Embers

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This is my third time writing this. That’s how dedicated I am to this story. And it’s been worth it, because at seven chapters, Embers has had enough time to solidify its place in the manga world. Its impact? Nothing substantial. At the moment, Embers is a basic story about a delinquent finding a new purpose in soccer, with some really awesome and dynamic art that makes each mere kick so intense. But you have to admit, this is all basic.

Slam Dunk has a similar premise with a former delinquent finding purpose in sports, but centers around basketball. Blue Lock has that same artistic flair, ... but turned up to eleven. Truly, Embers just doesn’t compare.

But hold up, it’s been seven chapters! That’s only one volume worth of content. We’re comparing it to mangas that have sold millions across many different volumes.

While that’s true, it’s not like that fact is going to stop anybody from making comparisons. It’s only natural, especially in the tightly-knit Shonen community. But there is a reason Blue Lock and Slam Dunk sold so well: they redefined the genre by being unique. Embers is very similar to both of these era-defining gems, and what difference does it bring to the table? Well… nothing much.

Whenever I tried recommending Embers to some of my friends, I’d be met with the same responses: why read this when I could read Slam Dunk? Or Blue Lock? Or Haikyuu, or maybe even Inazuma Eleven?

Why read this when I have that?

A character— who appeared once in chapter one, never to be seen again thus far— summed up what I believe will be the main character’s driving force; the underlying theme that will be echoed throughout the rest of this manga:

“Children his age are ripening fruit. Whether they turn out rotten or not depends on how we choose to teach them.”

Please, if you’re at all interested, give Embers a chance. There are those who refuse to even consider reading this manga, and just like the characters in this story, it has been given no opportunity to actually prove itself. I genuinely believe that Embers has the heart to make a name for itself, and I’m excited to see where this story goes.

“ Children his age are ripening fruit ”

For a first chapter, it didn't have proper character introspection/motivation and had a quite fast pacing. It felt a bit juvenile and lacked cohesiveness.

That being said, the story, just like its main character, is blooming with potential and possibilities.

The main character being a defender is an interesting idea for a soccer manga, the art was really great and I liked the beating heart of the story: determination and tenacity. Noboru Haitani gave his all and still lost, so how is he going to move forward?

Coming from an assistant on Blue Lock, I can't wait to see what ... the artist and what the author have to offer.

have you read haikyuu?

have you read kuroko?

well this is as blatant a copy of those as humanly possible. literally the exact same story and character beats (even using the same lines bar for bar) but they kick the ball instead so its totally unique. it started off like cute nods to popular icons in sports manga but with each passing chapter it gets laughably bad how little its trying to hide its “inspirations”. if i submitted this manga as an essay for college/university i would get expelled for plagiarism before the day even ended.

art is so so apart from a panel or two with ... nothing you haven’t seen before. Who knows, if this is your first ever high school sports manga maybe you’ll enjoy it. But if you’ve read any of the most popular in say, the last decade, this series aint it.