Japanese: ジャイアントキリング
Type: Manga
Volumes: 41 +
Chapters: 205 +
Status: Publishing
Published: Jan 11, 2007 to ?
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sports, Seinen
Authors: Tsunamoto, Masaya (Story), Tsujitomo (Art)
Serialization: Morning
Synopsis: East Tokyo United has been struggling in Japan's top football league for a few years. In an effort to improve their performance, ETU hires a new coach, the slightly eccentric Tatsumi Takeshi. Tatsumi was once a star player on ETU before abandoning the team, but has proven himself as manager of an English amateur team. The task won't be easy as the teams pitted against ETU have bigger budgets and better players. However, Tatsumi is an expert at Giant Killing.
Background
In 2010, this manga received the 34th Annual Kodansha Manga Award for General Manga.
Groups Scanlating
A-Team
Chibisuke-Scans
GK Amateurs
Muda Scantrad
S2scans
ardneh
Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates
Side notes: Again this is a manga that I ended up selecting mainly 'cause I've seen the anime first and liked it. It's also a bit different from the earlier Soccer mangas today. It's told mainly from the point of view of the Coach and former pro player. It's also directed for older readers in age group of 20 and up.
Main characters:
Takeshi Tatsumi (達海 猛)
Age: 35
Former ETU star and member of the Japanese National Team, who transfers to a foreign club after a successful spell at ETU. After retirement as a player, Tatsumi coaches FC Eastham, an English Division 5 amateur team, into the fourth round of the FA Cup. Following his success with FA Eastham, he is convinced by ex-teammate Gotoh—now GM at East Tokyo United—to return to Japan and coach the team where he spent his years as a player.
Luigi Yoshida (ルイジ吉田)
Position: MF
Age: 26 years old
Height: 176cm
Weight: 64kg
Blood type: B
Jersey: #10
Luigi Yoshida plays Midfield for East Tokyo United. Of half-Japanese and half-Italian descent; known as the "Prince" among ETU teammates because of his ingenious playmaking ability and his often narcissitic attitude. He is also called "Gino", which is the name on his jersey. He likes Maserati cars.
Gino uses Akasaki and Tsubaki as his Zakki (Guard Dog) and Bakki (Stupid hunting dog), working well with them on field. Neither Akasaki or Tsubaki have shown any issues with their designations, although the hot-headed Akasaki is not above directed sarcastic comments at Gino concerning his narcissism. Tsubaki on the other hand, is in complete awe of Gino and his skills.
While Gino was always the centre of ETU's offence, it was only under Tatsumi that he began to play to his full potential. During the friendly against Tokyo Victory, Goto noted that while previously Gino preferred to touch the ball as little as possible was now playing the part of a play-maker. Thus indicating that Gino was not ETU's playmaker in the past. What caused Gino to change is unclear. Gino has stated that he found Tatsumi's tactics to be fun.
Gino's change of attitude might also have something to do with Akasaki and Tsubaki. Even though Gino and Akasaki have been in the team together for two years, Gino only took notice of Akasaki during the camp when Akasaki started standing upto Kuroda and voicing his opinion more forcefully. Gino also claims to enjoy sending passes to Tsubaki.
Gino has issues with Natsuki and can get ticked-off enough to stop sending him passes. This is a source of great consternation for Natsuki who is not very good at stealing the ball and thus is reliant on assists. Tatsumi has stated this is because for Gino, every single ball he sends to the forwards is a ball that his teammates have poured their hearts into. As such, Gino does not like passing the ball to Natsuki, who has been known to bungle balls and shoot selfishly, without consideration for the flow of the game.
Daisuke Tsubaki (椿大介)
Position: MF
Age: 20 years old
Height: 174cm
Weight: 65kg
Blood type: O
Jersey: #7
Daisuke Tsubaki plays Midfield for East Tokyo United. He was promoted from ETU's reserve team to ETU's "A" team by Tatsumi. He is a very fast runner which ETU uses to their advantage by having him get behind other player without them noticing. Being newly promoted Tsubaki has doubts about himself being able to help the team, however Tatsumi encourages him to continue playing even if he makes mistakes.
Shigeyuki Murakoshi (村越茂幸)
Position: MF
Age: 32 years old
Height: 180cm
Weight: 74kg
Blood type: A
Jersey: #6
Shigeyuki Murakoshi plays Defensive Midfield for East Tokyo United. He joined ETU as a promising talent in the hopes of playing with then-ETU star Tatsumi, but his dreams were crushed when Tatsumi left for Europe the following season. He is known as "Mr. ETU" throughout the storyline because of his loyalty and dedication to the club, even during the seasons it spent relegated in J2.
Supporting
Kyouhei Sera (世良恭平)
Position: FW
Age: 22 years old
Height: 166cm
Weight: 60kg
Blood type: O
Jersey: #20
Kyohei Sera is a forward at ETU with jersey #20. He made it into the starting line-up when Takeshi Tatsumi became coach.
Sera believes that the job of a forward is to score goals and his dream is to do a backflip in celebration after scoring the winning goal. Following the return of Natsuki, Sera became worried about keeping his position as the first choice striker as the ETU formation at the time only required a lone striker.
He became determined to prove himself by scoring a goal but in his jealousness managed to sustain an injury that kept his out of subsequent games, during which Natsuki played and scored. Observing from the the sidelines, Katsura Fujisawa wondered if recent developments were to be interpreted as a battle between the three strikers (Natsuki, Sera and Sakai) for the lone position of striker. However, shortly after, Tatsumi switched to a two striker format in the game against the Osaka Gunners.
Ryou Akasaki (赤崎遼)
Akasaki is a mid-fielder of ETU and became the first ETU player since Tatsumi to play for the National Team.
Position: MF
Age: 21 years old
Height: 175cm
Weight: 68kg
Blood type: AB
Jersey: #15
Gino has designated Akasaki his guard dog and given him the nickname Zaki. Along with Tsubaki, Akasaki co-ordinates well with Gino and assists the later with his play-making. As an offensive mid-fielder, Akasaki has scored three goals. The most vital of Akasaki's goals came against the Osaka Gunners, being the first goal that mark the change in the course of the game.
Indeed, Akasaki has performed so well during the season that he was invited to the U-23 National Olympic Team for their preliminary match against Hong Kong. During the match, Akasaki's assist led to the goal that saw Japan be victorious against Hong Kong. His National Team jersey number is 23.
Akasaki's hobby is listening to music.
Kazuki Kuroda (黒田一樹)
Position: DF (center back)
Age: 28 years old
Height: 170cm
Weight: 67kg
Blood type: A
Jersey: #2
Kazuki Kuroda plays defense center back for East Tokyo United. Kuroda had problems working with Tatsumi when he first started as manager, prompting him to ask for a transfer to another club. In this time he is able to reflect with fellow defender Sugie on how it is they who need to change and not Tatsumi.
Source: MAL
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