"Ahiru no Sora" is a story set around a high school basketball club. The story basically revolves around the Kuzuryu High School boys' basketball club, led by the main character Kurumatani Sora, and their efforts to reach the Inter-High. As "Ahiru no Sora" is a coming-of-age manga, it does have a few romance scenes. One thing people are curious about with manga like this is who the heroine is, right? In the case of "Ahiru no Sora," there is no female character who is a counterpart to the main character, so opinions will be divided when it comes to who the heroine is. In this article, we will explore who the heroine of "Ahiru no Sora" is.
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
1. The heroine is a female character who is central to the story.
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata/Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
It's easy to imagine the heroine of a story, but it's difficult to explain what she is specifically. There are various definitions, but in most cases, it refers to a female character who is involved in the entire story and plays a central role. In that sense, among the female characters in "Ahiru no Sora," there are two who are at the center of the story. Here, we will focus on these two characters as potential heroines.
① Kuzuryu High School Girls Basketball Club - Madoka Yabuuchi
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
She is a member of the Kuzuryu High School Girls Basketball Club, and was the first female character to appear in "Ahiru no Sora". In the beginning, she was there as an understanding friend, helping Sora, who wanted to form a basketball club, and giving her advice. If we just look at the beginning of "Ahiru no Sora," Yabuuchi Madoka completely monopolizes the heroine position. Sora has been captivated by Madoka's looks since the first time they met. She is also the woman Sora admires. On the other hand, Yabuuchi Madoka herself has feelings for Hanazono Momoharu, and when she is rejected by Momoharu, she goes to a mixer and finds a boyfriend, so her actions are noticeably different from those of a manga heroine. Currently, it seems that she has a good relationship with Momoharu. When it comes to manga heroines, it seems like a classic that they end up together with the main character, but in that sense, Madoka may be a little far from a heroine.
② Manager of Kuzuryu High School Basketball Club Nanao Nao
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
She is the manager of the Kuzuryu High School basketball club, and also plays a supervisory role, making full use of tactics she learned by herself. Her first appearance was as the manager of the girls' basketball club. She is petite, cute, and has a clumsy side; she is full of the elements of a typical manga heroine. Chiaki has feelings for Nao, and has confessed to her on numerous occasions, but has been brushed off. Nao has also been seen expressing feelings for Sora on numerous occasions, raising expectations for the romance between Sora and Nao. Although she appears later than En, Nanao Nao also has many elements of a heroine. Moreover, there is a possibility that she will end up with the main character, so this is quite important.
③Which of these two is the heroine?
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata/Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Basically, these two are the female characters who appear centrally throughout the story of "Ahiru no Sora". If you were to choose a heroine from these two, which one would be more suitable? If you were to raise the love scenes as an element of the heroine, Madoka has more love stories. On the other hand, Nao and Sora sometimes have a good atmosphere, but nothing decisive has happened, so it's difficult. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, but which one is more suitable for the heroine?
2. Think about the heroine without narrowing it down to one
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Earlier, we considered who the heroine of "Ahiru no Sora" is from the perspective of the heroine of the entire story, but "Ahiru no Sora" itself has few romantic elements, and the high school and characters that are the focus of attention vary depending on the story. This means that there must have been female characters who had a central presence in each period, and these characters could be thought of as "daily heroines." Here, we will introduce the daily heroines who shone brightly for a time in "Ahiru no Sora."
① Kuzuryu High School Girls Basketball Club Niimi Rei
Source: Ahiru no Sora © Hinata Takeshi, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
A female character who appears midway through the story. She is Sora's classmate and belongs to the girls' basketball club. She shows her hardworking side by asking Sora for technical guidance in order to become a regular player. There is a scene in which she becomes fascinated with Sora as she receives instruction from him. When Niimi first appeared, the story revolved around her and she stood out more than the main character. If we were to look at her momentary brilliance alone, this girl could well be considered a heroine.
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
②Satominishi High School Girls Basketball Club Sekiya Tomoko
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
She is the vice captain of Satomi Nishi High School, a strong girls' basketball team, and although she is small, she is also a very talented player. In fact, this character was saved by Yasuhara when she was being harassed by delinquents, and when Yasuhara saw Sekiya, he fell in love at first sight. Sekiya herself was not completely opposed and began to have feelings for Yasuhara, but Yasuhara withdrew from the relationship, so their romance did not progress. She was small and cute, and if the setting had been different, it would not have been strange for her to have become the heroine. Let's look forward to a romance with Yasuhara
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Summary
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata/Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
There are manga heroines, some of which are clearly defined, and others that are not. In the case of "Ahiru no Sora," there is no female character with an absolute presence, so opinions are divided on who the heroine is. However, on the flip side, that also means that there are many attractive female characters.
