Ikezawa Haruto | Kurogane

Japanese: クロガネ
Type: Manga
Volumes: 8
Chapters: 70
Status: Completed
Published: Sep 5, 2011 to Jan 28, 2013
Genres: Action, Martial Arts, School, Shounen, Supernatural
Mangaka: Ikezawa Haruto (Story & Art)
Serialization: Shounen Jump (Weekly)

Synopsis: Kurogane Hiroto is in high school, where he is academically the top of his class but literally the worst in physical activity. Born with a weak body, he has no endurance, speed nor strength and Hiroto wants nothing more than to be a hero. Fate teases him by giving him phenomenal eye sight, which allows him to see well beyond anyone else in sports, but his body is not able to react to any of it.

He learns from his friend Shiratori, who wants to recruit him for the Kendo team, about a rumor about a ghost named Tojo Sayuri, who wields a katana and haunts an ally in the city. Half curious, Hiroto goes there only to find that the ghost is real and that Tojo Sayuri has been looking for a successor to her Sakura sword style for 150 years. Sayuri chooses him as the successor after being able to dodge her attack and forces him to learn the Sakura style. Even with the help of the ancient swordsman ghost, Hiroto has to overcome his poor motor skills in order to be the hero he always wanted to be.

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Alternative version: Kurogane

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Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates

Main characters

Hiroto Kurogane (黒鉄 博人)

Hiroto is a first year student of Ouka High School he boasts great intelligence but below bad athletic ability. In fact, he did a fitness test in PE Class and got a score of zero.

Despite this, he admires those able to perform in sports as “heroes" and as such, aspires to be like them. One night he is attacked by the ghost of a samurai, Sayuri Toujou and made into her student to inherit her lost sword style, Sakura One Strike Style, because of his impeccable “vision".

At first he refuses on the grounds that he has zero physical strength and stamina, but Sayuri convinces him to join the Ouka High Kendo Club and begin his journey along to path to becoming a “hero".

Aoharu Ebana

Ebana appears to be Kakura coach’s nephew who was suspended for fighting on the day of the entrance ceremony. He was forced into his uncle’s dojo by his father for Kakura to teach him discipline. However Ebana got into fights with the other members of the dojo and eventually stopped coming to practice.

While in middle school he fought an opposing competitor to protect a teammate and got the club suspended from competing. When asked by the third-years, his fellow first years threw him under the bus to take the blame resulting in his withdrawal from the club and from kendo. Eventually, he accepts Hiroto as a rival (in kendo and in love) and joins the Ouka High Kendo Club.

Shidou Hazakura (葉桜士道)

Hazakura is one of the first-year Kendo Club members. Sometime toward the end of middle school, his left hand was injured leading to his doctor recommending that he stop kendo. Because in kendo, the majority of the power behind the shinai comes from the left hand, regardless of your handedness. Being a born swordsman, he declined.

One day Hiroto bumped into him and as a result of Sayuri’s taunts, they end up exchanging blows. A few hits in, Hazakura calls it a draw and later on, they have an official match. This time, Sayuri intervenes and Hazakura is awestruck by the power of the Sakura One Strike Style and declares Hiroto his rival. Finally having someone to compete with, both Hazakura and Hiroto join the Ouka High Kendo Club.

Tsubame Shiratori (白鳥ツバメ)

Tsubame is the team manager for the Ouka High Male Kendo Club and a member of the Ouka High Female Kendo Club first seen eagerly recruiting members for a waning Kendo club. She is the one who recruits Kurogane for the Kendo club.

Tsubame is sweet, kind, positive, and clumsy; equally concerned for all team members and cheers for whoever is fighting during matches against other schools. 

She seems to have feelings for Kurogane and is oblivious of Ebana's affection for her.

Sayuri Toujou (刀条 さゆり )

A former Kendo practitioner and instructor, but 150 years ago, she died when her dojo burnt. There were rumors that said that she will appear at night time when a gigantic sakura tree appears. She chooses Hiroto Kurogane as her successor when he dodges her strike.

It is said at first that Sayuri is a ghost who will attack those who pass close to giant Sakura tree. She had a scary personality and most people would be terrified by her. When she finds Kurogane as her successor, she takes over a doll to live with him. She has a very loud personality and loves to pull pranks with him. She would do anything possible to help Kurogane improve his strength, like making him fight Shidou Hazakura. She became close to Kurogane while staying at his house and trains him in his dreams. She can be flirty with Kurogane sometimes. She loves to fight and took her real form in order to fight Yodaka to test his abilities, but she respects those who have a swordsman's spirit and honor.

Source: MAL, Wikia