| |
|---|---|
| Bunta Marui | |
| Kanji |
丸井ブン太 |
| Rōmaji |
Marui Bunta |
| Nicknames |
Tensai (self proclaimed) |
| Gender |
Male |
| Age |
15 |
| Height |
164 cm |
| Weight |
62 kg (The Prince of Tennis) |
| Birthday |
April 20 |
| Horoscope |
Aries |
| Blood Type |
B |
| Family |
Unnamed (Parents) |
| Junior High |
Rikkaidai (3rd Year) |
| Class |
3-B |
| Seat |
16 |
| Club Position |
Regular |
| Elementary School |
Kanagawa Third (Dai-san) Elementary School |
| Japan U-17 Camp |
Court 6 |
| Dominant Arm |
Right |
| Play Style |
Serve and Volley |
| Doubles Partner(s) | |
| Racquet(s) |
Wilson Triad 3 115 |
| Shoes |
Wilson Crossfire DST 02 (S1121X) |
| Manga Debut |
Genius 192 |
| Movies | |
| Voice Actor |
Naozumi Takahashi (Japanese) |
Background
Bunta Marui (丸井ブン太, Marui Bunta) is a 3rd year student on the Rikkaidai team. Marui is a volley specialist and his expertise in the area far exceeds one of the field's best volleyers, Akutagawa Jirō. In fact, he was the one who inspired Jirō's tennis.
He is shown to be a very capable singles player like every other member of the Rikkaidai team. When he plays doubles, he typically partners with Jackal, but partnered with Niō for a match in the Nationals. He also played in the Newcomer's Tournament in his first year.
Despite wearing arm weights during matches, he has stamina issues, so he overdoses on sugar by always chewing bubblegum, even when he plays tennis. He also preps for each match by eating an entire cake.
Appearance
Marui has bright red-pink hair and grey-brown eyes. In the anime his eyes are a bright amethyst/pink. He loves chewing bubble gum and is almost always seen blowing bubble gum even whilst in the middle of a match. He is significantly shorter than most of the other 3rd Year Middle Schoolers in the series and is the shortest member of Rikkai Dai (Despite being the oldest).
Personality
Marui is one of the most laid-back members in Rikkai, and he tends to be playful and care-free outside of tennis court. Within the bunch of truth-seekers at Rikkai, Marui cannot break his easygoing behaviour. In fact, it is probably due to him having quite a lot of guts.
Marui is known to have a sweet tooth as he enjoys eating cakes and sweets but most of all, Marui loves bubblegum. He is always seen chewing and blowing gum and even whilst playing matches. He has a tendency to place a burden of tasks that he appears to set for himself on close friend Jackal.
Marui hangs around with Jackal and the two appear to be best friends. As shown in the Another Story OVA, Marui and Jackal would go places together after school and then Marui accompanies Jackal on watching over the wild Kirihara Akaya. He also seems to care for Akaya, as he couldn't leave him alone in his first year and followed him all the way to the arcade and bought him ramen.
Marui is shown to be somewhat arrogant of his abilities like some players in the series. He is proud of his volleying skill and is aware that he is perhaps the best middle schooler that focuses their play on volleys. He often calls himself a genius whenever he performs his special shots that stun spectators such as Tightrope Walking.
History
Two Years Prior to the Storyline
Marui began Rikkai Dai along with the rest of the Rikkai 3rd Years as 1st years. He played in the Newcomer's Tournament. Marui won against Akutagawa Jirō.
One Year Prior to the Storyline
Marui and Jackal befriend Kirihara Akaya after Kirihara arrogantly challenges the 3 Monsters and watch him get effortlessly humbled by Yanagi Renji, Sanada Genichirō and Yukimura Seiichi.
They treat Kirihara to ramen after seeing him playing at an arcade and explain how Rikkaidai won the Nationals the previous year and that the best players in the club, were in fact the 2nd years who were the 3 monsters at this time and that the seniors that Kirihara thought were the driving force behind Rikkaidai were nothing compared to their year.
Marui watches on with Niō Masaharu, his best friend Jackal, and Yagyū Hiroshi as Kirihara faces Sanada for a rematch. He is shocked seeing Kirihara go Bloodshot Mode for the first time.
Districts
It is shown that during this time, Marui is challenged to a match by Akutagawa Jirou after the latter visits him in his school ground. However, their matches ends after Jirou falls asleep in the middle of the game, shocking both Marui and the rest of the Rikkaidai team.
Kanagawa Prefecturals
Marui and Rikkai effortlessly won the Kanagawa prefecture tournament and broke the tournament record for fastest tournament win despite the significant absence of captain Yukimura Seiichi.
Regionals
Marui and Rikkaidai cruise through to the finals of the Kanto Regional Tournament with ease and visit captain Yukimura while he is in hospital a day before the final, assuring him that they can win the tournament so he can come back to the team with a trophy before the Nationals. Marui pairs with best friend Jackal Kuwahara for Doubles 2 against Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidō Kaoru pair.
He and Jackal shut down Momoshiro and Kaidō despite the 2nd years' best efforts. He stuns them early on with his Tightrope Walking and volleying skills. He and Jackal win 6-1 after a long match.
Nationals
Rikkaidai go to the Nationals as underdogs after a shock defeat to Seigaku in their Regional final; however due to the return of their captain Yukimura Seiichi, they expect nothing short of a 3rd Consecutive championship.
The tournament begins as a swift walk in the park for Rikkai Dai as they cruise through past all of their opponents until the Semifinals. At the Semifinals, it appears as though Rikkai Dai are having difficulty against their opponents Nagoya Seitoku from the Aichi region,a team where all the regulars are Western Foreigners.
At first, it appears Yagyū Hiroshi is utterly defeated in Singles 3 by one of them. Then in Doubles 2, it appears that Marui and Jackal are also outclassed. With everything seemingly relying on the shoulders 2nd Year Kirihara Akaya who plays agaisnt Nagoya Seitoku's ace Liliadent Krauser. Krauser effortlessly jumps to an early lead and dominated Kirihara with his power and Hopping Ball shot. Until suddenly Kirihara activates Devil Mode and makes a 7-5 comeback annihalating Krauser. Marui, Jackal, Yagyū and the rest of the team laugh and smile at Kirihara after his match and reveal that they werent playing seriously at all and only lost on purpose just as to make Kirihara activate Devil Mode to help ensure victory for the finals. Rikkai then win the next matches in Doubles 1 and Singles 1 and advance to the finals.
Marui and the Rikkai Dai team decline Seigaku's invitation to join them at a Yakiniku bar. Unbeknownst to both teams, they had just turned down an event that would become a large eating contest.
Prior to U-17 Camp
Sometime prior to the U-17 camp, Marui, Jackal, and Kirihara shop for materials for Rikkai's Ocean Festival. While shopping for materials, Marui and Jackal bump into Kawamura Takashi of Seigaku who was visiting a relative in a hospital in Kanagawa. Kirihara arrives shortly and suddenly a dog jumps into a Kirihara and runs away with the stuffed toy that was in Kirihara's hand.
The four of them give chase to the dog until Kirihara is able to tackle the dog and retrieve it in the end.
During the Festival, Marui plays Cinderella's (played by Kirihara) evil step-sister alongside Yagyū, the other evil step sister. This can be found in the PairPuri anime.
Later on, the Rikkai Regulars continue training after the Nationals. During this time shown in the Pair Puri, Yukimura encouraged his teammates to have fun while playing tennis, however they comically went about it the wrong way and decided to scrap the idea. Later, Yanagi introduced the Rikkai Dai tennis club members to Inui Juice, after staying by Inui Sadaharu's house the night before. Yukimura arrives to a defeated club as Marui and all the other members that tasted the juice were unable to stand, besides Sanada who was in tears after tasting it but stayed standing nonetheless.
U-17 Camp
Marui using his tight rope walking technique against Jackal.
Marui and all of the Rikkai Dai regulars Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirō, Yanagi Renji, Yagyū Hiroshi, Niō Masaharu, Jackal Kuwahara and Kirihara Akaya receive invitations to the All-Japan Juniors Training Camp. He plays against an unknown high schooler that is awed by Marui's Tight Rope Walking technique. Marui and all of the 50 middle schoolers who were there at the time were able to catch a ball from the helicopter in a game where those without a ball must go home.
Marui, Yagyū, and Niō watching the match between Yanagi and Kirihara.
The Mental Coach arrives and declares that all middle schoolers must pair up. He then coldly says that the person they have paired with, is their opponent in a tie-break game and the loser must go home. Marui as expected paired with best friend Jackal. Marui is victorious after a tight game winning just 10-8. He and the rest of the Rikkaidai regulars watch the match between Yanagi and Kirihara.
Marui in action during his Player Shuffles on his way to 6th Court.
