The popular anime series "Aoashi" is scheduled to air on NHK Educational TV starting in April 2022. Set in the world of J.League youth teams, one of its charms is the tactics and individual skills that are beyond what you'd expect from a high school student. So, this time, we'll be introducing some of the most memorable matches and scenes from the manga so far, in chronological order.
1. Final Youth Selection Test: Match against Tokyo C.E. Youth ①
First, let's look at the final selection match, against current youth players. This was a crucial match for Aoi, Tachibana, Otomo, Kaneko, Nakano, and others as they worked their way through the youth league. The overwhelming difference in strength between them and the youth players caused the selection players to lose their fighting spirit and slow down. Coach Tatsuya Fukuda was looking for a strong mentality. This mental strength, lacking in the more serious and conventional youth players, was also a test of whether the players could take another step forward even when pushed hard in this final match.
1. Final Youth Selection Test: Match against Tokyo C.E. Youth ②
While everyone else looked down, Ashito Aoi remembered his mother and brother and pushed forward. Otomo Eisaku, who used to be a bit timid, completely transformed into the calmest player when it came to matches. Tachibana Soichiro came to the selection process hoping to somehow overcome his weaknesses from middle school. These three players passed the selection process with flying colors. The addition of these three players, who possess a different character from the youth team's newly promoted players, led to various changes in their chemistry.
2. Orange Scenery
This isn't a match, but a story about Asito and his mother, Aoi Noriko. In this letter, Asito's mother, who has avoided discussing her son's plans with him ever since it was decided that he would be going to Tokyo, expresses her feelings. Set on a train passing through the mandarin orange orchards of Ehime, her thoughts and encouragement for her son, as well as the word "pride" in the latter half of the letter, bring me to tears no matter how many times I read it. After reading this letter, the scene switches back to Ehime and Tokyo, which is a clever way of linking with Asito's feelings.
3. Tokyo League Round 1 vs. Seikei High School ①
The team, still struggling from the Red vs. White game after being promoted to the youth team, found themselves trailing 3-0 in the first half of their first Tokyo League match. It was the left line of Kuroda, Asari, and Aoi who brought about change to a team that was clearly divided into promoted and selected players. Soccer is a sport where three players work together, and Asito realizes that he hadn't considered such a simple thing as considering the opponent.
3. Tokyo League Round 1 vs. Seikei High School ②
Asito persistently looked into the opponent's eyes to communicate. He learned the ideal way to score goals with just three players. This match also awakened Asito's eye power, a glimpse of his true talent. It wasn't just his inherently wide field of vision; it was his ability to predict the players' future movements. He overlooked the game from above, plotted a path to the goal, and scored the winning goal. This match truly showcased Asito's talent, which Fukuda admired.
4. Tokyo League Round 8 vs. Tokyo Musashino Football Club Youth
This was Asito's second official match since switching to defender, and he faced the Tokyo Musashino Football Club Youth, led by Kaneda and Nakano, who had been eliminated in the selection process. In addition to the rivalry between them, Togashi and Takeshima clashed just before the match, and a match against Tachibana's former club, each player faced their own complicated circumstances. Tachibana's goal broke him out of his slump, Togashi repaired the rift between him and the newly promoted team, and Asito continued to grow. Our team was in a terrible state before the match, but this was an important game in which we were able to grow as a team by working together earnestly.
5. Premier League Round 13 vs. Tokyo Vans Youth
In this match, Asito and the other first-years played primarily, despite the absence of many of their seniors on the national team. Thanks to their intensive training in late-night mini-games, the first-year defense felt like they were on a rope, maintaining a consistent defense and maintaining a consistent distance. We also saw the awakening of Yoichi Kiriki, who was not selected for the national team, and, most importantly, Otomo's outstanding performance. This was Otomo's first start for the A team, and when the whistle blew, he possessed a calmer, stronger mental strength than anyone else. This match also showed a glimpse of his mental strength, which has remained unchanged since his selection period.
6. Premier League Round 8 vs. Funabashi Gakuin High School ①
This match had a profound impact on both Asito's talent and the team's future. Aoi's near-perfect offensive and defensive execution successfully contained Funabashi Gakuin's two wingers, Tripone Ruffin and Naofumi Futahara. In addition, on the offensive side, Esperion, led by Kuribayashi, successfully implemented the five-lane soccer style they had been practicing since their junior youth days. This was a complex style of soccer in which the field was considered to have five lanes instead of three, with the second player closest to the ball carrier staying in the adjacent lane and the third player staying in the same lane as the ball carrier, forming a triangle with their teammates.
6. Premier League Round 8, Matchday 2 vs. Funabashi Gakuin High School
Esperion successfully implemented this style, but conceded the first goal to Tripone, a physically powerful player. With Funabashi continuing to press forward, Asito became intimidated and gave up, receiving a red card for a painful handball and being sent off. With Esperion down to 10 men, two players remained fired up: Kuribayashi and Akutsu. With 15 minutes left, they pressed hard, displayed a string of gritty plays uncharacteristic of a youth team, and played five lanes with 10 players. In the end, an assist from Kuribayashi to Akutsu resulted in the game ending in a draw.
6. Premier League Round 8 vs. Funabashi Gakuin High School, Part 3
After being sent off in front of Tripone, Kuribayashi, and Akutsu—three players who clearly rose to world-class status among this generation—Asito sat on the bench, feeling angry with himself. This match marked the beginning of Taira's departure, Akutsu's appointment as captain, and Asito's defense lessons from Akutsu. It was an important match, filled with battles, regrets, and responsibility.
Summary
Currently, the latest volume, Volume 26, is in the midst of the match against Aomori Seiran, and it's expected to be another fierce battle. I think the greatest appeal of "Aoashi" is the way all the characters change and grow, as each player's growth and relationships change with each match. Perhaps this is possible only because it's set in the J Youth league, depicting the rapid growth and mental struggles that come with being a developmental age group. How will Asito and his Esperion teammates grow from here on out? Please continue to enjoy "Aoashi" through the anime and manga.
