TeniPuri: Echizen Ryoma x Ryuzaki Sakuno
Title: Her Knight in Flapping Tennis Garb
Author: Freya
E-Mail: bobbissimo@livejournal.com
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Echizen Ryoma x Ryuzaki Sakuno
Spoilers: Mostly anime spoilers, episodes 1-178. A bit of Chapter 306 from the manga weaseled its way in, too. Image heavy.
Disclaimer: These two characters are the property of Konomi Takeshi.
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Ryoma: Hey, do you know where Kakinokizaka Tennis Garden is?
Sakuno: *points* Ah, you're from the train! Oh, I'm sorry, I'm also going to Kakinokizaka Tennis Garden. Are you playing? This is my first time watching tennis!
Ryoma: So, where is it? (Episode 1)
Polite little bugger, isn't he? :P
Tennis no Oujisama, more commonly known as The Prince of Tennis, is a manga/anime sensation by Konomi Takeshi that burst into popularity since its debut in Shounen Jump. Its main cast is a team of unique, pretty talented young tennis players from Seishun Gakuen. Echizen Ryoma, given the nickname Prince of Tennis by his soon-to-be coach Ryuzaki Sumire, hits Japan in his freshman year of middle school after claiming four consecutive titles over in the U.S.. This charismatic youth takes Seigaku by storm with his skills and he earns himself a spot on the Regulars in no time. Everyone is intrigued by this superhuman rookie, but none more than the very girl who first spotted him, Ryuzaki Sakuno.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit here and let me tell you a story. This is perhaps the most unromantic love story I've ever fallen head-over-heels for. This is about a dense, socially inept boy who thinks his cat, Ponta, and tennis are the only three things in the world, and about a shy young girl who sits outside of his world, forever peaking in. But just how difficult is it to pry the door to Ryoma's heart open? We'll soon find out.
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Ryoma: Mada mada dane. (Too many episodes/chapters to cite)
ECHIZEN RYOMA~ a.k.a. Samurai Jr., Ochibi, Ryoma-sama, Gaki, Seigaku's Pillar of Support, etc.
We'll start with this kid, the star of our beloved tennis show, and the baby of his tennis team. Viewed as a God by some, and a royal pain in the ass by others, he is the Prince of Tennis through and through. He is probably one of the most loved (or hated) tennis players around; certainly the one that's got everyone's attention. Either way, if he gets to own someone at tennis and sip a Ponta afterwards, life is good. This boy has a one-track, tennis-centric mind the majority of the time which is rarely breached, unless Inui-senpai's got a new juice, or Oishi-fukubuchou drags him and the team along on a bowling adventure. You see Ryoma easily attract people, mostly his senpai-tachi, and rivals from other schools. Everyone wants a piece of Seigaku's Wonder Freshman, and he knows it.
He sometimes takes advantage of his popularity by pinning his identity on someone else:
That's a shot from Episode 28, wherein Ryoma is way late for Seigaku's match against St. Rudolph, and Mr. Two-Years-of-Tennis-Experience has to pretend to be him just so the team can register. There are more occasions where Horio becomes Ryoma for the greater good of the universe (or for Ryoma's sick amusement) but I chose this one specifically because it's one of the rare times Sakuno bitches Ryoma out, bless her soul. ♥ He listened, too.
And then there are times he takes on Horio's identity to hide who he really is. He likes to hide from fame. Whether or not it's because he truly hates the attention fame garners is anybody's guess, but I really think he does it because he thinks it's funny. Things are that simple before puberty, you know. The little brat loves picking on people. He gets his ass beaten for it quite a bit, too (pfft, not that he cares. As long as there's tennis, there's no such thing as pain.) The Wonder Freshman is a wonder indeed.
Just because he has a one-track mind doesn't mean he doesn't have a personality, however. He's a twelve year old boy. He likes sports, video games, and dorking around with his friends just as much as any normal kid. He is sarcastic, pretentious, and downright rude sometimes, and you either want to hug him or smack him, but that's why we love him. "Mada mada dane" he says, as if all the talent in the world is his, and everyone else is completely hopeless. Hahaha, funny! (not for him if his senpai-tachi finds out he dreams such things.)
Also, he's an intelligent guy, twelve and fluent in English and Japanese, and his favorite subject is science. He can breeze right through school, life, and tennis. He's all set! Or is he?
Tezuka: Become Seigaku's Pillar of Support. (Episode 25/26)
Drawing the first season to a close, our beloved tennis prodigy gets shot down by The Man! Kukukukukuku~ ...okay, so it isn't that dramatic. He only lost a match to his captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. WAIT. LOST? THE PRINCE LOST?? TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN HIS DAD??? *Hell freezes over* LOL, no. This is arguably the most important scene in the entire anime, when Tezuka beat Ryoma and told him to start playing his own tennis. If that's not enough, Ryoma'd better do a good job because he's going to be 'Echizen-buchou' some day. Ryoma doesn't hesitate to take this role, and tennis becomes more to him than surpassing his father. This is where Samurai Jr. becomes his own person, and he develops substantially from that point on, in tennis, and in self.
Now that he's the Pillar, his heart goes into the team just a little bit more. Throughout the series, his bond with his senpai-tachi strengthens. They become like family to him, all of them, and he's their little brother. For all the cold-shouldering, indifference, and passing insults, Ryoma genuinely loves the guys on his team, and always will. It's more than apparent in the last episode, when he's about to leave them (possibly forever) to participate in the U.S. Open (at least until the Nationals OVAs, but that's not the point!!) This doesn't happen in the manga, but since the anime is just as valid a medium, (not to mention the one with more blatant RyoSaku moments) this was an important thing to bring up. Besides...
