Atobe Keigo
Profile
Atobe Keigo is, to put it succintly, a diva. He lives and thrives in the spotlight. He commands attention from the moment he first appears, and rightfully so. The captain of the 200 strong Hyoutei tennis team, Keigo is a charismatic leader, extremely confident to the point of arrogance, telling those who view to be awed by his prowess. Yes, he is full of himself. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, as Keigo demonstrates over and over that he has the skills and talent to back up his claims. He is the only player we encounter in the series who remains undefeated. Even Ryoma and Tezuka cannot claim that.
Keigo is flamboyant and intelligent, and loved by his school. He is an idol to Hyoutei Gakuen, not only their tennis captain, but president of the student class, their beloved "Atobe-sama." Keigo is also filthy rich, and is not afraid to show it. However, instead of letting this all go to his head, well, beyond the diva attitude, Keigo can be very grounded, and is an excellent captain to his team. He has strong ties with his teammates and friends, showing open fondness for Jiroh, playful teasing with Oshitari and Gakuto, and gambles on Shishido, breaking a long standing rule to do so. Keigo may come across as ruthless and hard to his teammates, but I think that what he does is for the best and what his team needs. Everything he does is finely orchestrated to produce the best response from people. It is also a telling sign of closeness and comfort within the Hyoutei regulars that Keigo is generally referred to as "Atobe," with no added on -buchou or other sign of honorific. Keigo may be a god to the rest of the school, but he's just Atobe to them, and he shows no signs of being offended by it. Keigo can joke and tease and interact with his team like a human and still command their respect when needed. Keigo does not have a vice captain. He does not need one.
Keigo loves the finer things in life, from good food and music to horseback riding and literature. He speaks several languages, including Greek, German, and English. Keigo's playing style is an All Rounder, and he is just as well rounded off the court as on. Everything Keigo does, he excels at.
First appearance
Manga: Keigo's first appearance in the manga is in Genius 45, What's Going On? Momo and Kamio end up at the street tennis courts, Keigo and Kabaji are there beating everyone rather easily and Keigo is trying to get Ann to go on a date with Kabaji. Keigo is very giving like that. Ann apparently objects to this, I have no idea why, Kabaji is a sweet boy. Anyways, Momo and Kamio are provoked into playing a doubles match with Keigo and Kabaji. Keigo shows his extreme confidence in their abilities by sitting down, and letting Kabaji play the two second years on his own. Kabaji easily handles it, and is trouncing Momo and Kamio when Momo manages to barely return a high speed shot from Kabaji. This impresses Keigo who calls the match over and walks off with Kabaji, asking for Momo's name and completely dissing Kamio.
Anime: Keigo's first anime appearance is episode 22, Kaidoh's Misfortune. His entrance in the ep plays out just as it did in the manga, with him and Kabaji playing Momo and Kamio in doubles, along with all the snark.
