Teikoku Alexanders

The nihongo|Teikoku Alexanders|帝黒アレキサンダーズ is a football team from the Kansai region of Japan in the manga/anime series "Eyeshield 21" by Riichiro Inagaki and Yusuke Murata. Based out of Osaka, this team is the ultimate all-star team of Japanese football, with the largest squad and recruiting the best players in the country so they can work their way to being the best of the best. They are notable as the main champion rival of the entire series and the aim for all the Kanto teams to defeat ultimately to break their undefeated record. Teikoku is known for winning every Christmas Bowl since its inception and for holding the mysterious "Eyeshield 21" that lead character Sena Kobayakawa was named after.

Teikoku Alexanders (帝黒アレキサンダーズ)

*Logo: a chibi Alexander the Great with spikey hair who wears a cloak and carries a knife.
*One of the only teams revealed from the Kansai conference, located in Osaka. The symbol of the school is a twin-headed bird with the kanji their school on it (similar with Byzantium Empire and/or Roman Empire coat of arms), while their logo is a cartoon version of their namesake: ancient boy emperor Alexander the Great.
*Uniform: black and old gold, giving a stronger New Orleans Saints resemblance than the charcoal grey of the Shinryuuji Nagas. However, the helmets are black, and the sides of the uniform are gold.
*Since the very first Christmas Bowl in 1980, Teikoku has won every single game, defeating even Kanto powerhouses like Shinryuji to show the "western domination" of the sport.
*Already known as a powerhouse in their own conference, they are also known for actively recruiting the best players from other teams to play for their school. Most of the players from the Bando Spiders were taken by their team and they were close to receiving star player Akaba prior to his decision to remain at Bando. (leading to his subsequent sitting out of most of the season from the Kanto tournament) The recruiters gave up on Akaba when they got confused about a metaphor of "a guitar getting its strings cut".
*Due to their notability of being the best football school in Japan, they have a massive club composed of over two-hundred players and six separate teams. While each of these six teams is powerful, only the best of all the best make the "first-team" regulars. Their position on the team also determines their seating position in club meetings, where the 1st Team sit in front of the Greco-Roman style senate meetings.
*To leave the sixth string (the lowest squad) must known the Alexanders playbook which contain over 1000 play or probably all the plays possible in football. According to one player, Teikoku's ultimate strength isn't its all-star mentality but its knowledge of every known play in football.
* To be in the first string a player must have a 40 yard sprint that is under 5 seconds. Given the info that a 4.8 could make you an ace anywhere shows the all star nature of the team.
* The team has never trailed in a game. Never letting the other team get the lead even once.
* During the Chrismas Bowl, the Teikoku Alexanders have never called a time out ever which is a surprise to them.
* this season the Teikoku Alexanders have never let a team score even with a field goal. until this Christmas bowl
* As a testament to their strength, Kirio Ibarada, the previous quarterback ace of the Bando Spiders, is only on the fourth string of the Teikoku Alexanders.

Players

Takeru Yamato

(大和猛)Although merely a player for the best team in Kansai, Yamato is in actuality the real and mysterious Eyeshield 21 from Notre Dame that once fought against Kyoshin Poseidon's Shun Kakei who played for Phoenix. He is said to be the perfect runner and has great strength, speed, technique, spin the ball on one finger and even perfect body balance. Basically, he is a fellow "perfect player" like Shin. So far no player has been able to stop his run. In example of this is said by one of his teammates who says that 10 players from the Teikoku 2nd string combined are not even capable of stopping his run. In fact his is shown to only really be challenged by his fellow ace, Taka Honjo in all of Teikoku. The original person believed to be this man was Hayato Akaba from the Bando Spiders, but Shun comments that his body type is slightly different from the one he played against. Near the climax of the game against the Hakushū Dinosaurs, Marco reveals that the team that this Eyeshield 21 plays for is Teikoku, shocking both Sena and Shun. With Deimon in the Christmas Bowl, the showdown between him and Sena is now a reality. When Sena, Monta, and Suzuna go to scout Teikoku's football team, he pairs up with Sena against 4th string players to see what Sena was capable of. However, his true goal is to meet someone who can match him to the point of being able to make him use his "true style", which has yet to be revealed.

