Hiruma Yoichi

Yoichi Hiruma (蛭魔　妖一 Hiruma Yoichi) is Deimon's team captain—when he says his word is law, he's not kidding. He's the mastermind and captain of Deimon's American Football club, has pointy ears and sharp teeth, and looks and acts like a demon. His signature phrase is a loud "YA-HA", sometimes ended with a "TOUCHDOWN!"

Characteristics

Hiruma is usually carrying some kind of firearm (usually concealed, but often far too big to hide - so he doesn't even bother!), including but not limited to flamethrowers, submachine guns or bazookas, which he fires mostly for intimidation. However, he has also used them for training purposes, such as shooting behind players to get them to run pass routes. Hiruma was the first person to recognize Sena's talent for running and dodging. He also owns a very vicious dog named Cerberus (ケルベロス Keruberosu - named for the triple-headed hell hound Cerberus that guards the gates of Hades), which he uses to scare team members into running faster (although in one of the books it is explained that Cerberus is actually a stray who stays with Hiruma in exchange for food - he wasn't always the snarling mass of teeth he is today, he actually started out kind of cute before Hiruma adopted him).

Hiruma lies, cheats, bullies and manipulates people to do his bidding. His most potent weapon is probably his Devil's Handbook ("Book of Threats" in the Viz release}, a small black notebook filled with everyone's darkest secrets, which allows him to blackmail anyone into doing what he says. The rest of his information, incriminating or otherwise, which he accumulates from scouting on other teams, is stored in his laptop computer. He's also a very good hacker; at one time he hacked into the sprinkler system before and during the Koigahama game, and once he got into all the computers of Football Monthly to send a fake e-mail. The only person who is not scared to confront him directly is Mamori—though after the sports day he took some incriminating photos which gave him blackmail material against her.

Although portrayed as a cruel slave-driver and an inhumane captain at times, his passion for football (and winning) is unrivaled, and he is known to goad, tempt, bribe, force and inspire the team to victory. Though his methods of training the team may seem sadistic, he only wants to bring out the best in each member, and if he has to torture them and put them in a constant state of fear, then so be it. At times, it is the only way for his teammates to realize their full potential. Often heard chanting loudly "Buttsubuse! Hattaose!!"(打っ潰せ！はっ倒せ！！"Kill'em! Crush'em!!") during practice.

Although he always seems to be demonically energetic, Hiruma has a vulnerable side as well, which only Mamori and the team's coach can recognize. Cerberus has also seen some kindness from Hiruma: part of the reason he hacked into the sprinklers was to give the dog a chance to cool off. Rather than sit in the cargo section, Cerberus had his own ticket to ride the plane (although he was "disguished" as a stuffed animal with a price tag to fool the stewardess). He also slept in Hiruma's private room at the Las Vegas hotel. Hiruma is far less likely to show sympathy for humans but it is not entirely unheard of. The team tryout consisted of carrying bags of ice to the top of Tokyo Tower before they melted. Yukimitsu, despite his weakness, frailty, and having his ice stolen by another contender, keeps trying and eventually reaches the top. Unfortunately, by that time his ice has melted, but after seeing how much Yukimitsu strained his body to keep going, Hiruma slips in an ice cube so Yukimitsu will make the team. Also, when Komsubui ran away because he thought he wouldnt be any help at the Posidons game due to his height(four foot eleven), Hiruma nearly goes ballistic with worry/anger and prints dozens of missing posters to find him. Also, when Hiruma kicks a player in the rear without saying anything, it is his way of praising the person for a job well done. Apparently, the Hah Brothers have also taken to this habit, as they often simultaneously kick Sena in the backside whenever he does something spectacular. It is also a proven fact that "the demonic Hiruma's blood is red".

The Devil Bats' quarterback's main drive is to win the championship & make it to Japan's Christmas Bowl; but there is an underlying reason for all his schemes. Unlike other schools, Deimon has a rule that all its students must cease their extracurricular activities after the fall of their 2nd year, including the sports clubs. For both Hiruma and Kurita, this is their LAST chance with the football team.

