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紅色HERO [Beniiro Hero] #1
Crimson Hero, Vol. 1
When fifteen-year-old Nobara Sumiyoshi transfers to Crimson Field High School, she hopes to play competitive volleyball, but her mother will do anything to keep her off the court and working at her family's Japanese restaurant.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 31, 2020
You should read this if you want: a female-centric sports manga that's actually about sports, the bonds of female friendship, and the taste of victory through sheer hard work, with a sprinkling of romance featuring a caring and sensitive male lead who drinks his daily dose of respect women juice in place of Gatorade and cries at the thought of losing his friends. But actually feat. A strong female protagonist who's a tomboy (should have rightfully been a lesbian) in love with volleyball but also questioning her own gender identity who goes after what she wants from life: which is volleyball. Obviously.
Don’t let that distinctly 90’s art style fool you. It might start off as sketchy in vol. 1 (the weakest), but it's so, so good once it subverts all your expectations of where this was going! This is THE feminist manga of the century. Also, the pseudo lesbian/gay manga of the century where I somehow ended up shipping the heterosexual couple together as well as with everyone else. It’s not a bad problem to have really.
Also feat. Understanding and supportive parents. Yes multiple. I was shocked too! Don't let that premise fool you this manga is so fucking good it’ll knock your socks off and fuel your new found obsession with female athletes and volleyball.
Also feat. Female friends who actually pass the Bechtel test! Girls with distinct personalities and goals in life who love and support each other and don't get catty and back stab their friends over boys. Also feat. Female friendships that don't revolve around a boy even when the boy they like likes their friend.
It's pure and it's good and I would die for these girls OK? OK.
These girls go through so much, overcoming adversity, extreme misogyny, gender rules, double standards, and toxic bullshit to SHINE as individuals and as a group! At no point is anyone dragged for being too feminine or not feminine enough to play volleyball. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and work on themselves till they’re a flawless force of defense/offense mixed in! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH I FUCKING LOVE THIS TEAM~`!!
This manga has realistic fights and resolutions that don’t fucking drag out for an eternity. People confess outright and air out their feelings. There is no beating around the bush. There is no misunderstanding. Boundaries are set. Everyone respects themselves and others with the exception of that one douchebag who clearly never read the rules.
The only problem I have is with that ending. I’m just going to pretend the last chapter after the time skip doesn't exist. You guys could have been the kings and queens of volleyball a fucking power couple at that! They were at their peak when they were dating, cheering each other on and competing together. The whole reason the main love interest liked the female protagonist in the first place was because of her incredible ability on the court, determination to win matches, and dedication off of it! I just cannot see how this relationship can actually work after Nobara quits volleyball. This is basically gonna fizzle out like the hero’s previous relationship and boy would that be a crying shame.
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Absolutely smashing! The first volume is the weakest but when it picks up speed by vol 2 by GOD is is just so so good! Absolutely addictive! I binge read 13 volumes in one night. Sleep?? I don't need it. I'm coursing by on the power of team work and female friendship alone OK.
Don’t let that distinctly 90’s art style fool you. It might start off as sketchy in vol. 1 (the weakest), but it's so, so good once it subverts all your expectations of where this was going! This is THE feminist manga of the century. Also, the pseudo lesbian/gay manga of the century where I somehow ended up shipping the heterosexual couple together as well as with everyone else. It’s not a bad problem to have really.
Also feat. Understanding and supportive parents. Yes multiple. I was shocked too! Don't let that premise fool you this manga is so fucking good it’ll knock your socks off and fuel your new found obsession with female athletes and volleyball.
Also feat. Female friends who actually pass the Bechtel test! Girls with distinct personalities and goals in life who love and support each other and don't get catty and back stab their friends over boys. Also feat. Female friendships that don't revolve around a boy even when the boy they like likes their friend.
It's pure and it's good and I would die for these girls OK? OK.
These girls go through so much, overcoming adversity, extreme misogyny, gender rules, double standards, and toxic bullshit to SHINE as individuals and as a group! At no point is anyone dragged for being too feminine or not feminine enough to play volleyball. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and work on themselves till they’re a flawless force of defense/offense mixed in! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH I FUCKING LOVE THIS TEAM~`!!
This manga has realistic fights and resolutions that don’t fucking drag out for an eternity. People confess outright and air out their feelings. There is no beating around the bush. There is no misunderstanding. Boundaries are set. Everyone respects themselves and others with the exception of that one douchebag who clearly never read the rules.
The only problem I have is with that ending. I’m just going to pretend the last chapter after the time skip doesn't exist. You guys could have been the kings and queens of volleyball a fucking power couple at that! They were at their peak when they were dating, cheering each other on and competing together. The whole reason the main love interest liked the female protagonist in the first place was because of her incredible ability on the court, determination to win matches, and dedication off of it! I just cannot see how this relationship can actually work after Nobara quits volleyball. This is basically gonna fizzle out like the hero’s previous relationship and boy would that be a crying shame.
___________________________________
Absolutely smashing! The first volume is the weakest but when it picks up speed by vol 2 by GOD is is just so so good! Absolutely addictive! I binge read 13 volumes in one night. Sleep?? I don't need it. I'm coursing by on the power of team work and female friendship alone OK.
July 11, 2014
I try to avoid sports manga. The idea that I'm suppose to find the fate of a sports team interesting is just so beyond my grasp that I know better then to even bother. However, I grabbed Crimson Hero. My expectations were so low that you wouldn't be able to limbo under them if you tried. So colour me surprised when this was totally tolerable.
