One To Watch: Embers

Soccer AND delinquents? Be still my heart.

There are many manga that have had a big impact on me, evidenced by the amount that I’ve written about them here at MangaCraft. Two of the ones I’ve written about the most—Blue Lock and Wind Breaker—had a child apparently, and that child is Embers.

With some added DNA from Haikyu!! Not sure how that works, but it’s one hell of a love triangle.

Embers is the story of Haitani, the baddest brawler in his middle school. But one day, he has one fight too many, a teacher gets involved, and introduces him to soccer. From that day forward, Haitaini resolves to play soccer at the highest level, and even pursues high school life solely to that end.

So there already you can see the mash-up between Blue Lock (be the best soccer player!) and Wind Breaker (roaming delinquent looking for a new purpose). The Haikyu!! element comes in when Haitani faces off against a particularly talented striker and is outmatched, then realizes upon starting high school that they’re going to be on the same team.

You can see where this is undoubtedly going. A frenemies rivalry that’s already a rip-roaring good time, because Haitani and his rival—Takami—are hilariously fighting literally every time they’re in a room together. It hasn’t happened much in the three chapters out as of writing, but it’s obviously going to be a comedy feature.

Not just that, but in true Blue Lock fashion, the supporting cast is shaping up to be something special. There’s Bugai, the team captain, who is a stone-faced enforcer intent on keeping order. Shizuki Yukizuki, a high school student who is also the coach of the team, and Inanaki, a slime-ball-esque character (major Slytherin vibes) who can deduce someone’s skill by a handshake.

The personalities are vibrant and fun, and they clash in so many ways. It’s not just Haitani that’s the source of conflict either. We’re already seeing conflict brewing between team captain Bugai and slime ball Inanaki, as well as prodigy Takami and slime ball Inanaki as well. How many times have I said about Blue Lock that character rules all, and the complex relationships they share is what it’s all about?

Embers got the note, apparently.

That’s the best thing about soccer stories, or sports stories in general, is you only have so many personalities on a single team, and that gives you so much space to play with who fits where and who butts heads with whom.

Did I just properly use ‘whom’? Nice.

Then there’s the art! Oh, the art. It’s a veritable demonstration of utilizing perspective. So many times, the framing of a panel is worth gawking over just for the sheer creativity of it. There are Blue Lock-esque moments of a seemingly simple action being overshadowed by intense symbolism, and there are Wind Breaker-esque action sequences that have multiple actions seamlessly blended into a single panel.

There is so much here to look forward to seeing more. So much, in fact, that I haven’t even really appreciated Haitani’s character all that much yet because I’ve been so blown away by all the other sparkly baubles on every page. But Haitani is a tremendous vessel for this story. He’s got a solid sense of humor, a misunderstood sense of justice and morality, and I’m so, so excited to see who becomes his first “friend” on the team.

Because right now, everyone is tied for second place. And I say that because they all hate him. Which is so much fun!

If you have ever felt an affinity for the trifecta mentioned here—Blue Lock, Wind Breaker, Haikyu!!—then go with confidence into Embers. It’s going to be special. I mean… it already is.