Hiruma is also a very good gambler (actually a good memory when he was able to remember all the cards) - when the DevilBats complete the Death March and arrive in Las Vegas, the team hit the casinos in order to make the money to get plane tickets home. Whereas the rest of the squad have mixed success (Sena and Monta riding their luck one spin of the roulette wheel too far, while the Hah brothers lost their possessions, as they pawned it all for money, while Komusubi lives up to his first name (Daikichi means good fortune), while Taki always lost, and finally, Mamori and Suzuna won small amounts continuously, Hiruma is the chief exponent in this, using card-counting strategies to make enough. An expert strategist with a clever and cunning demeanor, he is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the field. Hiruma has clearly been using a slow-play strategy in regard to Yukimitsu's place in the team, even as far back as the tryouts at Tokyo Tower, which paid off huge dividends in the Shinryūji game, when he scored the Bats' first points against the Naga. He can also think up to 17 strategies quickly, no matter the scenario, and even if he is under harsh conditions, he manages to stay focused. His game plays can be considered insane at times, but there is no mistaking the results in scoring points and upsetting the other team's strategies. He's very adaptable in passing, dodging sacks, catching and blocking, making him a well-rounded quarterback. According to Takami of the Oujo team, Hiruma wasn't really physically cut out to play quarterback, but he willed himself into it, using his drive and cunning mind. Of all the weapons at Hiruma's disposal, his mind is the most dangerous.

He gives nicknames to many people, usually using the prefix "Damn" "Freakin"'(lit. fakkin)) in the original manga and various fan scanlations, edited in the anime and English release): Damn Pipsqueak or Damn Secretary = Sena; Damn Monkey = Monta; Damn Manager = Mamori; Damn Baldy = Yukimitsu; Damn Fatty = Kurita; Damn Fatty Jr. = Komusubi; Damn Ha Ha Brothers = Kuroki, Togano, Jumonji, Damn Chinfuzz = Taki; etc. Hiruma also likes teasing Mamori about her snack eating, as shown by the many cracks he makes and her introduction in the game with the Bando Spiders.

There is a mystery surrounding the fact that Hiruma, along with Mamori and Yukimitsu, actually excels in his studies. It probably has to do with blackmail; although it is true that he IS indeed a Genius. No one seems to know who his family is or where he lives, but most readers assume he lives in the football clubhouse (and probably uses the school's restrooms, the locker room's shower, and gets groceries from the Son-Son market). He's been known to chew excessive amounts of sugarless gum, even during games, and likes to drink black coffee. After defeating the Bando Spiders and making it into the Kantou tournament, Hiruma did receive a phone call from his father (Hiruma ignored it, but Anezaki Mamori heard it), congratulating him, but he seems to be on bad terms with him, since it was revealed that he does not like the term "father". Never seen opening a door with his hands, he seems to prefer slamming them open with his feet, as his hands are nearly always in his pockets, (unless they happen to be holding some kind of firearm). The most expensive item he ever bought was a whole island.

Hiruma also has a history with Kongou Agon of the Shinryuuji team and is one of the very few people that can get under his skin. It was revealed that Kurita, Musashi, and even Hiruma himself wanted to enter the Shinryuuji Nagas when they were still in junior high, and eventually qualified. Kurita passed because he was recommended by a sports club, but because Agon disliked people without perfect talent (read: anyone other than himself, basically), he entered the sports clubs' test, and Kurita was forced to leave Shinryuuji. It was then that the three of them, Hiruma, Kurita, and Musashi decided to come Deimon--since it was the only school Kurita managed to get into by passing the normal entrance test--forcing the Devil Bats to start from scratch on a high school that had no football club of its own. Due to their history, Hiruma knows Agon's weakness and plans on using his arrogance to cause his downfall. His response to Agon's statement of a perfect team made up of 22 of himself was, "It's easy to break a deck made up of only one card."

During the 2nd half of the match against the Nagas, Hiruma proves this statement by using a combination of trickery, and sheer determination. Agon becomes confounded as those whom he feels are nothing but trash, (Yukimitsu, Sena, Monta and Jumonji), actually fight back from a lopsided first half and close the gap between the two teams, despite his superior skills. Deimon's quarterback gets his own personal revenge against Agon by scoring Deimon's fifth touchdown, despite being chased by him. Hiruma's long-awaited payback against Agon for his past insults against him and Kurita is complete, after the Devil Bats defeat the Nagas, thereby showing the arrogant dreadhead that even trash can topple the gods.

In the next game, a rematch against Oujou, he is forced to consistently change his plans in order to find his way around the many obstacles presented by this rival, including their unstoppable defense, their "perfect player" Shin, and the cold, calculating methods of opposing quarterback Ichiro Takami. As Deimon falls behind, Hiruma chooses to switch to a running game to move the ball down the field and at least score with field goals (particularly after an early pass leads to an interception by Sakuraba), but he eventually decides to hold off Oujou for the remainder of the first half before finding a way to stop them in the second part of the game. Furthermore, he is the only one who believes that not even the unstoppable Shin is invincible, which possibly means he has a plan to take him down when his plan goes into motion in the second half. Near the end of chapter 222, Hiruma has told Sena that the only way to beat Shin is through BRUTE STRENGTH. How Sena will do that is unknown. The fighting will that Sena demonstrated against Agon with a stiff-arm may be the key. Also, Hiruma mentioned it as a gamble. Due to the strength difference between Sena and Shin, the gamble may not represent a direct contest of strength.

