List of Eyeshield 21 characters

The Eyeshield 21 anime and manga series features an extensive cast of characters created by Riichiro Inagaki and Yusuke Murata. The series takes place in Tokyo, Japan, where the members of Deimon Devil Bats has the ambition to compete at the Christmas Bowl, the most important high school football championship of the country.

The main character of the series is Sena Kobayakawa, a wimpy boy who was a gofer to avoid being bullied during his childhood; he enters Deimon High School. While he runs away from the Ha-Ha Brothers his running ability is witnessed by Yoichi Hiruma, the captain of the Deimon Devil Bats, the school's American football team. After this, Hiruma coerces Sena to join the American football club under the alias "Eyeshield 21" to keep him from being recruited by other teams. Sena and Hiruma along with the other member of the club, Ryokan Kurita, try to recruit new players to compete at the Christmas Bowl.

While developing the characters, Murata intended to create characters who have unique qualities and that could stand out amidst the teams they are included. He focused his work on the characters' outfits since he thought it was the thing that would be most noted during the matches. Inagaki also used real world influence for the teams. Most reviewers have praised the characters of the series, declaring that the characters are one of the best elements of the Eyeshield 21 series as they are distinguishable.

Creation and conception

When Riichiro Inagaki and Yusuke Murata was originally creating the Eyeshield 21 series, Murata was concerned that each character had a quality that stand out as many of the characters are in groups.[1] Murata said that "due to their heavy protective gear, it would be very difficult to identify personal characteristics in games" then decided to become more engaged in their clothes, and stating "so the most work on character designs are on their uniforms".[2] During the teams conception Inagaki developed the thought that "each team has its own style" and added he "decide[d] what kind of character should appear in the story before assigning him a team."[2] For the creation of Deimon Devil Bats uniform, Murata took into account the Philadelphia Eagles' gear and helmets,[1][3] and for it logo he created six prototypes telling he "spent a lot of work on designing the logo".[2]

Protagonists

The protagonists of the Eyeshield 21 series are part of Deimon Devil Bats[Jp 1] an American football team based on Deimon Private Senior High School.[Jp 2] The Deimon Devil Bats are originally founded by Yoichi Hiruma, Ryokan Kurita, and Musashi under the name of Mao Devil Bats.[Jp 3][ch. 57] After its inaugural year, they need to refound the team in Deimon.[ch. 171] However, its membership was further reduced with the departure of Musashi due the his father accident.[ch. 132] This remains the case until Hiruma discovers Sena Kobayakawa and his amazing running ability.[ch. 2]

Sena Kobayakawa

Main article: Sena Kobayakawa

Sena Kobayakawa (小早川 瀬那 Kobayakawa Sena) is the protagonist of the Eyeshield 21 series. During his childhood, he was a timid boy who was bullied, and needed to be protected by Mamori Anezaki.[ch. 8] Seeing this, Riku Kaitani, a young friend of Sena's, teaches him a running technique he referred to as the "explosive run" for Sena be able to defend himself. However, Sena uses this to become a gofer for others instead of getting rid of bullies.[ch. 128] In his first day at Deimon High School, he is chased by three bullies known as the Ha-Ha Brothers and his speed is discovered by Hiruma, who literally forces him into joining the football team at Deimon.[ch. 2] Sena's voice actor in the Japanese anime is Miyu Irino,[4] and he is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal.[5]

Yoichi Hiruma

Main article: Yoichi Hiruma

Yoichi Hiruma (蛭魔　妖一 Hiruma Yōichi) is the captain and the quarterback of the Deimon Devil Bats. Hiruma learned about American football when he was a child after crawling through a hole in a fence of an American military base.[ch. 248] He befriends Ryokan Kurita and Musashi, and with them, founds the Mao Devil Bats.[ch. 57] After completing middle school he intends to join the Shinryuji Naga, but as Kurita fails the entrance exam (and the sports scholarship is taken by Agon), he enters Deimon. Along with Kurita and Musashi, he re-establishes his former club, Mao Devil Bats, but renames the team the Deimon Devil Bats.[ch. 171] As Musashi leaves the club and few people have interest in American football, he starts to blackmail students, forcing them to join the club.[ch. 3] Hiruma is greatly feared both by students and administrative members of the school.[ch. 1, 89] Besides blackmailing people, he also intimidates them with the multiple firearms he carries with him.[ch. 26] He is also a genius in maverick trick plays and mind games that he uses to try to frighten his adversaries.[ch. 45, 136] In the Japanese anime, Hiruma is voiced by Atsushi Tamura,[4] and his English voice actor is Derek Stephen Prince.[6]

Ryokan Kurita

Ryokan Kurita (栗田　良寛 Kurita Ryōkan) is the largest and strongest linemen and player in the Deimon Devil Bats. Kurita is a kind-hearted individual who tries to do not hurt other people, but while on the field he does not hesitate to use all his strength.[ch. 1, 142] When playing, Kurita shouts his kiai "Funnuraba!"[Jp 4] when exerting extra effort.[ch. 5] Kurita meets Hiruma and Musashi before entering high school, and with them founded the Mao Devil Bats,[ch. 57] promising that one day they would dispute the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 60] Before completing high school, Kurita wants to join the Shinryuji Naga through a scholarship, but Agon Kongo, who is considered a prodigy, enters his vacancy, and since he could not pass the school's exam he joins Deimon.[ch. 171] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Enma University alongside Sena, Monta, Riku, Mizumachi, Unsui and Kotaro.[ch. 333] His voice actor is Kōichi Nagano.[4]

Monta

Taro Raimon (雷門　太郎 Raimon Tarō) is the primary wide receiver of the Deimon Devil Bats. He is most known as Monta (モン太), a nickname given to him by Hiruma, who said that this name alluded to Joe Montana.[ch. 39] He has a habit to go into a pose after a catch while yelling "Catch Max, also adding "Max" to nearly anything he describes while excited or determined.[ch. 28] In many aspects, Monta resembles a monkey, and it is used as a recurring gag throughout the series.[ch. 145] Initially, he wants to become a baseball player, and sees Masaru Honjo, a Shuei the Bears' outfielder, as an idol. However, due to his lack of ability in other areas than reception he is not cast for the main team. Then, Sena invites him to join the Devil Bats, but he refuses the offer.[ch. 23] Monta only enters the team after being scammed by Hiruma, who says the team needed someone to protect Mamori Anezaki from Eyeshield 21.[ch. 24] After he decides he will become a hero through American football.[ch. 28] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Enma University.[ch. 333] Monta's voice actor in the anime is Kappei Yamaguchi.[4]

Other

Mamori Anezaki

Mamori Anezaki (姉崎 まもり Anezaki Mamori) is a childhood friend of Sena that has been protecting him from bullies since primary school. At high school, and after Sena joining the American football club, Mamori also joins it as the club manager to protect him.[ch. 8] Despite her joining the American Football club just to protect Sena, she eventually becomes an excellent manager who knows the rules, analyzes the adversaries strategies and makes up strategies to combat them.[ch. 9, 147] Mamori's drawing abilities are terrible if compared to her other academic abilities—actually she is one of the school's top three students—and it is a recurring gag throughout the series.[7] In the Japanese anime, her voice actress is Aya Hirano,[4] and she is voiced by Kate Higgins in the English adaptation.

