Real, Vol. 3

リアル [Real] #3

by Takehiko Inoue

Edición española, tercer volumen.
Real es la obra más personal y experimental de Takehiko Inoue, el autor de Vagabond y Slam Dunk. Ganadora del premio artístico Media Arts Festival del año 2001, cuenta una historia basada en el baloncesto, pero desde un punto de vista completamente diferente.
La trama se centra en tres personajes, cada uno ligado profundamente al deporte y cada uno inmerso en un mundo completamente diferente que se conecta en alguna forma con el de los otros dos. Por un lado tenemos a Tomomi Nomiya, un macarra que ha perdido la oportunidad de jugar al baloncesto tras ser expulsado de su instituto. Por otro esta Kiyoharu Togawa, un atleta que queda confinado en una silla de ruedas al padecer una rara enfermedad en los huesos. Y finalmente tenemos a Hisanobu Takasahi, arrogante estudiante que ahora tiene el puesto de capitán del equipo del instituto de que Tomomi fuera expulsado.
El estilo de dibujo de Inoue es absolutamente realista, del mismo nivel que el de Vagabond, pero con el plus de estar ambientado en el Japón moderno. Real es editado en España en tomos de más de 200 páginas en el mismo formato que el tankoubon japonés (igual al de Vagabond), cuenta con todas las páginas a color que incluye el original y trae aclaraciones de la traducción.

Genres: Manga, Sports, Seinen, Comics, Drama, Disability, Graphic Novels

250 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2003

About the author

Takehiko Inoue (井上雄彦) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for Slam Dunk and Vagabond.

Reviews

[Luthfi Ferizqi]

This series is on fire!!!

[Anna Quilter]

"Its been eight years. I won't say anything trite..
I guess this means no more one on one"

Hisanobu gets a visit from his estranged father while in hospital...which doesn't exactly help.
Still to come to terms with his situation..and his physical therapy starting Hisanobu hits new levels of dispare.

No. Punches. Pulled.

[John Schoen-McCullough]

This is so nicely drawn and the story is very engaging and gripping… I want to know what happens next!

[Danilo Otte]

4,5/5 🌟

Het niveau gaat echt razendsnel omhoog met elk volume. Waar het in het begin misschien wat rommelig was, voelt Vol. 3 alweer een stuk beter en intenser. De personages worden steeds interessanter en het verhaal weet me steeds meer te raken.

[Keiko the manga enthusiast ♒︎]

The heart-wrenching feeling I thought I had extinguished the moment I put this on-hold turned out to just be frozen in time—the moment I picked up where I left off, the tears came streaming down. I hate you, sensei for how this manga is making me feel. I’m sad, so sad.

I like Nomiya’s new haircut though!

[alice]

"I want to be a better person. I need to find my own path."
Encore des dessins magnifiques

[Ben Truong]

Real, Vol. 3 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and collects the next six chapters (13–18) of the ongoing manga series.

Tomomi Nomiya goes sees Yamashita Yasumi, the girl he paralyzed in the accident, in Nagano. When he arrived, he was too scared to confront her that he spies on her and witness the pains and struggles she had to goes through to live, because of him. A doctor suggested that he move on and swallow the guilt that he carries, because he wouldn't find his heavy burden of surviving intact from being lifted from her – even if she does forgives him. Starting anew, he shaves his head and first on his list on redemption is to visit Hisanobu Takahashi in the hospital – only to find out that he is paralyzed and screwing up in the process.

Kiyoharu Togawa relates that the Tigers lost to the Dreams by the score of 41–54, but the loss had merit, because for the first time – the Tigers wanted to win, despite if the world accepts them or not. Togawa still practices with Nomiya, but wasn't particularly surprised when the team showed up so they could practice together and to get on the same level as Kiyoharu.

Hisanobu Takahashi is still in the hospital paralyzed and has recently started rehabilitation. He's going through the anger stage of acceptance as he drives everyone away who visits him from his friends, girlfriend, father, and Tomomi Nomiya. He endures the humiliation of being bathed and even tries to kill himself, but going though the hospital window and stabbing himself in the legs fourteen times – just to feel something. He still sees the world by image and popularity and his stock has significantly plummeted.

This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue. It continues the story of three hurt souls trying to find their place in the world. The main focus is on the rehabilitation of Tomomi Nomiya and through the tankōbon of anger – he sees a glimmer of hope in seeing his first basketball coach as a kid as he celebrates his eighteenth birthday alone. It is interesting that he grades everyone on how one looks on the outside and their popularity and treats them accordingly – a habit he has yet to break.

All in all, Real, Vol. 3 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.

[Omar Villafane]

So real it makes you stop and think 🤔 😶‍🌫️

[Babs]

Nomiya makes the journey to Nagano and realises some home truths....gets a haircut.....

Takahashi is in a really grim place mentally. Can anyone help him?

Not much sporty action in this one but plenty of intensity.

[Rockito]

Momentos bajoneros a rolete y un poco de esperanza al final.

[Leonor]

En este tomo veremos el comienzo de la rehabilitación de Hisanobu, y también los esfuerzos de Nomiya por seguir adelante y convertirse en mejor persona.

[Ricardo]

This volume was beautifully written and illustrated, focusing more in the gut-wrenching drama surrounding two of our main characters; and I enjoyed every bit of it. Kudos to Takehiko sensei for, like I said multiple times in past reviews of his work, being a master of his craft. This man is truly a genius and I just can’t get enough of his brilliancy.

Like I said before this one takes a more dramacentric approach and the basketball takes a backseat in order for us to see how are the characters progressing not only physically but mentally. Although we get another glimpse into the Tiger’s game that had begun in the last volume, spoiler alert: they did not win, Togawa lets us know that not winning this time around may have sparked a flame inside the hearts of his teammates and that he is certain their fate is soon to change. At that’s all we get on Togawa this volume.

Nomiya and Takahashi are the characters we follow and boy, oh boy, it was a tough. Nomiya goes to Nagano because he wants to visit Natsumi and there he faces a hard truth, that no matter how much he pursues her he won’t be able to to rid his soul of the guilt he carries and that all he has left is to move on just like Natsumi did. Then we have Takahashi who is basically leaving a body horror scenario due to his spinal injury and although I do find his arc terribly sad and feel bad for him every time he comes to the realization that ‘yes, he won’t be able to walk ever again’ this boy needed some humbling because his attitude is pretty rotten. One could attribute this behavior as him going through the 5 stages of grief, but this dude was an asshole way before the accident. He definitely needs to sort some trauma out before he can become a decent human being. But I can’t deny that the scene between his coach and Takahashi almost made me cry, it was a beautiful and especially since he truly needed a fatherly figure to support him.

I’m giving this volume 5/5 stars and really wish I could actually give it 100. This manga series needs to be read by everyone. Can’t wait to hop onto the next volume.

[Zachary McVey]

Hisanobu's saga is so painful. In every chapter, Inoue digs deeper into Hisanobu's tragic past worsening his present. Adding Hisanobu's father worsens the effects of the paralyzation as he has no proof of diligence. All Hisanobu can show is his wreck of a dependent body. This is just another chapter working towards his eventual comeback ( hopefully).

I enjoyed seeing both sides of Hisanobu's father. As it showed the past we saw how Hisanobu grew to love basketball. As a child, his father was present and active. In the present, his father and he are distanced from the divorce. He tries to show good faith by visiting the hospital but fails to find any meaningful words. Rather he leaves a memento of himself and flees. Only to find him the father crying alone in isolation.

Hisanobu's mother makes several appearances as well. She feels insufficient and devalued because Hisanobu covets the teachings of his father. Even though he has never been there emotionally for his son as that has been his mother's job.

[Bee (BacchusVines)]

Content Warning for self-harm, suicidal ideation, depression

This volume really focused on Hisanobu's depression and rock-bottom attitude on being paralyzed. That the mangaka is really going there in the case of Hisanobu. And then there's Nomiya. I'm not sure how I feel about this character. I don't like his attitude towards the girl that was injured in his biking accident. Like...he needs to feel absolved of his guilt for paralyzing her. Probably part of his character growth, but I hope it happens soon.

[Joseph Young]

A far more introspective volume regarding the feelings of 1. someone coming to terms with being unable to walk, and 2. someone coming to terms with having cause such an accident. Nomiya's reactions to both patients provides a good contrast. Indeed, Takahashi's inability to try to get better cuts deeper into Nomiya's guilt, reminding him that it is possible for his victim to not get better or to hit a wall in their recovery. Liked this volume more than the first 2, even if there was significantly less basketball.

[Nicholas Dehler]

Opening with a beautiful chapter about Togawa’s personal triumph and leading into an equally beautiful moment of self discovery for Nomiya (who is rapidly becoming perhaps my favorite character of all time) in which he is broken down and decides that he must become a better person. The moment he makes this decision is one of the greatest panels ever drawn. The majority of this volume focuses on Takahashi’s struggle. He is by far the least likeable of the three main characters thus far but good lord is the character writing remarkable here… this is just literally the greatest manga…

[Gustavo]

En este tomo: Takahashi maltrata a todo el mundo y entra en rehabilitación. Creía recordar que esta parte era un poco más corta, pero no importa, porque todo lo que hace Inoue está bien (?)

Por otro lado, Nomiya sigue intentando descubrir como ser una mejor persona, a su ritmo y resultados variables, como un nuevo corte de pelo que causa una gran impresión en la gente a su alrededor.

Amo este manga, aunque sea tan trágico 3

[Jared Pangier]

Once again, this volume provides rich characterization—Hisanobu's childhood with a loving dad who eventually drifted out of his life after divorce. After not seeing his father for years, he craves his presence but is shocked when the dad finally arrives. The dad has also, as Hisanobu puts it, hit rock bottom.

While this wasn't as quiet as good as volume 2, it was still quite enjoyable. My only regret is that I don't have any more volumes in our school library. Must fix that soon:)

[Kesa]

Real is a special manga. Even though there's plenty of manga that I haven't read yet I am sure that there isn't a lot that is similar to it. We mainly focus on three characters each different in their own way, and each having a different struggle/situation in their life. There's one thing that all three have in common: their love for basketball.
Cannot wait to read even further into this. It has been on hiatus for a long while. Glad that Inoue began working on it again!

[dami]

this series is getting heavyy! i love that i am learning a bit about the perspective of people who become disabled. it’s also interesting to see hisanobu struggle with acceptance and we want to like him and feel sympathy for him but he’s still a d*ck and very unlikeable. also his scary girlfriend is so funny.

[tom]

An absolutely gripping set of chapters that notably develop Hisanobu's story further by delving into his childhood years. Features some of the most beautiful panels I've ever seen and, particularly in the 18th chapter, shares some incredibly poignant messages that inspire hope in both the characters and the reader.

[Susan]

The characters are continuing to develop as we begin to move out of the set up and into what I suspect is the core of what will be the ongoing story. Hisonobu’s story and history with his family are fascinating, and kept me pulled in. I remain hooked.

[Camille]

Petit à petit on voit comment Takahashi sombre, et c'est tellement bien amené. Je ne l'aimais pas mais j'ai réussi à ressentir de la peine et de la compassion pour lui, et à peut être l'aimer un peu plus

[Dylan Michael]

9.5/10

Inoue is a master of creating characters you don’t like. Hisanobu is a self pitying egotistical douchebag, but I’m hoping for a great redemption arc. Something we didn’t get for Matahachi.

[Jacob]

First of this series I’ve read in Japanese. This one is mostly about Hisanobu in the hospital and a bit of his relationship with his dad. Doesn’t follow as much of the other characters.

[Drizztl]

7/10

[Lisandra]

4,5 estrelas
Nossa, to adorando a profundida com que tá tratando os dramas aqui!

[Rafael Sampaio]

4.5/5

[Nathan]

Shaping up to be better than vagabond

[ASM Samiur Rahman]

প্রচণ্ড আবেগময় একটা ভলিউম। নিজের অবস্থানে থেকে এই ভলিউমের মর্মার্থ বুঝাটা হয়তো অসম্ভব। ব্রিলিয়ান্ট স্টোরিটেলিং।