Dear Boys
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| Dear Boys | |||
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 Cover of Kodansha's "Premium Guide", featuring the Mizuho High School boy's basketball team |
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| ディア・ボーイズ (Deia Boisu) |
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| Genre | Sports | ||
| Manga | |||
| Author | Hiroki Yagami | ||
| Publisher |  Kodansha |
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| Demographic | Shōnen | ||
| Serialized in | Monthly Shōnen Magazine | ||
| Original run | 16 December 1989 – March 17, 1997 | ||
| Volumes | 23 | ||
| Manga: Dear Boys: The Early Days | |||
| Author | Hiroki Yagami | ||
| Publisher | Kodansha | ||
| Demographic | Shōnen | ||
| Volumes | 1 | ||
| Manga: Dear Boys: Act 2 | |||
| Author | Hiroki Yagami | ||
| Publisher | Kodansha | ||
| Demographic | Shōnen | ||
| Volumes | 27 - (currently) | ||
| TV anime | |||
| Director | Susumu Kudo | ||
| Studio | OB Planning | ||
| Network | Animax, TV Tokyo |
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| Original run | 8 April 2003 – ongoing | ||
| Episodes | 26 | ||
| Game: Dear Boys: Fast Break | |||
| Developer | Konami | ||
| Genre | Sports | ||
| Platform | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Released | 2003 | ||
Dear Boys (ディア・ボーイズ Deia Boisu?) is a sports manga by Hiroki Yagami, published by Kodansha in Monthly Shōnen Magazine. As of June 2007, the Dear Boys series has 25 volumes in total, including the Dear Boys: The Early Days and Dear Boys: Act 2. In 2007, Dear Boys: Act 2 was awarded the Kodansha Manga Award for the shōnen manga.[1]
The story concerns the progress of the Mizuho High School basketball team as it attempts to win the prefectural championship. It also deals heavily with the relationship between the players on the team, especially the two main characters Kazuhiko Aikawa and Takumi Fujiwara.
[edit] Plot
At the outset of the manga, the team is in trouble, as there are not enough players to play a game. Additionally, the coach has left after a conflict with Fujiwara. However, Aikawa transfers to Mizuho and through his enthusiasm and sheer love of the game, infuses the few remaining members with a sense of purpose.
Despite the fact that there are only five of them (i.e., they have no substitutes), they manage to get the coach of the girls' team to coach them as well. At first, she seems very strict, but later reveals her attachment to her "Dear Boys". Together, they do their best to make their dreams come true and take their team to the top of the prefecture.
The manga isn't only focused on the Mizuho team, but also on several rival teams. In fact, the mangaka spends a bit of time developing the characters of other teams' members.
[edit] Anime
The anime version of Dear Boys, also known as Hoop Days, was released on TV in Japan in 2003. Like many Kodansha adaptations (e.g., Peach Girl), it was made on a rather low budget. As a result, it had somewhat lower quality animation than many other shōnen anime that came out in the same year.
It follows the storyline of the manga quite closely. Eurobeat music is played during the games, much like how the music genre is featured during the mountain pass races in Initial D.
Since the company that produced Hoop Days also produced Initial D, they featured an episode of the cast watching scenes from the then-upcoming Initial D Fourth Stage.
[edit] Theme songs
- Opening Theme: Sound of Bounce by DA PUMP
- Ending Theme: Baller No Shougou (Baller's Number) by Chris F.
[edit] Reception
| Source | Reviewer | Grade / Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnimeOnDVD | Chris Beveridge | Content: B+ Audio: B+ Video: B+ Packaging: B+ Menus: B+ Extras: B- |
DVD/Anime Review of The Complete Collection |
| THEM Anime Reviews | Enoch Lau | 3 out of 5 | Anime Review |
[edit] Characters
Note that the names are in Western order (given name before surname).
[edit] Mizuho High School
[edit] Kazuhiko Aikawa
(哀川 和彦 Aikawa Kazuhiko?) Voiced by: Kōhei Kiyasu
- Basketball Jersey: Number 7
- Height: 175 cm
- Nickname: Aika, Ai-chan[2]
- Birthday: 9th June
- Position: Small Forward
Aikawa - often nicknamed as Aika - is well known as a genius in basketball. Most characters he comes across know of him and his powerful reputation. He transferred from Tendōji High to Mizuho High because he thinks that playing basketball in Tendōji High is not meaningful at all, and that basketball should be about enjoying yourself. He is a second-year student. His father is the head coach of Tendōji High School. Aikawa seems to be romantically involved with Mai Moritaka of the girls' team.
He was the one who convinced remaining players to play basketball again. Mutsumi had once said that it was as if Aikawa reminded them all about how much fun they could've all had playing basketball together. He was once the trump card and captain of the Tendōji High's basketball team. He plays the position of small forward in the team. He also has a knack of being able to jump higher than most people, and that makes up for his height disadvantage.
