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Character Meta: Shiraishi Kuranosuke
I kept saying I want to write an entry about all of my new tenipuri opinions following the rewatch I've done, and I do! But what I want to do most of all is write an exhaustive TL;DR of meta about Shiraishi so.... That's what you're getting instead.
This character analysis draws primarily on the Nationals OVAs and on several of Shiraishi's character songs and trivia facts, seeing as I have not presently read or watched shinpuri. I am aware of some of the events that happen in shinpuri concerning Shiraishi, but not with specificity enough to factor into my opinions on his personality.
For the sake of thoroughness, I am breaking this post into different sections, each concerning a different aspect of Shiraishi's character which is of interest to me. It is my hope that it will be both interesting and easy to follow!
On Bible Tennis
Over the course of the series, the special abilities of characters within Prince of Tennis become more and more fantastical and over-the-top. In contrast to that, Shiraishi's ~special ability~ boils down to only this: he is extremely technically proficient. There is nothing magical about "bible tennis;" it is simply a mastery of the fundamentals so complete that in most any situation, Shiraishi can use whatever technique will have maximum effectiveness while putting in the minimum of effort and energy necessary to execute said technique.
What this says to me is: Shiraishi is not a character who coasts on natural talent. While he does seem to have a certain degree of natural proficiency at tennis, the level of skill he's attained has been earned through practice, diligence, and hard work. During his match with Fuji, he makes a statement about how perfect tennis isn't a thing unto itself, it's something he builds toward with every match he plays, using each game to improve upon his tennis and move that little bit closer to an ideal of perfection.
This suggests that Shiraishi is both an incredibly patient and incredibly tenacious person, a characterization backed up by the lyrics of his character song, "Go On." In the song, there's a line that roughly translates to, "I have faith that the best shortcut to tomorrow / is just to keep moving forward today." The overall message of the song seems to be that even in the face of seemingly-impossible goals (i.e. reaching perfection) it is worthwhile to make an attempt to achieve them, doing what little you can every day. And that even on days when you struggle and your efforts feel futile, the fact that you made the effort at all is worthwhile.
On Captaincy
Moving from there, Shiraishi's perfect tennis reflects not just his patience and resolve, but also a bit of his mentality on what it means to be captain of his team. During his match with Fuji, he has a line of internal dialogue that boils down to saying that perfect tennis is boring, and that there really is no such thing. He expresses a desire to play more exciting, risky tennis that will challenge him, while acknowledging that risky tennis doesn't win games. Reliable "bible tennis" is what he needs to play to win the match for his team, so he will prioritize the needs of the group over his own enjoyment.
This demonstrates a certain degree of selflessness on Shiraishi's part, as well as showing that he is a responsible, dependable captain. My understanding is that captaincy of his team is not something Shiraishi chose; in his second year he was already the ace of the team playing in their singles one slot, but didn't become captain until halfway through the year, when the previous captain unexpectedly retired. Shiraishi is cited as stressing a focus on the fundamentals for his team as well as for himself before nationals that year; after Shitenhoji's loss against Rikkai, he acknowledges that his teammates are capable of growing in all sorts of ways beyond the foundation he has focused on.
The fact that Shiraishi grows from a very rigid, controlling captaining style to a more flexible, supportive style that acknowledges his players' strengths and weaknesses and tailors their training to individual goals that suit those strengths, suggests that he does have a great aptitude for leadership. Often the best leaders aren't the ones who campaign for positions of authority, but the ones who simply find themselves in such positions out of necessity, before proceeding to rise to the challenge. Shiraishi is such a leader.
Shiraishi's team consists of a lot of different personalities and I find it important that he doesn't criticize that or attempt to change it. He supports his teammates' bizarre "comedy tennis" and allows Kintarou as much free reign as he can responsibly do. He meets his teammates where they are, communicating with them in their language; the best example is the roleplay he has with Kintarou where he utilizes the threat of unleashing his "poison hand" to keep Kintarou in line. Shiraishi explicitly states that he doesn't want to lie to Kintarou, but that this is the only thing he understands and listens to. Shiraishi is flexible and resourceful; he works with what he has as a captain, rather than lamenting what he doesn't have or criticizing his teammates for what they cannot do.
