Shusuke Fuji

Template:PrinceTennis Shusuke Fuji (不二 周助, Fuji Shūsuke) is a fictional character in the anime and manga The Prince of Tennis. His name is romanized as Syusuke Fuji in the Japanese anime, and Shusuke Fuji in the English manga and Anime.

Background

Shusuke Fuji is a third year student at Seishun Academy, and is approaching fifteen years of age at the beginning of the series. He is given the title 'tensai', or genius, due to his tactical skill on the tennis court. He is in the same class as Eiji Kikumaru, and is Eiji's good friend. Fuji is a leap year baby (his birthday is on February 29), and thus he can only properly celebrate his birthday once every four years. Fuji is cheerful and easygoing, with a penchant for playfully teasing those around him.

He grew up in Chiba, where he became friends with Kojirō Saeki, the current vice-captain of the Rokkaku Chuu Tennis Club. Later on, he moved to Tokyo and entered Seigaku.

Fuji usually takes the position of S2 (Singles 2), although sometimes he is paired with Takashi Kawamura or Eiji Kikumaru in Doubles. He also temporarily takes the position of Singles 1 when Kunimitsu Tezuka is in rehabilitation.

Personality

Fuji is often seen with a calm and content expression on his face, with his eyes seemingly closed from lightly smiling. However, when he is excited or provoked, or when playing seriously, Fuji reveals his sharp eyes: they are azure in the anime and light brown in the manga.

Fuji differs from almost every other character in Prince of Tennis in that he seems very relaxed and in control when his opponent is pushing himself to the limit, giving many the impression that Fuji is either a genius who knows how to save his energy during plays, or that he doesn't really care about tennis itself. There are few people that can wake the sleeping all-star player in Fuji and force him to play seriously, and these few are either nationally-ranked or extremely talented tennis players. Seigaku captain Kunimitsu Tezuka, Seigaku regular Ryoma Echizen, and Shitenhōji captain Kuranosuke Shiraishi have been acknowledged by Fuji to be actual challenges.

Fuji has an older sister, Yumiko, and a younger brother, Yuuta Fuji. Fuji is particularly protective of Yuuta (probably to make up for former disagreements that almost brought them apart), as is displayed throughout the series, as he actively tries to "destroy" and punish those who have defeated his younger brother or have made him go through something dangerous (as proved by how differently he treats Jirou Akutagawa from Hyotei and Hajime Mizuki from Saint Rudolph; he holds no personal grudge towards Jirou, who won fairly against Yuuta, but resents Mizuki for a long time after seeing how he treated his brother as someone expendable to ensure his team's victory), with the exception of the aforementioned Jirou and Ryoma Echizen.

Yuuta isn't also the only person he's been protective of in this sense; in the anime, he is very upset when Kippei Tachibana is injured in his match against Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku regular Akaya Kirihara (In the manga, Ryoma is the one who is injured). He is also upset when Akaya Kirihara insults the two schools (Seigaku and Fudomine); Kirihara says that both teams have retired captains because they aren't practicing (this is due to Seigaku captain Kunimitsu Tezuka and Fudomine captain Tachibana both being injured). When Seigaku is down 1-2 in the Kanto finals against Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku, he engages in a serious match with Akaya Kirihara, who plays a fairly violent form of tennis. Kirihara injures Fuji's knee and knocks over an already injured Tachibana (who arrives to encourage Fuji); thanks to this and the fact that Tezuka is also absent due to injury, Fuji becomes serious and goes on to win the match. According to what Fuji's sister, Yumiko, tells Hajime Mizuki and Yuuta, Fuji never gets angry about what happens to him, but when his family or friends are in danger, he doesn't hold back and attacks with full seriousness.

