Giant Killing

Don't get confused by the title. This anime is all about soccer, and no it's not a Captain Tsubasa shonen type either.



First episode is out. We don't see many soccer manga/anime around here so here you go. Fyi, It's a a seinen.

OP:

I watched the first episode two days ago and i'm not really into soccer but i liked this for some reason so i will be following it.

I think i liked it mostly because of the main character, he has a cool and chill personality and i like that.

So you say nothing like Captain Tsubasa, uh? Then you got me lined up to check this out.

Killing Giant? Sounds just like this old story in the Bible where a young shepherd named David killed this giant named Goliath. Something like, can amateur soccer compete against pro-soccer, and win?

@Hentanize: Seriously, how nice of you, saving me the trouble of having to come up with something wry to say on why we all love to watch sports anime so much.

Personally, I couldn’t care less about football/soccer. I just don’t find this particular sport to be that entertaining, rather I really think it is boring. I wouldn’t even dream of watching an actual game of soccer on television so why should I start now, and with something so scripted? The answer to that is simple; niche and whim—because watching Giant Killing is so much (invigoratingly) better than watching K-ON!

Great start btw, with the first episode I mean. Tomokazu Seki sure knows how to make use of his voice noise!

I might watch this when all the episodes are out and IF I hear it was good. Besides that, watching the first two episodes I just never started caring. I didn't start watching with any preconcived ideas, it's just that the show never made me care about the players or the team.

I'll give it another chance, but not until I know it isn't going to be a waste of time...

Been watching this, an anime with soccer, I am already hooked, can some one tell me how does the anime compare to the manga, its usually fact that manga>>>anime version, but can I get some opinions about the manga please?

Well the manga itself is still young, like around 20 chapters only. And tbh, the anime does a pretty good job animating the whole thing. The drawings weren't really appealing when i started reading the manga, but like everything, it's just a matter of time until you're getting used to it...
Imo, i advice you to stick with the anime which is way more entertaining than the manga (art wise).

I'm not really interested in sports anime but this one caught me. It's good. Got caught up to the latest.

Good football anime at a great football season.... Let's do a giant killing....

Episode 12 was good. The goal, the goal the goal. Tsubaki will be the next biggest player.

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However, Tsubaki's similar to Ichigo such that their skills (power in regards to the latter) fluctuate too much.

Hopefully, Tsubaki follows his new gained momentum until the rest of the series; of course, tougher opponents will appear and smother them down physically and psychologically...

Spoiler:

In general, the concept of Giant Killing's never been new. The weak will somehow overcome the strong -- and that is what the series is in a nutshell (as well as most shonen series). I think the delivery of the series is rather interesting since the main character, Tatsumi, is not a player but the coach. In a sense, the protagonist, the one who motivates everyone, is not in the front-lines, but rather the figure that glues everything together. Again, it is likely that the ETU will never even win the whole tournament because it was never Tatsumi's goal to win -- he's there for a Giant Killing (haha, get the pun? goal?) and provide a more enjoyable soccer.

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But an enjoyable football means its all about giving the fans something to cheer about, yes? And that has been given just as much focus in the anime from the start. For example, can a Celtics fan honestly say that hes happy and did enjoy an exciting deciding game 7 against the Lakers, although with Boston ultimately losing in the end?

I was simply rooting for Boston, not even a Celtics fan, and even I can't say I enjoyed the close game with them losing.

Not to say that 4manyak didn't make any good points, but in sports, it really is just all about Winning; with a capital W.

Still was a good show, which is why I said it was the best sports anime this spring in my super long thread /end_self_plug_

I am really glad I gave this series a look, at first I was planning to ignore it, I've only seen a few sports themed series, which I did enjoy, but others just but me to sleep so I tread cautiously around these type of shows now. Yet since I actually can't think of another soccer anime, that may be why I gave this one a chance. End result: I am very happy I did. I look forward to each and every episode.

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I can (NOT) disagree with that fact.

Spoiler:

Life is short. Too short in fact. For some, winning is everything -- it gives them motivation, it gives them ambition, it gives them a sense of living. Everybody loves a winner. The winners show they've accomplished something.

Growing up with the likes of Slam Dunk, Hungry Heart, Hajime no Ippo, etc... it really makes the viewers feel like they've also grown with the characters when in actuality, there really isn't any development on the viewers. Maybe just a little bit wiser?

What makes them [sports animes] enjoyable is that by the end of the day, they [the protagonists] are winners in more ways than one, even though they're underdogs -- just like in Giant Killing. Am I rooting for ETU to win any championship? Not really. Am I expecting them to keep me entertained all throughout the remaining eps? Yes.

I love spoiler tags too much.

C'mon. I didn't expect Tsubaki to run around the stadium like crazy like what he did with Gino/Oji during one of the practice games. Trust Tatsumi to utilize Tsubaki's speed and stamina, and unpredictability. And in a game like soccer, those will be significant.
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"Winning is everything." Thats indisputable fact, bra. I get it though, that youre saying that this is anime, not real. Its given that ETU will win, maybe not every game, but every crucial game to advance further or to even make it to the finals. And maybe its idealistic too much to honestly expect ETU to become the champs from being just chumps, but what about it? Thats why theres development and progress in everything, in anime and in reality alike. The team starts out small, little by little they grow, until they themselves become giants. Giants that can equally take on other giants and beat them down.

Remember, this may be anime but never fantasy. Its only natural that a midget will never be able to bring a giant down. And thats why theres a weight class in fighting sports like boxing. Cause it just wouldnt be fair for a lightweight to fight a heavyweight.

In the end, wouldnt winning the championship be the ultimate GIANT KILLING?