.
----
* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries that his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
----
[[/folder]]
!!Kageyama Kojirou
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TakumaTerashima
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
----
* Dogged Nice Guy: To Sasaki, he goes to work his ass to the ground for her to have a chance to go and cheer Eichiro on the Nationals.
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
--->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AsamiSeto
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
----
* ClassRepresentative: Along with Ei-chan.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* {{Meganekko}}
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
* {{Tsundere}}: Amazingly enough, she becomes this to Kageyama, as she starts to notice the feelings she's developed for him.
!!Sanae and Kazuya Maruo
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
Eiichirou's parents.
----
* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries that his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
----
[[/folder]]
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* WarriorTherapist: A very rare variety, Eiichiro isn't one ''intentionally'' and he doesn't do it using speeches, like the norm. But his AwesomeByAnalysis strategy and highly adaptive playstyle, while effective for him, also lay out, clearly, what his opponents' weaknesses and shortcomings are. In short, playing against Eiichiro teaches you where you need improvement the most. The best of his opponents have realized this and improved themselves ''in the middle of the set.'' Which works out fine for Eiichiro, as he changes to suit the situation and improves ''himself'' as well. There's a reason more than one person has thanked Eiichiro for being their opponent, and why some of them ask to see his notes on them.
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* HiddenDepths: Eiichiro is pretty good at singing, if Natsu's shocked reaction to his karaoke is anything to go by.
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* CombatCommentator: Eiichiro frequently serves as this [[AwesomenessByAnalysis in his head during his own matches]], as he dissects his opponent's and his own playing on the fly.
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* CombatCommentator: Eiichiro frequently serves as this [[AwesomenessByAnalysis in his head during his own matches]], as he dissects his opponent's and his own playing on the fly.
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* {{Adorkable}}
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* {{Adorkable}}{{Adorkable}}: He originally cannot speak to Natsu properly and blooms into a blush whenever someone brings her up as a romantic interest. He also gets flustered when people mess with his notebooks.
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* TheNicknamer: Calls Ei-chan "Aniki", and refers to Ike Souji as "Shishou".
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* TheNicknamer: Calls Ei-chan "Aniki", "Aniki" (much to his chagrin), and refers to Ike Souji as "Shishou".
* WallOfText: He falls into this when he's giving exposition.
* WallOfText: He falls into this when he's giving exposition.
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* Dogged Nice Guy: To Sasaki, he goes to work his ass to the ground for her to have a chance to go and cheer Eichiro on the Nationals.
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* Tsundere: Amazingly enough, she becomes this to Kageyama, as she starts to notice the feelings she's developed for him.
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* RightBehindMe: The first time she's ever heard of him, she calls Ei-chan's habit of taking neat note 'weird' while he's sitting right behind her.
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* RightBehindMe: The first time she's ever heard of him, she calls Ei-chan's habit of taking neat note notes 'weird' while he's sitting right behind her.
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--->'''Voiced by:''' Taishi Murata
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!!Eiichirou's Parents
...Eiichirou's parents.
...Eiichirou's parents.
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...
--->'''Voiced by:''' Yuko Kato (Sanae), Creator/MitsuruMiyamoto (Kazuya)
Eiichirou's parents.
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--->'''Voiced by:''' Takuma Suzuki
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* TookALevelInBadass: The point of the Florida arc. He goes on to take several more levels as his experience grows.
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* TookALevelInBadass: The point of the Florida arc. He goes on to take several more levels as his experience grows.Before that, however, was the tournament where he took [[spoiler:a top four place]] after only getting third-round exits previously.
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I don\'t remember if this is in the manga.
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* TheDitz: Ei-chan's first opinion of her. It's not without cause because not only does she keep calling him weird about note-taking (while asking to borrow them) but she bumps into someone with food while reading them.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Her first meeting with Ei-chan isn't without pain on his end. She calls his note-taking habits weird while he is sitting behind her. She continues to call it (and him) weird ''to his face''. But she's not being malicious about it.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Her first meeting with Ei-chan isn't without pain on his end. She calls his note-taking habits weird while he is sitting behind her. She continues to call it (and him) weird ''to his face''. But she's not being malicious about it.
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* RightBehindMe: The first time she's ever heard of him, she calls Ei-chan's habit of taking neat note 'weird' while he's sitting right behind her.
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* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: As per WordOfGod, his character was inspired by Kei Nishikori, currently THE best Japanese tennis player, ever.
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* {{Meganekko}}
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* ForeignFanService: In the second Florida arc, her first appearance is in a skimpy bikini. She's first comes into frame shown from the [[MaleGaze ground up]], focusing on her legs and butt, before we see her face.
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* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group.
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* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group. She also feels like this in regards to Ike Souji. Aside from the obvious gender differences, there's also the fact that [[spoiler:they are childhood friends and she started tennis before him. In fact, she introduced him to the sport.]]
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A character sheet for the {{manga}} ''Manga/BabySteps''. Work in progress.
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Main Characters]]
!!Maruo Eiichirou
The protagonist of the story, a compulsively neat high-school honours student who suddenly realizes he has no real goal in life. The manga follows his progress into the world of tennis, as he discovers his passion for the sport and the life-changing effects it has on him.
----
* {{Adorkable}}
* AnimeHair: Not as exaggerated as most, but unique enough to identify him with.
--> '''Aoi (on the phone):''' By the way, there was a rooster-head kid running around and around the clubhouse.
--> '''Coach Miura:''' Rooster? Ahh, that's Maruo-kun.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Eiichirou's primary method of learning tennis is through careful analysis. When the natural talent Natsu looks at his notebook for the first time, she is amazed to see that he has taken careful notes of everything she's told him and every move he's made, complete with drawn diagrams, angles, and trajectories.