What I found appealing about Crimson Hero has less to do with the manga itself and more to do with the author. In almost all shojo manga there are those little personal side articles that the author does throughout the story. The first one of these passages endeared me Mitsuba Takanashi. She's clearly challenging herself and knows that she's going to try to improve over the course of the story. And Crimson Hero could definitely use some improvement, but the potential is there.
The plot itself is actually pretty interesting. What we have here is a set up for the time ol' tale of Duty vs Desire. Nobara comes from a very traditional family who run a very high end traditional Japanese dining establishment. Her mother wants her to become the perfect Japanese woman in order to take over the family business as a perfect young host. Only problem is Nobara is more suited to playing volleyball then being the perfect daughter with her short hair, tomboy looks, and stubborn temper. This wouldn't be a problem if her mother wasn't also so incredibly stubborn. It's expected of her to do what she's told. There's no time for sports when you have to learn the traditional art of flower arranging, tea pouring and serving.
Let the battle of wills begin!
This all sounds pretty interesting. I mean, volleyball manga doesn't exactly float my boat, but troubled family dynamics do. Then things start to go down hill when we get introduced to the Crimson High's Boys Volleyball Team. AKA Douches United!
The first guy were introduced to gets his opening line after groping our heroine. Mistaking her for a guy trying to seek a peek into the girls bathroom/change room, he attacks her, and when she tells him she's a girl he has to make extra sure by grabbing her chest. Of course he is then completely surprised when she punches him in the face and gets pissed. Like, what's her problem?! It's telegraphed to you later that this guy will eventually become a romantic interest. (sigh) But what has me hopeful is the heroine. Nobara doesn't put up with anyone's shit. Granted this doesn't always work out super well for her, but hey, at least she gets angry! There are so many occasions when manga heroines just sit there and take it when they should be getting angry.
There is a lot of problems with the overall storytelling of the volume, random events happen for no reason, and certain events could have happened a lot better. It felt very sloppy.
So, I can't say this was at all a successful sell for me, but I want to know where it's going to go from here. If the author is approaching this manga with the idea that she's challenging herself and trying to improve then I'm willing to give her the chance to do so. I won't be actively be trying to obtain the next volume, but if I come across it I'll definitely read it.
What I found appealing about Crimson Hero has less to do with the manga itself and more to do with the author. In almost all shojo manga there are those little personal side articles that the author does throughout the story. The first one of these passages endeared me Mitsuba Takanashi. She's clearly challenging herself and knows that she's going to try to improve over the course of the story. And Crimson Hero could definitely use some improvement, but the potential is there.
The plot itself is actually pretty interesting. What we have here is a set up for the time ol' tale of Duty vs Desire. Nobara comes from a very traditional family who run a very high end traditional Japanese dining establishment. Her mother wants her to become the perfect Japanese woman in order to take over the family business as a perfect young host. Only problem is Nobara is more suited to playing volleyball then being the perfect daughter with her short hair, tomboy looks, and stubborn temper. This wouldn't be a problem if her mother wasn't also so incredibly stubborn. It's expected of her to do what she's told. There's no time for sports when you have to learn the traditional art of flower arranging, tea pouring and serving.
Let the battle of wills begin!
This all sounds pretty interesting. I mean, volleyball manga doesn't exactly float my boat, but troubled family dynamics do. Then things start to go down hill when we get introduced to the Crimson High's Boys Volleyball Team. AKA Douches United!
The first guy were introduced to gets his opening line after groping our heroine. Mistaking her for a guy trying to seek a peek into the girls bathroom/change room, he attacks her, and when she tells him she's a girl he has to make extra sure by grabbing her chest. Of course he is then completely surprised when she punches him in the face and gets pissed. Like, what's her problem?! It's telegraphed to you later that this guy will eventually become a romantic interest. (sigh) But what has me hopeful is the heroine. Nobara doesn't put up with anyone's shit. Granted this doesn't always work out super well for her, but hey, at least she gets angry! There are so many occasions when manga heroines just sit there and take it when they should be getting angry.
There is a lot of problems with the overall storytelling of the volume, random events happen for no reason, and certain events could have happened a lot better. It felt very sloppy.
So, I can't say this was at all a successful sell for me, but I want to know where it's going to go from here. If the author is approaching this manga with the idea that she's challenging herself and trying to improve then I'm willing to give her the chance to do so. I won't be actively be trying to obtain the next volume, but if I come across it I'll definitely read it.
January 13, 2018
**Contains Spoilers** I saw this one on mangaupdates.com while searching for top rated manga, and was very intrigued with it. The only sports manga that I have read and love is Namaikizari, but this one was quite different in its own way, and better than that. So I decided to give it a read.
The story is very inspiring. I liked seeing the females trying to get themselves heard, and Nobara's efforts to join a volleyball team in the school. Being the eldest daughter of a mother who runs a famous Japanese restaurant, she is expected to follow in her mother's footsteps. BUT! Nobara is nowhere near girlish and the nice, cultured and mannered Japanese woman she should be. And she loves volleyball. After her mother uses her influence and money to have the girls' volleyball club closed, Nobara leaves her home and goes to ask her aunt to let her stay. Her aunt lets her stay as the dorm mother in the dormitory with four boys in her school's volleyball team. Now Nobara wants to get a team of minimum 6 members for the volleyball club for girls.
After trying her best, Nobara successfully learns how to deal with the four of them, what they eat, drink and their routines because she is determined to not go back to her mother who will condemn her playing volleyball.
