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Reviews
REAL
by The Dystopian on July 27th, 2006, 8:49am
Rating - 9.6 / 10.0
User rating of this review - 4 out of 5
Story/Plot - 4 out of 5
Characters - 5 out of 5
Drawing Style - 5 out of 5
Enjoyment - 5 out of 5
Overall - 5 out of 5
Click here for series information
Plot/Story
After a serious bike accident in which he paralyzes a young woman, Nomiya Tomomi is filled with guilt. He drops out of high school in order to help her out, but she rebuffs him completely. Nomiya is left with nothing to do and nowhere to go, unwelcome in his school and among his former friends. It is only when he encounters Togawa Kiyoharu, a fiery player of wheelchair basketball, that Nomiya's old passion for basketball is ignited. REAL is a poignant story about the power of sport, and how it can heal and motivate the most wounded of us.
Characters
To reveal more about the main characters than is already revealed in the above summary would spoil the plot, as there are many surprises. In fact, one of the great things about this manga is that so-called "minor" characters at the beginning also end up gaining importance as the plot twists and turns. As an overall comment, though, I can safely say that there is no character that isn't characterized with depth.
Drawing Style
I've always found Inoue Takehiko's art amazing, especially in how it captures the dynamic movement of bodies in a sport. He captures the immediacy and the magic of a live basketball game on paper -- I have absolutely no clue how he does that, but however he does it, that's what makes him one of my favorite artists. In his manga REAL, Takehiko uses his skills to stunning effect.
Enjoyment
In case you couldn't already tell, I enjoyed this manga immensely. So much so that I wouldn't hesitate in rating it among my top 5 shounen series. If you're a fan of Slam Dunk (by the same mangaka), then there's no doubt that you'll be a fan of this manga, too.
Overall
A very powerful, unexpectedly moving story. Just read the damn thing! Scanlations are available from Omanga and Band of the Hawks if you can't read the original Japanese.
User Comments
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Man read it. by froggyis on January 30th, 2012, 7:10am
Rating: 5
Literally one of the best manga I have ever read. It's gripping and powerful and the key is the players roles. There is no winner just raw heated passion and aggression. It is basketball and story telling at it's finest and I can honestly say that this is an almost perfect read. I was sad the scanlators have quit scanning the manga but was happy that they have licensed a great manga in america. Stories get lost in all the manga that I read but it was nice to find this one.
No Subject by bbpp on July 27th, 2006, 12:36pm
Rating: 3
First of all, omanga are the scanlators. Second of all, I dont think fans of Slam Dunk would necessarily like this. It's just so different. There's no comedy, no real basketball matches like in Slam Dunk, it's a true seinen.
I do agree with your rating though, it is an excellent manga that shouldnt be missed.
I do agree with your rating though, it is an excellent manga that shouldnt be missed.
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