* BadassBookworm: Goes along with the above. He literally has his nose in a notebook during matches.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Justified. Every new character comments on Eiichiro's strange notebook habit, but his obsessive studying helps him to excel at tennis (and everything else he does).
* ButtMonkey: At first.
* CombatCommentator: Eiichiro frequently serves as this [[AwesomenessByAnalysis in his head during his own matches]], as he dissects his opponent's and his own playing on the fly.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki.
* CluelessChickMagnet: Though it's not really emphasized, when you think about it, [[spoiler: every notable female character his age is interested in him. Sasaki, Natsu, Aki, even Marcia during the second Florida arc. Eiichirou himself seems clueless about two of these, and would have remained clueless in Aki's case if Natsu hadn't pointed it out.]]
* CrazyPrepared: What he becomes when he has enough data.
* {{Determinator}}: Eiichirou shows shades of this early on, as when he can't remember how he made his first "perfect shot" in tennis by accident, he practices for hours against the wall every day until he can duplicate it. His tenaciousness is also what allows him to progress as far as he does in early tournaments, and many other characters note this as one of his strengths.
* GoodAngelBadAngel: A variant. During one portion of his training, Ei-chan's Reason and Instinct are often visualized as miniature versions of himself. The point was to make them work together instead of against each other so as to be at his most effective.
* JackOfAllStats: Eiichirou himself. He becomes good at all the major shots (lob, serve), court-covering, ball control, etc. However, he lacks any particular finishing shot like other players, which is why it's stated to be his weakness. [[spoiler: He grows out of it as the story progresses, gaining an above average serve that he got from mimicking Takuma, and his focus is very much in ball control. He continues to incorporate new moves into his repertoire, creating a change-of-pace playstyle that is incredibly varied.]]
* LovableNerd: Eiichirou, even in universe. Despite the fact that he's pretty nerdy and always at the top of his class, he seems to win the respect and admiration from the majority of his classmates.
* MeaningfulName: Eiichirou's nickname of "All-A" not only refers to the Japanese pronunciation of the first letter of his name, but also to his impeccable grades in every school subject.
* MegaManning: Eiichirou [[spoiler: adopts a variant of the Okada bazooka on the spot against Ogata, as his biggest weakness until then was his lack of power, most glaring against someone with a higher technical degree as Ogata is.]] Even before this, he is shown picking up small tricks and techniques from many of his opponents.
* NaiveNewcomer: We learn the "Ins and Outs" of tennis through the eyes of novice Eiichirou.
* NeatFreak: Eiichirou values tidiness, which shows in his writing, manner of dress, and how orderly he arranges his boxed lunches. However he truly takes this UpToEleven with his habit of taking two sets of notes during class, one for studying and lending out to his classmates so that his treasured “master copy” can remain pristine.
* NiceGuy: Eiichirou. This is one of the reasons that Natsu trusts him with her "big secret" (of wanting to someday become a professional tennis player) on the first day they met.
--> '''Eiichirou''': "Why did you let me in on your secret?"
--> '''Natsu''': "... because it's ''you''. I mean, I know you wouldn't tell anyone."
--> '''Eiichirou''': "But you can't be sure of that!"
--> '''Natsu:''': "I'm sure."
* SuperOCD: Eiichiro.
* TookALevelInBadass: The point of the Florida arc. He goes on to take several more levels as his experience grows.
* TrainingFromHell: The initial body conditioning training was this, so that Eiichirou could physically catch up to players who have been playing much longer than he has.
* WeakButSkilled: Eiichirou's playing style has no real power behind it, lacking any decisive shots or powerful returns. That being said, he can mentally divide the opponent's court area up into 64 squares and accurately put the ball into any of those squares at will.
** Not so much anymore, he outgrew this after his [[spoiler:trip to Florida and his latest match with Takuma, Eiichiro has developed a very decisively offensive control oriented style of tennis, backed by a powerful serve and precise footwork made only possible by [[TrainingFromHell complete physical reconditioning]] to strengthen his muscles and increase his stamina, even Miyagawa who Eiichiro defeated in their last match via a mixture of luck and determination, was quick to notice how he TookALevelInBadass and that he should probably consider him a completely different player.]] It is of course, difficult to notice the upgrade even for the reader up to that point, since the Manga does a very good job in [[ShownTheirWork presenting Eiichiro's progress very gradually, and in a very detailed and borderline realistic fashion]].
!!Takasaki Natsu
The female lead, in the same grade as Eiichirou and one of the most popular girls at school. Watching her practice tennis is one of the reasons Eiichirou took up the sport, and she continually cheers him on as he develops.
----
* BeautifulDreamer: [[spoiler: When she is convinced to take a short nap during the date at the pool with Ei-chan. His expression says it all, though subverted in that he's also thinking about tennis.]]
* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group.
* CuteClumsyGirl: Initially captivated by her good looks and frank demeanour, Eiichirou’s first impression of Natsu took a downward turn when she immediately tripped and fell into another student’s lunch… getting food all over the World History notes she had just borrowed from him. Remembering her cute expression when apologizing, however, he realized that he couldn’t hold a grudge for long.
* ObliviousToLove: Completely inverted. Not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him.
* PassionateSportsGirl
* PluckyGirl: Eiichirou admires this trait about Natsu. The trope is subverted every time he mentions it to her, as she then immediately tells him of all her inner insecurities.
* SchoolIdol: Kageyama refers to her as "The school's #1 cutie."
* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The performer to Aki's technician, with her mental strength and intuitive style.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Southern Tennis Club (STC)]]
!!Egawa Takuma
The best player at STC at the beginning of the story, he is a year older than Eiichirou and Natsu. With his height and build, he was surely on the road to becoming a pro, but a loss against a genius talent has made that path uncertain. Eiichirou nonetheless looks up to him greatly, and playing with Eiichirou is likewise pulling Takuma out of his slump.
