Real by Takehiko Inoue
One of the best things about being on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens committee, is that I get to read books I would have never picked up. The downside is, of course, I have to read books that I would never pick up and turns out some for good reason. Real by Takehiko Inoue is definitely the former. Had I been in a bookstore the words “wheelchair” and “basketball” would have been enough to plop this book back on the shelf. So I owe who ever nominated this a giant thank you.
Real is about wheelchairs and basketball, it’s true. But it’s also about perseverance in a world that hurts children, that robs star athletes of their ability to walk. Most shonen manga is about perseverance with happy plucky characters, annoyingly singing their way through what ever hardships might come. Real turns the stereotype around, allowing its characters to alternately believe in themselves and hate themselves, unable to make the distinction between who they are and what has happened to them. Their tragedies, they believe, come from some flaw; they must have deserved this life.
Luckily, they have basketball. Tall, violent but loving Nomiya plays to alleviate his guilt. Wheelchair bound, handsome Tagawa plays to prove he is still strong. Together, they make a formidable team. In Volume 2, Nomiya’s former high-school teammate, Takahashi, suffers a debilitating accident. It’s far fetched but adds yet another emotional element to the story.
Even if the story falls apart, there’s always Inoue’s gorgeous artwork. With muted but beautifully colored chapter endpages and a strong sense of style, he manages to appealing without being ‘cartoony’. I can’t wait for volume 3, due out in January.
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