recently, I’ve just read Eyeshield 21 by downloading Manga Scan (The story is not finished though, i am still waiting for the release of the new chapter). It reminds me of some great list of Manga with Sport as it theme. Below are the list of my top Three Favorite Sport manga.
Number 3……..
Hajime No Ippo
Never in my life i would think that i will enjoy boxing in any way, Hajime No Ippo proves it wrong. Ever since the manga licensed in Indonesia, i become one loyal Fans of the manga. 2 of my friend, eko and raymond, also a loyal fans of this manga.
The story is about Ippo Makunouchi. He is a very shy high school student who had no time to have friends because he’s busy helping his mother with the family business since his father already passed away. He tends to stay away from trouble but bullies in his school that is lead by Umezawa really like to picking on him. On one bullying event he was saved by Mamoru Takamura, and because of the bullying Ippo got injured and taken to the Kamogawa Gym so that his wound is treated. Ippo was told to punch a sand bag in order to release his frustration. From the Sand Bag punching, takamura sees Ippo boxing talent, and told him about his talent. Ever since, Ippo started his regular training and began his path in Japan’s professional boxing.
Story revolved around the gym, there are stories about Ippo’s friends at the gym. And even Ippo’ own love story with Kumi-chan. The past story of Kamogawa’s boxing experience of TEK-KEN (Iron Fist). And one interesting story of Mamoru Takamura that dominate the Japan Boxing. And one of the main story of this Manga is The never ending rivalry of Miyata and Ippo which started in Kamogawa Gym, which lead’s to the incident of miyata leaving Kamogawa’s Gym and try to conquer the world.
I like the character development of this manga, even during the matches some fighters are changed (Ippo’s determination, Sawamura Killing Intent, Manabu Itagaki view of Infight Boxing and more). The moves is also interesting because some of it is taken from real fighting pose or move (Ippo’s is based on Mike Tyson fighting style, and he also used Dympsey roll that is used by Jack Dympsey in the 60’s). The comical relation ship between Ippo and Kumi-chan is a comedic relief for some intense fighting that Ippo had. The relation even become a triangular love story with manabu’s sister without Ippo realizing it.
With interesting character development, and intense boxing match. Hajime No Ippo has become number 3 in my top fave sport manga
Number 2……..
Eyeshield 21
The reason I know a lot of thing about American Football is from this manga. I slightly remembered when my Friend, Mario and Ardo, tried to give an explanation of American Foot ball while we were playing NFL in Ardo’s GameCube (if i’m not mistaken). They failed miserably, and in the end, i drop the joy stick and let them play by them self. Around a month ago, i was introduced with Eyeshield 21 through Anime. The story is about Kobayakawa Sena, a new student in Deimon High School, that’s recruited by Hiruma Yoichi to be The new secretary for Deimon American Football team. But Kobayakawa Sena showed to Hiruma Yoichi his running talent when he was being chased with bullies, and later on he was told to play at the team as a runner, use Eyeshield to cover his face so that no other team in the school (such as tracking team, soccer, etc) wont try to recruit him, and he’s also given the number 21 which later on he was called “Eyeshield 21″.
The Deimon high school team is originally consist of 2 main members they are Horuma Yoichi, and Kurita Ryokan. Horuma Yoichi is known to be very evil, and not by beating up others. He uses his Devil’s Handbook, a small black notebook that has a list of dark secret from students and even school staff), to blackmail people. He also like to use machine gun or bazooka to threat people or to practice hehe. As a player he’s known by his great capability to pass.
While Kurita Ryokan is a kind hearted man who shared the dream to play American FootBall with Hiruma. He’s very big and known by his strength. The team is 9 people short from the minimum team to play American Football team, that’s why Hiruma recruit player from other club just to play particular game. And right now, after they recruit Sena, they’ll try to find new player to the team and finally try to challenge the inter-high tournament.
After i watch the anime, i plan to search for the manga in internet. But because i was kinda busy at that time, i forgot about it, until a week and a half ago my friend eko, bought the indonesia licensed Eyeshield comic. I read the comic, and there are a lot of detail that i cannot see in the anime. I bought 5 volume of the comic from the book store, and because i am still excited to watch the next volume, finally i search the internet and catch up to the Eyeshield volume 25 by downloading the manga scan.
What i like about eyeshield is the character (it got various type of people in it), the match ( Since i dont really know about american football, i kinda get excited when some new tactic is introduced, and wondering whether it’s real or not), and the comedy aspect (It’s funny, with the introduction of the name Ha-ha brothers, Monta the catcher <that also known as the monkey>, and of course sena himself, that sometime saying something cool like “I am gonna Defeat him” but always ended by “but i am not sure coz he’s strong” or “that’s what i want to say but i dont know how”).
There are story of rivalry in the manga (although sometime it’s only in one match only)like The Rivalry of Sena and Shin, Kid and Himura, Banba and Kurita, Monta and Sakuraba (actually monta got a lot of competition aside from Sakuraba), The Ha-Ha brothers and Komusubi (okay, they are in one team, but they got in fight a lot)
Number 1……..
Slam Dunk
I know the title “Slam Dunk” before reading the manga. I am interested with the anime, but never got a chance to watch it. Until 2005, i was in Australia and a friend gave me the whole Slam Dunk manga scan from the start until the end ( I forgot who gave it to me, but i truly thank you for it). I fall in love with the comic ever since volume one.
Unlike any of my previous favorite manga, the Story started a bully name Hanamichi Sakuragi he’s also leader of the bullies gang consist of 5 people. He’s very unpopular with girls that has been rejected by them for fifty times. Until one day when he’s sobbing after being rejected with the 50th girl, she met Haruko Akagi, she’s not scared of him like all the other girls he has asked out, and she even said that hanamichi had Basket Ball player body and ask him to join Shohoku BasketBall team.
Recognizing himself as a genius, he stormed into the Shohoku basket ball club, and challange the club captain, that none other than Haruko Akagi brother. Unimaginable but it’s true that Sakuragi have basketball talent. He proves to be a good player in just the count of months. In the team there is also a basketball prodigy, Kaede Rukawa, which has a lot of fans with one them is Haruko Akagi. Ever since Sakuragi knows the fact that haruko Akagi like Rukawa, he consider Rukawa as a Rival in love and also basket ball. Hisashi Mitsui, former junior high school MVP also a former bullies, which have the three point shooting power and Ryota Miyagi, a short but fast player, both also rejoin the team and together they try to make Shohoku as the national champion.
The story flow , the matches, and the character, i love them all. There are times when i really got into the match, that i also the emotion in the match. Especially when Sakurgai tell his Teacher “To me, this is the time” ( note: taken from Vol 31, read it and you’ll understand ). There are a lot of scene which hit me in the heart (When he realize that rukawa is really a good player, How he played regarding his injury, When he knows how hard Akagi tries to achieve his dream, When his former gang try to protect sakuragi, and many more)
This manga will always be number 1 sport manga for me !!!!!
Note: For all of you, who think that i am “Captain Tsubasa” Number 1 Fans (on how i defended the manga, when others said fantasista or shoot is better). I would like to say that Captain Tsubasa is still one of my favorite manga/anime, but it’s only limited till he was high schooler. When he goes to the world, the story is what i might say, “getting weird” and “maksa banget”.
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