Haibuki confesses to Nobara and Nobara finally remembers that he is a classmate from her school - that scene was funny! XD
Nobara is an emotion-driven girl, but I like that about her. She is very passionate and spontaneous, a little clumsy, but after she gets bullied by the boys' team, she challenges them with a 3v3! (Nobara, and two players that used to be in the previous volleyball club before it got shut down by Nobara's mother)
EXCITING!
The story is very inspiring. I liked seeing the females trying to get themselves heard, and Nobara's efforts to join a volleyball team in the school. Being the eldest daughter of a mother who runs a famous Japanese restaurant, she is expected to follow in her mother's footsteps. BUT! Nobara is nowhere near girlish and the nice, cultured and mannered Japanese woman she should be. And she loves volleyball. After her mother uses her influence and money to have the girls' volleyball club closed, Nobara leaves her home and goes to ask her aunt to let her stay. Her aunt lets her stay as the dorm mother in the dormitory with four boys in her school's volleyball team. Now Nobara wants to get a team of minimum 6 members for the volleyball club for girls.
After trying her best, Nobara successfully learns how to deal with the four of them, what they eat, drink and their routines because she is determined to not go back to her mother who will condemn her playing volleyball.
Haibuki confesses to Nobara and Nobara finally remembers that he is a classmate from her school - that scene was funny! XD
Nobara is an emotion-driven girl, but I like that about her. She is very passionate and spontaneous, a little clumsy, but after she gets bullied by the boys' team, she challenges them with a 3v3! (Nobara, and two players that used to be in the previous volleyball club before it got shut down by Nobara's mother)
EXCITING!
Read
April 7, 2020Check out our full book club review on Youtube 💗 If you prefer to listen you can check us out on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
October 27, 2018
This is a cute and fun little series. I can see I rated later books not so well which is odd to me because I have always thought fondly of the series and planned to reread it once I'd gotten more of it. I guess I'll have to give them actual reviews when I reread so I can remind myself what I liked or didn't.
For this one, I liked that the main character is so intense about volleyball and willing to do whatever she needs to in order to succeed and play. I like that even though she messes up the guys stick up for her to her mom (or at least the main guy does) and I like the quiet boy who was amused she had completely forgotten him since elementary school. It was a cute little read and I think my students will enjoy it.
For this one, I liked that the main character is so intense about volleyball and willing to do whatever she needs to in order to succeed and play. I like that even though she messes up the guys stick up for her to her mom (or at least the main guy does) and I like the quiet boy who was amused she had completely forgotten him since elementary school. It was a cute little read and I think my students will enjoy it.
June 15, 2008
I read up to volume 7. It's about a girl who transfered into a high school to play volleyball, however her mother doesn't allow it. Later on Nobara promised her mother that if she lets her play volleyball in high school she would do whatever her mother says after high school. Her adventure then begins as she becomes the homekeeper for the male volleyball team and start getting female members for the female team. Her journey is long and hard, plus she's a great player, is her team dragging her down. Find out more!
This is my favorite series, it's filled with love, sports and identity. Even though this is a manga, it's worth the read.
This is my favorite series, it's filled with love, sports and identity. Even though this is a manga, it's worth the read.
November 14, 2012
I found this book really exciting because you did not know what was going to happen next. Also it was very funny too.
November 18, 2024
3 1/2 stars rounded up
Summary:
Nobara Sumiyoshi just transferred to a new school, and she’s struggling to find a way to fit in. It doesn’t help that she doesn’t entirely know what she wants to do with her life. So she risks and tries to join the high school volleyball time.
Unfortunately, her mother wants her to do anything but volleyball. More accurately, she’s expected to spend all her time working at the family’s Japanese restaurant. So, a decision must be made: should she follow her new dream or support the family?
Review:
If you’re looking for a fun manga full of sports and a dash of coming-of-age-like storytelling, check out Crimson Hero, Vol. 1. This one originally came across my desk because I was looking for a good fit for my reading challenge (sporty book), and I’m happy to have read it.
We’ve all gone through those teenage years of uncertainty about what we want in life. Likewise, most of us have probably had to decide if it was worth it to go against the grain and expectations set upon us. That makes Crimson Hero a very relatable story to dive into.
The artwork and overall style of this series (so far) is very 90s. That’s good and bad, obviously. It’s fun and playful but feels just a bit dated (and nostalgic, so fun times there).
I’m not an avid sports fan, so I definitely didn’t appreciate this series as much as I should have or could have. Again, the main reason I even gave Crimson Hero Vol. 1 a try was to complete a reading challenge goal. Still, I’m happy I gave it a chance and stepped outside my comfort zone.
Highlights:
Sports Manga
YA Romance
Shojo
Will I continue the series? Nah
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
Summary:
Nobara Sumiyoshi just transferred to a new school, and she’s struggling to find a way to fit in. It doesn’t help that she doesn’t entirely know what she wants to do with her life. So she risks and tries to join the high school volleyball time.
Unfortunately, her mother wants her to do anything but volleyball. More accurately, she’s expected to spend all her time working at the family’s Japanese restaurant. So, a decision must be made: should she follow her new dream or support the family?
Review:
If you’re looking for a fun manga full of sports and a dash of coming-of-age-like storytelling, check out Crimson Hero, Vol. 1. This one originally came across my desk because I was looking for a good fit for my reading challenge (sporty book), and I’m happy to have read it.