... doesn't Ryoma with tears in his eyes just rip your heart to pieces. Oh. ;_;
Also, before I trek onto Sakuno's character, I'm going to voice my opinion on Ryoma's so-called "perfection." Ryoma isn't perfect. Maybe the perfect tennis player, but far from being the perfect boy. Tennis is his world. Why? Because it's a series about tennis Because it's his goal. It's his goal to beat his dad, and his goal to be Seigaku's Pillar of Support. He wants to reach them, and will do whatever he feels is right to do so. He's a stubborn guy. His intense drive to reach his goals is his greatest virtue, as well as his greatest flaw. What happens if tennis suddenly isn't an option? Or if he reaches his goals and decides a life of tennis isn't what he wants? What will Ryoma have to turn to? If you ask me, his biggest flaw is his obsession with tennis. It's true that he genuinely loves the game, but will he always? Pro Tennis was Echizen Nanjiroh's dream, and Ryoma inherited those skills. Ryoma is living his father's dream. The story of a child living a parent's dream is a classic one. Granted, he does have his own goals, thanks to Tezuka, but he doesn't have much to fall back on, should he just get tired of tennis one day. I know it's sad, but it's possible. He's only twelve, people. I don't even remember what my dreams were at that age.
That said, I'm going to talk about an adorable young lady I think he can fall back on, should he ever need to:
Sakuno: I felt like I was in a different world when I watched Ryoma-kun's match. I congratulated him, but I felt like it didn't reach him.
Shiba: Let's go, Sakuno-chan.
Sakuno: Huh?
Shiba: We have to keep supporting them. ...People on the court are by themselves. Nobody can help them. But when Ryoma-kun's in trouble, for a split-second, it will feel like he can feel our support. Sakuno-chan, you have to be a part of Ryoma-kun's evolution into a better player.
Sakuno: *bows* Thank you very much. (Episode 48)
RYUZAKI SAKUNO~ she-whose-butt-wobbles-too-much or she-whose-hair-is-too-long, but not Sakuno. No, never Sakuno.
There is far less of Sakuno's character to comment on than Ryoma's, despite possessing two different facets. In the anime, Sakuno is portrayed as an adorably clumsy and shy little girl who often gets herself into some kind of trouble; trouble Ryoma has to save her from, in his own benevolent little way. In the manga, she has far less moments, and is portrayed as a quiet, mature girl who is more of a player than a cheerleader. Either way, she's a girly girl in all senses, the one exception being her interest in tennis and practicing on the girl's tennis team (and she's quite good at tennis in the manga, but not so much in the anime.) When she's not decked out in the typical schoolgirl sailor fuku, her color of choice is almost always pink. Her hair is nearly long enough to slap where the knees bend, which she ties into her trademark, the braided pigtails OF DOOM that Ryoma often comments on when he sees her. "Hair's too long to play tennis" he says. Basically, the Barbie Girl that everyone loves to hate. Or is she? Does Sakuno have more of a personality and purpose than she's given credit for? Let's delve into that a little bit, shall we?
She is the very first character to run into Ryoma. Starting with Episode 1, Ryoma's already playing the super hero by making sure she doesn't get beamed in the head by a tennis racket. He says he only made Sasabe stop because he was being loud, which is only partially true, if you ask me. Indeeders, Ryoma isn't the biggest fan of loud people (good thing Sakuno's so quiet, huh?) but please. He doesn't like to admit when he's done someone a favor.
Point is, Ryoma plays badass hero boy, Sakuno develops crush on him. The full extent of her character? Not quite.
Osakada Tomoka is the best friend of Sakuno, and also Sakuno's character foil. You gave that girl any shit, would she take it? No she wouldn't! Tomoka is basically everything Sakuno isn't. She's loud, she's balsy, she's all up in your face, and she's not afraid to tell you what's what. If it's the world she wants, it's the world she gets. She's the president of the Echizen Ryoma fan club because she said so. Tomoka represents a very blatant, strong-willed fan who will not hold back even an ounce of her love for Seigaku. This is a strong factor in leading Seigaku into victory; the heart of a fan who's not afraid to show she cares.
Of course, Sakuno represents a very different kind of fan, but that's not to say she isn't just as important. She is a very quiet, shy person, who holds the love of her team inside of her heart. Where that kind of presence is often overlooked, it does serve a purpose. It's to show that there are all kinds of fans for Seigaku out there, both loud and proud, and quiet and reserved. It may not be Hyotei's 200 cheerleaders, but it's still something. It's the love from a variety of different fans helping to carry Seigaku through the series.
That, and her presence does bring out some pretty unique traits in Ryoma that makes him a bit more likeable human. Such as--in the anime especially--him saving her from danger and pretending as if it's nothing. He's not just a prince, but a knight in flapping tennis garb shining armor, and she's his princess. I'm making this sound painfully cliché, but who's to say all clichés are bad? It depends on the characters involved.
Outside of tennis and/or cheerleading, Sakuno's apparently good and cooking/baking, despite her modesty, and she's very quiet and respectful. She'll make some lucky man a good wife someday. Will that lucky man be Ryoma? This essay was written for the sole purpose of exploring that possibility. So, without farther ado, I present to you:
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Sakuno:That's a regular members jacket?
Ryoma: Yup, it just got made.
Sakuno: Yeah, it's great, Ryoma-kun. Why don't you show me how it looks?
Ryoma: I'll wear it at tomorrow's practice.
Sakuno: Ah.. okay.. that's true.. I'm sorry.
Ryoma: *puts it on* Yeah, it's perfect.
Sakuno: *beams* Ryoma-kun, I wanted to congratulate you on becoming a Regular.
Ryoma: Thank you. (Episode 9)
RYOMA & SAKUNO~ RyoSaku, or the Ponta Pair, which I named them. HEY! If all the other pairings can have retarded nicknames, so can they!
First, the fascinating spiel of how I was exposed to The PoT. Anime club party back in October '05. As our president sat and bored us all with her lack of video game sense, I was poking through a friend's manga collection. Prince of Tennis was the only one I'd heard of, so it was the one I opened up and skimmed through. Not all that interesting, and I couldn't stand Ryoma at all. I eventually got bored with it and put it aside, not to think of it again until I read about it on this site. I was like, "O rly?" when I read about how yaoiful and awesome it was. I then realized that I didn't even know who the Seigaku Regulars were, so I thought I'd take a crack at the anime, if only because its art was really pretty as opposed to the manga's (and I'm more into anime watching than manga reading, anyway.)