Jackal is believed to be sent home while Marui stays and defeats his next high school opponents in the Player Shuffles that all the winning Middle Schoolers take part in easily and reaches the 6th Court along with fellow Rikkai Dai teammates Yagyū and Yukimura. While Jackal goes to the mountains with all the other Middle school losers and comes back to the camp as a member of the 2nd Court.
U-17 Camp Revolution
Marui is present with all the other members of the camp at the main court to see the return of the Top 10 and are also present when it is revealed that Middle Schoolers have replaced No.s 11-19. Marui later bumps into Kite Eishiro when looking to have quick practice session.
Genius 10 Challenge
After Atobe Keigo and Niō defeat Ochi Tsukimitsu and Mōri Juzaburo, Gin is defeated at the hands of Duke Watanabe, Kite and Marui prepare to take on Atsukyo Tono and Kimijima Ikuto for the 3rd Match. The audience comment that Kite and Marui make a good doubles pair. Soon however, Kite seems to betray Marui, making it a 3-on-1 game. Kite does this simply because Kimijima asked him to betray Marui.
However it was also later revealed that Kimijima was sick and tired of having Atsukyo as his doubles partner and asked Kite to pretend to betray Marui so as to find the perfect opportunity to injure Atsukyo. Just as Kite was preparing to give Atsukyo such a blow however, Marui, pushed to his limits, is able to achieve a new skill, "Perfect Fortress", blocking all the shots at the net, preventing Kite from reaching the ball. Kite is moved by Marui's willpower and when Kimijima lobs a ball high to pass Marui, instead of attacking Marui again he uses his Habu and hits Kimijima instead.
From this point on, the two begin to work together, establishing a bond of trust between them, with Marui staying at the net and Kite gets any ball that goes over his head. Marui blocks several of Atsukyo's "Executions", but falls victim when Atsukyo throws his racket at his right eye. Still willing to play the match, he goes back in with a bandage over it. However, with his right eye covered, his Perfect Fortress is now vulnerable on that side. As Atsukyo prepares to show off more of his "Executions", Kite runs in front of Marui and takes the hit in the face. Kite then tells Marui to stay back and let him get the front.
Marui realizes that Kite feels guilty for his actions earlier in the match and is seeing this as a way to redeem himself. When Kite takes the last "Execution" Technique, Seppuku, Kimijima interferes with Atsukyo's shot and hits it to Marui, who then smashes the ball into Atsukyo's left kneecap. It is then revealed that like Kite, Marui also made a deal with Kimijima; if Marui smashes the ball into Atsukyo's left knee, then Kimijima will arrange for Yukimura to receive a special surgery in America that will fully heal him of his disease.
The match is then finished by Kimijima, and he discreetly tosses Atsukyo's U-17 Badge at Marui's feet. Marui proceeds to take Kite to receive treatment as Kimijima tells him that someone should be contacting Yukimura about the surgery within a few days.
Tennis Record
2008 Official Middle School Tournaments
| Tournament | Round | School | Position | Partner | Opponent(s) | Score |
| 2008 Kanagawa Prefectural | Finals | Hanomiya | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Won |
| 2008 Kantō Regionals | Quarterfinals | Nashikari Gakuen | Doubles 2 | Jackal Kuwahara | Yokoyama/Wakabayashi Tatsumi | Won (6-0) |
| 2008 Kantō Regionals | Semifinals | Fudomine | Singles 2 | None | Kyōsuke Uchimura | None (NOTE-1) |
| 2008 Kantō Regionals | Finals | Seigaku | Doubles 2 | Jackal Kuwahara | Takeshi Momoshiro/Kaoru Kaidō | Won (6-1)(Manga) |
| 2008 Nationals | Round 2 | Murigaoka | Doubles 2 | Masaharu Niō | Sakakibara/Suzuki | Won (6-0) |
| 2008 Nationals | Quarterfinals | Kabuto | Singles 1 | None | Uyama Shinbei | None (NOTE -1) |
| 2008 Nationals | Semi-Finals | Nagoya Seitoku | Doubles 2 | Jackal Kuwahara | Michael Carothers/Moulin | Lost (1-6) |
| 2008 Nationals | Finals | Seigaku | Doubles 1 | Jackal Kuwahara | Kikumaru Eiji/Shūichirō Ōishi | Lost (5-7) |
- NOTE-1 No result due to Rikkai already winning 3 sets.
U-17 Camp Results
| Type of Match | Partner | Opponent | Score |
| Tiebreaker-Style Elimination Match | None | Jackal Kuwahara | Won (10-8) |
| U-17 Representatives VS. 2nd Stringers Player Shuffle 1st Set | Eishirō Kite | Kimijima Ikuto/Atsukyō Tōno | Lost (3-6, 2-6) |
Playing Style and Techniques
Marui is widely viewed as the best Serve and Volley style player in Middle School Japan. His wide range of volleys always seem to shock both opponents and spectators.
Tightrope Walking (Tsunawatari)
Marui using Tightrope Walking.
A volley where the ball hits the cord and neatly rolls along the top of the net away from the opponent before dropping to the ground.
Iron Pole Strike (Tetchuu-Ate) A similar volley to Tightrope Walking, where the ball bounces off the iron pole at the end of the net.
Temporal Difference Hell (Myougi Jikansa Jigoku)
Marui using Temporal Difference Hell.
A fake smash where he changes the angle of collision at the last second, to make it impossible to predict its direction. He allows the ball to go past his head, and swings his arm backwards up into the air behind and returns the ball making the course nearly impossible to predict.
Marui returns the ball before it bounces to the highest point. As a result, his opponents have less time to react. He used this move against Takeshi Momoshiro's Dunk Smash.
A defensive move. This move involves the use of Marui's advanced net play as he uses his amazing reflexes to hit catch all shots that come to him by the net. The only way to avoid Wonder Castle is to lob Marui. This move was created by Marui when he and Kite decide to train together. It was first seen and used however against Kimijima and Tohno in the match to decide the No.s 7 & 8 of U-17 Japan.
U-17 Camp Stats
- Speed: 4
- Technique: 5
- Mental: 3
- Stamina: 3
- Power: 2
Personal Information[1]
- Hobby: Going to hotel buffets
- Family Composition: Father, Mother, Younger Brother, Younger Brother
- Father's occupation: Employee at a manufacturing company
- Spends Allowance On: Mainly on sweets
- Favorite Motto: Eat. Sleep. Play.
- Elementary School: Kanagawa Dai-san (Third) Elementary School
- Best Subjects: Japanese, Music
- Worst Subjects: Science, Mathematics
- Places often visited in school: Home Economics Room
- Favorite Color: Red
- Favorite Food: I like everything!
- Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean
- Favorite Book: Manga, current trending novels
- Favorite Music: ORANGE RANGE
- Favorite Type: Girls who are sweet, quiet and innocent. And those who give him food and presents. Someone who wears ribbons and feel fashionable is cute!
- Place you want to go for dates: Amusement Park
- Thing you want most now: Cotton candy machine
- Routine duties: Playing with younger brothers
- Dislikes / bad at: Physical labour
- Skills outside of tennis: Baking cakes, Bowling
Daily School Life[1]
- 05:50 - Rises from bed, makes a bento
- 06:30 - Wakes up his little brothers and has breakfast together with them
- 07:00 - Goes to school, eats sweets after morning practice
- 08:30 - First Period: Social Studies - Economics
- 09:30 - Second Period: Classical Literature (forgets his dictionary and borrows from Yanagi)
- 10:20 - Eats the donuts (seasonal strawberry chocolate) he bought during break time
- 10:40 - Third Period: Cooking Practice - Cookies
- 11:40 - Fourth Period: Physical Education - Basketball with Class A
- 12:30 - Lunch Break: Has his bento, some purchased bread, and pudding in the classroom
- 12:50 - Does light [tennis] strokes with the first-year students as exercise to help with digestion
- 13:30 - Fifth Period: English
- 14:30 - Sixth Period: Science - Experiment
- 15:30 - Secretly goes to a cheap sweets shop with Jackal
- 15:50 - Club Activities: Net play practice
- 18:00 - Drops by a cake shop along the way
- 19:00 - Returns home after visiting a convenience store, dinner
- 19:30 - Plays pro wrestling with his little brothers
- 20:30 - After bathing, reads the manga he borrowed from Kirihara
- 23:00 - Goes to bed
Note from Nio: He really eats often. He should pay attention to his weight. He ate the sweets that he got from some girls too ... how scary.
Note from Yuuta: I never thought that I'd run into him in a place like this... It's a famous shop, but I wonder if Marui-san is a regular customer?
Trivia
Character Trivia
- When playing soccer, he plays the striker position. [1]
- He is one of the shortest members of Rikkaidai, even though he's the oldest.
- In the New Prince of Tennis he has lost weight; from 62 kg to 53kg.[2]
Other Trivia
- He placed 11th in the third character polls, and 18th in the fourth. However his highest ranking is 5th in the first New Prince of Tennis popularity poll.
A Word for the Two[1]
- Aoi: I also aim for cord balls, so I want to become a volleyer like Marui-san and Akutagawa-san and be popular!
- Akutsu: Do you think you can survive with just volleys? The path ahead isn't that easy.
- Amane: Amane― Akutagawa-san and Marui-san are both volleyers who hit charming volleys..... pfft.
Note: The pun is horebore (charming/impressive) no boree (volleys) - Gin: Akutagawa-han and Marui-han both live for the moment. Perhaps this is also the way humans should be.
- Inui: The flexibility of Akutagawa's wrists and Marui's finesse are both illogical. I suppose that's what you call the gift of nature.
- Ibu: Occasionally, I can smell the sweet odour of candy coming from someone's bag. I wonder whose it is...
- Irie: or middle schoolers, the two of them are quite something. But that's still not enough, you need to develop more synthesis.
- Ōtori: Both Marui-san and Jackal-san are very strong doubles players, aren't they? I want to play against them someday!
- Oni: Watching them play so cheerfully, it just makes me remember my days as a kid.
- Ōishi: Marui-kun and Jackal-kun are the ideal doubles combination. That kind of pair is very formidable.
- Kaidō: That "tightrope-walking" and "iron-pole strike" are troublesome indeed. But next time, I will push through with my perfected "Snake"!
- Carothers: We won that match, but to think that it was all a trick.... Japanese people are good at acting!
Note: Carothers is one of the foreign exchange students of Nagoya Seitoku - Kawamura: Marui-kun and Akutagawa-kun are both full of confidence, it's enviable! I will have confidence in my power and do my best too!
- Kikumaru: The National finals match was crazy nya~ If we weren't in "synchro", it would have been a tough match!
- Kirihara: Marui-senpai has watched over me ever since I joined the club. But when he spontaneously eats sweets, it's seriously freaky!
- Kintarō: Whether it's "magic volley" or "tightrope-walking", both are cool~! I want to try it too!
- Krauser: The both of them hit volleys like magic, don't they. Niou-san said the two of them were magicians.
- Kurobe: For what they lack in height, they make up for it in the technique area. There are many challenges, but I anticipate their growth.
- Koharu: Marui-kun is kind of my type, being handsome as he is ♥ That strong look, brimming with confidence, is hot~!
- Yukimura: During my stay in the hospital, I was saved considerably through Bunta and Akaya's cheerfulness. I extend my gratitude once more, thank you.
- Yanagi: I believe he has a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old younger brother. Marui helps out even during club activities because he takes good care of people.
- Yagyū: Marui-kun's play is magnificent. However, you shouldn't chew gum on the courts.
- Momoshiro: Is it true that Marui-san is good at pigging out!? I can't lose either, I just can't!
- Shīta: Marui-senpai is awesome, and he often watches over my training. I admire him very much~ (de yansu)!
- Sanada: Marui!! How could you have brought confectionery into the training camp! Tarundoru! Bring your bag to me!
- Jackal: Saying a word to you now after all this time is kind of embarrassing. Well, thank you for everything, Partner. Please watch over me from here on too!
- Sengoku: Last year, the "RIKKAI Special" I ate at the Rikkai School Festival was delicious~ Were you the one who made it?
- Tachibana: I heard that baking cakes is Marui's hobby. I also like cooking. Next time, shall we cook together?
- Chitose: I automatically used "tightrope-walking" in a match once. I must thank you next time.
- Chinen: Ah, you were here? You're so short, I couldn't see you properly. It will be good if you grew taller during this training camp!
- Tsuge: It is true you two have talent. But if you're content with that, then there is little to no growth for you from here on.
- Niō: We are in the same club and the same class, aren't we. Perhaps, we may even be together until high school and university~
- Hitouji: If I have to keep hearing that way of speaking, even without imitating, it seems like it will become my verbal tic!
- Tezuka: You cannot be an athlete with just talent. The present them are most likely the results of the build-up of their efforts.
- Hirakoba: I want to test whether or not that finesse will appear when up against my Habu!
- Mukahi: I'm in the same room as Jirou and Marui. But when they start their volley talks, you just can't stop them, even until late into the night!
- Ryoma: Come to think of it, I have yet to have a match with Marui-san or Jirou-san, right. Shall we play? In singles.