During a recent duel with Agon (of Shinryuji), it is revealed that Yamato's "true style" would have been used against Agon because Agon's God Speed Impulse could overcome Yamato's speed. Yamato almost reveals this style in the duel but his face changes when he use this style intimidating the arrogant Agon. It is revealed by Sena in chapter 283 that Yamato's speed is not faster than Sena or Shin's; however, his balance is "perfect". It is revealed in chapter 286 that Yamato can use, due to his body balance, multiple crossover steps combined with cutting steps at the same time, creating the "true" Devilbat Ghost. Though Sena manages to still see through Yamato's DevilBat Ghost and at the same time catch him. Yamato then decided to use his true style which is "Caesar's Charge" in which he manages to throw Sena off. Though he had won his one-on-one with Sena, he still catches Yamato once again suprising everyone of the Teikoku Alexanders' players and even surprises Yamato as well. He then pushes Sena away using his "unsealed" right arm.

However, during the final 5 mins of the game, when it appears that the Alexanders had put Deimon down with another touchdown, Sena defeats Yamato's perfect Caesar's Charge with the Devil 4th Dimension Run. Yamato response to this by accelerating with all of his power at the last step diving forward surpassing the 4.2 speed and crushing sena. This adaptation is defeated when Sena combines the Devil 4th Dimension Run with the Devil Bat Ghost.

* 40-yard dash: surpassed 4.2 with Caesar's charge
* Position: Running Back
* Jersey Number: 21(first seen in Chapter 281)/22
* 1st Year Student (10th Grade)

"TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES"
*Near light speed: Yamato has top class speed considered by Agon as a super speed 'type' at first, though his speed is not as fast as Sena or Shin.
*Strength: He is very strong being able to push Ishimaru out of bounds with only one hand and block to 4th string players with only his hands to the point that they could barely talk or move. His strength is outrageous, even dragging Sena, Taki, and Koji of the ha-ha brothers along with him while doing the Caesar's Charge for at least a first down.
*Balance: he ran without slowing down right through snow that tripped up Sena, who can run through mud with hampering his run.
*Absolute Prediction: Yamato never tells lies only commenting on what he knows to be true through observations. He is then, With his massive knowledge of strategy and the tactics used by the opponent, never wrong when he makes a predictions about the game. However, his prediction that Deimon would not score once was just crushed by Monta's touchdown in Chapter 292.
*Ghost Run: Yamato uses crossover and cut steps in rapid succession creating "a mountain of ghosts".
*Caesar's Charge: Using his balance and strength, he can shakes off defensive players that hold into him. Even after he got caught, he can keep moving forward, dragging his enemies, and shaking them off. He can also use this technique on defense, closing at top speed not waiting to see which way the opponent would dodge arms spread wide he creates a perfect seal stopping his opponents from escaping to the sides or above. However, this technique has one flaw, which is demonstrated by Sena's Devil 4th Dimension Run. In the instant that Yamato tackles forward, a sudden reversal will throw off his timing, thereby allowing Sena to pass him at Light Speed. Yamato response to this by accelerating with all of his power at the last step diving forward surpassing the 4.2 speed and crushing Sena. Sena responds to this by combining the Devil Bat Ghost with the Devil 4th Dimension Run. Yamato cannot adapt to this evasion tactic as he's already committed to the charge.

Karin Koizumi

(小泉香燐)Although she appears like a very feminine, girlish person, Karin is in actuality the quarterback for the Alexanders. First seen around the showy fourth-stringer Ibarada, Yamato is forced to defend her whenever she isn't on the field. Karin is first seen in chapter 275 where she is revealed to be the first string quarterback for the Alexanders. She has Sena's immensely shy personality, which everyone noticed right away (since both of them bowed, flustered, to each other at the same time, asking for the other to be gentle). Hiruma told the team that Karin was actually a man so that they would go all out on her (although Sena and Monta knew that she was a girl already). She has many male fans in the audience because of her beauty, including those from Shinryuji.

Karin was first recruited on the team after being scouted by Taka. One day, Karin was passing the football field, when Ibarada misthrew a pass, and it hit Karin's bag. Asking who she should throw it back to, Taka raised his hand. She sent the ball spiraling beautifully, with perfect accuracy, back to him. Taka immediately told Heracles and Yamato to make her join the team, even admitting that she had "pure talent." Karin had at first rejected, due to her modesty and insecurity, but then when Yamato started to talk, Karin found it difficult to argue with him. She joined the team, and though the training was hard, like Sena, she grew to love American Football, and stayed with it.

