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What is Spokon? History and 5 recommended series

In this article we will explain the definition of spokon and we will illustrate five works both in comic version and in animated adaptation as proposals for fans and newbies of this genre.

The term spoke in anime culture and manga refers to a work that has lo as its thematic focus sport. The word itself, in fact, derives from the union of “sport” and “konjou” (根性), which in Japanese means strength and determination. This genre began to emerge in the 50s of the last century, but it was only with the incredible media boom brought about by the eighteenth edition of the Olympic Games held in Tōkyō that it acquired a more important and defined status in the Japanese comic scene. To date, it spoke is probably one of the most famous types of manga and with the greatest public response both at home and abroad and, moreover, it still contributes to making many people discover less widespread and practiced sports, encouraging the younger generations (and not only) to discover them and become passionate about new disciplines not only on paper, but also in reality.

A journey through the history of the spokon

Dobutsu Orimupikku Taikai (The Olympic Games of Animals) is probably the first sports anime ever made, dated 1928, the same year in which the Amsterdam Games took place, the primary source of inspiration for director Murata Yasuji’s creation of this animated short. Western sports began to spread in Japan since its opening with the Meiji Restorationbut after the US occupation of the country with the end of the Second World War, the Americans pushed for the adoption of sports such as baseball or boxing also in schools.

This even led to the abolition of the traditional Japanese sports as the Jewil karate where he kendo in school curricula. Fortunately the ban was lifted in 1950 and these disciplines were reborn thanks to the great adhesion of the population also in the world of manga. The first dates back to 1952 spokon mangaby title Igaguri-kun by Fukui Eiichi, whose plot revolved around the sport of jūdō.
Thanks to the victory of the women’s national volleyball team in the ’64 Games, there was a huge increase in popularity for sports among Japanese women in Japan, and consequently sports manga also welcomed a new slice of audience among its readers. Sports themes merged, therefore, with more romantic and sentimental aspects, traditionally linked to manga targets aimed at female fans such as josei e shōjo. Attack No.1 di Urano Chikako fu il primo shōjo manga sporty to also be serialized on the small screen.
Following a decline in publications in the decade from 1970 mainly due to the diffusion of sci-fi works mechalo spoke it made a comeback starting in the 80s with series such as the very famous Captain Tsubasa (in Italy known by the title of Holly e Benji), to then grow more and more up to the present day with titles now appreciated internationally and acclaimed by critics from all over the world.

Five tips of sports manga and anime

5. Slam Dunk

Written and drawn by Inoue Takehiko, Slam Dunk is a spokon manga set in the world of basket high schooler. It has thirty-one volumes and has been serialized on Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1990 to 1996. From ’93 to ’96 the animated version of one hundred and one episodes created by the Toei Animation studio was also aired. The protagonist of Slam Dunk is Sakuragi Hanamichi, a first-year student of Shohoku High and famous among his peers for being a thug and gang leader. Sakuragi would like to be popular with girls but is constantly rejected by them because of his scary appearance. Arrived at his new school, however, he meets Akagi Haruko, whom he immediately considers as the perfect girl because she doesn’t appear at all upset by him and, on the contrary, invites him to join the basketball club. Sakuragi, initially reluctant to practice the same sport as his many rivals in love, in the course of the work he will become increasingly passionate about it and will learn to mature also from a character point of view. Slam Dunk it has become a real cult series both at home and overseas, so much so that many young Japanese started playing basketball inspired by the events in the manga; thanks to the contribution of Inoue himself, even one was born in Japan ScholarshipSlam Dunk” to reward young players in basketball and offer them the opportunity to study in America. In Italy it is published by Panini Comics.

4. Megalobox

What is Spokon?  History and 5 recommended series

Megalobox is an anime series produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Moriyama You. It consists of two seasons, one aired between the spring and summer of 2018, while the second, entitled Megalobox: Nomadin 2021. Behind the birth of Megalobox conceals the intention on the part of the authors of commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of another very famous and definitely loved manga focused on boxing, namely Ashita no Joe (known by us in Italy as Rocky Joe). The work takes place in a modern Japan characterized however by a highly hierarchical and elitist society, in which only official citizens can enjoy a comfortable life, while people without citizenship are destined to live on the edge of big cities, in ruined suburbs . In this world, Megaloboxe, a variant of boxing in which athletes challenge each other using powered exoskeletons called Gearshas become an extremely popular sport, thanks also to Megalonian tournament. Joe, nicknamed Junk Dog, refuses to compete with a Gear and fights in clandestine fights until, inspired by the challenge thrown at him by the reigning champion of Megalonia, Yuri, decides to climb the rankings together with his coach Nanbu Gansaku to become number one in the world.

