This is a character sheet for the famous sports anime/manga series Captain Tsubasa.Be warned: since football/soccer is played 11's side, expect Loads and Loads of Characters. And that's without going outside the touchlines.
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Japanese National Team
Tsubasa OhzoraThe protagonist of the story, his dream is to one day win the World Cup for Japan. A Child Prodigy he was captain of his school Nankatsu's varsity team, and became the youngest captain of Japan's U-17 in the Youth World Cup. After graduation, he turned professional and played for both Sao Paulo in Brazil and Barcelona in Spain's La Liga. He is now the captain of Japan's Senior Men's Football Team.
Cross-Dressing Voices: Often voiced by female seiyuu... one of them being Yoko Ogai, Youichi Takahashi's ex-wife. Avoided in the latter half of the Road to 2002 TV series, where his child self is voiced by Kikuko Inoue... and his adult one, by Tomokazu Seki.
Red Baron: Heaven Sent Child of Soccer, Soccer Genius, Field Samurai.
Koujirou HyuugaStarted as The Rival, became The Lancer with time. Having lost his dad at an early age, he became hateful and rude towards others, but loving and hardworking to his mother and siblings. Hot Blooded to the max and one of the best scorers in the Japanese Team, but with serious problems towards authority that habe brought him trouble more than once. After working on some of such issues and graduating from school, he now plays for Juventus in Italy's Serie A.
The Comically Serious: Starting from the World Youth saga, and scenes of this pop up from time to time with increased frequency as the series goes on.
Disappeared Dad: Who either died of illness (anime series) or in an accident (manga). To be fair, the accident deal wasn't revealed until WYC, so the anime series had to make up something out of scratch.
Kick the Dog: His treatment of Morisaki, in the beginning.
And slapping Matsuyama across the face, just for physically standing in his way.
Morality Pet: His family, and later Takeshi and Maki.
Pose of Supplication: Does this to his Stern Teacher when begging him to let him re-enter the team for the finale of the third Junior High National Championship.
Promotion to Parent: Partially. His mom does not want him to work outside of school, but he insists on doing so.
Trademark Favourite Drink: He loves Coca-Cola. And this gets him remarks from other athletes such as Maki and Gozza, about sodas being not good for sportsmen. This doesn't faze him a single bit.
Troubled, but Cute: Very popular among fangirls, both in-story and in the fandom.
Genzou WakabayashiGoalkeeper for Shuetsu and Tsubasa's main rival before he transferred to Nankatsu. Also played for Japan's U-17. After turning professional, he played for the German Bundesliga's Hamburger SV, and was constantly on the talks to transfer to Bayern Munich, to his refusal.
The White Prince: Younger son of the richest family in Shizuoka. In fact, all of the ex-Shutetsu kids are white princes, contrasting with middle-class Nankatsu kids.
Taro MisakiPlayed in several teams due to his father traveeling through Japan all the time. Settled in Nankatsu for a semester and became Tsubasa's closest companion, but right after the championship was over, he moved away again. Later he went to France, whre he joined the Japanese Team in the Youth Cup, and returned to Nankatsu to finish his education. Currently in France, where he developed a friendly rivalry with El Si Pierre.
Beware the Nice Ones: Most of the time, he's very peaceful and nice. But don't push him too far, as he's quite capable of standing on his own when needed. Notably when he destroys a table to prove his Game Breaking Injury is no more.
Break the Cutie: His familiar problems make him suffer more than once, but he's not completely broken. By WYC, he retakes contact with his Missing Momand gets along real well with his kind stepfather and Moe half-sister.
Game Breaking Injury: In the first arc, accidentally due to Sawada. Later, in the WYC by pulling a Diving Save to save his sister from being hit by a bus.
Heroic Self-Deprecation: In the Holland Youth movie, his self-esteem takes a nosedive when he becomes the temporary captain of the Japanese team and doesn't perform well. Misugi has to talk him out of it.
Yamato Nadeshiko: A male version, considering how he's soft-spoken and incredibly devoted to his friends and father, but also very stubborn when it counts.
Jun MisugiCaptain of the Musashi school team, an excellent player... with a fatal flaw: his very weak heart. Not even an operation and treatment are fully able to let him overcome it: whie his skill is intact, his stamina is severely limited. His analytical midn, however, gives him a sort-of solution: becoming The Smart Guy and The Strategist, alongside a reserve player who comes out in crucial moments.
Ai Orikasa: As a kid, in Road to 2002. Succeded by Issei Miyazaki in the second half.
The Determinator: Manages to come back to action after his illness, through the standard "operation" and very hard work.
