tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa !!

Author :	Takahashi Yoichi, born on 07-28-1960, began his career in the late 70's.	His other mangas: Ace, Chibi, Tsubasa no densetsu and so on, are also dealing with sports (baseball, boxe, soccer, tennis...)	But his only great success is Captain Tsubasa, begun in 1980, is a long saga made of many episodes, and not yet finished.

	Takahashi's manga lasted 37 volumes. The adapted TV anime was broadcasted from 1983 to 1986, it lasted 128 episodes ! (not so much, when you know that only the final match of the story, lasted 26 eps !!). During that time there was also 7 TV movies, and 4 long movies. However, the TV anime alone adapted only 25 volumes of the manga. So the end was made into 13 OVAs in 1989-90. After what Takahashi tried several new mangas (see above), and finally came back to Tsubasa, with a sequel called Captain Tsubasa world youth hen. This second part lasted 18 volumes. When it was finished, there was one more manga, just one volume this time, called Saikyô no teki! Hollander youth. This last story was adapted in a TV movie in 1994. That same year started a new TV anime serie, Captain Tsubasa J, which was a big summary of the first TV anime. And last but not least; Tsubasa in the Japan world cup ^^ Of course, Takahashi couldn't let the Korea-Japan world cup 2002 be played without his dreamed Japan team, so that he started a new manga, Road to 2002, in June 2001.

Tsubasa Ôzora is a young boy who grew up with a soccer ball as a best friend. The story begins when he moves in a new neighborhoor, he's 11 years old. He joins his school's soccer club; Nankatsu, meets Genzô Wakabayashi, the best goal of the neighborhood, and Roberto, his coach who came from Brazil, and went back to this country after promising that he'll be waiting for Tsubasa there.
Tsubasa's team evolves within local championships and new teams...we'll be following his loooong matches and meeting with many new friends, such as Misaki, and strong rivals such as the Tachibana bros, Misugi, and Hyûga, whose first team, Meiwa, beats Nankatsu in the local championship final.
High school times... Tsubasa stays at Nankatsu (high school) and plays now the national championship. More matches, better players, and a veeeryyyy long final against Hyûga again, now playing in Tôhô high school team.
The most exciting match of the story (26 TV episodes ^^) ends with an equal victory, and a new friendship. (does it remind you a Sennen no Kodoku ? ^^)


Nankatsu, middle school	Rivals&friends	Tsubasa's love, Sanae	Roberto	Beautiful end...

For those who'd like to know, in the second part of the manga, which wasn't made in an anime (volume 25~37) the best players from each team meet again, in the Japan national team. This time, Hyûga & Tsubasa play together, in the world cup. Tsubasa meets again with old rivals from many coutries. Japan plays the final against Germany, and wins the world cup. Then, Roberto comes back and takes Tsubasa to Brazil, where he becomes a pro. In the last volume, he confesses his love to Sanae ^^
The second manga takes place mainly in Brazil, where Tsubasa meets a new champ, Shingo Aoi. This story ends also with a World cup, and a final where Japan beats Brazil.
The third manga (one volume only) has Japan team playing against Holland, without Tsubasa... they almost loose, until our hero comes to save his country and make Japan win one more time ^^ The end of this volume shows his wedding with Sanae.

