Yoko Esui

Yoko Esui is a main character in Mai Ball. She attends Kijiyama North High School and plays as the defensive midfielder for the girls' football team.

## Background

Yoko played football for Hamami middle school and came up against Mitsu while playing at this level. Although Mitsu has always considered her to be an idiot, she admires her passing technique. Given her past experience in the position, Kunimitsu picks her as the team's defensive midfielder. She is an only child.

## Appearance

Yoko has fuchsia-coloured hair that goes beyond her shoulders and green eyes. Amane Tatamaru later describes her hair as looking like a duck.

## Personality

She has a very happy-go-lucky attitude to life, however can get serious when in a severe enough situation. Yoko is always willing to joke around with or tease Mitsu. She is obsessed with video games and spends a lot of time in the local arcades. Yoko gives her football moves over-the-top names to show off and make them seem cooler than they are.

## Chronology

Yoko is in Class 1-A alongside Mitsu, Reika, Yuika and Kiiro. Despite her stamina problems, Yoko is picked out as Kijikita's defensive midfielder to play just behind Mitsu on the field. As two of the most experienced players in the team, they are expected to be a strong anchor for the rest of the team to rely on. Unfortunately, given Yoko's easy personality and Mitsu's fiery temper, they often end up clashing instead.

With Reika threatening that any player who fails an exam will be kicked out of the team, Yoko immediately asks Reika for assistance while studying. Luckily, she gets 42 points in her Japanese exam, just about passing. Mitsu had offered to help her study too, however she ended up playing video games instead.

*Main Article:* Kijikita vs. Franklin

Yoko's ability to annoy Mitsu backfires during Kijikita's game against Franklin, after she calls Mitsu's smile “creepy.” Mitsu responds by kicking her, earning her a yellow card only a few seconds into the game, meaning that she must take extra care for the rest of the game. With Kijikita 1-0 down by half time, the girls decide to switch positions to confuse Franklin's players. Yoko then plays the second half at right back, however her lack of energy ends up making Mai and Kiiro, who had filled in at centre back, work even harder. Despite being exhausted, Yoko just about manages to finish the game and Kijikita progress as 2-1 winners.

*Main Article:* Kijikita vs. Kijinan II

Kijikita end the first half 3-0 down thanks to a Shuna Sorimachi hat-trick, warranting a change in tactic for the second half. The Kijikita forwards are moved back to man-mark Kijinan's attackers, leaving the centre of the field open for Yoko and Chidori Kakiha. Kijikita manage to pull it back to 3-2 with only a few minutes remaining, and they are constantly attacking in search of the equaliser. Yoko makes a small contribution to the movement that leads to this goal, chipping the ball upfield for Mitsu, however the demands of the game catch up with Yoko as she releases the ball, and she collapses to the ground in exhaustion. Although Kijikita manage to equalise, Mia manages to beat Mai to a late high ball, firing home with the last kick of the game to win the tournament for Kijinan. Yoko is later seen knelt on the ground after the game, completely drained of energy.

After the one-year time skip in the final chapter, Yoko takes part in Kijikita's win against Franklin. In the Miyano bathhouse post-game, Reika realises she has been sunburned and worries that Kunimitsu would not like girls with tanlines. Mitsu, being heavily tanned, naturally argues in favour of tanlines until Yoko says that she has a weird patch on her butt. Completely unamused at her lie, Mitsu proceeds to whip Yoko with a towel. After their bath, Yoko drags Mitsu off to the local arcade. After their bath, Yoko, Mitsu and Saki visit the new dumpling place in town before going to the arcade. Kijikita are shown to have reached the final again this year, once again facing Kijinan in the final. Yoko starts for one more showdown with the old enemy.

## Trivia

* In line with her image team, Mexico, Yoko plays with the Adidas Azteca football, which was used at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
* Yoko has used many of her “special moves” throughout the series so far, which are named: “The Lance of Justice,” “Black Chain,” “Line Breaker” “Flying Ripper,” “Yoko Through,” “The Final Graviton,” “The-We-Will-Keep-Our-Coach-Kick,” “Graviton Light,” "Flying Destroyer Charge" and “Green Requiem.” While some of these moves may sound quite cool or create an image of an incredible piece of skill, they are more often than not pretty ordinary.
* She always sings anime songs at karaoke.

## Relationships

Mitsu Kurodate: Although Mitsu considers Yoko to be an idiot and they often insult each other, they are best friends. They hang out frequently on the weekends. She and Mitsu also play video games against each other, and despite Yoko playing much more often that Mitsu, they are quite evenly matched. She knows what buttons to press to get Mitsu wound up.