(CR) Area no Kishi

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Or it could be a real alien. Who likes soccer.

LOL If this show were Level E, I would say that's the most likely answer.

[yellowscarves]

The first episode's pacing was great, the art and animation were solid, and I'm already really attached to the characters. I'm glad I didn't read very far into the manga, because this is exactly the type of show I've been looking to follow on a weekly basis.

[linkinstreet]

Was watching this just now and while the story is nice, I just can't get some stuffs out of my head about real life football and the one in Area no Kishi

- Shigeru is in a normal high school
Usually players (especially ones that have been selected to represent the country) enrolls in a special football school/academy. Most of them starts really young (10, 9 even).

- They play on a normal Japan school field
These are the types that has no grass. If JFA's Junior manager sees Shigeru playing on that he would be blowing his top. The chances of getting injured are really high compared to playing on grass

- Generic panel styled football
Introduced during black and white TV days, these ball designs were iconic and synonym to football. But since the last decade, this design has been slowly phased out and it's hard to see them now. While they might be using it to make it easier for viewers to recognise it is a football, they had used an Adidas designed ball during the flashback sequence.

- Brazillian are all dark and generic
Come one, give some distinction. And not all of their players are dark, IE: Kaka

[leokiko]

Actually, the Japanese may have gained some more knowledge about Brazilians. Before, they thought we were all monkeys who lived in the forest. Anyway, I laughed so much at that, it felt like Brazil had changed into Africa. More creativity please.

Regarding the chapter: Didn't anyone feel Touch vibes here? It's extremely similar, I was expecting Seven to be called Minami-chan at some point

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Not really similar to any of the above, but if I were to make a comparison, I'd say it's closer to Touch ( by Adachi ) mixed with Whistle!

^. Not just me then

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by leokiko

Regarding the chapter: Didn't anyone feel Touch vibes here? It's extremely similar, I was expecting Seven to be called Minami-chan at some point

Area no Kishi's current setting isn't even trying to pretend it's not a Soccer!Touch.

Of course there's differences, but the key things? Complete with that foreshadowing near the end?

[ookamigirl]

First tennis and now soccer. Is this gonna be a year of sport anime? ^^
It's so refreshing watching something like this since I just had a flashback to my childhood and my first soccer anime ever, so nostalgic!
This looks promising. I'm gonna give it a try.

[leokiko]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Area no Kishi's current setting isn't even trying to pretend it's not a Soccer!Touch.

Of course there's differences, but the key things? Complete with that foreshadowing near the end?

Indeed. I enjoyed the rivalry in Touch, but hated how the relationship with Minami was handled. I hope this series: 1- Don't go into romance AT ALL, just hints and maybe they hook up in the end or 2-They actually get together in the middle, he keeps soccer while dating her.

In Touch, it seemed like Minami was only going to be with Tatsuya if he got to Koshien. That was stupid.

Originally Posted by ookamigirl

First tennis and now soccer. Is this gonna be a year of sport anime? ^^
It's so refreshing watching something like this since I just had a flashback to my childhood and my first soccer anime ever, so nostalgic!
This looks promising. I'm gonna give it a try.

Hey! Don't forget Kuroko no Basket (my most anticipated one)

[AbZeroNow]

Spoiler for Episode 1-I Like Soccer.:

So I finally finished watching the first of the (at least) four anime series that I will be following this winter with Area No Kishi. This is my second sports anime, and I have seen a lot of comparisons in other reviews to Cross Game and Touch. I don't really know much about soccer, but this looks like a way to learn about soccer and be shown an interesting story.

The sequences where the U-15(Under 15) Japanese soccer team is playing against Brazil were dazzling complete with a nice looking green ball(which I guess is a realistic detail). Suguru is certainly a dynamic and talented player.

Then, we get to know Suguru's little brother, Kakeru, who clearly admires his older brother. Then hints are dropped that Kakeru was a good soccer player himself when he was younger, and that he had stopped playing the year before. Kakeru seems like a nice guy, he's easygoing and a little bit clueless like your typical shounen protagonist. I can see where he could undergo some character development though. He is certainly likeable enough that I can root for him to be a great soccer player in his own right. I loved his determined moment after his brother puts him on the team as a reserve forward. I guess his brother knows which buttons to push to make him confront him rather than just take it.

Nana aka Seven is really cute, and the way she handles the "trying way too hard" guy was quite funny. Of course, the way she addresses Kakeru with no honorific(which was lampshaded by some jealous classmates) and how she joins the soccer team as a manager makes me think that she likes Kakeru and he's too dense to notice. And chalk me up as another person who thinks that Seven is "Grey" aka the mysterious person with the alien mask.

Overall, it was a good first episode, and I look forward to seeing what happens with Kakeru and Seven.

My rating for this episode: 8/10.

[SoFarGone]

This one is going to be the most underrated anime of the season. Its too bad not many people is going to watch this.

[king12354]

Enjoyed it especially when the main character has a role model like Suguru to help him develop as a character. Sigh..

[Excorsism]

This seems like a fun watch for sure.

Totally on the Kakeru x Seven boat. As far as romance progression, maybe something like Major would be nice.

[diabolistic]

I love soccer.. anime!

This feels just like Aoki Densetsu Shoot! My all time favorite series.
I'm looking forward to a faithful retelling, the manga is very fun to read.

[destiny4everlove]

I watched the first episode and it was a very good one.

- An alien appeared out of the blue and began playing soccer with Kakeru…I’m not sure but I think that alien was 1)Suguru or 2) Nana.

- I’m really intrigued about Kakeru’s left leg …it seems an accident happened to him and since then he stopped playing soccer and became a manager…

- I might be very wrong…but I have a feeling….

Spoiler:

something bad is going to happen to Suguru

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Not really similar to any of the above, but if I were to make a comparison, I'd say it's closer to Touch ( by Adachi ) mixed with Whistle!

Thanks, I've watched the first episode. And could say I'm in!!
Anyways I haven't watch Touch but

Spoiler for Cross Game/Area no Kishi spoilers:

This starting settings look very similar to Cross Game.
2 Sisters <> 2 Brothers
relationship with older Sister <> crush on older brother, or so Kakeru seems to believe about Nana.

Spoiler for spoiler:

accident to Bro/Sis

MC starting to play seriously

Anyways, it's only out of curiosity, I liked this first ep. and this is what matters.

I agree with most of you, alien has to be Nana. Brother is taller than Kakeru. His left leg problem give Nana the handicap to play better than him.

Or

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Or it could be a real alien. Who likes soccer.

[Flower]

Hmm ... I may give this one a try. I am not really into "sports series" per se, but may as well give it a shot. (Err ... no pun intended here.)

[viperdk1]

Ignoring the fact that hearing football be called 'soccer' is going to annoy me no end, I quite enjoyed the opening episode. Certainly appears to a good chemistry between Kakeru, Nana and Suguru - though that's hardly a surprise considering they were once teammates.

Curious to know why Kakeru can't use his left foot (and even more curious towards the next episode regarding what is going to happen to Suguru/Kakeru - that last line in Episode 1 wouldn't have been there otherwise).

Not watched a sports anime that plays it straight (started trying to watch Softenni, but if that's a sport anime, I'm Dutch. Also tried Prince of Tennis, but it's far too over the top in terms of the actual sport) - so I'm definitely in.

Anyone know how long this anime is?

[TJR]

Originally Posted by SoFarGone

This one is going to be the most underrated anime of the season. Its too bad not many people is going to watch this.

The first episode is okay, but it suffers from poor animation (not to mention the balls that look flat and poorly superimposed on the background) and an uninspired storyboard.

A good story might make this worthwhile though.

[ZGMF-X10A]

surprisingly the first episode was pretty decent. Going to continue watching this anime as I can see a lot of potential. Hope it'll be as decent as cross game.

[Flower]

Hmm ... well ... it's kind of ... erm ... cute? I guess? Not especially profound or anything, but not especially offensive.

I must admit that I literally lol'd when the person in the alien mask showed up. Wasn't expecting that. (Although I must admit that I had an immediate guess to who it was.)

Maybe I will give this a few more eps to see where it goes. 7/10 vote from me for this one.

Oh yes ... for some reason Nakatsuka's hair cracked me up whenever he popped up on the screen.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by viperdk1

Anyone know how long this anime is?

Unknown, but assuming the anime will adapt the manga reasonably faithfully, and based on the opponents he's facing in the OP...

It'll take 60-80 episodes for the confrontation against...

Spoiler for manga/OP:

Kamakura High School and their ace striker, Akira Tajo.