All that matters to 15-year-old Nobara Sumiyoshi is volleyball--she's an awesome player with big-time ambitions. But sometimes it seems like a girl just can't get a break in the competitive world of high school volleyball. 2l356d
Nobara's family wants her to inherit the role of "young mistress," serving rich patrons at her family's old-fashioned Japanese restaurant. No thanks! When Nobara transfers to Crimson Field High School, known for its top-notch volleyball team, it turns out that her mother will stoop to dirty tricks to keep her off the court. With assistance from her feisty Aunt Momoko, who's got some connections at Crimson Field, Nobara decides to start playing offense. [Viz]
20 Volumes (Complete)

I really like this manga. The art is good, the characters are overall likeable, and the storyline plays a happy medium between the sports and relationships. My only complaints is that Nobara is irritatingly prone to crying, sometimes the characters look like their eyes are crossed, and the three main characters are freaking giants for being only 15. ^^;
However, these things rarely take away from the whole, and the characters are pleasingly non-anorexic. The sports sequences are similar to shounen sports scenes, but the relationship parts are satisfyingly shoujo. I have to say that the target audience may not be very large, but it's a perfect example of shoujo sports manga.
Oh, something else I'd like to say. All the characters have mullets, to some degree. It's totally awesome.
... Last updated 17 years ago
the way the characters are drawn are really beautiful. its really consistent, realistic and appealing. the story flows and the momentum of it kept me reading even when i didnt want to. i really want to read a comedy manga now tho. this one is making me feel emo.
I love this manga! the characters are so complex & likable; the plot is really well done and doesn't feel old at all. it's also pretty inspiring. it has a romance element to it too, but it's not the main focus.
read it!
... Last updated 17 years ago
I'm so hooked on this manga that I cry every time I find out that another chapter hasn't been released.i dont agree with blueseeker .Yushin is introduced in first volume. also it is hinted several times it will be Yushin x nobara. maybe you should read again.
I really love this manga, the way it has been going so far is just the way i like my heroines. Showing that they are not too weak but sometimes it just cannot be helped so we need a male lead. Speaking of male leads i always have an issue with the whole triangle relationships in shoujos. Particularly when the series is not yet complete and after more than 5 volumes you will not sure who will be picked. The reason for my dislike is because sometimes a male lead is introduced first and you fall in love with them as a couple or at least start to hope that it will but then this other male lead comes and sometimes you are unable to see that character with the female lead at the end or at least not want to see it. This manga is also a bit like that, i fell in love with keisukexnobara but for some reason i get the feeling i should get used to Yuushinxnobara since the mangaka seems to be gearing towards that angle and i would hate for this story to be ruines for me just because of character lead pairing.
I really like how it starts out. This girls serious and tough, but she's not cruel and is still nice to others. She tries hard in everything and doesn't feel self-pity for herself at the first sign of trouble like most heroines. She's actually focused more on the sport than the romance as another review pointed out. As I read more, it gets more and more interesting, and the author knows where she's taking the story.
i love this manga... actually it makes me wanna cry whenever there is a conflict.... wah! i can relate it to my own love story but then again.... but i know we will not end up together! :-b
... Last updated 18 years ago
I love it. There's depth into it, and not like the other shoujo manga where the heroine is totally head over heels in love at first sight. >w> And stuffz.
The plot builds up piece by piece, and it's realistic : nothing happens immediately. It builds up slowly like it does in real life. The volleyball team, the crushes, the team's victories, it just doesn't pop out of nowhere like a "miracle".
Loving it. <3 Unique plot, and gorgeous art work. And let's face it: the guys are HOT.
I really recommend it. ^__^
I Started reading this manga a while ago and I can honestly say it's a very good read. The characters are all different and the story actually has depth to it. The art is very good as well; this is definately one of takanashi's best, in my opinion. The story is actually interesting and is played out very well so far.