On Comedy, and Ecstasy
One of the hardest things to reconcile with the rest of Shiraishi's more flexible, laid-back personality is his "ahn, ecstasy~" catchphrase. The best explanation of it lies with the nature of Shitenhoji itself.
As a school, Shitenhoji has a heavy focus on comedy. It is a personal interest of the principal, and based on the trivia concerning what classes the Shitenhoji members are taking in school, is also something incorporated into their curriculum. The general consensus of Shiraishi's teammates, however, is that he isn't very funny. Kohaku even tells him that he should consider surrealism, due to the fact that his other efforts aren't working.
Based on this, there is the very real possibility that Shiraishi is trying for surrealism and is making an attempt to make his classmates laugh. His catchphrase is distinctly sexual, but his delivery is refined and calculated; he seems to time its use deliberately, with the goal of getting a reaction or punctuating a point. Much like how comedy tennis is a tool his teammates use to unnerve opponents, and which relies on gauging their responses in order to time it for maximum effectiveness, Shiraishi's "ecstasy" is a persona he has deliberately affected in order to achieve similar goals.
The first time Shiraishi ever uses his catchphrase is after the doubles match he and Kenya play against Zaizen and their vice captain, as part of their plan to recruit Zaizen to the tennis team. They initially attempt to recruit Zaizen with comedy, which he resists; he only agrees to try it when approached directly. When Shiraishi tries his new catchphrase, even Zaizen laughs. Considering the timing, Shiraishi's "ecstasy" does very much seem to be a blending of the practicality he shares with Zaizen, the love of comedy shared by his school, and his own personality. It is a persona, but one that draws from the part of himself that wants to have a good time and enjoy himself however he is able.
On Risk-Taking and Self-Interest
Tied in with the fact that Shiraishi does have a healthy interest in his own pleasures (even if he's able and willing to put them aside in the name of duty) is his outlook on risk-taking in tennis. Despite being laid-back the majority of the time, Shiraishi's perfect tennis can be seen as a means of asserting control over himself. At the same time, his desire to be able to take chances with his tennis and be challenged on the court reflects a desire to have that carefully-maintained control taken away from him.
Tennis is an arena where Shiraishi most frequently has the advantage, but he wants to be pushed out of that comfort zone. In his match with Fuji, he is excited when Fuji is able to make a comeback and even wishes that Fuji had been able to play at that level since the beginning of the match -- while clearly knowing that if this had been the case, Shiraishi would have lost. For his team, he wants to win and be dependable; for himself, winning is far from the most important thing. What is most important to him personally is having the most enjoyable, most exciting, most overwhelming game possible.
Which is to say, Shiraishi has an adrenaline kink. This is corroborated for me by his character song "Kuchibiru," the message of which boils down to Shiraishi being in a relationship with someone who he knows isn't the best for him and who won't let him go even if he wanted to leave, but where he cannot find it in him to want that because being overwhelmed so completely excites him. The lines I find most interesting translate roughly to "I embrace this inescapable love and await my tragedy" and "I murmur into the night that this is the last time / but you alway see through me." In the situation of the song, Shiraishi is clearly aware that the outcome will be negative for him, but he is embracing it anyway, transparently wanting this thing he knows is bad for him.
It's a fairly apt parallel to what would have happened in the match against Fuji, if Fuji had played at a higher level from the start. Shiraishi knows that would have been bad for him, but the draw is strong enough that he wants it anyway.
On Hobbies
Shiraishi has an interest in plants, specifically poisonous ones, a fact which compliments the idea that he has an adrenaline kink. Shiraishi likes things that are dangerous: poisonous plants, challenging matches, threatening people. While he gives the impression of being laid-back and easy to work with, these interests show that he may have a somewhat more sinister side.
