[𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐳𝐮𝐦𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 "𝐊𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨'𝐬 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦," 𝐛𝐮𝐭 "𝐀𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢'𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫"]
(You can check the images to see the discrepancies between the English version and the Japanese version)
Many KnB readers often assume that Mayuzumi Chihiro is just a clone, a "substitute" sought out by Akashi Seijuro to fill the vacancy left by Kuroko Tetsuya. However, if you read the original Japanese text carefully, you will discover an entirely different story. The reason readers misunderstand him as just a "copy" largely stems from the English translation, which obscures the subtle psychological nuances.
The "Framing" Translation Error
In the English version, the constant repetition of the term "Phantom Sixth Man" from start to finish makes the reader feel that Mayuzumi is merely a replaceable pawn. But in the original text, Akashi undergoes a very interesting shift in mindset. When he first begins the recruitment, he calls him 「幻の6人目」(Maboroshi no roku-nin-me) — the sixth man position he wants him to fill. However, after hearing Mayuzumi's flat refusal, in his concluding sentence, Akashi deliberately omits the "sixth" and calls him simply 「幻の選手」(Maboroshi no senshu) — a "Phantom Player."
This minor shift shows that Akashi no longer views him as a "Number 6" of the old mold. He has recognized him as a unique entity, an individual with an ego too great to be confined by the outdated title of Kuroko.
The Defiant Ego that Conquered Akashi
What makes Mayuzumi so compelling is not how similar he is to Kuroko, but his attitude when facing Akashi. When he explicitly declares:
"I don't know how I look from your perspective, but I... really love myself"
and asserts that playing basketball without finding it fun is meaningless, he genuinely surprises Akashi. The frame showing Akashi with wide, surprised eyes is proof that he has found someone different.
Akashi is not angered by the refusal; on the contrary, he finds it exciting. He confirms his recognition through a challenge filled with respect:
"You make me even more interested. If it's you, you can surpass Tetsuya to become a true 'phantom player'."
Akashi was not looking for a second Kuroko; he was looking for someone who could go further through their own potential.
From Recruited Player to Trusted Partner
This recognition does not lie only in words. Akashi never forced him to "become" Kuroko. He always allowed him to utilize his inherent individual skills, such as his long-range shooting and his ability to read the game, rather than forcing him to just pass the ball. From their very first meeting, Akashi saw this:
"I've watched you practice, and your ability is equal to or even greater than his."
(*「練習を見せてもらいましたが、その能力も彼と同じかそれ以上です」*)
In the final match, even when he was "overwritten" by Kuroko, Akashi still believed in his role within the Rakuzan lineup. He viewed him as an independent variable, a partner with his own intellect, not a broken tool in need of replacement.
Vindicating the MayuAka Relationship
It is precisely because of the misunderstanding that he is a "copy" that the value of the MayuAka relationship is often misread. In reality, Akashi did not need him to be as perfect as Kuroko; he needed him to be himself.
Their natures were different from the start: from personality and ability to their basketball ideals, he and Kuroko are two poles that cannot be blended.
When we strip away the rigid translation layer, we see an Akashi who truly respects his talent. Mayuzumi Chihiro was never "Kuroko's phantom," because to Akashi, he was the only "phantom player" worthy of his ambitions. It is time we perceive MayuAka as a relationship between two self-respecting individuals, rather than the filling of a void by a replacement.
-> Source of the English version images : web Comix
-> Source of the Japanese version images : https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/13932016480028739139