	Tsubasa Ôzora: A joyful boy, devoted to his friends, and his soccerball. He joined Nankatsu team and quickly became the best player of that team. His dream, since the day Roberto left for Brazil, is to win the national championship and go play in Brazil too. He's the typical japanese hero, willful, ready to sacrifice himself for his team and his country. His playing style's very technic, he has many 'special shots'; Drive shoot, Over-head kick, skywing shoot... [teams; Nankatsu, Nankatsu High, Sao Paulo, Barcelona]
	Hyûga Kojirô: A brute ^^ In the beginning he's showed as a wild player, arrogant, hitting the others, infringing the rules... His speciality is the shoot from very far to proove he's the best. He's called 'the tiger' and known as Japan's 'Ace striker'. However, along the story we'll learn more about his past, and discover that behind the enraged rival, there is a kind and thoughtful team captain. His father died when he was a child, since then, Hyûga supported his family by working hard while studying, and kept as an only dream to become a soccer champion, as his father wanted him to be. He considers Tsubasa as an as good player as him, that's why he has to surpass himself, and Tsubasa, to become the best player in Japan. His specialities; Tiger shoot, Raijû shoot [teams; Meiwa, Tôhô, Turin]
	Wakabayashi Genzô: An arrogant and too ambitious boy, he hates being beated, the only one he accepted as stronger than him is Tsubasa. Genzô is considered as the best goalkeeper in Japan, however, a wound in the ankle prevents him to play during almost whole the story, and even in Shin Tsubasa OVAs he's replaced by Wakashimazu most of the time... [teams; Nankatsu, Nankatsu High, Hamburg]
	Misaki Tarô: Son of an itinerant artist, he came to Nankatsu school around the half of the local championships, and played in the team until the final. He became Tsubasa's best friend, and ally on the ground. After what he went back travelling with his father. His travels and many encounters made him a very good player. He's also a very kind hearted person. (use to be my favourite chara when I was a kid ^^ guess who is, now ^_~) Speciality; Boomerang shoot.
	Ishizaki Ryô: The little comic of Nankatsu. Not a very good player at the beginning, but he's brave and would do his best to help his team (even sacrificing himself in front of Hyûga). He'll grow up to be a good player.
	Misugi Jun: The most professional player. He knows all the rules by heart and uses them in his play. He has a heart disease that prevent him to play, but in spite of that he'll play his life during the match against Nankatsu. After what, his heart preventing him from playing too hard, he became prematurely the coach of his team. (but don't worry he'll finally have a heart surgery and be better ^^) Speciality; Drive Shoot [team: Musashi]
	Wakashimazu Ken: The other best goalkeeper of C.Tsubasa. Ken was practicing Karate before playing soccer, that's why his technic is far from Genzô's (more impressive ^^ and...hum...stylistic...), but it prooves effective. At the beginning he plays in Meiwa with Hyûga, but not in every match. His coach seems to call for him only as a last chance, so that he's more cooooooool when he catches the ball and offers his team the victory ^^ (and irritating for his opponants !) He's not very talkative, but a polite and calm person, and seems to have a great respect towards his Captain Hyûga, he even enters Tôhô team just to follow him. Ken's also the only person that Hyûga seems to respect. Speciality; Shoot defense, Sankaku geri defense. [teams; Meiwa, Tôhô, Yokohama]
	Nitta Shun: Captain of Ôtomo team. He appears only in the high school championship period. Specialtity; the 'hawk shoot'
	Sawada Takeshi: The youngest player of Meiwa team. He could enter in spite of his young age thanks to Hyûga, since then he's very devoted to him. He'll quickly become a very good player, the best of the team and Hyûga's partner on the ground.
	Sorimachi Kazuki: Sub-captain of Tôhô team, he were Hyûga's subsitute when that one couldn't play. A very good player, leading all the attacks with Hyûga.
	Sôda Makoto: Another wild player ! He's as ignorant of the rules as Hyûga, but even more violent ! He appears just once, during the match Azuma-Nankatsu, and it's a pity there's not much story about him... speciality; Kamisori Shoot, Kamisori Centering, Kamisori Tackle. [teams; Azuma, Tatsunami, Ôsaka]
	Matsuyama Hikaru: Captain of Furano team. He leads a very homogeneous team, as they're all friends since long. He's very resistant, and prooves it during his match against Hyûga (see Hyûga's painful play ^^)
	Tachibana Masao & Kazuo: Twins playing in Hanawa team. Their distinction is in their play; they have technics such as the 'human catapult', which you'll never forget !! (well, it's in the whole spirit of the manga -__-) Speciality; Triangle shoot, Skylab hurricane.