Real - MangaUpdates

Real

Description

From Viz:
A motorcycle accident, bone cancer, a speeding truck crashing into a boy on a stolen bicycle. Tragic life-changing events turn the worlds of three young men upside down. These three very different personalities have only one thing in common, their passion for basketball.

Note: Won an Excellence Prize for manga at the 2001 Japan Media Arts Festival.

Type

Manga

Related Series

N/A

Associated Names

リアル

命运强手

리얼

Groups Scanlating

N/A

Latest Release(s)

N/A

Status in Country of Origin

16 Volumes (Ongoing)

Completely Scanlated?

Anime Start/End Chapter

N/A

User Reviews

REAL by The Dystopian

Forum

3 topics, 8 posts

Click here to view the forum

User Rating

Average: 8.9 / 10.0 (664 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.79 / 10.0

57%

21%

11%

Last Updated

November 21st, 2025 1:38am PST - 2 weeks ago

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Genre

Drama Psychological Seinen Slice of Life Sports
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Categories

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Recommendations

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Shueisha

Serialized In (magazine)

Shuukan Young Jump (Shueisha)

Licensed (in English)

Yes

English Publisher

Viz (15 Volumes - Ongoing; Digital & print)

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #618

(-53)

Monthly Pos #1233

(+336)

3 Month Pos #1653

(-317)

6 Month Pos #1946

(-337)

Year Pos #2275

(-487)

List Stats

On 1870 reading lists

On 1359 wish lists

On 81 completed lists

On 70 unfinished lists

On 470 custom lists

Note: You must be logged in to update information on this page.

Forum Posts Click to view the forum

Takehiko Inoue Resumes 'REAL' on May 23

7 years ago

senseless apreciation thread

11 years ago

REAL manga (Inoue Takehiko)

16 years ago

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

It's pure art.

by DefaultPeanut
1 year ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

This is inoue magnum opus, as well one of the best manga ever made.

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a magnum opus

by the_Cloudborne
3 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

the best way to review REAL is to review Inoue's other masterworks, Slam Dunk and Vagabond.

Slam Dunk is one of the top selling manga in history, regarded by many as the best ever sports manga. 9.5/10

Vagabond, even in its unfinished state, is the best solo swordsman/martial artist story i have read. its themes, characters' emotional growth, and legendary art are something to behold. 10/10

Real is better than both of them.

... Last updated 3 years ago

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Endearing Message

by Green Mylle
11 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

When one falls and the world seems to go down with you, There's this light and it's REAL.
Just make it happen.

I don't know if people get what I typed, but yep.
This has got be ONE of the best mangas I have ever read. Give it a read and guaranteed you won't regret.... (or not, according to your type.)

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Worth the Read

by jfaerr
12 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

This is one of those titles that you decide to look over a bunch of times, but wonder why you did so in the first place.

Quality art, quality story, and characters that are quite interesting. I highly recommend this one.

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Inoue's best work

by ddvdsv
14 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

Real is nothing shot but brilliant and is Inoue's best, more mature work. The art is as always, amazing, but it's not the protagonist like in Vagabond, instead it's essential and functional to the storytelling.
The story is realistic, deep and psychological and has one of the most emotional scenes I've ever seen in a manga.
It deals with the small and great tragedies of life, but with a inner feeling of strength and hope. From personal, intimate instances the manga manages to tell a collective tale about human dignity and personal affirmation.
Basketball is not the main focus of the story, but is used instead to demonstrate how a passion can have a major role in overcoming seemingly insurmountable situations.

... Last updated 14 years ago

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Consensus

by Hell_Clues
14 years ago

Rating: 8.5 / 10.0

Everyone agrees, this manga is an enjoyable read. The surprising thing about this manga is how it maintains being realistically upbeat about some horrific circumstances.

It covers some of accidents that can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, ect. The stuff we'd rather not think about.

I can't put to words what makes this manga enjoyable but I can say that it's worth checking out.

... Last updated 14 years ago

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better and better

by fudg
15 years ago

Rating: N/A

This is one of the best mangas I've ever read. It's realistic and it really shows the big challenges they have to overcome. As some people already said I love the character growth of Tokomi and the fact that he is getting more spotlight with trying to go pro

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Best sports manga ever

by McCamyTaylor
15 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

The addition of Takahashi to the starting line up of main characters has really improved the manga. "Real" used to be about wheelchair athletes who played basketball. Now, it's about basketball that is played by a variety of characters, some with physical disabilities, some with emotional problems and some with both.

I admire the restraint which Inoue Sensei has shown in developing Takahashi's character very, very slowly. This gives the reader a sense of how difficult his journey is and what an accomplishment it will be if he finally gets back to playing basketball.

Much as I admire the character (and character design) of Togawa, I have always had the sense that for him basketball was second best. Maybe he should try out wheelchair track and field.

... Last updated 15 years ago

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amazing

by skyarsalan
16 years ago

Rating: N/A

every chapter has its own amazingess

when i first read it im like "whats this crap"
but i was really young at the time.

i re read it, and its deffinatly more than a 10/10

i would go with some where around 6,000,510/10

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another great story

by genre001
16 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

though not as exciting all through out the chapters and volumes like the previous work Slam Dunk, but the story has all the realities of life in it... and the way sports (bball) was portrayed was wondrous.... the substance of the story can rival any manga/novel... defenitely a Takehiko's work... a two thumbs up...

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