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紅色HERO [Beniiro Hero] #2
Crimson Hero, Vol. 2
Crimson Hero takes volleyball and bents it like Beckham in a story that pits traditional values against the love of the game. All that matters to 15 year old Nobara Sumiyoshi is volleyball; she is an awesome volleyball player with big time ambitions. But sometimes it seems like a girl just can not get a break in the competitive world of high school volleyball.
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2003
About the author
Mitsuba Takanashi
93 books91 followersMitsuba Takanashi (高梨みつば) is a Japanese manga artist. She made her debut in 1992 at the age of 17 in Bessatsu Margaret with "Koi nante nai."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 6, 2011
This volume shows just how much someone can beat up someone else using just a volleyball. Again the language can get a little harsh, but no real surprises and definitely nothing a high school kid wouldn't say even in front of an adult. It just occurred to me that some parents might take offense to a girl living in the boys' dorm, but she isn't sleeping in any of their rooms and they are pretty respectful of her space.
October 26, 2024
Book: Crimson Hero, Vol. 2
Author: Mitsuba Takanashi
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Another pretty solid volume! Again, this, so far, is not a new favourite, but it is a pretty solid read. I am still having a lot of fun with it.
I am going to try to keep my review as spoiler-free as possible, but since this is the second volume in a series, there may be spoilers for earlier volumes.
In this one, we see Nobara focus on her ambitious quest to establish a high school volleyball team. Following her determination to challenge societal norms and break away from expectations, Nobara encounters a myriad of obstacles that test not only her resolve but also the strength of her relationships with those around her. Her passion for volleyball drives her forward, pushing her to rally support from classmates who initially seem disinterested or sceptical. This volume delves deeper into the motivations of her teammates, shedding light on their struggles and aspirations, which enriches the overall character dynamics.
Nobara is a solid mix of silience and ambition. She grapples with self-doubt and the weight of leadership, making her journey relatable to anyone who has faced challenges in pursuit of their goals. As she works to assemble her team, the narrative explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the significance of believing in oneself. Each character brings their own unique story and perspective to the volleyball team, which not only creates a more cohesive unit but also allows for moments of growth and bonding that are essential to the narrative.
The artwork in this volume plays a crucial role in enhancing the storytelling experience. The action sequences are illustrated with an impressive level of detail, capturing the fast-paced nature of volleyball and the intensity of the matches. Every spike, serve, and block is rendered with fluidity, making the reader feel as though they are right there on the court with the players. The expressive character designs convey a wide range of emotions, from the determination etched on Nobara's face to the camaraderie shared among teammates. The visual storytelling complements the narrative beautifully, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in both the excitement of the sport and the character's emotional journeys.
Overall, this second volume does a great job with character development and stunning visuals, creating a compelling tale about perseverance, teamwork, and the pursuit of dreams. The combination of Nobara's relentless spirit and vibrant artwork makes this volume a captivating read, appealing to both sports enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates a story about overcoming obstacles in the quest for self-fulfilment.
Overall, I am still having a great time with this one. I will be picking up the next volume soon.
Author: Mitsuba Takanashi
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Another pretty solid volume! Again, this, so far, is not a new favourite, but it is a pretty solid read. I am still having a lot of fun with it.
I am going to try to keep my review as spoiler-free as possible, but since this is the second volume in a series, there may be spoilers for earlier volumes.
In this one, we see Nobara focus on her ambitious quest to establish a high school volleyball team. Following her determination to challenge societal norms and break away from expectations, Nobara encounters a myriad of obstacles that test not only her resolve but also the strength of her relationships with those around her. Her passion for volleyball drives her forward, pushing her to rally support from classmates who initially seem disinterested or sceptical. This volume delves deeper into the motivations of her teammates, shedding light on their struggles and aspirations, which enriches the overall character dynamics.
Nobara is a solid mix of silience and ambition. She grapples with self-doubt and the weight of leadership, making her journey relatable to anyone who has faced challenges in pursuit of their goals. As she works to assemble her team, the narrative explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the significance of believing in oneself. Each character brings their own unique story and perspective to the volleyball team, which not only creates a more cohesive unit but also allows for moments of growth and bonding that are essential to the narrative.
