Crimson Hero

    (Viz, 2005-2010)
™ and ©2002 Mitsuba Takanashi

When English-translated manga finally broke into the sports category, it was just a matter of time before readers had a volleyball romance.

In this “sports shojo,” Nobara wants to be a thoroughly modern girl and loves caressing a ball more than a boy. In fact, she wants to play volleyball so much at Crimson Field High School that she wants to resurrect the girl’s team just to take on the guys. Meanwhile, she defies her mother’s wish for Nobara to become the “seventh generation young mistress of Seiryu,” their high-class traditional Japanese restaurant. Will the cool Aunt Momoko tell her how to keep all these balls in their air and help Nobara become the hero she wants to be?

Volleyball doesn’t get the airtime that other major athletics enjoy. Oddly, this introductory volume is noticeably empty on the highlight reel, and all the spikes occur when Nobara gives or receives cheek-slaps of misunderstanding. One can only hope the trash-talking eventually gets onto the court, so readers can see whether sassy Nobara has the skills.

— Oliver Chin
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    #3
    Aug 2006
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