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KenyaU17
Kenya Oshitari
Kanji

忍足謙也

Rōmaji

Oshitari Kenya

Nicknames

Speed Star of Naniwa
Naniwa no Speed Star

Characteristics
Gender

Male

Age

14

Height

177 cm

Weight

63 kg

Birthday

March 17

Horoscope

Pisces

Eyesight (Unaided)

2.0 (both eyes)

Blood Type

B

Family

Souya Oshitari (Father)
Mariko Oshitari (Mother)
Shouta Oshitari (Younger Brother)
Yūshi Oshitari (Cousin)
Speedy (Pet Iguana)

Education
Junior High

Shitenhōji (3rd Year)

Class

3-2

Seat

5

Club Position

Regular

Elementary School

Doutonbori Second (Dai-ni) Elementary School

Japan U-17 Camp

Court 2
No.18 of All Japan Representative

Tennis
Dominant Arm

Right

Play Style

Counter Puncher

Doubles Partner(s)

Kuranosuke Shiraishi
Hikaru Zaizen
Gin Ishida

Racquet(s)

BRIDGESTONE (WINGBEAM S65)

Shoes

BRIDGESTONE (ARCH POWER DURA HEAT)

Media
Manga Debut

Genius 246

Movies

Battle of the British Castle

Voice Actor

Jun Fukuyama (Japanese)

Background[]

Kenya Oshitari (忍足謙也, Oshitari Kenya) is famously known as Speed Star of Naniwa. Kenya is even faster than Shiraishi Kuranosuke and Kamio Akira. Kenya is extremely fast and is very proud of his speed.

He is the cousin of Yūshi Oshitari, whom he has a close relationship with though they seem to argue a lot about where they are representing (Kansai vs. Kanto, Osaka vs. Tokyo).

Appearance[]

Although just being cousins, Kenya has facial features that are similar to Yuushi, though Kenya's face is a bit sharper. However instead of a dark hair color, Kenya's hair is a light coffee color and is bleached as Kenya's hair was black when he was young.  Kenya gains some large scars on his left cheek after Mountain Training at the U-17 Camp.

Personality[]

It is known that Kenya does everything quickly. To the extent that his favorite saying No Speed, No Life!. His cousin also mentions that he even eats fast. He is very proud of his Speed and refuses to back down when someone challenges his forte shown during his Doubles match against Kamio Akira and Ishida Tetsu while paired with Ishida Gin during the Nationals. Whatever Kenya does, he will make sure to do it the fastest way possible. He even does it without realizing he's doing it.

In the manga, Kenya is often seen arguing with cousin Yushi about which 1st year Super Rookie is better- Kansai's Kintaro of the West or Kanto's Ryoma of the East, with Kenya arguing for his Shitenhoji teammate.

History[]

Kid Kenya

Kenya as a child.

Sometime during their childhood, the Oshitari cousins were playing together and Kenya persuaded Yushi to wear glasses which is the reason that Yushi wears glasses to this day despite not actually needing them. It all started from Kenya's request to play Doctors in which they both were to dress up as doctors.

Kenya and Yushi at one point went to Elementary School together.

One Year Prior to the Storyline[]

Kenya and the Shitenhoji tennis club (everyone introduced including former captain Hara Tetsuya besides Kintaro and Chitose who was not at Shitenhoji yet) made it to the National Semifinals but lost against Rikkai Dai. Chitose notes how Kenya was crushed by Juzaburō Mōri during a Singles match back then, a fact that irritates Kenya. It was revealed that it was Hara who suggested for Kenya to play against Mōri in Singles 3 the night before the match.

Nationals[]

Kenya in action

Kenya during the Nationals.

As the Kansai Regional Tournament winners, Shitenhōji advanced directly to the second round. In the Second round, because it was their first official match-up, they were required to play all 5 matches. They easily defeat Okakura as 5-0, as shown in the databooks, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Shitenhoji win their first match effortlessy and quickly so they are able to arrive at Seigaku's match with Higa in time to see Tezuka defeat Kite in Singles 1. Kenya is seen here with his teammates.

Kenya is seen again when Echizen Ryoma and Tōyama Kintarō are calling out to each other at night on opposite sides of the stadium with the rest of the Shitenhōji team.

He and Ishida Gin play Doubles 2 against Ishida Tetsu/Kamio Akira pair and outclass them to the extent that they have to forfeit. Originally scheduled to play doubles 1 against Seigaku, Kenya selflessly agreed to sit on the bench in order for his teammate Chitose Senri to play against Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Prior To U-17 Camp[]

Shown during the Another Story OVA, Kenya and the rest of the Shitehoji tennis club welcome Seigaku to their school for a joint training session between the two schools after the nationals while the Seigaku tennis club stay in Osaka. He and Kikumaru Eiji are initially meant to have a practice match until the two of them get carried away with the speed abilities and forget the match causing everyone to move on to the next practice match.

After Kaido and Momo are able to sort out their differences and understand what is needed to be the captain and vice-captain of Seigaku respectively, everyone gets involved in long rallies and has fun playing tennis.

U-17 Camp[]

Oshitari, along with his Nationals teammates, are invited to U-17 camp as well as many other middle schoolers. There he and Kuranosuke Shiraishi are forced to play a doubles tie-breaker where the loser is thought to have to leave the camp. He loses to Shiraishi 7-3.

This meant he had to go to the mountains to train with the other middle schoolers that lost. There, he meets the Drunken Coach who instructs the middle schoolers to do strange tasks which end up improving their techniques.

Oshitari was specifically instructed by the Drunken Coach to steal sake from the main camp with Ryoma and Tanishi Kei. On the way, they had to run away from bats, swim in water, and walk through laser beams- a task Kenya was able to do because of his increased balance ability due to the Drunken Coach's training.

Kenya in his BJB U-17 Camp uniform

Kenya as he returns as part of the Black Jersey brigade.

The middle school losers return not as losers, but as the 2nd Court since they apparently defeated the previous 8 members of the 2nd Court. Upon arrival Kenya is so fast he stuns the High Schoolers that tried to intimidate the Black Jersey Brigade members away from the camp. He later on arrives at his room which he shares with cousing Yushi and other Speedy players Kamio Akira and Richard Sakata.

U-17 Camp Revolution[]

Kenya along with Takeshi Momoshiro challenges his fomer captains Taira Yoshiyuki (captained Shitenhouji while Kenya was a freshman) and Hara Tetsuya (captained the year before Shiraishi). This is immediately after they have their first Foriegn Expedition Challenge match when two other High Schoolers attempted to challenge them however Hara and Taira finish them instantly, Hara being the No.19 of U-17 Japan and Taira being the No.18. Hara and Taira accept the challenge. Oshitari and Momoshiro end up defeating the high schoolers.

Tennis Record[]

Tournament Round School Position Partner Opponent(s) Score
2007 Nationals Semi-finals Rikkai Dai Singles 3 None

Juzaburō Mōri

Loss (0-6)
2008 Nationals Round 2 Okakura Singles 1 None Konishi Haruki Won 6-2
2008 Nationals Quarterfinals Fudomine Middle School Doubles 2 Gin Ishida Tetsu Ishida/Akira Kamio Won 4-0 (Forfeit)

U-17 Camp Results[]

Match Type Partner Opponent(s) Score
Tie-Break Style Elimination Match None Kuranosuke Shiraishi Lost 3-7
Foreign Expedition Group Challenge Takeshi Momoshiro Yoshiyuki Taira/Tetsuya Hara Won (Unknown)

Playing Style and Techniques[]

Kenya is a Counter Puncher who uses Speed Play. He greatly relies on amazing speed when playing. Due to his speed he can easily cover almost all areas of the court.

U-17 Camp Stats[]

  • Speed: 5
  • Technique: 4
  • Mental: 3
  • Stamina: 3
  • Power: 3

Daily School Life[1][]

  • 06:43 - Wakes up at a time that lets him barely make it to morning practice. Has breakfast
  • 07:00 - Heads to school. Morning practice. Focuses on interval training
  • 08:30 - 1st period. Physics. The laws of swinging a harisen
  • 09:30 - 2nd period. Japanese. The restoration of kamigata rakugo
  • 10:40 - 3rd period. English. The differences between Japanese and American speech
  • 11:40 - 4th period. PE. The art of falling safely. Intermediate level
  • 12:30 - Lunch break. Eats three meals at a high speed
  • 12:46 - Goes to the broadcasting room and does the noon broadcast
  • 13:30 - 5th period. Math III
  • 14:30 - 6th period.Government and Economics
  • 15:30 - Broadcasting committee meeting. S-1GP preliminary relay broadcast arrangements
  • 16:10 - Club activities. Helps kouhai strengthen weak points
  • 19:00 - Returns home, shower, dinner.
  • 19:12 - Takes care of his iguana. Mingles afterward
  • 21:30 - Spends some time stretching
  • 22:30 - After showering a second time, starts reading manga
  • 22:33 - Goes to bed

Note from Kintarou: No matter how many times I compete with him, I can't win in eating speed...But if it's a power competition, I wouldn't lose. So frustrating!

Note from Gin: He just won't tell me the name of his iguana.He won't even tell me as his partner. That's quite cute.

Etymology[]

  • The name Kenya means "humble, modest" (謙) (ken) and "to be, also" (也) (ya).
  • Kenya's surname Oshitari means "stealth foot" (忍足).

Trivia[]

Character Trivia[]

  • Kenya is jealous of Shiraishi’s popularity with the girls[2].
  • Despite being a fast runner Kenya has horrible balance, a barrier he was able to overcome after spending time on the Drunken Coach's Mountain with the Drunken Coach.
Kenya's iguna

Kenya's iguana on top of Mizuki, escaping from its cage.

  • He used to have a pet iguana named Speedy, but his cousin Yushi accidentally released it [1].
  • At the age of 12, Kenya unveils his band with Hitouji and others at the Kinoshita Toukichirou festival (culture festival).
  • At the age of 13, he participated in the "School Wide Idiot's Martial Arts Tournament"[1].
  • Kenya works as the MC for "S-1 GP" in the broadcasting committee and earns the Honorable MC award[1].
  • Participated in "It's New Years! The Eat-Until-You-Drop Complete Swimsuit Championship" and becomes the Eat-Until-You-Drop King[1].
  • Zaizen uploaded a video of Kenya's pen twirling to the internet and Kenya becomes slightly famous[1].
  • According to Shirashi, Kenya uses interesting and strange shaped erasers during class[1].
  • He volunteered to have the match order changed during prior to the semi-finals to allow Chitose to play Tezuka[1].
  • Kenya has been shown that he is fast enough to run on water[3].
  • He once headbutted Atobe because he believed Atobe was drinking alcohol [3].

Other Trivia[]

  • Possibly related to his name, the African country Kenya is internationally known for its accolades in track and field as well as marathons.
  • Yushi's voice actor, Kiuchi, auditioned for Kenya's role before Jun won it.

Personal Information[1][]

  • Foot Size: 27 cm
  • Hobbies: Window shopping
  • Father’s Occupation: Doctor (private)
  • Spends Allowance On: Hair Bleach
  • Favorite Motto: No speed, no life.
  • Best/Favorite Subject: English, Math
  • Worst Subject: World History
  • Committee: Broadcasting Committee
  • Favorite Place to Visit at School: Broadcasting room
  • Favorite Colors: Red, White
  • Favorite Foods: vegetable juice, sinewy meat from oden
  • Favorite Movies: "Speed"
  • Favorite Book: Racing Manga
  • Favorite Music: Rap
  • Favorite Type: Someone innocent
  • Favorite Date Spot: Jet coaster at an amusement park
  • What he wants most at the moment: A new belt
  • Daily Routine: Taking care of his iguana
  • Dislikes: Wait time
  • Skills outside of Tennis: Drums
  • Catchphrase: "No speed, No life" and "Naniwa's speed star is a step ahead of you (ナニワのスピードスターの方が上やっちゅー話や。)."

Gallery[]

References[]

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