The Ha-Ha Brothers

The Ha-Ha Brothers (ハァハァ3兄弟 Ha Ha San Kyōdai) are three juvenile delinquents who join the team after Hiruma blackmailing them with a negative of a picture where they appear nude.[ch. 27] Despite of not being brothers, Hiruma calls them this way due their habit of expression, with each one of the trio saying "Ha!?", in rapid succession with a crescendo.[ch. 29] The gang is formed by Kazuki Jumonji[Jp 5], considered the group's leader, Koji Kuroki[Jp 6], and Shozo Togano[Jp 7]. They definitely join the club after passing the test that consists in climbing Tokyo Tower without letting the ice melt.[ch. 33] They are notably poor and inexperienced at the game when they start out, and so they are called "trash" by other players, journalists and even the father of Jumonji.[ch. 40, 54] This disbelief, however, make them strive to prove to those who do not believe in their skills that they are very capable linemen.[ch. 304] Jumonji, Kuroki, and Togano's Japanese voice actors are Takanori Hoshino, Masami Iwasaki, and Takeshi Maeda respectively.[4] In the English version they are voiced by Kirk Thornton, Lex Lang, and Liam O'Brien in the same order.

Manabu Yukimitsu

Manabu Yukimitsu (雪光 学 Yukimitsu Manabu) is a second year student who has always been dedicated to only the studies. His mother wants him to be a studious person and makes him study from day till night in addition to going to cram school. Even contradicting his mother Yukimitsu decides he wants to have sweet memories of his high school that didn't have anything to do with studying, and so he does the Hiruma's qualification test and enters the Deimon Devil Bats.[ch. 33, 304] Yukimitsu does not participate in the first game and knowing his limitations he begins to devote more on training to dispute the Autumn Tokyo Tournament.[ch. 54] However, he is not cast to that competition,[ch. 90] making his debut only in the match against the Shinryuji Naga at the Kantō Tournament.[ch. 180] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Masaru Hōta.[8]

Daikichi Komusubi

Daikichi Komusubi (小結 大吉 Komusubi Daikichi) is one of the linemen of the Deimon Devil Bats. Daikichi is highly impressed by Kurita's amazing strength and build when first sees him, and decides that he wanted to become Kurita's "apprentice".[ch. 32] He was able to join the team after surviving the Tokyo Tower qualifying test, beating out the Ha-Ha Brothers.[ch. 33] He does not talk much, and speaks only in the so-called language of strong men, that only "truly strong men" can understand, which consists mostly of strange grunts and one-word sentences.[ch. 34] In the Japanese anime, Komusubi is voiced by Hidenori Sakaki.[8]

Suzuna Taki

Suzuna Taki (瀧 鈴音 Taki Suzuna) is a blue-haired girl who is always wearing rollerblades. In the manga, Suzuna first appears in a scene in the United States where she is looking for her brother, Natsuhiko, and meets with Sena;[ch. 82] in the anime, she appears before it, yet in Japan, where she is working as reporter hired to discover the secret identity of Eyeshield 21.[9] Later, Suzuna follows the team back to Japan and then proclaims herself a cheerleader for the Devil Bats even though she's not from Deimon High School.[ch. 89] Her voice actress in the Japanese anime is Shoko Nakagawa.[4]

Doburoku Sakaki

Doburoku Sakaki (酒奇 溝六 Sakaki Doburoku) is the coach of the Deimon Devil Bats and a former American footballer. He trains Hiruma, Musashi, and Kurita, and teaches them how to play American football before they join the high school. However, after his loan shark's debts become too high because his gambling habits, he leaves them and flees to the United States.[ch. 75] There, he becomes a Beach football coach, returning to Japan only after Hiruma paying all his debts.[ch. 88] He and Ojo's trainer and coach, Gunpei Shoji, were teammates at Sengoku University's American football team, and were known as "The Twin Japanese Blades",[Jp 8] where he played as a tight end.[ch. 86] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Shōichiro Akaboshi.[10]

Natsuhiko Taki

Natsuhiko Taki (瀧 夏彦 Taki Natsuhiko) is a high school student who has the dream of becoming an NFL player. He is a narcissist person[11] and he is usually called a "idiot" by several people, including his sister, Suzuna Taki, and Hiruma due to his odd and rather foolish attitude;[ch. 83, 85] it is exemplified by his habit of opening his jacket to bare his pecs and making weird poses and pirouettes.[ch. 83, 90] However, Taki can be serious, using his flexibility to block the adversaries.[ch. 164] Even having been refused by high school teams,[ch. 90] Taki goes to the United States, abandoning his family, to apply for a position in the San Antonio by taking all the savings in his house to the flight.[ch. 83] He fails, but Sena asks him to join the Devil Bats back in Japan as a tight end. However, Hiruma says he can only join the team if he follows them in the Death March a journey of two thousand kilometers along the American coast.[ch. 85] After arriving in Japan, he has yet to make the high school entrance exam, and he debuts only in the second match of the Autumn Tokyo Tournament.[ch. 101, 104] He has been voiced by Kōji Ochiai in the Japanese anime.[12]

Musashi

Gen Takekura (武蔵 厳 Takekura Gen), most known as Musashi (ムサシ), is the kicker of the Deimon Devil Bats. Along with Hiruma and Kurita, he establishes the team originally under the name of Mao Devil Bats. However, Musashi he is forced to leave the team during the his freshman year and take over as the construction foreman at his family company because his father had suffered an accident at work.[ch. 132,140] He only returns a year later; in the manga, it occurs against the Seibu Wild Gunmen,[ch. 141] and in the anime he returns against the Bando Spiders.[10] Despite the title of The 60-yard Magnum[Jp 9] is actually a lie that Hiruma fabricates to scare the opponents, this arouses the rivalry of Kotaro Sasaki,[ch. 57] and it becomes truth when Mushashi converts a field goal of 60 meters against Teikoku Alexanders.[ch. 303, 304] In the Japanese anime, Musashi's voice actor is Rikiya Koyama.[10]

Tetsuo Ishimaru

Tetsuo Ishimaru (石丸 哲生 Ishimaru Tetsuo) is the Devil Bats' second running back. Ishimaru is recruited from the track team by Sena who takes over half of his paper route for him.[ch. 3] Ishimaru is considered an extremely ordinary person, and thus, many times, his adversaries and even teammates do not note his presence on the field.[ch. 29] Nevertheless, Ishimaru's obscurity works to his advantage when playing since no one notices when he is handed the ball.[ch. 121, 282] Ishimaru's voice actor in the Japanese anime is Kei Katō,[13] and he is voiced by Grant George in the English adaptation.[6]

Main opponents

Ojo White Knights

The Ojo White Knights (王城ホワイトナイツ Ōjō Howaito Naitsu) is considered the second best team in strongest team in Kantō behind Shinryuji Naga at the start of Eyeshield 21. Three years prior to the series' start, a group of defense-focused Ojo players known as "Golden Generation" manages to get close to defeat the Shinryuji Naga. However, they are defeated after Agon and Unsui Kongo enter the match.[ch. 50]

Seijuro Shin

Seijuro Shin (進 清十郎 Shin Seijūro) is the ace linebacker of the Ojo White Knights. He was modeled after Bruce Lee, and Murata noted he becomes like a real person as the story progresses.[2] Shin only joins the American football club because he is along with Haruto Sakuraba when he is invited, but the coach Gunpei Shoji sees his potential.[ch. 37] Over time, he is regarded as the best linebacker in Japan, and is known for his obsessive training habits.[ch. 8, 14] Shin is also a good observer; at the first Shin meets Sena, he realizes that Sena is the Eyeshield, starting their rivalry.[ch. 25] Despite of this, he serves as a personal coach for Sena during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Naoya Gomoto,[4] and his English voice actor is Crispin Freeman.

