Template:Infobox player Genzo Wakabayashi is a major character in Captain Tsubasa. A prodigious soccer player like Tsubasa Ozora, he is one of the best goalkeepers in the series. Along with Ryo Ishizaki, he is one of only two characters who originally appeared in the 1980 oneshot pilot Captain Tsubasa that continued to appear in the regular series.
Profile
Wakabayashi is an extraordinary goalkeeper who can catch almost anything thrown at him. Not many shots can come past Genzo. A charismatic guy, Genzo is also loyal to his friends and he is firm with his decisions. Genzo always keeps his feelings to himself and people close to him. From early childhood, he has aimed to be the best goalkeeper in the world. He tended to be selfish, and brag about his skills before he met and played a couple of games against Tsubasa. He still keeps some of his old characteristic though, as at times he can be a bit impulsive. Still, after his draw against Tsubasa, he has learned to enjoy the game with his other teammates.
At his 12 he went to West Germany with his trainer Mikami. There, he met Karl Heinz Schneider, and from then their rivalry started. Three years later, the Japanese Jr. soccer team came to West Germany, then the match of the Hamburger SV and Japan started. Hamburg started with Wakabayashi and Schneider, while Japan had Hyuga as the captain and was without Tsubasa.
At the beginning the defense of Hamburg seemed too lazy, but later Wakabayashi said that he was just testing the shots. Schneider scored 3 goals against Wakashimazu, and the power of his Fire Shot had resulted in Wakashimazu's left arm injured and bleeding. Schneider got disappointed by that. Then Morisaki entered and conceded 2 more goals. The result, Hamburg won 5-1. Wakabayashi told Hyuga that the last goal was just a present for All Japan, and as long as All Japan had such a faint hearted man like Hyuga as their captain, All Japan wouldn't win a single match during their campaign.
After that, Mikami saw a sad Wakabayashi. Mikami said that he was sorry for making him get the Evil role, but Wakabayashi said that Mikami didn't have to be sorry and he was happy for watching a new Hyuga in that field. And, he also asked if he could be a member of the Japan Team. Mikami accepted it and he became the second goalkeeper of the team, using the number 22, he was on the bench until the match against West Germany Jr. Youth, since Wakashimazu's right hand was injured. Wakashimazu said that if his hand was all right he wouldn't allow Wakabayashi to play, but he had to play this time. All Japan won 3-2 against West Germany.
In World Youth, both of his arms were injured because of Brian Cruyfford and Stefan Levin. However he still managed to protect All Japan's goal in the Asian Preliminaries of the World Youth. His arms has recovered as the Final Tournament started.
In Road to 2002, FC Bayern Munich, with Schneider, Levin and Sho, won 2-1 against Hamburg. Because of Wakabayashi's "unnecessary" overlap near the end of that match, Hamburg's coach held a grudge towards Wakabayashi, and he ended up not being able to play anymore. Thus, in Golden 23, he joined the Japanese U-22 team. He perfectly defended Japan's goal in the beginning of the Asian preliminaries, giving a feeling of safety to the team. However, being severely injured to the eye in the match against Australia, he became unable to play the rest of the preliminaries.
In Rising Sun, his eye was healed, and he completely defended Japan's goal during all the practice matches that he played against Olympic New Zealand and Olympic Mexico. He later made it into the final 23 members of the Japanese Olympic team
Special techniques
- S.G.G.K(Super Great Goal Keeper): Wakabayashi has created a legend that he can stop any shots done from outside the penalty area.
- Sankaku Geri/Sankaku Tobi: Wakabayashi used the trademark technique of Wakashimazu in the match against West Germany.
- Upper Defense: Since the Levin Shoot would destroy a keeper's hand if he defends normally, Wakabayashi came up with the idea of using an uppercut to defend in order to avoid being injured.
- Straight Defense: When Wakabayashi was unable to use the Upper Defense, he used a straight defense to stop the Levin Shoot.
- Top Spin Pass
Image
Trivia
- His name is Benji (Benjamin) Price in the American, Portuguese and European Spanish dubs, Benji Wakabayashi in the Brazilian dub and Waleed in the Arabic dub.
- His Brazilian voice actor is Marcelo Campos, who also voiced popular anime characters such as Yugi Muto/Yami Yugi (Atem) in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Future/Adult Trunks in Dragon Ball Z/GT, Shurato in Tenkuu Seiki Shurato, Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Artemis in Sailor Moon, Clef in Magic Knight Rayearth, Zoro in One Piece and Terry Bogard in Fatal Fury OVAs.
- Wakabayashi is currently the only rival that didn't lose against Tsubasa in a match.