Takeo Gouda

Gouda Takeo
Kanji	剛田　猛男
Rōmaji	Gouda Takeo
Characteristics
Gender	Male
Birthday	January 1 (Capricorn)
Age	15-16
Height	approx. 200 cm (6´7")
Weight	approx. 120 kg (264 lbs)
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Black
Professional Status
Affiliation	Makoto Sunakawa (best friend) Rinko Yamato (Fiance)
Occupation	High school student
Personal Status
Status	Alive
Relatives	Yuriko Gouda (mother) Yutaka Gouda (father) Maki Gouda (little sister)
First Appearance
Manga Debut	Oneshot 1
Anime Debut	Episode 1
Portrayal
Japanese Voice	Takuya Eguchi Ren Katou (as child)
English Voice	Andrew Love
Image Gallery

Takeo Gouda (剛田 猛男, Gouda Takeo) is the protagonist of the story and a first-year student at Shuei High School.

Appearance

Takeo is extremely tall and muscular with large thick lips, short black hair, dense black eyebrows and prominent sideburns.

Personality

He is a kind, selfless person who is willing to help others, even when he is not given credit for it. He has a strong sense of justice, as he despises those who hurt others, infringe on the law, and especially those who hurt or insult his friends, defending them fiercely with all his might. While he will get angry at those who hurt others, he tends not to hold grudges as shown by his friendship with Suna, who was confessed by all of Takeo's crushes. He never blamed Suna though, and instead understood that it was because of his appearance and how Suna was simply cooler and always attractive. In fact, he is very loyal to his friends. When Takeo first saw Yamato, he fell in love with her but thought she liked Suna. In order to make sure she and Suna were happy, he was willing to sacrifice his own feelings to ensure their happiness. He will help a friend in need and never abandon them. He is very hyper and energetic, and his emotions always show through his face.

He is also simple minded, naive, and trusting. He is very impulsive and will usually fight first, talk second and jump into making promises without hearing the rest of it, saying it is the responsibility of a man to protect others and keep promises. He seems to not like technology, as he gave Yamato his email by writings it down rather than infrared and when he texts Yamato, who writes long detailed texts with emoticons, he writes simply with short sentences (usually writing sentences only two to five words long with a thumbs up).

He is straightforward and wishes people could be more honest with their feelings and understands love can be painful, due to the number of rejections and times his crushes have fallen for his friend Suna. This also was partially the causes for his low self esteem, because before meeting Yamato he felt he could never find love. When he is determined, he won't quit and doesn't listen when others try to protest. He is extremely athletic and is often asked by high school sports teams to participate in certain tournaments for them. Despite this, he is humble about his abilities, stating that there is always someone better than him. He is not popular with females due to his appearance, but is fairly popular with males due to his strength, sense of justice, care for others, and friendly personality. He is not very intelligent, as he has bad study habits, doesn't know simple terms or most of the names of the baked goods Yamato brings, mistakes certain words for others (such as hand baked and mistaking it as baked with hands as an ingredient rather than baked using hands), and can't even remember important dates. He also doesn't understand the idea of personal space like when he stared at Yamato wondering why she couldn't be honest with her feelings (at the time thinking she liked Suna) and also forcing Suna to practice kissing with him and pushing him down placing saran-wrap over his mouth so he could be ready to kiss Yamato (much to Suna's horror, disgust and protest).

Perhaps due to his naive trusting nature or simple ignorance, he is also a poor judge of character as he is quick to believe someone and will always help someone who asks him regardless of consequences. He can also be unintentionally insensitive as he can't gauge a mood or understand what to do or say in certain situations. His poor judge of character was shown when Suna pointed out that all of his crushes (except Yamato) talked bad about him behind his back. They usually only got close to him to get close to Suna, whom they all confessed to, and were rejected by him since he didn't want to date someone who would talk bad about his friend. Takeo thought Yamato's friends would be nice since she was, but her friends ended up talking bad about him behind their back (though they quickly took it back after he saved them from a fire and now support Yamato's relationship with him). He is also not very clean, as he usually has bad habits like picking his nose, scratching his butt, and having a very disorderly room in general.

His two most important relationships throughout the series are Yamato and Suna. He loves Yamato dearly and respects her, not pushing their relationship too far and always wanting her to be happy. He also cares for Suna, having never gotten angry about his crushes liking Suna instead of him and respecting their friendship. Takeo even compared their friendship to the story of the red demon and blue demon. Takeo is the red demon, who was scary and wanted to make friends with humans but couldn't, and Suna as the blue demon, who helped the red demon make friends by pretending to destroy the village with the red demon coming in to help, and leaving so his friends wouldn't be in trouble for associating with him.