Haruto Sakuraba

Haruto Sakuraba (桜庭 春人 Sakuraba Haruto) is the Ojo White Knights' wide receiver. In high school, he enters the team due to his unpaired height; however, Shin surpasses him. Sakuraba feels envious of Shin's success and achievements, and disappointed with himself he becomes a model of Jari Productions.[ch. 37] Because of his popularity, people mistake him for the ace of the Ojo team, however he is initially seen by the other players only as a pitchman and an average player.[ch. 13, 91] After getting injured and being hospitalized he meets Torakich, a boy who admires him only due to his skills, and he becomes excited again to play American football.[ch. 37, 38] Sakuraba start to try harder, shaves his hair and let his beard grow, and before the start of the Autumn Tokyo Tournament he resigns with Jari Pro.[ch. 92, 94] In the Japanese anime, Sakuraba is voiced by Mamoru Miyano,[4] and in the English version he is voiced by Tony Oliver.

Ichiro Takami

Ichiro Takami (高見 伊知郎 Takami Ichirō) is the Ojo White Knights' quarterback. At first, a childhood leg injury left him unable to run as quickly as quarterbacks needed to be. After the coach told him he could not play due to this drawback, he decided to take on more training and study calculations for passing to other players. Finally, after his fourth year on the team, he became the team's starting quarterback for the Kantō Tournament.[ch. 92] He is analytical and has some ability in reading the movements and strategies of opposing teams. In the Japanese version of the anime, Takami s voiced by Kenji Hamada.[13]

Makoto Otawara

Makoto Otawara (大田原誠 Ōtawara Makoto) is the captain and a large lineman for the White Knights. Otawara is a very loud and brash person, who always says what he thinks, also having a flatulence problem, and makes no effort to hide it.[ch. 9] In contrast to his strength, Otawara is plain stupid, as Shoji, the White Knight's coach puts it, and even he admits it freely.[ch. 12] However, Ōtawara can be very insightful, which genuinely shocks just about everyone.[ch. 118] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Daikichi Komusubi during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] Otawara's Japanese voice actor is Kenji Nomura,[13] and in the English version he is voiced by Patrick Seitz.

Gunpei Shoji

Gunpei Shoji (庄司軍平 Shōji Gunpei), nicknamed Shogun (ショーグン) by some, is the head coach and trainer of the Ojo White Knights. During his years in university, he was an ace player for his football team, along with Deimon's trainer Doburoku. Together, they were known at the "Twin Japanese Blades".[ch. 86, 111] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Tetsuo Komura.[13]

Seibu Wild Gunmen

The Seibu Wild Gunmen (西部ワイルドガンマンズ Seibu Wairudo Ganmanzu) are a team from the Kantō region of Japan. They are considered to be the strongest offensive team in Tokyo. Its members include Kid, the quarterback, Jo Tetsuma, the wide receiver, Riku Kaitani, the running back, Buffalo Ushijima[Jp 10], a lineman and the team's captain,[ch. 137] and "Doc" Holiday[14], the coach.[ch. 35]

Kid

Kid (キッド Kiddo), whose real name is Shien Mushanokoji (武者小路紫苑 Mushanokōji Shien), the Seibu Wild Gunmen's quarterback. He is the son of Hajime Mushanokoji[Jp 11], a three-time Olympic gold medalist in shooting sport.[ch. 131] His father always wanted Shien to be a shooter like him and imposed on his son a lot of pressure. After could not manage to win a championship, and feel he disappointed his father, Shien left his home and abandoned his name, adopting the pseudonym "Kid".[ch. 139, 245] He is known for having one of the most fastest pass as he never took a sack. In the "Quick-Draw Pass" he throws the football in 0.2 seconds by using both of his hands to generate a fast spiral, and due to this and due to his background in shooting he earned the moniker "Quick-Draw Kid".[Jp 12][ch. 135] Kid's voice actor in the Japanese anime is Yuuya Uchida.[12]

Jo Tetsuma

Jo Tetsuma (鉄馬丈 Tetsuma Jō) is the wide receiver of the Seibu Wild Gunmen. He is a childhood friend of Kid and the son of Kid's father's driver.[ch. 139] He is very quiet and follow orders the extreme. He memorizes a number of different passing routes, and once Kid calls one out, he will almost automatically not falter from the course unless overpowered.[73. , 136] However, he does act upon his own impulses to help keep Monta from attacking the referee to keep the Devil Bats from being disqualified.[ch. 150, 151] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Manabu Yukimitsu during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] His voice actor is Eiji Takemoto.[12]

Riku Kaitani

Riku Kaitani (甲斐谷陸 Kaitani Riku) is the running back of the Seibu Wild Gunmen. He is a childhood friend of Sena, whom he teaches how to run extremely fast in order to stand up to bullies, and considers a little brother. Riku eventually moves away and only meets Sena again during the Autumn Tokyo Tournament.[ch. 128] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Tetsuo Ishimaru during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Enma University.[ch. 333] In the Japanese anime, Riku is voiced by Chikiri Kyoko as a child; and as a teenager, he is voiced by Yuuki Masuda.[12]

Shinryuji Naga

Shinryuji Naga (神龍寺ナーガ Shinryūji Naga) is considered the strongest high school American football team in Japan. It is based on Kanagawa in a boys only school which follows Buddhism. Prior to the series' start, they have never been defeated at the Kantō Tournament.[ch. 50] However, in the first game of the tournament, the Devil Bats overcomes them.[ch. 199] Its members include the Kongo brothers—Agon and Unsui—, Ikkyu Hosokawa, the cornerback, Gondayu Yamabushi, the senior lineman, Sanzo[Jp 13], an androgynous-looking running back,[ch. 52, 183], and Sumito Sendoda[Jp 14], the coach.[ch. 50]

Agon Kongo

Agon Kongo (金剛阿含 Kongō Agon) is the younger of twin brothers on the Shinryuji Naga team. Agon is considered a genius player who appears only once in a century, and he treats everyone with indifference, arrogance, and as worthless trash.[ch. 50, 51, 177] Agon joins the school through a scholarship for students with athletic skills above average.[ch. 171] He can play in most of the skill positions, and has a reaction time of 0.11 seconds.[ch. 176, 177] However, Agon is womanizer and iresponsible, having to be monitored by his brother, Unsui.[ch. 50] Inagaki described him as "a real ladies' man, a very strong character" and noted he could not depict Agon "laying with the ladies" in a shōnen manga.[15] In the Japanese anime, his voice actor is Takuya Kirimoto.[16]

Unsui Kongo

Unsui Kongo (金剛雲水 Kongō Unsui) is the Naga's quarterback. He is known for his dedication to train and for his passion to football, but is considered merely "a good player", the opposite of his brother, Agon.[ch. 51] Unsui never overcomed his brother, and, aware of such situation, he decided to make his brother the best player as possible, even taking responsibility for Agon's actions.[ch. 185] However, at the end of the series, Unsui joins a different university from Agon, wishing to grow on his own, and overcomes his brother.[ch. 333] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Takeshi Maeda,[16] and his English voice actor is Grant George.

