Mukahi Gakuto

Age: 14, turning 15 in the fall
Hair: Magenta (...no, seriously, it is... -_-;)
Eyes: Dark blue
Height: 158 cm (or about 5'3")
Blood Type: B
Birthday: September 12th
Dominant Hand: Left
Favorite Subject: Chemistry, English, P.E.
Favorite Color: Red
Hobby: Bungee jumping (... of course)
Family: Mother, father, older sister, younger brother
Seiyuu: Hoshi Souichirou

Basic: Mukahi Gakuto is one of the third year regulars on Hyoutei's tennis team. He plays doubles almost exclusively with his partner Oshitari Yuushi. He's also known for having acrobatic moves even more ridiuculously impossible than those of Eiji Kikumaru, Seigaku's resident show-off.

At First Glance: Mukahi is... special. The first thing you'll notice about him is his very interesting haircut (which my friends have vowed to hate forever, lol...). The second thing you will notice about him is that he is a showoff. Oh, and that his tennis moves are impossible, according to the laws of physics. I'm sure defying science is yet another thing Mukahi brags about. Knowing him. :P

Personality: Gakuto is another Hyoutei diva, though this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about Hyoutei. He's cocky, confident, and a complete show-off. In fact, in his very first appearance, he pulls off an impressive but completely unnecessary flip right over Momoshiro's head. Just to prove, I guess, that he's all that. Mukahi, also like Eiji, has something of a drama-queen complex. He has no qualms whatsoever about complaining if something displeases him. Not to mention that, for a guy who's not much taller than Ryoma, he love shooting his mouth off, and he's very confrontational. I guess what all the short characters in PoT lack in stature, they make up for in sass. :D Mukahi seems to be very self-centered, which is clearly reflected in his overly showy tennis style. He's also the type to shrug off a loss and act as though it was just some kind of mistake or freak incident. I suspect that shows that Mukahi may have a few insecurities to go along with his gigantic ego. Nevertheless, there's no doubt that Mukahi has no bigger fan than himself when it comes to his abilities.

Tennis Ability: Mukahi's tennis skills are strange, shocking, and completely impossible. And, in a rare application of reality, the show demonstrates that they are, in fact, TOO strange to be extremely useful on a tennis court. Still, it's true that Mukahi's acrobatic tennis style is impressive. He has one particular move that he calls the "Moon Salute," which is... really hard to describe. You'll have to see it to believe it, but it's basically a really high flip where he hits the ball in midair.

The problem with Mukahi's impressive moves is that they leave too many holes open on the doubles court. Of course, he's lucky enough to have Oshitari for a partner, who usually covers up those holes. However, due to Mukahi's more aggressive style of play, he also doesn't have very good stamina. I guess that's just another thing he and Eiji have in common... Anyway, Mukahi's still one of the more unique tennis players in the show, which in and of itself is an impressive feat. Nevertheless, his reckless style tends to restrict him to the Doubles 2 spot.

Plot Points: Mukahi, like many of the rival characters, doesn't show up much in the story. Still, his personality is distinct enough that you don't need much plot to figure him out.

Like I said, his sassy first appearance speaks volumes for his capacity as a show off. But this attitude continues in the first match he plays in the show, which happens to be against Momoshiro and Eiji. He verbally challenges Eiji to an acrobatic showdown, and he shows a tendency to talk big, even if he can't back up his claims. But he also shows a level of apathy towards losing, since when he and Oshitari do so, they both seem to act as though it was no big deal.

Mukahi clearly has a great deal of pride. This is demonstrated again and again throughout the series. He seems to take any affront to his acrobatic techniques personally, especially in the case of Eiji. I'm guessing he feels threatened by Eiji's less extravagant style. This just proves what we already know, however... Mukahi is a diva and a drama queen and proud of it, too. :P

Odds and Ends: I don't have too much to add on Mukahi. He's obviously eccentric, but he's more eccentric as a whole instead of having lots of little quirks. I will say his habit of hopping up and down on the court like a frog earned him the nickname "Hoppy" among my friends. :D Plus... his listed hobby is bungee-jumping. Yeah. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. His closest relationship, by the way, seems to be with Oshitari, whom he addresses only using his first name and no honorific. (Indicates a fairly close relationship.)

My Take: Mukahi is not one of my favorite Hyoutei members, but he is from Hyoutei. And frankly, I love Hyoutei so much that he earned some points with me that way. There's just something so fun about Hyoutei's attitude as a whole that makes me love all its players. So while I must confess his haircut is a bit too weird even for my taste, I actually like Mukahi. I find his sassy demeanor rather amusing. So, if you can get past his obnoxious, bratty attitude, you'll probably like him in your own way too.

So, Mukahi, for all that I harass you and call you "Hoppy" rather than use your real name, you know I mean it all in love. You go, boy. Although I do have to question the mental stability of anyone who has a move called "Moon Salute" in their arsenal... >.>

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. It is copyrighted to its respective owners, including the wonderful Konomi-sensei. This site is intended as an informative site only, to promote awareness of the series. I make no money whatsoever. Please do not repost material on this site without permission. Screenshots provided by Tsubame Gaeshi. Thanks for your understanding!