* Jersey Number: 6
* 1st Year Student (10th Grade)
* Height: 157 cm
* Weight: 44 kg
* Blood Type: O
* Bench Press: 35 kg
* Like all of the first team Karin has a 40 yard dash of under 5 seconds (4.9 Seconds)
* Enjoys drawing and playing the piano (which is where she got her skillful fingertips, as pointed out by Heracles)

"TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES"
* Floral Shoot: A soft, gentle pass, with great height and perfect accuracy, which makes it hard for anyone but Taka to catch. As Sena puts it, "it looks as if it's spinning in place in the air."
* Dodging Abilities: Since most of her talent as quarterback is perfect (accuracy, speed, range), all that left to do is to build up her dodging abilities. As result, she's able to evade even the rampaging Kurita with relatively ease.

Kureji Hera (Heracles)

(平良呉二)A large-set player for Teikoku's first team and the official captain of Alexanders' squad, he has a bizarre sense of humor and lets his roots in Kansai show compared to the others. Sena, Monta and Suzuna meet him as he offers the tour of the Teikoku campus (though Yamato mostly gives the words and comments to their Deimon guests). Though cheerful, he is a tad eccentric, to the point of wearing costumes to fit the role he holds such as a tour guide for Deimon's visit and as a "Roman Senator" during the football strategy meeting in the forum. During the game, he even mimics Karin words behind her, threatening Devilbats while Karin smiling innocently.

Heracles exhibits great pride in the honor of making it into "Teikoku's All Stars", which is the 1st team. He acknowledges the difficulty and determination needed by a Teikoku player to make the first team, relating his own trials in fighting for his current position on the team. Furthermore, he feels disrespect for any other player outside the first team who shuns their duties as a member of the football squad, particularly Ibarada's arrogant behavior. Hera had actually prepared a countermearsure for Gaou of Hakushuu Dinosaurs and it seems that it would prove more effective on Kurita, though it was unknown what this counter was until recently during the Chrismas Bowl match against Deimon Devilbats. Apparently, the counter is not being used right away, seeing as Kurita plowed through a double team of Heracles and Achilles without much effort.
* Position: Lineman (1st Team)
* Jersey Number: 78
* 3rd Year Student (12th Grade)
* like all of the first team Heracles has a 40 yard dash of under 5 seconds."TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES"
* Cross Stunts: Variation of stunts performed by Kurita and Komusubi before, in which Heracles and Achilles crossing paths to confuse players. This was effective to distracting stronger but slower opponent like Kurita, so the faster one (Achilles) can performing other task, while the stronger one (Heracles) will holds enemies at bay. Using this, Achilles is almost manged to secure the ball fumbled by Hiruma, before The Ha Ha Brothers gang on him.

Taka Honjō

(本庄鷹)A long-haired player for Teikoku, he unexpectedly demonstrated his catching ability to Monta by catching a ball one handed without even looking up from the book he was reading. He is most likely the one to whom Honjo, history's strongest fielder and Taka's father, was referring to when he said Monta would meet "someone" at the Christmas Bowl. Finding out Taka's lineage, Monta realizes that Honjo-senshu came looking for a strong opponent for his son to beat, thus making Monta nothing more than a "sacrificial lamb" to make Taka the best. Similarly, Mamori asked Hiruma to cut out any Teikoku article even mentioning Taka out of fear that Monta would discover his idol's son was the best receiver on the best team in Japan, notable for making 1st team in his first day just like Yamato. His record at the long jump is 8.25m(this is very impressive given the world record is 8.95m)and he holds the Japanese record at the high school level by a wide margin.

Because of his consistent daily training with his father, Taka is always training out of habit with no goal, even during Teikoku practice he only find a challenge in Yamato. Because he cannot find a rival, he prefers to relax and read instead of overexerting himself in public. Like all of the first team Taka has a 40 yard dash of under 5 seconds.

In the most recent chapter, he is shown as having jumping leisurely to intercept Hiruma's pass to Monta. It looks like Taka is floating (or skywalking) like a Hawk would. In chapter 284 Taka is seen using Monta's Devil backfire against him, with ease. In other recent chapters, Taka is shown to be able to strip the ball out of his opposing receiver's hands with only one or two fingers if they manage to catch it.

In the mess created during Deimon's attempt to do Christ Cross, however, he felt that Monta is starting to best him. This wary him, and he ensures his teammates to go all-out against Deimon.... After a touchdown by Monta, Taka speeds up to "around Yamato's average speed".

It was revealed that Taka was the one who recruited Karin on to the team.