I watch the first episode, I fall in love with Ryoma. Something in Minagawa Junko's voice breathed some life into his character. I watched and watched and watched. Aside from Eiji picking on Momo right before the Inui-Ryoma match (which looked like flirting to me, ahaha) I failed to see any gay, but I was really into Ryoma and Sakuno's dynamic. For once I go into a shounen series looking for boy love, and a hetero pair was my first love. Funny how that works. Eventually, by the time I reached the Hyotei arc, I was all, "Yeah, Eiji and Oishi definitely dig each other" and other various things. But despite this, Ryoma/Sakuno was the only pairing love that stayed with me from the very first to the very last episode, and it's still going strong! I can't help but love them. I really can't.
Sakuno was the very first person in the series to find Ryoma. In Episode 1, they're on a train, and some idiot named Sasabe's about to whack her in the head with a racket without even knowing it. Ryoma stops this boy's careless racket swinging by telling him he's too loud and stuff. Basically, making an idiot out of Sasabe in front of his friends. It's a little extreme to be ranking on complete strangers for no real reason, don't you think?
Of all the people to come talk to, Ryoma just happens to run into Sakuno again at the train station. He asks her for directions, she babbles about tennis at him. Having no time to stick around and chit-chat, he simply asks for directions again until she gives them. You're so cold, Ryoma-kun.
And here's where we learn that Sakuno is PoT's Hatsuharu Sohma, as in, the girl has no sense of direction. She sends Ryoma to the wrong place, causing him to default (be disqualified) from his very first tennis tournament in Japan. Sakuno blames herself, he blames her, too, but he doesn't seem very upset about it. In fact, he even buys her a drink. He might be a snarky bastard, but a gentleman lies dormant in there somewhere.
Now that we know how how they've met, let's discuss a bit of what this pairing has to offer.
The Knight/Damsel Complex
Sakuno: Er... thank you for earlier. You saved me in the train.
Ryoma: From what?
Sakuno: From what? Well, if you didn't step in, I could've been hit by the racket.
Ryoma: You were on the same train? (Episode 1)
In the anime, you get tons of moments in canon where Sakuno's in trouble and Ryoma saves her (he totally slaughtered an entire tennis team for her once, in both the anime and the manga. *g*) This is something you either love or hate; it's said amongst fans that Sakuno is a horrible, terrible thing because she's weak and she has a vagina, thus showing that Konomi Takeshi is a misogynous dick. Tch, yeah, NO. Sakuno's shy and peaceful; she would probably raise a fist if she believed that she could, or if she wanted to. I don't know what it is that makes her so shy and reserved, as opposed to her very outspoken and authoritative grandmother, but she's got a little fire in there herself. Sakuno isn't completely submissive.
For example, the girl just won't cut her hair. The boy she has the hugest crush on tells her that her hair's too long, and yet she never cuts it. This just goes to show that, even though she likes Ryoma, at least she's not a slave to his love, or anything like that. She's her own person; she'll decide if her hair's too long or not.
Also, along with the damsel complex, Sakuno's not the only one who wants to be saved here. Not once, but twice did she come dashing onto the court with concern for Ryoma's safety, and he just wasn't having it. Sakuno even goes as far as to try to force him to stop playing, and you can't really blame her. The boy's dumb as hell. Who plays tennis with blood running into their eyeball? (yes, I know Fuji played blind that one time, but still.)
She appears to want to play hero in return, which usually fails, but hey. It's the thought that counts, right? Maybe she'll save him from being seduced by Hanamura-sensei one day.
Okay, next-O:
S-E-I-G-A-K-U CAN SAY
Sakuno: Yay! Seigaku!! Hey! Seigaku!! (Episode 82)
What's a good sports player without his favorite cheerleader, huh? And I've touched upon this; it's mostly an anime thing to you bored manga-only types waiting for me to mention something you do know. But to toss in some corny metaphors, you could say she's the wind beneath his wings, or something. A constant support that's always behind him, fighting with him from the stands. It may not seem like much, but it's always nice to know someone's got your back.
Okay, fine. Something (currently) manga-only for a change.
RIVAL SLASH, OT3, OMG LOVE TRIANGLE
Kintarou: Can I eat it?
Sakuno: What... but... it's on the ground.
Kintarou: *picks up rice ball and eats it* It's so good!!!
Sakuno: *smiles*
Ryoma: *pretends not to care* (Chapter 306)
So it's not enough to be a prince and an idol, now he has to be a candidate. In this chapter (conveniently titled "2 Princes") Sakuno tries (key word) to strike up a conversation with Ryoma about the taste of the omusubi she made, only to have a frighteningly hyper-active boy named Tooyama Kintarou fall on top of her. What a way to meet somebody, huh? Not a moment later a thief roller skates by, knocking the omusubi to the ground. Ryoma's the first to smack a tennis ball at the guy, only managing to graze the side of his head where Kintarou hits him dead on. If it wasn't enough to totally finish the thief, Kintarou offers to eat the omusubi--intended for Ryoma--that'd fallen on the ground. This seems to have enough of an affect to make Sakuno smile pretty and make Ryoma feign apathy. That's what you get when you don't treat the girl right the first time, Ryoma. You end up with rivals.
Of course, the Kintarou/Sakuno dynamic can be interpreted in any way you want, as can how Ryoma feels about it. Still, what's the fun in that? It's only too easy to find a threesome love triangle in this, so if that's your thing, there you go. After all, it doesn't hurt to torment Ryoma that much more, eh. ^_^
And last but not least, everybody RyoSaku fan's favorite scene:
DATE-O!!???!
Ryoma: Eh... Somehow today...
Sakuno: *hopeful smile*
Ryoma: You're talking a lot. Why?
Sakuno: *horror struck* Why... *runs away crying*
Ryoma: *confused* (Episode 24)
Okay, the last thing I'll discuss (because there is a word limit here) is the episode titled "Ryoma's Holiday" a.k.a. his big date with Sakuno. Of course, it isn't a real date. It's just Ryoma taking her out to get the strings on her racket repaired via Ryuzaki-sensei's request, but blah, blah, details, details. It's a hard day for Sakuno, arriving at the train station 30 minutes late because she couldn't decide what to wear.