Fuji is fairly popular amongst his peers. In episode 134, he goes on a date with Kurumi, grade schooler who falls in love with him in first sight, thinking of him as a prince of sorts. Despite his penchant for jokes and pranks off-tennis, Fuji can be insightful and even sweet when his friends need it; during his date with little Kurumi, when she reveals that she has low self-esteem since she feels overshadowed by her beautiful older sister Narumi, Fuji helps her to sort their problems out, seeing his own situation with Yuuta reflected in the sisters' quarrels.

Along with Tezuka, Fuji is possibly the only person on the entire Seigaku team who is immune to Inui Sadaharu's various concoctions. However, while Tezuka only appears unaffected and does not state what he thought of the concoctions, it has been a running gag in the story that Fuji actually "likes" those drinks and will recommend others to it too. While he may occasionally intentionally fault in practice in order to try the penal concoctions, he has also mentioned that he enjoys seeing others suffer from drinking the concoctions even more. He is, however, not immune to "Aozu", a horrific blue vinegar and cod liver oil concoction; this drink causes his only blackout, and since then Inui has believed that Fuji has a grudge against him. His odd tastes in food do not stop at Inui's gruesome health drinks, and he takes delight in wasabi rolls, honey-mustard and horseradishes.

At times, Fuji tends to act like Eiji Kikumaru--he wants to win and to be number one. In one episode, there is mixed club day at his school. On this day, the students are not allowed to play the sport that they are in. For example, the "Golden Pair", Eiji Kikumaru and Shuichiro Oishi, plays volleyball. Fuji plays curling, which no one else plays. His words are, "No participants; the championship is mine."

Prior to the National Tournament, Fuji plays a practice match against Fudomine Chuu's Tachibana, who breaks each of Fuji's Triple Counters (Only Higuma Otoshi was shown on-panel. Tachibana used a powerful smash to overwhelm Fuji's counter, where instead of the return landing on the baseline, the return landed in front of Tachibana. Fuji's gut on the racket was also ruined as a result of the smash). Realizing that his counters are not enough for a national-level tournament, Fuji then develops his 4th Counter, the "Kagerō Zutsumi" (Dragonfly Illusion). However, during Seigaku's Nationals semifinal match against Shitenhōji's Kuranosuke Shiraishi, Fuji suffers his first loss in an official match, when he makes a comeback from 0-5 thanks to his evolved Triple Counters only to lose 6-7 during tiebreak, when his final Hakuryuu lands out. This is the first time that any of his teammates have seen Fuji so disappointed in the outcome of the match.

Special techniques

Counters

Sometimes called the "Three Counter Moves" (or more often called the Triple Counter), since the "Kagerō Zutsumi" (a counter announced by Fuji as the Fourth Counter) and the "Disappearing Serve" are sometimes not counted as one of them. Game sealing returns, the counters are techniques that could only be pulled off by a genius like Shusuke Fuji. Each counter has a very low chance of being returned.

Later on in the series, during the National Finals, Fuji develops upgrades for the Triple Counters.

Tsubame Gaeshi (Swallow Return)

（燕返し）

The first of Fuji's counters to be shown. Fuji utilizes his opponent's topspin by returning the ball with an extreme slice that doubles the amount of spin. The slice combines with the topspin and causes the ball to dip toward the ground and continue rolling across the court without a bounce. This counter is legendary in that once it is hit, the game is sealed. However, the Tsubame Gaeshi can be returned if it is hit before it touches the ground.

During his doubles match with Eiji Kikumaru against Rokkaku regulars, Kojiro Saeki and Marehiko Itsuki, Fuji's counters are sealed because Itsuki can hit "sinkers", which are balls without spin. Fuji attempts to create spin by rolling the ball against the face of the racket, but the Tsubame Gaeshi that results bounces and is fully returned. Fuji then utilizes the net and forces Itsuki to hit cord balls (balls that hit the net before going in), which forces the ball to spin; and with that on top of rolling the ball with his racket, he manages to pull off a perfect Tsubame Gaeshi.

He again resorts to forcing the opponent to hit cord balls when he faces Arnold Ignashov during the Goodwill Games.