Plot

Past

Ever since kindergarten, Takeo has known Suna. Many people ask why they are friends and that is something even Takeo questions. It's not because he doesn't have trust in Suna and their friendship but because the two don't look compatible as friends due to their strikingly different appearances and personalities (the two are virtually polar opposites). Because the two live in the same apartment complex, were neighbors, and their moms were friends, they played a lot together as kids. While their mothers got along, initially the two didn't as the two had different ideas about what to play and were never on the same wavelength.

However, they never fought and over time their friendship grew. Their friendship truly started when one day Takeo noticed Suna playing on the swings; Suna was lonely and sad about his dad, who was suffering from an illness and decided to cheer him up by showing him how to use the swings. This made Suna laugh as Takeo fell into a bush but allowed them to truly start their friendship. When they were in kindergarten, the two were the main leads in the play of the red demon and blue demon. Takeo played the red demon and Suna played the blue demon. Takeo mentions when they were in kindergarten, Takeo once peed in his pants and Suna laughed but then threw a bucket of water over him to make sure no one would find out. On a field trip when Takeo was hungry but spilled his lunch Suna gave over half of his lunch to Takeo.

As it turns out, Takeo had already met Rinko in the past. When he was younger, he went on a trip to the mountains with his family and Suna. However, he got lost, as he was trying to catch a beetle, and stumbled into a cave that was rumored to have a ghost. Takeo was scared and couldn't get out but met another child. He assumed the child was the ghost but despite being scared, he helped the "ghost", as he believed the ghost was lonely and needed help getting out to pass on to the other side. The "ghost" had gone into the cave to find a squirrel which needed help but then got lost. The two managed to get out and Takeo assumed the ghost passed on. The ghost was actually a younger Rinko, with a boyish haircut, who got lost. She returned home and thought about the boy who helped her, hoping to meet him again.

Current

Takeo is still best friends with Suna and attended the same high school as him, Shuei High School. During one of their train rides, Suna says there a guy who looks sketchy. Takeo goes over to the guy and grabs him by the arm. He meets Rinko again as he held onto the groper. Takeo goes over to the police station with Suna, Yamato, and the groper. He got suspended after punching the groper for mocking Rinko. Takeo begins to see Rinko over and over, since Rinko wanted to see Takeo. However, when she first visits his house, she stops Suna from leaving, which left Takeo to think that she actually liked Suna. However, later on, Suna confirms that Rinko actually was in love with Takeo. Takeo and Rinko started going out.

Relationships

Rinko Yamato

Yamato is his girlfriend whom he loves and treasures deeply. He immediately liked her the moment he saw her but believed her to have feelings for Suna (due to misunderstandings and because of his previous experience of his crushes falling for Suna). Wanting the two people most important to him to be happy, he told Yamato what a great guy he was only to cause Yamato to cry. After Suna helped clear the misunderstanding and play matchmaker for the two, they have been a couple ever since. Despite not understanding romantic situations and not always being on the same wavelength with Yamato (who wants to make his heart beat and capture his heart while Takeo is just happy spending time with her) the two are happy and their similar personalities and mutual love allow the two to be happy together. In the final chapter, Takeo proposed to her, and Rinko accepted.

Makoto Sunakawa

Suna is his best friend for more than 10 years. While not always on the same wavelength, the two care greatly for each other and would do anything for the other. The two are polar opposites, with him being the brawn and Suna being the brain. Despite this, the two do share some common personality traits as the two are both kind, friendly, and helpful (though Suna is more subtle and will help those he cares for while Takeo is bold and willing to help anyone).

Ai Sunakawa

When Takeo was younger, Suna's sister would treat him like family and watch out for him, telling him his clothes were backwards and wiping his face. She has had a crush on Takeo ever since he was in third grade and she was in sixth grade. When she was younger, she was tall and thin and compared to an ugly statue called "the Image of the Growing Child" which was at the courtyard of her elementary school and the boys bullied her, nicknaming her "the Growing Child". However, Takeo didn't think she looked like that but instead believed she looked like a white lily (he didn't know the name of the flower but pointed to it) and that she was beautiful. She decided to wait until he was in university to confess her feelings as she was three years older but by that time Takeo had already begun dating Yamato. Takeo is still oblivious to the fact she has feelings for him, but the two still get along well. When, a colleague of Ai who likes her, decides to help her declare her feelings by going to the amusement park as a double date with.

Mariya Saijou

Takeo's classmate. She was initially scared of him when they first met due to his scary face and intimidating appearance. When Takeo was placed on a running team for a sports day relay race with her, she complained about being slow and how she was bringing their team down but Takeo helped her feel better, saying she was about average and it was only natural for some to be better runners than others. He even helped her improve her running time by chasing her, scaring her into running faster (with her permission). After this, she began to develop feelings for him, causing complications in his relationship with Yamato, who has caught on to Mariya's feelings and is jealous of Mariya's cute appearance and large chest and because Takeo's own obliviousness to Mariya's feelings cause him to not understand the situation he is in.

