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リアル [Real] #8
Real, Vol. 8
Eisner-award nominated creator Takehiko Inoue creates a dramatic tale of triumph over adversity. This is the story of three young men whose lives are profoundly changed by their involvement with wheelchair basketball.
Critically acclaimed, award-winning manga artist Takehiko Inoue doesn't pull any punches in this stunning portrayal of people struggling with serious life issues. Masterfully combining rich character development with beautifully detailed line art, Inoue, the creator of the mega-hit masterpieces Slam Dunk and Vagabond, lifts the manga medium to a completely new level of storytelling.
While Togawa and the Tigers are finally gelling and coming together as a team, Nomiya finds himself still without a job and without any real direction in life. His true path continues to elude him until an unlikely source gives him new perspective on it all. Meanwhile, Takahashi struggles with acceptance and rehabilitation, but he hasn't given up on himself just yet.
Critically acclaimed, award-winning manga artist Takehiko Inoue doesn't pull any punches in this stunning portrayal of people struggling with serious life issues. Masterfully combining rich character development with beautifully detailed line art, Inoue, the creator of the mega-hit masterpieces Slam Dunk and Vagabond, lifts the manga medium to a completely new level of storytelling.
While Togawa and the Tigers are finally gelling and coming together as a team, Nomiya finds himself still without a job and without any real direction in life. His true path continues to elude him until an unlikely source gives him new perspective on it all. Meanwhile, Takahashi struggles with acceptance and rehabilitation, but he hasn't given up on himself just yet.
216 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2010
12 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Takehiko Inoue
315 books1,567 followersTakehiko Inoue (井上雄彦) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for Slam Dunk and Vagabond.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 8, 2023
My favourite manga. Each volume is a delight.
September 12, 2025
Amazing!! Volume 8 taught me something truly profound, something that connects directly with some of the Stoic books I’ve been reading lately.
That lesson is negative visualization..
imagining yourself actually losing a limb, like a leg, and having to accept your fate while training hard to make use of the remaining strength in your upper body.
Reading this volume made me more aware that misfortune or hardship can strike at any time. If not now, then perhaps in old age, when our bodies are no longer as strong as they are today. By practicing this mindset, the inevitable outcome is a deeper sense of gratitude.
That lesson is negative visualization..
imagining yourself actually losing a limb, like a leg, and having to accept your fate while training hard to make use of the remaining strength in your upper body.
Reading this volume made me more aware that misfortune or hardship can strike at any time. If not now, then perhaps in old age, when our bodies are no longer as strong as they are today. By practicing this mindset, the inevitable outcome is a deeper sense of gratitude.
October 4, 2019
Real, Vol. 8 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and collects the next six chapters (43–48) of the ongoing manga series.
Tomomi Nomiya continues with his existential exploration as he is kept turning down for several job opportunities. He finds himself in Nagano visiting Yamashita Yasumi, the girl he paralyzed in the accident, to commiserate and get advice. She encourages him doing what he likes despite those who would laugh at him. It was later he sees an ad for tryouts for the Tokyo Lightnings – a basketball team.
Kiyoharu Togawa finally confessed to his teammates of the deal he made with the coach of the Choufu Dreams – his teammates were upset, but fortunately for the Tigers, the coach said that despite their win, he didn’t want to win in that manner. He wanted to beat the Tigers as five-on-five team and said that this match doesn’t count and extended the wager until next year. Mizushima Ryou officially joins the Tigers.
Hisanobu Takahashi returns from Chichibu with a renew vigor in his physical therapy and a somewhat understanding of his father. His girlfriend visits and gives him a haircut and he seems to be getting better along with her. He struggles to do a floor lift, but by the end of the tankōbon, he manages to do this. In the final pages, he gets a new roommate and he is totally freaked about him.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue. Once again, the narrative focuses on Tomomi Nomiya and Hisanobu Takahashi as the tankōbon seems to be switching between the three. Nomiya exsistential exploration is rather interesting as he finally giving up doing menial jobs and to follow his heart and join a basketball team – the Tokyo Lightning. It is interesting that he views Yamashita Yasumi and Kiyoharu Togawa as the strongest people he knows and they are in wheelchairs and uses them as inspiration to continue forward in life.
