#morimura konoha

Senguuji Yamato is arguably the best goalkeeper in GO 1. And since the Chrono Stone fiasco was kept under wraps, not choosing him would've led to questions. He isn't happy about working with Raimon players though… (Similar arc to Ibuki, but with a character established in previous seasons.

Kariya and Kirino make an interesting duo that should have had more screentime and plot relevance, so here they are. Kariya's arc in this AU is very similar to Matatagi's in canon, while Kirino is the sane man of the team and heart of the defense. He keeps the defenders together, including the very shy Konoha and not very friendly Quintet.

Konoha's character arc is near-identical to game canon, save the mild romantic subplot with Kusaka since… well, he isn't here. She becomes good friends with Sakura and the other defenders though. A small difference is that she's interested in soccer from the beginning, but has not played officially because she struggles a lot with people.

Shindou has a very similar character arc to canon. (Galaxy is his hater era, I cannot in good conscience take that from him). He's still mad about the newbies like Konoha and Sakura and bothered by the inicial lack of teamwork. Senguuji riling him up does not help.

Sakura's character development is the same as canon. Some additions involve more in-depth conversations about her role and importance as a midfielder and player on the team. Basically a lesson to her that she is valuable even if she isn't perfect/the best.

Tenma's character arc in Galaxy is already perfect as it is, realizing being the captain cannot come at the expense of who he is and his love for soccer. This time the pressure comes from keeping a fractured team together.

Mahoro is an interesting case. He is upset Amagi hasn't been chosen for Inazuma Japan, since he wanted to play soccer with him. His character arc is coming to the realization that many things that look impossible can be done if one is resourceful. Basically an expansion of canon.

Kishibe is basically the team's second strategist, but his character arc is still being rotated.

Hakuryuu has to be here. His character arc is the same as Thunderflash in canon. Basically wanting to prove himself worthy of being Tsurugi's rival, only to later realize he had nothing to prove and Tsurugi already appreciated him. The Fake Tsurugi fiasco hits him hard.

Tsurugi himself has to be here, this is his season. His role in canon is already great, so no need to change it.

Aoi my beloved. I always thought you should have become a player, so in this AU, you are the Ultimate's Eleven and Earth Eleven's goalkeeper. (She takes Shinsuke's roles in this AU.)

Gomaki (the Dragon Link defender who joins Resistance Japan) is the last defender of the team. His game bio describes him as strong and clever, so his flaw to overcome is his struggles with teamwork. Dragon Link relied on the individual strength of the players, but Earth Eleven does not — and should not — work that way. In honor of Manabe's character arc, I've decided to give him daddy issues (his dad is a jerk, and Senguuji Senior became a sort of replacement/uncle figure). He is very close friends with Senguuji.

In this AU, Yukimura becomes a midfielder. This is because he needs to be his own player, not just a copy of Fubuki (same as in canon, but expanded). He's becomes good friends with Taiyou over the course of the story.

Speaking of Taiyou, he plays as both a forward and midfielder, as a nod to Chrono Stone canon. As a small but crucial change, he isn't magically healed, and remains sick during the whole story. He can only play for short periods of time, needs medical attention on more than one ocassion, and has to sit down more than one match because he is in no condition to play. His character arc here is understanding loving and playing soccer does not have to come at the expense of his health.

Hikaru has to be here. The coach is his uncle, so we get some more info about the Kageyama family and its drama. His character arc is still being thought through.

(I'm using the support page for the managers, even if Idk if it's for that). Akane has to be here. She deserves to go to space and take lots of pictures that will make all photographers on Earth seethe in jealousy. She also looks up all available data about their opponents.

Midori is abrasive and has a temper, but she is also very caring towards the team. She helps her teammates in a more aggressive way, and we discover a bit more about her backstory that I still haven't come up with.

Minori is in some sort of symbiotic relationship with Potomuri. They both control her body at different times. His character arc is the same as in canon, and her character arc is about taking a more calm and methodical approach to her anger (becoming more terrifying in the process <3). Minori, just like Midori, is aggressively supportive of the team, but unlike Midori, she's a bit tsundere about it for most of the story.

A few ideas:

During the Sandorias match, Senguuji is injured but insists that he can keep playing. It's Midori who cuts him off, telling him he can't defend the goal in the upcoming matches if he is still injured by then. She convinces him to let Aoi take care of it, and comforts him. I say they're besties by the end of the GCG.

^ Aoi giving Senguuji a hand to the shoulder and promising she will take care of it.

Kariya and Kirino pulling off a combination hissatsu in the match against Sazanaara (I also have to think of how they win that particular match).

Rodan still makes Shindou and Senguuji go missing in Gordon. Please picture his surprised Pikachu face when Aoi stops all his shots :3

Kishibe is the one who befriends Banda, because they're both laid back people who are enthusiastic about the Earth vs Ratoniik match. He takes Kusaka's roles in Ratoniik.

After the Gurdon match ends, Midori chases Rodan in revenge for trying to kill her friends the team with volcanic rocks.

An excited Akane asking Ishigashi lots of questions about the planets they are in, and him answering them with endless patience. They aren't friends, but they vibe.

The team visiting Taiyou at the hospital after winning a match he couldn't attend for health reasons to celebrate their victory with him. They organize a small party, and the nurses are tempted to kick them out, but don't because Taiyou looks so happy…

Tsurugi telling Lalaya about his friends while they're locked in prison.

Senguuji celebrating when Aoi stops Ozrock's shot. And Aoi being exhausted after the second half of the Ixal Fleet match ends (in this AU it ends in overtime like the games), and Senguuji putting a hand on her shoulder and promising to take care of it.

Same match: an exhausted Gomaki bending down to give Konoha a high five and trusting her with the defense, and Konoha giving him a confident nod. They've both come a long way.

The bench bursting into cheers when they see Tenma at his peak in the match against Ixal Fleet.

Earth Eleven intentionally leaving Kageyama in Faram Obius like "he's your problem now :)"