We’ve all gone through those teenage years of uncertainty about what we want in life. Likewise, most of us have probably had to decide if it was worth it to go against the grain and expectations set upon us. That makes Crimson Hero a very relatable story to dive into.
The artwork and overall style of this series (so far) is very 90s. That’s good and bad, obviously. It’s fun and playful but feels just a bit dated (and nostalgic, so fun times there).
I’m not an avid sports fan, so I definitely didn’t appreciate this series as much as I should have or could have. Again, the main reason I even gave Crimson Hero Vol. 1 a try was to complete a reading challenge goal. Still, I’m happy I gave it a chance and stepped outside my comfort zone.
Highlights:
Sports Manga
YA Romance
Shojo
Will I continue the series? Nah
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
October 21, 2024
Book: Crimson Hero, Vol. 1
Author: Mitsuba Takanashi
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I am going to be honest. The only reason I picked this series up is because my library has most of the volumes. I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I thought I would. Right now, I don’t see this becoming a new favourite, but it is was enjoyable enough.
In this one we follow, Nobara who just wants to play volleyball. Her mother, on the other hand, has different plans. Her family is part of a restaurant dynasty and her mother is counting on her to take over the family business. Nobara does not want be a part of it. She just wants to play volleyball. Whenever she arrives at her new school, she discovers that there is no girls team. Then, things, go from bad to worse. Her mother forbade her from playing volleyball and she runs away. She herself becoming a dorm mother to the boys’ volleyball team.
This is over the top drama and it is a lot of fun. I normally don’t pick up sports books, but this was fun. It had a mix of drama and serious parts. We get to see the division in a family. We have a mother who is trying to make her daughter go down one path when she wants to go down another. It makes for a lot of tension and a lot of drama.
The artwork is messy, but I feel that it fits the story. It shows us just how much Nobara’s life has been turned upside down. I liked it.
Overall, I thought this was a good first volume.
Author: Mitsuba Takanashi
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I am going to be honest. The only reason I picked this series up is because my library has most of the volumes. I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I thought I would. Right now, I don’t see this becoming a new favourite, but it is was enjoyable enough.
In this one we follow, Nobara who just wants to play volleyball. Her mother, on the other hand, has different plans. Her family is part of a restaurant dynasty and her mother is counting on her to take over the family business. Nobara does not want be a part of it. She just wants to play volleyball. Whenever she arrives at her new school, she discovers that there is no girls team. Then, things, go from bad to worse. Her mother forbade her from playing volleyball and she runs away. She herself becoming a dorm mother to the boys’ volleyball team.
This is over the top drama and it is a lot of fun. I normally don’t pick up sports books, but this was fun. It had a mix of drama and serious parts. We get to see the division in a family. We have a mother who is trying to make her daughter go down one path when she wants to go down another. It makes for a lot of tension and a lot of drama.
The artwork is messy, but I feel that it fits the story. It shows us just how much Nobara’s life has been turned upside down. I liked it.
Overall, I thought this was a good first volume.
October 23, 2020
I'm not entirely sure why I've been interested in trying out sports manga recently, but well, here we are. As far as an opening to a series goes, I'm not sure I like this one very much. We're thrown a lot of telling, rather than showing, on the part of the main character's drive, passion, and gift for the sport of volleyball. And unfortunately, this is further bogged down by an overload of stereotypical shoujo tropes that are clustered together right away for the sake of saturating the reader in dramatic conflict. Ultimately, I feel like a lot of this comes across as very rushed and hollow, and it does the narrative to this series opener no favors.
However, I don't want to completely give up on this series, not yet. A lot of shoujo titles tend to take a while to really kick off, and are pretty guilty of the sin of overloading the reader at the opening. I think what I'm going to tentatively do for the time being is put this on hold, and if I am still interested in seeing where it goes, I'll give it until volume three to make the ultimate decision. If I'm not actually invested by the time I finish reading volume three, then I'll probably sell what volumes I own on Mercari in a manga lot.
However, I don't want to completely give up on this series, not yet. A lot of shoujo titles tend to take a while to really kick off, and are pretty guilty of the sin of overloading the reader at the opening. I think what I'm going to tentatively do for the time being is put this on hold, and if I am still interested in seeing where it goes, I'll give it until volume three to make the ultimate decision. If I'm not actually invested by the time I finish reading volume three, then I'll probably sell what volumes I own on Mercari in a manga lot.
January 2, 2018
I struggled with this series but not for the reasons you think. I tried to get ahold of copies of the series, I wanted to collect the whole thing before I read it. I was swapping on various sites and it took a couple years to get even a few of the books, these books were sought after! Finally I got enough to go ahead and start reading the series...and it couldn't hold my interest! Ah well, sold it for a decent profit years ago.
June 28, 2017
Not terrible but it didn't really engage me -- I understand why there is so much drama about Nobara's family and about whether or not the team can even exist, but what I like about sports manga is that the drama is focused around the sports (with the interpersonal stuff being a sort of shadow, or sometimes a cross-weave) & I think this one is going to take a while to get to that.
September 25, 2024
Dropped after ch 10
I’m dying for some more shoujo sports manga (Chihayafuru is still my #1 beloved), but this one’s nothing special so far. Might pick it up again later. I think I’ll never be able to read another volleyball themed story after Haikyuu since it’ll always fall short in comparison.
I’m dying for some more shoujo sports manga (Chihayafuru is still my #1 beloved), but this one’s nothing special so far. Might pick it up again later. I think I’ll never be able to read another volleyball themed story after Haikyuu since it’ll always fall short in comparison.
