Aoba Tsukishima

Elementary

* 4-?

Younger Sister

* Momiji Tsukishima

Uncle

* Isamu Asami

Cousin

* Mizuki Asami

Brother in law

* Junpei Azuma

**Aoba Tsukishima** (月島 青葉) is the female protagonist of the *Cross Game* series. She is the third daughter of Seiji and Youko Tsukishima. and is one year younger than Kou and Wakaba. She is an amazing pitcher, but unfortunately, being a girl, she is banned from playing in official games. In Wakaba's dream, Aoba played center fielder at Koshien, despite the fact that she's not allowed to play on a boy's team at Koshien. She also played as center fielder for the prefab during the varsity and prefab rematch game.

## Physical Appearance

Aoba has short, dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She is of average height and athletic. She wears the school uniform when she's at school, and the baseball uniform when practicing with the baseball team. When at home she is usually wearing casual t-shirts and shorts/pants. She is rarely seen in dresses or skirts except when she's wearing her school uniform.

## Personality

Aoba's a tomboy with a somewhat short temper, especially when it comes to Kou. She's an amazing pitcher, with Kou modeling his pitching style after her. She had a big sister complex when it came to her sister, Wakaba and really didn't like Kou taking Wakaba away from her. As the series progresses, she becomes less and less hostile. She attracts the attention of a lot of guys as well, but doesn't seem to be interested in any of them. She is also not a good cook.

## Plot Summary

### *Part One: The Season of Wakaba*

#### Introduction

Aoba is 9 years old and in the fourth grade at Senkawa North Elementary School at the beginning of the series. She is first seen trying to water the flowers outside her family's batting center and café but the nozzle on the hose she is using breaks off, and smacks Kou in the face. She inquires about a new nozzle from Kitamura Sports but Kou says his family doesn't sell nozzles because water spraying isn't a sport. A few days later, Aoba, with her sister Wakaba, meets up with Kou and the trio head off to school together.

After school that day, Aoba walks by Nakanishi and Kou practicing catch. The baseball, pitched by Nakanishi, lands at her free. She throws it back to the two boys, nearly beaning Kou in the head. She then heads over to practice her pitching with her father. That night, Aoba, along with Ichiyou and Wakaba can't find their youngest sister Momiji. Turns out, Momiji was with Kou in the park. Aoba yells at Kou for keeping her sister out too late. The day after Kou and Wakaba turn 11, Aoba is with Wakaba in their room. Wakaba is making a birthday planner to give to Kou since he's not good at giving gifts. Aoba reads the list and gets upset at the engagement ring that Wakaba wants Kou to give her when she turns 20.

#### Doors vs Beavers

Aoba is revealed to be the lone female on an all boys baseball team of fourth graders. During the game between her team, the Beavers and Kou's team, the Doors, Aoba is revealed to be a very talented pitcher, effortless striking out batter after batter. Aoba also repeatedly hits Kou in the back with the baseball, resulting in dead balls and allowing Kou walks. The game remains scoreless for 4 innings, until a bunt by Aoba allows one of her teammates to score and she makes it to first base and the score at the bottom of the 5th is 0-1 Beavers. However, before the Doors can make a comeback, the game is interrupted by rain and had to end early. Later in the batting cages, Wakaba tells Aoba that Kou was upset he lost to her. Aoba says that a guy who never played catch before has not chance of beating her. Wakaba warns Aoba not to underestimate Kou. Wakaba even tells Aoba that Kou might be able to one day pitch a 169km fastball and asks that Wakaba not take Kou away from her if he does, the request leaves Aoba speechless.

#### Fireworks show

Aoba is over at Kou's house watching a baseball game on tv while Kensaku fixes her baseball glove. While she is watching the game, Kou comes in and turns the tv off right before an important play and asks Aoba why she is at his house. Wakaba brings some fireworks over and Aoba ask her if she is taking all of them to camp. Wakaba says she isn't, she is taking some to camp and the rest are for them to enjoy that night. Aoba leaves the Kitamura house and heads home. Later that night, she enjoys the fireworks show with her family and Kou and then tries to discourage Wakaba from walking Kou home afterwards but to no avail.

#### Wakaba's death

Aoba is seen shortly after it was revealed that Wakaba had died. She is standing solemnly with Ichiyou, Momiji and Seiji at Wakaba's funeral. Later, she is in the batting cages, trying not to show how upset she really is, by hitting baseballs and gripping the bat so hard her hands start bleeding. She is trying not to cry, however in the end, her attempts to hold in her emotions fail as tears start running down her face.

### *Part Two: The Season of Aoba*

#### Second year at Seishu Academy Middle School

Aoba is 14 years old and in her second year at Seishu Academy Middle School when part two starts. Aoba is a member of the school's baseball team alongside Osamu Akaishi. She's on the team as a practice pitcher.

#### Satomi vs Ouka University

She becomes the captain of the team in her third year of middle school after Osamu graduates. At some point, Keiichirou Senda's cousin Midori Koganezawa challenges Aoba to pitch to her, which Aoba repeatedly declines and then finally gives in after repeated requests. After showing Midori her skills, she is invited to join the Satomi Girls High School baseball team to play in their game against Ouka University. Aoba accepts but after the game, declines Midori's invitation to enroll in Satomi, instead opting to attend Seishu Academy High School, despite Seishu not having a girl's baseball team. Her cousin Mizuki Asami comes to live with her family and admits to her that his feelings for her are anything but familial, resulting in a somewhat strange rivalry between Kou and Mizuki although the former never outright stated he likes Aoba. Aoba joins the baseball team at Seishu when she graduates middle school. Yuuhei Azuma, the first baseman on the Seishu baseball team, develops feelings for her but she doesn't reciprocate. Aoba, like Kou and Osamu are shocked when Akane Takigawa first shows up, since Akane looks like Wakaba who had passed away six years prior. Aoba and Akane quickly bond with Akane seeing Aoba as a younger sister. Aoba gets a chance to try out for the woman's national baseball team but her leg gets broken and she has to pass on the audition. Yuuhei, who is responsible for Aoba's broken leg, is distraught and stops hitting hard but after Aoba's leg heals, he goes back to hitting at his full power.

## Quotes

* (to Kou) *"It's not because I believe in your skills. I just want to believe what Waka-chan and Senpai Akaishi says: 'To be the best in the nation.'"*
* (to Megumi, before pitching to her) *"I am worried...about your face."*

## Trivia

### Etymology

* **Aoba**: "blue; green" (青 - **ao**) and "leaf" (葉 - **ba**)
* **Tsukishima**: "moon" (月 - **tsuki**) and "island" (島 - **shima**)

### Other trivia

* Wakaba and Kou are the only two people in the world who could make her cry
* As a younger child, Aoba had a habit of crawling into Wakaba's bed in the middle of the night
* Aoba's blood type is B
* Aoba likes guys who pitch a 160kmph (99.4mph) fastball
* Aoba, like Kou is a power pitcher, unfortunately though, due to being the only girl on a team full of boys, her full powered pitches are rarely seen since she's just a practice member of the team and if she pitched at her full speed, it would no longer be practice
* Aoba is 1 of 7 characters in the series to have her name in a chapter. In this case it's chapter 16, chapter 21 and chapter 104
	+ She is also the only character in the series to have multiple chapters with her name (first or last) in it as chapter 104's title is referring to her

## References

1. ↑ *Cross Game* manga: Chapter 46 (pg. 10)
2. ↑ *Cross Game* anime: Episode 4
3. ↑ *Cross Game* anime: Episode 7
4. ↑ *Cross Game* anime: Episode 36
5. ↑ *Cross Game* manga: Chapter 159 (Pg. 17)
6. ↑ *Cross Game* manga: Chapter 95 (pg. 12)
7. ↑ *Cross Game* manga: Chapter 5 (pg. 7)