Yuuta Usui

**Yuuta Usui** (臼井 雄太, *Usui Yūta*) is a 3rd year student at Seiseki High School and the vice-captain of its football club. He wears jersey #3.

## Appearance

Usui has short blue-grey hair and brown eyes.

## Personality

As observed by his teammates, Usui is a very caring, mature, and detailed person and player. He is typically the calming influence of Seiseki, who depend on his stable presence both on and off the field. This presence often leads the team intellectually as a counterpart of Mizuki's emotional leadership, and he often is able to put Mizuki's confusing sentiments into words. As such, he is highly respected by his opponents and teammates alike, and often mentors younger players (even being nicknamed Sergeant for his difficult practices).

However, despite his outwards appearances, Usui isn't necessarily a confident and self-assured leader. For instance, despite the coach easily naming Usui as captain, he immediately deferred his captaincy to Mizuki. He argued Mizuki would be a much better leader for the team, but in reality, he also was scared of the pressure and responsibility being captain carried. Similarly, when Mizuki began rapidly improving, Usui was extremely jealous and spiteful, hoping Mizuki would get injured. Usui never particularly cared for his teammates until he assumed vice-captain responsibilities and saw how the team relied on him. Usui is typically noted for his calmness on the field, but was shaken easily when he was beaten. His self-confidence began to crumble, which he later pieced together after his teammates' relentless support and trust.

Usui doesn't care much for personal prestige or titles, having no interest in being considered a top player despite having more than the necessary skills for it. He had not prepared to speak to scouts, though they had demonstrated great interest in him. He cares more for Seiseki's future and only is focused on the team's victories.

## Skills

### Intellect and game sense

Like Haibara, he has high football IQ, and acts like an assistant coach of sorts. In the Seikan game, he pushed the line up in the last second to draw offsides.

### Defensive reflexes

In a game against Keiougawara High School, he single-handedly foiled the attack in the second half by blocking all shot attempts in the first 2 minutes.

### Forward plays

Yuuta does not bomb forward often, but he can do so when Seiseki goes on the counterattack. However, he can overexert himself, as seen when he collapsed late in the game against Keiougawara High School and conceded a late goal.

## Relationships

### Hisahito Mizuki

Usui and Mizuki serve as vice-captain and captain for Seiseki, and the two complement each other through their vast differences both on and off the field. Usui leads the team's defense, while Mizuki leads the team's offense (The two have been compared to Seiseki's blue shield and red spear). Usui often translates for Mizuki when the team doesn't understand his confusing sentiments and speaking style, demonstrating their closeness. Despite previously harboring jealous and bitter feelings towards Mizuki, Usui is shown to care greatly for the captain: He prepares toothbrushes and sleeping kits for Mizuki to sleep the bus so he won't be late, claims that Mizuki is the reason he never got tired of playing soccer, and helps him with his poor academics outside of soccer. When asked why he never cared about being in "The Big Three," Usui explains that the day he saw Mizuki crying after the team's elimination in previous years gave him resolve to defend for Seiseki no matter what, claiming he'd give away every crown in order to do so. He acknowledges the burden he placed on Mizuki by naming him captain, but truly believes no one can handle the responsibility and deliver on it like Mizuki can. Usui also confides in Mizuki about his struggle to pick a future career, with Mizuki's professional team being one of the options.

### Tetsuya Nitobe

Nitobe is the only first year on Seiseki who plays defense, so Usui takes a mentorship role for him. Nitobe eventually becomes a regular on the team, and is often noted for his excellent pairings with Usui, as their play styles complement each other. The two respect each others' efforts and abilities, as Nitobe is thankful Usui was there to teach him and Usui constantly tells opponents to not underestimate his underclassman.

### Katsutoshi Nakazawa

Usui and Coach Nakazawa share an extremely close relationship – One that Ubukata struggles to define as anything except complete faith in each other. Ubukata compares them even to father and son, noting how Usui works closely with Nakazawa as the brains of Seiseki's operations. Nakazawa was immediately prepared to name Usui captain and actually struggled to come up with a vice-captain until Usui asked him to make him vice-captain. The two are often seen discussing plays and Usui's future, and clearly care about each other. When Usui is repeatedly shut down against Touin, Nakazawa refuses to substitute him out and instead sticks with him in the end, believing Usui is skilled and mentally strong enough to overcome his challenge.

### Tsukushi Tsukamoto

As Usui cares greatly and pays close attention to every member of Seiseki, Tsukamoto is no exception. However, Usui gives Tsukamoto extra both emotional and physical support, helping him lessen the burden he placed on himself and teaching him how to play defense. Usui's teachings would eventually help Tsukamoto develop unexpected weapons against opponents.

## Trivia

* Specialty: Solving jigsaw puzzles
* Likes: Giant tortoises, melon buns
* Dislikes: Afternoons with strong winds
* Favourite quote: "There are no cowardly soldiers under a superior general".
* Girlfriend: Not now.
* Usui has offers from 3 professional clubs : Sapporo (where Indou is), Kashima (where Mizuki is) and Nagoya from Aichi.