----
* BrilliantButLazy: Takuma starts out this way.
* CantCatchUp: Takuma to [[spoiler:[[TheAce Ike Souji]]]], which presumably is what led to him deciding to not even bother trying anymore, much to the coach's chagrin. [[spoiler:He then starts training seriously again when Ei-chan starts showing signs of growth, determined not to let him catch up]].
* {{Delinquents}}: Has this reputation at school.
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst of one.
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towards the protagonist, and has a tendency to look down on many characters.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Very tall (190 cm / 6'3") and certainly dark-haired, but leans more towards surly and bad-tempered than snarky.
!!Fukuzawa Yukichi
Another player at STC, a friendly boy the same age as Eiichirou, whom he quickly takes to calling "Aniki". A decent player, but he is quickly eclipsed by Ei-chan's startling growth.
----
* CombatCommentator
* {{Gonk}}: Yukichi Fukazawa starts off as a normal-looking boy, but his face quickly shifts into an [[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120718051113/babysteps/images/9/9d/Fukazawa.png absurdly comic style]] compared to the rest of the cast.
* NiceGuy: He is always supportive of his friends and his reaction to them becoming better than him is admiration rather than resentment.
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Yukichi is a good tennis player, even making it to the third round of the All-Japan Juniors. It's just that all the other major characters are better.
* TheNicknamer: Calls Ei-chan "Aniki", and refers to Ike Souji as "Shishou".
!!Coach Miura
A veteran coach at STC who has trained many professional players. He is the first to notice Eiichirou's talents for tennis, and offers to train him with the aim of going pro.
----
* CombatCommentator
* TheMentor
!!Coach Aoi Ryuuhei
A retired professional player and former member of STC, now a coach specialized in physical conditioning. Takes over Eiichirou's training after Coach Miura shifts his focus to Takuma.
----
* CombatCommentator
* CareerEndingInjury: Coach Aoi's tennis career ended when injuries left him unable to play at the professional level. He chooses to specialize in physical conditioning to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
* EccentricMentor: Compared to Coach Miura, he's a lot more laidback and likes to tease Ei-chan, but is still a very good coach.
* PermaStubble
* TheMentor
!!Tajima Yuuki
A second grader training at STC. Usually seen taking jabs at Eiichirou while he is a novice player.
----
* ChildProdigy: Not really emphasized, but he is the 1st seed at Kanagawa's Under-12 division, and he's only 8 at most at the time.
* MouthyKid: He never misses an opportunity to give Ei-chan a hard time.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanagawa Junior Players]]
!!Oobayashi Ryou
Eiichirou's first opponent in an official match, the 5th seed of the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. A serve-and-volley style player.
----
* OhCrap: Played with. He and his friends have one when the famous players of STC all show up to join Ei-chan, and again when Ei-chan breaks Oobayashi's serve. The impression is broken as soon as Ei-chan serves, though.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Miyagawa, as they go to the same school.
* WakeUpCallBoss
!!Koshimizu Nariyuki
Eiichirou's first opponent during his second year in the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. A classmate from Oosugi High and a member of the school tennis club.
----
* UnknownRival: To Eiichirou over their grades.
!!Miyagawa Takuya
A friendly and laidback seeded player a year younger than Eiichirou. A baseliner who focuses on full swing ground strokes.
----
* CripplingOverspecialization: He has a "rainbow of ground strokes", but also relies only on his ground strokes.
* HeirToTheDojo: His family runs a tennis club.
* HeroicBSOD: Miyagawa had fallen into a slump between losing to Eiichirou at the Kanagawa Junior and meeting him again after the Florida arc.
** [[spoiler: Was close to another one in their rematch, when he realized that Eiichirou was actually better than him now, but Oobayashi snaps him out of it.]]
* PowerUpFood: Kelp tea and pickled plums during a match.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Oobayashi.
!!Iwasa Hiromi
A reserved boy often seen reading before his matches. His parents are artists, and his playstyle is extremely unusual. 3rd seed of the Kanagawa Junior Circuit.
----
* [[BrilliantButLazy Brilliant But Indifferent]]: His accuracy and control could probably have gotten him a lot further if he were actually serious about tennis.
* ConfusionFu: His style is this for his opponents. How do you predict someone who isn't even playing the same game as you?
* CoolShades
* IKnowMaddenKombat: Iwasa Hiromi is quite good at tennis, for someone who uses his skills to "draw pictures" with the ball during a match.
* TheStoic
!!Araya Hiroshi
One of the strongest players in Kanagawa, and self-appointed rival of Takuma. A baseliner who uses speed and power to overwhelm the opponent.
----
* AlwaysSecondBest: Has never won against Takuma, thus sparking their rivalry.
* BoisterousBruiser: Araya is one of the strongest players in the series in terms of power, and is also one of the friendliest and most talkative characters in the series. Not to mention loud.
* CharacterDevelopment: His match with Eiichirou caused him to confront his weaknesses and become a much better-rounded player.
* HotBlooded
* LightningBruiser: Araya's strengths are his power and speed on the court.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: There is usually at least one spectator who wonders if he's really a high school student.
!!Nishimura Kouji
A junior of Araya's in his tennis club. Fights Eiichirou in the first round of the Kanagawa Junior competition leading to the Kanto Junior.
----
* AdviceBackfire: Araya gives Nishimura advice on playing Eiichirou, which mostly consists of "he's a weak, defensive player." The analysis stems from Araya's game against Eiichiro from the prior year, and he has become a [[{{Determinator}} completely different player]] during that time.
* ThisCannotBe: When Eiichirou's tennis game turns out to be much better than advertised.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Florida Tennis Academy/IMG]]
!!Ike Souji
A former member of STC, now based in Florida. Though he is the same age as Eiichirou and Natsu, he has already progressed far ahead and made his debut as a professional.