March 13, 2018
shojo sport manga
July 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this manga more than I thought I would. I'm not really into sports that much but this was well done. I'll give a better review on the last volume.
September 26, 2018
What I loved about this book is that by being a girl doesnt mean that we can't do guy stuff like sport's for example. What I dont like is trying to figure out what side of the book is the beggining.
June 24, 2019
3.5 stars. Decent, somewhat unique setup. Likable MC. Intriguing side characters. Curious to see where it goes.
December 9, 2019
2,5 stars
August 13, 2020
Buen inicio, me enganchó y quiero ver como se forma el equipo!!
April 13, 2023
me leí hace tiempo todos pero solo marco uno, amazing, this series has a place in my hearttt
August 10, 2025
Very strong start. I really enjoy the dilemma that Nobara faces. The struggle of not having your talents or wants being accepted and feeling forced into certain career or aspirations can be taut and that tension is excellently written here. Her struggle to adapt to being the dorm Mom just so she can eventually pursue her passions well-written too with it not holding back punches from her poor performance or the many different reactions the boys have to it. The slowly developing love triangle looks like it will be oodles of fun as well.
June 3, 2015
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Crimson Hero is one of the manga series I started back before I knew not to begin unfinished series. I’d gotten through everything that was already translated, but then had to wait several more years for the ending. I was so excited to come back to this series, because it had been one of my favorites. I’m such a different person now than I was then. I shipped it like burning before, but that’s gone. However, I did still find much of the story touching and love the focus on volleyball.
What Crimson Hero gets completely right is its priorities. There’s definitely romance in the series, but the volleyball always comes first. The real heart of the series is teamwork and trying your hardest to succeed. This series has a lot of heart and Crimson Hero always got to my feels whenever the teams of Benino High were giving their all to the game. Relationships are put on hold for the sake of volleyball. Everything is, basically. It’s truly a sports manga, not a romance one.
Sumiyoshi Nobara, the main character, excels at volleyball, in large part because of her determination. She’s a natural, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t work at it. In fact, all of the characters put in a ton of time to get as good as they are at volleyball. You see the sweat and the pain in Crimson Hero. There’s no doubt that the teams don’t deserve it when they win. They’re underdogs you can’t help but root for and you mourn with them when they lose.
Nobara’s mother wants her to take over the family business, but she demands to play volleyball for the rest of high school first. When her mom refuses her, she leaves home and accepts a job as house mother to the boys’ volleyball dorm. Though she never had to do chores or cook, Nobara works hard. She puts together the girls’ volleyball team again, having learned it was shut down due to lack of interest. There is so much fight in this girl and I love her for it.
Unfortunately, the series does descend into melodrama from time to time, most especially at the very end. I don’t want to spoil it, but someone gets hurt and it’s just so typically manga. I think the series was stronger without that. And, while people do get hurt in real life, just how it happened and the way everything played out afterwards was so stereotypical and I really didn’t like that.
If you’re looking for a good sports manga, Crimson Hero is worth a try. It wasn’t as emotional a read for me as it was when I was younger, but I still really enjoyed it.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Crimson Hero is one of the manga series I started back before I knew not to begin unfinished series. I’d gotten through everything that was already translated, but then had to wait several more years for the ending. I was so excited to come back to this series, because it had been one of my favorites. I’m such a different person now than I was then. I shipped it like burning before, but that’s gone. However, I did still find much of the story touching and love the focus on volleyball.
What Crimson Hero gets completely right is its priorities. There’s definitely romance in the series, but the volleyball always comes first. The real heart of the series is teamwork and trying your hardest to succeed. This series has a lot of heart and Crimson Hero always got to my feels whenever the teams of Benino High were giving their all to the game. Relationships are put on hold for the sake of volleyball. Everything is, basically. It’s truly a sports manga, not a romance one.
Sumiyoshi Nobara, the main character, excels at volleyball, in large part because of her determination. She’s a natural, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t work at it. In fact, all of the characters put in a ton of time to get as good as they are at volleyball. You see the sweat and the pain in Crimson Hero. There’s no doubt that the teams don’t deserve it when they win. They’re underdogs you can’t help but root for and you mourn with them when they lose.
Nobara’s mother wants her to take over the family business, but she demands to play volleyball for the rest of high school first. When her mom refuses her, she leaves home and accepts a job as house mother to the boys’ volleyball dorm. Though she never had to do chores or cook, Nobara works hard. She puts together the girls’ volleyball team again, having learned it was shut down due to lack of interest. There is so much fight in this girl and I love her for it.
Unfortunately, the series does descend into melodrama from time to time, most especially at the very end. I don’t want to spoil it, but someone gets hurt and it’s just so typically manga. I think the series was stronger without that. And, while people do get hurt in real life, just how it happened and the way everything played out afterwards was so stereotypical and I really didn’t like that.
If you’re looking for a good sports manga, Crimson Hero is worth a try. It wasn’t as emotional a read for me as it was when I was younger, but I still really enjoyed it.
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.
July 31, 2024
I don’t like sports, I don’t like watching them, and I don’t like playing them, but for some reason I really like sports anime and manga. Crimson Hero was my very first. I had started reading this series back when it was serialized in Shoujo Beat just as I was graduating high school in 2005. Manga was only starting to gain some momentum in the United States thanks to publishers like VIZ Media and Tokyopop. I never finished the series, since Shoujo Beat eventually went under and the rest of the series hadn’t been published in English, and I had been so bummed out. Fast forward almost 20 years and the manga landscape has changed, though the series is still neglected. I got to thinking about the series recently, and decided to try and finally finish it.