This counter's name is based on the famous sword technique of Sasaki Kojiro.

Higuma Otoshi (Bear Drop)

（羆落とし）

By quickly rotating his body, Fuji uses centripetal force to absorb the force of any overhead smash; he then returns the ball with a lob that almost always lands on the opponent's baseline. This technique is also used by Hyotei's Yuushi Oshitari and Keigo Atobe (Excluding the fact that Kevin Smith, from the U.S. Team in the Anime can also use it).

This counter is broken first by Ryoma Echizen, who used the net to change the trajectory of his smash, therefore altering the position of Fuji's lob. Higuma Otoshi is broken a second time when the gut of Fuji's racket is broken by the "awakened" Akaya Kirihara using Genichirou Sanada's "Ka" of the "Fuu Rin Ka Zan" in the manga, and then it is broken a third time by Kippei Tachibana's Lion Smash. Both Kirihara and Tachibana's smashes overpower the centrifugal force used to nullify the force of a smash. In the first round of the National Tournament, the shukuchi technique of Higa Chuu renders the counter useless, as Higa players can move from the baseline to the net and vice versa in "one step". Most recently, in the semifinal match of the Nationals, Fuji's Higuma Otoshi is broken by Kuranosuke Shiraishi's powerful smash that knocked away his racket.

This is also referred to as the Brown Bear.

Hakugei (White Whale)

（白鯨）

Possibly the most impressive of Fuji's counters, the Hakugei is a super slice lob with such extreme backspin that as soon as it passes over the net on to the opposite court it curves upwards out of sight, than it falls straight down (usually on the baseline), and it flies back to Fuji's hand. Fuji used this technique in order to counter Jirou Akutagawa's "Magic Volley". However, he needs wind to use the Hakugei.

Hakugei can be returned if the opponent is fast enough to hit the ball as it flies back to Fuji's hand, as shown by Akaya Kirihara and his one-footed split step. Fuji can also change the direction of the ball after it hits the opponents court either to go with the direction of the wind or to lessen the chance of a return. Fuji changes the direction in his match against Tezuka Kunimtsu, Tezuka waited at the net in front of the ball so to return it to Fuji's court but Fuji adapts and the ball instead flies into the net away from Tezuka.

Kagerō Zutsumi (Dragonfly Illusion)

（蜉蝣ずつみ）

Using both hands, Fuji brings his racket down in an overhead swing that both contains and nullifies all spin on the ball. The ball is then returned devoid of spin, and gives the other player the illusion that the ball is farther than it actually is.

This counter is first revealed in Seigaku's first doubles match with Kawamura against Higa Chuu in the National tournament. Higa regular Rin Hirakoba employs a technique called "Habu", which gives the ball such incredible spin that it cannot be returned by any normal means. Fuji's Kagerō Zutsumi seals Hirakoba's "Habu", and later on Fuji's partner Takashi Kawamura returns the Habu with his Hadokyuu.

Houou Gaeshi (Phoenix Return)

（鳳凰返し）

One of the 3 upgraded techniques of the triple counter in the match against Kuranosuke Shiraishi in the Nationals. Houou Gaeshi is the upgraded version of Tsubame Gaeshi (Swallow Return). Unlike Tsubame Gaeshi, Houou Gaeshi sank at a higher rate and closer to the net, thus making it much harder to return before it lands.

Kirin Otoshi (Kirin/Qilin Drop)

（キリン落とし）

One of the 3 upgrade techniques of the triple counter in the match against Kuranosuke Shiraishi in the Nationals. Kirin Otoshi is the updated version of Higuma Otoshi (Bear Drop). Not much has been shown of this perfected technique, only that is was not able to be returned by Shiraishi. His arms moves more towards the front like a bat in reverse from swinging the racket behind him like the Higuma Otoshi. The only visible difference from this technique is that Fuji uses two hands to repel Shiraishi's smash rather than the one handed "Bear Drop". (In the anime it also reached the opponent's baseline much faster than Higuma Otoshi)

Hakuryu (White Dragon)

（白竜）

One of the 3 upgraded techniques of the triple counter in the match against Kuranosuke Shiraishi in the Nationals. Hakuryu is the updated version of Hakugei (White Whale). Unlike Hakugei, Hakuryu rose much higher into the sky. Instead of spinning backwards to Fuji, the ball will bounce towards the sides.