The artwork in this volume plays a crucial role in enhancing the storytelling experience. The action sequences are illustrated with an impressive level of detail, capturing the fast-paced nature of volleyball and the intensity of the matches. Every spike, serve, and block is rendered with fluidity, making the reader feel as though they are right there on the court with the players. The expressive character designs convey a wide range of emotions, from the determination etched on Nobara's face to the camaraderie shared among teammates. The visual storytelling complements the narrative beautifully, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in both the excitement of the sport and the character's emotional journeys.
Overall, this second volume does a great job with character development and stunning visuals, creating a compelling tale about perseverance, teamwork, and the pursuit of dreams. The combination of Nobara's relentless spirit and vibrant artwork makes this volume a captivating read, appealing to both sports enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates a story about overcoming obstacles in the quest for self-fulfilment.
Overall, I am still having a great time with this one. I will be picking up the next volume soon.
January 13, 2018
**Contains Spoilers** I don't understand Haibuki. He's such a strange person. Targeting specifically Nobara and ending up hitting up with the reason "I threw it at her with the notion of her picking it up" was very stupid, but made sense as he saw her as a competition rather than someone who's a rookie.
Osaka's past, some of it anyway, is revealed in this volume, and how Nobara and she argues and Nobara ends up saying some very moving, deep things to Osaka which makes her reconsider her decision and she joins the volleyball team for her own sake. A new team with six members is finally formed though three of them dont know how to play it well. Previous encounters between Osaka and Rina are hinted but there is no other detail. Nobara and Yuushin become better friends and Nobara grows as a person, as a girl and learns to take into consideration the people around her.
Nice progress. The sketches and artwork is a bit weird that might put a lot of people off, but it's understandable given that it was written thirteen to fifteen years ago. Very original, and good flow!
Osaka's past, some of it anyway, is revealed in this volume, and how Nobara and she argues and Nobara ends up saying some very moving, deep things to Osaka which makes her reconsider her decision and she joins the volleyball team for her own sake. A new team with six members is finally formed though three of them dont know how to play it well. Previous encounters between Osaka and Rina are hinted but there is no other detail. Nobara and Yuushin become better friends and Nobara grows as a person, as a girl and learns to take into consideration the people around her.
Nice progress. The sketches and artwork is a bit weird that might put a lot of people off, but it's understandable given that it was written thirteen to fifteen years ago. Very original, and good flow!
August 17, 2025
Absolutely devious for the love triangle boys to go against her for her to keep the girls volleyball team alive. But if it's devious call me a henchman because I'm down with it.
We didn't get se a super lot of volleyball in the first volume but the first half of this volume is mostly the match. It's well done and pretty readable albeit with some hiccups but the mangaka sorta admits she's new at it in the author's comments.
The second half transitions to getting new members and developing the love triangle/love sqaure between her, the boys, and Haibuki's ex gf (I know they're exes but like. C'mon. Haibuki still has a thing for her. She still has a thing for Haibuki). I do think the raising of Haibuki's ex-gf in the second half was for the story's benefit. She adds a wonderful wrinkle to the love element and her story of dealing with loving volleyball and being good at it while dealing with her old team "not needing her" while she was recovering was really good.
We didn't get se a super lot of volleyball in the first volume but the first half of this volume is mostly the match. It's well done and pretty readable albeit with some hiccups but the mangaka sorta admits she's new at it in the author's comments.
The second half transitions to getting new members and developing the love triangle/love sqaure between her, the boys, and Haibuki's ex gf (I know they're exes but like. C'mon. Haibuki still has a thing for her. She still has a thing for Haibuki). I do think the raising of Haibuki's ex-gf in the second half was for the story's benefit. She adds a wonderful wrinkle to the love element and her story of dealing with loving volleyball and being good at it while dealing with her old team "not needing her" while she was recovering was really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2021
Tiene buena pinta, pero aún quedada mucho por leer y espero que se ponga muy interesante y me enganche. Haikyuu despertó mi interés por los spokon y espero que Crimson Hero también me haga “pasarlo mal” en los partidos y enamorarme de los personajes. De momento Nobara me gusta mucho como protagonista fuerte y decidida a luchar por lo que quiere. Yushin me parece un amor de chico, así que estoy deseando ver si entre estos dos surge algo ❤️
November 2, 2018
... Even if I don't impress anyone ...I'm the one who decides my worth!"
Pretty good. I keep getting engulfed in these shoujos for one reason or another. Maybe I like rooting for the underdog.
June 21, 2017
Not bad, but to be honest I might not enjoy volleyball enough to keep reading this series.
March 13, 2018
shojo sport manga
September 28, 2018
I love this next chapter I found everything about it amazing from the part of how determend Nobara is about the Girl's Vollyball club. Since Im done with this chapter better get the next one!
October 19, 2019
Chapters 4-8
December 9, 2019
2,5 stars
November 25, 2013
When I read the first two volumes of this manga I looked at the back of the manga reading the story about a young woman who is the heir to her family’s, I remember thinking to myself Yeah, that sounds about right. It wasn't anything I wasn't expecting. Some of it I really liked, but there were some things that I thought were kind of mediocre at best. That's not to say that this manga was bad. It's actually good so far. There's just a few things that kinda bothered me.
Like when the main character has a fight with her mother about her wanting to play volleyball and her mother wanting her eldest daughter to take her place in becoming the Mistress of the inn that the family owns. I would have liked to see her try to balance out her playing volleyball with her taking over the family business. I’m not sure if that issue comes again in later volumes but it seems so disappointing to see that issue just tossed aside so quickly and not looked at again. I would like to have seen Nobara struggle with doing what she loves to do but at the same time she tries to understand her mother’s reasoning in Nobara’s responsibility of taking over the inn.
Now granted, I have no idea what it takes to run a business or what it’s like to be the head of a powerful or influential family. But are you seriously telling me that you can’t balance the two out? She can’t be the heir and play volleyball at the same time? Really? It’s not like she’s doing anything else!!! Does it have some sort of effect on her image as the head of the family or something?
Well, anyway . . . .
As far as main characters go, Nobara is okay. She’s strong, craves her independence, and wants to do what she loves to do which is to play volleyball. Those are all good traits and I like that about her but there’s nothing much to her. She’s the typical heroine who everyone expects her to be something but she wants to be something else. Yeah, she’s a character I’ve seen before over and over. Sorry but she’s just not that interesting.
Anyways, moving on to the side characters. There’s honestly not a whole lot to say about them. You’ve got Yushin and Keisuke who are the two guys involved in a, sorta, love triangle. It’s there if you squint. Keisuke is the guy that has liked Nobara for who she is and Yushin is the tough guy who pretends he doesn’t care but she ends up liking him and he ends up liking her and yeah, it’s all stuff that I’ve seen before.
The other side characters are not really all that interesting. Like with Nobara, Yushin, and Keisuke they’re all characters that I’ve seen before. The volleyball team is okay and they’re fun to read but I just can’t find any of them that particularly stand out or made an impression on me. Nobara’s mother is the stereotypical parent who doesn’t want to listen to their child and wants to keep to their old traditions, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah . . . . .
This is a ton of stuff I’ve seen over and over but I heard it gets better as you get to latter volumes. So I’ll probably read them later. We’ll just have to wait and see.
So did I hate this manga? No, it was just meh.
Like when the main character has a fight with her mother about her wanting to play volleyball and her mother wanting her eldest daughter to take her place in becoming the Mistress of the inn that the family owns. I would have liked to see her try to balance out her playing volleyball with her taking over the family business. I’m not sure if that issue comes again in later volumes but it seems so disappointing to see that issue just tossed aside so quickly and not looked at again. I would like to have seen Nobara struggle with doing what she loves to do but at the same time she tries to understand her mother’s reasoning in Nobara’s responsibility of taking over the inn.
