Tezuka/Fuji (Prince of Tennis)
Title: Right by Your Side: A Tezuka Kunimitsu/Fuji Syuusuke manifesto
Author: aishuu
Email: mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Fanfiction Journal: quillofferings
Fandom: Prince of Tennis (aka Tennis no Oujisama)
Pairing: Tezuka Kunimitsu/Fuji Syuusuke
Spoilers: All the way through the anime, late 220's for the manga.
I'll be right by your side
For the rest of my life.
- Right by Your Side, Fuji Syuusuke image song
Your hot gaze is searching the blind spot within my heart.
We have no limits.
I draw towards myself that promise.
- Never Surrender, Tezuka Kunimitsu image song
Their Series: Prince of Tennis
Familiarly known as "Tenipuri" (for its Japanese name, Tennis no Oujisama), the series is the story of Echizen Ryoma and his journey in the Japanese junior high tennis world. There's not really a ton of plot - but there's plenty of pretty boys. Created by Konomi Takeshi, the manga was a sensation in Japan which later evolved into a very successful anime.
The series is one which leads to a huge cast - the Seishun Gakuen (Seigaku) tennis team had nine members (of which Tezuka and Fuji are the two strongest), and each school they face adds more and more. Theoretically, there are thousands of pairings.
It is this cast which makes the series interesting. Many of the characters are rather complex or have unique characteristics which make them quite memorable. The tennis is definitely secondary to the personalities which inhabit the Tenipuri world.
There is no "canon" gay in Tenipuri, but the creators of the anime (known as "Anipuri") are known to bait fangirls by mixing and matching and having lots of innuendo. It has a huge fandom in Japan, and the anime fandom is one of the larger currently active anime fandoms at the moment. The musical cast (known as TeniMyu) hams this up even more and has developed a separate following for real person slash. There is also Rajipuri, which is the radio show - basically a bunch of seiyuu getting together and messing around.
There are notable differences in the manga and anime storylines which affect this pairing's interpretation - but most fans are willing to accept a "mixed canon."
Tezuka Kunimitsu: Pillar of Perfection
Tezuka is the captain of the Seigaku tennis team and its number one player, and has an unbeaten tennis record. The word "stoic" doesn't even begin to describe him. He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, and has a very no-nonsense type of personality.
Later on, it comes out that Tezuka is indeed a very passionate person who will never surrender in his pursuit of his ideals. What are they? Why, the success of his tennis team. His determination and stubbornness are nearly unmatched. He will lead through example if it kills him - or forever destroys his ability to play.
Tezuka's aloof from his teammates but highly regarded. He's a good student (he's been known to correct the teachers and terrify them while doing so simply through his presence), president of the student council, and is popular.
His catch phrase, "let's not be careless!" was painfully learned in his first year. As a new player, he was stronger than his seniors, and tried not to embarrass them by playing with his right hand (he's left-handed). However, this was discovered and an enraged senpai struck him in the left arm. This injury comes back to haunt him, and eventually causes him to leave for Germany for treatment.
Tezuka's goal is to become the "pillar of Seigaku." He was challenged by the captain in his first year to become the "pillar" the team could rely on. This is how he eventually ruins his arm - he plays past the point of reason to exist as an example to his teammates.
Fuji Syuusuke: Genius in Waiting
Fuji is the second strongest player on the Seigaku team. Commonly called a "tensai" (genius), he plays using three triple counters which are supposedly impossible to break. He's been a prodigy all his life, and everything comes easily to him.
Fuji is a bit of a scary character sometimes, because although he almost always wears a closed-eyed smile, he is a touch sadistic and very manipulative. He's also very kind, very intelligent and very charming. Fuji is, in a word, ineffable.
No one knows just how good Fuji really is - even himself.
Fuji is often seen teasing his underclassman, and loves nothing more than making someone off-balance. He's a sly, clever boy, and while most people think he's rather harmless on the surface, those that know him understand that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Fuji's character is that he often seems to approach people as though they were slides under a microscope. It's not so much that he's evil or sadistic, it's that he's fascinated by people and the extreme reactions they often give.
