Sena Kobayakawa

Sena Kobayakawa
Eyeshield 21 character
Sena as portrayed in the manga
First appearance	Anime episode 1 Manga chapter 1
Created by	Riichiro Inagaki, Yusuke Murata
In-universe information
Alias	Eyeshield 21
Gender	Male
Occupation	Student
Relatives	Mihae Kobayakawa (mother) Shiyuma Kobayakawa (father)

Sena Kobayakawa (小早川 瀬那, Kobayakawa Sena) is the fictional protagonist in the manga and anime series Eyeshield 21. He is a dynamic character who, at the start of the series, avoids conflict with others for fear of being bullied; over the course of the series, Sena matures and becomes braver, and becomes willing to place himself in danger of physical harm in order to achieve his goals and help his friends and teammates. Sena is a first-year Japanese high school student and rookie American football player at the fictional Deimon High School, where he plays running back for the Deimon Devil Bats. A major element of the series' plot is the revelation of the history of the title "Eyeshield 21", which Sena is forced to use as a secret identity for much of the series.

Conception and development

Riichiro Inagaki, writer of the series, is a fan of the St. Louis Rams and especially a fan of Marshall Faulk. Inagaki said that seeing Faulk run served as an inspiration for the creation of Sena. Additionally, Sena's name is an homage to the late F1 driver Ayrton Senna.

Character outline

Background

Due to his diminutive stature and weak outward appearance, Sena was bullied by his peers in primary school, and always had to be rescued by his childhood friend, Mamori Anezaki and later, Riku Kaitani. He became a "gofer", retrieving items and running errands for his tormentors, which allowed him to build up his speed and dodging ability.

Soon after entering senior high school, Sena was forced into playing American football by Yoichi Hiruma. Hiruma had seen Sena running away from the Haha brothers, who wanted to beat him up, and recognized Sena's running ability. To conceal his identity, Sena wears a green colored eyeshield to cover the upper part of his face during practices and matches (in the manga, the color was later changed to blue when Hayato Akaba of the Bando Spiders gave Sena his eyeshield, relinquishing the name Eyeshield 21). Hiruma picked the alias "Eyeshield 21" after a player of the same name in the United States of America, so that Sena could have a secret identity and thus not be recruited by other athletic clubs—a situation proved to be frighteningly true after he reveals his identity in the game against Bando.

Sena is the football club's secretary, using the job as a front to cover his activities as Eyeshield 21. Although he joined the American football club unwillingly, Sena eventually grew to love American football and being part of the team.

Although a bit of a coward, he is a kind and chivalrous guy. He once used his speed to protect Mamori (although it did not work) against Agon, and during his Death March, he twice tried to protect Suzuna from falling (although Suzuna did not need any help at all). When Agon made fun of Hiruma and Kurita's dream of going to the Christmas Bowl, he became infuriated, and for the first time in his matches (and most likely in his life), tried to attack someone head on with destructive intent. He is also the first one who tried to knock some sense (literally) to Monta when he devastated about the fact facing the son of his idol, Taka Honjo of the Teikoku Gakuen.

A slight running gag throughout the series is that everything that Sena does has to do with the number 21 (hence the name Eyeshield 21). His jersey is 21, his exam number in the beginning was 021, he was even born on a date that has mixture of the numbers 2 and 1 (born on 12/21).