Maki Gouda

Maki is Takeo's little sister. Takeo occasionally plays and talks with Maki. Takeo is also a very protective brother as he makes sure his sister is safe (e.g. preventing mosquitoes from going near her).

Yukika Amami

Even though Amami and Takeo went to the same elementary school, junior high, and even high school, the two did not interact prior to him sensing her presence and chasing her.

Due to Amami's timid personality and Takeo's intimidating appearance, she was initially very awkward with him. However, Amami can now speak to Takeo relatively easily about her feelings, and her memories of Sunakawa prior to her in-person confession. Takeo is also an excellent listener and supporter of Amami's feelings for Sunakawa. Thus, Amami and Takeo share a comfortable and friendly relationship.

After Takeo learned of Amami's feelings for Sunakawa, he tried to give her opportunities to interact with him. Without Takeo's assistance, Amami may have never confessed and made memories with Sunakawa. Thus, Amami is grateful toward Takeo because he has been an excellent friend and constantly encouraged her to interact with Sunakawa.

Kouki Ichinose

Ichinose was very arrogant in his affection for Yamato, as he thought that he was perfect for her because he is good-looking and shared similar interests with her. Ichinose also proclaimed that Yamato only loved Takeo because she was grateful that he saved her and she didn't know that there are better men out there for her. After Ichinose revealed his opinions to Takeo, the high-schooler began to think that the pâtissier may have had a point. Thus, Ichinose and Takeo had a negative relationship, as the pâtissier's words ignited the highschooler's lack of confidence.

When Ichinose forgot his baking tools before his competition, Takeo ran to Les Cerises and gave the pâtissier his materials. Despite their rivalry, Takeo assisted Ichinose, which surprised the pâtissier. During Ichinose's competition, the pâtissier felt Takeo's strong presence as the high-schooler supported him. Takeo's kindness lessened the negativity Ichinose felt toward the high-schooler. Thus, the two have a much more positive relationship, especially when their rivalry vanished after Yamato rejected Ichinose.

Trivia

• Takeo's name and appearance are a reference to the character 'Gouda Takeshi' in the popular manga and anime series 'Doraemon'.
• According to Suna, the type of girl Takeo likes is the cute type who is always happy and smiling, seems nice and friendly, and looks like they would give him a chance.
• Whenever he helps someone in need, Suna is always given credit by the person Takeo helped, but Suna always corrects them saying Takeo did the good deeds, though his good looks, charm, charisma, and cool personality always makes people mistake Suna for doing the good deeds.
• His mother is a 40-year-old former pro wrestler who has natural hair and is pregnant with a baby.
• Because Takeo constantly protects his baby sister, Maki, his senses have been much more alert. Thus, he easily sensed Yukika Amami's presence when she was following Sunakawa on their way home.
• Takeo compares his relationship with Suna to the story of the red demon and blue demon by Hirosuke Hamada.
• In the second volume of the series, Takeo asked Suna to allow him to practice kissing on him so he would be ready for Yamato, much to Suna's disgust. This would technically make his first kiss be with Suna (though he put plastic wrap between their mouths).
• He is extremely skilled in athletics and has even been scouted. When he went ice skating for the first time, he was so skilled he performed a triple axel into a ina bauer and was given a business card. The only sports he is bad at are basketball (he falls for all the feints) and dancing (his steps are too big).
• Some of his previous crushes, including Yuzuha (in kindergarten), Misaki (in elementary), Kayomi, Eriha, Mao, and Satou (Jr. high school).
• His father looks like a tanner, thinner version of Takeo (with sideburns).
• He has a bad habit of getting too close at people's faces.
• Despite stating he is unpopular (in part due to the number of times his crushes fall for Suna and talk behind Takeo's back about how uncool he is), his personality allows him to win the attention of a few girls. Also, each girl who falls for him are the only girls shown to not be attracted to Makoto (though one of these girls that likes Takeo is Makoto's sister).
• He likes to eat Yamato's sweets despite the fact that in Japan it is generally believed that really manly men hate sweets and only eat spicy, salty, sour stuff.
• Takeo's name means "valiant male" or "violent/warrior male".
• When he was born he weighed 4300 grams, which is about 9 pounds 7.7 ounces, which falls under the normal range of a newborn baby which is 5.5 to 10 pounds.
• Several of Takeo's traits reflected that of his voice actor, Takuya. As shown,
  • Both are the tallest among the main characters and voice casts.
  • Both had problems with their heights; according to Takuya, due to his height being 187 cm, he can barely reach down to grab a can of beverage from a vending machine.
  • Much like how Makoto usually cleans Takeo's messy bedroom, his voice actor, Nobunaga would do the same to Takuya, yet Nobunaga even tried to train Takuya to be independent on cleaning his own room.