----
* TheAce: Ike Souji, considered the best player in all of Japan and respected as the best player in one of the most prestigious Tennis schools in Florida.
* BigBrotherMentor: He gives this vibe with Ei-chan due to how far ahead he is as a tennis player, even though they're the same age.
* ChildhoodFriends: With Natsu.
* [[GenkiGirl Genki Guy]]: Very upbeat and cheerful when not playing tennis.
!!Mike
A coach and sports psychologist from Florida Tennis Academy, he first meets Eiichirou on a visit to STC. A very friendly man and enthusiastic about helping young players.
----
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: As a mental conditioning coach, his teaching relates to improving the player's spirit and mental strength.
* TheMentor
* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace
!!Alex O'Brien
A pro player training at the academy and Marcia's older brother. An aggressive and powerful player, though that is a common trait at the academy.
----
* WorthyOpponent: Begins to acknowledge Eiichirou as this after seeing him work hard and improve.
!!Marcia O'Brien
Marcia is Alex's younger sister and a junior player at Florida Tennis Academy. She is the first to play against Ei-chan when he arrives, but doesn't think much of his lack of ambition.
----
* {{Tsundere}}
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Eiichirou is shocked to find out that Marcia is only thirteen years old. He was sure they were the same age.
!!Taira Atsushi
One of Eiichirou's roommates in Florida. As a fellow Japanese, he helps Eiichirou find his way around at first.
----
* TranslatorBuddy: Acts as this to help Ei-chan communicate with the other English-speaking players.
!!Krishna
A 16-year old from India, and already one of the top athletes in national competitions.
----
* TheQuietOne
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation.
----
* AceCustom: Even among top players, he pays lots of attention to his racquets and gets them specifically tuned for him.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
----
* BuffySpeak
--> '''Ide (thinking to himself):''' If I hit a 'spah' with a 'tat-tta', then 'gyuun' is a 'tat-tt-ta'...
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: One of his strengths is his ability to synergize with the crowd's excitement to improve his own condition.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Ide Yoshiaki's back story is completely littered with sports movie clichés. He's given an [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/baby_steps/v16/c154/19.html entire cast of supporting characters]], a compulsion to [[ChronicHeroSyndrome risk forfeiting his qualifying match to help a child in a car accident]] (and subsequently, a promise to the [[WheelchairWoobie wheelchair-bound child]]), an ability to [[ThePowerOfFriendship draw strength from]] his [[InstantFanClub spontaneously huge fan base]], and a tendency to [[MiracleRally always come from behind in all of his games]]. It's no surprise that his match with Eiichiro spans ''sixteen chapters'' and ends in [[DownToTheLastPlay ridiculously dramatic fashion]].
--> '''Random spectator:''' Wow, it feels like I'm really watching a movie!!
* HomefieldAdvantage: Ide invokes this by winning over the crowd wherever he goes.
* {{Keet}}: Ide Yoshiaki.
* RedOniBlueOni: Often seen with Okada, but the opposite of him in personality.
!!Takagi Sakuya
From the same club as Nabae, the 4th seed of the Kanto Juniors.
----
* CombatPragmatist: Takagi Sakuya uses almost any tactics to win as long as it's within boundaries, including provoking and/or pissing off his opponents.
* DeathGlare
* {{Determinator}}: The one time Takagi beat Nabae was because he outlasted him in a practice match through sheer endurance.
* {{Jerkass}}
* StoneWall: Takagi may use cheap tricks, but even Maruo admits that his stamina is quite amazing. On the flip side, he doesn't have many significant strengths.
!!Okada Takayuki
A tall and powerful player, but pessimistic by nature. In Eiichirou's own words, a "super fast offensive type, rising flat shot style baseliner". 3rd seed at the All-Japan Junior.
----
* CallingYourAttacks: Invoked. He's definitely not the type to do it, but Ide is and calls his attacks for him. [[CrossPoppingVeins He is not appreciative when he finds out]].
* DeterminedDefeatist: Very pessimistic, yet seems to be all the stronger for it.
* HonorBeforeReason: Refuses to mix in other types of shots beside his rising flats due to belief in his own style, even though it would be incredibly useful.
** Then subverted when [[spoiler: he does try a topspin, and utterly fails. This actually reaffirms his belief in his style and lets him play better than ever]].
* RedOniBlueOni: Often seen with Ide, but the opposite of him in personality.
* SignatureMove: His rising flat shot. Nearly the only shot he relies on, [[spoiler: except for the ultra-powerful jump shot]].
!!Ogata Katsumi
A tennis player from Kinsei High, and once a match for Ike Souji until he was injured in middle school. Now recovered and able to play in the All-Japan Juniors.
----
* CantCatchUp: Ogata is slowly growing more aware of this, in regards to Ike Souji. Although he [[spoiler: could beat Ike when they were younger, his injury had kept him out of the game for a long time. After the initial rush of just being able to play again, his match against Eiichirou and the video of Eiichirou playing against Ike made him realize just how far ahead Ike has already gone. Unlike Takuma, the realization gives Ogata the drive to win that he was lacking up until then]].
* ChildProdigy
* GameBreakingInjury: A hip injury took him out of the game for years.
!!Kanda Hisashi
Formerly in Yanase High, then transferred to Kabai Tech High School. Second only to Nabae in the All-Japan Junior rankings.
----
* HormoneAddledTeenager: Gets caught sneaking out of the dorm to date girls, and seems pretty jealous of the fact that [[spoiler: Eiichirou and Nacchan are dating.]]
* HotBlooded
* {{Jerkass}}
* SignatureMove: His sinking topspin.
* SpoiledBrat: Until Kabai's training beat it out of him.