Ikkyu Hosokawa

Ikkyu Hosokawa (細川一休 Hosokawa Ikkyū) is the Naga's cornerback. He has the record of 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard-dash while running backwards, making him the best cornerback in the Kantō region.[ch. 51] He is the only player on the Naga that Agon has any respect for, since he is considered a genius.[ch. 170] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Monta during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] Ikkyu peppers his speech with the inflection "oni", which is used as an emphatic phrase, and is usually translated as "completely". Ikkyu's voice actor in the Japanese anime is Toshiyuki Toyogana.[16]

Gondayu Yamabushi

Gondayu Yamabushi (山伏権太夫 Yamabushi Gondayū) is one of the senior members and linemen of the Naga team, and its captain. He joins the team through a scholarship for sportsmen, and is an elite player, according to his coach.[ch. 171] During his freshman year, Yamabushi was noted alongside fellow receiver Doujirou Tenma as the future of the team. However, as skilled as he was, the lineman is embarrassed when Tenma is recruited for the all-stars of Teikoku Alexanders instead of himself.[ch. 289] He is voiced by Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi.[16]

Teikoku Alexanders

Teikoku Alexanders (帝黒アレキサンダーズ Teikoku Arekisandāzu) are a team based out of Osaka. They are known as the ultimate all-star team and, prior to the match against the Devil Bats, no team had scored against them,[ch. 293] they have never called a timeout,[ch. 288] and they have won the Christmas Bowl since its inception.[ch. 284] They recruit the best players from all the country and stick them into a six tiered ranking system. Players who want to move up in the ranks must memorize over one thousand different plays and all of the first string members must be able to run forty yards in under five seconds.[ch. 276, 282] Its members include Takeru Yamato, the running back, Taka Honjo, the wide receiver, Karin Koizumi, the quarterback, Kureji Hera (平良呉二 Hera Kureji), most known as Heracles, a lineman and the captain,[ch. 281] and Reisuke Aki (安芸礼介 Aki Reisuke), most known as Achilles, a lineman who joins the team due to its cheerleaders.[ch. 282]

Takeru Yamato

Takeru Yamato (大和猛 Yamato Takeru) is the "real" Eyeshield 21. He obtained such title during his stay in the United States in the Notre Dame college.[ch. 287] There, he felt he lacked speed and strength, so he focused everything on balance to become unstoppable in a charge, and claimed the title of "Eyeshield 21" for himself. However, after he failed to stop Panther from stealing the ball from him, Donald Oberman, believing him to be not ready, had him removed from the school.[ch. 316] He returns to Japan in order to reach the top and find an opponent capable of facing him.[ch. 276] Then, he joins the Teikoku, becoming part of the first after one day.[ch. 278, 279]

Taka Honjo

Taka Honjo (本庄鷹 Honjō Taka) is the wide receiver of the Teikoku Alexanders and the son of Masaru Honjo. He is known for his high jumps, having the Japanese high school record in the long jump, which allows him to seem like he is walking on air when catching the ball.[ch. 277, 283] Masaru constantly trained Taka during his youth aiming Taka to be the best, and so he has no goal, as he thinks there is no other wide receiver as good as he.[ch. 278, 279] Taka eventually finds a suitable rival in Monta, who initially fears going against Taka due to Masaru being his idol, but who defeat him in the end.[ch. 278, 293]

Karin Koizumi

Karin Koizumi (小泉香燐 Koizumi Karin) is the quarterback of the team, and the only female player in the series. She would have joined the manga club when started the high school.[ch. 287] Her skills as a player are discovered by Taka after he catches a ball that she threw back to him. She is reluctant at first but agrees after Yamato talks to her. As she had a natural ability for passes, Karin only trains hard to improve her dodging ability bypass someone inches away from her.[ch. 285]

Other characters

Taiyo Sphinx

The Taiyo Sphinx (太陽スフィンクス Taiyō Sufinkusu) are a team based in the Kanagawa prefecture. They are renowned for their "Pyramid Line" composed of strong and heavy offensive and defensive linemen.[ch. 39]. Its member include Banba Mamoru, the captain, Kiminari Harao[Jp 15], an eccentric quarterback who has his own harem and is considered below average playear,[ch. 170, 201] Niinobu Kasamatsu[Jp 16], the second-largest player on the Pyramid Line who is easily irritated and tricked,[ch. 45] Ken Kamaguruma[Jp 17], a tall first-year cornerback whose speciality is the bump technique.[ch. 46]

Banba Mamoru

Banba Mamoru (番場衛 Mamoru Banba) is the Taiyo Sphinx's captain. He a third-year student who holds the school record for squats, as well as is considered one of the best linemen in Japan.[ch. 41] He is distinguished by his massive physique, complete baldness, and, during the Kantō Tournament, multiple scars from training.[ch. 168] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Shozo Togano during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Taiten Kusunoki.[17]

NASA Aliens

The NASA Shuttles (NASAシャトルズ Nasa Shatoruzu) are a team based in Houston, Texas.[ch. 93] The team is formerly known as the NASA Aliens (NASAエイリアンズ Nasa Eirianzu), having changed their name after lose to the Devil Bats in a match that they have bet with Hiruma that if the NASA Aliens could not win with a lead of ten points or more, they would not return to United States. Then its coach, Leonardo Apollo, changes the team name to return to their home country.[ch. 81] Its member include Panther, the running back, Homer Fitzgerald[Jp 18], the quarterback whose especiality is a long pass known as "Shuttle Pass",[ch. 59], Jeremy Watt[Jp 19], the wide receiver who is a Japanophile,[ch. 58], and two brothers, Nisan[Jp 20] and Otto Gonzalez[Jp 21], the former tall and strong and the latter smaller, but faster.[ch. 66]

Panther

Patrick Spencer (パトリック・スペンサー Patorikku Supensā), most known as Panther (パンサー Pansā), is the only black member of the NASA Aliens. He is also known as "The Man who Possesses Weightless Legs"[Jp 22] because he has innate and extraordinary running talents.[ch. 69] However, he has been reduced to being a ball boy the team coach, Leonard Apollo.[ch. 59] Panther struggle because he has the dream of becoming a professional NFL player sustain his grandmother, and also because of his admirattion on Apollo.[ch. 60, 70] Apollo allows him to player for the first time in the match against the Devil Bats.[ch. 68] Later, he is recruited by the Team USA.[ch. 306] In the anime, his voice actor is Kōsuke Kujirai.[18]

Leonard Apollo

Leonard Apollo (レオナルド・アポロ Reonarudo Aporo) is the coach of the NASA Aliens team. He is a former professional NFL player, known for his dedication to train.[ch. 70] When he is sacked out from the team in favor of Morgan, a black man with innate talents, he becomes a racist, not only against African-American, but Japanese as well.[ch. 53, 68] So he decides he would form the best possible team with only white players,[ch. 70] and due to this attitude, he forbides Panther for playing.[ch. 59] However, he changes his mind after all members of the Aliens do a dogeza to ask him to let Panther play.[ch. 68] He is voiced in the anime by Kenyu Horiuchi.[18]

