Mitsui Hisashi & Tezuka Kunimitsu

I have started watching Slam Dunk's anime for the 3rd or 4th time but this round, I got the original version in Japanese track. The previous times, I watched it on Chinese-dubbed VCDs so hearing it in the original version is very exciting in the sense that I finally get to hear Mitsui's voice (well, Okiayu Ryutaro-san's voice) and can reconcile the fact that my favourite characters Mitsui and Tezuka in Tenipuri are played by the same seiyuu. OK, it may not be something to rave about but I liked Mitsui even before discovering that this role shared the same seiyuu as Tezuka. What a strange coincidence!

Besides that, I noticed some similarities between Mitsui and Tezuka even though Slam Dunk and Tenipuri are works that are made almost 10 years apart.

1) Both are aces on the team
Mitsui is the three-point sharp shooter ace on Shohoku while Tezuka is the unbeaten captain of Seigaku (OK, he got beaten by Fuji when they were in Year 1 but the next episode should offer an explanation why it happened).

2) Both were sidelined because of injury
This is really an uncanny coincidence. Mitsui got injured in the knee because of a bad fall during a practice match while Tezuka got hammered in his elbow by a jealous senior using the tennis racket and resulted in his shoulder having problems. Okiayu-san seems to be so "lucky" to land two roles who are injured during the series. Kizudarake no otoko tachi desu ne! ^__^

3) Both have a strong desire for victory
Mitsui gets stronger when he is cornered by the possibility of defeat especially shown during the Shohoku-Shoyo match. He was already tired out but still used his willpower, skills and experience to overcome the physical disadvantages. Likewise for Tezuka, although he was having problems with his shoulder, he refused to give up and went head on with Atobe because he wanted Seigaku to win. Shouri ni shucchaku suru otoko wa kakkoii desu ne!

4) Both are relatively "quiet" and has a cool character
Mitsui underwent a change to become a gangster chief after the injury and quit basketball for 2 years. Because of this period of darkness, self-denial and running away from basketball, Mitsui seems very much grown up and mature and keeps to himself. Likewise for Tezuka, in order to maintain the image and commanding presence as the bucchou, he speaks very little and is a very mature guy as compared to peers like Eiji. And this means less lines for the characters so it makes me quite upset wanting to hear them speak...

Besides similarities between Mitsui and Tezuka, I seem to find some common traits in the animes as a whole and among other characters. Will go into that after I organize my thoughts...