(Check out the stickied post for the full bracket.)

Day 3 of the bracket sees a confrontation between two characters very comfortable flaunting their respective elite statuses. One’s a try-hard ace on the basketball court, the other’s just born lucky.

Sakura Ichiko

How is this character great in their own universe?

Sakura Ichiko is one of the most prideful and conceited protagonists i have ever seen. Her introduction in the series is her laughing at the girls who are insulting her behind her back because she thinks that the insults suck. Despite this, she does have a good heart, showing it in some weirdly funny ways.

How would they be great in the other’s universe?

Her utter conceitedness would lend well to her position as the best basketball player in her league. She would probably dunk on people literally, let people win a little so she could crush them harder, and take a lot of joy in using her “assets” as inexplicably being a girl in the male basketball league. It would turn every episode that she is in into a comedy as Kuroko describes the time that she effortlessly took down an entire team before dancing on their trampled bodies.

Daiki Aomine

How is this character great in their own universe?

In a series with a lot of selfish characters, Aomine stands out for two things; showboating style and the desire to go toe-to-toe with guys in a sport he really loves. I really enjoy his character for the sense of loneliness he feels as much as the raw style of streetball and alpha-dog personality of his. He also has a very carnivorous smile for a guy with a tiny mouth.

How would they be great in the other’s universe?

Aomine’s actually pretty similar to Ichiko in many ways, having a lot of talent and being lonely because of it. Him being in Ichiko’s role does two major things to the universe. First, it become a romantic comedy, and the tension between him and Momiji gets kind of cute. Second, he’s not at all subtle about crushing people he hates and holds it over their heads like a real mofo. It’s pretty easy to imagine him showboating around his newfound superluck with great flourish.