Crimson Hero perfectly captures early 2000’s fashion and society’s lingering misogyny toward women, existing in that space between the third and fourth wave feminist movements. Nobara is an heiress to a traditional family restaurant with a passion for volleyball. She is a strong-willed tomboy that never felt comfortable trying to dress and act in a traditionally feminine manner, always feeling gangly compared to her prim and proper little sister. As a teen I instantly took a liking to Nobara because I could very much relate to her struggle of feeling too awkward and not feminine enough to meet the expectations of her mother. Even as an adult now, I can appreciate a character like Nobara for what she represents for young girls in similar circumstances.
Nobara is single minded in her passion for volleyball, transferring to a school that she had heard has a strong team, only to find that this only referred to the boy’s team. The girl’s team had been disbanded, the laughing stock of the school. The first volume does a decent job of establishing Nobara as a character doing everything she can to play her beloved sport, even at the cost of upending her life, and you don’t even really get to see her play in this volume. Her courage and determination in the face of so much sexist ridicule is infectious, it’s easy to get involved in her story and fly through the pages.
I think it’s interesting that a common criticism I’ve read is that the joy of a sports manga is the drama of the sports match which the first volume lacks, but that’s impossible to do as a young woman barred from even entering the court. It definitely suffers from first volume syndrome, in which all of the pieces of the main story are laid down, but it is a necessary evil in this case as it highlights the long and difficult task of carving out a space where women can be allowed to participate. Female athletes even up to the present day still deal with misogyny and are mocked as being manly and unfeminine, inherently inferior to men physically, and that’s very much a theme of this manga. Though the manga is starting to show it’s age I can still appreciate the issues that are explored.
Crimson Hero perfectly captures early 2000’s fashion and society’s lingering misogyny toward women, existing in that space between the third and fourth wave feminist movements. Nobara is an heiress to a traditional family restaurant with a passion for volleyball. She is a strong-willed tomboy that never felt comfortable trying to dress and act in a traditionally feminine manner, always feeling gangly compared to her prim and proper little sister. As a teen I instantly took a liking to Nobara because I could very much relate to her struggle of feeling too awkward and not feminine enough to meet the expectations of her mother. Even as an adult now, I can appreciate a character like Nobara for what she represents for young girls in similar circumstances.
Nobara is single minded in her passion for volleyball, transferring to a school that she had heard has a strong team, only to find that this only referred to the boy’s team. The girl’s team had been disbanded, the laughing stock of the school. The first volume does a decent job of establishing Nobara as a character doing everything she can to play her beloved sport, even at the cost of upending her life, and you don’t even really get to see her play in this volume. Her courage and determination in the face of so much sexist ridicule is infectious, it’s easy to get involved in her story and fly through the pages.
I think it’s interesting that a common criticism I’ve read is that the joy of a sports manga is the drama of the sports match which the first volume lacks, but that’s impossible to do as a young woman barred from even entering the court. It definitely suffers from first volume syndrome, in which all of the pieces of the main story are laid down, but it is a necessary evil in this case as it highlights the long and difficult task of carving out a space where women can be allowed to participate. Female athletes even up to the present day still deal with misogyny and are mocked as being manly and unfeminine, inherently inferior to men physically, and that’s very much a theme of this manga. Though the manga is starting to show it’s age I can still appreciate the issues that are explored.
January 19, 2016
see full review @ Katie's Corner
Hi, guys and welcome back to Katie’s Corner! I think this is author’s very first and the so far the longest manga. Yup, there are 20 volumes. Now, a small advice. If you do not like the old style of drawings (where the characters are a bit chubby) and you can’t stomach volleyball, well this story might not be your cup of tea. First 8 volumes the characters are a bit chubby; through in the last 5 volumes I could finally say that the main character was cute. Well, I love volleyball, especially the manga Haikyuu, there’s the anime too, I will cover it some time afterwards on the blog. How did I like the story? I had loads of fun and at the same time the story had an iron grip on me. I was in the middle of my exam preparations and I couldn’t put it down to actually study. I was actually looking for a very lovey-dovey manga when I came across this one, but well, I actually enjoyed the whole: “I-need-to-be-focused-on-volleyball-attitude from mostly every character. No, don’t get me wrong, there is romance and quite a lot of it, however, it’s secondary compared to the whole volleyball theme.
Somewhere near the end, when everything is good and everyone is happy, and there’s no premonition of a tragedy or let’s say drama, the author just drops that bomb. Truth be told, I was waiting for something bad to happen. It was inevitable, but the way some of the characters took the blow is fantastic and you do not want to miss it, as it will shatter your heart to million pieces and it’ll take a lot to mend it back! I loved a lot the last 2 short stories, especially the one about Nobara and Yuushin. They’re such cuties! But I don’t want to spoil a lot for you, you need to experience this fun and at the same time serious story yourself.
Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
Hi, guys and welcome back to Katie’s Corner! I think this is author’s very first and the so far the longest manga. Yup, there are 20 volumes. Now, a small advice. If you do not like the old style of drawings (where the characters are a bit chubby) and you can’t stomach volleyball, well this story might not be your cup of tea. First 8 volumes the characters are a bit chubby; through in the last 5 volumes I could finally say that the main character was cute. Well, I love volleyball, especially the manga Haikyuu, there’s the anime too, I will cover it some time afterwards on the blog. How did I like the story? I had loads of fun and at the same time the story had an iron grip on me. I was in the middle of my exam preparations and I couldn’t put it down to actually study. I was actually looking for a very lovey-dovey manga when I came across this one, but well, I actually enjoyed the whole: “I-need-to-be-focused-on-volleyball-attitude from mostly every character. No, don’t get me wrong, there is romance and quite a lot of it, however, it’s secondary compared to the whole volleyball theme.
