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Introduction


The one who controls the rebound controls the game

—Takenori Akagi, to Hanamichi Sakuragi

Takenori Akagi
Akagi
Name
Aliases Gori, Gorilla, Old Gorilla, Stinking Gori (by Hanamichi Sakuragi)
Characteristics
Gender Male Male
Birthday May 10
Age 18
Height 197 cm (6' 6")(current)

193 cm (6’ 4”)(freshman) 173 cm (5’ 8”)(elementary)

Weight 93 kg (205 lbs)(current)

88 kg (194 lbs)(freshman)

Blood Type O
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Black
Professional Status
Occupation Basketball player(Formerly)

College Student

Team Shohoku High School
Year Year 3 Class 6(Formerly)
Position Center
Jersey Number #10, #4, #33 (practice)
Personal Status
Relatives Haruko Akagi (younger sister)
First Appearance
Manga Debut Chapter 4
Anime Debut Episode 2
Voices
Japanese Voice Kiyoyuki Yanada
Megumi Ogata (child)
Kenta Miyake (The First Slam Dunk)
English Voice Jun Legaspi (TV5 Dub)
Montreal Repuyan (GMA Dub)
Enrique Gil (ABS-CBN Filipino Dub)
Aaron Goodson (The First Slam Dunk)
Italian Voice Claudio Moneta
[v · t · e]

Takenori Akagi (赤木 剛憲 Akagi Takenori) is the team captain and Center of the Shohoku basketball team. He is also Haruko Akagi's older brother.

Background[]

Akagi and Tatsuhiko Aota were childhood friends and have attended every schools together, but they eventually drifted apart--primarily from Akagi's interest in basketball versus Aota's interest in judo.

Akagi begin playing basketball while he was attending Kitamura Middle School where he became acquainted with Kiminobu Kogure, and they have been close friends ever since. He also knew Tomokazu Godai from middle school.

Appearance[]

He is tall and muscular young man. His hairstyle has an undercut and is semi-bald from there. He wears different clothes when training and is usually seen wearing a navy blue standard Shohoku winter school uniform or a summer school uniform during off-practice. He wears the Converse Pro Conquest Hi - White/Black colorway as his basketball shoes. In his freshman year, he was almost shaven with grey tinge, giving him a much older-than-expected look.

Personality[]

Akagi is a strict and a responsible team captain of the Shohoku Basketball team. He implements discipline towards his players especially Sakuragi. As described by Yasuda, he is very serious with the respect of the older years. He appreciates a dedicated person and likes cleanliness. He is also a studious person and can have enough time with basketball and academics. Both he and Kiminobu Kogure are the only players with high enough grades to tutor academically poor teammates. His best subject are English, Science (especially Physics) and Mathematics.

Despite being strict, he keeps reminding Sakuragi his purpose in the court which is rebounding and as a major support for the team. Above anything else, is his great determination to win, which was shown when he refused to sit down because of his ankle injury against Kainan and continued to play despite hurting. He never gave up on his dream of bringing Shohoku to the National Championship, despite him not being the originator of the quote (Mitsui was). However during flashbacks in his previous years in school, he was somewhat confrontational and threatens anyone who mistook the name of their school as seen when he and Kogure encountered Mr. Chieko while watching a basketball match.

Despite his initially strict and firm captaincy at the beginning of the series, Akagi improves and broadens his leadership methods as the Slam Dunk series progresses. Toward the end of the series against Sannoh, Akagi eventually convinced Sakuragi to beat Mikio Kawata with speed (by recognizing Sakuragi's stubborness as well as his fondness of flattery), something even Coach Anzai could not do. Haruko was dumbfounded that her brother handled Sakuragi this way, since the old Akagi would have just yelled and criticized.

Plot[]

Akagi, along with Kogure and Aota, went to Kitamura Junior High. When he joined Shohoku High's basketball team, he was considered exceptionally tall for a freshman, at 193 cm. The future should've been bright for Shohoku with the presence of a middle school MVP in Mitsui. However, his injury during practice would eventually lead to a 2-year hiatus in playing basketball. Left to lead the team, Akagi played as a one-man team because he had no reliable teammates to complement his abilities.

In his 2nd year, the speedy point guard, Ryota Miyagi joins the team. However, its not enough to compete at a high level so there isn't much of a change and it didn't lighten his workload.

It was during his 3rd and final year that Shohoku would finally have a chance against elite teams with the arrival of Kaede Rukawa, the super rookie and Hanamichi Sakuragi, a total beginner in the sport yet possesses strength and jumping power, which also became a big factor eventually. Mitsui returned to redeem himself once again.

Shintai University offered Akagi a basketball scholarship prior to the Interhighs, which they withdrew after Shohoku lost to Aiwa. Because of it, he has to take the normal exams.

Abilities[]

Regarded as the #1 center in the Kanagawa prefecture, Akagi plays as a fairly typical center, using his height and power to score close to the basket. The best known is his "Gorilla Dunk" which came from his nickname, "Gori", given by Sakuragi.

Physical Ability
 
10/10
Technique
 
9/10
Stamina
 
9/10
Mental Strength
 
10/10
Special Ability
 
10/10

He is reputed for being a virtually unbeatable defender under the basket along with his "fly-swatter" block. He is also a strong rebounder and Sakuragi learned under his tutelage. Many players noted that there is no other center like Akagi, a center who usually being the heart of the team and playing at a different level despite being in high school. He strength is reveal, his both hand dunk can extremely shake the entire hoop of basketball. He can throw Sakuragi effortlessly with one hand.

His performance as center during the Kanagawa Tournament drew the attention of the prestigious Shintai Basketball team, whose coach and ace visited Akagi at his house in order to recruit him.

Despite his current skillset, he started off high school purely as a tall dunking defensive center with no other discernable offensive skills, being exposed by Kogure having poor dribbling and tendency to bite on pump fakes, and at the time a poor free throw shooter. However, he did share Sakuragi's hustle and Rukawa's single-mindess to guard the best player, which was Mitsui at the time. He was also a great off-ball defender, being able to stick with Mitsui to deny him the ball. By the time Mitsui sneaked out of hospital, Akagi was mentored by the former captain/manager to improve his post scoring without dunking and footwork.

Relationships[]

Shohoku[]

Haruko Akagi[]

Akagi is very protective of his little sister. He is also the one who taught her everything about basketball since they were little. He always makes sure no one flirts with her, as it was seen many times when he drags Sakuragi away from her to make him focus on basketball.

Kiminobu Kogure[]

Kogure is Akagi's best friend since middle school. He always supported Akagi's dream of the national championship, and never hesitates to help the latter when he needs help. During their first year of high school, he chose to remain with Akagi to support him, despite the others abandoning the idea of playing basketball with them. He also witnessed his growth between years one and two of high school where has overall skills has dramatcially improved.

Hanamichi Sakuragi[]

The first meeting between the two was terrible and awkward, as Sakuragi insulted basketball, which caused Akagi to challenge him in one-on-one handicap match. Thanks to Haruko's "cheering", Sakuragi manages to win the match with a slam dunk, even though Akagi scored 9 baskets. Sakuragi begins to humorously mock Akagi as old-looking gorilla, until he realized that Akagi is in fact her older brother.

At first, Akagi refused to recruit him due to his violent and immature personality, and also due to the fact during their handicap match, Sakuragi accidentally pulled Akagi's blue trousers, showing his bare butt to the crowd, which made them burst into laughter much to his embarrassment. Eventually, he accepts him to be part of the team. During practice or during matches, whenever Sakuragi does his immature antics, especially in front of students from other schools and coaches such as Moichi Taoka, Akagi is often seen punching him in the head.

He is also responsible for Sakuragi's rebounding prowess, thanks to his tutelage, Sakuragi earned the name of "Rebound King". Even though Akagi gets irritated at Sakuragi's personality, he does appreciate his determination and efforts in the game, as he always compliments the latter for his hard work. He showed a compassionate side towards Sakuragi during their loss against Kainan, consoling him after he made a small mistake passing the ball to Kazuma Takasago, who was mistaken as him. Nevertheless, Sakuragi in return respects Akagi as a captain, though he still addresses him as "Gori", much to Akagi's annoyance.

Rivals[]

Jun Uozumi[]

The two are known to be rivals, though it's clear that Akagi is the better center. Their rivalry is not antagonistic as they respect each other. In the end of the battle between Shohoku and Ryonan, both emotionally give a friendly hug. Uozumi was also the one who woke his spirit up after being outplayed by Masashi Kawata of Sannoh.

Toru Hanagata[]

Hanagata considered him as the strongest opponent he had faced so far. Akagi got a hard time defending because he is a center that can shoot from other areas and is also a formidable rebounder.

Masashi Kawata[]

Akagi finally found his match in Masashi as he was outplayed and proved that he is Japan's #1 center indeed; just as Uozumi was to him at first. He even thought that the strong centers (Uozumi, Hanagata and Takasago) he had faced are just kids compared to the Sannoh center. However, with Uozumi's wake up call, he accepted his loss as a Center but not Shohoku losing, which enabled him to fight back and bring life to his team once again.

Tatsuhiko Aota[]

Both he and Akagi used to be best friends during their early childhood but eventually fell out after Akagi rejected Aota's invitation to join the judo team, deciding to stick to basketball.

Despite this, Aota still came to support Akagi during Shohoku's tenure in the Nationals.

Quotes[]

  • To Hanamichi Sakuragi: "How's that? This is the 'kid's game' that you look down on. Don't underestimate basketball!"
  • To Kiminobu Kogure: "Basketball isn't something you can be forced to play."
  • To Hanamichi Sakuragi: "The one who controls the rebound controls the game."
  • To himself about (Sakuragi): "Haruko, this strange guy that you found has become a member that Shohoku can't afford to lose."
  • To Shohoku High: "We might not be best friends, and you guys always piss me off. However, this team is the best... thanks to you."

Etymology[]

  • Takenori's surname Akagi means "red" (赤) (aka) and "tree, wood" (木) (gi).

Trivia[]

  • Akagi's counterpart is most definitely Patrick Ewing because they have the same physical appearances and have same position in the court. However, the NBA player possesses a mid-range shooting, something that Akagi doesn't have, which makes it a difference. Akagi started off very raw, and was a terrible free throw shooter until his second year in high school. Ewing's free throw percentage is respectable amongst centers (74% all time)
  • According to the mobile game, however, he can learn Dream Shake, Dream Layup and Dream Hooks in the game, three finesse moves closely associated with Hakeem Olajuwon. Akagi's flyswatter blocks are also more closely associated with Olajuwon due to his soccer goalkeeping background. Ewing's daughters, however, are all volleyball players.
  • Akagi has a poster of Michael Jordan during a lay up in his room. It was initially a poster of Scottie Pippen taking a free throw and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shooting a sky hook. Both Ewing, Abdul-Jabbar and Pippen wear no. 33 jerseys in the 80's and/or 90's.
  • Aside from being a great athlete, he is also a smart student. In the 10 Days After, he had been restless since retirement due to him missing basketball, which led to his grades lowering than usual.
  • In Japanese numbering traditions at the time, no. 4 is the number for captains.
  • It is suggested that in 10- years time, he became a hybrid big men for Chiba Jets, as he only grew to 6'8.5".
  • Up until the Toyotama match, Akagi averaged 25.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game.
  • In the original English Dub of the anime, Kogure calls his given name Takenori instead of his surname in both Japanese and Filipino Dubs.
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