| Introduction |
| Akira Sendoh | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | |
| Japanese | 仙道 彰 |
| Romanized | Sendō Akira |
| Characteristics | |
| Gender |  Male
|
| Age | 17 |
| Height | 190 cm (6' 3") |
| Weight | 79 kg (175 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Professional Status | |
| Occupation | Basketball Player |
| Team | 
|
| Year | 2nd Year |
| Position | Forward/Point Guard |
| Jersey Number | #7 |
| Personal Status | |
| First Appearance | |
| Manga Debut | Chapter 26 |
| Anime Debut | Episode 13 |
| Voices | |
| Japanese Voice | Hochu Otsuka |
| English Voice | Dennis Sugiyama Fourth Brilliantes Lee (GMA Dub) Rhap Salazar (ABS-CBN Filipino Dub) |
| [v · t · e] | |
Akira Sendoh (仙道 彰 Sendō Akira) is the ace of Ryonan High School who is considered one of the top five players in Kanagawa alongside Maki, Jin, Rukawa, and Akagi. [1]
Appearance[]
Sendoh is depicted to have a short raven black hair with indigo highlights and it was styled into straight right spikes and black eyes. In the manga, his hair is depicted with spiky ends.
In his initial appearance before changing to his jersey uniform, Sendoh wears a dark green standard Ryonan winter school uniform as his school jacket openly shows his white short sleeve undershirt beneath his school uniform.
Changing to his school uniform and onwards, he wears a standard Ryonan jersey uniform and black high-top sneakers and white socks. The color of his jersey is white and blue and its alternate is blue and white. In the opening theme of the anime, Sendoh's jersey is blue and yellow.
In off-courts, Sendoh is depicted wearing his standard Ryonan jacket with a matching trousers or his white short sleeve loose shirt within his Ryonan black trousers.
When he takes fishing before being dragged by Yayoi Aida for the practice match between Shohoku and Shoyo-Ryonan, he wears a casual outfit; a red short-sleeved collared shirt, khaki jeans and his black high-top sneakers from his jersey uniform.
Personality[]
Sendoh is known to be an easygoing, carefree and optimistic person who usually doesn't take much of anything seriously but when it comes to basketball, he seems to enjoy accepting challenges including on 1-on-1 games.
An easygoing person; Sendoh usually has a smile on his face whether on-court or off. He can be lazy at times and has a reputation for arriving late to practice sessions and matches. His tardiness is tolerated though, because of his abilities on the basketball court. One of his hobbies is fishing, and he has a taste for lemons (a common compliment to the fish he catches). It serves as a pressure valve, which further exemplifies his relaxed but persistent attitude. His teammates trust him wholeheartedly, firmly believing that he can lead Ryonan to victory even if they are trailing.
Despite the light banters he throws at Sakuragi, Sendoh never disrespects Sakuragi nor his high basketball potential, which Sendoh recognized before most of Sakuragi's peers.
In spite of being easygoing, none of his teammates really knows much about him, as Ryonan vice-captain Ryoji Ikegami tells Yayoi Aida when the latter wants to do a write-up on Sendoh after the Kanagawa Tournament.
Plot[]
Sendoh attended junior high in Tokyo where he presumably faced and lost to Eiji Sawakita. He was personally recruited and brought to Kanagawa by Coach Moichi Taoka. When he joined the basketball club along with Kicchou Fukuda, Coach Taoka initially misjudged their personalities and assumed Sendoh would be more sensitive and needs to be raised with careful praises, while Fukuda would thrive better under harsh criticisms. The opposite turns out to be true, and throughout the series Sendoh's laid-back attitude towards Ryonan's opponents often results in Taoka's ire (which he easily brushes off), while Coach Taoka would praise Fukuda whenever he does well in a match.
Shohoku-Ryonan Practice Game[]
Sendoh arrives late, which is not received well by Coach Moichi Taoka. He is greeted by Hanamichi Sakuragi stating that he will beat him, to which Sendoh responds with a smile.
As of facing Kaede Rukawa, Sendoh started to make multiple passes for his team, while motivating them to keep on winning. Sendoh then attempts a poster dunk over Kiminobu Kogure that brought the entire crowd to their feet. However, as he tries an alley-oop, Rukawa comes steal the ball, which left Sendoh surprised.
During a timeout in the 2nd Half, things are starting to fall down for Ryonan due to Shohoku’s unstoppable attack, Sendoh praises Shohoku, stating that they weren’t really a weak team to which he receives flak from Taoka. As Sakuragi secretly spy’s on them and got into an argument with Koshino, Sendoh laughs and hopes to meet him later on in the court.
As Sendoh scores, he challenges Sakuragi to play on the court, further angering the latter.
According to Ayako, Sendoh has only gotten 18 points so far in the game, and that Rukawa is catching up to him real quickly, which is surprising considering Rukawa’s still a freshamn, but Satoru Kakuta then recalls the time Sendoh got 47 points last year.
Later on, Sendoh continues to motivate Ryonan to win in such a tight game.
When it seems all hope is going for Shohoku, Sendoh regains his focus and started making multiple shots for the team, breaking down Sakuragi’s defense.
During a member changes as Rukawa returns to the court, Anzai-sensei told both Rukawa and Sakuragi to double-team Sendoh, in hopes to shut and tire him down. Regardless, it made Sendoh so excited, which doesn’t happen usually, it shows his power being challenged and it excites him in a way that he reveals his true hidden abilities. Sendoh manages to break past the double-team and passes it to Uozumi to score. As he attempts another shot, Sakuragi comes to block him.
A layup by Sakuragi made everyone think Shohoku’s going to win until Sendoh attempt a double-clutch layup. Ryonan wins the game thereafter.
Outside, Sendoh tries to shake hands with Rukawa and is responded with a clap. He then shakes hands with Sakuragi and then later on felt pain in his hand due to the latter’s grip strength.
Shohoku-Miuradai[]
Sendoh watched the match with his team. He also ran into Shinichi Maki while grabbing a drink from the vending machine. Maki noted that Rukawa plays similarly to Sendoh did during Sendoh's freshman year.
Shohoku-Shoyo[]
Sendoh appears again when he questions Shoyo’s winning chances, to which Maki responds by at least 10 points, while Uozumi answered back by stating that Ryonan’s will be at least 3000 points.
Later on when Fujima starts to play, Kiyota breaks the news but accidentally went to Ryonan, Sendoh asks Kiyota if Fujima’s playing to which the latter responded yes, both Kainan and Ryonan then come out to watch.
Ryonan-Takezato and Shohoku-Kainan[]
After Ryonan's dominant win over Takezato, Sendoh and his team came to watch Shohoku vs. Kainan. When his Ryonan teammates (including the coach) doubted Shohoku's chances of catching up to Kainan in the second half, Sendoh was the only one who recognized Sakuragi as the main reason why Shohoku still had a chance to compete and make a comeback.
Ryonan-Kainan[]
(to be added)
Shohoku-Ryonan[]
(to be added)
Shohoku-Ryonan/Shoyo[]
(to be added)
Shohoku-Sannoh[]
Although Sendoh isn’t present in the match, a flashback revealed that both he and Rukawa played pickup basketball against each other before Shohoku left for the Nationals. It ended in a tie. When Rukawa asked Sendoh if there is a player that he couldn’t win against, Sendoh stated that there was one (referring to Eiji Sawakita), but he couldn’t remember his name. He told Rukawa that maybe the guy's name is “Kitasawa."
While Sawakita was locking Rukawa down, Rukawa recalled Sendoh explaining the difference between Rukawa and himself during their pickup session. Sendoh explained that despite Rukawa's scoring prowess and 1-on-1 skills, his lack of diversity in his game limits his full potential during real matches (referring to how Rukawa doesn't pass much, similar to how Sendoh himself played during his freshman year). Sendoh stated that Rukawa won't surpass him until Rukawa fully comprehends this difference (which correlated with Coach Anzai also telling Rukawa that Sendoh was still better based on their performances in the Kanagawa Tournament).
Finally understanding what Sendoh (and Coach Anzai) was trying to tell him, Rukawa begins utilizing his teammates more. This made him more unpredictable to guard since Sawakita begin to worry about Rukawa also passing rather than solely dribbling. This allows Rukawa to start penetrating past Sawakita on the offensive end.
10 Days After[]
After Jun Uozumi retired, Sendoh became the new captain of Ryonan. But Uozumi is starting to think twice of his decision due to Sendoh being absent for team practices and opting to go fishing instead.
Abilities[]
Sendoh's all-around skills and basketball intelligence are repeatedly displayed throughout the series. He is capable of playing a 1 on 1 style of play like Rukawa. Ryonan vice-captain Ryoji Ikegami recalls Sendoh's 47-point performance as a rookie and calls him an unstoppable "scoring machine."[2]
| Physical Ability | 9/10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Technique | 10/10 | |
| Stamina | 9/10 | |
| Mental Strength | 9/10 | |
| Special Ability | 10/10 | |
Sendoh improved his passing abilities in his 2nd year as he accumulated more experience and knowledge in the game of basketball. Rather than solely being a scorer, he now understands the game very well and knows how to utilize his teammates more effectively. He can play Point Guard position but can also transform himself into a deadly scorer when the game is on the line thus filling up Ryonan's scarcity of strong guards, with this style of play he can be considered as a Point Forward. Like Sakuragi he tends to slack off against weaker competition but maintains a reasonable output to stay ahead by becoming a playmaker, only turning up the offensive output in close matches and being pressured by double teams.
Being a passer and scorer at the same time, it makes him very unpredictable to guard as Maki; whether he it be at far or near at their court, the presence of him is still available by fastbreak attacks and long passes. In the rest of the series, Sendoh sees missed only one shot [their practice game against Shohoku], by this we may see that he is an great shooter and scorer in all areas as Rukawa; that he and himself rarely miss shots, whom both can shoot 3 point shots. His speed and defensive abilities make him a very talented player besides his offensive game, that, he can defend anyone well, whether they are guards or forwards.
Relationships[]
Ryonan Basketball Club[]
Sendoh is incredibly popular among the members of Ryonan's basketball club, and each one of them has an implicit trust in Sendoh's abilities to carry the team to the National tournament. However, while his charisma and leadership inside the court is unquestioned by the members, his relationship with them outside the court can be mixed due to his absence in practices and zero regards to punctuality.
Fukuda's latest jersey number.
Fukuda is among the worst basketball newbie in Ryonan, but he holds a strong desire to compete with the team's ace Sendoh. Their relationship mirrors the rivalry between Sakuragi and Rukawa, albeit with a much clearer and stronger mutual respect for each other compared to the Shohoku's duo. Sendoh inwardly expressed pride on Fukuda when he won against Sakuragi, and Fukuda convinced Coach Taoka to not doubt Sendoh's ability to mark Maki as he believed Sendoh will not lose to him. Together they work seamlessly on the court, balancing the team's offensive and defensive ability. As a starter Fukuda took over Sendoh's freshman number 13 on his jersey, and when Sendoh later becomes the captain, he can be seen wearing Sendoh's previous number 7.
Just like the rest of the team, Uozumi holds absolute confidence in Sendoh and fully believes he could replace Maki as the no. 1 player in Kanagawa. They appear to have a good relationship from the get-go, as during Sendoh's first year he can be seen consoling Uozumi after he was completely berated by Coach Taoka. Uozumi also thinks Sendoh would make a better captain than him, although his lack of responsibility and punctuality outside of a basketball match angers him from time to time.
As a first year, Hikoichi recently joins the Ryonan basketball club and absolutely idolises Sendoh. He would praise him when Sendoh is brought up in a conversation and cheer loudly for him during matches. He also became openly irritated when Toyotama's Kishimoto jeered at an article praising Sendoh, and later on vowed to dig up any weakness from Toyotama and shared that information with Shohoku and Kainan in order for either them to defeat that school as a form of revenge. Hikoichi has an older sister who works as a sports reporter and also adores Sendoh in a manner that is mildly reminiscent of Hikoichi.
Kaede Rukawa[]
Sendoh and Rukawa are similar in skill level, but during a 1 on 1 matchup, Sendoh can easily get by Rukawa and score under his nose. During their second meeting, Sendoh continued to show that he can control the flow of a game.