Techniques and strategies

• Normal Running & Cuts: This was Sena's method of running at the beginning of the series, gained during years prior when he was a gopher for bullies. He is able to attain a rocket start, as well as make very sharp turns and cuts. However, his speed decreases after the explosive start so, before training with Deimon, his 40-yard-dash is 5.0 seconds. If he's pressed to a certain emotional level, (such as being chased by Cerberus or Shin), his time shortens to as little as 4.2 seconds (see Speed of Light Pace).
  • Change of Pace: This was Sena's pattern of running up until after the game of the Nasa Aliens. This involves him running at relatively easy pace, then suddenly accelerate to full speed. The problem with this is that just before he speeds up or makes a turn, he stops for a moment, which allow others to tackle him. He manages to overcome this method after enduring the Death March by learning the Devil Bat Ghost.
  • Speed of Light Pace: This is Sena's ability to run the 40-yard dash in 4.2 seconds, considered to be at the highest level, even among professional athletes. Initially, he is only able to tap into this speed once per game, as it totally exhausts him after finishing. However, in the match against Bando Spiders, he manages to overcome his limits and manages to hold his top speed for a much longer period of time (though he collapses after the match). By the beginning of the Kantou Tournament, Sena is able to run at this pace frequently without rest. First used in a match against the Ojo White Knights during the spring tournament.
    • Speed of Super Light Pace: Shin estimated for Sena's Final Play against him that he was able to run a 40-yard dash in 4.1 seconds. He achieved this by using Shin's arm as a propellant. Its name was christened by Shin, and is only used in the final play against the Ojo White Knights in the fall tournament.
• Foresight: A technique first developed for running errands, Sena is able to deduce the amount of movement, as well as any openings his obstacles (often people, such as the opposing team's players in an on-going game) might leave unguarded (or about to), and thus effectively discern the directions needed to escape a tackle or break through defense while he's running. He first uses this technique in actual gameplay against the Koigahama Cupids team when he returns the final kickoff of the game for a game winning touchdown, making the skill very handy in slipping through large numbers. This also helps him to determine which way he could play being a quarterback, either to do pass or run. However, its main weakness is that it can't anticipate the moves of an incoming opponent if they are moving at the same rapid pace as Sena at his topmost speed, forcing Sena to improvise when facing other speedy players like Shin, Riku or Panther. Used frequently in games (typically represented graphically as arrows of light).
  • Scramble and Pass: In the quarterback position, Sena takes the ball after the snap and rushes toward the sides. He then makes a short, awkward pass toward any eligible receiver. The trajectory of the ball is described as horrible by Ikkyu, though in practice it works for Sena, as the opponents can't tell which way the ball is heading. This is somewhat similar to the halfback option play in the NFL. Used only against the Hakushuu Dinosaurs.
  • Devil Dragon Fly: An adaptation of Shinryuji's trademark play, both Sena and Hiruma play as quarterbacks. Either quarterback is able to receive the snap, and the number of plays, such as lateral passes between quarterbacks and passes to receivers, are increased greatly as a result. Unsui comments that the way Deimon played this formation is different, but definitely has the shape of the Original Dragon Fly. The players can work this tactic perfectly thanks to amount of spartan practice (physical and mental) they've been through. Used only against the Hakushuu Dinosaurs.
• Christ Cross: Another variation of running play, Monta and Sena cross paths with the quarterback (Hiruma) as their center. This hides the true ball carrier, as any of the three players may have the ball after crossing (hence the name of the play). Due to Sena and Monta's initial inexperience with the play, their first use of the Christ Cross results in a fumble. Used twice, and only against the Teikoku Alexanders.
  • Devil Cross: The "warped" version of Christ Cross, in which the ball carrier laterals the ball toward the quarterback after luring the defense, giving the pass play more options and freedom.
• Devil Bat Ghost: A technique in which Sena is able to use a crossover step to make a sharp cut without slowing down. He learned this after enduring the 2000 km Death March by kicking a stone pebble and running simultaneously (and, by doing so, learned how to increase his steps without losing his speed). Its effect creates a kind of blurry afterimage which confuses opposing blockers, causes them to misjudge his speed or tackle the afterimage created by the move. By episode 46 of the anime, in a match against Shin, Sena discovers the strain of the Devil Bat Ghost has on his knees, which he soon overcomes with constant practicing and soon Sena is able to use Multiple Devil Bat Ghost Bursts. Later, his Devilbat Ghost evolved so much, that he able to practically creating shadows and moving at complete 360 degree at will, makes him near impossible to get touched. Just like Shin said, "Even with all power in this world, it's no use against a speed you can't touch".
  • Multiple Devil Bat Ghost: In chapter 287, after witnessing "true" Ghost Steps performed by Yamato, Sena manages to perfect his own Devil Bat Ghost using a combination of violent crossover and simple cut steps, creating four "clones".
• Devil Bat Dive: Inspired by his desperate dive into a closing train to escape from the Hah Brothers in the first chapter, Sena rushes toward the scrimmage line at top speed, then jumps over the opposing linemen in a corkscrewing motion. This is a very dangerous maneuver and even Hiruma initially forbids him to use it more than once or twice per game, and only for a clinch point, as it could easily cause injury to Sena. Used on occasion during various games.
  • Sky Devil Bat Dive: An alternate version of the Devil Bat Dive, Sena is first placed at the end of the scrimmage line. Hiruma rushes the opposing line as Sena makes a fast reversal; once Sena gets up to speed, he jumps upward as Hiruma laterals the ball to him.
