Deimon Devil Bats

Deimon Devil Bats logo

The Deimon Devil Bats (泥門デビルバッツ, Deimon Debiru Battsu^?) is a fictional American football team in Japan, composed of the protagonists of the anime and manga series Eyeshield 21. The team is from the fictional Deimon Private Senior High School (私立泥門高等学校, Shiritsu Deimon Kōtōgakkō^?). At the beginning of the series, the club has only two members, Yoichi Hiruma and Ryokan Kurita, who are joined by Sena Kobayakawa, codename "Eyeshield 21". Over the course of the series, the Devil Bats acquire new members and gradually improve as they move toward their goal of playing in the Christmas Bowl, the high school American football championship of Japan.

Team information

Logo/Mascot

Red Devil Bat, a nonexistent creature with devil horns and tail. The Devil Bat frequently appears in omakes, sometimes along with a more innocent-looking bat, Little Devil Bat.

Uniform

The jerseys are red with white numbers. The pants are a very light shade of beige. Helmets are black with a white facemask, and adorned with red bat wings inspired by the helmets of the Philadelphia Eagles.^[1] There is also an alternate away uniform, with white, red-lined jerseys that strongly resemble the Arizona Cardinals away jersey. In the Kanto Tournament, the jerseys change, gaining black streaks on the sides resembling bat wings, and the numbers are instead black with white outlines. This change does not occur in the anime. The Bats are the only team in the anime not to have any embellishments or motifs on their uniform, like the lightning bolts for the White Knights, the checkered squares for the Chameleons, or flames for the Shinryuji Nagas.

Team Chant

"We'll kill them! YA-HA!" (ブッツブス!YA-HA!!, Buttsubusu! YA-HA!!^?) in the anime and "Bukkorosu! YA-HA!!" (ブッコロス!YA-HA!!^?) in the manga.

Play style

Deimon plays a high-octane offense and a lot of gadget routines, due to the preferences of team captain Hiruma. Initially, due to their lacking a kicker, Deimon is at a disadvantage in low scoring games early in the story because of their inability to score extra points, so scoring more touchdowns than the opponent is the only way to win. However, this philosophy continues for the team even after the kicker Musashi reunites with his teammates. Due to lack of numbers, the Bats' squad play both sides of the ball, but even when on defense, the Devil Bats rely heavily on big plays such as turnovers to take the ball from their opponents and gain more chances to score, rather than halting their opponents' efforts. They frequently use high-risk trick plays, which have a surprisingly high success rate due to the players dedicating themselves heart and soul to such plays.

Team history

The Deimon Devil Bats are the high school reincarnation of the Mao Devil Bats, which had only three members: Yoichi Hiruma, Ryokan Kurita, and Gen "Musashi" Takekura. After its inaugural year, its membership was further reduced with the departure of Gen Takekura. This remains the case until Hiruma discovers Sena Kobayakawa and his amazing running ability.

Coach

Doburoku Sakaki

Sakaki Doburoku (酒奇 溝六^?)

• Voiced by: Shōichiro Akaboshi

• Position: Manager/Trainer

Doburoku Sakaki first appears during the Beach football match in the United States. He was a coach to Hiruma, Musashi, and Kurita, and taught them how to play American football. Doburoku loves drinking sake; he has many different gourds, all of which look the same, but each contains a different kind of alcoholic beverage.

He later ran off to the United States since he owed some loan sharks two million yen after gambling. He intended to look for talented people in America to play American football, but got into Beach football instead, training a team called Too Tattoos, who became better after undergoing his strict training regimens. After Hiruma gambles in Las Vegas, and pays off Doburoku's debts, he becomes the Deimon Devil Bat's coach and personal trainer.

He and Ojo's trainer and coach, Gunpei Shoji, were teammates at Sengoku University's American football team, and were known as "The Twin Japanese Blades", where he played as a tight end. Back then, the both of them participated in the Death March, with Shoji being on the offense line and Doburoku specializing in defense; Doburoku's philosophy, which was maybe passed on to Hiruma, was that the offense was the most important. However, after their other teammates gave up during the last 200 or so kilometers of the Death March, Doburoku overexerted himself in pushing the truck, resulting in an unrecoverable injury on his right knee.

Fearing that the Devil Bats might also ruin their potential athletic careers, he did not want the Devil Bats to undergo the Death March. However, he was quite amazed in their determination to do so and also for them being the only team to complete the Death March.

Despite being a good coach, he would sometimes rely on Hiruma for advice and final decisions. In the last quarter of the semifinal match between Ojo and Deimon, his philosophy of the ultimate offense clashes with Shoji's philosophy of the ultimate defense. When Shoji comments that Doburoku has raised a good team, the Devil Bats' trainer denies this, stating that the team had grown all on their own and that he is only in the way.

Doburoku has commented that he has never washed his clothes and has worn the same clothes for three years. Also, when he returned to Japan, he started work as the school's janitor, however, his salary went into Hiruma's account, where it will be used for maintenance and improvisations for the team.

Doburoku still tends to gamble as he wagers a million yen on Deimon's victory over the Nagas with the odds of 170 to 1. Though he becomes a millionaire after their win, he is once again put into debt when he bets his winnings on the Taiyo Sphinx to win against the Hakushū Dinosaurs, where the Sphinx are forced to forfeit during half-time.

Players

Sena Kobayakawa

Sena Kobayakawa a.k.a Eyeshield 21 (小早川 瀬那, Kobayakawa Sena^?)

• Voiced by: Miyu Irino (Japanese), Yuri Lowenthal (English)

Main article: Sena Kobayakawa

The main character of Eyeshield 21. Initially a bullied gopher, his speed was discovered by Hiruma as he was literally forced into joining the football team at Deimon. While insecure and clumsy at heart, Sena matures over the course of the series as he soon grows to love the game he plays and becomes an accomplished football player through his own strength and the guidance of his friends and rivals. At different times throughout the anime and the manga, he will often, through emotions, tap into the Speed of Light Pace, on the cost of overtaxing himself. Over time, he is able to run the Speed of Light Pace at will.

Techniques and strategies

• Speed of Light Pace - The ability to run 40 yards in 4.2 seconds. Gained from running errands for 10 years.
• Super Speed of Light Pace - The ability to run 40 yards in 4.1 seconds.
• Devilbat Ghost - The ability to disillusion the opponent into thinking that he is in front of them. Learned when doing the death march.
• Multiple Ghost - Learned by imitating Yamato's steps at the Christmas Bowl, it is just like it sounds- creating 3-5 multiple ghosts to confused several players.
• Devilbat Dive - Jumping over the opponent and then spinning down like a rocket into the end zone.
• Spin - Spinning around an opponent so they cannot block. Learned the first day of practice.
• Devilbat Hurricane - Spinning around an opponent when using the 'Devilbat Ghost'. Learned when playing against Kyoshin Posiedons.
• Devilbat Stun-Gun - Even without much arm strength, using his speed as power Sena can strike the enemy hard with his arms. Combos with Ghost on offense.
• Fourth Dimension Run - (Manga only) Running straight at the opponent and taking a step back at the last second. Learned when playing in the Christmas Bowl.

Yoichi Hiruma

Hiruma Yōichi (蛭魔　妖一^?)

