<Basic>

Oishi is the vice captain at Seigaku, which means he has some responsibilites but doesn't have to have the charisma of Tezuka in leading the others. In fact, he is known as the "mother of Seigaku" for his more nurturing role on the team. Instead of being the one to tell the club members to run laps, Oishi is in charge of the first aid kit and is generally quite the concerned maternal figure with all his teammates. He is also the other half of the famous Golden Pair, which means he plays doubles with Eiji for basically all of his matches.

<At First Glance>

Oishi seems like a pretty plain character. Sure, he's a very caring person, but that doesn't even come across clearly in the beginning. He spends most of his time in either Tezuka or Eiji's shadow. In fact, the thing you will wonder most about him at first is whether that is really his hair on his head or maybe a kind of black swim cap. (Frankly, I haven't settled this question to my own satisfaction yet, although I have heard both theories. O_o)

<Personality>

Oishi, actually, has what I think is one of the most complicated personalities in the whole series. He is certainly a very caring person. There is no doubt about that. He spends a lot of his time looking after his teammates in various ways. But more than that, he also worries about them constantly. Which is very Oishi. He worries about EVERYTHING. He worries about Eiji. He worries about Tezuka's injury. He worries about whether or not he is a good enough substitute captain when Tezuka isn't there. He worries when someone doesn't show up to practice. He is an expert worrier. He also is capable of showing considerable signs of stress when he is under pressure. He frets and fusses and often becomes somewhat irritable. He's probably one of those types of people that finally develop ulcers when they get older from all that worrying. Yet he doesn't avoid responsibility just because he is capable of getting very stressed out. Instead, he seems to openly SEEK opportunities to take the weight of the world onto his shoulders. One wonders about his exact motivation in doing this, but it appears that he is probably a perfectionist and one of those overly self-motivated people. (Believe me, I know. I'm one of them.) After all, he is not only the vice captain of the tennis team, but also student council president at Seigaku. Moreover, he's anything but apathetic. He often gets very into things, so much so that some team members find it kind of embarassing to follow his lead. He has a tendency to wax poetic on certain topics and has a capacity for nostalgia. And his dedication to Tezuka ever since the seventh grade can best be described as that of an overly loyal puppy dog. He doesn't insist on having the spotlight, but is a strong enough character to let Eiji show off in their doubles combo as much as he wants. He's more the type to carefully analyze situations and adjust accordingly. He's also more of a hard worker than an exceptional talent. And yet despite all of Oishi's good qualities, he can be pretty harsh when he's angry. I guess you could say he's one of those busy people who's capable of being very stressed but also very dedicated. He's also extremely sensitive, both in personality and to others' feelings. Above all else, he is VERY serious. He almost never jokes, which, oddly enough, accounts for some of the funniest moments in the whole series. He is, however, capable of laughter, probably because having Eiji as a partner loosens him up somewhat, and he has a generally friendly demeanor and is super polite with almost everyone.

<Tennis Ability>

Oishi is one of those characters that stays in the shadows for most of the series, tennis-wise. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that he mostly plays doubles. This means that, at best, he will only get half the attention in any given match. But more than that, he plays doubles with EIJI. If you know anything about Eiji, you know that Oishi plays with probably the flashiest and most outgoing player in all of Seigaku and possibly all of Prince of Tennis. The best talent in the world would probably look a little lackluster next to Eiji, just because Eiji is... well, Eiji is a performer. He likes attention and jumps around the court and executes flips just for the heck of it. So it's easy to forget about Oishi, the other half of the infamous Golden Pair who went to the Nationals in their second year. But frankly, that's exactly how Oishi likes it. The reason that Eiji can get away with all those flips is solely because of Oishi's hard work. Oishi analyzes the court and pays attention to every single move of his opponents. And when there's an opening or Eiji's performance has them thoroughly distracted, Eiji gets out of the way and Oishi takes center stage. It's so unexpected that nobody ever knows how to react, precisely because Oishi doesn't care about being in the spotlight.

Surprise may be a big element in his role as part of the Golden Pair, but Oishi also has a lot of skill, mainly due to mountains of practice and research. He often consults tennis books to improve his strategies and look up additional formations for Eiji and him to practice. He also is a very technical player. His best move is a topspin lob that he positions perfectly to land exactly on the baseline, which in tennis is considered 'in.' He calls it the "Moon Volley" and usually drags his racquet on the ground before executing the move. But even that is part of his strategy: the racquet dragging has nothing to do with the actual lob and is often used as a feint to further confuse his opponents. Oishi also can pull off an effective underhand serve when he has to by severely manipulating the spin of the ball. It's so frustrating that many players panic and end up slamming the ball into the net. The Golden Pair's most effective formation, the Australian Formation, is also very frustrating to opponents because both the front player and back player start in the middle of the court and then move to opposite sides. It's hard to predict and darn confusing too.

