 Tetora Nagumo |
|---|
| |
Tetora is an idol who works hard to become the most masculine man. Striving for strength in both body and mind, he is honest and willing to spare all his efforts, but he is not good at thinking. With a strong and powerful singing voice, his performances are energetic too.
Tetora is the RYUSEI Black, a member of RYUSEITAI at STARMAKER PRODUCTION. To find the path to his ideal real self and become a strong man, he is looking to create an environment where RYUSEITAI can demonstrate its individuality to its greatest potential. When it comes to his personal work, he would like to do work that involves martial arts.[2]
O~ssu! I'm Tetora Nagumo from RYUSEITAI at STARMAKER PRODUCTION! In order to become the ideal man, I work hard and take on challenges every day! And as a member of RYUSEITAI, I always want to be someone I can be proud of. That goes for the fans who support me and my friends too. I'm gonna ride this momentum and keep moving on~♪ And I want you to come along with me![2]
ChiakiNo matter what troubles Nagumo faces, he has the strength to find his own path and move forward. I can't even keep track of how many times that strength has helped me. I feel like he'd been getting more fit recently... I'd expect nothing less from a man among men! Sagami-sensei even told me that lots of juniors at Yumenosaki who admire Nagumo have been asking to be his apprentice. To me, Nagumo is a reliable junior, but above all else, a cute junior too![2]
Appearance
Tetora is of average height with an athletic build. His hair is black and spiky with red streaks on the bangs and side of his head. His eyes are a bright amber.
During ES!! year 1, Tetora wore a short-sleeved black and orange hoodie with orange straps, and a ring at the front of the hoodie with a string. Underneath was a white long-sleeved shirt with shorter sleeves ending at his forearms. Paired with this he wore gray sweatpants with white strings. Additionally, he had a black watch, with a purple screen, on his left wrist.
During the winter, Tetora wore a black button-up down jacket with thick gray stripes on top of a white shirt. Paired with this he wore black pants with thin red side stripes, and a large gray stripe on the left pantleg. Yellow and green designs followed the large gray stripes on his jacket, as well as a large yellow flap in the middle with snap buttons. In the corner of the middle flap was a green rectangle, and two yellow drawstrings hang from the bottom. There were two pockets on his jacket around the button flap with black zippers and a round pull tab. The hood of the jacket had a sideways T-shaped design in gray, with the insides of the hood yellow. The logo of the jacket could be seen on Tetora's sleeve. The bottom half of Tetora's jacket had folds, with two gray bands on the innermost folds. His jacket sleeves were thick, and puffed at the end with gray velcro straps.
Tetora wears the school's uniform with an untucked white shirt, and unbuttoned blazer, and rolled up sleeves. He wears brown sneakers with dull yellow laces. During ES!! Year 1 he wore the blue tie of a 2nd year student, and is currently as of ES!! year 2 wearing the green tie of a 3rd year student.
He wears the black color version of RYUSEITAI's uniform on stage. It includes a black and white leather jacket with gray accents and gold trimming and detailing. The jacket is longer on the back than it is in the front, and the inside is designed with a sparkly purple fabric, reminiscent of a galaxy. He wears a black shirt underneath and a gold necklace with a black star as well as white form-fitting pants with a sparkly purple stripe down the outer sides. This is accessorized with a gray and white striped belt with a gold and black star-shaped buckle. The belt has golden strings dangling from it and a sparkly black and white wrap tied to it. He also wears tall black boots with white accents and gold detailing, along with a pair of black fingerless gloves.
Tetora is a slightly shorter than average boy with a regular build. His hair is black and spiky with red streaks on the bangs and side of his head. His eyes are a bright amber. Tetora wears the school's uniform with an untucked white shirt, unbuttoned blazer, as well as a red tie. He wears brown sneakers with dull yellow laces.
On stage, he wears the black color version of RYUSEITAI's uniform. It includes a black leather jacket with white accents and a black shirt underneath. He also wears black form-fitting pants with a gray stripe down the middle, accessorized with a star on a belt that has red and yellow strings dangling from it and wrap around the waist. He also wears tall white boots with black accents, as well as a pair of black fingerless gloves.
Personality
Tetora is an earnest, hard-working guy. His ultimate goal is to become a "man among men," which ends up being much less clear-cut as Tetora's journey of self-discovery continues. His idea of what a "manly man" is often influenced and shaped by his idolization of Kuro. The traits Tetora tends to point out as being manly often include physical strength,[3] cool-headedness, determination,[4] as well as honesty and ability to care for others. He notably values certain skills that are traditionally associated with femininity, such as cooking[4] and sewing.[5]
Tetora's desperation to become a man among men often manifests as impatience, due to his dissatisfaction with his current self. He considers himself "girlish,"[6] and is constantly deferring to people who can act as role models for him. While his main role model is Kuro, he also looks up to Chiaki and even Arashi[7] as examples he can follow.