* Position: Wide Receiver (1st Team)
* Jersey Number: 10
* The Book he was shown to be reading was The Catcher in the Rye.
* Like all of the first string Taka can run 40 yards in under five seconds
* long jump 8.25 meters

"TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES":
*The Hawk: Using his training as a long jumper, Taka is able to not only leap high in the air but move as if he's walking on air at a high speed. By using this "flying" ability, Taka can steal balls flying high in the air and turn an impossible catch to their side.

Reisuke Aki (Achilles)

A player who is considered to be an idiot (compared on a scale, Hiruma considered him 60%, whereas players such as Yamato, Taka and Karin were 0% and Taki was 100%). Unlike many of the current first squad, he was the only one who played in the previous Christmas Bowl, where he learned firsthand about Agon Kongo (even though Teikoku did defeat Shinryuji in the game). Was there when Agon tried to join the team. He appears to have a crush on Karin, as he asks her to be his girlfriend at the start of the game, but was pounded by Heracles before finishing the sentence.

* Position: Lineman
* Jersey Number: 76
* Like all of the first team Achilles has a 40 yard dash of under 5 seconds.TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES
* Cross Stunts: See Heracles' entry.

Orio Tokashiki

Orio Tokashiki is the former captain of the Okinawa High Boxers and uses his boxing stance to his advantage against his opponent's linemen.

* 3rd year Student (12th Grade)
* Position: Lineman (1st Team)

TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES

* Punching block: Orio goes into his boxing stance and quickly blocks his opponent's tackle and pushes him of with a quick punch.

Mikoto Sano

Mikoto Sano is the former ace Receiver of the Shachi Goldens team.Gets crushed by Kurita in a catching contest.

* 3rd year Student (12th Grade)
* Position: Wide Receiver (1st Team)
* Jersey Number: 68

TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES

* Super Low Altitude Shachihoko Catch: Sano goes and catches a pass at a low altitude that no other player is able to intercept. It is named after a mythoical creature with a tiger's head and a carp's body.

Doujirou Tenma

Doujirou Tenma is the former ace Runningback on the Shinryuuji Nagas and was one of the two people to get into Shinryuuji through the sports program along with Yamabushi. He was recruited into Teikoku to join their football team. He is called "The Sideline Edge's Magican" because he is able to run on the sidelines really close at high speed without losing his balance or momentum. He also has 5 girls who are head over heels for him. Doujirou also likes listening to his music when he is playing during the game.

Despite his prowess at running along the sidelines, the end of chapter 290 sees a surprising event, with the Hah brothers roaring over a Komosubi, who remained lying on the ground after he attempted to stop Tenma by ramming into him near the sideline. unable to see the side lines because of snow he stepped out of bounds giving to ball to the devil bats.

* 3rd year Student (12th Grade)
* Position: Runningback (1st Team)
* Jersey Number: 33

TECHNIQUES/STRATIGIES

* Sideline Run: Tenma runs "real" close to the line save his speed only to dodge the defenders coming to tackle him making him difficult to stop.

Hotei

Kansai's number one kicker, with the success rate of 99%. He is a rather pudgy and jolly person with good humor. When Monta jumped to try and catch the kicked ball, Hotei laughs and says that even though Monta was so close, he wouldn't feel any pressure. However, Monta manages to knock the ball off target the pressure of his hand moving through the air or that the ball grazed the side of his glove.

Kirio Ibarada

(棘田キリオ)Originally the quarterback of the Bando Spiders, he abandoned his former team when he was recruited by Teikoku, thinking that Bando wasn't strong enough to get to the Christmas Bowl on their own. Attending the Kanto final with the (supposed to be) manager of the team, he was confronted by former teammate Kotaro Sasaki for leaving a team that was close to making the Christmas Bowl themselves the previous year. But Akaba held Kotaro back from attacking him, letting him leave the Tokyo Dome without further difficulty. He is also said to be a good quarterback. However although he was considered the best quarterback in Tokyo in the previous year, his quarterback skills were only good enough to make him reach the 4th team, making him resentful for main team (and female) quarterback Karin. Whether it is sexism or hatred that he himself is not on the 1st team always puts him at odds with the entire team.

* Position: Quarterback (4th Team)
* Jersey number: 8
* 3rd Year Student (Grade 12)

"TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES"
*Rose Whip: A sideways throwing technique regarding the ability to throw while running, it is notable by Kotaro as Ibarada's specialty. But it useless against Sena, who quickly sack him before he can even throw the ball.

References