"Hanebado!" is a badminton-themed anime that began airing in July 2018. Based on the manga of the same name by Kosuke Hamada, this youthful badminton story centers around the Kitakomachi High School badminton club, which is aiming to compete in the Inter-High School Championships, and depicts the fierce battles and friendships of high school students. In this article, we'll introduce the main character, Ayano Hanesaki.
Ayano Hanesaki's Characteristics #1: She's a New First-Year High School Student!
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
The anime begins around the time Hanesaki Ayano enrolls at Kitakomachi High School. This means she's a freshman at the new high school. It seems like she still has a long way to go before she can shine on the badminton club. It could be said that Ayano's motivation to take up badminton again after having stopped playing it since losing a badminton match was her admission to Kita Komachi High School. The reason she chose Kita Komachi High School was quite simple: her childhood friend Fujisawa Elena had also wanted to attend, but it was thanks to Elena that she began playing badminton again.
Ayano Hanesaki's 2nd Feature: Her Gentle Voice
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
In the badminton scenes, Ayano Hanesaki is impressive for her swift movements, overwhelming her opponents, but she also has a very gentle voice. Ayano Uesaki is voiced by Owada Hitomi, who has appeared in the anime series "And You Really Don't Think There's a Girl Online?" and "SHIROBAKO."
Ayano Hanesaki's 3rd Feature: Unparalleled Talent
Source: Hanebado ©Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Ayano Hanesaki has been playing badminton since she was a child, and her unparalleled talent is what sets her apart. Ayano's mother, who won the All Japan Women's Singles Badminton Championship 10 times in a row, had no intention of raising her daughter as a badminton player. However, she discovered Ayano's natural talent and guided her into the world of badminton. As a result, she rapidly improved, but after losing a match, her mother left home and Ayano left the badminton world. However, her childhood friend, Erena Fujisawa, inspired her to take up badminton again.
Ayano Uesaki's 4th Feature: A Slightly Childish Appearance?
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Ayano Hanesaki is now a first-year high school student, but she hasn't undergone any significant high school debut makeovers, and appears to have remained relatively unchanged since middle school. Ayano's childhood friend, Erena Fujisawa, has a more mature appearance, which makes her appear somewhat childish. Having been passionate about badminton for a long time, she doesn't seem to have much interest in anything else, and her pure and innocent appearance is also very appealing.
Ayano Hanesaki's 5th Characteristic: Competitive and Desperate to Win
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Ayano Hanesaki has just started showing up to badminton at Kitakomachi High School, and while she doesn't seem very motivated yet, she's actually extremely competitive. While this is said to be a trait she inherited from her mother, her athletic and competitive nature may have been a key factor in her development.
Ayano Hanesaki's 6th Feature: Defensive Playing Style
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Ayano Hanesaki's badminton playing style is defensive. She's a stark contrast to her fellow Kitakomachi High School badminton club captain, Nagisa Aragaki, who is also an offensive player. She's also adept at mentally attacking her opponents and has the ability to hit them in places they don't like.
Ayano Uesaki's #7 Feature: She exudes a final-boss vibe!
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
At first, she seems shy and timid, and seems a weak character. However, as the story progresses, she rapidly matures and changes dramatically, becoming arrogant and verbally attacking her opponents. During matches, the light disappears from her eyes, and she exudes an extraordinary aura, making her seem almost like a final boss.
Ayano Usagi's 8th Feature: She's usually calm, but a bit absent-minded?
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Aside from badminton matches, she has a calm and gentle personality. Ayano Uesaki's family owns a long-established Japanese confectionery shop with a 160-year history. She grew up pampered by her gentle grandparents, employees, and childhood friend, Erena Fujisawa. This led to her becoming a somewhat absent-minded and mysterious girl. This is also one of her defining characteristics and charms.
Ayano Uesaki's 9th Feature: She's Actually a Sly Person!?
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Although Hanesaki Ayano has a quiet and gentle demeanor, she also has a devious side. She can be aggressive on the court, even resorting to mental attacks to disrupt her opponents' mentality. Even in the manga, she was sometimes portrayed as a villain, and her dual nature is one of her defining characteristics.
Ayano Hanesaki's 10th Feature: She's Skillfully Ambidextrous!?
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
Although Ayano Hanesaki is usually right-handed, she holds the racket with her left hand when playing badminton. During matches, she sometimes switches to her right hand to hit the ball back. In the manga version, when he is recruited to join Kitakomachi High School's badminton club and makes a bet with Aragaki Nagisa that he will join if he loses a match, he plays the game using only his right hand, showing that he is skilled in using both hands.
Summary of Hanesaki Ayano's Characteristics
Source: Hanebado © Kosuke Hamada, Kodansha / "Hanebado!" Production Committee
What did you think? This time, we've introduced the characteristics of the main character, Hanesaki Ayano. We're looking forward to seeing her grow both physically and mentally through the matches. It will also be interesting to see if Hanesaki Ayano is able to reunite with her mother. Thank you for reading to the end.
