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Finally, after quite a bit of procrastination.
Eyeshield 21
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/Zxx8R.png)
Now before anyone says anything, I don't like football. At least I didn't before I read this manga. My priority order in sports was baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey and then football. All I knew about football was that the scoring system was pretty darn confusing, and I had a general idea about what a touchdown was. I even procrastinated reading it for a long time because I had no interest in football. What I can tell you now is to READ IT. It made everything totally understandable for even someone like me. Oh, and it's amazing.
Oh and second thing. Do not watch the anime for this. It's terrible and the manga is so much better in every single way. If you've only watched the anime to this point, you are missing out on so much,
Okay, now to the actual blog. Eyeshield 21 is about a wimpy high school freshman, Sena Kobayakawa (Japan goes on 3 year middle school, 3 year high school system), who gets recruited into the school's American Football team by
+ Show Spoiler [This Guy] +
...
Yeah.
I probably have to devote an entire paragraph to this character.
Hiruma Youichi is so much more than you can describe in words, but I will try to provide a description using a combination of sentances and pictures. He has blackmail material for every single non-main character in the world, he has blackmail material for most of the main characters, carries around an array of weapons within his hyperspace arsenal, and is a genius who could live life by playing poker.
![[image loading]](http://th00.deviantart.net/fs9/150/i/2006/143/3/f/Fun_for_Hiruma_by_MazBourne.png)
But he doesn't find that kind of life fun so he instead hunts down talented atheletes in the school and enslists them into his team. Along with Kurita, his very very overweight but strong best friend, he (forcibly) recruits Sena after scouting him out for his fleet-footedness. Of course, three players isn't enough to form a team so he blackmails other atheletes from the school's other sports teams in order to make up the numbers until he finds new players.
Of course, there's a lot more to his character that just that, but that's the basic rundown for him. And looks like I spent much more than a paragraph talking about someone who's not even the titular hero of the manga.
Well, the other characters may not be as flat-out awesome as Hiruma, but each have their own depth and love in them. No man or woman is left undeveloped and the entire team, as well as the opposing teams, grow throughout the story.
As a whole, this manga is my flat-out favourite anime/manga of all time. While I do not follow the NFL or CFL, it definitely got me interested in just playing for fun. The rules are all correct (at least for the Japanese high school setting where the manga is set), and while the comedy is beautiful, so is the drama and action. And don't think this is a standard sports anime where the team never loses.
The Deimon Devilbats LOSE VERY OFTEN.
WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT.
As for the flaws, the only real thing in the story that irks me is the artwork at the beginning. After about 50 chapters (out of 333), the art level skyrockets, but before that, it's very uneven and shaky. It's pretty terrible. Just get past that part though, and you'll be golden.
This manga taught me:
1. Be audacious. Mostly a Hiruma lesson. Of course, without any blackmail material, I can't really do as much as he does. Still, I'd now crossdress for halloween without a second thought.
2. Aim for number 1. I'm personally not very ambitious. I'd like to live out a quiet life, playing starcraft after being married and having kids in a middle-class house. I'd have a wonderful time. Well the whole moral of this story is to screw second place and go for first. Do your absolute best and aim for the top beceause why the hell not.
The series doesn't have music I can recommend because it all comes from the anime. Oh well.
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I only watched the majority of the anime and liked it fairly well. Fairly typical sports formula but quite entertaining; also enjoy the mix of characters.
I've never been a manga person, because I feel that the voice acting, animation and sound production really bring out an anime for a surreal experience.
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Watch Major, its a much more realistic sports anime with good character development.
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Canada2480 Posts
Eyeshield21 was really entertaining 
the ending sucked though
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On April 05 2011 11:10 divito wrote:
I only watched the majority of the anime and liked it fairly well. Fairly typical sports formula but quite entertaining; also enjoy the mix of characters.
I've never been a manga person, because I feel that the voice acting, animation and sound production really bring out an anime for a surreal experience.
I usually prefer anime too, but the manga is just so much better in this case.
On April 05 2011 11:11 Zidane wrote:
Watch Major, its a much more realistic sports anime with good character development.
I watched the first half of the first season. Even being a fan of baseball, I didn't like it. Far too cliche and boring. Realistc =/= better.
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On April 05 2011 11:25 swanized wrote:Eyeshield21 was really entertaining the ending sucked though
Yeah...ending pissed me off in a major way ;__;
Loved reading it anyway, but urgh 
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ALLEYCAT BLUES50865 Posts
the entire series was fun,ending was boring.
has anyone read berserk?Man is that fucking crazy.
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I love Eyeshield 21 and I like football :>
Hiruma Youichi was such an entertaining character
huh... I don't remember the ending lol
maybe its better off that way
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Uhhh, from what I saw of Eyeshield 21, it outright makes up stuff about Football, or has people blatantly breaking rules, and such. I mean its alright, but lol@people trying to learn the rules of the game from this manga/anime.
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there is only one eyeshield 21
![[image loading]](http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/daily-chicago-sports-tab/000%20LT%202.jpg)
i like football and i thought the anime was terrible. it just... doesn't make any sense, really. at least with something like initial d, the "moves" they had in the beginning are somewhat real (at least until they start jumping over cliffs and weird crap), but i couldn't get into some guy who has long arms so he can make one handed tackles from far away. that's just weird.
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On April 06 2011 04:01 kainzero wrote:there is only one eyeshield 21 i like football and i thought the anime was terrible. it just... doesn't make any sense, really. at least with something like initial d, the "moves" they had in the beginning are somewhat real (at least until they start jumping over cliffs and weird crap), but i couldn't get into some guy who has long arms so he can make one handed tackles from far away. that's just weird.
You have to kind of get past the reality or so to speak to enjoy these sports shonen manga
I really like Tennis, and if you ever watched/read Prince of Tennis... You know those shots are impossible and a lot of it is exaggerated (These guys are in MIDDLE SCHOOL)
Just take it for what it's worth and enjoy
Although I suppose it could be too ludicrous for some so it can't appeal to all haha
LT needs to do better D:
He was so good that year with the Chargers... then kind of went to just good/average 
He did okay with the Jets beginning of last season but again...
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Maaan this manga was gooood.
I missed the romance though, maybe cuz I read too much echii lol
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United States369 Posts
Loved this manga, it was hilarious, had great characters, and the artist's marker skills got so sick *___* I love his artwork. Probably one of my favorite sports manga with Oofuri and maybe Cross Game.
No man or woman is left undeveloped and the entire team, as well as the opposing teams, grow throughout the story.
I love how every member of the team gets their spotlight on the field and does something awesome
And yeeaah, the anime was pretty terrible. Just going on art along, it really couldn't compare.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/HTZLm.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.google.ca/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs13/f/2007/110/1/e/Hiruma_smexy_grin_by_Bakura_lover.jpg&sa=X&ei=nHSaTf7vDYmSgQeGhry-CA&ved=0CAQQ8wc4gAE&usg=AFQjCNFg0tgBo750dGKasUDeOKP-E19zRw)
