| “ | Alone you say? They are my precious pals. Compared to that my pride is worth nothing | ” |
—Momoharu Hanazono, to Vice Principle | ||
Momoharu Hanazono (花園 百春 Hanazono Momoharu) is Kuzuryū High's captain, a regulator who can play both Power Forward and Center and the younger twin brother of Chiaki Hanazono.
Appearance
His hair is styled into a blond pompadour. He stands tall with a lanky, yet proportional build. His shoulders are somewhat rolled forward in neglect to stand up straight. He has poor eyesight and he requires glasses but he's rarely seen wearing them. Later in the series, to atone for his wrongdoings for the boys' basketball clubhouse, Momoharu cuts his hair. His jersey number is 4 and wears 'ASICS Gel Double II' sneakers.
Personality
If his swagger is not a dead giveaway, his attitude is. He has a superiority complex and feels he is in charge of the basketball court, which fits his position as the team captain and he is someone Chiaki Hanazono recommends avoiding. He's stubborn and rather insecure about his basketball capabilities. But with the persistence of Sora Kurumatani, he warms up to playing basketball again.
Despite his bad traits, it is worth noting that during the 5 on 1 match against , he was the only one who didn't foul or do any dirty play, which means that he's still serious and never stopped loving the sport. Also as the team captain, he has a sense of responsibility and is not afraid to face the consequences of his or the team's actions.
Biography
When Momoharu was younger, he played basketball all the time and trained constantly but struggles with depth perception and can't make a basket. He played terribly in his very first game, which led to him being benched most of the time. Added by the scolding of his coach during that time, he was finally discouraged and stopped playing basketball all the way up to his 2nd year of high school.
Skills
As the centerpiece for both offense and defense, the team heavily relies on his rebounding and blocking, which is backed by his jumping power that enables him to go up against bigger guys, such as Shinichi Chiba of Maru High. Although a Power Forward primarily, he can also be great at the Center position. That is if Mokichi is not on the court and Chiaki Hanazono plays PG. He can also fill in as a Small Forward if either Chiaki or Mokichi are occupying the Center and Power Forward positions. He is bad at shooting and lay ups, but is able to dunk.
| Physical Ability | 10/10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Technique | 8/10 | |
| Stamina | 9/10 | |
| Mental Strength | 9/10 | |
| Special Ability | 9/10 | |
Quotes
- "Lights are on in the gym... No way? It can't be he's been shooting from that line? Just how many shots has he made...?" - to Sora Kurumatani (Chapter 4)
- "In the Middle School I couldn't make a shot at all. Eventually I gave up before I became a senior student." - to Sora Kurumatani (Chapter 4)
- "I don't know what you were looking forward to. I've got no talent in basketball at all." - to Sora Kurumatani (Chapter 4)
- "It's real... That shrimp's expectations and hopes. Coz he's with us for a long time now, basketball hasn't been as boring." - to Chiaki Hanazono (Chapter 5)
- "I thought everything would change if we won. Even if we don't win. I thought something would change. But nothing will if I don't change... Nothing is going to change!!" - to himself (Chapter 138)
Etymology
- The name Momoharu means "peach."
- Momoharu's surname Hanazono means "flower, blossom" (花) (hana) and "garden" (園) (sono/zono).
Trivia
- The Hanazono twins' respective play styles are the exact opposite of one another where Chiaki excels in offense while Momoharu in defense.
- Momoharu's design is most likely modeled after Hanamichi Sakuragi from the Slam Dunk series, due to the similar hairstyle(s), playing ability, they both specialize in rebounds and they have an amazing talent in jumping ability.