OVA
Description
Eiji Kikumaru is a third-year student at Seishun Academy and a prominent member of its nationally competitive tennis team. He stands 171 cm tall, weighs 52 kg, and is right-handed. His birthday is November 28th, and his blood type is A. He has vivid red hair parted in the center, dark blue eyes in the animated adaptation, and is most often seen with a bandage or plaster on his right cheek. He comes from a large family, living with his grandparents, parents, two older brothers, two older sisters, as well as a dog and a parrot. His father works as an office worker and news reporter. Outside of tennis, he enjoys brushing his teeth, visiting pet shops, and watching anime and fantasy movies. He also likes J-Pop music and idol magazines. His favorite foods include soft omelets, tender fried prawns, and shaved ice, while his favorite subject in school is Japanese History. He does not like going to the toilet at night.
As a person, Eiji Kikumaru is known for being friendly, outgoing, and sweet-tempered. Being the youngest in a large family, he exhibits very playful and sometimes childish mannerisms, often adding a cat-like "nya" to his speech. He is full of energy and seems to seek attention, as his concentration on the tennis court actually improves when he is being cheered on by a crowd. Despite his cheerful nature, he can be somewhat insensitive and is sometimes slow to notice things that are obvious to his more perceptive teammates. Underneath his happy-go-lucky exterior, he carries a deep sense of insecurity, particularly regarding his dependence on his regular doubles partner, Shuichiro Oishi.
His most significant role in the story is as one half of Seishun's legendary doubles team known as the Golden Pair. His partnership with Oishi is the cornerstone of his tennis career. The two met during their first year of middle school. In one version of events, he was initially a flashy singles player who found Oishi's style boring, but after losing to him, he agreed to play doubles. Another version states he quickly admired Oishi and asked him to be his partner. They share a special place at a storage bin overlooking the city, where they often go to reflect after a loss. The bond is tested at various points, including a disagreement where Eiji made jokes Oishi found insensitive, leading to a temporary falling out, and a critical moment when an injury prevented Oishi from playing a match. During the Nationals tournament, after Oishi gave his regular spot to another player, Eiji was forced to play a singles match. While he won, he found the experience lonely and reaffirmed his desire to only play doubles with Oishi. Their partnership reaches its peak when they achieve a state of Synchronization, allowing them to move and act as if they were a single player. Although he prefers doubles, he has also formed effective temporary pairings with other teammates like Shusuke Fuji, with whom he is close friends and who is also his classmate, and Takeshi Momoshiro.
Eiji Kikumaru's playing style is defined by what is called Acrobatic Tennis. His incredible flexibility and agility allow him to return balls that seem out of reach, using dives and flips that astonish spectators. He also possesses exceptional dynamic vision, the ability to track moving objects with high precision, a trait he shares only with his younger teammate Ryoma Echizen, whom he affectionately calls "o-chibi". His signature techniques include the Kikumaru Beam, a sharp behind-the-back volley, and the Kikumaru Bazooka, a powerful upside-down smash. He also developed the Seal Step, a high-speed movement that creates a doppelganger visual effect, making it appear as if there are two of him on the court.
A significant weakness early on is his lack of stamina, which opponents have exploited in long matches. However, through rigorous hard work and training, he overcomes this deficiency before the national championships. His understanding of doubles strategy also matures over time. Typically a net player who relies on Oishi to be the "game maker" from the baseline, he is forced to learn the difficulties of that role when playing with Momoshiro, which deepens his appreciation for his regular partner. In the OVA focusing on past stories, his friendship with Shusuke Fuji is explored, highlighting how their contrasting personalities and mutual respect grew during their middle school years.
As a person, Eiji Kikumaru is known for being friendly, outgoing, and sweet-tempered. Being the youngest in a large family, he exhibits very playful and sometimes childish mannerisms, often adding a cat-like "nya" to his speech. He is full of energy and seems to seek attention, as his concentration on the tennis court actually improves when he is being cheered on by a crowd. Despite his cheerful nature, he can be somewhat insensitive and is sometimes slow to notice things that are obvious to his more perceptive teammates. Underneath his happy-go-lucky exterior, he carries a deep sense of insecurity, particularly regarding his dependence on his regular doubles partner, Shuichiro Oishi.
His most significant role in the story is as one half of Seishun's legendary doubles team known as the Golden Pair. His partnership with Oishi is the cornerstone of his tennis career. The two met during their first year of middle school. In one version of events, he was initially a flashy singles player who found Oishi's style boring, but after losing to him, he agreed to play doubles. Another version states he quickly admired Oishi and asked him to be his partner. They share a special place at a storage bin overlooking the city, where they often go to reflect after a loss. The bond is tested at various points, including a disagreement where Eiji made jokes Oishi found insensitive, leading to a temporary falling out, and a critical moment when an injury prevented Oishi from playing a match. During the Nationals tournament, after Oishi gave his regular spot to another player, Eiji was forced to play a singles match. While he won, he found the experience lonely and reaffirmed his desire to only play doubles with Oishi. Their partnership reaches its peak when they achieve a state of Synchronization, allowing them to move and act as if they were a single player. Although he prefers doubles, he has also formed effective temporary pairings with other teammates like Shusuke Fuji, with whom he is close friends and who is also his classmate, and Takeshi Momoshiro.
Eiji Kikumaru's playing style is defined by what is called Acrobatic Tennis. His incredible flexibility and agility allow him to return balls that seem out of reach, using dives and flips that astonish spectators. He also possesses exceptional dynamic vision, the ability to track moving objects with high precision, a trait he shares only with his younger teammate Ryoma Echizen, whom he affectionately calls "o-chibi". His signature techniques include the Kikumaru Beam, a sharp behind-the-back volley, and the Kikumaru Bazooka, a powerful upside-down smash. He also developed the Seal Step, a high-speed movement that creates a doppelganger visual effect, making it appear as if there are two of him on the court.
A significant weakness early on is his lack of stamina, which opponents have exploited in long matches. However, through rigorous hard work and training, he overcomes this deficiency before the national championships. His understanding of doubles strategy also matures over time. Typically a net player who relies on Oishi to be the "game maker" from the baseline, he is forced to learn the difficulties of that role when playing with Momoshiro, which deepens his appreciation for his regular partner. In the OVA focusing on past stories, his friendship with Shusuke Fuji is explored, highlighting how their contrasting personalities and mutual respect grew during their middle school years.