Kyoshin Poseidon

Kyoshin Poseidon (巨深ポセイドン) are team known for its members height. Its members include Shun Kakei, the main linebacker, Kengo Mizumachi, the main lineman, Osamu Kobanzame (小判鮫オサム Kobanzame Osamu), the de jure captain of the team,[ch. 111, 122] and the two tallest high school American football players in Japan, Hiroshi Ohira[Jp 23] and Hiroshi Onishi[19], who greatly look up to Kakei.[ch. 119]

Shun Kakei

Shun Kakei (筧 駿 Kakei Shun) is the de facto captain of the team due to Osamu's shyness. During the middle school, he is considered a differentiated player as he was taller than the other Japanese students. Due to his he go to the United States, where he realizes he is not so good as he thinks. Then, he abandons the football; but when he saw the "real" Eyeshield 21, he decides to train more to face him one day. He achieves his goal, but the Eyeshield soon disappears, which causes Shun to travel to Japan to find him.[ch. 112] There, he joins Kyoshin; he eventually learns that Takeru Yamato is the player he is looking for and helps train Jumonji Kazuki before the match between Devil Bats and Alexanders.[ch. 278] Kakei's voice actor is Kōsuke Takeuchi in the anime.[8]

Kengo Mizumachi

Kengo Mizumachi (水町 健吾 Mizumachi Kengo) is the main lineman of the Kyoshin Poseidon. During the middle school, he is known as genius with a natural gift for sports, being requested by several teams. He joins and becomes a champion at the swimmin club, but he quites due his teammates lacking the drive to win; he is eventually recruited by Kakei to the American football.[ch. 117] Later, he serves as a personal coach for Koji Kuroki during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Enma University.[ch. 333] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Daisuke Ono.[8]

Bando Spiders

The Bando Spiders (盤戸スパイダーズ Bando Supaidāzu) are a team of specialist that focus on scoring through field goals. Most of members are recruited away by the Teikoku Alexanders after coming in second place in the Tokyo Tournament that occurred one year prior the series' events.[ch. 159] The team's main player is Kotaro Sasaki, the one responsible for scoring, who has the help of Hayato Akaba, the one in charge for blocking the adversaries. The teams is managed by Juri Sawai[Jp 24], a childhood friend of Kotaro.[ch. 160]

Hayato Akaba

Hayato Akaba (赤羽 隼人 Akaba Hayato) is the tight end and the captain of the Spiders. He is obsessed with music, often plays his electric guitar, and uses musical metaphors to state his opinions.[ch. 152] After win the MVP in the Tokyo Tournament,[ch. 152] he attracts the attention of Teikoku Alexanders.[ch. 159] He joins the Alexanders, but soon he decides to return to Bando. He cannot play for six months due to the school's policy, and during this time he is devoted to study new tactics to teach his companions.[ch. 158, 169] He introduces himself for the match against the Devil Bats as "the real Eyeshield 21".[ch. 155] After his team's loss, he serves as a personal coach for Natsuhiko Taki during the Devil Bats' preparation for the Christmas Bowl.[ch. 278] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Saikyodai University.[ch. 333] Akaba's voice actor is Daisuke Hirakawa.[10]

Kotaro Sasaki

Kotaro Sasaki (佐々木 コータロー Sasaki Kōtarō) is the kicker of Bando Spiders. A skilled kicker, he has an average of 100% success of converting extra points.[ch. 55] However, he has the ambition to hold the title of best kicker in Japan and then has the desire to face Musashi, having heard the urban legend of Musashi's sixty-yard field goal.[ch. 55, 57] Due to his abilities, Sasaki is invited to join the Teikoku Alexanders, but rejected the offer to stay with Hayato Akaba.[ch. 159] At the end of the series, he is shown to be attending Enma University.[ch. 333] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Eiji Moriyama.[10]

Hakushu Dinosaurs

The Hakushu Dinosaurs (白秋ダイナソーズ Hakushū Dainosōzu) are a team from SIC region (Saitama, Ibaraki, and Chiba), participating for the first time the Kantō Tournament. Its members include Reiji Maruko, the quarterback and captain, Rikiya Gaoh, the main lineman, Hiromi Kisaragi[Jp 25], the wide receiver who is considered the team's left arm,[ch. 255] Hanataka Tengu (天狗 花隆 Tengu Hanataka), the team's former "ace",[ch. 244, 245] Saburo Mitsui (三ツ井 三郎 Mitsui Saburō), the kicker that proclaims himself the third best,[ch. 263] and Maruko Himuro (氷室 丸子 Himuro Maruko), the club's manager who admires the Marco's ambition, but does not like the methods he uses.[ch. 268]

Reiji Maruko

Reiji Maruko (円子令司 Maruko Reiji) is the quarterback and captain of Hakushu Dinosaurs. He is the son of a former Mafia member and calls himself Marco (マルコ), because he thinks his name sound like that of a girl's name.[ch. 168, 178] Marco is an ambitious man who aspires to be the best and win the Christmas Bowl. To do this, and to impress Himuro he trains hard. However, his teammates encourage him to quit after seeing the strength of the Teikoku Alexanders. Obsessed for winning, he recruits Rikiya Gaoh, even against the will of Himuro.[ch. 268] In the Japanese anime, Maruko is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita.[17]

Rikiya Gaoh

Rikiya Gaoh (峨王 力哉 Gaō Rikiya) is a the strongest lineman of college football in Japan. Despite of being a rookie, he holds the Japanese bench press record with over two hundred kilograms and due to his enormous strength he breaks regular mouthpieces, causing him to use one made of a titanium alloy.[ch. 200, 201] He is considered to be a monster by his opponents, having injured the quarterback of all teams he has faced until the match against Taiyo Sphinx.[ch. 201, 202] Despite wanting a power match, Gaou respects all of the rules and has respect for those who faces him.[ch. 202, 251] After his high school years, he joins the semi-pro football club Takekura Babels in the X-League.[ch. 333] Inagaki was inspired to create him after watching a NFL match, where he thought the players "were facing dinosaurs".[20] His voice actor in the Japanese anime is Tsuyoshi Koyama.[17]

Other characters

Rui Habashira

Rui Habashira (葉柱 ルイ Habashira Rui) is a linebacker and the captain of the Zokugaku Chameleons,[Jp 26] a team whose members are mainly delinquents lead by him. Habashira is the son of a senator; as such, he can allow players, who should be under police custody, to play games.[ch. 26] He acts like a thug in order to gain respect from his teammates, and he forces them to practice through threats and violence. However, he is the only one in the team who really cares about American football.[ch. 110] He enters the international tournament as the "Mummy Man" in order to play while also making sure his teammates are not thinking he is wasting time.[ch. 329] In the Japanese version of the anime, he is voiced by Kōji Yusa.[8]

Onihei Yamamoto

Onihei Yamamoto (山本鬼兵 Yamamoto Onihei) is a lineman the captain of the Hashiratani Deers,[Jp 27]. He is greatly admired and respected by other linemen, especially Ryokan Kurita. He is very powerful despite his smaller body, and is known for his great technique and experience.[ch. 106] After the elimination of his team from the Autumn Tournament by Kyoshin Poseidon, he befriends Torakichi, who quite accurately believes, after observing some of Onihei's predictions, that anything that Onihei predicts is wrong.[ch. 142] In the Japanese anime, Onihei is voiced by Taiten Kusunoki.[8]

Devil Bat

Devil Bat (デビルバット Debiru Batto) is the main mascot of the Deimon Devil Bats. It is a fictional bat-like creature with red coloration, horns and tail similar to the common stereotype of the devil. Devil Bat usually appears to explain the rules of American football to the audience.[ch. 12] It has a small, cute-looking, lighter-colored version called Little Devi Bat (コデビバ Kodebiba) which often assists him.[ch. 135] Murata remarked that Devil Bat "bears a strong resemblance to Hiruma."[2] Devil Bat's seyū is DJ Taro, while Shoko Nagakawa voiced Little Devi Bat.[4][21]

Cerberus

Cerberus (ケルベロス Keruberosu) is Hiruma's dog and one of the Devil Bats' mascots. Hiruma often uses Cerberus to frighten his adversaries as well as his own teammates.[ch. 15, 27] Cerberus is also used to help to keep Sena's secret identity, making appear that Sena is recording the games, while in fact he is playing as Eyeshield.[ch. 42] In the manga, Hiruma finds the dog in a rainy day while placing flyers and is attracted to took it with him because of its fierce look.[ch. 196] Differently, in the anime, Cerberos appears in the training field, Hiruma challenges it, and after succeeding in putting the collar on it, the canine start to obey Hiruma's commands.[22]

Torakichi

Torakichi (虎吉) is a grade-school fan of Sakuraba, who wishes to become a player after witnessing Sakaruba catching a very high pass. Even after Sakuraba saying he caught the pass by accident and learning that Sakuraba is really a sub-par player, Torakichi remains a loyal fan and encourages him to become stronger. Torakichi plays flag football until he is hospitalized with a broken leg, which leaves him unable to play football for up to two years. He almost gives up on his dream, but he is inspired by Sakaruba to continue with his rehabilitation.[ch. 38] Torakichi's voice actor in the Japanese anime is Mika Ito.[23]

Kumabukuro and Sanada

"Bomberhead" Kumabukuro (ボンバーヘッド熊袋 Bonbā Heddo Kumabukuro) and "Machine Gun" Sanada (マシンガン真田 Mashingan Sanada) are, respectively, the official commentator and the announcer of American football games. Kumabukuro is a retired American football player, who becomes a reporter for the American Football Monthly magazine.[ch. 39, 43] Kumabukuro's daughter, Riko (リコ), is a 16-year-old girl studying to become a sports reporter.[ch. 169] Riko replaces her father as Sanada's commentating partner from the Kantō Tournament onward.[ch. 173] They are voiced by Shingo Yatsuda, DJ Taro e Mariya Ise respectively.[12][17]

Masaru Honjo

Masaru Honjo (本庄勝 Honjō Masaru) is a former baseball player for the Shuei Bears team. He played as an outfielder and was known for his extraordinary catches, which leads Monta to become his fan.[ch. 23] After retiring from baseball, he becomes a chairman of Kansai's Highschool Football Association, as he was invited by his friend, the head commissioner of Kanto's Highschool Football Association, who believes Honjo's presence would help to attract fans.[ch. 226, 306] The character's first voice actor in the Japanese anime is Yusei Oda, that is later substituted by Ichiro Mikami.[24][25]

Nakabo Akira

Nakabo Akira (中坊明 Nakabō Akira), most known as Chubo (チューボー Chūbō), is a middle school student, who admires Sena and wishes to become an American Football player after seeing him. He attempts to try out for the Japanese team for the international tournament by copying Sena's moves. Though he is initially laughed at, he shows that he can use the "Delta Dynamite", a blocking technique that involves ramming the enemy with the head, shoulder, and fist simultaneously in a delta shape, which makes the block three times more powerful. He becomes a prominent lineman on the team, though if his timing is messed up, he is very weak on the field.

Team USA

Team USA is coached by former NFL star Morgan,[Jp 28] who will sign the MVP from the world tournament's winning team to his NFL team, San Antonio Armadillos,[Jp 29] and pay 300 million yen. Five first-string players for Team USA share the title of "Pentagram", named for the stars on the US flag. These five players are regarded as the top candidates for the MVP award. The team is formed by Donald "Mr. Don" Oberman,[Jp 30] the lineman and the leader of Team USA and the son of the president; Panther of the Shuttles is the running back of the team; Clifford D. Lewis,[Jp 31] the arrogant quarterback, who is known as the "Invincible Gambler",[Jp 32] Bud Walker,[Jp 33] the cornerback and an action movie star in Hollywood, and Tatanka,[Jp 34] the native American linebacker, who is known as the "Human Dome"[Jp 35] as he is the tallest player within the tournament.

Eyeshield 21

Eyeshield 21 (アイシールド21 Aishīrudo Nijūichi) is the title of the best runner of a generation. At the start of the series, Hiruma assigns this name to Sena to frighten his adversaries by claiming he is the running back who came from Notre Dame to Japan. "Eyeshield 21" is in fact not a person but a tradition of the college affiliated to the University of Notre Dame to distinguish the best player of the team.[ch. 163] Shun Kakei, however, reveals he have already met "the real Eyeshield 21" when he was in the United States, and he returned to Japan to search him.[ch. 112] During the match between Deimon Devil Bats and Bando Spiders, Akaba Hayato claims for himself the title; after being defeated by Sena, he admits that Sena can be the title holder.[ch. 166] But, the "real" Eyeshield 21 is Takeru Yamato, who was the person Kakei met in the United States. When he meets Sena, Yamato declares that whoever wins the confrontation between them is one that deserves such title.[ch. 287]

Reception

The characters of Eyeshield 21 have been well received from publications dedicated to anime, manga, and other media. Mania Entertainment's Jarred Pine classified the characters as "very likeable",[26] and sais they have "their own personalities and are instantly memorable".[27] Scott Campbell from Active Anime said the characters "also possess a lot of ability to make the reader laugh".[28] Carlo Santos from Anime News Network praised the "appealing characters" and the "well-defined cast of characters".[29] Santos noted that design of characters, "of course, are a feat of imagination" and that the series has "hilarious characters".[30] Deb Aoki from About.com said that one of the best things about Eyeshield 21 are "the well-written, distinctive and loveable characters",[31] while Zac Bertschy from Anime News Network describes the characters themselves are "perhaps the strongest element".[32] Chris Zimmerman from Comic Book Bin praised the development of the characters.[33] Ain't It Cool News describes the characters "recognizable as people" and praised Eyeshield 21, for "taking the personal relationships a little less serious, but going a bit overboard with the motion and personalities".[34] On the other hand, Eyeshield 21 has a lot of teams with different themes and according Chris Beveridge from Mania Entertainment some times "the theme is used more than it should" and that "it just feels very forced".[35]

