Tadashi Yamaguchi

Tadashi Yamaguchi "Motivation? What do you need more than pride?!" Gender: Male Type: Kind-Hearted Volleyball Player Age: 15-16 years old Portrayed by: Soma Saito (Japanese) Cameron Bautsch (English) Media of origin: Haikyuu

Tadashi Yamaguchi (山口 忠, Yamaguchi Tadashi) is one of the supporting protagonists in Haikyuu!! He is also one of the four first-years of Karasuno High who is the pinch server and the middle blocker for the boys' volleyball team. Prior to his interest in playing sports, he was bullied by a group of boys during elementary school for his freckles and scrawny appearance until he was saved by Kei Tsukishima. The other day, the latter noticed that Yamaguchi wanted to join the volleyball club, considering that it is more of a safer choice than soccer and basketball. Since then, Yamaguchi becomes attached to his best friend, Tsukishima, and later ends up having the same class as him at Karasuno High.

Why He Should Be A Regular Player on the Court

1. Out of all of the first years of Karasuno High, he is the most likable and sweetest player with a calm and kind nature who wanted to improve his volleyball skills as a pinch server, as well as not wanting the only first-year to sit on the bench.
2. As Tsukishima's best friend and only follower, he is greatly loyal and protective to him.
3. He tends to shout words of encouragement for his teammates during volleyball matches, not just for Tsukishima.
4. He has great character developments:
   • He learned how to pinch serve from his mentor, Makoto Shimada, an alumni and former volleyball player of Karasuno High.
   • During the Tokyo Training Camp arc, Yamaguchi's relationship with Tsukishima was torn apart at some point when the former yelled at him for his ways of thinking and refusal of putting his efforts in volleyball until it was recovered after he called Yamaguchi "cool" for the first time.
   • He was initially a coward who failed to perform his first jump serve during the match against Aoba Johsai until he gained successful development of his pinch serves and confidence from Shimada and the rest of the teammates as of Season 2.
5. After being bullied by a group of boys during elementary school, he made a purpose of joining a sports club (volleyball, in particular): to grow stronger. Joining the volleyball club led to being best friends with Tsukishima, who also has an interest in playing volleyball.
6. Unlike Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama, he is one of the three smartest first-years (counting the new manager Hitoka Yachi from Class 5) in terms of academics. He and Tsukishima are from Class 4, which is a college-preparatory type along with Class 5.
7. Like his third-year senpai, Koshi Sugawara, he knows how to prevent anyone (mostly Hinata) from being in trouble.
8. His interactions with Yachi are funny and cute.
9. Speaking of cute, his smile, blushed cheeks, and freckles are very adorable to look at, especially the way he was hugging his pillow and drooling in his sleep.
10. He is one of the best examples of "The Friendly Loved Boy" type.
11. "Sorry, Tsukki."
12. Soma Saito (9'α from DARLING in the FRANXX and Tatsumi from Akame ga Kill!) did a great job voicing him.

Bad Qualities

1. Despite his generally kind nature, he occasionally teases others (including Hinata and Kageyama at some point) with Tsukishima (whose personality is the opposite of the former's).
2. In earlier scenes prior to the second match between Karasuno and Aoba Johsai in the Spring High Preliminary, he can be the "Butt-Monkey" type.
3. Like Hinata, he is bad at English.
4. As a pinch server and substitute player like Sugawara and Kinoshita, he does not often perform his middle blocking (his default volleyball position) abilities in most matches.

Trivia

• His first name means "loyalty" and "devotion" (忠), which best describes his personality regarding his relationship with Tsukishima.
• He likes to eat soft, floppy French fries.
• His Zodiac sign is a Scorpio.
• He shares the same birthday as Date Tech's captain, Kenji Futakuchi (November 10).
  • He also shares the same birthday as Hachiko, a famous Japanese dog whose loyal personality is similar to Yamaguchi's.
• His jersey shirt number is #12.
  • Soma Saito also voices Twelve, one of the main characters from Terror of Resonance.

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