One of the most important things to Fuji is his brother, Yuuta. The two have a strained relationship because of Yuuta's jealousy. However, Yuuta brings out a protective streak in Fuji that turns quite cruelly on those who threaten to hurt his brother. Mizuki Hajime, his brother's team manager, learns this rather embarrassingly.
After Fuji finds out his brother has been intentionally taught a dangerous move, he decides to get even. He allows Mizuki to claim 5 games (to win a set in tennis, a player must win 6), before coming from behind and sweeping Mizuki, turning the other boy into a shrieking, quivering wreck.
In other words, he likes to play with his prey before crushing them.
Mizuki, who plays by collecting data and then turning it against his opponent, is unable to understand how he lost. It is explained that Fuji never lets anyone get his data, misleading his opponents.
This protectiveness extends to his friends. It's most notable in his later match against Kirihara Akaya. The anime and manga versions are quite different, since in the anime he plays to avenge a friend who was taken out by Kirihara, while in the manga he is angry at Kirihara because he hurt Echizen Ryoma.
That match will be covered later on in this essay.
The Pairing: Sweet and Sour Apples
When I asked arithion what she thought, she summed the pairing up beautifully: they work because although they compliment each other they also provide a challenge for each other which is what they essentially need.
Indeed. TezuFuji is a pairing of possibilities and mutual need. It's easy to imagine the two being able to open up to each other as they don't open up to anymore. Both are very good at keeping secrets. Tezuka doesn't talk much, and Fuji tends to talk about inconsequential things.
Tezuka's seriousness and Fuji's innocuous mien are a wonderful contrast. Tezuka is on the path of the straight and narrow; Fuji would take the longer route just to see the sights. Tezuka is the kind of person who gets things done immediately - Fuji would encourage him to enjoy the work. Together, they find a balance.
Tezuka provides Fuji with a motivation he might not otherwise have. In Tenipuri, it is popular to slash characters who are "rivals," and Fuji and Tezuka are definitely that. There's a question of who is stronger, because if Fuji decided to really try, he might be as good as his captain...
Both of them are a subject of masks. Fuji's is showcased quite visibly. While usually portrayed with his eyes closed, whenever he becomes more serious his eyes open, showcasing a gorgeous and deadly blue gaze that sees through everything.
Tezuka is someone who doesn't speak much, and sometimes seems to be indifferent to his surroundings. This couldn't be further from the truth - when you strip away his inhibition, he's the most involved person on the team. He cares, genuinely, about his teammates.
Tezuka doesn't like to talk, and doesn't waste words. Sometimes he is awkward around his teammates in "fun" situations, something which Fuji is able to use. Fuji enjoys teasing Tezuka, as he does everyone else, but is quite aware of when to stop pushing.
Both of the characters are very strong. They don't need someone to lean on, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.
Fuji also knows how to tease Tezuka. There's occasional glimpses of Tezuka's rather dry sense of humor, and Fuji is the only character who makes Tezuka smile.
They know each other better than anyone else, as is evidenced in the Hyotei matches. Fuji knew about Tezuka's arm, was even clutching his left elbow during his match with Atobe Keigo; Tezuka was the only one who knew that Fuji wasn't done pulling tricks out against Akutagawa Jirou.
After Tezuka is injured and leaves, it is up to Fuji to fill in the gap. Fuji steps into the Singles One position (aka the best player on the team). If things get down to the wire, it would be him the team needs to rely on most of all.
Canon/subtext support:
It would be hard to pick up the point when you knew these two "clicked" but in the last month, TezuFuji fangirls have been alternately celebrating and bemoaning their fate over Those Infamous Episodes, 174-176 (incidentally, most of the images on this post come from screencaps of those episodes).
The anime, which ends on ep 178, ended up devoting the last "major" match of the series to finally bringing a head-on confrontation with Tezuka and Fuji. Before that, it was always left up to question who was the better. After a three-episode long match, Tezuka triumphs in a tie-break. It definitely gives the feel it could have gone the other way quite easily - Fuji defeated Tezuka in his first year, after all.