* TeamSpirit
* TrainingFromHell: Kanda Hisashi's training conditions horrify even ''Eiichirou,'' who doesn't know how to stop pushing himself to extremes.
!!Nakajou Megumi
A national champion in middle school. She gave Natsu some trouble in their first match, but eventually couldn't hold out and lost.
----
* MistakenIdentity: In one of the extra chapters, ends up mistaking Yukichi for Ei-chan. Oh well.
!!Shimizu Aki
A top-seeded female player who has trained to become a pro since childhood. Nacchan's fated rival, so to speak.
----
* HopelessSuitor: She develops a crush on Eiichirou. [[spoiler: Then she finds out he's Natsu's boyfriend.]]
* SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining: Her focus on tennis has left her a little...lost on other things.
* ShrinkingViolet: Is pretty timid and awkward outside of matches.
* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The technician to Nacchan's performer, with her high technical skill.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Others]]
!!Kageyama Kojirou
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
----
* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
----
* ClassRepresentative: Along with Ei-chan.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
!!Eiichirou's Parents
...Eiichirou's parents.
----
* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries that his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
----
[[/folder]]
----
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Main Characters]]
!!Maruo Eiichirou
The protagonist of the story, a compulsively neat high-school honours student who suddenly realizes he has no real goal in life. The manga follows his progress into the world of tennis, as he discovers his passion for the sport and the life-changing effects it has on him.
----
* {{Adorkable}}
* AnimeHair: Not as exaggerated as most, but unique enough to identify him with.
--> '''Aoi (on the phone):''' By the way, there was a rooster-head kid running around and around the clubhouse.
--> '''Coach Miura:''' Rooster? Ahh, that's Maruo-kun.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Eiichirou's primary method of learning tennis is through careful analysis. When the natural talent Natsu looks at his notebook for the first time, she is amazed to see that he has taken careful notes of everything she's told him and every move he's made, complete with drawn diagrams, angles, and trajectories.
* BadassBookworm: Goes along with the above. He literally has his nose in a notebook during matches.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Justified. Every new character comments on Eiichiro's strange notebook habit, but his obsessive studying helps him to excel at tennis (and everything else he does).
* ButtMonkey: At first.
* CombatCommentator: Eiichiro frequently serves as this [[AwesomenessByAnalysis in his head during his own matches]], as he dissects his opponent's and his own playing on the fly.
* ClassRepresentative: Is this along with Sasaki.
* CluelessChickMagnet: Though it's not really emphasized, when you think about it, [[spoiler: every notable female character his age is interested in him. Sasaki, Natsu, Aki, even Marcia during the second Florida arc. Eiichirou himself seems clueless about two of these, and would have remained clueless in Aki's case if Natsu hadn't pointed it out.]]
* CrazyPrepared: What he becomes when he has enough data.
* {{Determinator}}: Eiichirou shows shades of this early on, as when he can't remember how he made his first "perfect shot" in tennis by accident, he practices for hours against the wall every day until he can duplicate it. His tenaciousness is also what allows him to progress as far as he does in early tournaments, and many other characters note this as one of his strengths.
* GoodAngelBadAngel: A variant. During one portion of his training, Ei-chan's Reason and Instinct are often visualized as miniature versions of himself. The point was to make them work together instead of against each other so as to be at his most effective.
* JackOfAllStats: Eiichirou himself. He becomes good at all the major shots (lob, serve), court-covering, ball control, etc. However, he lacks any particular finishing shot like other players, which is why it's stated to be his weakness. [[spoiler: He grows out of it as the story progresses, gaining an above average serve that he got from mimicking Takuma, and his focus is very much in ball control. He continues to incorporate new moves into his repertoire, creating a change-of-pace playstyle that is incredibly varied.]]
* LovableNerd: Eiichirou, even in universe. Despite the fact that he's pretty nerdy and always at the top of his class, he seems to win the respect and admiration from the majority of his classmates.
* MeaningfulName: Eiichirou's nickname of "All-A" not only refers to the Japanese pronunciation of the first letter of his name, but also to his impeccable grades in every school subject.
* MegaManning: Eiichirou [[spoiler: adopts a variant of the Okada bazooka on the spot against Ogata, as his biggest weakness until then was his lack of power, most glaring against someone with a higher technical degree as Ogata is.]] Even before this, he is shown picking up small tricks and techniques from many of his opponents.
* NaiveNewcomer: We learn the "Ins and Outs" of tennis through the eyes of novice Eiichirou.
* NeatFreak: Eiichirou values tidiness, which shows in his writing, manner of dress, and how orderly he arranges his boxed lunches. However he truly takes this UpToEleven with his habit of taking two sets of notes during class, one for studying and lending out to his classmates so that his treasured “master copy” can remain pristine.
* NiceGuy: Eiichirou. This is one of the reasons that Natsu trusts him with her "big secret" (of wanting to someday become a professional tennis player) on the first day they met.
--> '''Eiichirou''': "Why did you let me in on your secret?"
--> '''Natsu''': "... because it's ''you''. I mean, I know you wouldn't tell anyone."
--> '''Eiichirou''': "But you can't be sure of that!"
--> '''Natsu:''': "I'm sure."
* SuperOCD: Eiichiro.
* TookALevelInBadass: The point of the Florida arc. He goes on to take several more levels as his experience grows.
* TrainingFromHell: The initial body conditioning training was this, so that Eiichirou could physically catch up to players who have been playing much longer than he has.
* WeakButSkilled: Eiichirou's playing style has no real power behind it, lacking any decisive shots or powerful returns. That being said, he can mentally divide the opponent's court area up into 64 squares and accurately put the ball into any of those squares at will.