Shingo AoiA Japanese boy who admires Tsubasa so very much. He tired to make his own way in Italy but things were EXTREMELY hard for him there, since he was subjected to a huge Break the Cutie process. Shingo managed to work through it, however, and becomes a good addition to the Japanese team.
Ryo IshizakiOne of Tsubasa's closest friends, and the first Nankatsu captain. He lacks Tsubasa and others's natural skills, but replaces it with his will of iron and his cheerful disposition. His family owns a popular bath house in Shizuoka.
Bald of Awesome: To a degree, since he keeps his hair very short.
Heroic Sacrifice: At least twice, each time by blocking a critical opponent shoot with his face, leaving him KO for the count and sent in the stadium's infirmary.
Yuuzo MorisakiA sweet young boy who has a big responsability on his shoulder: covers up for Genzo when he's injured in the Nankatsu team. For a Naïve Newcomer like Morisaki, this is NOT easy, and he has to struggle very hard to get his work done.
Overshadowed by Awesome: Mainly by Ken and Genzo, and most of the aces' shoots are far beyond his abilities, and he's supposed to be the third best goalie of Japan.
Ken WakashimazuA close friend of Hyuuga, and the goalie for their team. A Tall, Dark and HandsomeHeir to the Dojo who is caught between what his heart desires and his duty as heir, and later with severe self-esteem problems.
You Have 48 Hours: Or better said, "You Have A Year To Prove Yourself As a Better GK Than Karate Practitioner".
Hikaru MatsuyamaThe captain of the Furano team, which is from Hokkaido. Serious, dependable and responsible, as well as with a bittersweet emotional baggage in his highschool years.
Obfuscating Stupidity: His main character trait and strength during the National Junior Interhigh arc. Hadn't Tsubasa responded with a Let's Get Dangerous of his own, his team would have won against Nankatsu.
Deadpan Snarkers: Very much so, and their favorite "victim" is Ishizaki. Though that might be because he and Tsubasa are among the few able to counter their attacks.
Single-Minded Twins: Weaponized, even. If they weren't twins and didn't know each other as well as they do, their partnership wouldn't be as succesful as it is.
Real Japan 7 Team
The Psycho Rangers: Much less villainous than usual, since this is a sports manga without real evil characters.
Hanji Urabe
X Marksthe Hero: Subverted: not only he's not The Hero, but his x-shaped scar is located on his forehead.
The Voiceless: Doesn't say a single word in the whole RJ7 arc
Ryoma HinoSee "foreign rivals"
Foreign Rivals
Argentina
Juan Diaz
Bash Brothers - Heterosexual Life Partners: With his childhood friend Alan Pascal. To the point that when he got the chance to join a big team, he refused to do so unless Pascal went with him.
Phenotype Stereotype: Played with. In the original TV series he had dark hair and blue eyes, whereas in the manga and other media he was a blue-eyed blond.
The White Prince: Son of a noble family as well as an ex Lonely Rich Kid, Pierre actually plays soccer to not have people reject him for his social status, and show them that he has his own merits.
Identical Stranger: Look at Tsubasa's design. Then look at Schneider's. Karl is quite taller, blond and with Blue Eyes, but otherwise, they're very physically similar.
Parents as People: In Shin CT he angsts considerably at the possibility of his parents getting a divorce. They don't, thankfully.
Adaptation Dye Job: The original manga and the games make him a blue-eyed blond. The Road to 2002 series gives him light brown hair and Purple Eyes instead.
Achilles Heel: Literally. His only "weak spots" are his feet, so the best chance to score against him is aiming low shots.
You Have 48 Hours: Similarly to Wakashimazu, they'd rather play soccer than continue the familiar tradition. Their dad and coach promises he'll let them free if they win the WYC. They're eliminated mid-way, but Mr. Konsawatto still lets them go.
Cry Cute: Blames himself so much for the loss of the Thai team that he breaks down crying in the airport. In a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming, Tsubasa cheerfully tells him to not give up.
No Koreans In Japan: Obviously averted, and even more - he and Lee are portrayed quite sympathetically, which is a feat considering the (understandable) bad blood among Koreans and Japanese.
But Not Too Foreign: Half Japanese, half Uruguayan. He first plays in the Real Japan 7, then refuses to stay in the Japanese team to honor his Uruguayan side.
Love Makes You Crazy: He promised his girlfriend Karin to be the best player ever as she lay dying. Little did she know what he would do to fulfill his word...
Carlos SantanaBrazil's Captain for the World Youth Cup and Tsubasa's rival. Turned Professionala nd played for Flamengo before a transfer to Spain's CF Valencia.