• Voiced by: Atsushi Tamura (Japanese), Derek Stephen Prince (English)

Main article: Yoichi Hiruma

• Position: Quarterback Kick/Punt Returner Defensive Back

The twisted quarterback of the Devil Bats, who is more complex than his devilish face and personality may suggest. He carries multiple firearms at all times and often pulls them out at random in order to threaten others in a comical flurry of bullets. Despite this front of a violent and dangerous hoodlum, Hiruma is a genius in maverick trick plays and mind games, both on and off the field. Along with Kurita and Musashi, he is one of the founders of the Devil Bats. His skills as a quarterback are highly recognized, even by Shin, including making passes with incredibly high RPMs as well as executing extremely convincing play action fakes. Because he has worked with a poor defensive line in his earlier days on the team, he is very good at dodging and feinting incoming tacklers. His specialty off the field is a combination of blackmail and mind games along with a superior intellect, which has effectively allowed him to take control of all of Deimon High, including the faculty.

Techniques and strategies

• Devil Laser Bullet - A high speed pass Hiruma throws that resembles a laser. On the team, only Monta can catch this. The path taken by the ball is very straight, even external factors such as wind could not affect it.
• Hail Devil Pass - A fast, low to the ground pass that is Hiruma's modification of a "Hail Mary Pass", a long-range pass that is aimed high in the sky at a great angle, as if given to the heavens. This pass shines in the game against Shinryuji.
• Wishbone - A play conducted by Hiruma where the offense all run forward and block, or pass, for whoever has the ball.
• Copy - Though not a play itself, Hiruma could copy and execute the play formations of other teams, such as the Seibu's Shotgun and Naga's Flying Dragon.
• Gargoyle - While his arm was broken Hiruma used this play. It's basically him just standing there intimidating the opponents.

Ryokan Kurita

Kurita Ryōkan (栗田　良寛^?) Ryokan Kurita

• Voiced by: Kōichi Nagano, Masato Amada (Jump Festa)

• Position: Center / Defensive Tackle/ Long snapper

The largest and strongest player in the Deimon Devil Bats, Ryokan Kurita is a kind-hearted individual, and the only thing bigger than his body is his heart. He becomes Sena's second friend after entering Deimon High School. He is somewhat dim-witted, nearly giving away Sena's identity as Eyeshield 21, but is immediately silenced by Hiruma (in the manga, he did it by electrocuting Kurita with a stun gun, whereas in the anime, he simply did so by tossing the much-larger teammate contradictory to Kurita's overall weight). When playing, Kurita shouts his kiai "Funnuraba!"(Here I come!) when exerting extra effort. His biggest dream is to compete in the Christmas Bowl.

Yusuke Murata, artist of the series, said that Kurita is his favorite character; Murata likes how Kurita's "zeal" for American football matches Murata's passion for manga.^[1]

Techniques and strategies

• Kuri-Hammer - When he dives for a fumble, he crushes other players under him, which sometimes include fellow teammates.
• Zone Blitz - Taking advantage of Kid's quick but predictable pass, when one lineman tries to sack him, he will silently move to the place of the designated receiver, effectively interfering with the pass thanks to his build. During Teikoku's match, he almost succeeded, but failed since he's using too much strength to catch the ball (although he successfully crushed Sano, that becoming the target pass).
• Kurita-Push/ Blast - After snapping the ball, Kurita serves as a blocking wall for Sena by charging five yards ahead and pushing any opposing blocker out of Sena's path. This is also used for breaking through the defensive line of the Alexanders for two-point conversions, since no one on the opposing team can match Kurita's drive and overall raw power.
• Belly-Bounce - (Anime only) During the game against the Blizzards before the Kantō Tournament, Kurita and Komusubi utilized their mass and fat to create a variation of the Hip-explosion, breaking down the Blizzard's line by thrusting their bellies forward, sending the Blizzard linemen flying.
• The Lonely Center - A trick play which has only Kurita defending in front of Hiruma while the other members of the Devil Bats are positioned to the left. This tricks the Dinosaurs into using just Gaō to break through the line, instead of the normal 4 to 5 linemen. With Gaō preoccupied, Hiruma is given the time needed to throw any pass he wants. Furthermore, if the opposing linemen do try to rush Hiruma from the empty side, that leaves the rest of the field open for a lateral to Sena. However, this is also a risky tactic since the only one standing between the quarterback and the sacker is just one man, therefore, if the center failed, the quarterback will be totally defenseless.
• Lineman Switch/Stunt - By switching positions with Komusubi during the start of the opponents' drive, Kurita is able to guard Hiruma when Marco tries to break through him.
• Four-Point Stance - By standing on all fours, including his arms, Kurita can focus all his strength to tackle his enemy, in this case, Gaō. However, he cannot be the one to hike the ball because of this stance.
• Boxing Guard - Learned when training with Banba. Also known as a cover up in boxing terms, Kurita holds up his arms in front of his chest like a boxer. This allows him to take on the full-strength push from Gaō while getting inside his reach. Once inside, Kurita is able to use his weight and lower-body strength to push upward and force Gaō down.
• Funnuraba - When shouting this, Kurita could concentrate and execute his limits, similar to Monta's "Maxi". During the match with the Dinosaurs, Funnuraba was shown to be contagious, Sena and others picked it up and executed some very valuable tackles.

Taro Raimon, a.k.a Monta

Raimon Tarō / Monta (雷門　太郎 / モン太^?)

• Voiced by: Yamaguchi Kappei

Main article: Monta (Eyeshield 21)

• Position: Wide Receiver Split end / Cornerback

The primary wide receiver of the Deimon Devil Bats. Although he is short in stature, he has remarkable skill in catching. He is observant, recognizing Sena as Eyeshield 21 the first time he saw Eyeshield 21 in person during a practice. Monta was originally a member of the baseball team, where he was an effective fielder due to his intense focus on catching. However, he was cursed with terrible throwing abilities (to almost impossible degrees, sometimes), making him fail to be on even the backup lineup for the club. When the baseball team explained that they needed balanced players, Monta is approached by Sena and decides to pursue his dream of becoming a master catcher as a football player instead. He is best known for always going into a pose after a catch while yelling "CATCH MAX!" He also adds "Max" to nearly anything he describes while excited or determined. His nickname is Monta, which was initially a mistake by Sena, but later accepted when Hiruma tells Taro that the name "Monta" is a play on the name Joe Montana (though Hiruma later admits that was just a fib). He is Hiruma's primary receiving target on the field, and one of Sena's closest friends on the team. During the second game against Oujou, Raimon discovered his own special ability, the Devil Back-Fire, which his ability to predict Hiruma's passes due to trajectory and wind interference. This gives him the ability to rush forward at his target, keeping his attention focused and prepared for any tricks, then catch passes from behind him. As a former baseball player, he also has a talent for catching with one hand when necessary.

Techniques and strategies

• Devil Back-Fire- When he's ready to catch, he doesn't look at the ball and catches backward. He learned from the game against Oujou.

• Devil Back-Fire Neo- In the game Japan against USA Monta use this catch against Budd which is when he catches the ball he quickly hide it between his legs.

The Ha-Ha Brothers

Main article: The Ha-Ha Brothers

Kazuki Jumonji (十文字 一輝, Jūmonji Kazuki^?)

Koji Kuroki (黒木 浩二, Kuroki Kōji^?)

Shozo Togano (戸叶 庄三, Toganō Shōzō^?)

• Voiced by:
  • Japanese - Takanori Hoshino (Jūmonji Kazuki), Masami Iwasaki (Kuroki Kōji), Takeshi Maeda (Toganō Shōzō)
  • English - Kirk Thornton (Jūmonji Kazuki), Lex Lang (Kuroki Kōji), Liam O'Brien (Toganō Shōzō)

Three bullies initially bossed around Sena on their first day at Deimon. They joined the team because of Hiruma's blackmailing. When they try to get back at them, they are unexpectedly recruited to become linemen for the football team, eventually sticking with the team to prove their toughness both to their superiors as well as to their opponents. They are notably poor and inexperienced at the game when they start out, but their eagerness to prove themselves makes them train vigorously and prove to be very capable linemen. Their nickname is from their weird habit of expression, with each one of the trio saying "Ha!?", progressively louder in sequence. Their jersey numbers are: Jumonji - #51, Kuroki - #52, and Togano - #53.

Special abilities/techniques:

• Screen Pass - They intentionally let their opponents break through the line, then shift over to make two-on-one blocks on the other side of the line of scrimmage. This creates a wide area for Eyeshield to go through once Hiruma laterals the ball to him.
• Delinquent Death Blow - Also known as the Juvenile Delinquent Murder Method, the Scumbag Scuffle and Rascal Killing. The Hah Brothers practiced the technique with the Zokugaku Chameleons.
• Sweeper - A method in which linemen form a protective barrier in front of Eyeshield, thereby clearing a path for him in a diagonal direction. After the Death March, they are able to clear a very wide passage for him to go through.
• Hip Explosion - During the Death March, the Ha-Ha Brothers learned the proper method of pushing out with their entire bodies, rather than just their arms. By thrusting out their hips, they can deliver more force against opposing linemen. Kuroki in particular exercises this move against the seemingly unbeatable Aoyanagi in the game against Amino.
• Ha Ha Triple Attack - Shown in the anime first, a three-on-one tackle with each Ha Ha brother using their own strengths as a means of gradually nullifying quick and sturdy opponents. Kuroki leads, first using his speed to cancel the runner's sprint. Togano then uses his power to beat the force of the runner's counter. While the opponent is distracted, Juumonji uses his techniques (often being the Juvenile Delinquent Murder Method) to finish the move. Alternate versions include tackling from three different directions at once or tossing their opponents into the air. Recently, in the manga, this was shown when they saved the ball from Teikoku's possession after failed Christ Cross. In here, Kuroki and Toganou hold Reisuke Aki from holding/ securing the ball, while Juumonji batted the ball down. Jumonji's father seems to hold a different opinion of the gang as he watches the technique.

Manabu Yukimitsu

Yukimitsu Manabu (雪光 学^?)

• Voiced by: Masaru Hōta

• Position: Wide Receiver/Special Teams

Yukimitsu is the bench player of the Deimon Devil Bats. He makes his first appearance after watching the Zokugaku vs Deimon exhibition match. He has a big forehead with a prominent widow's peak, which appears consistent with the first signs of male pattern baldness. He initially combs his hair back, emphasising this even more. His mother wants him to be a studious person and makes him study from day till night in addition to going to cram school (even his name means "learn"). Yukimitsu has missed many festivals and games throughout his childhood and youth, and regrets it terribly. After watching the match between Zokugaku and Deimon, he decides to join the American Football club to fulfill his dreams; to be a winner, to be part of a game, rather than studying all day. He wanted to have sweet memories of his high school that didn't have anything to do with studying, even if he just played once.

Yukimitsu was able to pass Hiruma's "Tower of Hell" qualifying test only by Hiruma's pity. He's usually sitting on the bench; supporting the main players and waiting for a chance to play with them. A couple of times, he has inadvertently inspired plays, such as the tactic of neutralizing the Shuttle Pass with the Nasa Aliens, (when Cerberus bit his wrist), which gave Sena the idea of tackling the muscular and well-built American quarterback by the arm, rather than the midsection. Though not physically fit, Yukimitsu has a talent for memorizing plays and pass routes. He is the third member of the "Deimon's Smart Trio", with Mamori and Hiruma. He trains just as hard, if not harder, than everyone else. At one point during the Death March in America, Yukimitsu nearly gave up and was in danger of being cut from the team (he collapsed from exhaustion). However, thanks to Sena, he was able to muster up the courage to complete the Death March (Sena carried him for a short period of time, then Yukimitsu thanked him and even re-ran the segment where Sena had carried him!). He also helped Natsuhiko study for his entrance exam into Deimon, where he discovered that Suzuna's brother could learn things by associating them with football.

Though he wasn't chosen as a regular at the start of the Fall Tournament, he finally begins to play when the Devil Bats had to face against the Shinryuji Nagas. He was initially thought of as a joke, but that was all according to Hiruma's scheme. Though he lacks Hiruma's animal cunning, Yukimitsu's mind is a force to be reckoned with. Combing his hair forward between the start of Fall Tournament and the Shinryuji game (notably de-emphasising his apparent baldness), he was the first to score a touchdown against the Nagas, defeating both Ikkyu and Agon to do so. As of now, he is part of the offensive line for Deimon's pass strategies. Determined as he is to succeed with the Devil Bats, Yukimitsu has yet to tell his overbearing mother that he's on the team, much less playing in the Fall Tournament.

At the start of the game against Ojo, Yukimitsu is put into play early. This is a surprise to everyone since he never had enough stamina to last throughout an entire game. In chapter 229, he finally makes a catch that resulted in 2-yards. However, near the end of the 4th quarter, his lack of overall stamina finally catches up to him, causing him to collapse on the field, and consequently taken out of the remainder of the game. As Deimon becomes battered in the final seconds of the game with Ojo approaching the goal line, Sena is sent off with a bloody nose and Hiruma needs to choose a replacement. Based on Yukimitsu's peerless determination and will, Hiruma chooses him and sends him back out where he faces off against Shin. Completely unable to stop Shin's drive to the end zone, Yukimitsu realizes Ojo's plan at the last second -to score exactly as the timer reaches zero- and instead pushes Shin from behind, forcing him to make the touchdown with 1 second remaining and giving the Devil Bats one last chance to catch up. His strength exhausted, he then leaves the field as Sena comes back on for the final play.

During the finals of the Kanto Tournament, Yukimitsu is surprised at Deimon's win over the Dinosaurs and is overjoyed that he will be participating in the Christmas Bowl. During the ceremonial party, he found out that his mother already found about his football activities, but instead of being angry, she was proud of him, thanks to Hiruma (disguised as a homeroom teacher) convincing her that football will look good on his resume.

During coaching with Tetsuma, he was told by Kid and Tetsuma to keep his track on his pass route no matter what, despite got hard pressed or having low physical stats.

During the Christmas bowl against Teikoku, Yukimitsu doesn't get any passes towards him, instead he is only use to force Teikoku use a defensive player on him. During the last five minutes of the game, Yamato learns to stop Sena 4th Dimension run, forcing Hiruma to come up with a new play. The next play, Teikoku blitzes against Deimon, and Yamato manages to tackle Hiruma, but just before he hit the ground, he threw a pass across the field without being able to see, and having faith in Yukimitsu being in place, the weakest member of Deimon catches the pass and manages to score a touchdown as his first catch of the Christmas bowl.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

• Option Route - Yukimitsu's main skill lies in the ability to calculate the positions of the opposing team members and where they are going to run, in relation to where Hiruma can throw the ball, allowing him to instantly choose the place to receive the pass. His many years of studying allow him to make snap judgements as to which option to take.

• In-motion - Before the actual play begins, a player behind scrimmage can move anywhere as long as it is behind scrimmage. This was useful for trick play and confusing enemies. He once helps Deimon lines to break through the center of Shinryuji defense using this (although only slightly, but thanks to him, they win in numbers).