This day was for her, not him, and she arrived late to it. Though he did seem a bit bored, maybe a little irritated, at least he didn't say "screw it" and leave. Perhaps he, too, was tardy and didn't wait the whole half-hour. Maybe he found something to occupy himself with. Maybe he just stood and stared at the clock, progressively losing his mind because that was 30 whole minutes he could have been playing tennis, damn it all. In any case, he was still there, and didn't reprimand her especially. He was just acting like the same anti-social prick he normally does.
Anyways, they arrive at the old stringer's place, a man Ryoma isn't especially fond of for God only knows why (he hates everyone and wants the world to assplode, hehehe.) I'm kidding (at least I hope I am.)
The stringer tells them it's going to be awhile so they go for a walk. Growing weary of his silent indifference, Sakuno finally takes the lead and marches up right in front of him, trying to force a conversation. Ryoma, completely dumfounded, inadvertently insults her and sends her running off in tears. Of course, dates in TeniPuri are never secret, and RyoSaku's biggest fanboy, Momoshiro, just happens to pop out of the bushes and lashes out at Ryoma for being rude. I don't think Ryoma ever quite GOT what it was that he did wrong (guys like him never learn) but he did get that Sakuno wasn't happy, and when boys make girls unhappy, they have to go and apologize.
Well, okay, Momo has to tell him that, too. But like I said, Ryoma's dumb as hell outside of school and tennis. Mada mada dane, Echizen.
So, Ryoma apologizes to her by handing her a Ponta, his sacred beverage of choice (hence the reason I now call them the "Ponta Pair.") Afterwards, he even takes her on his own little errand; one Ryuzaki-sensei didn't request. Rather, he just wanted to see how well she was progressing along in tennis. And we all know tennis is the equivalent to making out in this anime, ne?
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Aside from cute little hints in various little places, there really isn't much development in this relationship beyond Sakuno becoming "she-whose-hair-is-way-too-long" to Ryoma in the very beginning. Sakuno's got a little crush on Ryoma throughout the entire series, and Ryoma remains indifferent toward her for the most part, save for the few times he saves her from danger, or they end up hanging out by chance. Well, even then he doesn't really show that he reciprocates those feelings. He's kinda tennisexual at the moment. *shot*
They're both twelve years old, so right now, nothing's really going to happen. However, these two have potential to become something more in the future. After all, Ryoma does like her enough that he'll come to her rescue when she needs it, and she respects him enough that she won't force herself on him, even when some other chick decides he's hot stuff. She's too shy, and aware that Ryoma's not a prize to be won. He's just a stupid kid who plays tennis with a bloody eye, a glowing body, underwater (for you Futari no Samurai fans), you name it. Tennis is his #1 love right now, but you know? He gradually warms up to his team (especially in the anime. Ryoma crying in the last episode, wut.) Who's to say he won't take Sakuno out for Ponta in the future?
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I'm only going to rec a few specific fics, seeing as we all have different tastes and, well, mine do not always suit that of others. I like my RyoSakus subtle on the romantic scale, with a dash of humor and Ryoma being a bastardly dork. If that's not your cuppa, then I've also recced authors and general places to find stuff that will suit your tastes.
SPECIFIC FICS:
A Lesson in Acting by Lintsister
NOTES: As the title suggests, it's Ryoma, Sakuno, and a school play, and it's humorous and well-written. I love fics like these.
Airmail by regulusa
NOTES: I can't even begin to tell you how much love this fic is. Ryoma's in America and the two of them are exchanging letters back and forth. The romance is subtle, but it suits them so well.
Ponta Kiss by keikeiaznqueen
NOTES: It's exactly what the title suggests... sort of. Mischief with the Regulars and Ryoma being a total dork. What more can you ask for?
Recipe For Disaster by JleeBean
NOTES: This author NAILS all of the characters so perfectly, especially Ryoma, and has a very fun tone. I love the story she's got set up. Basically, Sakuno's got to teach Ryoma how to cook (ooooh, how I love it when the tables turn and Sakuno's helping him for a change) and, well. This story gets an A+++.
The Prince of Romance by bobbissimo
NOTES: I must look like such a pretentious ass for reccing this, but people on FF.net seemed to like it a lot, so why not? For all of how random it came about, I am pretty proud of this one. It's my take on how much of a romantic Ryoma isn't, and how that's exactly what makes RyoSaku so good.
the Tennis Ring by loveling
NOTES: Sakuno wonders why her husband didn't just go ahead and marry tennis. Best summary ever, with an excellent fic to go with. Also, some of the Regulars are married to OCs and it actually didn't bug me. A feat? You bet it is!
AUTHORS:
Ames
Cinpii
Freya
Ginny
Kei
Maria
Meme
FF.NET:
C2: RYOSAKU L. Squad Productions
Best
LIVEJOURNAL:
_ryosaku (the Ryoma/Sakuno LJ comm.)
court_ladies (yay PoT girls, b/c OMG they DO exist!)
pontapairworks (made in honor of this manifesto. Hordes of RyoSaku goodies!)
ART:
Crapart@nettaiya.org -- Though the title is a total lie, or else I wouldn't be reccing it. XD
Cross Wing
Livedoor
Nyonota
Tricolor
Untitled -- Careful navigating this one. There's quite a bit of TezuFuji, as well.
ETC:
RYOSAKU L. SQUAD PRODUCTIONS
RYOSAKU FANLISTING
COLORBAR
ANNNNND:
Here's a word key, just in case you're a n00b to the world of PoT, or whatever.
Senpai -- Upperclassman
Senpai-tachi -- Upperclassmen
Kouhai -- Underclassman
Sensei -- Teacher
Ano -- Umm
Ponta -- Fanta
Seigaku -- Short for Seishun Gakuen Private Academy (Jr. High)
Mada mada dane -- Roughly "you've got a ways to go" or as Junko puts it "you've got lots more to work on."
