Jose Blanco (Japanese:
He is the current coach for the Argentina Men's Olympic Volleyball Team.
Appearance[]
When he was younger, Blanco had light-colored hair that was most likely dyed, as he had a dark undercut and eyebrows and an athletic build. He was seen wearing the Argentina team uniform with the number thirteen.
His current appearance shows him to be older, but he still bears a close resemblance to his younger self. He still has light-colored hair, but it is uncertain if it is still dyed or due to aging.
Personality[]
Blanco is a wise and helpful man. During his younger years, he is shown to have been calm and focused to help bring his teammates back on track. He appears to be very observant, as he was able to tell when Oikawa was determined to have as much one-on-one time with him.
Background[]
Prior to his current career, he played as a setter for the Argentina team in a match witnessed by Oikawa and Iwaizumi when they were young. Blanco had been subbed into the game when the Argentina ace was having trouble making spikes, and it was his talent of knowing how to help his teammate that caused Oikawa to become a setter.
Plot[]
In Oikawa's flashback, Blanco was shown to be the backup setter for the Argentina team. During the match against Japan, Blanco was subbed into the game to help the Argentina ace as he struggled to score. Oikawa described him as a veteran player who kept calm but didn't focus too much on the ace while still providing sets that got the ace back in his groove and allowed him to score the most points in the game.
After the match ended, Oikawa managed to get his attention for an autograph. However, the paper he was sharing with Iwaizumi was completely used by a player from the Japan team, and Blanco signed an unused jockstrap instead. When Oikawa declared how he wished to become a setter, Blanco struggled but managed to tell him "Do your best" in Japanese.
Post-timeskip, Blanca has become the team coach for the Argentina Men's Olympic Volleyball team, and Oikawa is playing on the team as the setter.
Statistics[]
In his prime, Blanco was shown to have a skill level similar to Oikawa's, in that he was able to read players and know what type of sets they needed to get back on track. Oikawa described him as staying calm and not focusing too much on one player. Although Oikawa credited Blanco for being the one who got the ace back on track, Blanco was said to have left the court without seeking attention or glory.
Skills[]
Relationships[]
Aoba Johsai High/CA San Juan[]
- Tōru Oikawa: Blanco met the younger setter when he was still a child, and it became his inspiration to be a setter when he helped his team ace regain his focus. Several years later, he could tell that Oikawa was pretending to be uncertain of where he stood concerning volleyball but was still able to help him realize he should not compare his talent to the natural abilities of others.
Trivia[]
- Blanco's former jersey number, 13, is the first and last jersey number Oikawa is seen wearing in the series.
- When Blanco met Oikawa, he was described as a veteran player at the age of 38.