• Pass Routes - After training with Tetsuma, he manages to improve his stamina and physical condition to be able to covering any pass routes given to him. Even though he got hard pressed and did not manage to catch a single pass, his presence alone can force opposition to spare defensive players to cover him, makes the other teammates can catch the pass.

Daikichi Komusubi

Komusubi Daikichi (小結 大吉^?)

• Voiced by: Hidenori Sakaki

• Position: Offensive Guard/Defensive Tackle

Komusubi is one of the linemen of the Deimon Devil Bats. His given name of Daikichi means 'Good Fortune.' His father named him after he had gotten a promotion after his son's birth. Though Daikichi is not very fast nor tall, but he makes up for it with his indomitable will and power. He decided to join the Devil Bats after seeing the Zokugaku exhibition match. Daikichi was highly impressed by Kurita's amazing strength and build, and decided that he wanted to become Kurita's "apprentice". He was able to join the team after surviving the Hell Tower qualifying test, beating out the Ha-Ha Brothers. Komusubi has taken to bunking at Kurita's house, and joining Kurita in waking up as early as 2 am to go training. He does not talk much, and apparently speaks (and writes!) only in "Power-Go," or the language of strong men, that only "truly strong men" can understand, which consists mostly of strange grunts and one-word sentences. It is still confusing as to how people like Komusubi's father, Kurita, Deimon's gym teacher, Mizumachi, Gaō of Hakushu, and some of the members of the Nasa Aliens team, can comprehend what he is saying (It should be noted that Mamori seems to be able to understand him as well, though it was only once), though the truly powerful men comprehend long and detailed spews of meaning from a simple grunt of "hot!" or "suddenly!"

He always seems to be the thorn in the side of the Ha-Ha Brothers, showing them that he's stronger than them and spurring them on to become stronger. He has also been shown lifting around 20 high-schoolers at once. Though they hate each other, Hiruma knows that their rivalry is what really drives them to become better players. He is also has a gifted talent for being a sumo. Later, especially seen before match against Poseidon, the rivalry later developed into some kind of friendly rivalry (when he disappears because of his feeling of inadequacy, it's the Ha-Ha brothers who, literally, kicking some sense to him, saying that without him it's impossible for them to defeat the Poseidon).

He does not like to be teased about his small stature and does his best to prove that size is not everything. Komusubi is short like his mother, but he inherited his father's strength. He learns all on his own how to deal with taller opponents. Using the Rip Tackle and his Fast Start technique, he is able to bowl over even the tall linemen of the Kyoshin Poseidon. He proved to be instrumental in the final seconds of that game, pushing down his opponent for Eyeshield 21 to get through to score.

Komusubi was not a major factor in the win over the Nagas, however his quietly efficient performance made things much easier for Kurita and Jūmonji. He was also the one to catch Musashi's onside kick. Similarly, Komusubi found no real defensive struggle during the game against Ojo due to the focus on offense. However, the challenge of Hakushū's Gaō towards Kurita has ignited the fire within the small defensiveman, choosing to make his own enigmatic statement towards the beastly lineman prior to the climactic showdown.

In chapter 260, when Kurita became weakened, he desperately stands for his master, to the point of tearing his own body when facing Gaō, and crying, begging to the audience not to badmouth Kurita, sayin that his master just "take a break", continually believing in his master. In the end, Sena decides to use him as Lead Blocker to pass Gaō.

However, as it appears, actually Sena believes that this move will incite Kurita's will once again, and he choose to do run from middle instead. The trick works and it is Kurita's drive which renews Komosubi's faith in his master.

Later in the match against Teikoku, Daikichi tackles Tenma but does not succeed in forcing an out-of-bounds because of Yamato. But it appears that Tenma has stepped on the line and the referee did not count the touchdown. Daikichi was also instrumental in aiding his fellow teammates to stop Yamato from blocking Musashi's game-winning field goal. In the final chapter, chapter 333 of the manga Komosubi is shown on the color spread page wearing the same uniform as Musashi. This implies that he probably joined the Takekura Babels.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

• Trap Block - Komusubi ignores the person in front of him at the line of scrimmage, then tackles from the side, anyone who tries to sack Hiruma. Opponents have very little force to counter a side attack.

• Fast Start - Being smaller gives him a lower center of gravity, allowing Komusubi to get a flying head start than his opponent once the ball is snapped. He learned how to accomplish this feat by taking part in a Sumo competition.

• Rip Tackle - To deal with taller opponents, (which is almost all the time), Komusubi pushes upwards during the tackle, utilizing the insane amounts of arm strength he inherited from his father. This allows him to flip over larger adversaries.

• Two-Stage Rocket - Not officially the name of the technique, but that is what Komusubi is likened as, when he defeats Kengo Mizumachi's Swimmer's Start by combining both the Fast Start and the Rip Tackle. He uses the Fast Start to get in close, then as Mizumachi brings his arm up for the 'Swim,' Komusubi uses the Rip Tackle to attack Mizumachi's exposed chest, thereby knocking him down. This was also used during the Deimon's final play to allow Sena to get through with the Devil Bat Dive.

• Extremely Low Altitude Devil Bat Dive - Combining his combination of his size and power, Komusubi attacks head on against an opponent in combination with Sena, who dives over them. Used as a maneuver against Gaō to ignite Kurita's power and determination to face him.

Tetsuo Ishimaru

Ishimaru Tetsuo (石丸 哲生^?)

• Voiced by: Kei Katō (Japanese), Grant George (English)

• Position: Fullback / Cornerback

Ishimaru is the Devil Bats' second running back. Ishimaru was recruited from the track team by Sena who took over half of his paper route for him. He played in the Koigahama match, but was injured due to Sena being unable to discern between the types of cleats. Ishimaru continued to play for the Devil Bats, even though no one notices his presence in the team. However, his obscurity works to his advantage when playing since no one notices when he is handed the ball. Many teams curse to themselves in front of him after the play, usually saying that, "he has no presence", or that, "We didn't notice him". He's the track and field captain, which is why Hiruma usually refers to him as "Track Star".

Ishimaru often acts as a fullback, blocking for Sena on screen passes and other trick plays. When he actually learns that Sena is Eyeshield 21, he foams at the mouth and "breaks". Like Yukimitsu, Ishimaru also grows out his hair, but no one seems to notice. He is referred to as the Stealth Running Back, Shadowless God Of Death, or just "plain" Ishimaru. He is such a pushover that he's willing to go with anything that happens around him. His catchphrase is, "It's alright."

One interesting thing to note is that Ishimaru has an American look-a-like named Jimmy Simard ("Jim I-Shimaru") the name itself being a play on words of Ishimaru's nickname ("地味 石丸" Plain Ishimaru). Sena mistakes Jimmy for Ishimaru during the tryout with the San Antonio Armadillos. Jimmy actually made the cut for the pros, despite some bullies' cheating and foul tactics, thanks to Eyeshield 21's help.

Ishimaru's importance came into play during the Deimon Devil Bats vs. Kyoshin Poseidon game. In order to overcome their opponent's height and extreme long reach, he was included as a runner for one of Hiruma's trickiest strategies: Wish Bone.

In the match against Ojo, when Ikari sacked Hiruma, Hiruma was able to throw a short pass towards Ishimaru seconds before the quarterback got sacked. However, Ishimaru only managed to run 1 yard before Shin tackled him.

During match with Hakushū dinosaurs, because of his position, Hiruma shortlisted him as one of two candidates for the quarterback replacement, before Sena volunteered himself.