Buchou -- Captain
Fukubuchou -- Vice Captain
Ochibi -- Kiddo, shorty, our baby boy (clearly implying that he's Kikumaru and Oishi's bastard love child. *g*) ♥
Gaki -- Brat
Well, that's all folks. Maybe I'll add in some more things later. Hope you all enjoyed this. ♥
Author: Freya
E-Mail: bobbissimo@livejournal.com
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Echizen Ryoma x Ryuzaki Sakuno
Spoilers: Mostly anime spoilers, episodes 1-178. A bit of Chapter 306 from the manga weaseled its way in, too. Image heavy.
Disclaimer: These two characters are the property of Konomi Takeshi.
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Ryoma: Hey, do you know where Kakinokizaka Tennis Garden is?
Sakuno: *points* Ah, you're from the train! Oh, I'm sorry, I'm also going to Kakinokizaka Tennis Garden. Are you playing? This is my first time watching tennis!
Ryoma: So, where is it? (Episode 1)
Polite little bugger, isn't he? :P
Tennis no Oujisama, more commonly known as The Prince of Tennis, is a manga/anime sensation by Konomi Takeshi that burst into popularity since its debut in Shounen Jump. Its main cast is a team of unique, pretty talented young tennis players from Seishun Gakuen. Echizen Ryoma, given the nickname Prince of Tennis by his soon-to-be coach Ryuzaki Sumire, hits Japan in his freshman year of middle school after claiming four consecutive titles over in the U.S.. This charismatic youth takes Seigaku by storm with his skills and he earns himself a spot on the Regulars in no time. Everyone is intrigued by this superhuman rookie, but none more than the very girl who first spotted him, Ryuzaki Sakuno.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit here and let me tell you a story. This is perhaps the most unromantic love story I've ever fallen head-over-heels for. This is about a dense, socially inept boy who thinks his cat, Ponta, and tennis are the only three things in the world, and about a shy young girl who sits outside of his world, forever peaking in. But just how difficult is it to pry the door to Ryoma's heart open? We'll soon find out.
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Ryoma: Mada mada dane. (Too many episodes/chapters to cite)
ECHIZEN RYOMA~ a.k.a. Samurai Jr., Ochibi, Ryoma-sama, Gaki, Seigaku's Pillar of Support, etc.
We'll start with this kid, the star of our beloved tennis show, and the baby of his tennis team. Viewed as a God by some, and a royal pain in the ass by others, he is the Prince of Tennis through and through. He is probably one of the most loved (or hated) tennis players around; certainly the one that's got everyone's attention. Either way, if he gets to own someone at tennis and sip a Ponta afterwards, life is good. This boy has a one-track, tennis-centric mind the majority of the time which is rarely breached, unless Inui-senpai's got a new juice, or Oishi-fukubuchou drags him and the team along on a bowling adventure. You see Ryoma easily attract people, mostly his senpai-tachi, and rivals from other schools. Everyone wants a piece of Seigaku's Wonder Freshman, and he knows it.
He sometimes takes advantage of his popularity by pinning his identity on someone else:
That's a shot from Episode 28, wherein Ryoma is way late for Seigaku's match against St. Rudolph, and Mr. Two-Years-of-Tennis-Experience has to pretend to be him just so the team can register. There are more occasions where Horio becomes Ryoma for the greater good of the universe (or for Ryoma's sick amusement) but I chose this one specifically because it's one of the rare times Sakuno bitches Ryoma out, bless her soul. ♥ He listened, too.
And then there are times he takes on Horio's identity to hide who he really is. He likes to hide from fame. Whether or not it's because he truly hates the attention fame garners is anybody's guess, but I really think he does it because he thinks it's funny. Things are that simple before puberty, you know. The little brat loves picking on people. He gets his ass beaten for it quite a bit, too (pfft, not that he cares. As long as there's tennis, there's no such thing as pain.) The Wonder Freshman is a wonder indeed.
Just because he has a one-track mind doesn't mean he doesn't have a personality, however. He's a twelve year old boy. He likes sports, video games, and dorking around with his friends just as much as any normal kid. He is sarcastic, pretentious, and downright rude sometimes, and you either want to hug him or smack him, but that's why we love him. "Mada mada dane" he says, as if all the talent in the world is his, and everyone else is completely hopeless. Hahaha, funny! (not for him if his senpai-tachi finds out he dreams such things.)
Also, he's an intelligent guy, twelve and fluent in English and Japanese, and his favorite subject is science. He can breeze right through school, life, and tennis. He's all set! Or is he?
Tezuka: Become Seigaku's Pillar of Support. (Episode 25/26)
Drawing the first season to a close, our beloved tennis prodigy gets shot down by The Man! Kukukukukuku~ ...okay, so it isn't that dramatic. He only lost a match to his captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. WAIT. LOST? THE PRINCE LOST?? TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN HIS DAD??? *Hell freezes over* LOL, no. This is arguably the most important scene in the entire anime, when Tezuka beat Ryoma and told him to start playing his own tennis. If that's not enough, Ryoma'd better do a good job because he's going to be 'Echizen-buchou' some day. Ryoma doesn't hesitate to take this role, and tennis becomes more to him than surpassing his father. This is where Samurai Jr. becomes his own person, and he develops substantially from that point on, in tennis, and in self.
Now that he's the Pillar, his heart goes into the team just a little bit more. Throughout the series, his bond with his senpai-tachi strengthens. They become like family to him, all of them, and he's their little brother. For all the cold-shouldering, indifference, and passing insults, Ryoma genuinely loves the guys on his team, and always will. It's more than apparent in the last episode, when he's about to leave them (possibly forever) to participate in the U.S. Open (at least until the Nationals OVAs, but that's not the point!!) This doesn't happen in the manga, but since the anime is just as valid a medium, (not to mention the one with more blatant RyoSaku moments) this was an important thing to bring up. Besides...
