Tatsuhiko Aota, the captain of the Shohoku judo team, has been friends with the Akagi siblings since childhood. He often debated with Takenori about which sport was superior—judo or basketball—since they were young. This rivalry has evolved into a competition over which team will become the National Champion first. Tatsuhiko once tried to recruit Sakuragi for the judo team due to his exceptional fighting skills, even offering him photos of Haruko from her younger days as an incentive. However, Sakuragi declined, stating simply, "because I'm a basketball player" (though in reality, he believed he would be closer to Haruko if he stayed on the basketball team). Despite this setback, Tatsuhiko occasionally attempts to persuade Sakuragi again.
Although Tatsuhiko couldn't convince Sakuragi to join the judo team, he has demonstrated his prowess by being the only member of the team to qualify for the National Championships. Additionally, he has harbored a crush on Haruko since childhood, and she affectionately calls him "Ta-chan," much to Sakuragi's annoyance. Tatsuhiko shows loyalty to Takenori, cheering him on during tough moments, such as when Takenori was outplayed in the second match against Ryonan.
