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[totheheavens]

 OOC Information;

Name; Si
Personal Journal; fgks 
Contact; dorkoftheuniverse on Plurk, thefreshprinceoftennis on Tumblr. 
Other Characters; n/a


IC Information;
Character Name; [First name, family name] Wakashi Hiyoshi 
Canon; Prince of Tennis + The New Prince of Tennis
Canon Point; “The Return of the Losers,” Chapters 48 of the New Prince of Tennis. The losers, now known as the Revolutionary Brigade, return to camp after their unorthodox training in the wilderness. However instead of being able to come back to the U-17 training camp, Hiyoshi is brought to Asgard.
Age; 14

House; Baldr. Based off his philosophy of “gekokujou,” it’s clear that Hiyoshi wants nothing more than to be the very best. And not just by any means, he aspires to do so by taking that honor from someone else, by overtaking them completely. He definitely falls into the “people who place their own well-being and happiness above others” category.
Power; Flight

 

Personality;

 

[Taken from The Prince of Tennis manga, anime and OVAs; various Pair Puri (Prince of Tennis fanbooks) volumes; RajiPuri (Prince of Tennis radioshows); and TeniMyu (Prince of Tennis musicals)]

 

 

A junior at the prestigious Hyoutei Gakuen, Hiyoshi Wakashi is the primary candidate for captaincy in the succeeding school year. Although his track record is not unsurpassed, he certainly possesses the Hyoutei mentality needed to lead the team. Purposeful and driven, his motto “gekokujou” generally translates to “supplanting those above you.”

Due to his conservative, traditional upbringing and the competitive nature of the Hyoutei tennis club; Hiyoshi is as disciplined as he is determined. The Hiyoshi family owns a kobujutsu dojo and often, Wakashi incorporates certain moves and principles from the Okinawan martial art into his tennis. He also developed an interest in other martial disciplines, taking a particular liking to kung fu and Hong Kong action films.

 

In his elementary days Hiyoshi was already shown to be very diligent, politely turning down his friend Ootori Choutarou’s invitation for a play-date as he had to train. On their way home, they overhear a group of older girls talking about “Atobe-sama totally beating the pants off the upperclassmen.” Curious, the two friends go to watch. They make their way to the tennis courts and witness Atobe Keigo’s victory over Osakan genius Oshitari Yuushi, as well as his promise to make Hyoutei the number one team in the nation. Atobe declares himself the king of Hyoutei, saying he was willing to accept any challenge issued to him for the throne. Hiyoshi decides to join the tennis club upon entering middleschool, muttering “gekokujou” as he vows to himself that he will be the one to defeat Atobe.

 

In his first year of middleschool, he enters the Newcomer’s Tournament. [This particular tournament is never directly illustrated in canon, only mentioned several times in passing so the actual scores remain unknown.] Hiyoshi goes up against Rikkai dai’s Kirihara Akaya and loses, though this only serves to strengthen his resolve to be on top.

 

Hiyoshi is a fairly well-rounded person. Aside from tennis, he enjoys reading and writing. A member of the school newspaper, Hiyoshi also dabbles in writing and photography. It is unknown why none of his pictures have been selected for said paper, though it’s suspected that his constant attempts of securing photographic evidence of certain entities have somehow hampered his credibility. In RajiPuri number 150, he once attempted to convince Shishido Ryou and Oishi Syuuichirou that he has in fact, witnessed a UFO land on top of a mansion. From UFOs, to ghosts, and mystical creatures in general; Hiyoshi takes great interest in all things supernatural.

 

Though usually taciturn and calculating, he easily becomes very vocal when declaring his determination to ascend to the top. He sees each opponent as an obstacle that must be overcome before he can progress. Hiyoshi regards everyone worthy of gekokujou in some way; and his teammates are of no exception. Perhaps his ultimategekokujou would be taking the Singles 1 slot from the current team captain, Atobe Keigo. Hiyoshi wholly respects his captain and wants nothing more than to go beyond all he’s accomplished; a very ambitious aspiration considering the massive gap between the two of them, tennis or otherwise. For his part, the current captain finds Hiyoshi’s valiant efforts quite amusing and will occasionally indulge him, both for his own amusement and for the junior’s development.

 

Atobe is flamboyant, relishing in the spotlight. He thrives on attention, constantly requiring lively cheers and words of encouragement from his many admirers. Atobe is a social butterfly, hosting grand and somewhat ridiculous parties for his peers. He’s very popular, being the Student Council president on top of his position as team captain. Hiyoshi on the other hand prefers to hold his own, not particularly concerned about what others have to say about him as long as he’s doing what he thinks will benefit him. He doesn’t particularly mind receiving attention, but he won’t go out of his way for it. Standoffish and somehow inhibited, Hiyoshi would prefer to abscond from Atobe’s more lavish social gatherings, but finds himself bound by his obligations as a Hyoutei regular. Many compare him to a mushroom, and not just in terms of his appearance. He seems to grow unnoticed on the sidelines, bidding his time until he reaches his full potential.