... doesn't Ryoma with tears in his eyes just rip your heart to pieces. Oh. ;_;
Also, before I trek onto Sakuno's character, I'm going to voice my opinion on Ryoma's so-called "perfection." Ryoma isn't perfect. Maybe the perfect tennis player, but far from being the perfect boy. Tennis is his world. Why? Because it's a series about tennis Because it's his goal. It's his goal to beat his dad, and his goal to be Seigaku's Pillar of Support. He wants to reach them, and will do whatever he feels is right to do so. He's a stubborn guy. His intense drive to reach his goals is his greatest virtue, as well as his greatest flaw. What happens if tennis suddenly isn't an option? Or if he reaches his goals and decides a life of tennis isn't what he wants? What will Ryoma have to turn to? If you ask me, his biggest flaw is his obsession with tennis. It's true that he genuinely loves the game, but will he always? Pro Tennis was Echizen Nanjiroh's dream, and Ryoma inherited those skills. Ryoma is living his father's dream. The story of a child living a parent's dream is a classic one. Granted, he does have his own goals, thanks to Tezuka, but he doesn't have much to fall back on, should he just get tired of tennis one day. I know it's sad, but it's possible. He's only twelve, people. I don't even remember what my dreams were at that age.
That said, I'm going to talk about an adorable young lady I think he can fall back on, should he ever need to:
Sakuno: I felt like I was in a different world when I watched Ryoma-kun's match. I congratulated him, but I felt like it didn't reach him.
Shiba: Let's go, Sakuno-chan.
Sakuno: Huh?
Shiba: We have to keep supporting them. ...People on the court are by themselves. Nobody can help them. But when Ryoma-kun's in trouble, for a split-second, it will feel like he can feel our support. Sakuno-chan, you have to be a part of Ryoma-kun's evolution into a better player.
Sakuno: *bows* Thank you very much. (Episode 48)
RYUZAKI SAKUNO~ she-whose-butt-wobbles-too-much or she-whose-hair-is-too-long, but not Sakuno. No, never Sakuno.
There is far less of Sakuno's character to comment on than Ryoma's, despite possessing two different facets. In the anime, Sakuno is portrayed as an adorably clumsy and shy little girl who often gets herself into some kind of trouble; trouble Ryoma has to save her from, in his own benevolent little way. In the manga, she has far less moments, and is portrayed as a quiet, mature girl who is more of a player than a cheerleader. Either way, she's a girly girl in all senses, the one exception being her interest in tennis and practicing on the girl's tennis team (and she's quite good at tennis in the manga, but not so much in the anime.) When she's not decked out in the typical schoolgirl sailor fuku, her color of choice is almost always pink. Her hair is nearly long enough to slap where the knees bend, which she ties into her trademark, the braided pigtails OF DOOM that Ryoma often comments on when he sees her. "Hair's too long to play tennis" he says. Basically, the Barbie Girl that everyone loves to hate. Or is she? Does Sakuno have more of a personality and purpose than she's given credit for? Let's delve into that a little bit, shall we?
She is the very first character to run into Ryoma. Starting with Episode 1, Ryoma's already playing the super hero by making sure she doesn't get beamed in the head by a tennis racket. He says he only made Sasabe stop because he was being loud, which is only partially true, if you ask me. Indeeders, Ryoma isn't the biggest fan of loud people (good thing Sakuno's so quiet, huh?) but please. He doesn't like to admit when he's done someone a favor.
Point is, Ryoma plays badass hero boy, Sakuno develops crush on him. The full extent of her character? Not quite.
Osakada Tomoka is the best friend of Sakuno, and also Sakuno's character foil. You gave that girl any shit, would she take it? No she wouldn't! Tomoka is basically everything Sakuno isn't. She's loud, she's balsy, she's all up in your face, and she's not afraid to tell you what's what. If it's the world she wants, it's the world she gets. She's the president of the Echizen Ryoma fan club because she said so. Tomoka represents a very blatant, strong-willed fan who will not hold back even an ounce of her love for Seigaku. This is a strong factor in leading Seigaku into victory; the heart of a fan who's not afraid to show she cares.
Of course, Sakuno represents a very different kind of fan, but that's not to say she isn't just as important. She is a very quiet, shy person, who holds the love of her team inside of her heart. Where that kind of presence is often overlooked, it does serve a purpose. It's to show that there are all kinds of fans for Seigaku out there, both loud and proud, and quiet and reserved. It may not be Hyotei's 200 cheerleaders, but it's still something. It's the love from a variety of different fans helping to carry Seigaku through the series.
That, and her presence does bring out some pretty unique traits in Ryoma that makes him a bit more likeable human. Such as--in the anime especially--him saving her from danger and pretending as if it's nothing. He's not just a prince, but a knight in flapping tennis garb shining armor, and she's his princess. I'm making this sound painfully cliché, but who's to say all clichés are bad? It depends on the characters involved.
Outside of tennis and/or cheerleading, Sakuno's apparently good and cooking/baking, despite her modesty, and she's very quiet and respectful. She'll make some lucky man a good wife someday. Will that lucky man be Ryoma? This essay was written for the sole purpose of exploring that possibility. So, without farther ado, I present to you:
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Sakuno:That's a regular members jacket?
Ryoma: Yup, it just got made.
Sakuno: Yeah, it's great, Ryoma-kun. Why don't you show me how it looks?
Ryoma: I'll wear it at tomorrow's practice.
Sakuno: Ah.. okay.. that's true.. I'm sorry.
Ryoma: *puts it on* Yeah, it's perfect.
Sakuno: *beams* Ryoma-kun, I wanted to congratulate you on becoming a Regular.
Ryoma: Thank you. (Episode 9)
RYOMA & SAKUNO~ RyoSaku, or the Ponta Pair, which I named them. HEY! If all the other pairings can have retarded nicknames, so can they!
First, the fascinating spiel of how I was exposed to The PoT. Anime club party back in October '05. As our president sat and bored us all with her lack of video game sense, I was poking through a friend's manga collection. Prince of Tennis was the only one I'd heard of, so it was the one I opened up and skimmed through. Not all that interesting, and I couldn't stand Ryoma at all. I eventually got bored with it and put it aside, not to think of it again until I read about it on this site. I was like, "O rly?" when I read about how yaoiful and awesome it was. I then realized that I didn't even know who the Seigaku Regulars were, so I thought I'd take a crack at the anime, if only because its art was really pretty as opposed to the manga's (and I'm more into anime watching than manga reading, anyway.)
I watch the first episode, I fall in love with Ryoma. Something in Minagawa Junko's voice breathed some life into his character. I watched and watched and watched. Aside from Eiji picking on Momo right before the Inui-Ryoma match (which looked like flirting to me, ahaha) I failed to see any gay, but I was really into Ryoma and Sakuno's dynamic. For once I go into a shounen series looking for boy love, and a hetero pair was my first love. Funny how that works. Eventually, by the time I reached the Hyotei arc, I was all, "Yeah, Eiji and Oishi definitely dig each other" and other various things. But despite this, Ryoma/Sakuno was the only pairing love that stayed with me from the very first to the very last episode, and it's still going strong! I can't help but love them. I really can't.
Sakuno was the very first person in the series to find Ryoma. In Episode 1, they're on a train, and some idiot named Sasabe's about to whack her in the head with a racket without even knowing it. Ryoma stops this boy's careless racket swinging by telling him he's too loud and stuff. Basically, making an idiot out of Sasabe in front of his friends. It's a little extreme to be ranking on complete strangers for no real reason, don't you think?
Of all the people to come talk to, Ryoma just happens to run into Sakuno again at the train station. He asks her for directions, she babbles about tennis at him. Having no time to stick around and chit-chat, he simply asks for directions again until she gives them. You're so cold, Ryoma-kun.
And here's where we learn that Sakuno is PoT's Hatsuharu Sohma, as in, the girl has no sense of direction. She sends Ryoma to the wrong place, causing him to default (be disqualified) from his very first tennis tournament in Japan. Sakuno blames herself, he blames her, too, but he doesn't seem very upset about it. In fact, he even buys her a drink. He might be a snarky bastard, but a gentleman lies dormant in there somewhere.
Now that we know how how they've met, let's discuss a bit of what this pairing has to offer.
The Knight/Damsel Complex
Sakuno: Er... thank you for earlier. You saved me in the train.
Ryoma: From what?
Sakuno: From what? Well, if you didn't step in, I could've been hit by the racket.
Ryoma: You were on the same train? (Episode 1)
In the anime, you get tons of moments in canon where Sakuno's in trouble and Ryoma saves her (he totally slaughtered an entire tennis team for her once, in both the anime and the manga. *g*) This is something you either love or hate; it's said amongst fans that Sakuno is a horrible, terrible thing because she's weak and she has a vagina, thus showing that Konomi Takeshi is a misogynous dick. Tch, yeah, NO. Sakuno's shy and peaceful; she would probably raise a fist if she believed that she could, or if she wanted to. I don't know what it is that makes her so shy and reserved, as opposed to her very outspoken and authoritative grandmother, but she's got a little fire in there herself. Sakuno isn't completely submissive.
For example, the girl just won't cut her hair. The boy she has the hugest crush on tells her that her hair's too long, and yet she never cuts it. This just goes to show that, even though she likes Ryoma, at least she's not a slave to his love, or anything like that. She's her own person; she'll decide if her hair's too long or not.
Also, along with the damsel complex, Sakuno's not the only one who wants to be saved here. Not once, but twice did she come dashing onto the court with concern for Ryoma's safety, and he just wasn't having it. Sakuno even goes as far as to try to force him to stop playing, and you can't really blame her. The boy's dumb as hell. Who plays tennis with blood running into their eyeball? (yes, I know Fuji played blind that one time, but still.)
She appears to want to play hero in return, which usually fails, but hey. It's the thought that counts, right? Maybe she'll save him from being seduced by Hanamura-sensei one day.
Okay, next-O:
S-E-I-G-A-K-U CAN SAY
Sakuno: Yay! Seigaku!! Hey! Seigaku!! (Episode 82)
What's a good sports player without his favorite cheerleader, huh? And I've touched upon this; it's mostly an anime thing to you bored manga-only types waiting for me to mention something you do know. But to toss in some corny metaphors, you could say she's the wind beneath his wings, or something. A constant support that's always behind him, fighting with him from the stands. It may not seem like much, but it's always nice to know someone's got your back.
Okay, fine. Something (currently) manga-only for a change.
RIVAL SLASH, OT3, OMG LOVE TRIANGLE
Kintarou: Can I eat it?
Sakuno: What... but... it's on the ground.
Kintarou: *picks up rice ball and eats it* It's so good!!!
Sakuno: *smiles*
Ryoma: *pretends not to care* (Chapter 306)
So it's not enough to be a prince and an idol, now he has to be a candidate. In this chapter (conveniently titled "2 Princes") Sakuno tries (key word) to strike up a conversation with Ryoma about the taste of the omusubi she made, only to have a frighteningly hyper-active boy named Tooyama Kintarou fall on top of her. What a way to meet somebody, huh? Not a moment later a thief roller skates by, knocking the omusubi to the ground. Ryoma's the first to smack a tennis ball at the guy, only managing to graze the side of his head where Kintarou hits him dead on. If it wasn't enough to totally finish the thief, Kintarou offers to eat the omusubi--intended for Ryoma--that'd fallen on the ground. This seems to have enough of an affect to make Sakuno smile pretty and make Ryoma feign apathy. That's what you get when you don't treat the girl right the first time, Ryoma. You end up with rivals.
Of course, the Kintarou/Sakuno dynamic can be interpreted in any way you want, as can how Ryoma feels about it. Still, what's the fun in that? It's only too easy to find a threesome love triangle in this, so if that's your thing, there you go. After all, it doesn't hurt to torment Ryoma that much more, eh. ^_^
And last but not least, everybody RyoSaku fan's favorite scene:
DATE-O!!???!
Ryoma: Eh... Somehow today...
Sakuno: *hopeful smile*
Ryoma: You're talking a lot. Why?
Sakuno: *horror struck* Why... *runs away crying*
Ryoma: *confused* (Episode 24)
Okay, the last thing I'll discuss (because there is a word limit here) is the episode titled "Ryoma's Holiday" a.k.a. his big date with Sakuno. Of course, it isn't a real date. It's just Ryoma taking her out to get the strings on her racket repaired via Ryuzaki-sensei's request, but blah, blah, details, details. It's a hard day for Sakuno, arriving at the train station 30 minutes late because she couldn't decide what to wear.
This day was for her, not him, and she arrived late to it. Though he did seem a bit bored, maybe a little irritated, at least he didn't say "screw it" and leave. Perhaps he, too, was tardy and didn't wait the whole half-hour. Maybe he found something to occupy himself with. Maybe he just stood and stared at the clock, progressively losing his mind because that was 30 whole minutes he could have been playing tennis, damn it all. In any case, he was still there, and didn't reprimand her especially. He was just acting like the same anti-social prick he normally does.
Anyways, they arrive at the old stringer's place, a man Ryoma isn't especially fond of for God only knows why (he hates everyone and wants the world to assplode, hehehe.) I'm kidding (at least I hope I am.)
The stringer tells them it's going to be awhile so they go for a walk. Growing weary of his silent indifference, Sakuno finally takes the lead and marches up right in front of him, trying to force a conversation. Ryoma, completely dumfounded, inadvertently insults her and sends her running off in tears. Of course, dates in TeniPuri are never secret, and RyoSaku's biggest fanboy, Momoshiro, just happens to pop out of the bushes and lashes out at Ryoma for being rude. I don't think Ryoma ever quite GOT what it was that he did wrong (guys like him never learn) but he did get that Sakuno wasn't happy, and when boys make girls unhappy, they have to go and apologize.
Well, okay, Momo has to tell him that, too. But like I said, Ryoma's dumb as hell outside of school and tennis. Mada mada dane, Echizen.
So, Ryoma apologizes to her by handing her a Ponta, his sacred beverage of choice (hence the reason I now call them the "Ponta Pair.") Afterwards, he even takes her on his own little errand; one Ryuzaki-sensei didn't request. Rather, he just wanted to see how well she was progressing along in tennis. And we all know tennis is the equivalent to making out in this anime, ne?
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Aside from cute little hints in various little places, there really isn't much development in this relationship beyond Sakuno becoming "she-whose-hair-is-way-too-long" to Ryoma in the very beginning. Sakuno's got a little crush on Ryoma throughout the entire series, and Ryoma remains indifferent toward her for the most part, save for the few times he saves her from danger, or they end up hanging out by chance. Well, even then he doesn't really show that he reciprocates those feelings. He's kinda tennisexual at the moment. *shot*
They're both twelve years old, so right now, nothing's really going to happen. However, these two have potential to become something more in the future. After all, Ryoma does like her enough that he'll come to her rescue when she needs it, and she respects him enough that she won't force herself on him, even when some other chick decides he's hot stuff. She's too shy, and aware that Ryoma's not a prize to be won. He's just a stupid kid who plays tennis with a bloody eye, a glowing body, underwater (for you Futari no Samurai fans), you name it. Tennis is his #1 love right now, but you know? He gradually warms up to his team (especially in the anime. Ryoma crying in the last episode, wut.) Who's to say he won't take Sakuno out for Ponta in the future?
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I'm only going to rec a few specific fics, seeing as we all have different tastes and, well, mine do not always suit that of others. I like my RyoSakus subtle on the romantic scale, with a dash of humor and Ryoma being a bastardly dork. If that's not your cuppa, then I've also recced authors and general places to find stuff that will suit your tastes.
SPECIFIC FICS:
A Lesson in Acting by Lintsister
NOTES: As the title suggests, it's Ryoma, Sakuno, and a school play, and it's humorous and well-written. I love fics like these.
Airmail by regulusa
NOTES: I can't even begin to tell you how much love this fic is. Ryoma's in America and the two of them are exchanging letters back and forth. The romance is subtle, but it suits them so well.
Ponta Kiss by keikeiaznqueen
NOTES: It's exactly what the title suggests... sort of. Mischief with the Regulars and Ryoma being a total dork. What more can you ask for?
Recipe For Disaster by JleeBean
NOTES: This author NAILS all of the characters so perfectly, especially Ryoma, and has a very fun tone. I love the story she's got set up. Basically, Sakuno's got to teach Ryoma how to cook (ooooh, how I love it when the tables turn and Sakuno's helping him for a change) and, well. This story gets an A+++.
The Prince of Romance by bobbissimo
NOTES: I must look like such a pretentious ass for reccing this, but people on FF.net seemed to like it a lot, so why not? For all of how random it came about, I am pretty proud of this one. It's my take on how much of a romantic Ryoma isn't, and how that's exactly what makes RyoSaku so good.
the Tennis Ring by loveling
NOTES: Sakuno wonders why her husband didn't just go ahead and marry tennis. Best summary ever, with an excellent fic to go with. Also, some of the Regulars are married to OCs and it actually didn't bug me. A feat? You bet it is!
AUTHORS:
Ames
Cinpii
Freya
Ginny
Kei
Maria
Meme
FF.NET:
C2: RYOSAKU L. Squad Productions
Best
LIVEJOURNAL:
_ryosaku (the Ryoma/Sakuno LJ comm.)
court_ladies (yay PoT girls, b/c OMG they DO exist!)
pontapairworks (made in honor of this manifesto. Hordes of RyoSaku goodies!)
ART:
Crapart@nettaiya.org -- Though the title is a total lie, or else I wouldn't be reccing it. XD
Cross Wing
Livedoor
Nyonota
Tricolor
Untitled -- Careful navigating this one. There's quite a bit of TezuFuji, as well.
ETC:
RYOSAKU L. SQUAD PRODUCTIONS
RYOSAKU FANLISTING
COLORBAR
ANNNNND:
Here's a word key, just in case you're a n00b to the world of PoT, or whatever.
Senpai -- Upperclassman
Senpai-tachi -- Upperclassmen
Kouhai -- Underclassman
Sensei -- Teacher
Ano -- Umm
Ponta -- Fanta
Seigaku -- Short for Seishun Gakuen Private Academy (Jr. High)
Mada mada dane -- Roughly "you've got a ways to go" or as Junko puts it "you've got lots more to work on."
Buchou -- Captain
Fukubuchou -- Vice Captain
Ochibi -- Kiddo, shorty, our baby boy (clearly implying that he's Kikumaru and Oishi's bastard love child. *g*) ♥
Gaki -- Brat
Well, that's all folks. Maybe I'll add in some more things later. Hope you all enjoyed this. ♥