Tenjo, Ryoichi
Summary
Ryoichi Tenjo is a forward from Kokubu Junior High School who initially played with an independent and cold-hearted style. His father, a major businessman, refused to support him, insisting that Tenjo must seize power through his own efforts. This upbringing led Tenjo to believe he could achieve greatness solely through individual action, causing him to disdain teamwork. Despite his immense power, his inability to cooperate resulted in him failing the qualifying tests for Musashinomori’s soccer club, a setback that occurred simultaneously with Tatsuya’s successful but declined entry. This failure left him angry and bitter. His perspective began to shift after Shō confronted him following Josui’s difficult victory over Kokubu. Tenjo’s only true emotional connection was with his nanny, Kazue. Following her death, he contemplated quitting soccer, feeling that his sole purpose was to make her smile, and without her, the game lost all meaning. His turmoil deepened when Tsubasa Shiina, the leader of Hiba, taunted him to leave after defeating Kokubu in a match where Tenjo could not perform at full capacity due to his grief. However, after playing mini-soccer with Shō and his friends against Tsubasa and his group, Tenjo rediscovered his love for the sport and realized that Kazue would want him to continue pursuing it. Tenjo eventually became a regular on the Junior Senbatsu Team. He later learned that his mother had not abandoned him, leading to a visit from her in Japan. During this time, he discovered he was half German and had a younger sister. Although his mother invited him to live with her in Germany, Tenjo initially struggled with the decision. With Shō’s help, he accepted his heritage and the opportunity, eventually quitting the Junior Senbatsu Team to move to Germany. He affirmed that he would not give up on soccer, intending to continue his career there.