Interesting note: When he first hits this shot, it bounces back not towards him, but sideways towards Ryoma. Ryoma, though not expecting it, catches the ball.

Hecatoncheires no Monban (Gate Keeper of Hecatonchires)

（へカトンケイルの門番）

Gate Keeper of Hecatoncheires (first stated to be his "Final Counter"), is actually translated to "The Hundred Armed Giant", but this is a title from Greek Mythology, and thus kept with the name "Gate keeper of Hecatoncheires". Using the reverse side of the racket, Fuji uses the slide of the oncoming ball over the gut and forcing a super spin to the ball. Then by instantaneously reversing his wrist and using the other side of the racket, he doubles the spin yet again. The way the counter works is from the extreme underspin Fuji creates, forcing the ball being returned back to him being a topspin, and topspins have a faster sink making the ball sink before it passes the net. Under the super spin of this technique, Kuranosuke Shiraishi was sealed from returning the ball over the net, whether he used a lob, slice, or even top spin, the ball would just hit the net. However, he manages to overcome it and break this counter by creating a counter-spin on the ball just strong enough for the ball to go beyond the net.

Fuji later states that the "Gate Keeper of Hecatoncheires" is his 5th counter leaving open a possibility for a new "Final Counter", Hoshi Hanabi.

Hoshi Hanabi (Star Fireworks)

(星花火)

Hoshi Hanabi is Fuji's sixth counter. He reveals it for the first time in manga chapter 363, during the Singles 2 match against Rikkai Dai's Masaharu Niou in the National Finals.

Fuji hits a cord ball and it goes up into the air out of anyone's field of vision. The ball will then land with an irregular spin due to the wind present, like the Hakuryu, and the ball will then bounce to the side. When first used, the ball bounced to the stadium seating. Masaharu Niou commented that he cannot return a ball like that.

This counter is most likely a cord ball counter. This move is almost exactly like the move "Meteor Drive" that Niou used in Inui's dream.

Serves

Disappearing Serve

Otherwise known as a "cut-serve", but because Fuji spins the ball as he drops it, the ball disappears. While not as fast or powerful as most serves, many players are caught off guard by the way the ball abruptly "cuts" to the left (the returner's right) and in a sense "disappears". Fuji first used this move when facing Jirou Akutagawa from Hyotei Gakuen.

Knuckle Serve (anime only)

This move is shown when Fuji is playing Akaya Kirihara from Rikkaidai. Due to the fact Fuji is angry, he uses the Knuckle Serve to take revenge. This serve is more like the twist serve, but before the user throws the ball in the air, the user squeezes the ball first. Its direction can only be seen by the one who served it.

Notable matches

Kunimitsu Tezuka

Two years ago, when Fuji and Tezuka were first years, Fuji requested a match against Tezuka. Though the match ended with Tezuka's complete defeat, Fuji was displeased with the outcome since Tezuka was not playing in his best form due to having his arm previously injured by an upperclassman. They promised to play each other once again after Tezuka's arm completely heals.

Ryoma Echizen

During a practice match, Fuji plays against Ryoma Echizen. They both start to play out evenly, but Fuji starts to use one of his Triple Counters, Higuma Otoshi, which gives him the upper-hand. However, Ryoma manages to break the counter by continuously hitting cord balls. Just when the two start to get serious, the match is stopped due to rain, with Fuji leading 4 games to 3.