[edit] Takumi Fujiwara
(藤原 拓弥 Fujiwara Takumi?) Voiced by: Masaya Matsukaze
- Basketball Jersey: Number 4
- Height: 184 cm
- Nickname: Fujiwara-chan, Taku
- Position: Point Guard
Fujiwara is a second-year student at Mizuho High. He is often nicknamed as Taku by his close friends and seems romantically involved with Mutsumi Akiyoshi of the girls' team. Fujiwara also appears to be very close to his long-time friend, Miura Ranmaru.
He was involved in an incident where he was provoked into punching the coach in his first year. The coach has since transferred to another school and Mizuho's boys basketball team was banned from any tournament for a year. He is not to be mistaken with Initial D's Takumi Fujiwara.
He has an old injury on his right knee which came from one of his games involving Miura and was ordered by Anzaki to rehabilitate his knee and make it more flexible to improve his playing ability in time for the prefectural tournament.
Fujiwara is the captain of Mizuho basketball team and plays the position of point guard. He attended Mizuho Junior High and was Miura's teammate at that time as well.
[edit] Ranmaru Miura
(三浦 蘭丸 Miura Ranmaru?) Voiced by: Ken Takeuchi
- Basketball Jersey: Number 8
- Height: 173 cm
- Position: Shooting Guard
Miura has a calm and quiet personality. He appears to be Fujiwara's best friend since middle school. Miura was seen not to have good stamina at the beginning of the series. He plays the shooting guard position in the team. It was mentioned in the manga that he would rather be scoring points then being the playmaker of the team. Among the five, Miura's shot percentage is probably the highest when it comes to 3 pointers. He is also talented at stealing balls from his opponents.
During the match verus Kadena Nishi, he is forceed to shoot NBA 3 pointers to help Mizuho win the match. Unfortanately, he was injured due to a foul made by Kenta Shimabukuro.
Miura attended Mizuho Junior High and was Fujiwara's teammate at that time as well. In the anime, Keiko Ogami of the girls' team seems to have a crush on him.
[edit] Tsutomu Ishii
(石井 努 Ishii Tsutomu?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 6
- Height: 190 cm
- Position: Power Forward
Ishii is an extremely short-tempered person. It was highlighted that his weakness is being easily provoked by the opposing team to foul, and is prone to commit four fouls at a crucial time of a match. However, as the team starts to advance to the final, he has grown mature and his skills were also starting to grow more steady and powerful.
He plays the position of power forward in the team. It appears that he and Dobashi are close friends, having played on the same team during middle school. Ishii attended Takakura Junior High.
[edit] Kenji Dobashi
(土橋 健二 Dobashi Kenji?) Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
- Basketball Jersey: Number 5
- Height: 192 cm
- Nickname: Dobashi-chan
- Position: Center
Dobashi is the largest on team. He resembles Miura and has a quiet personality. Although his legs are not strong, he proves to his teammates that he can steal, rebound and defend better than ever before. He plays the position of center in the team.
He is often called "old man" by Ishii because of his hair and appearance. In the anime, before the prefectural championship, he changed his hairstyle. Dobashi attended Takakura Junior High.
[edit] Tōya Takashina
(高階 トウヤ Takashina Tōya?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 9
- Height: 187 cm
- Position: Any Position
Takashina is first seen practising alone in one episode, and later became the 6th member of the boys' team. It was said that he can play any position in a team. He is extremely talented in shooting three-pointers, matching up to Miura's level of skill.
It is said that Takashina was a friend of Ayumi Fuse during middle school.
[edit] Hitoshi Unomoto
(榎本 仁志 Unomoto Hitoshi?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 15
- Position: Forward
A first-year student at Mizuho High School. Unomoto only appears in Dear Boys: Act 2. He plays the position of forward in the team.
In the early parts of Act 2, Fujiwara had said that Unomoto was similar to Miura when he was in middle school - arrogant and daring - although denied by the latter.
[edit] Kiyoshi Suizenji
(水前寺 清 Suizenji Kiyoshi?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 14
- Position: Point Guard
A first year student at Mizuho High, he only appears in Dear Boys: Act 2. Suizenji has long hair and wishes to be a point guard in the future. He idolizes Fujiwara.
[edit] Jōichirō Kurebayashi
(紅林 丈一郎 Kurebayashi Jōichirō?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 11
- Height: 210cm
- Position: Center
A first year student at Mizuho High, he only appears in Dear Boys: Act 2. Kurebayashi is extremely tall, in fact the tallest in the team.
[edit] Eiji Kondō
(近藤 英次 Kondō Eiji?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 13
- Position: No Position
A first year student at Mizuho High, he only makes his appearance in Dear Boys: Act 2. Eiji is Kondo's younger brother and is a complete beginner at basketball.
[edit] Isamu Kuwata
桑田 勇 (Kuwata Isamu?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 10
- Position: Forward
A first year student at Mizuho High, he only appears in Dear Boys: Act 2. Kuwata plays as a forward for the team.
[edit] Shun Minamiyama
南山 瞬 (Minamiyama Shun?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 12
- Position: Guard
A first year student at Mizuho High, he only appears in Dear Boys: Act 2. Minamiyama plays as a guard for the team.
[edit] Mutsumi Akiyoshi
(秋吉夢 津美 Akiyoshi Mutsumi?)
- Basketball Jersey: Number 4
- Position: Point Guard
- Nickname: Mu-chan
Mutsumi is the captain of the girls' basketball team, and is a close friend of Moritaka's. She seems to be romantically involved with Takumi Fujiwara of the boys' team. She plays as a point guard on the team and used to admire Fujiwara's talent.
[edit] Mai Moritaka
(森高 麻衣 Moritaka Mai?)Voiced by: Akiko Kawase
- Basketball Jersey: Number 7
- Nicknames: Pony
- Position: Unknown
Mai seems to be romantically involved with Kazuhiko Aikawa and becomes his girlfriend later in the series. Aikawa nicknames her "Pony" because of her long ponytail-like hair when he first saw her.
Her position on the team has never been revealed, neither in the manga nor in the anime. However, after some advice and personal training from Aikawa, Mai has the highest shot percentage among all her teammates when it comes to 3-pointers.
[edit] Keiko Ōgami
(大神 恵子 Ōgami Keiko?) Voiced by: Miho Yamada
- Basketball Jersey: Number 5
- Position: Center
Keiko plays as a center for the girls' team and is the tallest among all her teammates.
She appears to have a crush on Miura and is proven on two occasions: one when she gave Miura a 'victory sign', and another when Mutsumi remarked if Keiko would get jealous after seeing a couple of girls approach Miura to congratulate him over the team's recent victory.
[edit] Satomi Anzaki
(杏崎 沙斗未 Anzaki Satomi?) Voiced by: Mamiko Noto
Satomi knows Fujiwara and Miura from middle school and is the manager of the boys' team. Currently, she studies at Mizuho High. She used to be active in basketball, but due to an injury she obtained, she is now unable to do so.
To Satomi, taking the responsibility of being the team's manager is a new way of contributing to the sport she loves.
[edit] Kyoko Himuro
(氷室 恭子 Himuro Kyōko?) Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka
Miss Himuro is the coach for the Mizuho High girls' basketball team. However, when the boys' basketball team is reformed, she becomes the coach for both teams. She comes off as an extremely strict coach, but is actually very fond of her 'Dear Boys'.
In episode 7, the premelinary round for the girls' team is approaching and she wants to focus on the girls. As such, she appoints Satomi Anzaki to be the manager of the boys' team.
[edit] Yokohama Academy
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- Kazuya Satō (佐藤 一也 Satō Kazuya?)
- Satō is the captain of the Yokohama Academy's boys basketball team. He is a bit shorter than Aikawa.
- Tōru Koizumi (小泉 徹 Koizumi Tōru?)
- Naoki Aizawa (相澤 直樹 Aizawa Naoki?)
- He can't shoot 3 pointers.He plays the position of Centre as he is the tallest in the team.
- Tatsuya Hirose (広瀬 達也 Hirose Tatsuya?)
- Tatsuya is a junior of Kenji Dobashi and Tsutomu Ishii from grade school.
- Kōji Yoshino (吉野 幸二 Yoshino Kōji?)
- Yūji Takano (高野 勇次 Takano Yūji?)
- Junko Manabe (真鍋 純子 Manabe Jiyunko?)
- Eizō Maruyama (丸山 平蔵 Maruyama Eizō?)
[edit] East Honmoku Academy
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
- Gen Yakushimaru (胜已 Yakushimaru Gen?)
- He is the captain of East Honmoku basketball team.
- Yuito Hoshina (保科 唯人 Hoshina Yuito?)
He had a crush on Satomi Anzaki since they've first met. In one episode, he even confessed to her that he loves her, although she rejected him. He is the star player of the team. He mostly shoots dunks and 2 pointers. He has a cocky attitude at times and he's usually not serious.
- Satoshi Kadomatsu (角松 Kadomatsu Satoshi?)
He specializes in 3-pointers and can even shoot them from the half-court line.
[edit] Influences & Follow-ups
Both the manga and the anime clearly much to Slam Dunk, not only for plot and character points, but also for popularizing basketball in Japan.
Yagami followed Dear Boys with Dear Boys: Act 2, which continues the storyline after the conclusion of the prefectural tournament.
[edit] References
- ^ 過去の受賞者一覧 : 講談社漫画賞 : 講談社「おもしろくて、ためになる」出版を (Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved on 2007-08-21.
- ^ Episode 3, Who is the opponent for the practice team?
[edit] External links
- Madman's Official Website for Hoop Days
- Dear Boys (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