Everything else about Shiraishi's hobbies is just interesting to me. He doesn't do poorly in any subject but does the best in chemistry, and also writes a serial article for his school's paper called "Poisonous Plant Bible," which indicates he's intelligent in terms of scholastics as well as in a more practical sense.
He's proud of his ability to cook noodles and has a perfect grilling technique, which indicates he's good at cooking. He's interested in health exercises and yoga, and spends all of his allowance on health goods. His favorite place to be in school is the infirmary. In conjunction with his fascination with poisons, that's a little bit concerning. In conjunction with his health-conscious mindset, that plus his cooking ability plus his deft hand in working with Kintarou indicate an aptitude for caring for others.
This is also reflected in how much he loves his pet beetle Kaburiel; there's a point where he keeps leaving early from practice and his teammates wonder if he got a girlfriend, but he's just going home to take care of his beetle because he's worried about it dying come winter.
Overall, Shiraishi seems practical in a way where he could use "means to an end" justification to excuse some worrying decisions, especially where his self-interest comes into play, but where ultimately he wants the best for the people around him and is more likely to make choices that will support and benefit them.
On Relationships
This section is not regarding Shiraishi's canon relationships (not exclusively, anyway). It is regarding the potential dynamics that might exist between him and other members of the Prince of Tennis cast, based on their shared interests and the sorts of power dynamics and relationship dynamics that I personally find interesting.
There are two primary relationship dynamics I think would work well for Shiraishi. The first is handler ships: relationships where Shiraishi is able to support and nurture the growth of whatever person he is with. The second is challenger ships: relationships where the other person is Shiraishi's equal or better and is able to arouse his thrill for danger by pushing him and challenging him.
In the first category:
-Kintarou: Their canon relationship is with Shiraishi as a mentor to Kintarou, someone who sets boundaries for him and supports his growth as a tennis player and as a person. Shiraishi has a great deal of patience for Kintarou, and has proven that he is able to keep up with Kintarou's energy and is unlikely to get fed up with his wild, impulsive nature. All I want is for a somewhat older, more mature Kintarou to realize he's attracted to Shiraishi and make a move, and for Shiraishi to try to deflect him with the same silly roleplay he's always used, only for Kintarou to insist that he won't necessarily fall for that stuff any more. It's still fun (and they should totally flirt via roleplay) but he's Being Serious. And then they should kiss.
-Sanada: This started out as Shiraishi/Yukimura/Sanada, but between Sanada and Yukimura, Sanada is the one who needs a handler. He puts a great deal of pressure on himself and cuts himself very little slack, while having grown up in an environment -- whether it was at home or at school or both -- where corporal punishment was the correct response to mistakes. All I want for Shiraishi and Sanada is for Shiraishi to teach Sanada what Shiraishi had to learn himself: that it's possible to step back, relax, and refrain from always having to be in control of things. And more than that, that it's possible to hand the reins over to someone else and enjoy having them take care of you for a while.
-Kaidou: This was a joke and it's Yrin's fault but listen, it would be a good ship. Kaidou is also someone who's wound a little too tight; at his heart he's a very respectful, sensitive boy who loves animals and wants the best for his friends, but he has a permanent stinkface and a tendency to get worked up and snap at people even when he doesn't mean to. He also has a tendency to get lost whenever there is the merest possibility of him being separated from a group. I feel like Shiraishi would be patient with his periodic snappishness and would be able to tease him in ways that make Kaidou stop, and look at himself, so that he's able to laugh at himself and calm down rather than get more worked up.
-Taka: This one came about from Shiraishi/Fuji/Taka because what's the point of having ships if you don't turn them into OT3s by gently nudging them together where they overlap? But even on their own, I love the idea of Taka and Shiraishi cooking together... My caretaker ships with Shiraishi are mostly very unbalanced, where he would do almost all of the giving, and what his partner would be able to give back would be in an entirely different category altogether. So Shiraishi/Taka is nice to think about because I feel they would be able to communicate in the same language of care and would have a more mutual doting-on-each-other relationship.
