4) Contrasting Nanjiroh with Hikaru's dad, or even Hikaru's mum is interesting. He's there, he spends time with Ryoma, he understands his problems, even when he doesn't do much about them. It's as though he wants to be a good dad while maintaining his macho credibility or something equally inane. I think that's how I try and write him, anyway.

6) I vote for stupidly focussed on tennis

7) Tezuka works a lot better as a samurai than as a tennis player, sometimes. It really is the sort of play that makes you believe that the entire junior high circuit is after him. The Atobe-Tezuka match seems to get more incredible each time I watch it.

8) He's grown on me. I think I'm agreeing.