Prior to the IH tournament, Rukawa went to Ryonan High to challenge Sendoh to another game of 1 on 1 after Coach Anzai mentioned that he had to yet to match Sendoh's level. The two played til dusk and their game ended in a tie. Sendoh commented after that Rukawa plays the same way whether it is in an organized game or in a 1 on 1 and that he has yet to maximize his full potential as a player.
Hanamichi Sakuragi[]
Sendoh is among the first few characters in the series who catches on to Sakuragi's athletic talent in basketball despite his obvious lack of skill as a beginner. Whenever Ryonan observes Shohoku’s matches, he always pays extra attention to Sakuragi and displays a certain amount of faith in his ability to turn the game around when Shohoku is in a pinch. However, he also enjoys provoking Sakuragi (and to some extent Rukawa) and seems to derive amusement from their reactions to his provocation.
Shinichi Maki[]
Maki is known to be the no. 1 player in Kanagawa and is currently leading Kainan, which has 17 consecutive wins in the Kanagawa Region. During a match between Kainan and Ryonan, Uozumi confidently believed Sendoh can strip that title from Maki. When Uozumi fouled out, Sendoh led the game in his absence. He then went head-on against Maki and matched him effectively despite the pressure he was under, ending the second half in a tie. Overtime is called, but the game ended in a loss without Uozumi. By the end of the match, Maki considered Sendoh as his equal and even expressed regret when he could not face Sendoh again in the IH tournament due to Ryonan's loss to Shohoku.
Eiji Sawakita[]
Sawakita was briefly mentioned by Sendoh as the only player he could not beat in the middle high school's national tournament. Although it appeared that he did not take the loss to heart as he initially couldn't even recall that match and mistakenly misrembered Sawakita's name, calling him "Kitasawa" to Rukawa.
Anime and Manga Differences[]
The anime had a filler episode in which members of Shoyo High School visited Shohoku High's gym before they went to the Inter-High tournament. Since the team went for a practice game, Shoyo members Kenji Fujima, Toru Hanagata and Kazushi Hasegawa and Ryonan High School's Jun Uozumi and Ryoji Ikegami joined their practice. Yayoi Aida (Hikoichi Aida's sister) looked for Sendoh, who was busy fishing, to join the game. He was the last player to join and went one on one again against Kaede Rukawa.
Etymology[]
- The name Akira means "clear, manifest, obvious." (彰).
- Akira's surname Sendoh means "cent, hermit, wizard" (仙) (sen) and "path, road, street. method, way." (道) (doh).
Trivia[]
- Sendoh forgot the player he couldn't win against during middle school as he thought his name is Kitasawa, who is actually Sawakita.[3]
- Sendoh is the first player that appeared to truly be a match for Shinichi Maki as he even stopped from blocking Sendoh when he was dunking at the end of the second half of their game. He realized Sendoh was going to win by having him commit a defensive foul, thus overturning the game at the last second.[4]
- Sendoh's design is modified from Chameleon of Chameleon Jail, the author's previous work. Sendoh's character in the earlier manga is a part time sushi chef who's a private detective.
- Sendoh also appears in a later work in Vagabond (approx Chap. 50) where a Rukawa-looking character fights a Sendoh-looking monk who's more skilled at fighting than Rukawa's Vagabond character.
- Sendoh seems to be based on a combination of different NBA players. His friendly demeanor yet still competitive attitude resembles that of Magic Johnson. Sendoh's offensive game is similar to the forward Larry Bird, who is famously known as a lethal scorer and also adept as a playmaker. Sendoh's defensive game resembles that of another point forward, Scottie Pippen who had to guard Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA Finals, Pippen's defensive performance against Magic that started in game 2 of the finals was considered a turning point in the series as the Bulls were able to contain Magic and win four straight after losing game 1. The Pippen-Magic matchup was mirrored with Sendoh having to defend Maki when Ryonan and Kainan faced each other. [5]
- Sendoh and Maki both wear Converse Conquest Mid for their basketball shoes.
- In a 2016 interview[6] between Takehiko Inoue and Makoto Hiejima (Japanese pro basketball player), Inoue confirmed that Sendoh was initially written with Magic Johnson in mind. Sendoh is also Hiejima's favourite character.
- Sendoh is the only player that didn't receive a nickname by Hanamichi Sakuragi, although Sakuragi called him a “porcupine-head”[7]