Self-Made Man: Comes from a poor village and aims to become this.
NaturezzaA player for Brazil at the World Youth Cup, he becomes Tsubasa's rival at the Road to 2002 Arc. Currently playing for Real Madrid.
Country Mouse: He and his brother come from the Amazonas. No, really!
Fatal Flaw: He's a very skilled player, but terrible in regards to team work. Hence why his coach Roberto Hongogot him benched until the end of the WYC.
His teamwork was certainly improved for the time of the Road to 2002 manga, where his individual playing, plus his teamwork along with the Real Madrid FC, caused a lot of problems to Tsubasa and the other players in Barcelona FC in the Spanish Derby.
Break the Cutie: His backstory, specially his childhood, as told by the J and Road to 2002 series, and his eyesight problems, which forced him into retirement. He could be seen as a male Broken Bird, to a degree.
Driven to Suicide: In the manga and original series, Roberto was about to throw himself into the sea during an Heroic BSOD caused by the loss of his career, but Tsubasa's father Koudai saved him and helped him get back to his feet. It should be noticed that the Road to 2002 TV series removes his suicidal episode.
Drowning My Sorrows: Until he met Tsubasa, he was heavily drinking in order to drown his sorrow of losing his career.
Louis van SaalDutch Manager of FC Barcelona. He is the one who saw Tsubasa's potential and invited him to play for the Catalan giants.
Expy: of Louis van Gaal, Barcelona manager for 2002.
The Chessmaster: As a football manger, this is a prerequisite. He decided to move Tsubasa to the reserve squad because he cannot use two playmakers in the pitch with Rivaul.
Demoted to Extra: In the Road to 2002 anime, as it skips through all romantic developments between her and Tsubasa, Sanae's teenage and adult years were drastically changed as a result, she isn't following her boyfriend, and later husband, as it never happened in this continuity.
Expy: Of Aki Yamazaki, the CSCM from the CT pilot story.
Fangirl: Not only of Tsubasa, but of the whole team.
Love at First Sight: Actually subverted. Sanae was reluctant to accept Tsubasa at first, until she got to witness his skills first-hand; even moreso in the first anime, where she was downright hostile to him since he accidentally hit Manabu with his soccer ball.
Secret Keeper: In the original series, she becomes an asymmetric one after she accidentally overhears Misugi and Yayoi talking about the first's illness.
Shut Up, Hannibal!: When Kanda almost kidnaps her and says Tsubasa won't come to face him for her sake, Sanae immediately tells him it's not true. Right then, Tsubasa shows up.
Yamato Nadeshiko: She grew into this in the manga. The three anime series make her a very mild Type B Tsundere instead.
Kumi Sugimoto
Character Development: Joined the team only because she was a Tsubasa fangirl, ended up loving the sport for real and caring for the team boys as her older "siblings". Lampshaded in canon more than once.
Adaptation Dye Job: She's a redhead in the original series, but has dark brown hair in the Road to 2002 series.
Cute Sports Club Manager: Not as much as the other girls, as she hangs around quite a bit with the Musashi Elementary team but apparently entstops that in Junior High. Unless we count the Road to 2002 series, which removed her friendship with Tsubasa but put much more emphasis on her manager role due to having the Musashi JHS out cut outta the story after their Nankatsu match.
Long Distance Relationship: She and Matsuyama, in the end. Surprisingly, subverted in the manga: she manages to return to Japan after a semester away in the USA.
Stepford Smiler: She hides her inner turmoil very well from Matsuyama and the team, only letting her mother and Machiko see how she's unhappy and depressed at the prospect of leaving Japan.
Tsundere: Type B one, as she's sweet and kind until something/someone sets her off.
Maki Akamine
Indirect Kiss: By sharing with Hyûga a Coca-cola can (his favourite drink) in the World Youth Saga, after he has completed his Training from Hell in Okinawa and is about to go get back his place in the national team.
Tsundere: Type B. She's cute and cheerful and happy, but don't press her buttons.
The Power of Love: She is an excellent softball player in her own right, but her Power Level in matches go Up to Eleven each time Hyûga cheers her. Conversely, the one time Hyûga didn't come to her match to support her, she lost.
Training from Hell: This quote from one of the RJ7 players perfectly sums up his coaching style: "Coach Gamo is again opening to us the gates of his Hell".
Expy: Of Sanae. Since she was both Older and Wiser and more feminine, Azumi was created to bring back a tomboy for the Shin CT part. (See Rurouni Kenshin, where Misao was created in similar circumstances)