 

 

Hiyoshi is an aggressive baseliner, whether in life or tennis. He chases after his goal to the very best of his ability, limited stamina be damned. But, as mentioned before, Hiyoshi will not rush into things. He will take a certain amount of time to plan, building up his momentum and striking when he sees fit. However Hiyoshi is slightly sensitive, often preferring to avoid unnecessary social interaction and conflict, but he will rarely back down once challenged. Though usually as calm and collected, his mood will sway easily. A single spark, a snide remark or a boorish gesture, will trigger his competitive streak. His pride and ambitious nature won’t pass up any chance forgekokujou, no matter if it’s something as trivial as finishing a meal before someone else. But being the disciplined, dignified individual he is; Hiyoshi will never resort to violence. No such claims of him assaulting another player have ever been made, despite him being well-versed in kobujutsu. He’s only ever used his skills for the actual martial art itself, and tennis. Though considering he comes from a world where losing a limb is a much kinder fate than losing a tennis match, I’d say that’s a very serious purpose.

 

His goal is clear and resolute: Hiyoshi was blatantly aiming for a regular spot from the beginning. Originally a pre-regular (quite an achievement in itself considering the Hyoutei tennis club has over 200 members), Hiyoshi gains his long-anticipated regular status based off the coach’s policy of replacing the losers.  This takes place when third year regular Shishido Ryou loses spectacularly to Fudomine’s Tachibana Kippei, 0-6. He is removed from the team and replaced by Akutagawa Jirou. Unable to accept his loss, Shishido undergoes intense training and challenges Taki Haginosuke. Shishido triumphs, but coach Sasaki does not reinstate his regular status. Instead, the slot is given to then pre-regular Hiyoshi.
 
 

 

Though visibly civil and composed, Hiyoshi occasionally harbors spiteful thoughts about those around him. He has a habit of giving demeaning nicknames to other players, calling Echizen “chibisuke” or “shorty” and even referring to one of his teammates as “that monster”, however he will rarely address them directly as such. Known for his tact, he chooses to express his disdain in controlled sighs.  His polite manner of speaking often conceal double meanings and hold a rather aloof, condescending undertone. Despite this, Hiyoshi still holds considerable amounts of respect and admiration for all his opponents. Occasionally he will acknowledge their skill and will even compliment them (though he keeps the latter part to himself), though begrudgingly and always following it up with criticism. After all, he initially needs to think they’re even worth surpassing before he begins to plot usurping them.

Hiyoshi normally allows the opposition to attack him first; choosing a more organized strategy as he gauges the other player’s strength before going all-out.

One of the more practical players on the circuit, Hiyoshi is the only known character to wear contact lenses. With his eyesight at -0.5, he opts for the more sensible contact lenses for everyday use and only wears glasses at home. In Pair Puri number 7 entitled “Who’s Spectacle is This,” he visits an optical shop in Tokyo and runs into various players from rival teams. Seigaku’s Inui Sadaharu insists that durability are what makes the lenses, while an upperclassman of his by the name of Oshitari Yuushi convinces him that stylized glasses are what’s ideal. Kai Yuujiro and Hirakoba Rin, pair of players from Higa Chuu, arrive and cause a scene. They manage to knock over a display case of sunglasses and somehow jolt Hiyoshi into dropping one of his contacts. At the firm request of Hiyoshi, everyone refrains from moving until the missing lens is located. Towards the end Kai loses his patience and moves, stepping on the contact in the process. Kai apologizes profusely while Oshitari and Inui continue to persuade Hiyoshi into buying the type of glasses they think suit him best, and Hiyoshi merely sighs, nodding absently as he purchases a basic contact lens kit anyway.

 

 

 

[From The New Prince of Tennis manga and anime]

 

Along with the rest of the Hyoutei regulars, Hiyoshi is present for the Under 17 All-Japan Junior Training Campin the New Prince of Tennis. The very first condition in order to remain in the camp is to obtain a tennis ball, at least one of the 250 balls dropped from a helicopter and scattered across the courts. Hiyoshi easily retrieves one, securing his place in camp.
The mental coach arrives, congratulating all those players with balls and dismissing those without. He then asks the middleschoolers to pair up for a match. Atobe proudly proclaims that he, “the great and powerful captain of Hyoutei,” would be more than happy to personally teach Hiyoshi all he needs to know. Hiyoshi partners with him, requesting not to be addressed in such a weird manner. The match turns out to be a relentless tie-break singles game where the losers are to leave camp.

 

 The match begins in “Those Chosen by Their Captains,” chapters 10-11 of the New Prince of Tennis manga. Hiyoshi is able to claim the first point by returning Atobe’s trademark Tannhauser Serve, despite its irregular bound. Although the Tannhauser isn’t used against him often, Hiyoshi says it’s become relatively easy to return as he’s witnessed it countless times. Atobe still takes the lead in the match causing Hiyoshi to recall the very first time he saw Atobe play, admitting that it was in fact Atobe’s tennis that attracted him to the sport. In the anime adaptation, Hiyoshi loses sight of himself for a moment when it seems as though Atobe’s victory would come in a landslide. He stops, literally stops in the middle of the game and sits down on the ground. He meditates for a brief moment before rising to his feet, more determined than ever. Hiyoshi catches up to him eventually. The arrogant captain states that Hiyoshi has finally overcome his weakness, successfully surpassing his previous lack of stamina during drawn-out matches. At 47-45 Atobe ends the match with his Rondo to Destruction, reiterating that he has in fact chosen Hiyoshi to lead the team next year. Atobe commends his successor’s improvement, urging him to find his own Hyoutei chant. Hiyoshi agrees, giving his captain a rare smile.

 

The losers then pack their things and mount the bus home, Hiyoshi silently contemplating his loss as they set off. Though led to believe they would be taken home, they are instead brought to remote location outside the Under 17 camp. Greeted by the mental coach, they’re tasked to scale a small mountain (without any climbing equipment whatsoever) with hopes of closing the gap between themselves and those winners who remained in camp. They succeed, reaching the top in the span of a few hours. At the top, they come face-to-face with the very same group of highschool students who tried to intimidate them out of camp in the first place. The highschoolers play on a ragged, uneven court of rocks and earth while a drunkard of a coach presides the matches.

The drunk introduces himself as Mifune, swearing that he will in fact; throw them off a cliff if they even think about disobeying his orders. So begins their harsh, unconventional training in the wilderness. 

The players are stripped of their team jerseys and made to wear plain white shirts. While the winners are meticulously trained with high-end, state of the art equipment; the losers are made to dig holes several feet into the ground that turn out to be a makeshift outhouse for the drunk bastard. Mifune not only relieves himself in a disgusting manner, but he also throws in everyone’s jerseys before he makes them refill said hole.

 The trials which followed that first humiliation were challenging: they hung upside-down from trees to strike tennis balls; they rode undersized tricycles over the rough terrain of a slopping hill; and played tennis with unusually heavy lead-infused rackets. Everything goes downhill from there. Chapter 20 entitled “Sudden Death Match” has everyone, middleschoolers and highschoolers alike, on a single court. They’re to rally back and forth, and those who miss the ball are out. Middleschoolers vs highschoolers, and the team with the most number of players left on the court will get to sleep in the cabin while the losers are to make do with the nearby cave.

It is of course, easier said than done. Due to the irregularity of the playing field the ball’s bounce is uninhibited and many of the middleschoolers are evicted straight away, that is until Sanada Genichirou manages a (very) short rally. Eventually the only remaining middleschool players on the court are Hiyoshi, Zaizen, Inui, Oishi, Kadowaki, Yanagi, Kenya, and Higashikata. Yanagi and Inui then request that the others step back, as they take on the highschoolers by themselves. The two, known to many as the Data Pair have managed to predict the direction of the ball’s bounce by inputting the court’s topography and reflection into their data. However coach Mifune stops the match when only three highschoolers are left against them, declaring the highschool players the victors.  Afterwards the middleschoolers sleep in a cave, only to be woken in the dead of night to play tennis in the steady drizzle while a select group of three were tasked to sneak back into the U-17 Camp and steal supplies.

 

Perhaps the most bizarre thing they ever had to go through was the “Sportsman Hunt” (Chapters 23-24, episode 9), wherein they each had a balloon secured to their waists. The goal was to protect your balloon, to stop it from getting popped by the coach’s trained eagles at all costs. Aforementioned balloons were liberally coated with a scent that attracted the predatory birds. Hiyoshi manages to keep his balloon safe from the birds until the hunt is called off.

 

“So you mean to tell me that by sleeping in caves and being chased by eagles, we got better at tennis?!”

 

The players acquire new skills from the training: improved speed, agility, endurance; and to be more specific, being able to hit all irregular bounces and even playing with five balls at once. Some time after the hunt, the highschoolers and middleschoolers band together to try and take Mifune’s sake supply as he sleeps. They succeed, but the coach was conscious the entire time. Grabbing a flaming torch, he confronts them and admits that he’s always hated those so-called elite U-17 coaches and declares that it was time for them to start a revolution.

 

 Their training comes to an end and the losers make their way back into U-17 Camp, each clad in a black version of the Japanese representatives uniforms. Dubbed the Revolutionary Brigade, Hiyoshi and the rest of the middleschoolers return to camp. They challenge the first stringers, the top 20 players in all of Japan who’ve just returned from their training overseas.

 

[Both the manga and the anime fr New Prince of Tennis are still ongoing, and several OVAs are in the works. So far Hiyoshi hasn’t has his match with any of the top 20 players...]