From the back cover:
Shou Kazamatsuri and his pals finally hit the magic number 11 and that means they’re ready for high-kicking, goal-to-goal soccer action.
Unfortunately, Team Josui’s first game is against the powerhouse private school, Musashinomori. Shou’s crew may have boundless pluck and enthusiasm but do they have the talent to compete with last season’s reigning champions? Maybe not… but this year they have a secret weapon by the name of Tatsuya Mizuno. Not only is Mizuno the best player on Josui’s squad, he’s also the son of the opposing team’s coach. Soccer action and familial complications collide when father and son meet on opposite sides of the soccer field!
Review:
I am really enjoying Whistle!, and would compare it favorably to Hikaru no Go in terms of a sports manga with fun, likeable characters. Fans of the latter would enjoy this. Artwise, it’s kind of similar too, with a variety of faces and character types so that everyone is distinct. That really helps avoid confusion during the games, which are themselves drawn clearly enough that even a soccer neophyte can easily follow what’s going on.
We see a lot more of two characters I really like in this volume. One, Hiroyoshi, is a chubby little kid who loves soccer but is kind of wimpy. He is adorable, especially on pages 46 and 47. I appreciate how he wasn’t forgotten in the chaos of that scene. Another is Satou, a lively kid who brings the bishounen total up to two. His interactions with the serious Mizuno must surely have inspired some slashy fanfic!
Another bonus to Whistle! is that it’s a shounen manga that’s finished, with 24 total volumes, rather than one of those with 35+ and no end in sight. And I’m sure we’ll see all of it before HnG even hits 15.
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