All in all, Real, Vol. 8 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Tomomi Nomiya continues with his existential exploration as he is kept turning down for several job opportunities. He finds himself in Nagano visiting Yamashita Yasumi, the girl he paralyzed in the accident, to commiserate and get advice. She encourages him doing what he likes despite those who would laugh at him. It was later he sees an ad for tryouts for the Tokyo Lightnings – a basketball team.
Kiyoharu Togawa finally confessed to his teammates of the deal he made with the coach of the Choufu Dreams – his teammates were upset, but fortunately for the Tigers, the coach said that despite their win, he didn’t want to win in that manner. He wanted to beat the Tigers as five-on-five team and said that this match doesn’t count and extended the wager until next year. Mizushima Ryou officially joins the Tigers.
Hisanobu Takahashi returns from Chichibu with a renew vigor in his physical therapy and a somewhat understanding of his father. His girlfriend visits and gives him a haircut and he seems to be getting better along with her. He struggles to do a floor lift, but by the end of the tankōbon, he manages to do this. In the final pages, he gets a new roommate and he is totally freaked about him.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue. Once again, the narrative focuses on Tomomi Nomiya and Hisanobu Takahashi as the tankōbon seems to be switching between the three. Nomiya exsistential exploration is rather interesting as he finally giving up doing menial jobs and to follow his heart and join a basketball team – the Tokyo Lightning. It is interesting that he views Yamashita Yasumi and Kiyoharu Togawa as the strongest people he knows and they are in wheelchairs and uses them as inspiration to continue forward in life.
All in all, Real, Vol. 8 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
July 30, 2018
Nomiya se prepara para intentar entrar en un equipo de básquetbol profesional, los va a ver y se da cuenta de sus debilidades.
Takahashi sigue con su rehabilitación y ahora le toca hacer de senpai de un luchador de wrestling profesional.
Takahashi sigue con su rehabilitación y ahora le toca hacer de senpai de un luchador de wrestling profesional.
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July 29, 2021BBQ and karaoke with the team.
Hisanobu works on his bed transfers at rehab. Gets a new pro wrestler roommate...
Nomiya looks for work and then sets his sights on playing basketball again.
Ryu starts practicing with the team.
Natsumi turns out to be a manga-ka?
Hisanobu works on his bed transfers at rehab. Gets a new pro wrestler roommate...
Nomiya looks for work and then sets his sights on playing basketball again.
Ryu starts practicing with the team.
Natsumi turns out to be a manga-ka?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2023
There’s hope as long as there’s breath ❤️🔥🙏🏼
December 29, 2021
TW : substance, adult magazine , sexual harassment
The Tigers lost in the preliminaries so all of the team members shaved their heads ( it was Nomiya’s idea hahaha). They are keen to defeat The Dreams once more and deemed their loss as “only the beginning”. Ryou is now a member.
After a horrible reunion with his father, Hisanobu seems to be doing swimmingly in rehabilitation. Since he skipped a lot of sessions, he has a long way to go, still. His estranged father hopes to reconnect with his son so they started text messaging one another. He also gained a roommate; a former Pro Wrestler who got into a similar accident.
Nomiya is trying to find new jobs after the company he worked for went out of business. He seems gloomy and unlike his cheery self. I agree when he mentioned that there are certain things that you don’t discuss with a group of friends. I too share different things to different people depending on our dynamics. He went to see Natsumi to vent. Natsumi is another character who has also developed quite well since the beginning of the series. I’d like to learn more about her. She started submitting manga to a magazine.
Again, I have to mention that I love how emotionally vulnerable Nomiya is. He is aware of his feelings and not scared to let them out. He still feels bad about his involvement in Natsumi’s disability. He’s not giving up just yet though! He decided to join the Tokyo Lightnings team and is currently preparing for tryouts. To me, he has more potential to become a good coach than a basketball player but we’ll see.
The Tigers lost in the preliminaries so all of the team members shaved their heads ( it was Nomiya’s idea hahaha). They are keen to defeat The Dreams once more and deemed their loss as “only the beginning”. Ryou is now a member.
After a horrible reunion with his father, Hisanobu seems to be doing swimmingly in rehabilitation. Since he skipped a lot of sessions, he has a long way to go, still. His estranged father hopes to reconnect with his son so they started text messaging one another. He also gained a roommate; a former Pro Wrestler who got into a similar accident.
“ When I think about it, I’ve always wanted to be strong ever since I was a little kid. All I ever did was say ‘I wanna be strong!’. And what am I now? Something the public calls ‘socially weak’. Just what is strength, Takahashi-kun? “
Nomiya is trying to find new jobs after the company he worked for went out of business. He seems gloomy and unlike his cheery self. I agree when he mentioned that there are certain things that you don’t discuss with a group of friends. I too share different things to different people depending on our dynamics. He went to see Natsumi to vent. Natsumi is another character who has also developed quite well since the beginning of the series. I’d like to learn more about her. She started submitting manga to a magazine.
Again, I have to mention that I love how emotionally vulnerable Nomiya is. He is aware of his feelings and not scared to let them out. He still feels bad about his involvement in Natsumi’s disability. He’s not giving up just yet though! He decided to join the Tokyo Lightnings team and is currently preparing for tryouts. To me, he has more potential to become a good coach than a basketball player but we’ll see.
June 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHH J’SUIS CONTENTE !!!!!!!
Togawa ne rejoins pas les Dreams finalement !
Et je suis d’accord avec le coach de l’autre équipe, ils s’améliorent tellement tous en basket… Purée j’ai tellement hâte de voir les prochains match !
Parce que même en termine de dessin, de dynamisme et des mouvements, ça se voit que les personnages sont entrain d’évoluer. Comparer au premier match qu’on voit face à la même équipe. Ça fait trop trop plaisir.
Franchement, oui je suis à fond dans les matchs mdrrr
Non mais j’aime trop ce manga guys… Est-ce que ça confirme ma folie si je dis que c’est feel good 💀💀💀 NON MAIS ÉCOUTEZ MOI JE—
J’aime bien Natsumi… Je ne sais pas si je l’ai déjà dit, mais je pense que (mine de rien) elle apporte beaucoup dans la vie de Nomiya
Elle ne mâche pas ses mots avec lui et je pense que ça lui fait du bien d’entendre ce qu’elle a à dire… Et malgré l’accident, il semble qu’ils pourraient devenir amis…?
« Alors que je croyais avoir tout perdu, il me restait quelque chose. »
Eh beh dis donc… Peut-être qu’il y a encore de l’espoir pour Takahashi. Je sens juste que ça va être long pour lui… Mais qu’il va rencontrer des personnes qui vont le réveiller et le rendre humble parce qu’il en a bien besoin.
Ça fait plaisir de le voir discuter avec son père… Ok il a disparu durant 8 ans, mais c’est le moment de renouer un lien. Ils ne peuvent pas rattraper tout le temps perdu mais ils peuvent créer de nouveaux souvenirs ensemble.
AHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHH J’SUIS CONTENTE !!!!!!!
Togawa ne rejoins pas les Dreams finalement !
Et je suis d’accord avec le coach de l’autre équipe, ils s’améliorent tellement tous en basket… Purée j’ai tellement hâte de voir les prochains match !
Parce que même en termine de dessin, de dynamisme et des mouvements, ça se voit que les personnages sont entrain d’évoluer. Comparer au premier match qu’on voit face à la même équipe. Ça fait trop trop plaisir.
Franchement, oui je suis à fond dans les matchs mdrrr
Non mais j’aime trop ce manga guys… Est-ce que ça confirme ma folie si je dis que c’est feel good 💀💀💀 NON MAIS ÉCOUTEZ MOI JE—
J’aime bien Natsumi… Je ne sais pas si je l’ai déjà dit, mais je pense que (mine de rien) elle apporte beaucoup dans la vie de Nomiya
Elle ne mâche pas ses mots avec lui et je pense que ça lui fait du bien d’entendre ce qu’elle a à dire… Et malgré l’accident, il semble qu’ils pourraient devenir amis…?
« Alors que je croyais avoir tout perdu, il me restait quelque chose. »
Eh beh dis donc… Peut-être qu’il y a encore de l’espoir pour Takahashi. Je sens juste que ça va être long pour lui… Mais qu’il va rencontrer des personnes qui vont le réveiller et le rendre humble parce qu’il en a bien besoin.
Ça fait plaisir de le voir discuter avec son père… Ok il a disparu durant 8 ans, mais c’est le moment de renouer un lien. Ils ne peuvent pas rattraper tout le temps perdu mais ils peuvent créer de nouveaux souvenirs ensemble.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2020
Estoy muy emocionado por el crecimiento que vienen mostrando Nomiya y Takahashi, se los ve más motivados y concentrados en sus objetivos, aunque algunas dudas tienen, como todos. Lo mejor de Inoue es la caracterización de los personajes, y en este manga lo demuestra dandoles un rango muy amplio, pero conservando la consistencia, la evolución de los personajes se siente natural.