And then, in the second category:
-Yukimura: I AM DISPROPORTIONATELY FUCKED FOR SHIRAYUKI FOR REASONS I CAN NEITHER FULL UNDERSTAND NOR ARTICULATE. On the one hand they could be such a perfect, pretty, sassy power couple the likes of which would strike fear into the hearts of any who sees them. On the other hand... I constantly think about Shiraishi playing tennis against Yukimura and experiencing Yukimura's senses-stealing ability and just full on having a panic attack about how terrifying the experience is. I really like the thought of Shiraishi being enticed by the underlying sense of danger inherent to Yukimura, as well as by the knowledge that Yukimura is among the best at tennis, and would be able to offer him a priceless challenge on the tennis court. But I also think that even with Yukimura's ability, Shiraishi and Yukimura would be quite well-matched at tennis; part of Yukimura's tennis technique is that he neutralizes all the flashy, unrealistic moves other characters have. But Shiraishi doesn't have any of those, his entire strategy hinges on creative, expert use of the basics. So as much as I want Shiraishi to get wrecked, I feel like up until the point where Yukimura's ability comes into effect, they would be fairly evenly matched, because they actually have very similar styles.
And I do just generally want Shiraishi being interested in Yukimura because he considers himself a good judge of people and he can tell Yukimura could fuck him right up, but. They're friends, they've bonded over plants and gone on cute dates to gardens and they genuinely really like each other, if Yukimura fucks him up beyond what he can take -- a real possibility which Shiraishi would acknowledge before continuing anyway -- it wouldn't be out of malice.
-Fuji: Fuji appeals for similar reasons to Yukimura, but does strike a somewhat different note. Shiraishi has pushed Fuji to improve his tennis, and Shiraishi has beaten Fuji at tennis. While Yukimura has just literally never lost before playing Ryoma, Fuji very, very much dislikes to lose, while also seeming to hate the possibility of being transparent in something so unseemly. While I don't believe Fuji would hold a grudge about their match during nationals, I do believe that a previous loss against Shiraishi would be... Somewhat motivating for Fuji to give Shiraishi a real run for his money. And Shiraishi would love it. So basically... Yukimura is a subtler menace when it comes to Shiraishi; Fuji is the one who can't help dropping his mask just a little too much and showing his nastier side. (But also they too can be very cute about plants.)
And in a category which isn't either of those previous things:
-Chitose: I didn't initally have any interest in Shiraishi/Chitose, because it didn't seem to have a power dynamic I would be interested in. (this is also why Shiraishi/Kenya misses me.) But then I arrived at the possibility of it as a growing relationship: Chitose goes into it knowing that it will end, almost definitely because Shiraishi grew out of him and finds someone who challenges him more, but sees no problem with this. (possibly his tennis-related precognition is involved in this prediction.) I really love situations where someone knows from the start that something will fail, but does it anyway because they want to enjoy what happens in the interlude. And I do think Chitose and Shiraishi would be comfortable together while it lasted.
-Ishida Tetsu: Tetsu is the younger brother of Gin-san, Shiraishi's teammate at Shitenhoji. But for some reason, Tetsu goes to a different school in an entirely different prefecture? This came about as a joke but it's unfortunately a Super Relevant To Me joke and now all I want is "Shiraishi kept hitting on Gin's baby brother to the point where Gin actively pushed him to test into a school SOMEWHERE ELSE because the idea of his baby brother being with Shiraishi makes him want to punch buchou in the face, if not for the fact that buchou would probably like it." That's it that's the ship, I love "person x their friend's younger sibling" ships.
And don't worry given a little more time I'm sure I can come up with EVEN MORE Shiraishi ships with even less basis in canon but like, who needs canon in Prince of Tennis fandom anyway, canon is a mess.