In the anime, Ishimaru learned of Eyeshield 21's identity when his track team was in trouble for the finals at the Relay Races. Ishimaru was planning on leaving the football club, but thanks to Sena volunteering to be the third man in the race, Deimon's Track Team won. Seeing Sena run without his helmet confirmed his identity as Eyeshield 21 and in gratitude, Ishimaru decided to stay with the Devil Bats until the end of the Tournament.

In the match against Teikoku, he is the one who carries the ball at the beginning of the game. Just as a group of the Alexander's line is about to catch him, he reveals that he has been taught the Rodeo Drive from Riku of the Seibu team, thus allowing him to beat two of the Alexander's players before he was knocked out of bounds by Yamato. It is revealed that he did the hard training with Riku in order to help prove that he is more than just a replacement player on the team and that he is a true Deimon Devil Bat to everyone, including himself.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES:

• Insubstantial: Due to Ishimaru's lack of "presence" he can often make long runs or catch passes out of the backfield without the opposing team noticing until it's too late.
• Rodeo Drive: In preparation for the Christmas Bowl, Ishimaru trained with Riku Kaitani of Seibu, learning his running style to improve on his own track-honed speed.

Yohei Satake

Satake Yōhei (佐竹 洋平^?)

• Voiced by: Kiyoto Kawano (Masahiro Kono)

• Position: Receiver / Linebacker

Satake is a basketball player who gets blackmailed by Hiruma to become a "support" player for the football team. Satake is perverted and is not a very important character. In the manga, during junior high, he stole some underwear out of the locker room of the girls swim team, not knowing that the underwear belonged to a 50-year-old cleaning woman. He spent the following summer lamenting over that fact. He became especially excited when he saw the team manager of the Yūhi Guts in bloomers. He is the starter player over Yamaoka and always plays. His main job is just to block defenders to open up paths for Sena and Monta.

In the anime, Hiruma blackmails him by threatening to reveal that he used to wet his bed until he was in junior high. He hasn't done much for the team, but sticks with it longer than most of the other "support" players. This is mostly because he gets better recognition from girls as a member of the Devil Bats, rather than as a basketball player, (as shown in the anime).

Kenta Yamaoka

Yamaoka Kenta (山岡 健太^?)

• Voiced by: Shinogiki Hiroshi

• Position: Receiver / Linebacker

Yamaoka is another basketball player who gets blackmailed by Hiruma to become a "support" player for the football team. Yamaoka has a thing for Ai Kago. He spends 98% of his allowance to buy her CDs, products, and other stalking supplies. Every morning when he wakes up, he kisses a poster of her. Like Satake, he sticks around longer than most of the other support players. He does not do much and is always trying to put the moves on Mamori. He gets excited along with Yohei when he sees the Yūhi Guts manager in her bloomers, and praised the fact that there was "still such a paradise in Japan."

Futoshi Omosadake

Omosadake Futoshi (重佐武　太^?)

• Voiced by: DJ TARO

• Position: Lineman

Omosadake is a chubby person who keeps his eyes shut all the time; he's very lazy, to the point where even opening his own eyes feels tiring. The only thing that isn't too troublesome for him is eating. In the manga, he was dragged onto the field by Hiruma in the match against Amino Cyborgs as a support player, though he claims he can only play for 30 minutes max. He's also a part of the Sumo Club. But in the anime, Omosadake is also seen in episode 56 of the anime first seen helping the Huh-Huh brothers with line practice for the match against the Poseidons and is then seen throughout the episode. Recently, he has assisted Kurita on the defensive line in the game against the Ojo White Knights, using a tactic similar to the Taiyō Sphinx to hold back the defensive line against players like Ootawara.

During the semi-final against Ojo (chapter 219 of the manga), his name is revealed to be a pun; Kumabukuro, the football journalist and commentator with the massive afro, said he thought Omosadake was just dead-weight on the team - 'Omosa' means weight, and 'dake' means only.

On a humorous note, in the anime, he is revealed to have a weakness for mango pudding, which causes him to exert 100% effort. Naturally, this quickly makes him use up what little stamina he possesses.

In the anime he stands no taller than Daikichi Komusubi.

Natsuhiko Taki

Taki Natsuhiko (瀧 夏彦^?)

• Voiced by: Kōji Ochiai

• Position: Tight End/Safety/Outside Linebacker/H-Back

A man with an odd and rather foolish attitude, and is apparently quite oblivious to the silliness of his actions. He was first introduced in the series when Sena met him in the San Antonio stadium (Natsuhiko was trying out for the team there). He has a habit of opening his jacket to bare his pecs, making weird poses like rising up his leg 180 degrees and is often portrayed as a ladies-man. His dream is to become a pro football star, even though he didn't know the rules, nor the positions, stating that he was an all-around super player. He couldn't play American Football in Japan; he wasn't qualified, so he went to America to apply for a position in the San Antonio Team by taking all the savings in his house to fly to America. He failed; however, the coach did praise him on his potential and asked him to try out again after gaining some experience in high school football. Sena passed the pro-tryouts as Eyeshield 21, (though he and the Taki siblings left before his name was announced). Sena, feeling sorry for him, sensed that Natsuhiko had potential and that his talent shouldn't be wasted, asked him to join the Devil Bats back in Japan as a Tight End. He manages to qualify as a Devil Bats team member after undergoing the rest of the Death March.

Although he's quite the clueless, narcissistic fool, he is undeniably a very good (not to mention useful) player in the team. His personality is noted to be gentlemanly, but he's still an idiotic, competitive showoff. During the Bando Spiders game, after getting thrashed pretty badly by Akaba of the Spiders, Natsuhiko gets serious for the first time, and manages to out-perform Akaba. He demonstrates his ability as a H-Back by blocking Akaba with his flexibility inorder to open a path for Sena. Though not a major player in the surprise win over the Nagas, Natsuhiko made key blocks and catches throughout the game. Natsuhiko's height and leaping ability also helped Monta cover Sakuraba during the match against Ojo. He also plays a part in the final play of the game in Hiruma's Killer Hornet tactic.

Monta harbors an intense dislike towards Natsuhiko; in junior high, while Monta was taking an entrance exam, Natsuhiko approached Monta and asked him whether a book he found earlier, Son Son (with a picture of a chimpanzee on it) was Monta's, since he thought that Monta looked like a chimp. Natushiko's flexibility is also comparable to Monta's, further deepening their rivalry.

There are several key instances that show his idiocy, one of which is the ability to understand directions. Before the match against the Amino Cyborgs, he made Sena and himself take the wrong bus to Nagano; however, thanks to Habashira Rui and the Zokugaku Chameleons, Sena eventually got back to play in the match in time. But then, Natsuhiko got lost (again) by taking the wrong train back. In the end he missed the game, yet Hiruma later claimed he was not going to play anyway since he had yet to enroll at Deimon. He is also an idiot when it comes to academics. He proudly announces that he only knew up to the 6 times tables, and said that 9 X 9=18. However, if he associates the questions with football, then he gets it right and it was through this method that he was able to cram for the entrance exam. Hiruma was about to assassinate the examiner in Deimon to make Natsuhiko pass, but the examiner concluded that he passed (barely) and was eligible to enroll in Deimon High School. When Hiruma injured and Deimon had to choose another quarterback, Ha-Ha Brothers quickly rules him out thanks to his stupidity and narcissism ("He'll likely try to run the ball on his own").

He always addresses Suzuna as "My Sister". His catchphrase is usually a loud "AH-HA-HA!", and exclaiming that he has a 150% success rate at anything he does. This usually leads to the Ha-Ha brothers being irritated at him.