As of now, Hiruma switched tactics with an all-passing method, using Monta's new skill, the Devil Backfire. Deimon scores a touchdown, and the White Knights are starting to become unnerved. With their countermove, the Saggitarius, the Knights take back the lead, and Hiruma decides to fake the pass and let Eyeshield run with the ball, gambling that Sena had finally found a way to counter Shin's Trident-Spear Tackle. But when Sena fumbles the ball to an Oujou recovery, he decides to bet it all on one final maneuver to get the ball back and win. The Devil Bats succeed in stopping Oujou from capitalizing from the fumble, and receive 2 points for a safety after Monta sacks the White Knights' quarterback in their own endzone. Now the ball is back in Deimon's hands in the fourth quarter.

Techniques & Strategies

• Devil's Handbook - Not really part of the arsenal he uses on the field, though one can say that it's his most potent weapon, aside from his cunning mind. At the beginning of the series, he uses it to force students from other clubs to become support players for the football team. This book is not limited to the secrets of students and teachers at Deimon; Hiruma has been known to blackmail city officials, work crews and storekeepers. On a single day, he was able to obtain the use of Tokyo Tower for a day and a lot of ice for the Tower of Hell tryout. At one point, Hiruma even "borrowed" a tank. Apparently, the book also functions outside of Japan, as seen during their training trip in America.
• Psychological warfare - Hiruma hints about what play he is going to do, usually something special or spectacular hoping to get the other team worried.
• Handoff/Pass Fake - Hiruma is a master of making the football disappear from sight, fooling Shin in chapter 229, and even TV cameras! This is very useful in making the team block the wrong way and for surprise attacks.
• Wishbone - A formation which uses 3 Running Backs behind him. Hiruma has the option of handing the ball off to one Running Back, fake and hand it off to another, or running it himself, then lateral the ball to someone else. At the same time, the one he fakes handing the ball to, blocks ahead of the true carrier. Due to Hiruma's ability to instantly choose who would receive the ball, and who would block for the receiver, makes this strategy extremely adaptable. Opposing teams have great difficulty defending against three running patterns at once. But later when it was found that Wishbone's flaw was that the other team was able to lure and choose which player the ball is being handed to. A Short Pass was added into the formation making the strategy more complete.
• Devil Bat Laser Bullet - Hiruma puts an incredibly tight spiral on the ball, which can enable it to slice through even harsh winds. Unlike a normal pass in which the ball travels in an arc, this technique causes the ball to shoot through the air in a straight line with pinpoint accuracy.
• Hail Devil Pass - A very fast, long and low bullet pass. One might think of it as the opposite to the more common Hail Mary pass. As Hiruma said, "Devils don't ask favors from Gods."
• Sign Language - Himura noticed that Mamori was learning sign language, grabbed her book, memorised it (in seconds!) and burned it, giving him a non-verbal means of communication with the sideline.
• Shotgun - This is exactly the same tactic used by the Seibu Wild Gunmans in which all eligible receivers are deployed. This is used against the Oujou White Knights in the Kantou Tournament - to a less than dazzling effect, going five-and-out against the crushing Oujou D.
• Devil Backfire - Taking advantage of Monta's highly-developed catching ability, Hiruma passes long bombs to the receiver, in which Monta grabs from behind his head. Due to all the times they've practiced together, Hiruma can pitch any long pass to Monta with 100% success rate. Also see Monta's entry.
• Devils Hound - While not used on the field, Hiruma takes a hair of someones head (when that person is missing) and shows it to Cerebrous, who bolts off to find the target/victim and drag him back. It has been used against Sena when Hiruma thought he was running away from their first games against Ojo and when Sena took the wrong bus on the first game against the Cyborgs.
• Death Card - the exact strategy is not explained in ch. 231, but apparently, it involves using both Sena and Monta in a feint to make it look like they were going to double cover Sakuraba, but then has Sena break off to blitz Takami. Shin then comes back to stop Sena, leaving Sakaruba. With Shin now out of the way, Monta breaks away to blitz Takami. This is a high-risk maneuver since it leaves Sakuraba open to receive a pass with no one covering him.