The appeal and reviews of "Offside": A deep look into a story of soccer and youth

"Offside": A soccer story of youth and friendship

"Offside" is a TV anime series that aired in 2001, based on the manga "Offside" by Natsuko Heiuchi. The story begins with an accident that occurred on the day of the entrance exam for Yokohama Minami High School, and follows the protagonist Goro Kumagai and his childhood friend Nagisa Ito as they advance to private Kawasaki High School and struggle in the soccer club. Below, we will introduce the appeal, highlights, and recommended points of this work in detail.

story

On the day of the entrance exam for Yokohama Minami High School, Goro Kumagai risks his life to save his childhood friend Nagisa Ito, who is nearly hit by a car. As a result, neither of them are able to take the exam, and they end up going to Kawasaki High School instead of the prestigious Yokohama Minami High School. Kawasaki High School's soccer club was a weak team with only 11 members after Goro and his friends joined, but Goro does not give up on his dream, and grows through friendships with his teammates and battles with rivals. Ultimately, this is a coming-of-age drama that aims to play in the National Stadium.

This is a story of friendship, love, and growth depicted through soccer. Along with Goro's growth, the human drama of his teammates and rivals is also explored in depth, drawing viewers in. In addition, the depiction of the game scenes is realistic, successfully conveying the excitement of soccer to the audience.

character

Each character in "Offside" is unique and charming. Below are the main characters.

• Goro Kumagai (voiced by Dai Tsuchida) - The main character, a boy who values ​​friendship and his passion for soccer. He grows up together with his friends in a story that begins with an accident.
• Nagisa Ito (voiced by Chieko Higuchi) - Goro's childhood friend and the girl who caused the accident. She attends Kawasaki High School with Goro and supports him.
• Hideki Yakumaru (voiced by Jun Kisaichi) - Goro's best friend and a member of the soccer club. He acts as the team's mood maker.
• Shingo Sato (voiced by Shigeru Shibuya) - Goro's rival and Yokohama Minami High School's ace striker. He grows through his battles with Goro.
• Nouchi Yoshinari (voiced by Fujita Keiki) - Captain of Kawasaki High School's soccer team. He has the leadership skills to bring the team together.

The human drama woven by these characters deeply moves the viewer. In addition, the growth and change of each character is carefully depicted, enriching the story as a whole.

Production Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Offside." Below are the main staff members:

• Original story by Natsuko Heiuchi (Kodansha Manga Bunko)
• Director : Seiji Okuda
• Character design : Mari Tominaga, Yutaka Arai
• Art Director : Mitsuharu Miyamae
• Sound Director : Jun Watanabe
• Music : Masayuki Sakamoto
• Produced by Ashi Productions, Animax Broadcast Japan

"Offside," created by this team of staff, is a work that maximizes the appeal of the original work while taking advantage of the expressive power that only anime can offer. In particular, the realistic depiction of the match scenes and the character designs that express the characters' emotions in detail are superb. Additionally, music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story, and enhances the emotions of the viewer.

Broadcast information

"Offside" began airing on Animax in May 2001, with a total of 39 episodes. Each episode was 30 minutes long and entertained viewers every week. Below are the subtitles for each episode.

• Episode 1 - The Fateful Offside
• Episode 2 - 100 Penalty Saves
• Episode 3 - The first showdown between rivals!
• Episode 4 - Inter-High Preliminaries Begin
• Episode 5 - Fierce Inter-High Preliminaries
• Episode 6 - Extra Time Battle
• Episode 7 - Striker is Born
• Episode 8 - Winter Championship Kickoff
• Episode 9 - Revenge Kawasaki vs Yokohama Minami
• Episode 10 - Oda's Final Game
• Episode 11 - Captain's Consciousness
• Episode 12 - Approaching the Win
• Episode 13 - The End of a Fierce Battle
• Episode 14 - Fated Rivals
• Episode 15 - Special Menu Results
• Episode 16 - Ace's Pride
• Episode 17 - Kayano vs. Goro
• Episode 18 - Penalty Shootout in the Rain
• Episode 19 - Power Explosion at Kagoshima Academy
• Episode 20 - Yakumaru! The determined goal
• Episode 21 - Shizuichi! Champion's Soccer
• Episode 22 - Amazing Set Piece
• Episode 23 - Time's Up for Tears
• Episode 24 - Take Off! U-20 Japan National Team
• Episode 25 - Milan Encounter
• Episode 26 - The Magnificent French Team
• Episode 27 - Sad Rome
• Episode 28 - A Battle for Pride
• Episode 29 - The Lone Emperor Fio
• Episode 30 - Glorious Campione
• Episode 31 - A turbulent new team
• Episode 32 - The Fateful Coin Toss
• Episode 33 - Goro! Power Up!
• Episode 34 - Challenge to V2
• Episode 35 - The Final Battle with Bushu
• Episode 36 - Heat Up Kunitachi
• Episode 37 - Clash of Two Aces!
• Episode 38 - The Last Run to Victory
• Episode 39 - The Eternal Eleven

These episodes depict the growth of Goro and his friends and their battles with rivals, creating a story that draws viewers in.

Highlights and recommended points

The highlights of "Offside" can be summarized as follows:

• Realistic game scenes - The depiction of soccer matches is extremely realistic, exciting the viewers. The tactics and movements of the players are depicted in detail, making it a must-see for soccer fans.
• Deep human drama - The characters' growth, friendships, and romance are carefully depicted, leaving viewers with a deep impression. In particular, the relationship between Goro and Nagisa, and the rivalry between Goro and Sato Shingo are not to be missed.
• The Passion of Youth - The story depicts young people working hard to achieve their dreams, giving viewers a taste of the passion of youth. You will be able to empathize with the characters as they overcome setbacks and hardships.

The recommended points are as follows:

• Recommended for soccer fans - The soccer game scenes are realistic, with detailed depictions of tactics and player movements, making this a work that soccer fans will especially enjoy.
• Recommended for those who like teen dramas - This is a story about friendship, love, and growth, so it is recommended for those who like teen dramas. You will be drawn into the human drama of the characters.
• Recommended for those who want to be moved - The characters' growth, friendship, and battles with rivals are moving, and the viewers are deeply moved. Recommended for those who want to be moved.

summary

"Offside" is a moving anime with themes of soccer and youth. It depicts realistic game scenes, deep human drama, and the passion of youth, and will move viewers deeply. I would especially recommend this work to those who like soccer, youth dramas, and those who are looking for something moving. Please give it a watch.