** Not so much anymore, he outgrew this after his [[spoiler:trip to Florida and his latest match with Takuma, Eiichiro has developed a very decisively offensive control oriented style of tennis, backed by a powerful serve and precise footwork made only possible by [[TrainingFromHell complete physical reconditioning]] to strengthen his muscles and increase his stamina, even Miyagawa who Eiichiro defeated in their last match via a mixture of luck and determination, was quick to notice how he TookALevelInBadass and that he should probably consider him a completely different player.]] It is of course, difficult to notice the upgrade even for the reader up to that point, since the Manga does a very good job in [[ShownTheirWork presenting Eiichiro's progress very gradually, and in a very detailed and borderline realistic fashion]].
!!Takasaki Natsu
The female lead, in the same grade as Eiichirou and one of the most popular girls at school. Watching her practice tennis is one of the reasons Eiichirou took up the sport, and she continually cheers him on as he develops.
----
* BeautifulDreamer: [[spoiler: When she is convinced to take a short nap during the date at the pool with Ei-chan. His expression says it all, though subverted in that he's also thinking about tennis.]]
* CantCatchUp: Natsu feels like this in regards to Shimizu Aki. It is one of the biggest hurdles she still has to overcome, being otherwise one of the top female players in her age group.
* CuteClumsyGirl: Initially captivated by her good looks and frank demeanour, Eiichirou’s first impression of Natsu took a downward turn when she immediately tripped and fell into another student’s lunch… getting food all over the World History notes she had just borrowed from him. Remembering her cute expression when apologizing, however, he realized that he couldn’t hold a grudge for long.
* ObliviousToLove: Completely inverted. Not only does Natsu immediately realize [[spoiler: what Ei-chan was trying to say to her during his CannotSpitItOut moment,]] she also realizes that [[spoiler: Aki has a crush on Eiichirou]] right after seeing how she acts around him.
* PassionateSportsGirl
* PluckyGirl: Eiichirou admires this trait about Natsu. The trope is subverted every time he mentions it to her, as she then immediately tells him of all her inner insecurities.
* SchoolIdol: Kageyama refers to her as "The school's #1 cutie."
* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The performer to Aki's technician, with her mental strength and intuitive style.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Southern Tennis Club (STC)]]
!!Egawa Takuma
The best player at STC at the beginning of the story, he is a year older than Eiichirou and Natsu. With his height and build, he was surely on the road to becoming a pro, but a loss against a genius talent has made that path uncertain. Eiichirou nonetheless looks up to him greatly, and playing with Eiichirou is likewise pulling Takuma out of his slump.
----
* BrilliantButLazy: Takuma starts out this way.
* CantCatchUp: Takuma to [[spoiler:[[TheAce Ike Souji]]]], which presumably is what led to him deciding to not even bother trying anymore, much to the coach's chagrin. [[spoiler:He then starts training seriously again when Ei-chan starts showing signs of growth, determined not to let him catch up]].
* {{Delinquents}}: Has this reputation at school.
* HeroicBSOD: The series begins with Takuma in the midst of one.
* {{Jerkass}}: Takuma can often be overly aggressive towards the protagonist, and has a tendency to look down on many characters.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Very tall (190 cm / 6'3") and certainly dark-haired, but leans more towards surly and bad-tempered than snarky.
!!Fukuzawa Yukichi
Another player at STC, a friendly boy the same age as Eiichirou, whom he quickly takes to calling "Aniki". A decent player, but he is quickly eclipsed by Ei-chan's startling growth.
----
* CombatCommentator
* {{Gonk}}: Yukichi Fukazawa starts off as a normal-looking boy, but his face quickly shifts into an [[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120718051113/babysteps/images/9/9d/Fukazawa.png absurdly comic style]] compared to the rest of the cast.
* NiceGuy: He is always supportive of his friends and his reaction to them becoming better than him is admiration rather than resentment.
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Yukichi is a good tennis player, even making it to the third round of the All-Japan Juniors. It's just that all the other major characters are better.
* TheNicknamer: Calls Ei-chan "Aniki", and refers to Ike Souji as "Shishou".
!!Coach Miura
A veteran coach at STC who has trained many professional players. He is the first to notice Eiichirou's talents for tennis, and offers to train him with the aim of going pro.
----
* CombatCommentator
* TheMentor
!!Coach Aoi Ryuuhei
A retired professional player and former member of STC, now a coach specialized in physical conditioning. Takes over Eiichirou's training after Coach Miura shifts his focus to Takuma.
----
* CombatCommentator
* CareerEndingInjury: Coach Aoi's tennis career ended when injuries left him unable to play at the professional level. He chooses to specialize in physical conditioning to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
* EccentricMentor: Compared to Coach Miura, he's a lot more laidback and likes to tease Ei-chan, but is still a very good coach.
* PermaStubble
* TheMentor
!!Tajima Yuuki
A second grader training at STC. Usually seen taking jabs at Eiichirou while he is a novice player.
----
* ChildProdigy: Not really emphasized, but he is the 1st seed at Kanagawa's Under-12 division, and he's only 8 at most at the time.
* MouthyKid: He never misses an opportunity to give Ei-chan a hard time.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanagawa Junior Players]]
!!Oobayashi Ryou
Eiichirou's first opponent in an official match, the 5th seed of the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. A serve-and-volley style player.
----
* OhCrap: Played with. He and his friends have one when the famous players of STC all show up to join Ei-chan, and again when Ei-chan breaks Oobayashi's serve. The impression is broken as soon as Ei-chan serves, though.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Miyagawa, as they go to the same school.
* WakeUpCallBoss
!!Koshimizu Nariyuki
Eiichirou's first opponent during his second year in the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. A classmate from Oosugi High and a member of the school tennis club.
----
* UnknownRival: To Eiichirou over their grades.
!!Miyagawa Takuya
A friendly and laidback seeded player a year younger than Eiichirou. A baseliner who focuses on full swing ground strokes.