  • Fake Devil Bat Dive: Unlike the regular Devil Bat Dive, this involves Sena jumping over opposing players while pretending to carry the ball. The technique is intended to fool the opposing team in stopping his charge while the real carrier of the ball gets through. This was first shown during the game against the Wild Gunmen, and last seen against the Dinosaurs.
  • Double Devil Bat Dive: Sena rushes toward the goal line then jumps over the defending linemen like in a regular Devil Bat Dive, but then passes the ball in midair to Monta who is in the endzone. Used only against the Ojo White Knights during the fall tournament.
  • One Man Devilbat Dive: Sena dives over a single opponent. In its first use against Shin Seijirou, it was used in tandem with the Devil Stungun and Devil Bat Ghost. He uses this move in the last play against the Ojo White Knights in the fall tournament, and again against the Teikoku Alexanders.
  • Extremely Low Altitude Devil Bat Dive: A combination attack with Komusubi, using the small lineman's power and Sena's ability to fly over a low-gravity opponent such as Gaou. Used only once against the Hakushuu Dinosaurs, and succeeds only when Kurita intervenes to prevent Gaou from crushing Sena and Komusubi.
• Spin Move: A regular move which Sena used to evade Togano in the first chapter. While running forward, he evades enemies' tackle or block by swerving to the side, spinning his body to gain momentum he needed to break/ escape the block/ tackle.
  • Devil Bat Tornado: Also called the Devil Bat Hurricane, this was created during the game against the Kyoshin Poseidon by combining the Devil Bat Ghost with a Spin Move. Its effect not only causes an afterimage to appear, but also adds rotational force, making a two-handed tackle (like Shun Kakei's "anchor-grapple") less effective.
  • Devil Light Tornado: Also called the Devil Light Hurricane, this is basically combining the Devil Bat Tornado with the Speed of Light Pace. In chapter 217, he uses this in an attempt to evade Shin's Trident Spear Tackle. However, Shin, with his own Speed of Light Pace and the extra speed of the Trident-Spear Tackle, manages to down Sena. It is also not as effective against close defensive attacks such as Marco's Screw Bite.
  • Vertical Devil Light Hurricane: Sena collides into his opponent head-on, then pushes upward while rotating at the Speed of Light Pace. Using the opponent's body as a pivot, Sena rolls past and forward, thereby evading any attacks. Being so close prevents an opponent with a close defensive attack (like the Screw Bite) from getting his hands around the ball.
• Stiff-Arm: A normal defensive move used to keep an opposing player at a distance. By sacrificing ball safety, Sena can extend one arm to ward off a blocker. First done against Agon in the game against the Nagas, Sena was able to topple him by pushing against Agon's helmet.
• Devil Stungun: In chapter 229, by using his arms, Sena is able to partially deflect Shin's Trident-Spear Tackle. His counter is likened to a foot soldier using the point of his sword to redirect the trident of a charging horseman away from him, rather than meeting the attack head on. The attack seems inspired by a similar moved used against Agon Kongo of Shinryuji. Just like a similar move used by Patrick "Panther" Spencer of the NASA Aliens, this move sacrifices ball safety for a chance to break through (Doburoku: "When you had twice the chance to break through your enemy, the chance of the ball being lost is 10 times greater"). Unlike the basic Stiff-Arm, this involves a jabbing motion. Used unsuccessfully against Marco of the Hakushuu Dinosaurs, who counters with the Screw Bite.
  • Sagittarius: Inspired by the team strategy of the same name used by Shin and Sakuraba of Ojo, the Deimon version is first seen in the Hakushuu game. This combines the Devil Stungun and the Devil Backfire, and Sena becomes Monta's guard as the latter catches a pass. Monta refers to this as "Explosion MAX!"
• Devil 4th Dimension : Sena's ultimate technique of running, created during the Christmas Bowl against the Teikoku Alexanders. While running at his 4.2 second pace, Sena takes one quick backstep without changing his speed or stance: doing this during the instant of tackling causes the blocker to miss completely, rendering him off-guard while Sena cuts around. To the blocker, it seems as if time was running backward, hence the name (time being a "fourth dimension"). The weakness is that for a moment after the backstep, there is a brief period of time where Sena lags: defensive players can take advantage by stopping their own movement while facing the backstep, going for the kill at exactly the right moment. Yamato chose to defeat the backstep by sealing it with his Caesar Charge, using his strength to increase his speed to super-light levels, completely overrunning Sena. Sena removes this weakness by combining the Devil 4th Dimension Run with the Devil Bat Ghost, confusing the blocker's perception at the moment of lag. Afterwards, Yamato mentioned that no amount of strength or talent could overcome this technique, for it is 'genuine speed'. During the International Youth Cup semifinal match against Germany, Sena takes only a half-step back as a feint before he changed his run in order to defeat Germany's star player Schultz.
• Devil Bat 4th Dimension Ghost : The weakness of the Devil 4th Dimension is that for a moment after the backstep, there is a brief period of time where Sena lags: defensive players can take advantage by stopping their own movement while facing the backstep, going for the kill at exactly the right moment. Yamato chose to defeat the backstep by sealing it with his Caesar Charge, using his strength to increase his speed to super-light levels, completely overrunning Sena. Sena removes this weakness by combining the Devil 4th Dimension Run with the Devil Bat Ghost, confusing the blocker's perception at the moment of lag (since they are already committed to the tackle). Afterwards, Yamato mentioned that no amount of strength or talent could overcome this technique, for it is 'genuine speed'.
• Trident Tackle : Shins signature technique, used trying to tackle Panther in the world cup game against America. With Sena's weak arm strength and thin arm, Panther easily shook him off.