Somewhere near the end, when everything is good and everyone is happy, and there’s no premonition of a tragedy or let’s say drama, the author just drops that bomb. Truth be told, I was waiting for something bad to happen. It was inevitable, but the way some of the characters took the blow is fantastic and you do not want to miss it, as it will shatter your heart to million pieces and it’ll take a lot to mend it back! I loved a lot the last 2 short stories, especially the one about Nobara and Yuushin. They’re such cuties! But I don’t want to spoil a lot for you, you need to experience this fun and at the same time serious story yourself.
Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
August 28, 2008
[Series Length: 12 volumes / Read: volumes 1-8]
(Below is my original review. However, I improved the rating since then by one star, because the author finally decided to do some actual research and insert some real volleyball after volume 5 or so. And I could finally tell--for the most part, anyway--which character was who. So if you're patient enough to suffer through a slow start, it's actually not a bad series to pick up.)
The first volume of this series was particularly attractive, with the main protagonist Nobara as a devoted volleyball player who stands up against her family (who wants her to prepare to take over the family hotel and become a traditional Japanese hostess) and seeks to enroll in a school with a famous volleyball program (only to find that the girls team was recently disbanded). With all those unusual elements (as well as the uniquely angular character designs), I had high hopes for this title.
Sadly, though, the manga descends into a more run-of-the-mill shoujo romance drama in the following volumes. The female protagonist ends up the resident cook/cleaner at the dorm for the boy's volleyball team (where naturally she get entangled in love triangles) and trolling the school for potential recruits in order to revive the girl's team. Between serving the boys, acting meekly in front of her potential love interests, and deferring to other girls simply to preserve her fragile girl's team chemistry, Nobara has left me wondering what happened to all her previous fire and bravery that attracted me to the character in the first place.
Furthermore, as a fan of sports dramas, I was a bit disappointed to learn that most of the story takes place off the court rather than on it (probably because the author wasn't that knowledgeable about volleyball to begin with).
(Below is my original review. However, I improved the rating since then by one star, because the author finally decided to do some actual research and insert some real volleyball after volume 5 or so. And I could finally tell--for the most part, anyway--which character was who. So if you're patient enough to suffer through a slow start, it's actually not a bad series to pick up.)
The first volume of this series was particularly attractive, with the main protagonist Nobara as a devoted volleyball player who stands up against her family (who wants her to prepare to take over the family hotel and become a traditional Japanese hostess) and seeks to enroll in a school with a famous volleyball program (only to find that the girls team was recently disbanded). With all those unusual elements (as well as the uniquely angular character designs), I had high hopes for this title.
Sadly, though, the manga descends into a more run-of-the-mill shoujo romance drama in the following volumes. The female protagonist ends up the resident cook/cleaner at the dorm for the boy's volleyball team (where naturally she get entangled in love triangles) and trolling the school for potential recruits in order to revive the girl's team. Between serving the boys, acting meekly in front of her potential love interests, and deferring to other girls simply to preserve her fragile girl's team chemistry, Nobara has left me wondering what happened to all her previous fire and bravery that attracted me to the character in the first place.
Furthermore, as a fan of sports dramas, I was a bit disappointed to learn that most of the story takes place off the court rather than on it (probably because the author wasn't that knowledgeable about volleyball to begin with).
December 15, 2014
God I really really loved this manga. I remember reading it last year and I couldnt even put it down. Though I cant lie and say I didnt take a break from it. It was just so intense and always got to a part where I didn't want to continue because I was scared of the outcome. But I did force myself to continue once I got back to reading it.
Maybe the reason I liked it so much was because I connected with her passion to play volleyball, well maybe not so much that I played at home but thats because I didnt have a volleyball at home. But like Nobara when I lost and messed up I cried and felt bad and wanted to get better at it.
At first I was going to skip this manga on account that it only had drama and no comedy in the genre listing(not only drama was the genre though), it made think it was going to be depressing as hell. But there was romance and It had volleyball and the mc was a girl which is rare in sport manga/animes, so I picked it up. Also it had a strong heroine which is exactly what I always look for, its hard to find good ones.
I loved Nobaras change throughout the manga, it was like I was changing with her and felt it. Her tomboyish ness transform to a more feminine feeling was nice to watch. I especially loved the romance and the love triangle was unnecessary if the other guy already had feelings for another but just didn't realize it.
It was soooo good to read, and when I got near the last chapter I stopped reading because you know that saying "when your reading a good book and want to finish it but dont want to" well it was a meme but it's probably a saying too lol. I did pick it back up after a month or so and finished it even though I was scared and I was crying at the end because of beautiful it was. Its always hard to depart with your favorite character.
Maybe the reason I liked it so much was because I connected with her passion to play volleyball, well maybe not so much that I played at home but thats because I didnt have a volleyball at home. But like Nobara when I lost and messed up I cried and felt bad and wanted to get better at it.
At first I was going to skip this manga on account that it only had drama and no comedy in the genre listing(not only drama was the genre though), it made think it was going to be depressing as hell. But there was romance and It had volleyball and the mc was a girl which is rare in sport manga/animes, so I picked it up. Also it had a strong heroine which is exactly what I always look for, its hard to find good ones.