----
* CripplingOverspecialization: He has a "rainbow of ground strokes", but also relies only on his ground strokes.
* HeirToTheDojo: His family runs a tennis club.
* HeroicBSOD: Miyagawa had fallen into a slump between losing to Eiichirou at the Kanagawa Junior and meeting him again after the Florida arc.
** [[spoiler: Was close to another one in their rematch, when he realized that Eiichirou was actually better than him now, but Oobayashi snaps him out of it.]]
* PowerUpFood: Kelp tea and pickled plums during a match.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Oobayashi.
!!Iwasa Hiromi
A reserved boy often seen reading before his matches. His parents are artists, and his playstyle is extremely unusual. 3rd seed of the Kanagawa Junior Circuit.
----
* [[BrilliantButLazy Brilliant But Indifferent]]: His accuracy and control could probably have gotten him a lot further if he were actually serious about tennis.
* ConfusionFu: His style is this for his opponents. How do you predict someone who isn't even playing the same game as you?
* CoolShades
* IKnowMaddenKombat: Iwasa Hiromi is quite good at tennis, for someone who uses his skills to "draw pictures" with the ball during a match.
* TheStoic
!!Araya Hiroshi
One of the strongest players in Kanagawa, and self-appointed rival of Takuma. A baseliner who uses speed and power to overwhelm the opponent.
----
* AlwaysSecondBest: Has never won against Takuma, thus sparking their rivalry.
* BoisterousBruiser: Araya is one of the strongest players in the series in terms of power, and is also one of the friendliest and most talkative characters in the series. Not to mention loud.
* CharacterDevelopment: His match with Eiichirou caused him to confront his weaknesses and become a much better-rounded player.
* HotBlooded
* LightningBruiser: Araya's strengths are his power and speed on the court.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: There is usually at least one spectator who wonders if he's really a high school student.
!!Nishimura Kouji
A junior of Araya's in his tennis club. Fights Eiichirou in the first round of the Kanagawa Junior competition leading to the Kanto Junior.
----
* AdviceBackfire: Araya gives Nishimura advice on playing Eiichirou, which mostly consists of "he's a weak, defensive player." The analysis stems from Araya's game against Eiichiro from the prior year, and he has become a [[{{Determinator}} completely different player]] during that time.
* ThisCannotBe: When Eiichirou's tennis game turns out to be much better than advertised.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Florida Tennis Academy/IMG]]
!!Ike Souji
A former member of STC, now based in Florida. Though he is the same age as Eiichirou and Natsu, he has already progressed far ahead and made his debut as a professional.
----
* TheAce: Ike Souji, considered the best player in all of Japan and respected as the best player in one of the most prestigious Tennis schools in Florida.
* BigBrotherMentor: He gives this vibe with Ei-chan due to how far ahead he is as a tennis player, even though they're the same age.
* ChildhoodFriends: With Natsu.
* [[GenkiGirl Genki Guy]]: Very upbeat and cheerful when not playing tennis.
!!Mike
A coach and sports psychologist from Florida Tennis Academy, he first meets Eiichirou on a visit to STC. A very friendly man and enthusiastic about helping young players.
----
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: As a mental conditioning coach, his teaching relates to improving the player's spirit and mental strength.
* TheMentor
* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace
!!Alex O'Brien
A pro player training at the academy and Marcia's older brother. An aggressive and powerful player, though that is a common trait at the academy.
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* WorthyOpponent: Begins to acknowledge Eiichirou as this after seeing him work hard and improve.
!!Marcia O'Brien
Marcia is Alex's younger sister and a junior player at Florida Tennis Academy. She is the first to play against Ei-chan when he arrives, but doesn't think much of his lack of ambition.
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* {{Tsundere}}
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Eiichirou is shocked to find out that Marcia is only thirteen years old. He was sure they were the same age.
!!Taira Atsushi
One of Eiichirou's roommates in Florida. As a fellow Japanese, he helps Eiichirou find his way around at first.
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* TranslatorBuddy: Acts as this to help Ei-chan communicate with the other English-speaking players.
!!Krishna
A 16-year old from India, and already one of the top athletes in national competitions.
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* TheQuietOne
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kanto/All-Japan Junior Players]]
!!Nabae Yuu
A tennis player from Kanto in the same year as Eiichirou. Has won the All-Japan Junior tournament in the year prior to Ei-chan participating, and is one of the best of his generation.
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* AceCustom: Even among top players, he pays lots of attention to his racquets and gets them specifically tuned for him.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Nabae analyzes his opponents and his own style as detailedly, if not more so, as Eiichirou himself; going as far as building an extensive database in his computer. It turns out this is a very effective method of approaching tennis, as he is [[spoiler:the first seed of the All-Japan Junior tournament]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Being very similar to each other, he gets along fairly well with Ei-chan outside of matches, and has openly shared his analysis of other players on several occasion.
* ShadowArchetype: Nabae Yuu has a similar analytical tennis style to Eiichiro, but has taken it to a level where he is one of the best players in Japan (even better than Takuma).
* TheStoic: [[spoiler: Subverted; he is shown to have a quick temper when things don't go his way, but as the #1 seed in Japan, that doesn't happen much.]]
!!Ide Yoshiaki
An unorthodox player and 5th seed in the Kanto Junior competition. Not spectacular technique-wise, but known for his mental strength.
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* BuffySpeak
--> '''Ide (thinking to himself):''' If I hit a 'spah' with a 'tat-tta', then 'gyuun' is a 'tat-tt-ta'...