During the game against the Alexanders, Taki makes a few key blocks and was part of the group that stopped Yamato from blocking Musashi's game-winning field goal.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

• Flexibility - Taki's body is incredibly flexible, which allows him to bend and contort at extreme angles to make catches or blocks. It also helps him to makeshift his gravity point quickly, making Akaba's Spider Poison ineffective.

• Power Off Tackle/ Gentle Prince Tackle - Basically it's a one-man Sweeper using just Natsuhiko to open a smaller path for Eyeshield to run through. He can also do this with helps with other player,though.

• Prince Gentle Hurricane - Taki's own variation of Sena's Devil Bat Hurricane, he lifts up one of his legs and spins around with the football down the field. Unfortunately, the technique is easy prey against an opposing team's defense and is considered more for show than effective.

• Gentle Spider Poison - Training with Hayato Akaba for the Christmas Bowl, Taki learned his defensive maneuvers to assist against Teikoku.

Gen "Musashi" Takekura

Gen "Musashi" Takekura a.k.a The 60-yard Magnum (武蔵　厳 / ムサシ, Takekura Gen / Musashi^?)

• Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama

• Position: Kicker/Linebacker/Punter

The place kicker for the Devil Bats and one of the original three members of the team, along with Hiruma and Kurita. He is often mistaken for an older person, since he initially has a bit of stubble and has a buzz-cut. When he finally joins the team, he grows out his hair and shaves. He leaves the team during the spring season of his freshman year, because his father had become seriously ill. As a result, he was forced to drop out of school and take over as the construction foreman of Deimon High. Though he desperately wanted to get back into playing, he refused to rejoin the Devil Bats. However, after meeting with Sena and Monta and seeing how determined they are to get him back on the team, he agrees, but only if they become a strong team. In the manga, he makes his comeback during the game against Seibu, when his father hit him for abandoning his team. In the anime, he does not rejoin the team until the game with the Bando Spiders. He has a one-sided rivalry with the kicker of the Spiders, Kōtarō Sasaki, who according to Hiruma, has NEVER missed.

Musashi has an incredibly strong right leg which helps the Devil Bats on kickoffs, often pinning their opponents deep or forcing them to down the ball deep in their own territory, or in their end zone for a touchback. The title of the 60-yard Magnum was actually a lie fabricated by Hiruma, in order to make Musashi seem invincible, and Musashi keeps telling people that it is a lie. However, the kicker of the Bando Spiders STILL wants to prove that he's better than the Deimon player. During the game against the Nagas, he is instrumental in the Devil Bats' onside kick at the start of the second half, and even pounds some sense into Hiruma with his fist, (though it was all an act). He also has been the only player on Deimon to score during the climactic game against Ojo, making two field goals that kept Deimon within range of the White Knights with a 14-6 score at halftime.

Following the Bando game, there is an omake strip in which Hiruma and Kurita take Musashi to a barber as 'punishment' for not coming back until that game - if he had kicked against the Wild Gunmen, Deimon may have won. They give him various comedic hairstyles (which lead to Hiruma in particular nearly killing himself laughing) before deciding on shaving the left and right sides of his head, giving him a mohawk hairstyle. The omake was shown in the anime's special episode, but Musashi's hairstyle still remains as it was during the Bando Spider game. It might have been a mistake on the animator's part, but the reason is still unknown.

The kanji in Musashi's last name, Takekura, can also be read as Musashi, thus his nickname. The name is derived from Miyamoto Musashi, a famous samurai, who was famous for his skills with two swords, which relates to the fact that Musashi must put up two kicks for every successful possession (extra point kick or field goal and the kick off). Gen's rivalry with the Bando Spiders kicker Kōtarō Sasaki is also a play on Miyamoto's rivalry with the legendary swordsman Sasaki Kojiro.

In the manga, Musashi has a habit of picking his ear whenever he's not serious (or as a comedy gag). He also has a knack for making insensitive statements (Claiming that the Devil Bats are a weak team when Monta and Sena ask him to rejoin, and also saying that the Ha- Ha brother's are weak compared to him who worked for a year as construction worker, claiming that he is the one more fitted to be quarterback) to cover his true, much more noble, motive (he can't rejoin the Devil Bats since his father's company is in danger and with his father's illness, he's the one who expected to work, and he doesn't want to see the first year get injured by Gaō).

In chapter 297, it was revealed that, even though Musashi's kicks were considered legendary with great power, he was holding back the entire time. Hiruma tells Musashi to go all out, and he kicks it almost all the way to the goal line. During a kickoff, if the ball crosses the goal line, then the opposing team gains twenty yards. Quite luckily, before it crosses over, it hits a pile of snow and slows down. This resulted in a safety.

With the final play of the game and the Devil Bats down by 2 points, Sena notices that the distance to the goal is 60 yards. Now with the entire team focusing on stopping Yamato, Musashi is given the chance to live up to the nickname, '60 yards Magnum' by attempting the longest field goal of his life. He tells the other players to hold back Yamato for 3 seconds, in which he promises to kick the winning field goal. In the end, he manages to achieve the legendary 60-yard field goal, just barely clearing horizontal bar of the goalposts.

Due to his strong leg winning the game for Deimon, he was presumably recruited onto the team as the kicker for kickoffs and long field goals, while his rival Kotaro will handle shorter Field Goals.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

• Onside Kick - Basically, Musashi kicks the ball at an angle and a shorter distance than usual in order for his teammates to try to regain possession of the ball.
• High-Altitude Kickoff - Due to his kicking ability, Musashi is able to launch the ball into the air to an unbelievable altitude. This causes the opposing team to fall back deep into their own territory. The longer the ball stays in the air, the more time the Devil Bats have to surround the enemy and pin them down near their own goal line.
• Hyper High-Altitude Kickoff - The true strength of Musashi's kick is revealed in chapter 297, when he kicked the biggest kick-off in the entire season, with the ball landing near the goal line. The ball stopped near the goal line, luckily, because of the snow. This was half-predicted by Hiruma; because of the high altitude, the ball most likely will landed in the pointy ends; and if it lands on the snow, it will (hopefully) stick in the soft snow.
• 60 Yard Magnum - The legendary 60 yard field goal only achieved on the final play at the Christmas Bowl. The kick only just has the legs to dink off the crossbar twice, going through on the second bounce, gaining the 3 points that awarded the Devil Bats the Championship. See Chapter 304.

Manager

Mamori Anezaki

Anezaki Mamori (姉崎 まもり^?)

• Voiced by: Aya Hirano (Japanese), Yuka Imai (jump fiesta), Kate Higgins (English)

• Position: Club Manager

Sena's overprotective and motherly childhood friend (actually, Mamori's name is meant to be a pun, as her name means protect). Mamori's mother met Sena's mother in a cooking class, and Mamori and Sena have been friends ever since. Her mother is half-Japanese, half-American which makes Mamori 25% American and 75% Japanese. Mamori has been protecting Sena from bullies since primary school, to the point that Sena has grown up never having to stand up for himself. Mamori joined the American Football club to watch over Sena and prevent any bullying by the other members (particularly Hiruma). Despite her joining the American Football club just to protect Sena, she eventually becomes an excellent manager who knows the rules inside and out and makes up strategies for the team (since she has trouble with computers, she does it all on paper—super-analog). Mamori does not recognize Eyeshield 21 until he reveals his identity during the match against the Bando Spiders team. Mamori, who excels in all her studies except art (which she is horrible at), is the one responsible for helping Sena pass his high school entrance exam. She is the second member of "Deimon's Smart Trio", as well as a member of the school's disciplinary committee. Though she is constantly butting heads with Hiruma, she eventually sees a softer side to the Devil Bats' quarterback.

