Kintarou Tooyama

A fictional character in the Japanese anime/manga Prince of Tennis, otherwise known as Tennis no Oujisama. Kintarou is the youngest member of Shitenhouji, a team that is initially introduced during the Nationals Tournament(OVA).

Kintarou is first introduced around the second episode of the OVAs, where he bumps into Horio Junpei, a minor character and cousin of Seigaku freshman member Satoshi Horio. Kintarou is headed for the Nationals Tournament in Tokyo, but mistakenly gets off the train at the wrong stop, assuming he was already in Tokyo since Mt. Fuji was already within line of sight. The situation in the anime differs quite a bit from the manga, but the plotline is consistent.

Later on in the manga, it is revealed that Kintarou is a player for Shitenhouji, one of the strongest teams playing in the Nationals Tournament and one of Seigaku’s toughest hurdles. He is also shown in the opening song as Ryoma’s equal and new rival, and there is also a scene in the manga where Yuushi Oshitari of Hyotei Gakuen talks to his cousin Kenya over the phone, who incidentally is a member of Shitenhouji as well. Kenya boasts Shintenhouji’s Kintarou’s talents, all the while going up against Yuushi’s uncharacteristic boasting about Tokyo’s Ryoma Echizen. On one point of view, this implies comparison between the two “gifted” players. On another point of view, this kind of represents a brewing rivalry between the players from the South and the players from the East (Tokyo).

Kintarou seems unnaturally afraid of Shitenhouji’s captain, Kuranosuke Shiraishi. He read a manga about monsters with poison claws, and as such, his unbound imagination came up with the peculiar idea of Kuranosuke having poison claws under the bandages that he always wears around his hands and arms. Kintarou is serious about this fear and leashes himself when Kuranosuke exploits this idea while threatening him. This is only done if Kintarou goes over the line, though, or if Kuranosuke wants something done.

Kintarou’s open and cheerful personality shows not only when he befriends Junpei, but also when he meets up with Ryoma’s friend Sakuno Ryuzaki. After accidentally falling from a tree branch and on her, Kintarou eats some rice balls made by her that had previously fallen to the ground, and then compliments Sakuno on her cooking.