Plot overview

Sena was always teased and bullied through elementary school, mainly because of his childhood friend, Mamori Anezaki, protected him all the time, and Sena was teased for having a girl to take care of him all the time. In fourth grade, he met Riku Kaitani, a very fast boy, who Sena started to look up to. Riku decided to teach Sena his running techniques, which Sena absorbed quickly. At first however, Sena used his new running ability to run errands for others, much to Riku's disgust and anger. After a while, Riku moved away, and it was back to the old days for Sena. Through middle school, he continued to run errands, which ironically resulted with him becoming one of the fastest people in Japan.

Sena entered Deimon not knowing what to expect, or which club to join, or anything, really, so he became a gopher just like back in middle school. After running to the store for a sweet roll for one his bully "friends" (HaHa-brothers), and back saying they were out, they decide that Sena is lying, saying he could never run that fast, and decide to teach him a lesson. Deciding that the football shed would be a less conspicuous place, they decide to take Sena there. They become distracted, and starting messing around with equipment instead, just as Kurita breaks in, asking if any of them would like to join the football team. After trying to tackle Kurita, the three "HaHa-Brothers" are tossed out out by Kurita, who believes he is simply showing them a linebacker move. The thugs, later, try to take revenge on Kurita and bother Sena for his number, and after fleeing successfully from the three "Ha Brothers"...Hiruma (Devilish quarterback of the Deimon football team, the Devil Bats) sees his potential, and forces Sena to join the team. After a bit of testing and training, Sena eventually reaches his first game (the rest of the team and bench are filled with students Hiruma has threatened into playing using his book of threats).

Sena's first game was against the Koigahama Cupids, which almost ended in disaster when he accidentally handed out turf cleats to Ishimaru, the running back, causing him to slip and twist his ankle. However, this led to Sena's debut as Eyeshield 21 in which he was able to display his incredible speed. His second game was against the Ojo White Knights, where he met his rival Shin and the Spear Tackle for the first time. Though the Devil Bats lost badly, the experience proved to be a major turning point for both Sena and Shin. Sena became driven to turn the lies about Eyeshield 21 into truths, and Shin was humbled when he realized that no matter how strong he became, his Spear Tackle would be useless if he couldn't catch someone moving at the Speed of Light pace. The two later made a promise to see each other at the final game.

Sena cannot sustain running at high speeds for very long, and may even faint if he overextends himself, as shown during the match against the NASA Aliens. His skill lies in rapid changes of pace, which allows him to accelerate from a slow run to an extremely fast run, also abilities to make sharp cuts to change direction in an instant. Sena's fatal flaw is that right before he accelerates or making cuts, he stops in front of his opponents, giving them a chance to tackle him. However, during the Death March training in the United States, he begins to learn to overcome that flaw by kicking a rock straight and eventually zig-zagging for over 2000 km (the rock breaks in half during the final part of Death March). Doburoku, the Deimon Devil Bats trainer, threatens to make Sena run the whole 2000 km all over again if he loses the rock (or even half of it). Sena ends up kicking both pieces at the same time. Due to a mishap in which he ends up in a tryout for the San Antonio Armadillos (a pro football team), he ends up leaving without knowing he was accepted into the pro league. He develops a new maneuver called the Devil Bat Ghost after the 40 days of training. To test it out, Doburoku once again challenges Sena. Another move he developed was the Devil Bat Tornado. Sena created this move by combining the spin move that he used in the earlier episode to dodge the Haha-brothers and the Devil Bat Ghost. He made this move because he needed to get past Kakei from the Kyoshin Poseidon and his Moby Dick Anchor.