Jirou Akutagawa

Shusuke Fuji started the match by performing the Disappearing Serve. Jirou Akutagawa becomes excited after witnessing the serve and decides to get serious. Fuji hits the serve for the rest of his service game, and Jirou fails to return the ball the entire time. During Jirou's service game, he serves the ball and suddenly approaches the net. Fuji aims for Jirou's foot, but Jirou was able to volley it. Though others believe it was just a lucky return, Jirou does it again when Fuji aims for Jirou's foot for the second time. The match continues and Jirou wins his service game. During Fuji's service game, he prevents Jirou from going to the net and manages to win the game. Fuji later manages to win three straight points during Jirou's service game. Jirou tries to counter by approaching the net right after using a flat serve. When Fuji returns the ball, Jirou takes the chance to smash it, but Fuji uses his Higuma Otoshi to take the point. When Jirou approaches the net right at the beginning of the next game, Fuji uses his third counter, Hakugei. From there, Fuji manages to dominate and win the match with a 6 to 1 score.

Akaya Kirihara (anime version)

Fuji starts off the match with his Disappearing Serve. Akaya Kirihara fails to return the Disappearing Serve three times in a row, however, on the fourth try, Kirihara was able to hit it, but the ball hits the net, so Fuji wins the game. During Kirihara's service game, he hits a Twist Serve, but it was evaded by Fuji. After Kirihara fails to win a few points from Fuji, he activates his Devil Mode. He then hits a drop shot, and Fuji returns it, but Kirihara smashes the ball and hits Fuji's knee, which he does twice, subsequently winning him the game. Kirihara then uses his Knuckle Serve, which hits Fuji's head. Due to the pain in his knee, Fuji loses three straight games. Kirihara continues to use this strategy, until Tachibana comes to encourage Fuji. When Kirihara tries to hit Tachibana with a Knuckle Serve, Fuji gets angry. Fuji then uses the Knuckle Serve himself, which scares Kirihara since he believes that Fuji is aiming for him. Due to Kirihara's fear, Fuji manages to win that game. When Kirihara's fear grows, he steps back, which causes him to get hit on his knee. Believing that Fuji hit his knee on purpose, Kirihara is paralyzed by his fear, which results in Fuji winning the last few points with service aces.

Akaya Kirihara (manga version)

Fuji started off the game by going on the offence, which everyone was surprised at, considering that Fuji's real forte is in his counter techniques. After Fuji won the first point with a smash, Kirihara went into devil mode and started using his split-step to force Fuji into the corner, which Fuji countered by using the Hakugei. Using the split-step, Kirihara was able to run up to the ball and smash the ball back, only for Fuji to return the ball with a Higuma Otoshi, winning the game 1-0 without reply. After a brief flashback of Fuji and Kunimitsu Tezuka having a conversation after Fuji's match against Ryoma, Fuji was shown to be leading 2-0. Another brief flashback of Tezuka's match against Atobe Keigo, which made Fuji decide to start playing seriously. Kirihara injures Fuji with a smash that knocked Fuji's racket off and Fuji was blinded by the injury subtained as a result of Kirihara hitting the ball to Fuji's head during the match. After that, Fuji continues playing while being still blinded and told coach Ryuzaki that he is not backing down. With the score 3-0 before that, Kirihara managed to win 4 straight games and mocked Fuji, saying that Fuji was playing fine even when he was blinded and said that it was pure luck that Fuji returned the ball. Fuji then returned the balls hit and everyone was shocked that Fuji can still play so well even when he was blinded. Fuji won the next 2 games before Kirihara unconsciously went into Muga no Kyōchi, giving Fuji a run for it and only managed to win the last point by using the side of his racket after Kirihara broke his racket with Sanada's Kaa technique. The match ended with Fuji winning 7 games to 5.

Kunimitsu Tezuka (anime only)

During Seishun Gakuen's inter-school match-ups, Kunimitsu Tezuka and Shusuke Fuji are pitted against each other. Fuji dominates at first and easily wins the first game, however, the next game is won by Tezuka in no time because Fuji had difficulty returning Tezuka's serves. Fuji tries to counter by using his Triple Counters, but everyone is surprised when Tezuka seals Fuji's Triple Counters in one play. The match continues and Tezuka dominates at 4 games to 2. Fuji becomes serious and his shots begin to change as he displays improved Triple Counters. As Fuji begins to dominate the match, Tezuka responds by using smashes that hit the net, which seals Fuji's improved Higuma Otoshi. During the match point, Tezuka smashes, but Fuji had predicted his hit already and uses his Higuma Otoshi. When the ball passes Tezuka, Fuji believes that he has won, but Tezuka, while in mid-air, quickly switches his racket to his right hand, and uses the Tezuka Zone, which allows him to hit his Zero-Shiki Drop shot. Tezuka wins with a score of 7 games to 6.

Kuranosuke Shiraishi

During the National Semifinals, Fuji is pitted against Kuranosuke Shiraishi in Singles 3. It is the first time that Shiraishi's Perfect Tennis was shown.

In the first half of the match, Shiraishi was completely dominating because of his perfect playing style. Fuji's Disappearing Serve was the first technique to be sealed by Shiraishi's Perfect Tennis. Fuji's infamous Triple Counters were also useless against Shiraishi's tennis style, so he took the lead with 5 games to 0.

At the start of the second half, Fuji receives encouragement from Ryoma Echizen. With that, Fuji recovers and starts to play aggressively. After Fuji takes his first point, he displays his upgraded Triple Counters and even his Final Counter. With those, Fuji takes the lead with 6 games to 5. Before Fuji's match point, Shiraishi nearly returns Fuji's Final counter. The next time Fuji uses his Final Counter, Shiraishi was able to return the technique with a cord ball. Fuji continuously hits the Final Counter, but Shiraishi returns them all.

In the end, after Fuji's final Hakuryuu landed out, Shiraishi wins with 7 games to 6, being the first person to ever beat Fuji in an official singles match.

Masaharu Niou

During the National Finals - Seigaku versus Rikkai Dai - Fuji plays against Masaharu Niou, who is known as the King of Swindlers, in the Singles 2 slot. The match starts out with Fuji playing seriously right from the start, winning him three straight games. Just when it seems that Fuji is having the upper-hand, however, Niou turns the tables by creating an illusion in the form of Tezuka. It turns out that this illusion is not just a simple trick. That is, Niou is actually able to mimic all of Tezuka's techniques, with the exception of the Zero-Shiki Serve. However, since the match seems to pit Fuji against Tezuka, Fuji sees this as a chance to fulfill a promise that he had with Tezuka long ago - to see which one is truly stronger.

Unable to break Saiki Kanpatsu no Kiwami, Fuji begins to lose 5 games to 4, but by closing his eyes, he is able to defeat the technique and turns the tables with 6 games to 5. Fuji is then able to break all of Tezuka's techniques, so Niou changes into Shiraishi's form, hoping to defeat Fuji by using the skills that the first person who defeated Fuji used, but Fuji then announces the name of his new counter, Hoshi Hanabi.

With his new counter, Fuji wins the match with a score of 7 games to 5. It was noted by coach Ryuzaki that Fuji had got his revenge against Shiraishi and surpassed Kunimitsu Tezuka.

Trivia

• Fuji is the middle child of the Fuji family. His unnamed father is a foreign-based employee, and is never seen in the series. His mother, 49-year-old Yoshiko, who also has perpetually-closed eyes, is seen in the manga as a kind and dedicated Japanese housewife. Fuji's elder sister, 24-year-old Yumiko, is considered very attractive and is popular among both Fuji and Yuuta's friends. She is seen several times in both the anime and the manga, first appearing when she offers to give Fuji a ride home.

