Suzuka (manga)

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Suzuka
The cover of the first volume
涼風
(Suzuka)
Genre Romance, Comedy, Ecchi, Sports, Harem, Drama
Manga
Authored by Kouji Seo
Publisher JapanKodansha
United StatesDel Rey Manga
Serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine
Original run 3 March 2004 – present
No. of volumes 13 [1]
TV anime
Directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi
Studio Studio Comet
Network TV Tokyo
Original run 6 July 2005 – 28 December 2005
No. of episodes 26

Suzuka (涼風?) is a Japanese romance manga by Kouji Seo. It has been adapted into a 26-episode anime series. The manga has been licensed for publication in North America by Del Rey Manga.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The plot is based on a young man, Yamato Akitsuki, who moves from his rural home in Hiroshima prefecture to live at his aunt's apartment building/indoor bath complex in Tokyo and attend the local athletics-oriented high school. Before arriving at his new home he walks past his new school and sees a young girl practicing high jump at the track field.

He falls in love with her at first sight and does not expect to see her again. However, he soon discovers she is Suzuka Asahina, one of the occupants of his aunt's apartment. Because of Suzuka, Yamato discovers that he has the potential to become an impressive track star and joins the team in hopes of impressing her. However, Suzuka is rather ambivalent with her feelings and wavers from liking him and disliking him.

The story evolves around these two main characters and their friends.

[edit] Characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Main Characters