In chapter 154 of the manga and episode 79 of the anime, Sena takes Riku's words to heart that he is a true football player and doesn't need to hide behind his identity as Eyeshield 21. Sena removes his helmet and eyeshield in front of a very shocked Mamori, who was looking for him to remind him about the introductions that were about to start. Apologizing to Mamori for lying to her all this time, Sena takes the field, head held high, much to the shock of nearly everyone not in on his secret (including his parents who were watching the game at home). Of course, after the game with the Bando Spiders, all the other sports teams tried to recruit him into their clubs. Luckily for Sena, Suzuna stops them and tells them to wait until after the tournament is over. To his surprise, Sena is voted best offensive Running Back of the Fall Season.

In the game against Shinryuuji Nagas, Hiruma uses Sena to mark Kongo Agon, and after several tries, manages to force a fumble on Agon. Sena then must face his biggest challenge - which is to stop Agon, who can mimic the Devil Bat Ghost and use it against him. Though his legs are on the verge of collapse, Sena manages to force a fumble on Agon's brother and takes back the ball, much in the same manner as he did with the Nasa Aliens' quarterback. To everyone's disbelief, Eyeshield 21 breaks Agon's tackle and topples the arrogant dreadhead to the turf, scoring Deimon's fourth touchdown. Agon's God Speed Impulse ability failed him as Sena managed to catch him on the back of his helmet. With the Devil Bats down by only 7 points, and one minute to play, Deimon must start at their own 2-yard line. To face off against Shin and the White Knights in a long-awaited rematch, Sena and the Devil Bats must do the impossible... defeat the undefeated Nagas. An unbelievable show of determination by Monta and Hiruma closes the gap to one point and the chance to make a return touchdown, bringing the score up 34-35.

Deimon achieves the impossible with a final score of 36-35, thanks to the Sky Devil Bat Dive, and Kurita's strength. Now Sena and the Devil Bats must prepare for their next challenge - Shin and the Ojo White Knights.

After the match between Seibu and Masaki, Riku tells Sena that he had revealed the secret of the Rodeo Drive to Shin, and that the Ojo linebacker was going to use it to develop a new move to counter Eyeshield 21 in the coming semi-final against Deimon. However, Sena still wants to face off against his rival at his very best. Both witness Shin's completed Trident Tackle in the last quarter-final of the day - and on the opening kickoff return of the Ojo-Deimon Kantou semifinal, Sena was about to determine whether the Devil Bat Ghost is enough of a counter-move to get past it. The encounter was postponed by an over-anxious Ikari. However, during the second drive by the Devil Bats, Sena beats Shin's Trident Tackle, with a new move, the Devil Light Hurricane. Now, to Sena's shock, it appears that his rival has achieved the legendary Speed of Light Pace. However, he was able to hold on to the end of the half, where he sacked Nekoyama to prevent the Knights from increasing their lead beyond seven points. Over halftime, he was forced by Hiruma to study the game footage, hoping it will show chinks in Shin and the remainder of the team and hopefully lead Deimon to a comeback victory. As it turns out, Sena will have to beat Shin... using brute strength. The game resumes with Deimon's kick, and Sena puts Hiruma's theory to the test. Initially, his attempt to match Shin head on in a contest of strength fails, but finally reveals a means to counter him through a short arm block to stop his Trident Tackle, allowing Hiruma to attempt to move the ball. Later in the drive, with Ojo's defense becoming more obsessed with stopping the pass game and Hiruma and Monta's Devil Backfire, Sena is given the ball in an attempt to catch up once again. He is able to use his block to avoid nearly all of the defensive men and nearly make his way to the end zone, until Shin stops him with one finger around his shoe, causing a fumble.