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: One of his strengths is his ability to synergize with the crowd's excitement to improve his own condition.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Ide Yoshiaki's back story is completely littered with sports movie clichés. He's given an [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/baby_steps/v16/c154/19.html entire cast of supporting characters]], a compulsion to [[ChronicHeroSyndrome risk forfeiting his qualifying match to help a child in a car accident]] (and subsequently, a promise to the [[WheelchairWoobie wheelchair-bound child]]), an ability to [[ThePowerOfFriendship draw strength from]] his [[InstantFanClub spontaneously huge fan base]], and a tendency to [[MiracleRally always come from behind in all of his games]]. It's no surprise that his match with Eiichiro spans ''sixteen chapters'' and ends in [[DownToTheLastPlay ridiculously dramatic fashion]].
--> '''Random spectator:''' Wow, it feels like I'm really watching a movie!!
* HomefieldAdvantage: Ide invokes this by winning over the crowd wherever he goes.
* {{Keet}}: Ide Yoshiaki.
* RedOniBlueOni: Often seen with Okada, but the opposite of him in personality.
!!Takagi Sakuya
From the same club as Nabae, the 4th seed of the Kanto Juniors.
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* CombatPragmatist: Takagi Sakuya uses almost any tactics to win as long as it's within boundaries, including provoking and/or pissing off his opponents.
* DeathGlare
* {{Determinator}}: The one time Takagi beat Nabae was because he outlasted him in a practice match through sheer endurance.
* {{Jerkass}}
* StoneWall: Takagi may use cheap tricks, but even Maruo admits that his stamina is quite amazing. On the flip side, he doesn't have many significant strengths.
!!Okada Takayuki
A tall and powerful player, but pessimistic by nature. In Eiichirou's own words, a "super fast offensive type, rising flat shot style baseliner". 3rd seed at the All-Japan Junior.
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* CallingYourAttacks: Invoked. He's definitely not the type to do it, but Ide is and calls his attacks for him. [[CrossPoppingVeins He is not appreciative when he finds out]].
* DeterminedDefeatist: Very pessimistic, yet seems to be all the stronger for it.
* HonorBeforeReason: Refuses to mix in other types of shots beside his rising flats due to belief in his own style, even though it would be incredibly useful.
** Then subverted when [[spoiler: he does try a topspin, and utterly fails. This actually reaffirms his belief in his style and lets him play better than ever]].
* RedOniBlueOni: Often seen with Ide, but the opposite of him in personality.
* SignatureMove: His rising flat shot. Nearly the only shot he relies on, [[spoiler: except for the ultra-powerful jump shot]].
!!Ogata Katsumi
A tennis player from Kinsei High, and once a match for Ike Souji until he was injured in middle school. Now recovered and able to play in the All-Japan Juniors.
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* CantCatchUp: Ogata is slowly growing more aware of this, in regards to Ike Souji. Although he [[spoiler: could beat Ike when they were younger, his injury had kept him out of the game for a long time. After the initial rush of just being able to play again, his match against Eiichirou and the video of Eiichirou playing against Ike made him realize just how far ahead Ike has already gone. Unlike Takuma, the realization gives Ogata the drive to win that he was lacking up until then]].
* ChildProdigy
* GameBreakingInjury: A hip injury took him out of the game for years.
!!Kanda Hisashi
Formerly in Yanase High, then transferred to Kabai Tech High School. Second only to Nabae in the All-Japan Junior rankings.
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* HormoneAddledTeenager: Gets caught sneaking out of the dorm to date girls, and seems pretty jealous of the fact that [[spoiler: Eiichirou and Nacchan are dating.]]
* HotBlooded
* {{Jerkass}}
* SignatureMove: His sinking topspin.
* SpoiledBrat: Until Kabai's training beat it out of him.
* TeamSpirit
* TrainingFromHell: Kanda Hisashi's training conditions horrify even ''Eiichirou,'' who doesn't know how to stop pushing himself to extremes.
!!Nakajou Megumi
A national champion in middle school. She gave Natsu some trouble in their first match, but eventually couldn't hold out and lost.
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* MistakenIdentity: In one of the extra chapters, ends up mistaking Yukichi for Ei-chan. Oh well.
!!Shimizu Aki
A top-seeded female player who has trained to become a pro since childhood. Nacchan's fated rival, so to speak.
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* HopelessSuitor: She develops a crush on Eiichirou. [[spoiler: Then she finds out he's Natsu's boyfriend.]]
* SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining: Her focus on tennis has left her a little...lost on other things.
* ShrinkingViolet: Is pretty timid and awkward outside of matches.
* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The technician to Nacchan's performer, with her high technical skill.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Others]]
!!Kageyama Kojirou
Ei-chan's classmate and best friend from Oosugi High. He frequently shows up to cheer for Ei-chan once the latter takes up tennis.
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* ShipperOnDeck: Kageyama ships Eiichirou and Natsu, [[LoveDodecahedron though not without his own personal motives.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Sasaki.
!!Sasaki Himeko
Class rep along with Ei-chan himself. Invited along by Kageyama to watch Eiichirou play, she eventually becomes a regular supporter.
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* ClassRepresentative: Along with Ei-chan.
* HopelessSuitor: Also has a crush on Eiichirou, but soon realizes he'd already been drawn into a different world.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Kageyama.
!!Eiichirou's Parents
...Eiichirou's parents.
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* EducationMama: Eiichirou's mother worries that his deepening involvement in tennis will affect his (near-perfect) grades, leading to his do-or-die "one year" ultimatum.
* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Eiichirou's mother was the one who pushed him into going to the Southern Tennis Club, and start practicing tennis, and not very kindly. [[spoiler:A move she probably came to regret months later, when Eiichiro informed her that he wanted to try becoming a professional tennis player, a decision that she very strongly disapproved of]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: In comparison, Ei-chan's father is quite supportive of his goals.
!!Miyamoto
A reporter for the Tennis Times magazine. He begins to take notice of Eiichirou as his performance improves.
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[[/folder]]
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