I loved Nobaras change throughout the manga, it was like I was changing with her and felt it. Her tomboyish ness transform to a more feminine feeling was nice to watch. I especially loved the romance and the love triangle was unnecessary if the other guy already had feelings for another but just didn't realize it.
It was soooo good to read, and when I got near the last chapter I stopped reading because you know that saying "when your reading a good book and want to finish it but dont want to" well it was a meme but it's probably a saying too lol. I did pick it back up after a month or so and finished it even though I was scared and I was crying at the end because of beautiful it was. Its always hard to depart with your favorite character.
January 21, 2013
I loved this book and i somewhat think that this book was made for me. Nobara never gives up on having hope to play volleyball again; she's even willing to take care of a whole dorm. Since her mother doesn't approve of her playing volleyball, Nobara ran away from home; the only way that she could have hope of playing volleyball again was to be a dorm mother. I could definitely connect this story line to myself because since my mother doesn't support me in playing volleyball, i know how Nobara feels. I also have a passion for volleyball and I would do anything to keep playing.
I picked this book up because Fiona read the summary of it while we were looking for books and she recommended this book for me. She told me that it's about volleyball and i was instantly drawn to it. I'm super glad that i decided to read this book because i can really connect to the main character.
I decided to complete this book because it's an amazing book about a girl who won't give her passion up. I, myself do not give up anything easily. I knew that i would love this book after i read the summary and i was correct.
Michelle would definitely be someone that i would recommend this book to because she and i have the same passion, volleyball. Both our mothers don't really support us in playing volleyball, but we tried everything to continue playing; it worked. Although we didn't get what we wanted in the beginning, we worked things out and i hope that Nobara and her mother work things out as well.
I picked this book up because Fiona read the summary of it while we were looking for books and she recommended this book for me. She told me that it's about volleyball and i was instantly drawn to it. I'm super glad that i decided to read this book because i can really connect to the main character.
I decided to complete this book because it's an amazing book about a girl who won't give her passion up. I, myself do not give up anything easily. I knew that i would love this book after i read the summary and i was correct.
Michelle would definitely be someone that i would recommend this book to because she and i have the same passion, volleyball. Both our mothers don't really support us in playing volleyball, but we tried everything to continue playing; it worked. Although we didn't get what we wanted in the beginning, we worked things out and i hope that Nobara and her mother work things out as well.
May 5, 2015
Nobara is the heiress of a traditional Japanese restaurant. Being the soon-to-be owner, it requires the feminine characteristic or what they call the Yamato Nadeshiko. Nobara, however, does not possess any femininity unlike her younger sister. She tries so hard but it is not her real self. She finds the thing she is good at: playing volleyball. Some people believe in her, and she grew a passion for it. Even if her mother strongly opposes it, she continued to pursue her dreams.
The drawing is alright and it really shows the personalities of the characters. I really like strong and passionate female characters who are breaking barriers and stereotypes.
I've been reading reviews here that they don't like the manga because it was all about volleyball. I think they miss the whole point.
I think that people should read books like this once in a while, and get a break from the usual pretty-pretty girl because in real life, sexism exists. People will expect things you can do or you can't do just because you are a girl. Sexism is not okay. Sexism is never okay. If you want to prove them wrong, surprise them!
The drawing is alright and it really shows the personalities of the characters. I really like strong and passionate female characters who are breaking barriers and stereotypes.
I've been reading reviews here that they don't like the manga because it was all about volleyball. I think they miss the whole point.
I think that people should read books like this once in a while, and get a break from the usual pretty-pretty girl because in real life, sexism exists. People will expect things you can do or you can't do just because you are a girl. Sexism is not okay. Sexism is never okay. If you want to prove them wrong, surprise them!
May 20, 2012
Nobara isn’t considered pretty and graceful like her younger sister, Souka, but is expected to be the young mistress, a host that serves the rich people at her family’s Japanese restaurant. All Nobara wants to do is play volleyball, so she transfers to a new school to be on their school volleyball team. Her first day doesn’t go well. She finds out there is no longer a girl’s volleyball team AND she gets mistaken for a boy.
However, Nobara finds out that her mother paid the school a hefty amount of money, so they would get rid of the girl’s team. Nobara decides that she has enough and turns to her aunt for help. Her aunt does try to help her by getting her a job as the dorm mother for the boy’s volleyball team.
I have started a couple of Shojo Beat mangas, and feel like the artwork in this series isn’t as strong as the ones I’ve read. I still liked some of the artwork. I felt bad for Nobara. It’s hard not to live up to someone’s expectations, feel adequate when being put down, and not being supported.
I haven’t decided if I’ll try to finish this or not. I liked this manga okay, but I’m not sure if I like it enough to continue the series.
However, Nobara finds out that her mother paid the school a hefty amount of money, so they would get rid of the girl’s team. Nobara decides that she has enough and turns to her aunt for help. Her aunt does try to help her by getting her a job as the dorm mother for the boy’s volleyball team.
I have started a couple of Shojo Beat mangas, and feel like the artwork in this series isn’t as strong as the ones I’ve read. I still liked some of the artwork. I felt bad for Nobara. It’s hard not to live up to someone’s expectations, feel adequate when being put down, and not being supported.
I haven’t decided if I’ll try to finish this or not. I liked this manga okay, but I’m not sure if I like it enough to continue the series.
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