It's difficult to find a shoujo manga about sportswomen that takes the sport as (or even more) seriously than the romance. Crimson Hero is one such anomaly. And what a wonderful anomaly it is! The heroine is unique and strong and completely dedicated to her sport. It's wonderful to see a girl who doesn't just turn into a wilting damsel at the first sign of trouble or romance. Her pluck and her talent make her awesome to watch.
Sure, the actual volleyball matches don't start until the second volume, but the action is well worth the wait. It's pretty realistic, too... For example, the heroine's team doesn't just start winning immediately. They face many personal and athletic challenges along the way. Watching the team grow and change is very rewarding, and reminds me of the comraderie of my own high school days.
The individuality of all the team members is portrayed very convincingly. Their personal tribulations and strengths aren't ignored completely in favor of the heroine's characterization, which is a bonus. Usually, the friends of the heroine are treated as mere chorus characters by most shoujo mangakas, but in this case they're all slowly brought to light. It might take a while, but we end up learning about the setters and the blockers, not just the team's ace.
The boys are great, too, but I love the fact that this manga doesn't lose its head around them. What I mean is -- sure, the guys are gorgeous, but girls don't turn into glittery candy wrappers around them. 😀 They don't fit into bishounen stereotypes, either, although they might appear to do so at first. The brash, loud one actually turns out to be vulnerable and sensitive; conversely, the quiet, apparently well-mannered one turns out to have a thorny personality.
At any rate, boys or not, this manga's very much about the girls. And about volleyball.
Sports lovers absolutely shouldn't miss this. Even if you're usually allergic to shoujo because of its trashy romance factor, trust me when I say that Crimson Hero goes way beyond that, and celebrates sports as much as it does love.
Go Benino!