Thank you for listening to my giant text wall of Shiraishi opinions, I also have EVEN MORE opinions about Shiraishi and sex but that seems... Beyond the scope of this already sprawling dissection of who he is as a person. It's been fun!
This character analysis draws primarily on the Nationals OVAs and on several of Shiraishi's character songs and trivia facts, seeing as I have not presently read or watched shinpuri. I am aware of some of the events that happen in shinpuri concerning Shiraishi, but not with specificity enough to factor into my opinions on his personality.
For the sake of thoroughness, I am breaking this post into different sections, each concerning a different aspect of Shiraishi's character which is of interest to me. It is my hope that it will be both interesting and easy to follow!
On Bible Tennis
Over the course of the series, the special abilities of characters within Prince of Tennis become more and more fantastical and over-the-top. In contrast to that, Shiraishi's ~special ability~ boils down to only this: he is extremely technically proficient. There is nothing magical about "bible tennis;" it is simply a mastery of the fundamentals so complete that in most any situation, Shiraishi can use whatever technique will have maximum effectiveness while putting in the minimum of effort and energy necessary to execute said technique.
What this says to me is: Shiraishi is not a character who coasts on natural talent. While he does seem to have a certain degree of natural proficiency at tennis, the level of skill he's attained has been earned through practice, diligence, and hard work. During his match with Fuji, he makes a statement about how perfect tennis isn't a thing unto itself, it's something he builds toward with every match he plays, using each game to improve upon his tennis and move that little bit closer to an ideal of perfection.
This suggests that Shiraishi is both an incredibly patient and incredibly tenacious person, a characterization backed up by the lyrics of his character song, "Go On." In the song, there's a line that roughly translates to, "I have faith that the best shortcut to tomorrow / is just to keep moving forward today." The overall message of the song seems to be that even in the face of seemingly-impossible goals (i.e. reaching perfection) it is worthwhile to make an attempt to achieve them, doing what little you can every day. And that even on days when you struggle and your efforts feel futile, the fact that you made the effort at all is worthwhile.
On Captaincy
Moving from there, Shiraishi's perfect tennis reflects not just his patience and resolve, but also a bit of his mentality on what it means to be captain of his team. During his match with Fuji, he has a line of internal dialogue that boils down to saying that perfect tennis is boring, and that there really is no such thing. He expresses a desire to play more exciting, risky tennis that will challenge him, while acknowledging that risky tennis doesn't win games. Reliable "bible tennis" is what he needs to play to win the match for his team, so he will prioritize the needs of the group over his own enjoyment.
This demonstrates a certain degree of selflessness on Shiraishi's part, as well as showing that he is a responsible, dependable captain. My understanding is that captaincy of his team is not something Shiraishi chose; in his second year he was already the ace of the team playing in their singles one slot, but didn't become captain until halfway through the year, when the previous captain unexpectedly retired. Shiraishi is cited as stressing a focus on the fundamentals for his team as well as for himself before nationals that year; after Shitenhoji's loss against Rikkai, he acknowledges that his teammates are capable of growing in all sorts of ways beyond the foundation he has focused on.
The fact that Shiraishi grows from a very rigid, controlling captaining style to a more flexible, supportive style that acknowledges his players' strengths and weaknesses and tailors their training to individual goals that suit those strengths, suggests that he does have a great aptitude for leadership. Often the best leaders aren't the ones who campaign for positions of authority, but the ones who simply find themselves in such positions out of necessity, before proceeding to rise to the challenge. Shiraishi is such a leader.
Shiraishi's team consists of a lot of different personalities and I find it important that he doesn't criticize that or attempt to change it. He supports his teammates' bizarre "comedy tennis" and allows Kintarou as much free reign as he can responsibly do. He meets his teammates where they are, communicating with them in their language; the best example is the roleplay he has with Kintarou where he utilizes the threat of unleashing his "poison hand" to keep Kintarou in line. Shiraishi explicitly states that he doesn't want to lie to Kintarou, but that this is the only thing he understands and listens to. Shiraishi is flexible and resourceful; he works with what he has as a captain, rather than lamenting what he doesn't have or criticizing his teammates for what they cannot do.
