lilithespark's manga / #Football(6)

Ao Ashi

Ongoing | Kobayashi Yuugo | 2000 released

This is such re-read material. I initially read this months ago and have probably re-read this about five to six times by now. It's that good. The most memorable thing about this (well, besides the soccer games) is the character growth. I loved seeing Aoi transform into a refined soccer player. It's not too fast, not too slow. Just enough to keep me wanting more. Call this unrealistic, but this certainly isn't a Kuroko no Basuke 2.0. The intricacies of this manga are so defined. I could re-read this again and still find things I hadn't noticed before. I love pretty much all the themes present in Ao Ashi. The team, the senpai and kouhai relationship, family— stuff like that. The climax is what I consider to be Aomori Seiran game in which I feel that Ashito finally stepped foot onto the national level playing ground. I actually really enjoyed the little tidbits of the fundamentals of soccer. Both informational and very entertaining. There's a bit of a romantic subplot (I really don't like where I see Yuuma and the reporter going…. + Ashito and Hana). With Ashito and Hana, it's not like I dislike Hana, it's just that it's repetitive for me now. Like, look at Be-Blues. There's a girl there, too, who likes the protagonist. *sigh* Just heteronormativity striking again. Anyway, that's not the point, Aoi Ashito is such an interesting (and sometimes scary) MC. His character progression is soooo nice to read. Like, his drive for soccer really fascinates me. It's because of that that he was able to grow so quickly. His drive caused problems for his interpersonal relationships. He's a but of an "unstable" character which made for a deep contrast with his usual, happy go-lucky character. The art expresses that part of him perfectly. The anime doesn't really match the manga in terms of execution in my opinion, but it's still really good and is what led me to reading this manga in the first place. Read this! You definitely won't regret it. really looking forward to Esperion's match against Barcelona.

BE BLUES ~Ao ni nare~

Ongoing | Tanaka Motoyuki | 2000 released

A prodigy soccer player whose flame has been snuffed out sparks once again. Really dramatic the start. MC breaks his legs? From a fall down a stairwell. I liked the manga's small details in demonstrating the MC's character. Like how he always holds onto the railing in case of a fall. It starts becoming more about soccer after the beginning of the manga. It isn't like Ao Ashi, but I do think this soccer manga is on par with it. Loved the intensity of the soccer matches. Also, the teammates' characters? So well done. Ultimately, this is an absolute gem of a sports manga. Loved, loved, LOVED the action! The ending is a little abrupt, though. I wish we could have seen the MC's pro arc, but it did leave me feeling hopeful. It provided a little glimpse into the characters' future. Compared to other sports manga *cough* Ace of Diamond *cough*, the ending to this isn't so bad. One of the best sports manga out there!!

Bluelock

Ongoing | Kaneshiro Muneyuki,Nomura Yuusuke | 2018 released

Tiempo

Ongoing | IINO Daisuke | 2000 released

pretty promising! hope it gets updated. would rly like to see the mc’s growth! def a solid soccer manga but not sure i like the whole underdog becomes a dark horse trope here

Top Corner

Ongoing | Yoonsung,Lagoon | 2019 released

I think this is a fairly good sports manga. ofc it can’t be compared to the likes of ao ashi, but it stands well on its own as a soccer manhwa. i like how this is mostly about the sports/action aspect, but because of that, the character backstories kind of seem like an afterthought. save for a select few of the main cast they all kind of seem superficial. i would love to see the MC use his calculation abilities to the fullest extent

Catenaccio

Ongoing | Morimoto Daisuke | 2022 released

54 need moreeee