Notes and references

Japanese
  1. ↑ 泥門デビルバッツ Deimon Debiru Battsu
  2. ↑ 私立泥門高等学校 Shiritsu Deimon Kōtōgakkō
  3. ↑ 麻黄デビルバッツ Maō Debiru Battsu
  4. ↑ フンヌラバっ
  5. ↑ 十文字 一輝 Jūmonji Kazuki
  6. ↑ 黒木 浩二 Kuroki Kōji
  7. ↑ 戸叶 庄三 Toganō Shōzō
  8. ↑ 二本刀 Nihon Gatana
  9. ↑ 60ヤードマグナム Rokujū Yādo Magunamu
  10. ↑ バッファロー牛島 Baffarō Ushijima
  11. ↑ 武者小路一 Mushanokōji Hajime
  12. ↑ 早撃ちキッド Hayauchi Kiddo
  13. ↑ サンゾー Sanzō
  14. ↑ 仙洞田 寿人 Sumito Sendōda
  15. ↑ 原尾 王城 Harao Kiminari
  16. ↑ 笠松新信 Kasamatsu Niinobu
  17. ↑ 鎌車ケン Kamaguruma Ken
  18. ↑ ホーマー・フィッツジェラルド Hōmā Fittsujerarudo
  19. ↑ ジェレミー・ワット Jeremī Watto
  20. ↑ ニーサン・ゴンザレス Nīsan Gonzaresu
  21. ↑ オットー・ゴンザレス Ottō Gonzaresu
  22. ↑ 無重力の脚を持つ男 Mujūryoku no Ashi o Motsu Otoko
  23. ↑ 大 平洋 Ōhira Hiroshi
  24. ↑ 沢井 ジュリ Sawai Juri
  25. ↑ 如月 ヒロミ Kisaragi Hiromi
  26. ↑ 賊学カメレオンズ Zokugaku Kamereonzu
  27. ↑ 柱谷ディアーズ Hashiratani Diāzu
  28. ↑ モーガン Mōgan
  29. ↑ サン アントニオ・アルマジロズ San Antonio Arumajirozu
  30. ↑ ドナルド・オバーマン ｢Mr.ドン｣ Donarudo Obāman (Mr. Don)
  31. ↑ クリフォード・D・ルイス Kurifuōdo Di Ruisu
  32. ↑ 不敗の勝負師 Fuhai no Shōbu-shi
  33. ↑ バッド・ウォーカー Baddo Uōkā
  34. ↑ タタンカ
  35. ↑ 人間ドーム Ningen Dōmu
References
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shonen Jump (Viz Media) 4 (2): 14–15. February 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Chang, Chih-Chieh (August 20, 2009). "Interview: Riichiro Inagaki & Yusuke Murata, Creators of Eyeshield 21". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ Steinberg, Don (January 29, 2006). "Art by Yusuke Murata, helmets by the Eagles Japanese comic has a Birds touch". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 "スタッフ＆キャスト". TV Tokyo. Archived from the original on June 23, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Six More Voice Actor Guests for Otakon© 2008". Anime News Network. July 25, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Создатели фильма: Забрало 21 [Cast and crew: Eyeshield 21] (in Russian). KinoPoisk. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  7. ↑ Manry, Gia (March 3, 2012). "Gia's List: The 7 Least Artistic Characters in Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 アイシールド21 13 (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (September 7, 2005). "謎の少女 現る/無重力の男". Eyeshield 21. Episode 22–23. TV Tokyo.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (November 8, 2006). "走れ! ムサシ!". Eyeshield 21. Episode 82. TV Tokyo.
  11. ↑ Santos, Carlo (November 28, 2006). "Right Turn Only - A Matter of Light and Death". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (September 6, 2006). "運命のキック/ライバルの誓い". Eyeshield 21. Episode 73–74. TV Tokyo.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 アイシールド21 2 (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  14. ↑ ドク堀出 Doku Horide, group
  15. ↑ O'Mara, Sean; Schley, Matt (January 6, 2014). "Riichiro Inagaki Interview". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on May 6, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (April 11, 2007). "最強の悪". Eyeshield 21. Episode 101. TV Tokyo.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (September 12, 2007). "超弩級! ダイナソーズ!!". Eyeshield 21. Episode 120. TV Tokyo.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 アイシールド21 7 (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  19. ↑ 大 西洋 Ōnishi Hiroshi
  20. ↑ Inagaki, Riichiro; Murata, Yusuke (2010). Eyeshield 21, Volume 31. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-2927-0.
  21. ↑ 天空界のやすらぎ (in Japanese). Shoko Nakagawa official blog. November 4, 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  22. ↑ TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (October 5, 2005). "奪還! ケルベロス". Eyeshield 21. Episode 27. TV Tokyo.
  23. ↑ TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (June 8, 2005). "ヒーローの資格". Eyeshield 21. Episode 10. TV Tokyo.
  24. ↑ TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (June 1, 2005). "キャッチの達人". Eyeshield 21. Episode 9. TV Tokyo.
  25. ↑ TV Tokyo, NAS, Gallop (February 27, 2008). "悪魔の両翼". Eyeshield 21. Episode 142. TV Tokyo.
  26. ↑ Pine, Jarred (June 2, 2005). "Eyeshield 21 Vol. #02". Mania.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  27. ↑ Pine, Jarred (May 19, 2005). "Eyeshield 21 Vol. #01". Mania.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Eyeshield 21 Vol. 24". Active Anime. March 17, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  29. ↑ Santos, Carlo (May 23, 2005). "Eyeshield 21 G.novel 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  30. ↑ Santos, Carlo (December 6, 2005). "Eyeshield 21 G.novel 4". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  31. ↑ Aoki, Deb. "Eyeshield 21 Volume 17". About.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  32. ↑ Bertschy, Zac (September 28, 2005). "Eyeshield 21 G.novel 3". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  33. ↑ Zimmerman, Chris (April 29, 2010). "Eyeshield 21 volume 31". Comic Book Bin. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  34. ↑ "AnimAICN: Otogi Zoshi; Ghibli; Eyeshield 21; Monster; Gundam; M". Ain't It Cool News. April 9, 2005. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  35. ↑ Beveridge, Chris (March 17, 2009). "Eyeshield 21 Collection 2". Mania.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
Bibliography
Eyeshield 21 manga volumes by Inagaki, Riichiro and Murata, Yusuke. Original Japanese version published by Shueisha. English translation published by Viz Media.
  1. Vol. 1 (ch. 1–7): 光速の脚を持つ男. December 20, 2002. ISBN 978-4-08-873370-8. (in Japanese). and The Boy With the Golden Legs. April 5, 2005. ISBN 978-1-59116-752-5. (in English).
  2. Vol. 2 (ch. 8–16): インチキ·ヒーロー. March 4, 2003. ISBN 978-4-08-873398-2. (in Japanese). and The False Hero. May 31, 2005. ISBN 978-1-59116-809-6. (in English).
  3. Vol. 3 (ch. 17–25): その名は泥門デビルバッツ. June 4, 2003. ISBN 978-4-08-873439-2. (in Japanese). and And They're Called the Devil Bats. August 2, 2005. ISBN 978-1-59116-874-4. (in English).
  4. Vol. 4 (ch. 26–34): ビビらした男. August 4, 2003. ISBN 978-4-08-873498-9. (in Japanese). and And They're Called the Devil Bats. October 10, 2005. ISBN 978-1-4215-0074-4. (in English).
  5. Vol. 5 (ch. 35–43): POWERFUL. October, 2003. ISBN 978-4-08-873519-1. (in Japanese). and Powerful. December 6, 2005. ISBN 978-1-4215-0113-0. (in English).
