History Main / KendoTeamCaptain

Any Japanese school worth its salt has a Kendo team, and any school at which the Kendo team gets significant on-screen time will have a rather good one. At such a school, the ClubPresident of the kendo team will usually be an important character of some sort. He or she (usually he, but women are showing up more often in this role, and are usually {{Shorttank}} or DefrostingIceQueen types) is generally ''{{sempai|Kohai}}'' to the KidSamurai, a {{True Companion|s}} to the StudentCouncilPresident, and possibly TheRival to the HeirToTheDojo.

* Rei Hasekura (''Rosa Foetida en Bouton'') from ''LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs''. This is also referenced in the TagTeam FightingGame ''[[VideoGame/{{Maribato}} Maribato!]]'', where Rei appears as a playable character, wielding a [[NerfArm wooden sword]]. Curiously enough, her ''petit soeur'' Yoshino Shimazu also wields a wooden sword of her own.

%%* Shiina from ''LightNovel/HarukaNogizakasSecret'' is on the [[BladeOnAStick naginata]] team.

* ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'': Takumu "Taku" Mayuzumi was this both at the prestigious school he formerly attended and later at Umisato Academy when he transferred. Notably, even though he is talented enough to take the position on his own, he was so driven to perfection that he resorted to using Burst points and Physical Burst to enhance his already formidable skills.

* Kyouichi Saionji from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' is the captain of Ohtori Academy's kendo team. Played with in that while he does have plenty of admirers, he's not the BigManOnCampus, as that role is filled by his [[PoisonousFriend best friend]], StudentCouncilPresident Touga Kiryuu- someone who Saionji is frustratingly unable to surpass in any way.

* Kyouichi Saiyonji from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''. Played with in that he is not the BigManOnCampus, as that role is filled by his [[PoisonousFriend best friend]], Touga Kiryuu- someone who Saiyonji is frustratingly unable to surpass in any way.

%% *Kyouichi Saiyonji from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''.

One aspect to this trope that may not be immediately apparent to Western audiences is the social ranking of after school activities. A rough equivalent would be the status hierarchy that exists in American high school sports. Kendo, as a traditional martial art and one that requires a good deal of strength and dexterity, is a club with high social status, thus the usual prominence of its club president.

Most likely the BigManOnCampus. If he serves as TheAce, or another character's AlwaysSomeoneBetter, see SchoolIdol. If he's a {{Jerkass}}, see JerkJock. If there's one in the club, the CuteSportsClubManager is his most likely LoveInterest.

The closest Western counterpart would probably be TheQuarterback in American HighSchool series, or a soccer team captain in an European or Latin American series.

* Tatewaki Kunō from ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' is the captain of the team, but he is a grade-A, class one moron and buffoon that almost ''no-one'' takes seriously. [[BewareTheSillyOnes In spite of that, he's an absolute monster capable of breaking stone with his sword]]. [[OvershadowedByAwesome He only appears weak because the main characters and many recurring ones are much stronger]].

* Rei Hasekura (''Rosa Foetida en Bouton'') from ''LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs''. This is also referenced in the TagTeam FightingGame ''[[VideoGame/{{Maribato}} Maribato!]]'', where Rei appears as a playable character, wielding a [[NerfArm wooden sword]]. Curiously enough, her ''petit soeur'' Yoshino Shimazu also wield a wooden sword of her own.

%%* Saeko Bushijima in the beginning of ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead''.

* ''VideoGame/Persona3'' has a Kendo Team Social Link, indeed mainly focused on the captain. However, the script's mostly the same even if you're on the Track or Swim teams, and on the whole the team doesn't really have as massive a pull as the other examples on this page.
** ''Persona 3 Portable'' adds new scenes with the Kendo Team Link seeing the captain from a different direction and adds the girls Tennis team captain who starts failing at her job to inspire her teammates which you help her out on.

* Since Whateley Academy in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse is a SuperheroSchool, there's a big emphasis on self-defense. So there are ''two'' martials arts groups, each with their own fearsome leader: N'Dizi of the Tigers and Zhong Lau of the Dragons.

* Hinagiku Katsura in ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' - in this case she's ''also'' the StudentCouncilPresident and adored by guys [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and girls alike]] as the SchoolIdol. Despite this, and the wealth and prestige of their school, the Kendo team itself is rather unpopular with few new members and no known competent members besides Hinagiku herself. When Hayate tried to join to get Nagi interested in sports the club members seethed with jealousy at how close the two of them were as apparently none of them refer to Hinagiku [[LastNameBasis by her given name]]. They did express a desire to, but the fact that Hinagiku is beautiful, aloof, and so much better than them keeps any of them from trying.

* Masashi Takeda (pictured above) from ''Anime/MyHime''. He's actually the series' ButtMonkey, as his skills afford him no victories over the monsters on campus. A HopelessSuitor to Natsuki Kuga, she once beat him unconscious with his own shinai after he saw her changing into her bikini on the beach, [[NotWhatItLooksLike then fell on top of her, causing Mai to think they were making out. And he's framed as a PantyThief by one of the series' monsters when he tries to confront it (In fact, Natsuki's panties, but at least there she knew he was innocent). He and his kendo team also find the victim of an Orphan attack while jogging at night for exercise.

%%* Masashi Takeda (pictured above) from ''Anime/MyHime''.

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* Tatewaki Kuno from ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' is the captain of the team, but he is a grade-A, class one moron and buffoon that almost ''no one'' takes seriously. [[BewareTheSillyOnes In spite of that, he's an absolute monster capable of breaking stone with his sword]]. [[OvershadowedByAwesome He only appears weak because the main characters and many recurring ones are much stronger]].