On Comedy, and Ecstasy
One of the hardest things to reconcile with the rest of Shiraishi's more flexible, laid-back personality is his "ahn, ecstasy~" catchphrase. The best explanation of it lies with the nature of Shitenhoji itself.
As a school, Shitenhoji has a heavy focus on comedy. It is a personal interest of the principal, and based on the trivia concerning what classes the Shitenhoji members are taking in school, is also something incorporated into their curriculum. The general consensus of Shiraishi's teammates, however, is that he isn't very funny. Kohaku even tells him that he should consider surrealism, due to the fact that his other efforts aren't working.
Based on this, there is the very real possibility that Shiraishi is trying for surrealism and is making an attempt to make his classmates laugh. His catchphrase is distinctly sexual, but his delivery is refined and calculated; he seems to time its use deliberately, with the goal of getting a reaction or punctuating a point. Much like how comedy tennis is a tool his teammates use to unnerve opponents, and which relies on gauging their responses in order to time it for maximum effectiveness, Shiraishi's "ecstasy" is a persona he has deliberately affected in order to achieve similar goals.
The first time Shiraishi ever uses his catchphrase is after the doubles match he and Kenya play against Zaizen and their vice captain, as part of their plan to recruit Zaizen to the tennis team. They initially attempt to recruit Zaizen with comedy, which he resists; he only agrees to try it when approached directly. When Shiraishi tries his new catchphrase, even Zaizen laughs. Considering the timing, Shiraishi's "ecstasy" does very much seem to be a blending of the practicality he shares with Zaizen, the love of comedy shared by his school, and his own personality. It is a persona, but one that draws from the part of himself that wants to have a good time and enjoy himself however he is able.
On Risk-Taking and Self-Interest
Tied in with the fact that Shiraishi does have a healthy interest in his own pleasures (even if he's able and willing to put them aside in the name of duty) is his outlook on risk-taking in tennis. Despite being laid-back the majority of the time, Shiraishi's perfect tennis can be seen as a means of asserting control over himself. At the same time, his desire to be able to take chances with his tennis and be challenged on the court reflects a desire to have that carefully-maintained control taken away from him.
Tennis is an arena where Shiraishi most frequently has the advantage, but he wants to be pushed out of that comfort zone. In his match with Fuji, he is excited when Fuji is able to make a comeback and even wishes that Fuji had been able to play at that level since the beginning of the match -- while clearly knowing that if this had been the case, Shiraishi would have lost. For his team, he wants to win and be dependable; for himself, winning is far from the most important thing. What is most important to him personally is having the most enjoyable, most exciting, most overwhelming game possible.
Which is to say, Shiraishi has an adrenaline kink. This is corroborated for me by his character song "Kuchibiru," the message of which boils down to Shiraishi being in a relationship with someone who he knows isn't the best for him and who won't let him go even if he wanted to leave, but where he cannot find it in him to want that because being overwhelmed so completely excites him. The lines I find most interesting translate roughly to "I embrace this inescapable love and await my tragedy" and "I murmur into the night that this is the last time / but you alway see through me." In the situation of the song, Shiraishi is clearly aware that the outcome will be negative for him, but he is embracing it anyway, transparently wanting this thing he knows is bad for him.
It's a fairly apt parallel to what would have happened in the match against Fuji, if Fuji had played at a higher level from the start. Shiraishi knows that would have been bad for him, but the draw is strong enough that he wants it anyway.
On Hobbies
Shiraishi has an interest in plants, specifically poisonous ones, a fact which compliments the idea that he has an adrenaline kink. Shiraishi likes things that are dangerous: poisonous plants, challenging matches, threatening people. While he gives the impression of being laid-back and easy to work with, these interests show that he may have a somewhat more sinister side.