Aside from flashbacks to their first year in which Fuji takes Tezuka's hands and also grabs him by the shirt and shakes him when he's upset by the fact Tezuka kept his promise to play even though it was hurting him, the two are also shown walking under an umbrella in their second year - which is a symbol of lovers in anime. They have sakura blossoms dancing around them in one scene, and Fuji breaks down into tears at the end. You really can't get more blatantly obvious.
A rather touching scene in these episodes include Tezuka telling Fuji he is leaving for Germany - before he tells the rest of the team. There's also a scene where Tezuka and Fuji wondering if they could have been rivals like Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidou Kaoru (two very outspoken players who egg each other on constantly) if not for Tezuka's injury.
One friend, who also likes TezuFuji, summed it up pretty well. "The whole thing was like a bad fanfic!" I'm of the school that Anipuri took it a little too far with all the symbolism, incidentally, but by now, the anime can't take itself too seriously.
It is important to note that animators and merchandisers actively encourage the fandom. It's a sometimes-symbiotic, sometimes-antagonistic relationship that has led many people to realize they don't even pretend the characters are straight anymore. There's tons of "official images" which have suggestive leanings. The seiyuu also play into this, and there's plenty of image songs which help. For the TezuFuji pairing, listening to Kaze no Tabibito (K&S version) is a must - it's their duet.
The fangirls get toyed with by the animators quite a bit, particularly in the "crack" episodes. In "Bowling no Oujisama" (88-89) we see Tezuka waking up in Germany when Fuji inadvertently gets poisoned by Inui Juice, another running gag of the series. The nearly telepathic connection was played up wonderfully.
The chibi-episodes (in which all characters are turned into what looks like UFO Catcher versions of themself and played for laughs) are even worse. Tezuka and Fuji are actually married and the grandparents of the "Seishun" family (and yes, they turn Fuji into the woman). There's also another chibi-ep where Fuji, dressed like a woman from a cowboy movie, seeks out Tezuka's character.
The manga tends toward more seriousness. In the manga, the closeness is evidence during his match with Kirihara Akaya. In Genius 218, when Fuji flashes back to a "missing scene." He and Tezuka are alone outside the clubhouse, both sexily drenched in rain, and they discuss their motivations. Fuji offers to be removed from the team if he becomes a hindrance. This scene is present in the anime, but it was moved and changed a bit.
This scene is also important in that Tezuka challenges Fuji to reveal his real self. Fuji honestly doesn't know who he is - he plays simply for the thrill of the game, to draw opponents out. Tezuka plays to win, no matter the cost.
During his game against Kirihara Akaya, he flashes back to Tezuka's question, realizing he's never been serious before - and finally deciding to become serious. Tezuka serves as Fuji's source of motivation.
The Attraction for a TezuFuji Shipper:
I resisted falling into Tenipuri for the longest time because I didn't see the point. It's boys playing tennis, right? Yep - but they are bishounen and charmingly quirky at times. Although Tezuka and Fuji, like most of the characters, are only 14, most people tend to forget that since the characters were originally designed as high schoolers. I had a hard time putting my finger on why I adored these two, before remembering I had been primed to like them. A friend of mine fangirled quite a bit on her blog, and I was sucked in.
It's harder to say why I still support them. There's a quiet kind of understanding which seems to flow between them, which is evident in that Fuji knew of Tezuka's injury in the Hyotei match before it became apparent. The two are also often pictured standing close together and will murmur exposition exchanges freely. In an early episode, the two are together when confronting Kakinoki's star player.
It's easy to imagine Tezuka, who loves hiking, being accompanied by Fuji with a camera (Fuji is an avid photographer). Fuji understands the use of silence, which Tezuka would appreciate. Fuji and Tezuka are both patient people, and both understand each other better than anyone else. Both are watchers: they observe what is happening and draw accurate conclusions.
They also are two of the most insightful characters. They "get it" immediately, and often are left to explain to other characters and the audience what the hell is going on (usually some insanely anime tennis move). A particular episode of note is in the 50's, when Tezuka defeats Inui. Fuji's narration of why Tezuka is special is memorable.
