Book Cover

We don't have time to waste asking for the things we don't have, we can only look for the best way to fight with the things we do have.

# Review

This manga follows the story of the Deimon Devil Bats, a high school American football club based in Japan. The story follows the classic sports trope of underdogs overcoming obstacles to achieve their dreams; the story starts when Deimon is only three players and follows the team as new players are added to the roster and existing players develop.

The manga is clearly targeted at a Japanese audience but features a sport that is distinctly non-Japanese; somehow it just works. I'm not even that big into American football but still found the story compelling. The characters are all likeable, and perhaps through my experience playing sports (and being very bad at it), their struggles are very relatable. I really enjoyed reading about the team's development and determination despite being underdogs.

The writing is hilarious and the jokes are exaggerated. I'm a big fan of Murata's artstyle; the characters look lively and their distinctive traits are emphasized so that even with the massive size of American football teams, all the important players are distinguishable. There were several plot points I found a bit weird, such as the racial advantages of American players, but overall the story is a heartwarming one of camradeship and overcoming barriers.

# Conclusion

A great football manga.

# Overall rating: 8.3

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