Takeshi Momoshiro
(桃城 武) |
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History
Momoshiro is known as Seigaku’s number one rascal. He really wants to be liked by everyone, which is evident by his preference to be called "Momo-chan," even by the freshmen. As a compromise, some of the freshman call him "Momo-chan-senpai" while the third years call him by "Momo."
At the beginning of the series, he played an unfinished match with Ryoma Echizen (He did this to see the twist serve), though Momoshiro was injured at the time. Later, they become best friends and even doubles partners for once. Momoshiro's signature move is the "dunk smash," a very powerful response to lobs as he leaps several feet into the air, which he likes to finish off saying, "Don," upon landing. He later develops the "Jack Knife," a strong backhand shot.
Momoshiro is an aggressive baseliner. For a short time, he is cut from the regulars, after losing to Inui and Tezuka during Seigaku's 2nd monthly ranking matches. He takes being cut pretty hard and doesn't show up to practices for three days, leading the first years to think that Momo has quit the club. Instead of going to practice, he spent his time playing street tennis; however, as he plays a match with An Tachibana, a good friend of his, he realizes his flaws as a tennis player and that in order for him to become stronger, he needs to stop underestimating his opponents. It is during this time that Momoshiro's importance to Seigaku as a team is revealed.
As the player who is the most open and friendly with everyone, Momoshiro is connected to everyone on the team on some level. And as such, he's one of the few members on the team that everyone seems to care about, which is why his disappearance affects all the regulars in some way. Momo being cut from the team even leads to the temporary break up of the Golden Pair and even Eiji notes how practices are not the same without Momo around. Although Ryoma, in particular, seems unconcerned about Momo being cut from the team, in reality, he is worried about Momoshiro and goes looking for him during lunch period; a moment that reveals both how important Momo's friendship is to Ryoma and how important Momo is to Seigaku. Thus, when Momoshiro returns to practices, all seems right with the team again, although Tezuka punishes him for missing practice by making him run a record high of 100 laps. This is also when Momoshiro as a character is revealed in that Momo doesn't worry about taking himself too seriously and despite being cut from the team, he is determined to support and cheer his teammates on as they face Hyotei in the Regionals.
Yet, Momoshiro ends up having to play a serious part again, almost instantly, when Oishi gets injured and doesn't show up for the match against Hyotei. Momoshiro's character is further revealed as he shows courage by first attempting to relieve Oishi from the hospital as quickly as possible and then, by being the one to take Oishi's place as Eiji's partner. Up until this point, Momoshiro is still a novice at playing doubles. But in one of Momoshiro's finest moments, he not only helps Eiji win the match against Hyotei, but takes the opportunity to master doubles with Oishi's quickly-given advice. Momoshiro shows that he is not only one of the most adaptable people in Seigaku, but he's also a player and a friend who always gives 100% and comes through for his teammates. Even Inui has noted that Momoshiro's ability to overcome hurdles is amazing. He then is able to remain as Regular on the team when Tezuka has to leave the team to recuperate from his injury from his match with Hyotei's Atobe.
As Momoshiro is the closest to a true friend Ryoma Echizen can claim, the two spend much time together eating hamburgers or playing street tennis. Unlike Echizen, who is absolutely clueless as a doubles player, Momoshiro develops an affinity for playing doubles and even masters it, despite expressing a preference for singles. Momoshiro is good at "faking out" his opponents, and can be extremely sly and tricky on the courts. His ability to read the opponent's movements and to observe their viewpoints and expression allow Momoshiro to read his opponent's mind, thus he is able to guess where the ball will go and use shots that will confuse his opponents; however, it's an ability that Momoshiro, himself, hasn't noticed yet. Kunimitsu Tezuka, arguably one of the best tennis players in the middle-school circuit, has commented that when Momoshiro realizes his true potential as a tennis player, he'll be an extremely formidable and troublesome opponent.
Momoshiro and Kaoru Kaidoh are eternal rivals, and constantly try to out-do each other. Surprisingly enough, this makes them efficient as a doubles pair, because the two rivals know each other so well.
Before the National tournament, Momoshiro trained in the mountains, and as a result of his training he improved upon his natural "insight". While similar to Atobe Keigo's ability to see the weakness or potential of another player, Momoshiro's time in the mountains caused his insight to be related with nature, ex: the position of the sun, the direction of the wind, stray stones to deflect serves, etc.
Special Tennis Moves
Bullet Serve
It's a fast and powerful serve Momoshiro likes to use.
Dunk Smash
Momoshiro's signature move to finish off lobs; however, Momoshiro's Dunk Smash is different than normal smashes in that he uses the momentum from running to hit the smash, through perfect timing, by jumping forward, instead of the usual jumping backwards to hit a smash; thus causing Momoshiro's Dunk Smash to be twice as powerful and more effective than a normal smash.
Jack Knife
The Jack Knife is a fast, sharp and powerful high-leveled backhand shot made by using the front foot to jump into the air with balance while utilizing the weight of the body to achieve maximum strength. When Momoshiro uses the Jack Knife, he keeps the ball at his racket until the last moment to make it a strong shot. He uses this move to win his match against Yamabuki's Sengoku. It is noted in the anime that the Jack Knife is a move no ordinary junior high student can do, only professionals are able to use the move successfully, which makes Momoshiro especially formidable as he can use it.
It is shown that he is starting to do this shot during a practice match with Tezuka Kunimitsu
Super Great Momoshiro Special/Super Dunk
Similar to the "Dunk Smash"; however, "Super Dunk" is unique in that Momoshiro uses his strength to delay the timing of the ball's bounce after it has hit the ground, thus making predicting when the ball will bounce off the ground difficult. Momoshiro developed this shot during a practice match with Gakuto Mukahi of Hyoutei Gakuen. The name was changed from Super Great Momoshiro Special to Super Dunk because many were unhappy about the former.
This shot exists only in the anime.
Tornado Snake
One of the signature shots of his rival, Kaoru Kaidoh, Momoshiro uses this shot during his and Kaidoh's match against Hitouji and Konjiki of Shitenhouji, in order to cause them to think he and Kaidoh have switched places(they were wearing masks at the time).
Insight
Prior to the Nationals tournament, Insight is a skill Momoshiro unearths during his training in the mountains. He is able to sense the subtle changes in the atmosphere around him and use it to his advantage.
Prediction
During his match with Kurobane Harukaze and Amane Hikaru of Rokkaku Chuu in Doubles 2, Momoshiro was able to predict his opponent's moves and where the ball was going to land. He was able to recognize the ball was going to be out when they were playing for match point thus ultimately winning the match for Seigaku. That was shown during his match against Oshitari Yuushi. While playing Oshitari, Momoshiro gives up his "Prediction" style of playing and returns to his previous tenacious play style by playing at 100% and re-integrating his "Jack Knife" shot.