Yamato Akitsuki (秋月大和 Akitsuki Yamato?)
  • Voiced by: Daisuke Nakamura
The main protagonist of the story. He moved from his home in rural Hiroshima to his aunt’s dormitory in Tokyo to change himself. While checking out his new high school, he sees a beautiful high jumper practicing and it was love at first sight. By chance she happens to be his next door neighbor, Suzuka Asahina. Yamato is clumsy with a carefree attitude which often gets himself in comprising situations. When need arises, he can become focused and determined. He is exceedingly clueless when it comes to girls and their feelings. Although not the best in academics, he discovered to be a naturally gifted sprinter. During his senior year of high school, he became a well liked and respected track captain. Even though he did not achieve his goal of becoming first nationaly during high school in the 100 metres, he was scouted and recommend to attend two universities: Touto University which Saki is plan on attending and Seijo University which Suzuka is plan on attending. After being release from his promise with Saki, he has decided to try for Seijo University.
Suzuka Asahina (朝比奈涼風 Asahina Suzuka?)
  • Voiced by: Kanako Mitsuhashi
A talented female high jumper from Yokohama that was scouted by many famous high schools because of her skill. While in Tokyo, she lives in Ayano’s dormitory next door to Yamato. She is a serious athlete that puts a lot of pressure on her self to perform so she does not disappoint others. At first she mostly has a cold attitude toward Yamato, but according to her sister, Suzuka only shows her arrogant and somewhat moody attitude to someone she likes. [2] Because of her past with Kazuki, she was reluctant to express her feeling toward Yamato and ended up trying to push him away. After awhile she finally admits to herself and to Yamato that she has liked him since the first time they met and they begin dating. Their relationship was rocky from the start because of Yamato’s carelessness and Suzuka guarded attitude to her thoughts and feelings. She decides to take the study abroad offer by Sasoka, claiming the training standards are higher and she will benefit more, but Yui believes that Suzuka has another reason. Before leaving for the United States, for reasons only known to her, she decides to break up with Yamato. After the time-skip, Suzuka moved back into her room next door to Yamato. She, like Yamato, has been recommended to Seijo University which she plans on attending. During a grocery run with Yamato, she revealed the reason she took the study abroad offer is because he complimented her on how cool she looked during her high-jump.
Honoka Sakurai (桜井萌果 Sakurai Honoka?)
  • Voiced by: Yumiko Hosono
Met Yamato from an incident that happened in their childhood at her family’s shrine that he often go to when visiting his aunt. Ever since, Honaka has had a crush on him, but was too shy to talk to him. Much to her shock, Yamato entered her high school and even is part of her class. Seeing her opportunity she begins to talk with him and they become friends. When Yamato joins the track team, she decides to become the manager so they do not grow apart. After a little while she finally confesses her feelings to Yamato and they begin to date. The relationship lasts less then a month because of Yamato’s carelessness and Honoka’s own insecurities. After realizing her mistake she claims that she wants to confess again when she gains more confidence. When she learns that Yamato and Suzuka are dating she decides to quit being the track manager and take up an offer made by the modelling agency of her best friend, Nana. After a modeling shoot she happens to run into Yamato again after he has broken up with Suzuka. She clearly still harbors feelings for him, but being a popular model she has become more confident and now can openly talk with him. While at the beach, she surprised Yamato by asking if they should be a couple again. In shock, Yamato accidentally took it as a joke. Because of this incident, she decided to no longer wait for Yamato and begin dating a coworker who confessed to her. In order to be fair to her new boyfriend, she decided it would not be good idea for them hang out together.
Miki Hashiba (羽柴美紀 Hashiba Miki?)
  • Voiced by: Seika Hosokawa
A cheerful, upbeat sprinter of the track team and Suzuka's best friend. Becomes a good friend of Yamato's and often tries to help clear any misunderstandings between him and Suzuka. She often snipes at Yasunobu due to their clashing personalities. Early in the series, she has expressed interest in Yamato [3] and often tells Suzuka she treats him too harshly. She is notable for wearing very skimpy, albeit (according to her) standard-issue, track apparel.
Yasunobu Hattori (服部安信 Hattori Yasunobu?)
  • Voiced by: Takanori Ohyama
Has been friends with Yamato since they were kids. He is a ladies man that according to Yamato prefers perverted stuff over eating.[4] He dreams of dating all the girls in the world and the legalization of polygyny in Japan. Yasunobu is often giving relationship advice to Yamato, with rather amusing results due to the latter's being clueless and tendency to screw up. Even though he sometimes gets Yamato in bad situations, he usually has Yamato’s best interests in mind. Much to Yamato and Miki's surprise, it is revealed that Yasunobu has been a straight "A" student during high school.
Yuuka Saotome (早乙女優花 Saotome Yuuka?)
A boisterous busybody college student from rural Akita that lives in Ayano’s dormitory. She likes to drink which she usually ends up in Yamato’s room with her best friend Megumi. She has been known to take pictures of Yamato in compromising positions so she can blackmail him later. Even though she considers her relationship with Yamato to be “Master and Slave” [5], she often tries to help him with his relationship problems and has admitted that she worries about him. He also seems to be one of the few people she can be vulnerable with. In fact, Yamato is the only one that she has told about her one sided love for Sasaoka, who she has liked since high school. So far she has confessed to him 15 times, but unfortunately Sasaoka only takes it as a joke because she never seriously follows through. These rejections have had a profound impact on her life, causing a changes in her appearance and her dating behavior. Currently, Yamato is taking her to the airport so she can finally confess seriously before Sasaoka leaves for the United States again.
Megumi Matsumoto (松本恵美 Matsumoto Megumi?)
  • Voiced by: Hatsumi Miura
A soft-spoken, bespectacled college student who also lives in Ayano’s dormitory. She is often seen trying to reign in Yuuka when she is drunk. Ironically, Megumi gets drunk easily, and in that state is even wilder than Yuuka, often berating Yamato on how all men are perverts, accusing Yamato of starting at her chest, flashing him, and then slapping him for looking. She has expressed the desire to become married.[6]
Souichi Miyamoto (宮本総一 Miyamoto Souichi?)
  • Voiced by: Takeshi Maeda
One of the members of the track team and later become captain after Kinugasu graduates. After hearing about Yamato performance in physical tests, he actively persuades Yamato to join the track team. When Yamato came to him to help with making better times, he analyzed that data and found that was reaching his top speed too early and then made a training program for him. He believes Yamato has the potential to surpass Kazuki's skill. Before graduating he chose Yamato to become the next track captain. He is currently is part of the Touto University's track team and was influential in Yamato getting his recommendation.
Tetsuhiko Kinugasu (衣笠鉄人 Kinugas Tetsuhiko?)
The track captain when Yamato first joined the team. He competes in shot put and is often seen putting Yamato in a headlock or making him do extra training. He has high expectations for Yamato, so much that during actual tournaments he can not watch Yamato run and often resorts to hiding behind a tree. Even though he has graduated and now attending Seijo University he still comes to check on the track team, much to Yamato’s displeasure. Learning of the recommendations, he offered to show Yamato and Suzuka around the campus.
Ayano Fujikawa (藤川綾乃 Fujikawa Ayano?)
Yamato's aunt, who is the landlady of the women’s dormitory and public bathhouse. She lets Yamato stay rent free and pays him for cleaning. She seems to be close with her tenants and is even proud of their accomplishments. She often cooks meals for her nephew and Suzuka. Even thought she wears a wedding band, the circumstances of her husband so far have not been revealed.
Miho Fujikawa (藤川美穂 Fujikawa Miho?)
Ayano's daughter and Yamato’s younger cousin by two years. She is very attached and protective of Yamato to the point of being jealous of Suzuka. Occasionally she reminds Yamato of his childhood promise to marry her to cheer him up or as joke. During the time skip, she became a high school student, moved into the Suzuka's old room, and became the track manager. Because of Suzuka moving back, she was forced to give up her room and move back with her mother.
Yui Amami (天見結衣 Amami Yui ?)*
One of the girls in the group date that Yasunobu tricked Yamato into going on. She took a liking to him and her feelings only grew when Yamato began working at her family’s cafe, which was the only place of employment that Yamato could find that allow him to work one day a week. After Yamato and Suzuka broke up, she visited Yamato to try and cheer him up. Seeing the state he was in, she tried to comfort him both physically and emotionally, but he doesn't reciprocate her feelings.
Kenji Kobayakawa (小早川健二 Kobayakawa Kenji?)
A hard working sprinter of the track team who is on an athletic scholarship. He even though he is quite talented sprinter, he still is not as fast as Yamato in the 100 meters. He dislikes Yamato because he outperforms him in track and Honoka, the girl he likes, at the time only had eyes for Yamato. He, like Yamato, in his senior year at high school was scouted by the universities.
Saki Asai (浅井咲希 Asai Saki?)
Yamato's childhood friend from Hiroshima. She also happens to be the same girl that from the original firefly confession. Starting next year she will be attending a fashion school in Tokyo. For now, she staying at Ayano’s dormitory for about a week while visiting. She often embarrasses and pesters Yamato. It has been revealed that during the original firefly confession she did not reject him as initially thought, but could not give an answer because Yamato ran away and avoided her afterwards. She plans on attending Touto University, unlike a vocational school like Ayano thought. She encouraged Yamato to also attend and made him pinky swear that they would go together. She is very perceptive when it comes to Yamato to the point that she can accurately guess his thoughts and feelings. She has hinted that she has feelings for Yamato, but he misinterprets them as being part of her playful nature. When she leaves Ayano's dormitory, she tells Yamato that he still has feelings for Suzuka and releases him from their promise so he can join Suzuka at Seijou University.