It has been pointed out in official information that Tezuka's mother is very much like Fuji - and you know they say you always marry one of your parents.
It's one of the "assumed" pairings - while not "canon" it is strongly fanon. It's on of the "usual" pairings. Fans don't question it - it's assumed in many cases. If Oishi and Eiji are together, then so are Tezuka and Fuji. Fans question when they aren't together, oftentimes.
Tezuka/Fuji is the most popular pairing in English fandom (as a gauge, I use the existence of fanfic - there is quite a bit more fanfic for this than any other pairing). Interestingly, TezuFuji aren't an exceptionally smutty pair (though there is plenty of smut fics). There's more angst there than sex in the fandom.
There tends to be two routes in fanfiction - warm and fluffy (usually with Fuji doing something to make Tezuka smile or uncomfortable and have to relax) or angst in which Tezuka's injury is consider, or a relationship between the two causes problems. I personally do not see them as a "fluffy" pair - Tezuka is not particularly cuddly. I see them as a pair where the comprehension of each other's needs is paramount.
TezuFuji is popular because it fits one of the standard formulas - you've got your strong, quiet seme and your clever, pretty uke. Your classic "stoic" character combined with a mischievous personality who can easily be plunged into angst land. While there are some Fuji/Tezuka shippers, most have Tezuka as the seme. There's a subtle difference in FujiZuka fics which is hard to describe - to me, it's displaying a different side of Fuji's personality. Fuji can be manipulative and cruel, and FujiZuka fics tend to have a helpless Tezuka in Fuji's thrall. I am not overly fond of this portrayal.
TezuFuji is a pairing that lets people look toward the future - they won't always be in school, but many like to think they will easily slide into something serious. There is room for devotion. Both may eventually become professional tennis players, and it's easy to see their lives evolving from there.
Links:
General:
FET: Great information site. They have scanlations available in their channel.
Anime Otakus: The main subbers. Do not download the fandub. Save your ears
Tsubame Gaeshi: Great site for music, screencaps.
Fanlisting:
Unrivaled Passion
LJ comms:
tezukafuji: A TezuFuji Comm.
tenipuri_yaoi: The main Tenipuri Yaoi comm on LJ.
Fanfiction Sites:
The nice thing about this pairing is that there's a lot of fic for it. That's also the bad thing - there's a lot of very saccharine fics which I feel are out of character. There's few really long fics - Tenipuri is a fandom of oneshots.
Fleeting Fancies. There's a ton of Tezuka/Fuji fanfic recs, and you'll also find choice picks of Japanese fanart sites. This is the site you want to start at.
word_games: The home of Arithion and Yuki. Both are well-known Tenipuri writers, and Arithion's "Smile" is the longest TezuFuji fanfiction currently in existence.
risquedreams: The Tenipuri fic journal of Jennifier_d, who was one of the original and still best Tenipuri writers.
Risingtides: TezuFuji Fanfiction is the largest LJ collection of Tezu/Fuji fanfic (yes, it's mine). It hasn't been updated in a year, but it's got a lot of the older fics.
Everlasting has a mainly TezuFuji selection.
absenceofmind: A F-locked journal now, but Aki is quite good.
Rageprufrock's prince of tennis fanfics: Three of the best fanfics.
Jumpy Boys: A shonen ai archive for series that run in Shonen Jump! (Which is where Tenipuri appears)
shinataku02: A very good TezuFuji writer, however I can't find an archive. Dig through, though.
Specific Recs:
Little Prince by Yuki Scorpio: One of my favorites, this is a fic that has some gorgeous characterization.
(parenthesis) by Chrissie: Chrissie has a great writing style which is simply beautiful.
Barometric by Talya Firedancer: An interesting take on Fuji.
Laps by Wai: A great, clever short.
Is a Game for Two by Silvaren: The thin line between being a talent and being a prodigy.
Kiera na by Jennifier_d: Tezuka and Fuji, disfunctional.
Risks by miss doe: Subtle and beautiful.
Games Theory by petronia: The line they walk.
Essay credit:
arithion and ninjatrauma for input
datenshi_blue for screencaps!
Author: aishuu
Email: mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Fanfiction Journal: quillofferings
Fandom: Prince of Tennis (aka Tennis no Oujisama)
Pairing: Tezuka Kunimitsu/Fuji Syuusuke
Spoilers: All the way through the anime, late 220's for the manga.
I'll be right by your side
For the rest of my life.
- Right by Your Side, Fuji Syuusuke image song
Your hot gaze is searching the blind spot within my heart.
We have no limits.
I draw towards myself that promise.
- Never Surrender, Tezuka Kunimitsu image song
Their Series: Prince of Tennis
Familiarly known as "Tenipuri" (for its Japanese name, Tennis no Oujisama), the series is the story of Echizen Ryoma and his journey in the Japanese junior high tennis world. There's not really a ton of plot - but there's plenty of pretty boys. Created by Konomi Takeshi, the manga was a sensation in Japan which later evolved into a very successful anime.
The series is one which leads to a huge cast - the Seishun Gakuen (Seigaku) tennis team had nine members (of which Tezuka and Fuji are the two strongest), and each school they face adds more and more. Theoretically, there are thousands of pairings.
It is this cast which makes the series interesting. Many of the characters are rather complex or have unique characteristics which make them quite memorable. The tennis is definitely secondary to the personalities which inhabit the Tenipuri world.
There is no "canon" gay in Tenipuri, but the creators of the anime (known as "Anipuri") are known to bait fangirls by mixing and matching and having lots of innuendo. It has a huge fandom in Japan, and the anime fandom is one of the larger currently active anime fandoms at the moment. The musical cast (known as TeniMyu) hams this up even more and has developed a separate following for real person slash. There is also Rajipuri, which is the radio show - basically a bunch of seiyuu getting together and messing around.
There are notable differences in the manga and anime storylines which affect this pairing's interpretation - but most fans are willing to accept a "mixed canon."
Tezuka Kunimitsu: Pillar of Perfection
Tezuka is the captain of the Seigaku tennis team and its number one player, and has an unbeaten tennis record. The word "stoic" doesn't even begin to describe him. He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, and has a very no-nonsense type of personality.
Later on, it comes out that Tezuka is indeed a very passionate person who will never surrender in his pursuit of his ideals. What are they? Why, the success of his tennis team. His determination and stubbornness are nearly unmatched. He will lead through example if it kills him - or forever destroys his ability to play.
Tezuka's aloof from his teammates but highly regarded. He's a good student (he's been known to correct the teachers and terrify them while doing so simply through his presence), president of the student council, and is popular.
His catch phrase, "let's not be careless!" was painfully learned in his first year. As a new player, he was stronger than his seniors, and tried not to embarrass them by playing with his right hand (he's left-handed). However, this was discovered and an enraged senpai struck him in the left arm. This injury comes back to haunt him, and eventually causes him to leave for Germany for treatment.
Tezuka's goal is to become the "pillar of Seigaku." He was challenged by the captain in his first year to become the "pillar" the team could rely on. This is how he eventually ruins his arm - he plays past the point of reason to exist as an example to his teammates.
Fuji Syuusuke: Genius in Waiting
Fuji is the second strongest player on the Seigaku team. Commonly called a "tensai" (genius), he plays using three triple counters which are supposedly impossible to break. He's been a prodigy all his life, and everything comes easily to him.
Fuji is a bit of a scary character sometimes, because although he almost always wears a closed-eyed smile, he is a touch sadistic and very manipulative. He's also very kind, very intelligent and very charming. Fuji is, in a word, ineffable.
No one knows just how good Fuji really is - even himself.
Fuji is often seen teasing his underclassman, and loves nothing more than making someone off-balance. He's a sly, clever boy, and while most people think he's rather harmless on the surface, those that know him understand that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Fuji's character is that he often seems to approach people as though they were slides under a microscope. It's not so much that he's evil or sadistic, it's that he's fascinated by people and the extreme reactions they often give.
One of the most important things to Fuji is his brother, Yuuta. The two have a strained relationship because of Yuuta's jealousy. However, Yuuta brings out a protective streak in Fuji that turns quite cruelly on those who threaten to hurt his brother. Mizuki Hajime, his brother's team manager, learns this rather embarrassingly.
After Fuji finds out his brother has been intentionally taught a dangerous move, he decides to get even. He allows Mizuki to claim 5 games (to win a set in tennis, a player must win 6), before coming from behind and sweeping Mizuki, turning the other boy into a shrieking, quivering wreck.
In other words, he likes to play with his prey before crushing them.
Mizuki, who plays by collecting data and then turning it against his opponent, is unable to understand how he lost. It is explained that Fuji never lets anyone get his data, misleading his opponents.
This protectiveness extends to his friends. It's most notable in his later match against Kirihara Akaya. The anime and manga versions are quite different, since in the anime he plays to avenge a friend who was taken out by Kirihara, while in the manga he is angry at Kirihara because he hurt Echizen Ryoma.
That match will be covered later on in this essay.
The Pairing: Sweet and Sour Apples
When I asked arithion what she thought, she summed the pairing up beautifully: they work because although they compliment each other they also provide a challenge for each other which is what they essentially need.
Indeed. TezuFuji is a pairing of possibilities and mutual need. It's easy to imagine the two being able to open up to each other as they don't open up to anymore. Both are very good at keeping secrets. Tezuka doesn't talk much, and Fuji tends to talk about inconsequential things.
Tezuka's seriousness and Fuji's innocuous mien are a wonderful contrast. Tezuka is on the path of the straight and narrow; Fuji would take the longer route just to see the sights. Tezuka is the kind of person who gets things done immediately - Fuji would encourage him to enjoy the work. Together, they find a balance.
Tezuka provides Fuji with a motivation he might not otherwise have. In Tenipuri, it is popular to slash characters who are "rivals," and Fuji and Tezuka are definitely that. There's a question of who is stronger, because if Fuji decided to really try, he might be as good as his captain...
Both of them are a subject of masks. Fuji's is showcased quite visibly. While usually portrayed with his eyes closed, whenever he becomes more serious his eyes open, showcasing a gorgeous and deadly blue gaze that sees through everything.
Tezuka is someone who doesn't speak much, and sometimes seems to be indifferent to his surroundings. This couldn't be further from the truth - when you strip away his inhibition, he's the most involved person on the team. He cares, genuinely, about his teammates.
Tezuka doesn't like to talk, and doesn't waste words. Sometimes he is awkward around his teammates in "fun" situations, something which Fuji is able to use. Fuji enjoys teasing Tezuka, as he does everyone else, but is quite aware of when to stop pushing.
Both of the characters are very strong. They don't need someone to lean on, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.
Fuji also knows how to tease Tezuka. There's occasional glimpses of Tezuka's rather dry sense of humor, and Fuji is the only character who makes Tezuka smile.
They know each other better than anyone else, as is evidenced in the Hyotei matches. Fuji knew about Tezuka's arm, was even clutching his left elbow during his match with Atobe Keigo; Tezuka was the only one who knew that Fuji wasn't done pulling tricks out against Akutagawa Jirou.
After Tezuka is injured and leaves, it is up to Fuji to fill in the gap. Fuji steps into the Singles One position (aka the best player on the team). If things get down to the wire, it would be him the team needs to rely on most of all.
Canon/subtext support:
It would be hard to pick up the point when you knew these two "clicked" but in the last month, TezuFuji fangirls have been alternately celebrating and bemoaning their fate over Those Infamous Episodes, 174-176 (incidentally, most of the images on this post come from screencaps of those episodes).
The anime, which ends on ep 178, ended up devoting the last "major" match of the series to finally bringing a head-on confrontation with Tezuka and Fuji. Before that, it was always left up to question who was the better. After a three-episode long match, Tezuka triumphs in a tie-break. It definitely gives the feel it could have gone the other way quite easily - Fuji defeated Tezuka in his first year, after all.
Aside from flashbacks to their first year in which Fuji takes Tezuka's hands and also grabs him by the shirt and shakes him when he's upset by the fact Tezuka kept his promise to play even though it was hurting him, the two are also shown walking under an umbrella in their second year - which is a symbol of lovers in anime. They have sakura blossoms dancing around them in one scene, and Fuji breaks down into tears at the end. You really can't get more blatantly obvious.
A rather touching scene in these episodes include Tezuka telling Fuji he is leaving for Germany - before he tells the rest of the team. There's also a scene where Tezuka and Fuji wondering if they could have been rivals like Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidou Kaoru (two very outspoken players who egg each other on constantly) if not for Tezuka's injury.
One friend, who also likes TezuFuji, summed it up pretty well. "The whole thing was like a bad fanfic!" I'm of the school that Anipuri took it a little too far with all the symbolism, incidentally, but by now, the anime can't take itself too seriously.
It is important to note that animators and merchandisers actively encourage the fandom. It's a sometimes-symbiotic, sometimes-antagonistic relationship that has led many people to realize they don't even pretend the characters are straight anymore. There's tons of "official images" which have suggestive leanings. The seiyuu also play into this, and there's plenty of image songs which help. For the TezuFuji pairing, listening to Kaze no Tabibito (K&S version) is a must - it's their duet.
The fangirls get toyed with by the animators quite a bit, particularly in the "crack" episodes. In "Bowling no Oujisama" (88-89) we see Tezuka waking up in Germany when Fuji inadvertently gets poisoned by Inui Juice, another running gag of the series. The nearly telepathic connection was played up wonderfully.
The chibi-episodes (in which all characters are turned into what looks like UFO Catcher versions of themself and played for laughs) are even worse. Tezuka and Fuji are actually married and the grandparents of the "Seishun" family (and yes, they turn Fuji into the woman). There's also another chibi-ep where Fuji, dressed like a woman from a cowboy movie, seeks out Tezuka's character.
The manga tends toward more seriousness. In the manga, the closeness is evidence during his match with Kirihara Akaya. In Genius 218, when Fuji flashes back to a "missing scene." He and Tezuka are alone outside the clubhouse, both sexily drenched in rain, and they discuss their motivations. Fuji offers to be removed from the team if he becomes a hindrance. This scene is present in the anime, but it was moved and changed a bit.
This scene is also important in that Tezuka challenges Fuji to reveal his real self. Fuji honestly doesn't know who he is - he plays simply for the thrill of the game, to draw opponents out. Tezuka plays to win, no matter the cost.
During his game against Kirihara Akaya, he flashes back to Tezuka's question, realizing he's never been serious before - and finally deciding to become serious. Tezuka serves as Fuji's source of motivation.
The Attraction for a TezuFuji Shipper:
I resisted falling into Tenipuri for the longest time because I didn't see the point. It's boys playing tennis, right? Yep - but they are bishounen and charmingly quirky at times. Although Tezuka and Fuji, like most of the characters, are only 14, most people tend to forget that since the characters were originally designed as high schoolers. I had a hard time putting my finger on why I adored these two, before remembering I had been primed to like them. A friend of mine fangirled quite a bit on her blog, and I was sucked in.
It's harder to say why I still support them. There's a quiet kind of understanding which seems to flow between them, which is evident in that Fuji knew of Tezuka's injury in the Hyotei match before it became apparent. The two are also often pictured standing close together and will murmur exposition exchanges freely. In an early episode, the two are together when confronting Kakinoki's star player.
It's easy to imagine Tezuka, who loves hiking, being accompanied by Fuji with a camera (Fuji is an avid photographer). Fuji understands the use of silence, which Tezuka would appreciate. Fuji and Tezuka are both patient people, and both understand each other better than anyone else. Both are watchers: they observe what is happening and draw accurate conclusions.
They also are two of the most insightful characters. They "get it" immediately, and often are left to explain to other characters and the audience what the hell is going on (usually some insanely anime tennis move). A particular episode of note is in the 50's, when Tezuka defeats Inui. Fuji's narration of why Tezuka is special is memorable.
It has been pointed out in official information that Tezuka's mother is very much like Fuji - and you know they say you always marry one of your parents.
It's one of the "assumed" pairings - while not "canon" it is strongly fanon. It's on of the "usual" pairings. Fans don't question it - it's assumed in many cases. If Oishi and Eiji are together, then so are Tezuka and Fuji. Fans question when they aren't together, oftentimes.
Tezuka/Fuji is the most popular pairing in English fandom (as a gauge, I use the existence of fanfic - there is quite a bit more fanfic for this than any other pairing). Interestingly, TezuFuji aren't an exceptionally smutty pair (though there is plenty of smut fics). There's more angst there than sex in the fandom.
There tends to be two routes in fanfiction - warm and fluffy (usually with Fuji doing something to make Tezuka smile or uncomfortable and have to relax) or angst in which Tezuka's injury is consider, or a relationship between the two causes problems. I personally do not see them as a "fluffy" pair - Tezuka is not particularly cuddly. I see them as a pair where the comprehension of each other's needs is paramount.
TezuFuji is popular because it fits one of the standard formulas - you've got your strong, quiet seme and your clever, pretty uke. Your classic "stoic" character combined with a mischievous personality who can easily be plunged into angst land. While there are some Fuji/Tezuka shippers, most have Tezuka as the seme. There's a subtle difference in FujiZuka fics which is hard to describe - to me, it's displaying a different side of Fuji's personality. Fuji can be manipulative and cruel, and FujiZuka fics tend to have a helpless Tezuka in Fuji's thrall. I am not overly fond of this portrayal.
TezuFuji is a pairing that lets people look toward the future - they won't always be in school, but many like to think they will easily slide into something serious. There is room for devotion. Both may eventually become professional tennis players, and it's easy to see their lives evolving from there.
Links:
General:
FET: Great information site. They have scanlations available in their channel.
Anime Otakus: The main subbers. Do not download the fandub. Save your ears
Tsubame Gaeshi: Great site for music, screencaps.
Fanlisting:
Unrivaled Passion
LJ comms:
tezukafuji: A TezuFuji Comm.
tenipuri_yaoi: The main Tenipuri Yaoi comm on LJ.
Fanfiction Sites:
The nice thing about this pairing is that there's a lot of fic for it. That's also the bad thing - there's a lot of very saccharine fics which I feel are out of character. There's few really long fics - Tenipuri is a fandom of oneshots.
Fleeting Fancies. There's a ton of Tezuka/Fuji fanfic recs, and you'll also find choice picks of Japanese fanart sites. This is the site you want to start at.
word_games: The home of Arithion and Yuki. Both are well-known Tenipuri writers, and Arithion's "Smile" is the longest TezuFuji fanfiction currently in existence.
risquedreams: The Tenipuri fic journal of Jennifier_d, who was one of the original and still best Tenipuri writers.
Risingtides: TezuFuji Fanfiction is the largest LJ collection of Tezu/Fuji fanfic (yes, it's mine). It hasn't been updated in a year, but it's got a lot of the older fics.
Everlasting has a mainly TezuFuji selection.
absenceofmind: A F-locked journal now, but Aki is quite good.
Rageprufrock's prince of tennis fanfics: Three of the best fanfics.
Jumpy Boys: A shonen ai archive for series that run in Shonen Jump! (Which is where Tenipuri appears)
shinataku02: A very good TezuFuji writer, however I can't find an archive. Dig through, though.
Specific Recs:
Little Prince by Yuki Scorpio: One of my favorites, this is a fic that has some gorgeous characterization.
(parenthesis) by Chrissie: Chrissie has a great writing style which is simply beautiful.
Barometric by Talya Firedancer: An interesting take on Fuji.
Laps by Wai: A great, clever short.
Is a Game for Two by Silvaren: The thin line between being a talent and being a prodigy.
Kiera na by Jennifier_d: Tezuka and Fuji, disfunctional.
Risks by miss doe: Subtle and beautiful.
Games Theory by petronia: The line they walk.
Essay credit:
arithion and ninjatrauma for input
datenshi_blue for screencaps!