Tetora has strong internal conviction, and his determination to change himself is his biggest driving factor. However, many of his motivations are external, taking the shape of these role models throughout the story. He rarely questions their guidance and lets them shape him into specifically who he thinks they think he should be, and this can get him into quite a bit of trouble because of his impulsive nature,[8] and can lead to people taking advantage of this.[9] And yet he doesn't often waver in his blind faith in people, even toward the person in question and even if his initial opinion of them changes.[10] He also tends to take things at face-value, to the extent that people have to scold him for how gullible he is.[11]
Because he puts so much blind trust into the people he chooses as role models, and because his image of a "man among men" is very fluid and particularly dependent on who his role models are, this gives the impression that Tetora has a shaky sense of self and doesn't actually trust his own judgment. This conclusion also draws from his vocal dislike of his current self, and his desire to change himself to be better.[6] He is very quick to put himself down, especially to elevate others,[12] and he talks about himself using very harsh language, even going so far as to say he hates himself.[13]
Tetora frequently tries to help his friends when they're in trouble, going to exceptional lengths for them when he's made a promise.[14] He tends to throw his entire self into whatever he does, and he often doesn't slow down long enough to question whether it's a good idea or not.[15] In fact, his fast-paced lifestyle is another big part of what makes Tetora himself. He has a lot of energy and doesn't like to sit still,[16] and he's constantly on the move trying to work toward whatever goal he has in mind at the moment, whether it be a small-time goal like helping a friend out or preparing for a live, or his long-term goal of becoming manlier.
Despite his determination and go-get-'em attitude, Tetora is extremely clumsy and lacks in a lot of places that he's constantly trying to improve. While he seems hyper-aware of certain flaws, he can also be slightly airheaded and oblivious when it comes to others. A notable example is cooking, which he fails at spectacularly, to the extent that people constantly try to ban him from using a stove.[17] Tetora claims to be good at cooking "over an open flame,"[18] but it's brought up on several occasions that he's laughably bad at it. It's later revealed that Tetora tends to overcook his meat (to the point of burning it) due to meat-related trauma from when he was a child.[19]
While Tetora typically has a very easygoing attitude and takes most things in stride, he often speaks up against being treated like a kid. He very specifically does not want to be coddled or sheltered,[20] even though he's aware of his weaknesses and ignorance.[21] When Arashi calls him "Tetora-chan," mimicking her usual nickname for the other students at Yumenosaki Academy, he asks her not to call him that.[22] Though it's framed in a way that makes it seem like he thinks the -chan suffix is too girly, similar to his other qualms regarding his perceived "girlishness," he later reveals that it's because it sounds like she's treating him like a kid. These reactions tie back into his overarching goal of changing himself and shows that his insecurities go beyond just a preconceived idea of him being too "girlish." His efforts to change himself and become manlier connect to wanting to grow up, even down to the language he uses: he wants to become a "man," a mature grown-up.
Tetora's insecurities prove to run very deep in that even by the end of his first year, he still doesn't perceive himself as having obtained his goals, and he still considers himself "girlish"[20] and inexperienced.[21] Even when others, such as Chiaki or Kuro, try to convince him of how much he's grown, Tetora tends to brush it off by mentioning all of the things he still needs to work on. In this way, he shows to be very self-conscious, moving his goalposts constantly. It could be said that this is because he's constantly comparing himself to his role models and trying to emulate them, and therefore always falling short.[23]
Despite all of this, Tetora does acknowledge where he's grown over time and what accomplishments he's made[24]—he simply doesn't think they're enough.[25] However, his growth has led him to acknowledge that he can't become someone else; he can only ever be himself. By the end of his first year, Tetora proclaims that he's going to become his own version of a man among men, a "tiger who won't lose to anyone"[23] because he can't become the "dragon" that Kuro is. This shows that even though all of Tetora's insecurities and dissatisfaction with himself, he has grown over time and learned to accept himself as he is.
Over the course of his first year, Tetora learns how to be a leader, and he frequently takes up a pseudo-leadership position within RYUSEITAI. This manifests concretely in the new year, when he actually becomes the leader of RYUSEITAI-N. However, Tetora shows initiative and leadership qualities, along with a willingness to take on responsibility, well before then.[13] Even by summer of his first year, Chiaki has named Tetora as the substitute captain for RYUSEITAI, and treats him as such.[26][27] He takes his responsibility seriously, and tries to be a positive influence for his teammates, as well. He's also very humble despite his growing responsibilities, and shows gratuitous humility toward the others in his life, most notably Chiaki and Kuro.[25][12]
Etymology
Tetora's first name literally means "iron tiger," befitting of his energetic, fierce personality. His title and solo song are based on his name. His last name literally means "southern clouds."
Family
- For more information, see Tetora Nagumo/Family.
Tetora has a good relationship with his parents, citing them to be very kind and good to him. They covered Yumenosaki Academy's high entrance fee when he enrolled, and still work to cover his tuition and living expenses to this day, despite working modest jobs.
Trivia
- Tetora's autograph consists of only his first name, rendered in kanji. The final stroke of the character for "tora" (meaning "tiger") is slightly elongated and stylized like a tiger's tail.
- His hair colour, black with red streaks, matches Kuro Kiryu. He's stated to have dyed it specifically to copy Kuro.[23]
- He gets extremely excited when he sees fire and gets a rising urge to grill food, but he's almost never allowed to cook or grill due to constantly burning all the food he tries to cook.
- As of his second year he became the captain of the Karate Club at Yumenosaki Academy.[28]
- He earned his black belt in karate during the end of summer in his second year.[29]
- His introduction as RYUSEI Black is "Black flames are the proof of my diligence! A fighting spirit that burns away those stained with filth! RYUSEI Black, Tetora Nagumo!"
- Tetora's live stream username is "@Nagumo_Ryusei", which references RYUSEITAI.[30]
Commentary
Voice Actor Comments
"Ossu! This is Yoshiki Nakajima, the voice of Tetora Nagumo! Tetora-kun is a hot-blooded and straightforward boy... So recording sessions were full of energy! I too look forward to finding out what kind of character he will turn out to be! Everyone, please think of Tetora as your little brother!" (Enstars!)[31]
"The curtain for the new Enstars game is finally rising! Thank you and please continue to support Tetora who's grown up a bit and gotten closer to becoming a man among men, even if only a little!" (Enstars!!)[32]
Main Scenario Writer's Comments
"This kid doesn't make anything poisonous, okay~? But there's another kid who makes poisonous food~! This kid just tried to cook, but was so inept at it he nearly burned the school down! FIRE!" —Akira (Character VA Pre-release)[33]
"I guess it's a tradition for the kids with "tiger" (虎) in their name to have a special reading. "鉄虎" is read as "Tetora." He actually wanted to be Red you see~, but he's Black~. I kinda feel that it's somewhat potrayed in his hair color." —Akira (Character Visual Pre-release)[34]
[T/N: In EnGirls, the character Isami Taiga has the kanji for "tiger" (虎, tora) in her name (大虎いさみ).]
"At first, I had him call Kuro "Aniki," but it didn't quite feel right, so it was changed to "Taishou." This fanciful and unrealistic nickname strengthened the admiration and created some more distance between them, so it took quite a while for the two to become on par with each other." —Akira (Official Works, Artbook)[35]
 Tetora Nagumo
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Sub Story • Management Story • Mini Event • Intimate Event • Greeting Event • Produce Course | ||
| RYUSEITAI | Tetora Nagumo • Midori Takamine • Shinobu Sengoku • Chiaki Morisawa • Kanata Shinkai | |
References
- ↑ "DREAM LIVE 4th Tour Prism Star!" Character Interview and Dialogue Pamphlet
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Official Profile (ES!! Year 2)
- ↑ Fresh Green Martial Artist - Match 1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cooking - Chapter 2
- ↑ Supernova - Argumentation and Endeavor 3
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hero Show - RYUSEITAI 3
- ↑ Beasts
- ↑ Beasts - Center of the World 3
- ↑ The Four Beasts of Fistfighting - A Sun in the Palm of Your Hand 5
- ↑ Beasts - Epilogue
- ↑ The Four Beasts of Fistfighting - A Sun in the Palm of Your Hand 4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Climax - Heroes of the Future 1
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Orihime and Hikoboshi - Threat of Rain 5
- ↑ The Spectacular Cinderella Show - Chapter 2
- ↑ Christmas Live - Star Chart 4
- ↑ Snowboard - Chapter 1
- ↑ Beach Match - Chapter 4
- ↑ Restaurant - First Half 1
- ↑ Cooking - Chapter 6
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 The Four Beasts of Fistfighting - A Sun in the Palm of Your Hand 3
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Christmas Live - Line to Line 4
- ↑ Beasts - Center of the World 3
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 The Four Beasts of Fistfighting - Epilogue 2
- ↑ Climax - Tears of Shooting Stars 1
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Climax - Tears of Shooting Stars 2
- ↑ Shooting Star Festival - Chapter 1
- ↑ Orihime and Hikoboshi - Threat of Rain 1
- ↑ Motor Show - Prologue
- ↑ War at the End of Century - Chapter 8
- ↑ 2025 Birthday Campaign
- ↑ Enstars! Official Profile
- ↑ Commemorative Release Message
- ↑ Akira's Character VA Pre-release Comment
- ↑ Akira's Character Visual Pre-release Comment
- ↑ Ensemble Stars! Official Works vol. 1