[edit] Supporting Characters

Kazuki Tsuda (津田和輝 Tsuda Kazuki?)†
When Suzuka and Souichi were in middle school, Kazuki was their track captain, and was ranked first in the 100 meter. The similarities between him and Yamato are striking (and somewhat eerie) resemblance in terms of looks, character and running skill. In practices, he and Suzuka would fight because she wanted practices to be serious and he wanted them to be fun. Before the national tournament, he confessed to her and told her not to answer until he had won. Tragically on the day of the tournament when running home to get his spikes that he forgot, he was hit and killed by driver who fell asleep at the wheel.
Nana Shirakawa (白川奈々 Shirakawa Nana ?)*
  • Voiced by: Michie Kitaura
A popular singing idol who has been Honoka’s best friend since middle school. Most are surprised to discover this because it is unexpected that someone as timid as Honoka would have such glamourous acquaintances. Even though Nana famous, she considers Honoka to be her only friend because she treats her normally. Because of this she is very protective of her.
Arima Emerson (エメルソン・有馬 Emerson Arima?)
He was ranked first nationally in the 100 meter sprint and went to Toudo University High School. In middle school he was always beaten by Kazuki which is still a touchy subject for him. He has his group of fans that follow him to the tournaments. Like Suzuka, he took up the offer to study abroad in United States. During Yamato's campus visit it is revealed that he joined the Touto University's track team.
Suzune Asahina (朝比奈涼音 Asahina Suzune?)*
Suzuka's older sister by one year. According to her younger sister, Suzune is slightly dim-witted. Every time she meets Yamato, she has the family dog "Muku" attack him. She is the only character that has an easy time reading Suzuka's thoughts.
Hiroshi Sasaoka (佐々岡浩志 Sasaoka Hiroshi?)
A salesman for the sports equipment company “Adriex”. One of his jobs is to recruit Japan’s top student athletes to study abroad and train in the United States which all expenses are paid by his company. He also happens to be Yuuka’s crush from high school, but, much to her displeasure, he still treats her like a younger sister. In the latest chapter, it has been revealed that he is being transfered back to the United States for the next 5 to 6 years.
Tsuyoshi Kusakabe (日下部刚 Kusakabe Tsuyoshi?)
He is one of Miho's classmates from her middle school. He liked Miho for a long time, but has had little success. During his first year in high school, he joined the track team and it's implied that he hung around Miho, who usually with Yamato, as much as possible. During Yamato's absence from track during the summer, he became arrogant which causes Yamato put him in a headlock and treats him like how Kinugisa did to Yamato.

* Characters that have not reappeared after the time-skip

† Deceased Characters

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Anime

[edit] Theme songs

Opening
  1. Start Line by COACH☆
Closing
  1. Aoi FIELD by COACH☆ (1-14)
  2. Kimi no Koto (君のこと) by COACH☆ (15-26)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kodansha BOOK Club. Accessed 2006-11-06.
  2. ^ "Suzuka" Manga; volume 9 tankōbon (Chapter 78, Page 124).
  3. ^ "Suzuka" Manga; volume 3 tankōbon (Chapter 20, Page 137).
  4. ^ "Suzuka" Manga; volume 1 tankōbon (Chapter 02, Page 115).
  5. ^ "Suzuka" Manga; volume 3 tankōbon (Chapter 17, Page 80).
  6. ^ "Suzuka" Manga; volume 6 tankōbon (Chapter 48, Page 212).

[edit] External links

Official sites
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In other languages