With the ball once again in Ojo's possession, Sena and Monta are forced to double-team Takami at the end zone of Ojo's next play, causing a safety - setting the pace for several sets of drives which subsequently moves the score to 34-29, with only three minutes left in the game. Now, with what appears to be the final push to the White Knights goal line, and the Devil Bats on the verge of dropping from exhaustion, Sena suggests to Monta for both of them to fly with the Devil Bat Dive. The two succeed in getting a touchdown, making the score 36-34 in favor of Deimon. However, Shin comes back to score with just 1 second left on the clock. The Devil Bats resort to a final desperation move, the Killer Hornet, in which Sena is given the ball and must now outrun his greatest rival to score and secure a place in the Kanto finals and move one step closer to the Christmas Bowl. And he succeeds in doing so, surpassing his (and Shin's) Speed of Light pace by running a 40 yard stretch in 4.1-seconds, and using a combination of the Devil Bat Ghost, Devil Bat Dive and Devil Stungun to go beyond Shin's reach and make the touchdown. Final Score: Deimon Devil Bats 42, Ojo White Knights 40. In the anime, Deimon Devil Bats 28, Ojo White Knights 27.

At the end of the game, Shin admits that Sena beat him fairly and promises to meet with him again in the Spring Season. Now, however, Sena and the rest of the Devil Bats begin preparations for their game against the Hakushuu Dinosaurs.

At the beginning of the game against the Hakushuu Dinosaurs, Sena backs up Monta to score a touchdown using Kurita's Lone Center as a decoy to distract Gaou. But by the next play, his attempt to rush past quarterback Marco failed, making him open for Marco's attack and stealing the ball for the Dinosaur's second touchdown.

During the next play, Hiruma was successfully tackled by Gaou after a risky move by Kisaragi, injuring his throwing arm. In desperation, since there's no one fit to be a quarterback (Taki's too narcissistic and slow-witted, Monta can't throw, Musashi and the linemen almost never handle the ball) and with the risk of being injured by Gaou, the only remaining choices are Ishimaru and Sena. Sena finally decides to put himself in the position, since he's the one most likely to survive Gaou's attack using his speed and agility. This was planned by Hiruma (and played along with Mamori, who secretly taped Hiruma's letter, which she ripped before) all along, since the running backs are the ones who always watched him in play, and can hopefully emulate his plays in the field. But since Sena will most likely refuse due to a lack of confidence, Mamori decides to allow the team to make its own decision, effectively making Sena take the position on his own volition, since his kindness and determination to take them to Christmas Bowl will push him to take action.

In the next play, it is discovered that because of his inexperience, he can't even make a decent snap. However, his speed saves the ball from being taken, whenever he fumbles it. However, more problems arise. Since he has a small stature, he can't see clearly where the Wide Receiver (Monta) goes, and also makes his passes too low, resulting in the ball being batted. Moreover, Kurita, feeling devastated due to his inability to protect Hiruma, becomes weak (mentally and physically), and is easily downed by Gaou, and certainly will get the rookie quarterback beaten to a pulp... if not because of Komusubi's determination, who still believes in his master and keep standing, until his body completely torn up. In desperation, with only torn-up Komusubi able to protect him, Sena decides to do a "Do or Die" move, using Komusubi as his main blocker, he'll try to pass Gaou using a super-low Devilbat Dive. When he and Komusbi are about to do the Devilbat Dive Kurtia regains his sense and is able to hold Gaou evenly and Sena changes the play from dive to a run.

Currently, Sena sees a weakness in the Dinosaurs' play style. With Kurita now able to hold his own against Gaou, the other Dinosaur members crowd behind him to prevent any attacks through the middle. However, this leaves the sides wide open. By using his speed to scramble forward with the ball after the snap, he then pitches a short, very awkward pass toward any available receiver. The nature of the ball's trajectory is so erratic, it actually confuses the opposing team as they cannot determine which way the ball is going. With this unorthodox method, the Devil Bats score a touchdown and closes the gap.

During the defense, he managed to batted out ball carried by Hakushuu's running back (and yelling "FUNNURABA!!!"), and almost got Marco sacked by the whole front line excluding Kurita while he tries to recover the ball. This forces the Dinosaurs to change their offense pattern to kick.

However, when the offense was given to the Devilbats, Sena's strategy didn't work out again, since Marco, as much more refined quarterback in the term of brain and experience, manages to predict his movements and moving accordingly to it. To makes things worse, Kisaragi, who injured in the first half, manages to return in the second half, marking Monta and intercept all his slow passes, makes the pass play can't work again. When he realizes his limit, and everything looks gloomy, a familiar face encouraging him from behind....

It appears that Hiruma appears again, in all his "glory" (even scaring his teammamtes and Dinosaurs' alike with his zombie-like "face paint"). His comeback is shown when he managed to fools Marco to think that he will play, when in actuality it was Sena who do to play, practically catching the Dinosaurs off-guard, resulting in another touchdown. However,realizing that Hiruma bandages both his arms, having Mamori fixing his helmet,having himself holding the ball for conversion kick by Musashi, and not touching his guns at all, Sena begin to wonders if the Devil Commander can even hold the ball by his arms....