In the anime, Mamori tries to discover Eyeshield 21's identity, mostly because when she is making the telephone contact list, she needs a number to get in touch with him. Hiruma gets around this by assigning himself the responsibility of relaying all messages to Eyeshield 21. In the end, even when Sena is forced to remove his helmet to save her from the Zokugaku Chameleons, his identity remains secret to her, thanks to her own disbelief and Hiruma's tricks. She eventually gives up trying to learn who he was. Mamori has been known to block bullets from the trigger-happy Hiruma at times (once when they are aimed at Sena for daydreaming, and again after the completion of the Death March when everyone falls asleep in their hotel room).

Mamori learns about Eyeshield's identity in chapters 154 and 155, when Sena removes his helmet in front of her. After Sena apologizes and takes to the field, Mamori says that she should be the one apologizing. Seeing him run out of the tunnel finally made her realize that he is no longer a child and that she has been babying him all this time. Mamori joins the Devil Bats on the field, introduced as the team's manager, signal-relay and "expert at high-speed snack eating" (much to her obvious annoyance).

Prior to the start of the Kanto Tournament, Mamori gets a haircut, saying that she wanted a change of pace.

Mamori's relationship with Hiruma changes over the course of the manga. At first she sees him as a bully and tries constantly to stop him from being mean to Sena, but then sees him in a softer light. Like she does with Sena and other members of the team, she wants to take care of him and is often worried about his injuries. As much as she argues with Hiruma, she gradually becomes the closest person to him, seeing as she understands him much more than most- she is also one of the few people who can tell when he's faking stamina and is actually very drained. In ch 97 of the manga, when Doburoku assumes she is Hiruma's girlfriend, Mamori unthinkingly agrees- but not a second later she realizes what she has said and her pencil breaks, her face taking on a shocked-appalled-sweating-annoyed expression (this is also a running gag in the anime series). However there is no denying that she is extremely close to him, perhaps closer than Musashi and Kurita.

In chapter 202, during the game between the Taiyo Sphinx and Hakushu Dinosaurs, after Gao becomes enraged after hearing someone insult Banba from the Taiyo Sphinx, he threatens to break the bones of everyone in the audience. He enters the stands near Mamori and Suzuna and Mamori jumps in front of Suzuna to protect her from Gao, who was only a few feet away. Hiruma comes to her defense, standing in the between her and Gao as if ready for a fight and with Tasers drawn. In chapter 205, she tries to talk to him about how hard he pushes himself. After telling him that he doesn't need to worry so much, she secretly smiles to herself- although in a reprint, this is changed to Hiruma smiling to himself. Hiruma certainly acknowledges her, as he usually ignores girls, including Suzuna.

Before the match with Hakushū Dinosaurs, Hiruma gives Mamori a letter which contains how the play should be continued if, by any chance, he gets injured. However, in tears, Mamori rips the letter, saying that she doesn't want to see him injured, and she believes the team will do everything they can do to protect him. However, when Hiruma does get injured and can't continue to play, she brims out the, now taped back together, letter which contains the decision to have Sena play in Hiruma's position. Interestingly, although the game is still going on, Mamori stays by Hiruma's side instead of going back out onto the field, only listening to the game through commentary.

Later, in ch 265 Hiruma asks Mamori to tape his arms, with the intention of going back into the game. She tries to coerce Hiruma to stop playing and avoid further injury, but Hiruma traps her with the pop-quiz bet they made in Chapter 9, in which she has to promise to do as she's told if she answers his last question incorrectly. Hiruma tricks her into answering incorrectly, and when she starts tearing up he reminds her that just as she must keep her promise, he has to keep his and go to the Christmas Bowl with the Devil Bats.

In Teikoku's match, Mamori is once again key to the match, as she is the one who decides the snap count before each play for Deimon's "No Huddle" offense.

In the final chapter, 333, when everyone goes their separate ways, Mamori stays with Hiruma at Saikyodai University. When they are up against Enma University -and consequently Sena- in a match, they arrive together in a scouting car and Hiruma teases her and asks if it's alright that 'Big sister Mamori' isn't running to protect Sena from bullies. Mamori is nostalgic for a moment before stating with a smile that of course, they have to defeat even Sena, as he is on a rival team now.

TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

• Sign Language - Mamori analyses the action from the sidelines, and communicates any pertinent information to Hiruma via sign language so that the opposition does not discover the techniques.

• Sign Language: Snap Count - Mamori communicates with her team using her sign language, decides the number of snap count the game will started. This was extremely effective, since Teikoku is focusing their attention to Hiruma's Play Call, try to determine the code meaning by counting the snap count. But of course, since Mamori is the one who decided the snap count, this was useless, and Hiruma (to add more insult) can calling for huts at his leisure even when the team already starts the play....

Cheerleader

Suzuna Taki

Taki Suzuna (瀧 鈴音^?)

• Voiced by: Shoko Nakagawa

• Position: Cheerleading Captain (self-appointed)

Suzuna is a cute blue-haired girl who's always wearing rollerblades. She came to the United States and hitched a ride with one of the bikers of a bike gang. Sena first met her after he got lost halfway through the Death March and was surrounded by a whole lot of American bikers - Sena being Sena, he couldn't really communicate with them. However, one biker mentioned the words 'Japanese girl', 'Football player', and 'Japan', and Sena assumed said biker was talking about Mamori, and immediately went off in search of the aforementioned Japanese girl. The 'Japanese girl' term was actually referring to Suzuna, and 'Football player' Natsuhiko, her brother. Suzuna was looking for her brother, and in that same respect, met up with the 'Football player' assuming that it was Natsuhiko. The bikers then assumed they were boyfriend and girlfriend (cheering them on with "C'mon, hug! Kiss! Hug!"), but the fact was that Suzuna and Sena were not in a relationship. She eventually finds her brother and jumps and rolls her skates across his back while still on her feet as punishment for taking the family savings to fly to America. She also witnesses Sena in action as Eyeshield 21.

Later, Suzuna follows the team back to Japan after her brother accepts Sena's offer to join the Devil Bats (he didn't get picked for the American football team he was trying to enter). She then becomes a cheerleader for the Devil Bats even though she's not from Deimon High School (and the captain for the otherwise all-American cheerleading team). Now, the club has a second female member in the group. Fitting to her fiery personality and dislike of being called by her surname, Suzuna loudly cheers for the Devil Bats, no matter what the situation as long as it's a competition, and gives many of them nicknames, even Hiruma.

Suzuna is built like that of a young girl, and is often teased mercilessly by others because of that. One thing to note is that she does not like to be addressed by her family name or be called Miss, (in Japanese, using the term 'san') however she does not mind being called Suzuna-ojōchan (little miss, young lady or even madame) by Doboroku.

In the anime, Suzuna was introduced earlier in the timeline as a part-time reporter, working for the magazine American Football Monthly to discover Eyeshield 21's identity. Her reason was to find her long-lost brother, whom she suspected was Eyeshield 21. Realizing that Eyeshield 21 was too short, however, she then leaves for America due to a tip from Hiruma. She later meets up with the Devil Bats during their Death March training. She even came up with the Devil Bats cheer:

GO! GO! LET'S GO!
GO! GO! DEVIL!
FLY! FLY! BATS!
RUN! RUN! BATS!
COME ON! COME ON! 21!
EYESHIELD 21! 21!
COME ON OUT, EYESHIELD 21!

Character Info:

• The first time Sena and Monta (and Yukimistu in the anime) saw her in her cheerleading outfit, they were shocked as if they had just seen a ghost (here she teases Sena about liking her). She even made a special cheerleading outfit for Mamori,and Monta was extremely happy to see it (he had a massive nosebleed there and then).
• Hiruma managed to get American cheerleaders for the team mostly via threatening them (two of the cheerleaders appear to look distinctively like the two American girls who were featured in an episode in the anime).
• In the 100th chapter (a whole chapter consisting of cute 4-column panel omake), Suzuna got Mamori to wear the Eyeshield 21 clothes. As she puts the visored helmet onto a resisting Mamori's head, that is when Monta suddenly walks in, believing that was Sena with Suzuna, and from the angle he was standing it looked like they were kissing.
• Her catchphrase is a loud "YA!" (translated as "YEAH!").
• She does not like being addressed as 'San' or by her last name. She demanded that Sena(and anyone who 'San' her) call her by her first, to his embarrassment (in Japanese culture, this is usually done between close friends or couples), perhaps she does not like a very formal treat for herself. However she gladly accepts being addressed as 'Chan'.
• Suzuna claims to have little interest in romantic relationships of her own, but is always interested in those of other people. Whenever a prospective couple is mentioned, part of Suzuna's hair sticks up and spins like a radar, locking onto the unfortunate target (usually Mamori regarding Hiruma) before bombarding him/her with questions of their relationship.
• She had a habit of making nicknames for people that she thinks makes them cuter. She called Hiruma "You-nii" ;much to the shock of the other members, although Hiruma doesn't seem to mind as much ('Nii' means big brother). Which sounds like 'Big brother Yoichi', Jumonji as "Monjii", Kuroki as "Kurokki", Toganou as "Toga", Komusubi as "Komusubicchi" (this was also used by Mizumachi), Yukimitsu as "Yukki" (though he was her senior, although not from the same school), Tetsuo Ishimaru as "Tet-chan", Gen "Musashi" Takekura as "Musha-syan", Mamori as "Mamo-nee" (though Riku calls her this as well), Shien "Kid" Mushakonoji as "Kiddon", Cerberus as "Ceru", both Doburoku-sensei and Pig-Berus as "Burokki" (Much to Doburoku's chagrin) and in the latest manga chapter Agon as "Agonne". In fact, the only person that Suzuna doesn't make a nickname for is Sena, which might actually imply that she thinks Sena's name is fine as it is, and doesn't need a nickname to know that she acknowledges him.
• In several scenes, it has been implied that she has feelings toward Sena, though this has not yet been confirmed. It may also be interpreted that likewise, Sena may have feelings for Suzuna, based on his protective actions towards her. Examples include numerous instances when Suzuna leaps from high places and Sena purposely places himself beneath her to cushion her fall, perhaps by the own Sena's nature to help to anyone, although both of them claim to have tried to avoid each other at the same time and by the same way, so ending with a collision. Secondly, when Sena agreed to help Suzuna's brother for her Suzuna blushed. Also, when Mizumachi attempts to peek into the girls' side of the bath house, Sena tries to stop him after hearing that Suzuna is there as well (manga only). And when Sena finally reveals his identity in the game against the Bando Spiders, Suzuna gives a squeal of overjoyed excitement and declares that she was "waiting for this", and immediately begins to cheer him on using his name. After being exhausted in the game against the Spiders, Sena collapsed in Suzuna's arms(he was walking almost asleep and thinking about the game, so he did not notice if someone was in front of him); although she was initially embarrassed she supported him. Additionally, in chapter 241, Suzuna reacts to the possibility of Sena dating the Dinosaurs' team manager with worry, though Mamori thinks that it is because Suzuna thinks of Sena like a little brother. In response, Suzuna says that her feelings are different since the time she met him, but she does not elaborate on this. Also in the 7th ending of Eyeshield 21 (EP 127+) it show's Suzuna holding up Sena's shirt to dry and the ending also shows the silhouette of Sena and Suzuna holding hands. In chapter 275, Suzuna was wearing a dress, and wanted Sena to say that she looked beautiful. Sena did think so, but he was too shy to say it outright (he was actually also really surprised). During the flight to New York, America for the World Cup, Suzuna was seen seated next to Sena in the airplane. When Sena and Suzuna are in the trunk of the car listening in on Agon, Hiruma and Kid's conversation when Hiruma says he will do anything to get the NFL contract Suzuna has a loving/caring look in her eyes when she sees Sena's spirit concerning the subject. Two Years later, Suzuna is seen to continue her thinking about Sena noticing his changes. Suzuna is the first of the original Devil Bat team, that goes to Enma University, to see Sena arrive..again.(not counting the Monta part) Suzuna seemed to noticed how Sena had made the lie become reality when Sena stayed in America.
• At the end of the anime, Suzuna and Sena are seen shopping together, while being spied on by Mamori, Monta, Kuroki and Togano.
• Also at the end of the anime, while Sena plays for the NFL.

Mascots

Devil Bat

A fictional creature with a similar personality to Hiruma. He usually appears to explain the rules of American football to the audience. In the omakes such as at the end of manga chapters he also appears, often to announce promotions or answer questions from the readers.

Little Devibat/ Lil' D.B.

A small, cute-looking, lighter-colored version of the Devil Bat. This bat looks up to the original Devil Bat, and often assists him in his omake appearances. First appears in a television propaganda ad during the Deimon-Seibu match created by Hiruma in an effort to get Musashi to rejoin the team.

Cerberus

Hiruma's ferocious dog, Cerberus is named after the Greek mythical creature that guards the gates to Hades. Though incredibly intelligent for a dog, Cerberus is apparently driven entirely by his appetite. Hiruma often uses Cerberus to frighten his players into training harder, and also to track down missing club members. However, in one omake Q&A segment, the Devil Bat claims that Cerberus is a wild dog that simply stays with Hiruma in order to get food more easily. In the anime, it was shown that Cerberus simply showed up at Deimon's football field when Hiruma was in middle school. Hiruma noted that Cerberus had "a good look in his eyes" and challenged the dog to a showdown. When they clashed, Cerberus managed to tear one of Hiruma's sleeves, but Hiruma had fastened the spiked collar on Cerberus in an instant, making Cerberus the loser. According to Kurita, Hiruma took a liking to Cerberus, and Cerberus did everything Hiruma told him to (and showing in episode 27 that Hiruma really did care for Cerberus a lot). Cerberus is somewhat anthropomorphic, and is able to use his front paws like hands while standing on his hind paws.

Butaberus

A small, somewhat anthropomorphic piglet that first appears during the Deimon-Kyoshin match, with Doburoku. Doburoku had set off on a long journey to find Komusubi, who had nearly quit the team. Along the way, Doburoku became drunk, mistook the piglet for Komusubi, and returned with him to the tournament. The piglet stays with Deimon because it is now too far from its original home. At first Cerberus wants to turn the pig into tonkatsu, but the pig convinces him that it will make a much bigger meal when it has grown up. Cerberus decides to raise the pig, naming it "Butaberus" ("buta" meaning pig in Japanese), and the pig becomes another mascot for the Devil Bats. His 40 yd time while escaping Cerberus is 1.4 sec!

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Shonen Jump. Volume 4, Issue 2. February 2006. VIZ Media. 15.