But the biggest thing about Oishi's tennis style is that he is what some have called "persistent." He's extremely stubborn in his own way. If he can't reach the ball, he will dive for it every single time. This resulted in an almost humorous match with Hyoutei's Shishido during a practice session, one that left them both looking like they'd been in a street fight or maybe sliding into home base for the World Series Championship. Yet another proof of Oishi's passionate personality.

<Plot Points>

Oishi is definitely one of those characters who really takes shape as the plot develops. He starts off as a plain character who is nevertheless a "nice guy." But as time wears on, we find that there is a huge amount of depth to this "nice guy." First off, the various Golden Pair matches show how well he knows his partner. Oishi knows Eiji like the back of his hand. He is the first to notice when Eiji is tired or disheartened. He is also usually the first to have any idea what the eccentric Eiji is even talking about. Case in point, Eiji makes what seems like a random remark about a teddy bear in the middle of one particular match. Oishi then interprets that comment and figures out that Eiji wants him to hit the ball to the left as part of a strategy. Obviously, Oishi couldn't have any possible clue what Eiji was referring to unless he knew Eiji so well he didn't even have to think about it. The Golden Pair is also unusually in sync with each other, as shown very early on in the series. They often can be seen moving at exactly the same time, or accidentally saying something in unison.

Yet despite their obviously close friendship, or maybe because of it, the Golden Pair does hit some snags in their relationship on occasion. In one case, Oishi is *not pleased* with a somewhat insensitive joke on Eiji's part and loses no time in saying so to Eiji's face. Before long, there is some kindergarten-style pushing and tempers flare. Yet Oishi seems surprised at how far this quarrel goes and is the first to show some signs of wanted to be reconciled. This is typical of Oishi, though I would say that both members of the Golden Pair are quite capable of overreacting in a given situation. I guess this is why they often seem a bit like an old married couple... they squabble and then they make up without any lasting damage to their partnership. They're also both big dreamers, usually with Eiji making up the dreams on the spot and then Oishi passionately encouraging Eiji later to see that goal through to the very end.

The biggest Oishi moment in the series is definitely also one of the most bizarre plot twists. Once when Ryoma was late to a tournament, he used an extremely lame excuse about having been helping a pregnant woman. The thing is, this actually does happen to Oishi in the next tournament, which is unbelievably ironic. Only someone as selflessly kind as Oishi could get caught up in such a strange situation. He then has to wait with the woman at the hospital until her husband comes, and so Momoshiro, who is off the regulars at that point, goes to take his place. Come to find out, Oishi's wrist was injured in helping the woman and he is unable to play at all. In one of the most dramatic moments in the series, Oishi hands Momo his Seigaku regulars' jacket and asks Momo to go play in his place. Obviously, Oishi has a lot of faith in his teammates, even though he worries about them constantly. And he trusts Momo to take his place in playing doubles with Eiji. But more than that, Oishi's spirit is with Eiji and Momo throughout that whole match, and it is then that we really understand the depth of Oishi's dedication to playing doubles as well as supporting his teammates in any way he can. (Isn't that all warm and fuzzy and stuff? :3) Atobe himself notes that it is because of Oishi that Eiji and Momo are able to play successfully together that day. Eiji also realizes then how hard Oishi works to hold the Golden Pair together and matures as a result. It's a very touching episode, in my opinion, and one of my favorites because it gives Oishi so much depth as a character.

It's not long after that, also in the Hyoutei arc, that we find out how close Oishi is to Tezuka. He's the only one that Tezuka took into his confidence when it came to revealing that he was injured and had been struggling to overcome it for more than a year. Oishi's also the only one of the current ninth graders that was apparently around when Tezuka was injured in seventh grade. And it was to Oishi that Tezuka promised that he would lead Seigaku to the Nationals in their time. That's why, I think, Oishi and Tezuka have an unspoken understanding. In a way, they are perfect complimentary characters: they are both very serious, dedicated perfectionists, but they are also complete opposites. Oishi is generally a warm person, while Tezuka is anything but open with people. It also appears that Oishi has admired Tezuka ever since the seventh grade and followed in his footsteps all the way through his ninth year. It's probably his closeness to Tezuka that made him the perfect candidate for vice captain.

Once Tezuka has to leave for Germany, it is Oishi that Tezuka trusts to look after the team on a day to day basis. A huge reason for this is probably because Tezuka knows how seriously Oishi takes responsibility. And characteristic of Oishi, he refuses to take on the actual title of captain, instead consenting to be only the substitute captain out of loyalty to Tezuka. In taking on this role, Oishi also starts to show his overly passionate and often stressed-out side. He spends a whole episode worrying about if he's good enough to be the substitute captain and comes up with some pretty... creative... leadership techniques to try and understand some of his teammates' concerns. (In true Seigaku fashion, most of the characters would rather take care of their own concerns, assuming they have any.) Come to find out, as Ryuzaki-sensei notes, it's because Oishi cares about his teammates so much that they already feel free to put themselves out in the open and play with their hearts in it even when it's just practice. Oishi does have to accept, however, that many of the members' training techniques are a lot less, well, methodical than his own.

Oishi does show an uncharacteristic amount of boldness during the Rikkai arc that further endears him to his teammates. Upon meeting Sanada face to face, another vice captain who is acting in place of an incapacitated leader, he at first is awkwardly polite and almost apologetic. Upon snapping into Oishi Worry Mode, he then blurts out that Seigaku is, essentially, going to clean house and Rikkai is the metaphorical dust bunny that is about to be sucked into the vacuum cleaner. (I'm... um... paraphrasing here. O_o) At best, this is an extremely, and uncharateristically, cheeky thing to say to the National Champions. At worst, Sanada might have killed him then and there. Luckily, Sanada just blinks at him, and Oishi earns bonus points with his team for being so Ryoma-esque. He is then referred to as "captain" for the very first time. I think this mainly shows a motherly protectiveness over his team more than anything else. He wasn't about to roll over for Rikkai if it meant showing no faith in his teammates, and moreover, he knew he had a responsibility to act in Tezuka's place as a true leader of his team. Although that was a VERY creative way of representing Tezuka, given that I don't think he'd say something like that in a million years. But that's beside the point.

Oishi also keeps up a correspondence of sorts with Tezuka during this time, so it's clear that Tezuka communicates with Oishi more openly than he might with someone else. (Although I doubt his replies to Oishi's emotional e-mails are quite as eloquent, but again, that's beside the point.) And in true sweet-and-sensitive Oishi fashion, everyone's favorite vice captain is certainly not above shedding a few tears when Tezuka finally returns and is back in action.

<Odds and Ends>

Well, Oishi is a bit of an odd character at times. He's apparently a very early riser and is responsible for unlocking the club room every morning. Which means he probably gets up at the crack of dawn. Yikes. He also has some odd hobbies, including taking care of some pet fish. Somehow this is very consistent with his motherly personality, if you ask me. He also has an uncle who is a doctor and seems to know a lot about the medical profession, so I wouldn't be surprised to find him possibly becoming a doctor himself someday. Interestingly, his favorite subject is English, even though he's so methodical in everything, which makes me think he probably has a really good memory. (Remember, English in anime is a foreign language study, not literature and stuff like that. So he probably has to memorize a ton of words and grammar structure.) Another note on Oishi... Apparently, the animators and Konomi-sensei like to make his life difficult. So if some character is going to have something awkward and embarrassing happen to them, it will probably happen to either Oishi or possibly Kaidoh. Be forewarned if you happen to become an Oishi fan, lol. Oishi also has a habit of clicking his pen rapidly (against his forehead O_o) when stressed. This fits well with his overly analytical personality, I think.

<My Take>

Since I am collectively in love with the captain and vice captain of Seigaku as well as being a self-professed Golden Pair fanatic, I am very obviously an Oishi fan, lol. The great thing about Oishi is he really grows on you and becomes more and more lovable with every episode. He's just SO overly sincere and sweet and dedicated that you have to at least give him credit. But he also earns the affection he receives by being a character with depth and dependability.

Oishi is also very easy for me to relate to. By far, he is the character closest to me in personality in Prince of Tennis. I can relate to his overachiever ways, and when he frets, I fret with him. So frankly, if I were to marry any one of the PoT characters, Oishi would be my first choice. And yes, I did get over the fact that I cannot tell for the life of me what in the heck that is on his head. I can overlook bad hair for such a sparkling personality. Besides, it definitely draws my attention to that handsome face that much quicker if I'm not distracting by shiny flowing locks of hair. (Lol, well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Oishi, I love you, and don't you forget it! (And Eiji loves you too. Despite his airheaded ways.) Err... feel free to ignore that parenthetical aside. I'm a Golden Pair freak. :3

<Screencaps>

Coming soon!

<More Thoughts>

Coming soon!