• In the Japanese original, both Fuji and his sister Yumiko is voiced by Yuki Kaida

• In the Valentine Chocolate specials from the manga, Fuji has constantly been in the top three recipients of chocolate, with the exception of the years 2005 and 2006.

• Fuji's counters are based on animals: Tsubame Gaeshi: Swallow, Higuma Otoshi: Brown Bear, Hakugei: Whale, Kagerō Zutsumi: Dragonfly.

• When Fuji "evolves" his three Triple Counters, their new names are based on mythical creatures: Houou Gaeshi: Phoenix, Kirin Otoshi: a Qilin (which looks somewhat like a Chimera), Hakuryuu: Dragon.

• The kanji for Fuji (不二) stands for 'not second', 'unparalleled', or 'peerless'. His name can also be seen as a bit of a pun when his hobbies and favorite foods are taken into account; Fujifilm is the world's largest photographic and imaging company, and one of Fuji's hobbies is photography. Fuji apples are a type of apple, and they are one of Fuji's favorite foods.

• Fuji's room has a built-in wall closet, a rocking chair with a tartan cushion, and a gramophone-type audio device.

• In a scene of Prince of Tennis, Fuji can be seen watching Rocky, the motion picture, which he borrowed from his brother, Yuuta.

• Fuji carries a copy of Antoine Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince in his bag. The brand of his racket is also 'Prince'.

• In a chibi episode and in TeniPuri family, Fuji is portrayed as a woman, playing off on his somewhat feminine looks. In the TeniPuri family episodes, he is the sweet yet impulsive Grandmother of the family and is often paired up with Tezuka, who plays the Grandfather. In the other Tenipuri chibi episode, settled in the Far West, he plays a damsel in distress-type girl searching for a Lone Gunman who later turns out to be Tezuka.

• Fuji is one of the few male characters in the anime who is voiced by a female voice actor. Others being Ryoma Echizen, Kintarō Tooyama of Shitenhōji, Taichi Dan of Yamabuki, Yōhei and Kōhei Tanaka of Jyosei Shonan (the latter two being anime only characters), and Seiichi Yukimura of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku. However, Ryoma, Kintarō and Taichi are first years, thus younger and more naturally voiced by a female seiyū, but despite Fuji and Yukimura being third years, they are also voiced by female seiyū.

• Although Fuji had five counters, in the match against Shirashi, his set of counters was still called "Triple Counter".

• Fuji evolved all 3 of his original counters, and his Fifth Counter's name was derived from Greek Mythology.

• In the manga canon, Fuji's full potential is drawn out by Ryoma, when the younger boy steps into the court in the middle of the Fuji vs Shiraishi match and encourages Fuji to give the match everything he's got.

• Fuji seems to be one of few Seigaku Regulars (along with Shuichiro Oishi and Ryoma Echizen) who is genuinely close to Kunimitsu Tezuka, the captain of the tennis club. As such, he and Tezuka are often seen together. In the anime, this is because when they were first years, they developed a mutual respect for each other. Eventually, Fuji challenged Tezuka to a match, but right before the match, Tezuka's arm was injured, and Tezuka lost the match. However, Fuji noticed Tezuka's injury, and they promised to play each other again once Tezuka's arm healed fully. This promise is eventually fulfilled when they play each other in the third round of intraschool ranking matches. However, in the manga, there has yet to be an official match between Fuji and Tezuka, scheduled to take place after the Nationals.

Actors

• In the Anime series, Fuji's seiyū (or voice actor) is Yuki Kaida.

• For the live-action adaptation film of The Prince of Tennis, actor Hiroki Aiba portrays Fuji.

• In The Prince of Tennis Musicals, Fuji is portrayed by actors Kimeru (2003-2004), Takashi Nagayama (2003) Hiroki Aiba (2005-2007), and Yuuta Furukawa (2007-present)

• In the English Anime series, Fuji is voiced first by Adam Lawson, and later (from episode 31 on) by Johnny Yong Bosch.