En estos tomos he notado algunas viñetas dibujadas medio desganadamente, pero no afectan mucho, la verdad, cuando se necesita que el dibujo sea perfecto, lo es, y eso ayuda a resaltar los momentos importantes de la historia.
En estos tomos he notado algunas viñetas dibujadas medio desganadamente, pero no afectan mucho, la verdad, cuando se necesita que el dibujo sea perfecto, lo es, y eso ayuda a resaltar los momentos importantes de la historia.
August 9, 2019
After all the tension of the last volumes big game, this has some lighter moments (mostly Nomiya Heheheh). Takahashi gets a new roommate. Interesting!
October 8, 2019
ma vi ho mai detto che Tomomi Nomiya è l'uomo che amo e l'essere umano che vorrei essere? madonna.
April 21, 2022
3,7 estrelas
December 2, 2023
great as always. i feel like i discovered this series at the perfect time in my life. i relate so much to nomiya.
May 15, 2025
Sigo teniendo que actualizar el listado de personajes de esta gran serie cuya reedición está haciendo que se disfrute el doble.
June 11, 2025
3,75/5⭐
November 10, 2025
We are back
February 12, 2012
It's been a couple years since I read volume 7 and I kind of regret it took me so long to pick this manga back up because IT'S AMAZING. I know most people like his Vagabond series because it's about Miyamoto Musashi and think maybe he's retreading the same ground he covered with Slam Dunk but geez, are they missing out! Wheelchair basketball, amazing characters who are disabled, and a great examination of people who are ostracized by society!
This volume shifts focus away from Kiyoharu to Takahashi, who's still struggling to accept his new circumstances as a paraplegic. He has to relearn everything and that's tough for someone who's used to being a star on the basketball court.
We also look at Nomiya, who's been sort of adrift since he lost his job and is struggling to find new employment. While his storyline dangerously treads close to the "look at me being inspired by disabled people!!" cliche, he does decide to follow the example of the girl who he hit (and paralyzed) and pursue his dream. (Hers is to be a professional mangaka; his is to be a basketball player.)
This volume shifts focus away from Kiyoharu to Takahashi, who's still struggling to accept his new circumstances as a paraplegic. He has to relearn everything and that's tough for someone who's used to being a star on the basketball court.
We also look at Nomiya, who's been sort of adrift since he lost his job and is struggling to find new employment. While his storyline dangerously treads close to the "look at me being inspired by disabled people!!" cliche, he does decide to follow the example of the girl who he hit (and paralyzed) and pursue his dream. (Hers is to be a professional mangaka; his is to be a basketball player.)
June 23, 2012
On y voit surtout Takahashi évoluer lentement, et tenter d'apprendre à vivre son handicap.
L'auteur est habile : on devine que ce personnage va évoluer, mais Takehiko prend son temps, rendant l'évolution plus réaliste et nous poussant à souhaiter qu'il s'améliore, créant une empathie avec lui.
On voit aussi Nomiya qui a pris la résolution de devenir un pro du basket. Il s'avère accrocheur, et capable d'analyses fines dans ce jeu, privilégiant le jeu d'équipe aux exploits individuels.
L'auteur est habile : on devine que ce personnage va évoluer, mais Takehiko prend son temps, rendant l'évolution plus réaliste et nous poussant à souhaiter qu'il s'améliore, créant une empathie avec lui.
On voit aussi Nomiya qui a pris la résolution de devenir un pro du basket. Il s'avère accrocheur, et capable d'analyses fines dans ce jeu, privilégiant le jeu d'équipe aux exploits individuels.
May 14, 2025
Hace como 13 años escribí: "No sé qué espero para retomar corriendo (o rodando) esta genial serie." y al final tardé un montón en retomarla igual.
De todos modos, lo bien que hice, es un manga que se aprecia en las relecturas tanto como la primera vez.
De todos modos, lo bien que hice, es un manga que se aprecia en las relecturas tanto como la primera vez.
August 31, 2019
#Program BUBU
July 8, 2025
Octavo tomo de la nueva y más prolija edición argentina.
December 15, 2015
In my opinion, Real is a must have series for any high school or public library.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews