Eyeshield 21 is a sports manga with an American football theme that was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. The story follows Kobayakawa Sena, a boy who became fast after running errands for the main character, who is invited to join the Deimon High School American football team as part of Eyeshield 21, and aims to compete at the national level. There are many fascinating characters that appear in Eyeshield 21. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the charms of one of the most popular characters from Eyeshield 21, lineman Kurita Ryokan.
The Gentle Heavy Tank!! About Ryokan Kurita
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
Ryokan Kurita is a second-year student at Deimon High School and a member of the Deimon Devil Bats. He is characterized by his large physique and chestnut-shaped hairstyle. He has a very kind, gentle, and caring personality. He has been playing American football since middle school, and practices hard with the dream of playing in the Christmas Bowl. He founded the Deimon Devil Bats with Hiruma, Musashi, and Kurita, and can be considered one of the original members. Due to his large build, he lacks speed, but he possesses great power, and is a key member of the Deimon Devil Bats' defense, protecting rear guard positions such as Hiruma.
The Gentle Heavy Tank!! Ryokan Kurita's Special Skills
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
Ryokan Kurita is a highly skilled lineman, utilizing his natural power. This allows him to firmly block the opponent, giving Hiruma time to think, and is also valuable when using force from the front to advance the ball. Kurita, in particular, has a kind personality that allows him to exert more power than usual when protecting his teammates with all his might. By using this power, he has even defeated Gaou, thought to be the best high school team in Japan, in a direct confrontation. He is also a leader among the other linemen, and the tougher the times, the more encouraging many are with Kurita's kind words.
The Gentle Heavy Tank!! Characters Closely Related to Ryokan Kurita
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studios/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
So far, we've introduced basic character information about Ryokan Kurita. So, what other characters are closely related to him? By learning about his relationships with other characters, we can see a different side of Kurita Ryokan. So, let's take a look at his relationships with other characters.
The Commander of the Deimon Devil Bats!! Yoichi Hiruma
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studios/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
First, let's introduce a character closely related to Ryokan Kurita: Yoichi Hiruma. Hiruma Yoichi is a character characterized by his blonde hair, sharp eyes, and big mouth. He is a member of the Deimon Devil Bats, the same team as Kurita, and serves as quarterback. He has a sadistic personality and is known for calling people "fucking XX." He is extremely quick-witted and specializes in confusing his opponents through surprise attacks and bluffs. Hiruma Yoichi has been friends with Kurita since middle school, and they started playing American football together. They founded the Deimon Devil Bats with the same goal of competing in the Christmas Bowl, and they share the most trustworthy relationship. Hiruma often cheers up Kurita, who tends to be timid and timid, and Kurita has been saved by Hiruma on many occasions.
60-Yard Magnum Kicker!! Musashi Gen
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
Musashi Gen is also a founding member of the Deimon Devil Bats and a character closely related to Kurita Ryokan. Musashi Gen once attempted to leave the Deimon Devil Bats due to family circumstances and did not even play in a game. However, he was persuaded by his father to return to the Deimon Devil Bats. Musashi Gen plays the kicker position and is skilled at forcing the ball into the goal with his powerful kicks. He has been with Kurita since middle school, and the three of them, including Hiruma, form the Deimon Devil Bats. He has a calm and manly personality, and is also someone who silently follows Hiruma's reckless tactics. He has also built a strong relationship of trust with Kurita.
The Deimon Devil Bats' New Rookie!! Sena Kobayakawa
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studios/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
The next character closely related to Ryokan Kurita is Sena Kobayakawa. Sena Kobayakawa is the protagonist of Eyeshield 21. He joined the American football team as part of Eyeshield 21 after being forced to do so by Hiruma, but as he played in the games he became more serious about football due to the sense of responsibility and fun he felt. He quickly became friendly with Kurita from the first time they met, and even asked to join the American football team as an administrative assistant for Kurita's sake. They also have a good senior-junior relationship, and they continue to work hard together in pursuit of their dreams, even while working through Hiruma's strict strategies and training. Kurita himself has noticed Sena's speed, and he is one of the players he has high hopes for on the Deimon Devil Bats team.
Kurita's Respectful Apprentice! Komusubi Daikichi
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
The last character closely related to Kurita Ryokan is komusubi Daikichi. Komusubi Daikichi is also a member of the Deimon Devil Bats, serving on the same line as Kurita. Despite being very small in stature, he excels in power and is a member of the Deimon Devil Bats, idolizing Kurita. He has a large nose and small eyes, and is Kurita's junior. He is very quiet and has a habit of speaking in a language that only Kurita and a few others understand. He is self-conscious about his small stature, and at one point tried to quit the Deimon Devil Bats, saying he was not needed, but after desperate persuasion from the other members and Kurita, he began playing again. He has a close teacher-student relationship with Kurita, and although he is a strict komusubi towards other linemen, he is polite to Kurita.
The Gentle Heavy Tank!! What's the Appeal of Ryokan Kurita?
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studios/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
So far, we've introduced basic information about Ryokan Kurita and his relationships with other characters. So, what exactly is his appeal? We'll take a closer look at the charms of Ryokan Kurita, based on episodes from the original Eyeshield 21 manga.
Kurita's Charm #1: His Kind Personality
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
First, let's look at the charms of Ryokan Kurita, his gentle personality. As mentioned briefly at the beginning, Ryokan Kurita has a warm and kind personality. Although his personality may seem unsuitable for the aggressive sport of American football, he is often portrayed as a kind senior who treats those weaker than him with kindness and teaches them gently. Furthermore, it is precisely because of Kurita's gentle personality that the main character, Sena, decided to join the Deimon Devil Bats, making this an essential part of Kurita's charm. It is precisely because Hiruma, who is in the same grade and the team's playmaker, is a sadist, that Kurita's gentle personality stands out, creating a carrot-and-stick type relationship that works well together.
Kurita Ryokan's Charm #2: His Strength in Protecting His Teammates
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studio/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
The next charm of Kurita Ryokan is his strength in protecting his teammates. Kurita is a powerful man with exceptional skills as a lineman. However, he can also become timid when facing a superior opponent or when he's at a disadvantage. These weaknesses are easy to sympathize with and are reasons to root for him. Kurita also shows this more when he tries to protect other team members with his own strength than in normal matches. The kindness he only shows when protecting those people is the secret to his strength and what makes him so cool. It's precisely because he's not usually very reliable that his strength when he tries to protect only those who are truly important to him in a match is so cool.
[Eyeshield 21] The Gentle Heavy Tank!! A Thorough Introduction to the Charm of Ryokan Kurita! Summary
Source: Eyeshield 21 ©US Studio Village Studios/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, NAS
This time, we've introduced the charms of Ryokan Kurita, a character from Eyeshield 21. Kurita has appeared in Eyeshield since its early days and is one of its most popular characters. His chubby and human-like personality make him a sort of mascot character for Eyeshield 21, and he's someone you'll want to root for. Kurita's character is strong but also has weaknesses, which is why his explosive power in times of crisis is so cool. Although it's been a while since the series ended, it's still a popular work with many fans, so why not give it a read?