3. Tsurune

What is Spokon?  History and 5 recommended series

Tsurune is a series of light novel still ongoing written by Ayano Kotoko and illustrated by Morimoto Chinatsu since 2016. An anime adaptation produced by Kyoto Animation was released in 2019 and a second series is also planned for 2023; in addition, a first came out in the summer of 2022 film dedicated to the work. Tsurune it is a sport little or almost not known outside Japan, namely the kyūdō, a martial art typical of the country that roughly corresponds to Western archery. At the heart of the story of Tsurune there is the figure of Narumiya Minatoa freshman of Kazemai High and a former hopeful of the kyūdō. His sports career is tragically interrupted due to an accident in which Minato’s mother dies and he is injured; the trauma of the event also causes him moments of panic and inability to shoot his arrows in the best possible way, so he decides to leave the sport and not to practice it anymore. However, thanks to the meeting with a mysterious man in a shooting range and the support of old and new friends, Minato rediscovers his love for kyūdō and decides to arrive at the prefectural tournament with his team.

2. Hikaru no Go

What is Spokon?  History and 5 recommended series

Who said that spokon should only deal with sports where body, speed or strength are the undisputed protagonists? Hikaru no Go is an example of a sports manga in which the discipline narrated is a pure strategy board gameil go precisely. No fighting, kicking a ball or anything like that, just lots and lots of brains! Hikaru no Go is written by Hotta Yumi, supervised by professional go player Umezawa Yukari, and illustrated by Obata Takeshi. It was published from ’98 to 2003 in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump (23 volumes), while the anime, which has 75 episodes, was broadcast from 2001 to 2003 by Studio Pierrot. The story focuses on little Shindo Hikaru, a middle school boy not particularly inclined to study who, to escape boredom, decides one day to rummage in his grandfather’s attic and there he discovers an old goban, stained with traces of blood visible only to he. Hikaru is possessedso, from the spirit of Fujiwara no Sai, go master at the Emperor’s court in the Heian era, who committed suicide after losing a game and being humiliated by his opponent’s accusation of cheating to win. From that moment on, he roams like a wandering spirit in search of the one who will show him the “hand of God”, that is, the best move a go player can make. Hikaru is forced against his will to try his hand at a game considered for elderly people, but he will soon find himself clashing with increasingly stronger opponents who will give birth to his passion for go. In Italy it is published by Panini Comics (Planet Manga).

1. Yuri!!! On Ice

What is Spokon?  History and 5 recommended series

The anime of Yuri on Ice, produced by Studio MAPPA and aired in 2016, is one of the most famous spokon of recent years, which has come to the fore thanks to the great study by the authors of the protagonist sport, ice skating, and the positive and natural representation of themes related to the LGBTQ+ world. It was directed by director Yamamoto Sayo with choreography by Miyamoto Kenji.
After losing the Grand Prix and other competitions, skater Katsuki Yuuri decides to temporarily stop his career and return to his hometown of Hasetsu, in southern Japan. While practicing the routine of his idol, Russian Viktor Nikiforov, Yuuri is filmed by his childhood friend Yuko and the video goes viral on the internet, and is also watched by Viktor himself. Impressed by this, he travels to Japan and offers Yuuri to coach him in order to raise him as an athlete. Yuri Plisetsky, a young skating genius to whom Viktor had promised to cure a choreography if he won the Junior World Championships, will also come to further spur Yuuri’s insecure soul. The two boys will become rivals and will compete to determine who is the best between them. YoI it was much appreciated by many exponents of figure skating, including champions Evgenia Medvedeva, Hanyu Yuzuru and Evgenij Plushenko; in addition, the implied (but easily understood) love story between Yuuri and Viktor was considered a great strength of the series and a reason why the public became attached to it.

Cover image: Wikipedia

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