Tanaka’s appearance in Anime.

Tanaka has a shaved head with a widow’s peak and sharp blue-grey eyes (golden brown in the manga colored illustrations), which often leads others to mistake him for a delinquent. During his first year at Karasuno, Tanaka sported short fuzzy hair dyed a light color (blond in the anime). He stands at an average height and has a lean, yet strong build. He frequently makes intimidating faces in an attempt to scare others, but his teammate Daichi scolds him for it, pointing out that it only makes him look foolish rather than scary.

Post-timeskip, Tanaka has developed a more muscular build, likely as a result of his career as a personal trainer. He has also let his hair grow out in its natural dark color. However, in theA Party Reignitedarc, Tanaka is shown to have dyed his hair back to a lighter color.

Tanaka is loud, hotheaded, and quick to anger, often finding himself in situations where he picks fights. He can be a bit of a slacker, as seen through his lackluster work ethic in school and his tendency to be late for practices. Despite these traits, Tanaka is deeply caring and protective of his teammates, particularly his underclassmen. He does not tolerate others being belittled, which is evident when he becomes upset at Kei Tsukishima for mocking others during their initial 3-on-3 match. Tanaka also has a soft spot for being called “senpai,” and his excitement skyrockets when underclassmen show him respect.

On the court, Tanaka is known for his fiery and passionate nature, often becoming unstoppable once he’s fired up. His celebrations are equally over-the-top, frequently involving loud cheering and, on occasion, spinning his shirt over his head after a successful play in practice. Despite his brash exterior, Tanaka possesses immense mental fortitude. He rarely allows setbacks, such as being targeted or blocked during a game, to bring him down. Instead, these moments fuel his determination, and he pushes forward, refusing to give up. However, even Tanaka has moments of self-doubt, which occur every six months or so, where he begins to question his worth. During these times, he reminds himself that such thoughts are pointless and works to regain his confidence.

Tanaka is also known for his strong interest in girls, as demonstrated by the numerous posters of female idols that adorn his room. He holds a particular affection for Kiyoko Shimizu, frequently trying to talk to her, even though his advances are often ignored—a fact that he oddly claims to enjoy. Alongside Nishinoya, Tanaka watches out for Kiyoko, especially during the Tokyo training camp and official matches, when members of opposing teams express interest in her.

Kanoka and Tanaka.

In fourth grade, Tanaka was schoolmates with Kanoka Amanai from Niiyama Girls’ High. Kanoka was often bullied by boys because of her height, but Tanaka always stood up for her, telling her she was awesome just the way she was and cheering her up. He introduced Kanoka to volleyball, a sport she initially struggled with, but Tanaka’s constant encouragement motivated her to continue trying.

Tanaka transferred to a different school later in fourth grade and eventually attended Ōjitsu Junior High. Despite both being from Miyagi Prefecture, Tanaka and Kanoka didn’t see each other again until the Spring High National Tournament in Tokyo, where they reunited.

When Tanaka joined Karasuno, he sported short, frizzy, light-colored hair. The moment he laid eyes on Kiyoko Shimizu, he fell in love and immediately proposed to her. Kiyoko quickly rejected him, but that didn’t deter Tanaka from continuing to pursue her. As a first-year, Tanaka was impulsive and prone to reacting angrily, especially towards the unfair treatment the volleyball club received and the trash-talking from other teams. Initially, he wanted to retaliate against these insults, but after observing the maturity and determination of his upperclassmen, he decided to change. The next day, he shaved his head, saying it was to give himself a fresh start.

Tanaka is known for his relentless determination, never giving up on the ball. According to Coach Keishin Ukai, Tanaka is Karasuno’s second-strongest spiker, just behind Asahi. One of his key strengths is his ability to perform consistently under pressure. His mental toughness, combined with his physical abilities, has even led Coach Ukai to suggest that Tanaka could potentially be an ace. Though he doesn’t flaunt it, Daichi has pointed out that Tanaka possesses a solid understanding of the game and good situational awareness.

Tanaka is often targeted by opposing teams on both serves and spikes, but he demonstrates decent receiving skills. Even if he’s not in the best position, he uses his body to keep the ball in play, ensuring it doesn’t fall. His game sense and perseverance have led to comparisons with Bokuto, one of the top five aces, though Tanaka is considered a “weaker version” of him.

Height and Reach (as of mid-November)::

• Fingertip Height: 224 cm
• Jumping Reach: 324 cm (spike) / 312 cm (block)

Skills

Inner Cross:After observing Bokuto’s cross shot during the Tokyo Expedition Arc, Tanaka began working on mastering his own inner cross. Although he initially struggled with control and power, he perfected the technique during a critical moment in the match against Inarizaki. His inner cross features an extremely sharp trajectory, landing just across the court before the attack line.

Straight Spike:Tanaka employs a deceptive straight spike by feigning a cross shot with his run-up and spiking form. This tactic tricks the blockers into leaving a small gap between themselves and the antenna, allowing Tanaka to spike through it with precision. His straight spike requires exceptional accuracy, as the ball’s trajectory lands close to the boundary line. Combined with his inner cross, this makes Tanaka a dangerous spiker.

Serves:Originally, Tanaka used standard standing serves that were fairly average. However, after Karasuno qualified for Nationals, he began to incorporate jump serves. Though he initially had trouble with aim, by the time of Nationals, he could perform a legitimate jump serve that put pressure on his opponents. Tanaka can also adjust the power of his serves if he messes up the toss.

Feint Shot:In the match against Inarizaki, Tanaka demonstrated his ability to use a feint shot, catching his opponents off-guard. Although he rarely uses this move, it adds to his unpredictability as a spiker.

Receives:Tanaka is a capable receiver, regularly making receives of spikes and serves from his opponents. However, he faces difficulties when he is specifically targeted by powerful servers, such as Oikawa. In some instances, when the serve is too fast or when he fails multiple times, he resorts to using his body to make the receive.

Blocks:Due to his physical strength and height, Tanaka is a valuable blocker for Karasuno. He often manages to get deflections or complete stuff blocks, but he does struggle against stronger opponents like Ushijima. Nonetheless, he consistently tries to stop their attacks or create counterattack opportunities for his team.