However, it appears that even only Hiruma's presence itself is more than enough to send terror and causing the opposition to be wary. Moreover, he reveals that he can still do a long pass (although only once), giving first down for Deimon and makes the opposition become wary of pass game, that helped Sena to scores the touchdown, closing the gap into 8 points.

With the game continues, and both Deimon and Hakushuu trading scores with 35-42, seeing that Hakushuu realizes that Hiruma cannot play properly anymore, the team goes with extreme strategies: to put Hiruma and Sena both play as quarterbacks....

Using the trickplay, they manages to confuse Hakushuu's defense, helping them gain many yards. With Monta's help, they manages to gain first down.... Until Sena find himself preoccupied with both Gaou and Marco. Forcing to choose between losing the ball to Marco's Screw Bite, or getting crushed by Gaou, he choose the brave decision, to get crushed rather than to lose the ball (although it can't be helped that he begged for mercy from Gaou, really Sena's style!). However, it seems that Gaou is rather going easy to him, saying that he's really similar to the true Eyeshield 21, now playing in Teikoku. He speaks a challenge toward Marco to face him, so he could prepare himself for the real Eyeshield 21. Sena, determined to become the real "Eyeshield 21", now decides to face Marco one-on-one.

By going with regular "I" formation, Sena then rushes to the side, trying to score a touchdown. But in the end, just as expected, Marco was standing right there, reads his play and waiting for him. With his body weakened, and with Marco's Screw Bite, he decides to face him head on with his speed, ramming full speed into Marco. Because of strength difference, it seems that Marco is already stopping him from scoring a touchdown, ensuring the Devilbats' defeat... until Sena using his body as lever to lift himself up, passing him from upside using a spin and ensure a touchdown for Deimon. The team then go with 2-point conversion, using their supposedly strongest card for close-up breakthrough: Devilbat Dive.

However, the touchdown is not without a cost; Sena, who had been already tackled by Gaou before, had used almost every strength he had to do the Vertical Devil Light Hurricane, and now his body didn't have enough power to even hold the ball properly. Hiruma realizing this at last moment, knows that the Devilbat Dive won't work with Sena's current condition, and decides to run the ball on his own, just before he gives the ball to Sena. This forces Sena to create a fake 'Devilbat Dive' to try and confuse Marco, but this doesn't phase him. However, fate lets Hiruma run the ball in for a touchdown after Kurita overcomes Gaou. This puts the Devilbats in the lead, and the game ends with the Devilbats leading by one point. At the awards ceremony, Sena is named MVP of the Kanto Tournament.

During the ceremony, since his hand is still numb from the play, he accidentally drops his trophy. Hiruma use this chance to fool him into saying their teams determination is not only for the best of Kanto, but also to win at Christmas Bowl, against the undefeatable Teikoku Gakuen, and became the strongest high school football team. They proceeds with their showdown against Teikoku in the Christmas Bowl, where Sena's destined showdown with the original Eyeshield 21 awaits.

In their first battle during the match, however, Sena slips on pile of snow, and though Yamato manages to cross the snowy field with ease, Sena notices that Shin and himself are actually a bit faster than Yamato. During Teikoku's onside kick, he manages to stop Yamato from advancing using his speed, but Yamato soon reveals his true power. Evading multiple players who tried to stop him at the same time, Yamato uses an advanced version of the Devilbat Ghost, and though Sena is able to catch him twice, Yamato shakes him off and scores a touchdown. With Devilbats left behind at 14-0, Yamato continues to seal Sena's movement. Realizing that he can't win on his own, Sena cooperates with Monta and uses the Cross Formation. However their inexperience at the Christ Cross causes them to fumble the ball after Himura passes it to them, resulting in a mess where the ball is almost stolen by Teikoku.