Everything else about Shiraishi's hobbies is just interesting to me. He doesn't do poorly in any subject but does the best in chemistry, and also writes a serial article for his school's paper called "Poisonous Plant Bible," which indicates he's intelligent in terms of scholastics as well as in a more practical sense.
He's proud of his ability to cook noodles and has a perfect grilling technique, which indicates he's good at cooking. He's interested in health exercises and yoga, and spends all of his allowance on health goods. His favorite place to be in school is the infirmary. In conjunction with his fascination with poisons, that's a little bit concerning. In conjunction with his health-conscious mindset, that plus his cooking ability plus his deft hand in working with Kintarou indicate an aptitude for caring for others.
This is also reflected in how much he loves his pet beetle Kaburiel; there's a point where he keeps leaving early from practice and his teammates wonder if he got a girlfriend, but he's just going home to take care of his beetle because he's worried about it dying come winter.
Overall, Shiraishi seems practical in a way where he could use "means to an end" justification to excuse some worrying decisions, especially where his self-interest comes into play, but where ultimately he wants the best for the people around him and is more likely to make choices that will support and benefit them.
On Relationships
This section is not regarding Shiraishi's canon relationships (not exclusively, anyway). It is regarding the potential dynamics that might exist between him and other members of the Prince of Tennis cast, based on their shared interests and the sorts of power dynamics and relationship dynamics that I personally find interesting.
There are two primary relationship dynamics I think would work well for Shiraishi. The first is handler ships: relationships where Shiraishi is able to support and nurture the growth of whatever person he is with. The second is challenger ships: relationships where the other person is Shiraishi's equal or better and is able to arouse his thrill for danger by pushing him and challenging him.
In the first category:
-Kintarou: Their canon relationship is with Shiraishi as a mentor to Kintarou, someone who sets boundaries for him and supports his growth as a tennis player and as a person. Shiraishi has a great deal of patience for Kintarou, and has proven that he is able to keep up with Kintarou's energy and is unlikely to get fed up with his wild, impulsive nature. All I want is for a somewhat older, more mature Kintarou to realize he's attracted to Shiraishi and make a move, and for Shiraishi to try to deflect him with the same silly roleplay he's always used, only for Kintarou to insist that he won't necessarily fall for that stuff any more. It's still fun (and they should totally flirt via roleplay) but he's Being Serious. And then they should kiss.
-Sanada: This started out as Shiraishi/Yukimura/Sanada, but between Sanada and Yukimura, Sanada is the one who needs a handler. He puts a great deal of pressure on himself and cuts himself very little slack, while having grown up in an environment -- whether it was at home or at school or both -- where corporal punishment was the correct response to mistakes. All I want for Shiraishi and Sanada is for Shiraishi to teach Sanada what Shiraishi had to learn himself: that it's possible to step back, relax, and refrain from always having to be in control of things. And more than that, that it's possible to hand the reins over to someone else and enjoy having them take care of you for a while.
-Kaidou: This was a joke and it's Yrin's fault but listen, it would be a good ship. Kaidou is also someone who's wound a little too tight; at his heart he's a very respectful, sensitive boy who loves animals and wants the best for his friends, but he has a permanent stinkface and a tendency to get worked up and snap at people even when he doesn't mean to. He also has a tendency to get lost whenever there is the merest possibility of him being separated from a group. I feel like Shiraishi would be patient with his periodic snappishness and would be able to tease him in ways that make Kaidou stop, and look at himself, so that he's able to laugh at himself and calm down rather than get more worked up.
-Taka: This one came about from Shiraishi/Fuji/Taka because what's the point of having ships if you don't turn them into OT3s by gently nudging them together where they overlap? But even on their own, I love the idea of Taka and Shiraishi cooking together... My caretaker ships with Shiraishi are mostly very unbalanced, where he would do almost all of the giving, and what his partner would be able to give back would be in an entirely different category altogether. So Shiraishi/Taka is nice to think about because I feel they would be able to communicate in the same language of care and would have a more mutual doting-on-each-other relationship.