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* Tatewaki Kuno from ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' is the captain of the team, but he is a grade-A, class one moron and buffoon that almost ''no one'' takes seriously. [[BewareTheSillyOnes In spite of that, he's an absolute monster capable of breaking stone with his sword]] ([[OvershadowedByAwesome he only appears weak because the main characters and many recurring ones are much stronger]]).

* Heiji Hattori in ''Manga/DetectiveConan''. His kendo abilities become sometimes in handy when he is in the middle of a dangerous investigation.

* Soichiro Arima in ''Manga/HisAndHerCircumstances'', who also doubles as the student council president. Somewhat justified, in that he spends almost every waking moment devoted to academic perfection, [[StepfordSmiler thinking it's his way to prove to his family and himself that he's a good, worthy person]].

[[quoteright:320:[[Anime/MaiHime https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mai-hime_kendo_team_captain.jpg]]]]

%%* Masashi Takeda (pictured above) from ''Anime/MaiHiME''.
* Soichiro Arima in ''[[Manga/HisAndHerCircumstances His and Her Circumstances]]'', who also doubles as the student council president. Somewhat justified, in that he spends almost every waking moment devoted to academic perfection, [[StepfordSmiler thinking it's his way to prove to his family and himself that he's a good, worthy person]].

%%* Shiina from ''[[LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu The Secret of Haruka Nogizaka]]'' is on the [[BladeOnAStick naginata]] team.

%%* Wakaba Saegusa in ''Anime/VividredOperation''
* Uzu Sanageyama from ''Anime/KillLaKill'' is one, as well as being a member of the EliteFour, the second-in-command of the series' AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil. [[spoiler:Uzu has a unique skill to dodge any attack he can see. After losing a battle with the main character, who manages to blind him, he sews his own eyes shut. Rather than slow him down, it makes him [[{{DisabilitySuperpower}} even more powerful.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' has a Kendo Team Social Link, indeed mainly focused on the captain. However, the script's mostly the same even if you're on the Track or Swim teams, and on the whole the team doesn't really have as massive a pull as the other examples on this page.

* Soichiro Arima in ''[[Manga/KareKano His and Her Circumstances]]'', who also doubles as the student council president. Somewhat justified, in that he spends almost every waking moment devoted to academic perfection, [[StepfordSmiler thinking it's his way to prove to his family and himself that he's a good, worthy person]].

* ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' has the as-of-yet unnamed captain who is the son of the superintendent general of the metropolitan police. Very little is known about him other than that he apparently has a rivalry with the Astronomy Club President, [[YakuzaPrincess Momo Ryuju]].

* ''LightNovelAccelWorld'': Takumu "Taku" Mayuzumi was this both at the prestigious school he formerly attended and later at Umisato Academy when he transferred. Notably, even though he is talented enough to take the position on his own, he was so driven to perfection that he resorted to using Burst points and Physical Burst to enhance his already formidable skills.

Any Japanese school worth its salt has a Kendo team, and any school at which the Kendo team gets significant on-screen time will have a rather good one. At such a school, the ClubPresident of the kendo team will usually be an important character of some sort. He or she (usually he, but females are showing up more often in this role, and are usually {{Shorttank}} or DefrostingIceQueen types) is generally ''{{sempai|Kohai}}'' to the KidSamurai, a {{True Companion|s}} to the StudentCouncilPresident, and possibly TheRival to the HeirToTheDojo.

%%* Shusui Hayasaka of ''Manga/BusoRenkin''.

* Rei Hasekura (''Rosa Foetida en Bouton'') from ''LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs'. This is also referenced in the TagTeam FightingGame ''[[VideoGame/{{Maribato}} Maribato!]]'', where Rei appears as a playable character, wielding a [[NerfArm wooden sword]]. Curiously enough, her ''petit soeur'' Yoshino Shimazu also wield a wooden sword of her own.

* Kyouichi Saiyonji from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''.

* Rei Hasekura (''Rosa Foetida en Bouton'') from ''LightNovel/MariaSamaGaMiteru''. This is also referenced in the TagTeam FightingGame ''[[VideoGame/{{Maribato}} Maribato!]]'', where Rei appears as a playable character, wielding a [[NerfArm wooden sword]]. Curiously enough, her ''petit soeur'' Yoshino Shimazu also wield a wooden sword of her own.
* Kirino from ''Manga/BambooBlade''. Since the whole show is about kendo, that makes her role quite prominent.
* Masashi Takeda (pictured above) from ''Anime/MaiHiME''.

* Maya Natsume from ''Manga/TenjhoTenge''.
* Wakou, Sharaku's tomboyish older sister from ''Manga/BlackJack''.
* Masaya Aoyama in ''Manga/TokyoMewMew''.
* Shiina from ''[[LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu The Secret of Haruka Nogizaka]]'' is on the [[BladeOnAStick naginata]] team.

* Masamune Asuka and [[TheRival Tounomine Hajime]] in ''Manga/{{Otomen}}''.

* Saeko Bushijima in the beginning of ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead''.
* Kamiya Tsurugi and Taizan Yodaka are both captains of their Kendo clubs in the 2011 manga, ''Manga/{{Kurogane|2011}}''.
* Wakaba Saegusa in ''Anime/VividredOperation''

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* Juri Arisugawa (also from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'') is the captain of the fencing team.
* As mentioned above, the tennis captains and sub-captains in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'' count as sort-of equivalents too.
* Reika in ''Manga/AimForTheAce'' is the tennis equivalent.

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* Troy and Basketball in ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' qualify.

* Oliver Wood, Cedric Diggory, Angelina Johnson, Roger Davies, and Literature/HarryPotter himself.

* Shusui Hayasaka of ''Manga/BusouRenkin''.

The closest Western counterpart would probably be TheQuarterback in American HighSchool series.