Teikoku continues to dominate the Devilbats with a score of 41-0 until Sena participates in blocking Taka, stopping him from forcing a fumble on Monta and successfully ensuring Deimon's first touchdown. Sena then manages to ensure Deimon's second touchdown, and puts the score at 41-16. After realizing that Hiruma has been patiently waiting for him to defeat Yamato, Sena decides to make Hiruma's "mistake" a reality. Though he fails one more time, Sena succeeds when he takes a single step back at 4.2 yds/s the moment Yamato reaches for him, and then accelerates past Yamato for the touchdown. Sena has in a way "turned time back" by stepping back out of Yamato's absolute 360 degrees or 3-dimensional control, into the fourth dimension. He then proceeds to use this to get passed Achilles and cause a fumble on the receiver. Sena, Taki, and Achilles fights for the ball possession, though Taki ends up victorious, giving Deimon another chance for offense, with 26-41. When the ball is hiked to Sena, he uses his new technique to go passed the Teikoku players with ease, making Yamato lose his composure. However, when Sena uses the Devil 4th Dimension on Yamoto again, Yamoto defeats him by using his Cesear's Charge to seal it off.

With Teikoku leading 44-34, and with 8 seconds remaining on the clock, Monta and Sena decide to do the cooperation play they failed before, the Christ Cross. They start by hiding the ball well, making Teikoku guess who has it, and suddenly Sena trips, exposing the ball. This turns out to be a staged trap, and Sena lobs the ball back to Hiruma who runs with it. Deciding it is a pass, Teikoku closes in on the receivers, leaving Sena wide open on the far side. Sena takes the ball and runs for a showdown with Yamato. Sena has defeated the weakness in his Devil 4th Dimension by combining it with his Devil Bat Ghost, which he uses to pass Yamato and score, forcing Yamato to acknowledge Sena's 'true speed.' With only 1 second on the clock, Sena finishes the game with the rest of the line by holding Yamato back from blocking Musashi's 60-Yard Magnum kick into the endzone. After the game, with the crowd rushing the field, he falls to his knees and cries for joy. Yamato gives him a hand and comments that while he should feel downtrodden, he feels excited to play with Sena.

A few days after the Christmas Bowl, Yamato informs them of the American Football Youth World Cup. He wants to take the land of American football from them, by making a Japanese all-star team, from the aces of Japan. Later, the director of the football league in Deimon's clubhouse states that the four best players of the Christmas bowl (Monta, Taka, Sena, and Yamato) will select the players of the Japanese National Team themselves. Sena tries to contact Hiruma, to ask for advice for selecting team members, however he is unreachable, thus they recruit members on their own. After they finish recruiting members for the Japanese National Team, they head to New York City for the World Youth Cup.

After winning against Russia and Militaria Republic, the team faces Germany. During the match, Sena learns how to manipulate the Devil 4th dimension in order to surpass Heinrich Schultz. After Germany's defeat, they earn the right to face America in the finals. Though he is unable to outrun Panther, his team is still able to force the game into overtime. The end result is not revealed; instead, as Mamori looks through an old photobook, Sena is shown to have become the new captain of the Devil Bats after the third years left the team.

Two years later, it is shown that Sena had been playing for Notre Dame high school in America during the final half of his last year in Deimon. He returns to Japan to attend Enma college, and faces off against some of his former teammates who attend different colleges. he got invited to the NFL combine because he was on japanese national team and both teams technically won sense winner most MVP was going be MVP but had room for one and to be a good sports the agreed with the world cup to give japanese players all chances to be NFL players once there ready they could come to the NFL combine instead of being invited to it that how quite a few of them made into the NFL in the future . as a result he eventually made it to the NFL as shown in anime along with Hiruma and Shin even throw he is not shown it later confirm by the director of the anime and the creators of the manga that he also made it into the NFL but Shin is playing on a different team than Sena and Hiruma the creators of the manga also said that anime episode ending is canon in the eyesheild 21 universe and the it takes place after the manga's ending.

Trivia

• Sena lives with his mother (Mihae) and father (Shiyuma). While his mother scolds her son's obsession with extracurricular activities, his father is more understanding and roots for his success (though he tells Sena this when she is not around). He also has a pet cat named Pitt. His monthly allowance is 500 yen according to a quiz in volume 24.
• When he is stressed, Sena will have odd dreams about his opponents (such as being skewered by Shin's Trident Tackle and later roasted over a fire). In the anime, he will sometimes have these dreams while he's taking a bath, awakening while underneath the water and causing a nasty wake-up call.
• It is hinted many times that Sena and Suzuna have feelings for each other. Suzuna gets jealous when Sena gets attention from other girls (seen in chapter 241 and 305), with Sena acting protective of Suzuna. Suzuna teases Sena a good deal about liking her, which makes him flustered. Of late, they are shown being together in little moments, such as sitting next to each other on the plane, going to spy on Agon, etc.