And then, in the second category:
-Yukimura: I AM DISPROPORTIONATELY FUCKED FOR SHIRAYUKI FOR REASONS I CAN NEITHER FULL UNDERSTAND NOR ARTICULATE. On the one hand they could be such a perfect, pretty, sassy power couple the likes of which would strike fear into the hearts of any who sees them. On the other hand... I constantly think about Shiraishi playing tennis against Yukimura and experiencing Yukimura's senses-stealing ability and just full on having a panic attack about how terrifying the experience is. I really like the thought of Shiraishi being enticed by the underlying sense of danger inherent to Yukimura, as well as by the knowledge that Yukimura is among the best at tennis, and would be able to offer him a priceless challenge on the tennis court. But I also think that even with Yukimura's ability, Shiraishi and Yukimura would be quite well-matched at tennis; part of Yukimura's tennis technique is that he neutralizes all the flashy, unrealistic moves other characters have. But Shiraishi doesn't have any of those, his entire strategy hinges on creative, expert use of the basics. So as much as I want Shiraishi to get wrecked, I feel like up until the point where Yukimura's ability comes into effect, they would be fairly evenly matched, because they actually have very similar styles.
And I do just generally want Shiraishi being interested in Yukimura because he considers himself a good judge of people and he can tell Yukimura could fuck him right up, but. They're friends, they've bonded over plants and gone on cute dates to gardens and they genuinely really like each other, if Yukimura fucks him up beyond what he can take -- a real possibility which Shiraishi would acknowledge before continuing anyway -- it wouldn't be out of malice.
-Fuji: Fuji appeals for similar reasons to Yukimura, but does strike a somewhat different note. Shiraishi has pushed Fuji to improve his tennis, and Shiraishi has beaten Fuji at tennis. While Yukimura has just literally never lost before playing Ryoma, Fuji very, very much dislikes to lose, while also seeming to hate the possibility of being transparent in something so unseemly. While I don't believe Fuji would hold a grudge about their match during nationals, I do believe that a previous loss against Shiraishi would be... Somewhat motivating for Fuji to give Shiraishi a real run for his money. And Shiraishi would love it. So basically... Yukimura is a subtler menace when it comes to Shiraishi; Fuji is the one who can't help dropping his mask just a little too much and showing his nastier side. (But also they too can be very cute about plants.)
And in a category which isn't either of those previous things:
-Chitose: I didn't initally have any interest in Shiraishi/Chitose, because it didn't seem to have a power dynamic I would be interested in. (this is also why Shiraishi/Kenya misses me.) But then I arrived at the possibility of it as a growing relationship: Chitose goes into it knowing that it will end, almost definitely because Shiraishi grew out of him and finds someone who challenges him more, but sees no problem with this. (possibly his tennis-related precognition is involved in this prediction.) I really love situations where someone knows from the start that something will fail, but does it anyway because they want to enjoy what happens in the interlude. And I do think Chitose and Shiraishi would be comfortable together while it lasted.
-Ishida Tetsu: Tetsu is the younger brother of Gin-san, Shiraishi's teammate at Shitenhoji. But for some reason, Tetsu goes to a different school in an entirely different prefecture? This came about as a joke but it's unfortunately a Super Relevant To Me joke and now all I want is "Shiraishi kept hitting on Gin's baby brother to the point where Gin actively pushed him to test into a school SOMEWHERE ELSE because the idea of his baby brother being with Shiraishi makes him want to punch buchou in the face, if not for the fact that buchou would probably like it." That's it that's the ship, I love "person x their friend's younger sibling" ships.
And don't worry given a little more time I'm sure I can come up with EVEN MORE Shiraishi ships with even less basis in canon but like, who needs canon in Prince of Tennis fandom anyway, canon is a mess.
Thank you for listening to my giant text wall of Shiraishi opinions, I also have EVEN MORE opinions about Shiraishi and sex but that seems... Beyond the scope of this already sprawling dissection of who he is as a person. It's been fun!
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