Now granted, I have no idea what it takes to run a business or what it’s like to be the head of a powerful or influential family. But are you seriously telling me that you can’t balance the two out? She can’t be the heir and play volleyball at the same time? Really? It’s not like she’s doing anything else!!! Does it have some sort of effect on her image as the head of the family or something?
Well, anyway . . . .
As far as main characters go, Nobara is okay. She’s strong, craves her independence, and wants to do what she loves to do which is to play volleyball. Those are all good traits and I like that about her but there’s nothing much to her. She’s the typical heroine who everyone expects her to be something but she wants to be something else. Yeah, she’s a character I’ve seen before over and over. Sorry but she’s just not that interesting.
Anyways, moving on to the side characters. There’s honestly not a whole lot to say about them. You’ve got Yushin and Keisuke who are the two guys involved in a, sorta, love triangle. It’s there if you squint. Keisuke is the guy that has liked Nobara for who she is and Yushin is the tough guy who pretends he doesn’t care but she ends up liking him and he ends up liking her and yeah, it’s all stuff that I’ve seen before.
The other side characters are not really all that interesting. Like with Nobara, Yushin, and Keisuke they’re all characters that I’ve seen before. The volleyball team is okay and they’re fun to read but I just can’t find any of them that particularly stand out or made an impression on me. Nobara’s mother is the stereotypical parent who doesn’t want to listen to their child and wants to keep to their old traditions, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah . . . . .
This is a ton of stuff I’ve seen over and over but I heard it gets better as you get to latter volumes. So I’ll probably read them later. We’ll just have to wait and see.
So did I hate this manga? No, it was just meh.
September 20, 2015
Volume two of Crimson Hero includes more volleyball than the first; this taste of action reveals the mangaka's intense respect for the sport. The problem in this volume, for me, was the boys' incredible use of violent force in playing the new girls' team - most athletes don't play that way, even against people they strongly dislike/want to encourage, etc. You don't aim to injure - as a tennis player myself, technically I would win the point if I hit my opponent with my shot. Nobody in tennis actually aims for their opponent, and if they do get hit (it happens sometimes, especially if they're up at net), the offending player apologizes. So the boys' use of force and violence in the volleyball game seemed a bit unrealistic and served the Haibuki-Nobara relationship more than volleyball game. But maybe that's just me.
I still like Nobara - I like her passion and her love for volleyball. There aren't enough sports manga out there with skilled, dedicated female characters. I like that she's willing to live in the boys' dorm to even have a chance at playing. I just wish volleyball was a bigger focus instead of the romance - Nobara's love for sports is much more compelling than the cliched love triangles that are starting to spring up.
I still like Nobara - I like her passion and her love for volleyball. There aren't enough sports manga out there with skilled, dedicated female characters. I like that she's willing to live in the boys' dorm to even have a chance at playing. I just wish volleyball was a bigger focus instead of the romance - Nobara's love for sports is much more compelling than the cliched love triangles that are starting to spring up.
March 1, 2013
Nobara loves volleyball and I love volleyball. I instantly loved this book; not only because of our connection, but because of all the problems that Nobara had to deal with and got through with. She would be my idol if she existed. After leaving her home to pursue her dreams of playing volleyball, she has to take care of the boys' volleyball team, and on top of that, she is still searching for enough players to create an official team.
The reason why I began to read this book was because I read the #1 book from this series and I loved it. I wanted to know, no, I NEEDED to know what happened next. Now I'm waiting for the third book.
I finished this book because it makes me so happy. I love everything about this book. I'm so glad that this author has published it and I don't know what else to say except for I loved it.
I would recommend this book to any volleyball players out there because this is about a volleyball lover pursuing her dream. Any athlete would love this book because of Nobara's courageousness.
The reason why I began to read this book was because I read the #1 book from this series and I loved it. I wanted to know, no, I NEEDED to know what happened next. Now I'm waiting for the third book.
I finished this book because it makes me so happy. I love everything about this book. I'm so glad that this author has published it and I don't know what else to say except for I loved it.