  6. Vol. 6 (ch. 44–52): 跳べデビルバット. December 19, 2003. ISBN 978-4-08-873553-5. (in Japanese). and Devil Bats Take Flight. February 7, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0274-8. (in English).
  7. Vol. 7 (ch. 53–61): その男ムサシ. March 4, 2004. ISBN 978-4-08-873578-8. (in Japanese). and Musashi. April 4, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0405-6. (in English).
  8. Vol. 8 (ch. 62–70): 戦士何故強者を望む. April 30, 2004. ISBN 978-4-08-873598-6. (in Japanese). and True Warriors Seek Out Strong Foes. June 6, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0637-1. (in English).
  9. Vol. 9 (ch. 71–79): 地獄に惚れた男達. August 4, 2004. ISBN 978-4-08-873641-9. (in Japanese). and Hell Is for Devil Bats. August 1, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0638-8. (in English).
  10. Vol. 10 (ch. 80–88): 負け犬はいるか. October 4, 2004. ISBN 978-4-08-873663-1. (in Japanese). and Is There a Loser in the House?. October 3, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0639-5. (in English).
  11. Vol. 11 (ch. 89–97): 大戦開幕. December 3, 2004. ISBN 978-4-08-873683-9. (in Japanese). and Open Season. December 5, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0640-1. (in English).
  12. Vol. 12 (ch. 98–106): デビルバットゴースト. March 5, 2005. ISBN 978-4-08-873778-2. (in Japanese). and Devil Bat Ghost. February 6, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1061-3. (in English).
  13. Vol. 13 (ch. 107–115): 本物は誰だ. May 2, 2005. ISBN 978-4-08-873805-5. (in Japanese). and Who Is the Real Eyeshield 21?. April 3, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1062-0. (in English).
  14. Vol. 14 (ch. 116–124): 海の神VS悪魔. July 4, 2005. ISBN 978-4-08-873850-5. (in Japanese). and The Demons vs. the Gods of the Sea. June 5, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1063-7. (in English).
  15. Vol. 15 (ch. 125–133): 東京最強の戦士たち. September 2, 2005. ISBN 978-4-08-873829-1. (in Japanese). and The Toughest Warriors in Tokyo. August 7, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1064-4. (in English).
  16. Vol. 16 (ch. 134–142): タイムアウトの夜明け. November 4, 2005. ISBN 978-4-08-873874-1. (in Japanese). and Dawn of the Time-Out. October 2, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1065-1 (in English).
  17. Vol. 17 (ch. 143–151): 最強への渇き. January 5, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874006-5. (in Japanese). and The Drive to Be the Best. December 4, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-1166-5 (in English).
  18. Vol. 18 (ch. 152–160): 小早川瀬那. March 3, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874028-7. (in Japanese). and Sena Kobayakawa. February 5, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1544-1 (in English).
  19. Vol. 19 (ch. 161–169): 継ぐ者. June 2, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874107-9. (in Japanese). and The Successor. April 1, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1624-0 (in English).
  20. Vol. 20 (ch. 170–178): Devils vs. Gods. August 4, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874141-3. (in Japanese). and Devils vs. Gods. June 3, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1625-7 (in English).
  21. Vol. 21 (ch. 179–187): 11人居る!!. October 4, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874264-9. (in Japanese). and They Were 11!. August 5, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1626-4 (in English).
  22. Vol. 22 (ch. 188–196): Time-out 0. December 4, 2006. ISBN 978-4-08-874290-8. (in Japanese). and Time-out 0. October 7, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1955-5 (in English).
  23. Vol. 23 (ch. 197–205): そして決戦へ. February 2, 2007. ISBN 978-4-08-874316-5. (in Japanese). and Then Came the Showdown!. December 2, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1956-2 (in English).
  24. Vol. 24 (ch. 206–214): 無敵城塞. April 4, 2007. ISBN 978-4-08-874340-0. (in Japanese). and The Indomitable Fortress. February 3, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2393-4 (in English).
  25. Vol. 25 (ch. 215–223): Perfect Player. July 4, 2007. ISBN 978-4-08-874383-7. (in Japanese). and Perfect Player. April 7, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2394-1 (in English).
  26. Vol. 26 (ch. 224–232): 格闘球技. September 4, 2007. ISBN 978-4-08-874412-4. (in Japanese). and Rough 'n' Tumble. June 2, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2621-8 (in English).
  27. Vol. 27 (ch. 233–241): 小早川瀬那 vs. 進 清十郎. November 2, 2007. ISBN 978-4-08-874433-9. (in Japanese). and Seijuro Shin vs. Sena Kobayakawa. August 4, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2622-5 (in English).
  28. Vol. 28 (ch. 242–250): 決戦の東京ドーム. February 4, 2008. ISBN 978-4-08-874474-2. (in Japanese). and Tokyo Dome of the Decisive Battle. October 6, 2009. ISBN 1-4215-2623-9 (in English).
  29. Vol. 29 (ch. 251–259): 二代目のクォーターバック. April 4, 2008. ISBN 978-4-08-874495-7. (in Japanese). and The Second Quarterback. December 1, 2009. ISBN 1-4215-2776-6 (in English).
  30. Vol. 30 (ch. 260–268): This Is American Football. June 4, 2008. ISBN 978-4-08-874523-7. (in Japanese). and This Is American Football. February 2, 2010. ISBN 1-4215-2813-4 (in English).
  31. Vol. 31 (ch. 269–277): And the Winner Is.... August 4, 2008. ISBN 978-4-08-874553-4. (in Japanese). and And the Winner Is.... April 6, 2010. ISBN 1-4215-2927-0 (in English).
  32. Vol. 32 (ch. 278–286): Xmas BOWL. November 4, 2008. ISBN 978-4-08-874590-9. (in Japanese). and Xmas Bowl. July 6, 2010. ISBN 1-4215-3162-3 (in English).
  33. Vol. 33 (ch. 287–295): 悪魔のミス. January 5, 2009. ISBN 978-4-08-874616-6. (in Japanese). and The Devil's Mistake. October 5, 2010. ISBN 1-4215-3231-X (in English).
  34. Vol. 34 (ch. 296–305): The Last of the Deimon Devilbats. March 4, 2009. ISBN 978-4-08-874641-8. (in Japanese). and The Last of the Deimon Devilbats. January 4, 2011. ISBN 1-4215-3306-5 (in English).
  35. Vol. 35 (ch. 306–315): The World Is Mine. May 1, 2009. ISBN 978-4-08-874664-7. (in Japanese). and The World Is Mine. April 5, 2011. ISBN 1-4215-3577-7 (in English).
  36. Vol. 36 (ch. 316–324): Sena vs. Panther. August 4, 2009. ISBN 978-4-08-874713-2. (in Japanese). and Sena vs. Panther. July 5, 2011. ISBN 1-4215-3684-6 (in English).
  37. Vol. 37 (ch. 325–333): Ready Set Hut. October 2, 2009. ISBN 978-4-08-874735-4. (in Japanese). and Ready Set Hut. October 4, 2011. ISBN 978-1-4215-3685-9 (in English).