Part 1: an analysis of Tenma

Initial reader filter up front: if your favorite parts of Inazuma are the strongest players and the most hype fights, this essay is not for you. There is no way for me to convince you to think otherwise. If you think Tenma is boring, I’d like for you to read and see why I consider him the one character with the most character growth in the entire series. This is an essay split into two parts explaining why inagalaxy made the contentious decision to keep only the Gryphon trio, and why I think it was done excellently.

To understand why Inagalaxy is the way it is, I have to start all the way back in Inago. Inazuma Eleven Go is a series about Tenma. “Duh, he’s the main character.” You probably said. I want to clarify that I don’t mean that Inazuma Eleven Go is focused around Tenma’s soccer career. The entire trilogy is one whole character arc for Tenma himself.

In Inazuma Eleven Go, Tenma joins his very first soccer club, led by the capable Shindou. I have things to say about the execution of getting this across, but Shindou is clearly what keeps the team together. It was his injury that forced Tenma to assume that massive role.

In Chrono Stone, Tenma is now permanently captain of the team. They go through many, many trials, but something comes up when Tenma gets his miximax: What kind of a captain is he? While he’s learned how to command the others, he lacks the planning skills and deep understanding that Shindou has. In his eyes, Shindou is still the real captain. In the end, he came to the conclusion that he can’t, and won’t be a captain like Shindou. As quoted in Chronicle Mode: “I can’t lead them, but I can run with them!” His amicable personality allows the team to instantly trust him. The lack of his own unique captain skills leaves his team members with only one thing to follow: his ideals. Because the team trusts him and everyone aimed towards the same goal, they could do anything.

Inagalaxy is a direct challenge to the conclusion that Tenma arrived at in Chrono Stone. You can run with your teammates because the entire team trusts each other. How can you do that when they have never seen you before? He was on a level ground with his other peers. This was actually done briefly in the end of Chrono Stone in the El Dorado matches. I could see someone in the board room going "wait this idea has legs."

In Inagalaxy, only the Gryphon trio knows how to play soccer at all. All of the new members don’t see him as an equal. Even when they come around to liking soccer, Tenma is their ideal soccer player. Most damning is the fact that none of them refer to Tenma by his name. Only “Captain”.

This is the worst possible scenario for Tenma to be in. If Inazuma Japan was full of people he knew, this type of conflict wouldn’t have been possible. You can tell that he’s struggling with the responsibilities that wasn’t needed of him in Chrono Stone. He can’t tell everyone to just “play their best” because their best is garbage. Learning how to interact with his new team members and finding what drives them is key the conflict for many of the early episodes.

Most importantly, as captain, his reactions affect the morale of the entire team. He can’t be worried. The captain has to set a precedent. He refused to let anyone see that he was SAD when Tsurugi turned out to be fake. This is completely different from the Tenma who wore his heart on his sleeve all the way back in season 1. You can even see this in the goal voice lines, helpfully compiled in the Inazuma Eleven wiki:

He’s focused on keeping up the morale of the other teammates, not just expressing his joy of scoring a goal.

He’s so engrossed in the role of captain, that he doesn’t know how to be himself. This comes to a head in the final Inagalaxy match, where this causes Matatagi’s fuse to blow. The first thing he says? “Matsukaze Tenma”. Not “Captain”. Matatagi is talking to HIM, as a person.

The pressure forced him to become the ideal leader, because he had no other choice. That force also stifled himself completely. As Tenma said to Matatagi, all parts are considered you. You need all of them to be whole. In return, Tenma is reminded that he’s someone other than a captain. He’s human, he’s selfish. And his specialty is dribbling! In all of inagalaxy, this is the only match where he plays “his” soccer. This is the conclusion of Tenma’s arc. He followed, and then ran together with his team. Now, it was time for him to run forward and say “catch up with me”.

"This is really good.", Dalv immediately spins the fork inside of the noodles again. He savors the spicy flavor.

"It is... a bit too spicy for my taste.", Sen slowly settles the chopsticks down.

"What is this? Are we eating food or dessert?!", Sukuna breaks his in half. The sweet tinge has a hard time pushing down his throat.

"Typical unrefined tastes worthy of a brute like you.", Qwin lets out a barely audible snarl.

"As if you're one to talk. You caveman are taller than me!", Sukuna slams the table.

"Calm down, gang, let's not make a mess. If you don't like it, just grab a drink. Personally I think that it blends flavors masterfully. Look, even my students...", Gojo turns to look over his chair.

Aky jumps out of her seat and rushes off.

"It's... alright.", Nobara forces a smile.

"It's too bitter.", Megumi shakes his head.

"I've eaten worse.", Yuji glances at Sukuna with narrowed eyes.

"No worries, it's a unique dish after all, and not everyone likes unique.", Piffle sits down.

"Ath, clone yourself again and have them cook some steak.", Os says.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.", Ath's voice comes through before nine more Piffle lookalikes appear. "Pour some sake while you're at it.", Piffle signals to some of them.