Yuta Asuka

* Tennis
* School
* Casual
* Original

**Yūta Asuka** is the manager of the boys’ soft tennis club. They are the younger sibling of Hikari and Izumi Asuka.

## Appearance

Yuu has short scruffy pewter/ash brown hair that is mostly parted to the right and coffee-colored eyes.

## Personality

Yuu is a kind and gentle person. They always treat others kindly and support them in any means possible. Even when they’re getting bullied, they choose not to fight against them and simply endure the bullying.

In terms of observation, Yuu is extremely proficient in it. They could provide detailed information about their opponents’ playstyle despite not being a soft tennis player. This information is highly valuable as it helps the Boys’ soft tennis club to improve their skills and exploit the opponents’ weakness.

Yuu is an individual of pure demeanor as they’re seen as a pacifist. This can be seen when Mitsue throws mean and sarcastic comments to the team, they instantly dismiss the idea and tell her that it isn’t true.

Yuu is an introverted person. They’re quite reserved and lack initiative. In addition, they’re also shy and find it difficult to express their feelings and ideas with others. When dealing with stress, they often try to keep it to themselves and avoid dragging others with their problems.

## Plot

### Childhood

Yuu is the youngest child in the Asuka family. As the only son in the family, their mother often gets very strict in raising Yuu and puts high expectations towards them.

### Shijo Minami Middle School

Yuu starts to become uncomfortable with themselves and have feelings towards their classmate, Toma Shinjo. They initially neglect this feeling of uneasiness, but it soon became really hard to do so. One day, they look up for some information in the school library and noticed that they probably identify as non-binary, a term used to those who associate themselves neither as a male nor female. This information sheds some light to their feelings and uneasiness, but at the same time it makes them more anxious because it’s not socially acceptable.

During the second year, Maki Katsuragi enters their class as a new transfer student. Seeing Maki’s good reflexes in catching a stray cat, Yuu recommends Toma to recruit him and join the boys’ soft tennis club. When Toma’s proposal failed, Yuu starts gathering information about Maki’s background and his daily activities. They brief Toma about Maki’s hesitancy from joining club activities due to his family and financial issues. Using Yuu’s approach, Toma is finally able to persuade Maki into joining the Boys’ Soft Tennis Club.

The next day, Yuu is bullied by his classmates at the school stairway. They didn’t fight back at the bullies and simply endure it. Moments later, Toma steps in and Yuu runs straight towards him. Due to Toma’s infamous reputation, the bullies fled from the scene. Later on, during the club session, Toma introduces Maki to the team and they do a 20-lap run with the rest of the team. Yuu sits at the stairway by the field and observes the Boys’ Soft Tennis Club running.

In the next morning, during science class, Yuu quietly observes and follows Toma. Suddenly, Maki confronts them and discovers that they have a crush on Toma. Maki states that it’s fine to like whoever you want, and asks them to be the club manager since Toma is disastrous in managing the club activities.

During the next club practice session, Maki introduces Yuu as the new manager responsible for handling the club schedule and taking care of the club equipment. The club members gladly approve Yuu and since then, they start attending the club session and learn more about soft tennis from Toma. For the next club activity session, Toma proposes a practice match against all the pairs in order to accustom Maki to the rules of soft tennis. The match is heavily one sided as all the other pairs lose to the Maki – Toma pair, causing Toma to leave the club furiously.

Several days later, Maki and Yuu meet Rintaro Futsu at the library to discuss about the pair selection process among club members. Rintaro tells them that each member decides the pair on their own and the club advisor was okay with it. Maki then tells Rintaro that the current pairs are not made with tennis in mind, but rather it’s a pair of leaders and lackeys. After the meeting, Maki and Yuu experiment to improve the pairs combination based on each of the member's playstyle written in Yuu’s notebook. When Toma finally returns to the club and apologizes for his selfish behavior, Maki hands over the new pair formation to the club and they test it out with a 15-point match. Consequently, the new pair combination works well and motivates the boys to practice soft tennis harder.

The following days, words about the boys’ effort reach their club advisor, Sakurai-sensei. During a practice session, he makes a sudden appearance and informs the club that he had arranged a practice match against Misaki Academy, one of the top schools in the national soft tennis championship. Maki asks Yuu to scout Misaki Academy and gather data about their pair combination and playstyle. This information proves to be helpful during the practice match as each pair manages to figure out their opponents’ strategy and win at least a set against them.

Following the practice match, the club members are highly motivated to improve their skills. However, Maki doesn’t agree with them implying that they need to take a break. Sakurai-sensei arrives at the court and tells them that they should not overdo practice, but instead he arranged a barbeque party for the team. Yuu and Mitsue join the party and have fun along with the rest of the team.

However, their happiness doesn’t last long as Sakurai-sensei informs that the club activity is temporarily suspended due to a complaint from Nao’s mother. At the same time, Sakurai-sensei also mentions that bracket for team tournament have been announced. The club will face Hatanouka Middle School as their first opponent in the tournament. At Rokugo Watergate, Yuu along with Maki, Toma, and Mitsue discuss about Joy Kusakabe and a plan to gather information about Hatanouka Middle School soft tennis team. Yuu thinks of an idea and later borrows some dresses from their sisters. The next day, the boys gather in a library to discuss a plan to scout Hatanouka soft tennis team during their practice. Yuu proposes that they would cross-dress as girls and sneak in a video camera to analyze Joy’s playstyle. One issue persists as someone from the club members need to accompany them because they’re unable to provide detailed explanation about the playstyle. The team decides that Maki will accompany Yuu to carry out the plan.

Maki and Yuu change their clothes and do makeups at Maki’s room. During that time, Yuu tells Maki that they are non-binary. Maki tells them that one of his mother’s friends (Shou Fujita) is a transgender male and he could relate with their insecurity. After finishing the preparation, they join the rest of the club members at the station and get praised for the amazing disguise. At the Hatanouka tennis court, they managed to sneak in a video camera and record Joy’s playstyle.

The next day when analyzing Joy’s playstyle, the club members want to do another practice match against the girls as the summer tournament draws near. During break time, Itsuki pleads to his sister for a practice match and at the same time, Sakurai-sensei also pleads to Murou-sensei. Their effort pays off as Yuu received a confirmation for a practice match by the end of the week. Later that day, Yuu is about to return the clothes borrowed from their sister. However, they get caught by their mother and she gets angry because they’re the only boy in the family and should never dress up as a girl.

In the epilogue set 2 years later, Yuu was seen accompanying Mitsue and Arashi to meet Maki at Rokugo Watergate.

## Abilities

As the manager of Shijo Minami Boys’ Soft Tennis Club, Yuu excels in keeping track of the club training and match schedule. In addition, they also prepare the drinks and equipment during the club sessions. Thanks to their observation skill, the club manages to get valuable information about their opponents and adjust the playstyle accordingly.

Yuu is also proficient in doing makeup. They acquired this skill from their sisters and found it useful when scouting Hatanouka Middle School. The team praises them for the flawless makeup they and Maki use when crossdressing as girls.

## Relationships

### Toma Shinjo

Before Maki Katsuragi enrolled in their school, Toma, who has known Yuu since elementary school, was one of their few friends (if not their only friend). Toma has always protected Yuu from bullies, as he knows that their kind demeanor and low physical strength make them an easy target. This leads to Yuu gradually developing a crush on Toma, unbeknownst to him. Yuu is always ready to act as Toma's confidant or to give him emotional support. There were also times when Toma was depressed and isolated himself, Yuu often accompanied him and helped him solve his problem. This is why Toma often tells Yuu and not the others, about his problems.

### Maki Katsuragi

Yuu was the only person who watched the Boys' Soft Tennis Club's matches around the time that Maki enrolled in Shinjo Minami Middle School. Maki soon noticed that Yuu had a crush on Toma, as well as a personality that made them ideal to become the club's manager, so he asked Yuu to fill that position. After that, Yuu, Toma, Maki and Mitsue started walking home together, gradually becoming close friends. By Episode 8, Yuu had become very close to Maki, to the point that they come out to him as nonbinary, something they had never done to anyone other than their sisters. Maki told Yuuta that he himself is also unsure about who he wants to be, and that they’re not alone, which leads him to talk about Shou (Maki’s mom’s friend), who’s a trans man, and explain to Yuuta that having these feelings and doubts are okay. Maki also calls Yuuta by “Yuu”, a nickname that Maki created during that conversation.

### Izumi Asuka and Hikari Asuka

Yuu has a close relationship with their sisters. Both of them are very understanding toward Yuu and accept their gender nonconformance. When Yuu asks to borrow some clothes, they would gladly lend it to them.

### Kanako Mitsue

Yuu and Mitsue are close friends who are almost always seen together. Around the time when Maki enrolled in their school, the two of them were the only people that watched the Boys' Soft Tennis Club's practice sessions, due to their friendships with Toma and Maki, respectively. After Yuu became the club's manager, the four of them began going home together, which made them even closer. During matches, it was Yuu who explained to Kanako the rules of soft tennis. In Episode 11, Mitsue hugged Yuu to celebrate Maki and Toma's victory over Joy Kusakabe' pair, showing how intense their friendship had become.

### Yuu's Mother

Yuu’s mother set high expectations toward them as the only son in the family. However, when she discovered Yuu’s attraction to female clothing, she became angry and reminded them that they’re a boy.

### Boys’ Soft Tennis Club

Yuu's friendship with the other members of their club isn't as strong as the one they have with Toma, Mitsue and Maki, but they all are at least on very good terms with one another.

## Quotes

* A loss you can learn and grow from isn't simply a loss. - **Episode 6**
* Yuu: Good luck, Shinjo-kun.

Mitsue: Praying isn't going to change anything.

Yuu: But you know how hard they've practiced. I'd feel so bad if they lost.

Mitsue: In this world, those who work hard are rarely rewarded. - **Episode 7**

* If I had to say, I think I'm non-binary. But it doesn't feel right to be categorized like that. - **Episode 8**
* Still, the world always wants a decision one way or another. Being unsure makes issues. But what do I really want? What do I want to become? **Episode 8**

## Trivia

* Yuu’s favorite subject is Mathematics
* Yuu’s blood type is A
* Yuu is very similar in appearence to their clubmate Taiyo Ishigami. Their hair colors are slightly different, and Taiyo has freckles on his face.

**Etymology**

* The name **Yūta** means permeance, distant, leisure (悠)**(yū)** and sieving, filtering, luxury (汰)**(ta)**
* Yuu’s surname **Asuka** means flying bird (飛鳥) **(asuka)**