ATTRIBUTES
VITAL STATS
OVERVIEW
Kiyoshi Teppei is the founder of Seirin High's basketball club, its former ace, and the starting center. Known as the Iron Heart and one of the Uncrowned Kings, he is taller than Kagami, plays with huge, sure hands, and treats every game as something to enjoy.
Kind, sly, and often spaced-out off the court, Kiyoshi is ruthless once his game instinct kicks in. His signature Right of Postponement delays a shot just long enough to freeze a defender, while Vice Claw uses those oversized hands to rip down rebounds. He returned from a serious knee injury to protect the club he built, even at the cost of his remaining high-school career.
NAME ETYMOLOGY
Kiyoshi (木吉): The kanji 木 (Ki) means "tree" or "wood," and 吉 (Yoshi) means "good fortune" or "lucky."
Seirin Naming Pattern: Following a hidden theme where Seirin's core roster members feature a day of the week in their surnames, Kiyoshi's 木 represents Thursday (木曜日, Mokuyōbi).
Uncrowned Kings Naming Pattern: Following a hidden theme where the Uncrowned Kings are named after things found in nature — flowers, nuts, seeds, roots — Kiyoshi's 木 is "tree" or "wood."
Teppei (鉄平): The kanji 鉄 (Tetsu) means "iron" and 平 (Pei) means "flat" or "peaceful," echoing his nickname Iron Heart and his unshakable presence in the paint.
ICONIC QUOTES
"If you're going to climb a mountain, you've got to aim for the top, but don't forget to enjoy the scenery too."
"A team is not just something to be protected. A team also protects you. We don't support each other because we're a team. We're a team because we support each other."
TRIVIA & DETAILS
OFFICIAL KUROFES INTERVIEW
Source: KuroFes Official Fanbook | Interviewer: Kuroko Tetsuya
Q1: [Appearing suddenly out of nowhere] Kiyoshi-senpai, congratulations on taking second place [in the center poll]. How do you feel right now?
Kiyoshi: Woah! ...Oh, it's just you, Kuroko. Of course I'm happy about 2nd place. Thanks.
Q2: What do you think is your greatest strength?
Kiyoshi: I don't really think about it consciously, but people often tell me that I seem kind.
Q3: So, is there anything you would like to improve upon in the future?
Kiyoshi: Hyūga and the others often tell me to do something about how I'm so out of it... but I don't know when I've actually been doing anything silly, so I don't know what to do about it.
Q4: Who is the opponent you hate losing to the most?
Kiyoshi: If you make me choose just one, it's difficult... but I guess Murasakibara, since we play the same position.
Q5: Looking back at the Winter Cup, how are you feeling now?
Kiyoshi: I'm extremely happy, and I have absolutely no regrets. That doesn't mean I think it's okay to quit basketball, though. Right now, I'm just completely satisfied.
Q6: How is your injury?
Kiyoshi: The surgery just finished, so I don't really know yet, but it seems to be recovering well. This time, I want to take my time and heal properly without rushing, and then play basketball with you guys again.
Q7: How painful was the lightning-fast massage coach gave you?
Kiyoshi: You'd definitely be better off avoiding it. A few times, my vision went white and I saw a river.
Q8: You often get called a "natural airhead." Are you aware of it?
Kiyoshi: Even if you ask me if I'm aware of it... I'm not, because it's not true. All I can say is that it's a misunderstanding...
Q9: Please tell us your goals for the future.
Kiyoshi: As I said earlier, first of all, I want to put all my effort into recovering from my injury. For that reason, I intend to deliberately forget about basketball for a while.
Q10: Please give a message to your fans.
Kiyoshi: To everyone who supported me, thank you so much! I'll be leaving Japan for a while, but I'll definitely come back to play basketball with Hyūga and the others again!