I would recommend this book to any volleyball players out there because this is about a volleyball lover pursuing her dream. Any athlete would love this book because of Nobara's courageousness.
July 11, 2014
Oh, Crimson Hero. I'm trying to like you, but all of your characters are so unlikeable and melodramatic that I want to punch them in the face. Nobara is still a good protagonist, but I needed something a little bit more from this volume than what I got.
The whole thing was pretty upsetting, especially that volleyball match. I know that the match was suppose to upset me. I know that it was intended to make me angry. However, from what I understand of volleyball as a sport, it is about more then serving the ball so hard that you're physically hurting your opponent with it. It's like if you were playing hockey and were aiming the puck so it'd hit the goalie in the throat. It's just not done!
I'm going to continue with the series because I have volumes three and four in front of me, but I just don't know what this author is going for here. She obviously has a respect for the sport and wants to convey that, but that doesn't exactly translate to an interesting story.
The whole thing was pretty upsetting, especially that volleyball match. I know that the match was suppose to upset me. I know that it was intended to make me angry. However, from what I understand of volleyball as a sport, it is about more then serving the ball so hard that you're physically hurting your opponent with it. It's like if you were playing hockey and were aiming the puck so it'd hit the goalie in the throat. It's just not done!
I'm going to continue with the series because I have volumes three and four in front of me, but I just don't know what this author is going for here. She obviously has a respect for the sport and wants to convey that, but that doesn't exactly translate to an interesting story.
December 10, 2014
"I don't have a gift that makes others respect me or look up to me! But even if I don't have a gift or if no one accepts me, I will determine my own worth!" -- Nobara
Only read 2 volumes so far and I liked that they focused on the sport, not romance. I don't really want to read M/F romance lately, so yeah I don't care Nobara will end up with who. I just hope this one gonna be as good as Baby Step.
Funny though, my favorite MC was not Nobara, the heroine or the main guys (Yuushin and Haibuki), but Ichiba, lol.
Only read 2 volumes so far and I liked that they focused on the sport, not romance. I don't really want to read M/F romance lately, so yeah I don't care Nobara will end up with who. I just hope this one gonna be as good as Baby Step.
Funny though, my favorite MC was not Nobara, the heroine or the main guys (Yuushin and Haibuki), but Ichiba, lol.
August 6, 2011
The battle to start the women's volleyball team is epic! So worth reading the author's notes as well - her admiration & love for the players really shines. My only complaint is how some of the characters look exactly the same as characters from The Devil Really Does Exist. It's confusing!!
August 20, 2011
Lu en français, sorti cette semaine aux éditions Tonkam. Par l'auteur de "Lovely devil". J'ai beaucoup aimé ce second tome. L'héroïne me rappelle un peu Jeanne Hazuki. sinon que dire, ça se lit, on passe un bon moment même si au final l'ensemble rappelle beaucoup déjà d'autres mangas existants.
May 24, 2013
Somehow this reminds me of Nana but Nana is so much better... Not that this is really bad, I'm just worried about the character development. I hope the story moves on at some point and every volume isn't just the same. I like most of the characters but hate the main character's hair.
March 3, 2016
Crimson hero is awesome i hope that other people love it to. I liked it because it has a little bit of adventure & that the main character will not give up no matter what happens to her. And I like the names of some of the characters like Aunt Momoko & I love Tomoyo Osaka's name sooooo much!!!
September 23, 2008
It's okay, but i've read better, and I'm not really liking the artwork as much.
Read
February 21, 2009nice
June 1, 2009
Still good! I'm really enjoying the sports manga.
April 2, 2010
good book
October 21, 2014
I continue to admire Nobara's tenacity and ability to continue on through the hard times she faces.
August 31, 2016
see full review @ Katie's Corner
January 1, 2016
2.5 Stars out of 5
May 14, 2026
Nobara is a complex and unique character. In this volume, we see her try to start a volleyball team and obviously it's not going the way she thought it would.
April 1, 2015
4/1/15 2.5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews