TV-Series
Description
"Giant Killing" is a sports anime centered around the world of professional soccer, specifically focusing on the fictional East Tokyo United (ETU), a struggling team in Japan's top league. The narrative revolves around the team's efforts to regain its former glory under the leadership of its new manager, Tatsumi Takeshi, a former ETU player who left Japan to coach in England. Tatsumi's unconventional methods and unorthodox coaching style initially clash with the team's established routines, creating tension among players and staff.
The story delves into the dynamics of the ETU squad, highlighting the struggles and growth of individual players as they adapt to Tatsumi's strategies. Key characters include Tsubaki, a talented but inconsistent forward; Murakoshi, the veteran captain who serves as the team's emotional anchor; and Gino, a young midfielder striving to prove himself. The series also explores the perspectives of the coaching staff, fans, and media, providing a multifaceted view of the challenges faced by a professional soccer team.
As the season progresses, ETU faces various opponents, each match serving as a narrative focal point that showcases tactical battles, player development, and the psychological pressures of competitive sports. The team's journey is marked by both victories and defeats, with each outcome contributing to their evolution as a cohesive unit. Tatsumi's leadership gradually earns the respect of his players, and his emphasis on teamwork and adaptability begins to yield results.
The anime balances on-field action with off-field drama, addressing themes such as perseverance, leadership, and the complexities of team dynamics. It avoids glorifying individual heroics, instead emphasizing the collective effort required to succeed in a team sport. Through its realistic portrayal of soccer and its focus on character-driven storytelling, "Giant Killing" offers a compelling exploration of the challenges and triumphs inherent in professional sports.
The story delves into the dynamics of the ETU squad, highlighting the struggles and growth of individual players as they adapt to Tatsumi's strategies. Key characters include Tsubaki, a talented but inconsistent forward; Murakoshi, the veteran captain who serves as the team's emotional anchor; and Gino, a young midfielder striving to prove himself. The series also explores the perspectives of the coaching staff, fans, and media, providing a multifaceted view of the challenges faced by a professional soccer team.
As the season progresses, ETU faces various opponents, each match serving as a narrative focal point that showcases tactical battles, player development, and the psychological pressures of competitive sports. The team's journey is marked by both victories and defeats, with each outcome contributing to their evolution as a cohesive unit. Tatsumi's leadership gradually earns the respect of his players, and his emphasis on teamwork and adaptability begins to yield results.
The anime balances on-field action with off-field drama, addressing themes such as perseverance, leadership, and the complexities of team dynamics. It avoids glorifying individual heroics, instead emphasizing the collective effort required to succeed in a team sport. Through its realistic portrayal of soccer and its focus on character-driven storytelling, "Giant Killing" offers a compelling exploration of the challenges and triumphs inherent in professional sports.
Episodes
Staffel 1
1Episode 1
East Tokyo United (ETU) hires Takeshi Tatsumi as its new head coach. Tatsumi previously led the English fifth-division club Eastham to the 32nd place in the FA Cup. He returns to ETU,his former team as a player, after years abroad. The team struggles near the bottom of the league and faces fan frustration. Tatsumi arrives with a reputation for unorthodox methods and a blunt demeanor. On his first day of training, he ignores traditional drills. He orders all players to run consecutive 30-meter sprints. He then divides the squad into two groups based solely on their sprint times. One group, composed mostly of younger substitute players, becomes his candidate starting lineup. The other group contains the established veteran starters. The veteran players react with visible anger and disbelief at this decision. Tatsumi refuses to explain his reasoning further. He instead proposes a direct challenge match between his chosen group and the excluded players. If his group wins, they earn the right to start. If the veterans win, the original starters retain their positions. The episode ends with the challenge match set to determine the team's immediate future and the players' trust in their new coach.
3Episode 3
4The Man Who Knows Too Much
Tatsumi introduces a new formation during practice. The players express confusion about the tactical change. Tatsumi explains that the formation exploits the opponent's defensive weakness. He instructs the midfielders to press higher up the pitch. The team struggles to adapt during the first drills. Tatsumi calls a meeting and shows video footage of the next opponent's past matches. He points out specific patterns in the opponent's goalkeeper positioning. He orders the forwards to target all shots to the goalkeeper's left side. The players remain skeptical but follow the instructions during the match. The strategy creates two scoring chances in the first half. The opponent's goalkeeper saves both shots,but the second shot forces a rebound. Midfielder Sera scores from the rebound. The team takes a 1-0 lead into halftime. The opponent adjusts their defensive alignment at the start of the second half. Tatsumi substitutes a defender for an additional forward. The opponent ties the score with a long-range shot in the 70th minute. The match ends 1-1. Tatsumi tells the players that the draw shows progress but demands better execution in the next game. The episode closes with Tatsumi reviewing the opponent's tactical change on a whiteboard, setting up a rematch with higher stakes.
5Restart
After the 5-0 defeat to Yokohama,ETU returns to training with low morale. Coach Tatsumi announces a complete change in the starting lineup for the upcoming match. He moves forward Tsubaki to the midfield position. Tatsumi also brings reserve player Nakayama into the first team as a defender. The players react with confusion and resistance. Captain Murakoshi openly questions Tatsumi's decisions during practice. Tatsumi ignores the protests and orders an intra-squad scrimmage. The first team struggles against the reserves' aggressive pressing. Tsubaki fails to adapt to his new role and loses possession repeatedly. Midway through the scrimmage, Tatsumi stops play and gives specific instructions to Tsubaki. Tsubaki begins to understand the positional requirements and creates one scoring chance. The scrimmage ends without a goal, but Tatsumi sees small signs of progress. He tells the team that the real restart starts now, with the next league match against Nagoya.
6First Victory
ETU faces Yokohama FC with the score tied 1-1 at halftime. Tatsumi keeps the players in the locker room longer than usual,forcing them to think about their positioning without his direct instructions. The second half begins with Yokohama pressing high, but ETU's defense holds under repeated attacks. In the 65th minute, Tsubaki intercepts a pass near midfield and drives forward. He passes to Kuroda on the right wing, who crosses low into the penalty area. Sakai outruns his marker and slots the ball past the goalkeeper, giving ETU a 2-1 lead. Yokohama responds with two substitutions to increase offensive pressure. The ETU defenders clear several dangerous crosses in the final ten minutes. Tatsumi orders the team to drop deep and protect the lead rather than chase another goal. The referee's final whistle confirms ETU's first victory of the season. The players celebrate on the pitch, while Tatsumi quietly walks toward the locker room without joining them. The post-game scene shows Tsubaki receiving praise from senior teammates, but his expression remains focused on the next match. The episode ends with Tatsumi reviewing footage of their upcoming opponent, a team with a stronger attacking record than Yokohama.
7Episode 7
ETU plays its first league match of the season against Javelin Iwata. A deflected shot gives Iwata an early lead. Iwata then overruns ETU's defense and scores three more goals. The match ends in a 4-0 defeat for ETU. The team suffers a second consecutive loss in the next match against Sun Arrow Hiroshima. After the Iwata match,freelance reporter Fujisawa questions coach Tatsumi at the press conference. Tatsumi answers coolly and deflects criticism by shifting attention to ETU's potential. Inside the dressing room, player Kuroda openly criticizes his teammates' performances. Tatsumi organizes a football tennis training game and attaches a prize to the exercise. Kuroda and his close teammate Sugi refuse to participate in the game. Tatsumi responds by dropping Kuroda from the starting lineup for the following match. ETU loses again. Following the loss, Kuroda submits a formal transfer request. Tatsumi's actions suggest a deliberate strategy to challenge the team's established hierarchy and test individual players' commitment.
8Episode 8
Matsuhara hears a rumor that Kuroda will transfer and grows uneasy. Tatsumi repeats his declaration that the starting players will be selected through a soccer tennis game. Many players express discontent with this method. Kuroda reaches his limit and openly explodes with anger. He decides to boycott the training session entirely. Matsue also walks away from the practice ground. Matsue approaches Kuroda and begins to speak with him. Matsue explains a critical mistake that both he and Kuroda,as the team's center backs, have failed to recognize. The conversation forces Kuroda to reconsider his position. Tatsumi's unconventional selection process continues to test the squad's discipline. The team faces an immediate defensive crisis if its two center backs cannot resolve their shared oversight.
9Episode 9
ETU has lost four consecutive matches since Takeshi Tatsumi took over as manager. The team sits at the bottom of the league table. The Skulls,a hardcore fan group, cannot contain their anger any longer. They stop the team bus on the road. The fans demand Tatsumi come out and apologize for the losing streak. Murakoshi attempts to step off the bus to appease the crowd. Tatsumi stops him and insists on handling the situation himself. Tatsumi walks out alone to face the hostile fans directly. He does not offer a conventional apology. Instead, he acknowledges the fans' frustration but maintains his authority as manager. The confrontation does not resolve the fans' anger, but it prevents an immediate escalation into violence. The episode sets up the upcoming match against Nagoya Grand Palace. Tatsumi claims to have a secret strategy prepared for that game. The players witness Tatsumi's willingness to absorb the fans' fury. This shifts some of the pressure from the squad onto the manager. The episode ends with the team preparing for the Nagoya match, where a loss would likely end Tatsumi's tenure.
13Episode 13
ETU carries a one-goal lead into the final fifteen minutes of the match against Nagoya Grand Palace. Nagoya's Itagaki abandons his attempts to beat defender Kuroda and instead adopts a shoot-on-sight strategy. Tsubaki,who scored the first goal, demonstrates his attacking potential by using his pace and trickery to beat Carlos. Tsubaki loses possession at a critical moment near the goal. Gino capitalizes on the loose ball and scores the second goal with less than five minutes remaining. Nagoya launches a desperate all-out attack in response. ETU's defense holds firm and withstands the onslaught. The referee blows the final whistle, giving ETU its first victory of the season. Tsubaki receives the man of the match award for his performance. The three Brazilian players from Nagoya approach Tsubaki after the match to show their respect, though Tsubaki does not understand their Portuguese. The two managers exchange views, with Nagoya's coach noting the difference between cup competitions and league consistency. With the win secured, ETU now faces the challenge of maintaining this momentum for the remainder of the season.
14Finale
Nagoya Grampus attacks from the opening kickoff. ETU defends deep inside its own half. In the 15th minute,Nagoya sends a cross from the right wing. A Nagoya forward heads the ball past ETU goalkeeper Akiba. ETU falls behind 1-0. Tatsumi signals for the team to maintain its defensive shape. ETU earns a corner kick in the 40th minute. Defender Murakoshi rises above two Nagoya defenders and heads the ball into the net. The score becomes 1-1. Nagoya restarts the second half with higher pressing. ETU midfielder Tsubaki loses possession near his own penalty area in the 70th minute. Nagoya recovers the ball and scores from close range. ETU trails 2-1. Tatsumi substitutes in an additional forward. ETU launches several long passes into Nagoya’s box. Nagoya clears every ball. The referee blows the final whistle. ETU loses 2-1. Tatsumi gathers the players and tells them they held their ground against the league leaders. The team leaves the pitch with no injuries but a clear view of the gap in individual skill. The next match will force ETU to face another top-tier opponent without their starting goalkeeper, who suffered a minor injury in the final minutes.
15Tactics
Tatsumi changes ETU's formation to a 4-4-2 diamond before the second half against Nagoya. He instructs the midfield to collapse centrally and force Nagoya's playmaker wide. Tsubaki receives a direct man-marking assignment on Nagoya's number 10. Nagoya holds 68 percent possession in the first twenty minutes of the half but cannot break through the compact block. Tsubaki loses his mark once,allowing a cross that Sakai punches clear. Tatsumi substitutes Seki for Nishi in the 67th minute, adding pace on the right flank. Nishi immediately tracks back to intercept a pass and starts a counter-attack. Three ETU players sprint forward as Nagoya's defense scrambles. The counter ends with a low cross from the left and a first-time finish from the edge of the six-yard box. ETU leads 1-0 in the 71st minute. Nagoya's coach responds by pushing both fullbacks into the attack. The visitors create two consecutive corners, and Sakai tips a header over the bar. Tatsumi shouts instructions from the sideline, ordering the team to hold a higher defensive line. The episode closes with Nagoya winning a free kick twenty-five meters from goal as the clock reaches 88 minutes.
16The Team's Rebirth
Tatsumi reviews match footage of ETU’s previous loss. He announces a formation change from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 at a team meeting. Captain Murakoshi questions the new defensive structure. Tatsumi assigns midfielder Tsubaki a central role with added offensive duties. The team runs a possession-based drill on the training ground. ETU plays a practice match against a local university team. Players misplace passes and leave gaps in defense during the first half. Tatsumi adjusts the midfield pressing scheme at halftime. In the second half,Tsubaki intercepts a pass and drives forward to create two scoring chances. The team scores once from a corner kick routine. After the match, Tatsumi tells the assistant coach that the system needs more repetition. Tatsumi then posts the starting lineup for the upcoming league match, which includes two reserve players.
17Episode 17
Sera suffers a mild ankle sprain during the match and receives a one-week recovery prognosis. The medical staff substitutes him out,and the game ends in a 0-0 draw. Sera sulks in the locker room, fearing he will lose his starting position to the returning Natsuki. Sakai confronts Sera, first berating him for eating crisps and then admitting he understands Sera's on-field decisions. Sakai urges Sera not to give up, which lifts the young striker's mood slightly. Sera watches from the stands as ETU hosts Urawa Red Stars, a team ETU has lost to for three consecutive years. The match remains scoreless into the second half. Manager Tatsumi brings Natsuki onto the pitch for his emotional return from injury. Urawa scores first on a long-range counter-attack goal. Natsuki answers immediately with a top-corner strike from outside the box, equalizing the match at 1-1. Tatsumi shows dissatisfaction with the draw despite the team's relief. Sera recognizes that the real competition among the forwards has only just begun.
18Counter
Nagoya Grampus continues its offensive pressure against ETU. Tatsumi orders the team to hold formation and wait for a single turnover to launch a quick counter. ETU's defenders repeatedly clear the ball under heavy attacks from Nagoya's forwards. Goalkeeper Akasaki makes two critical saves to keep the score at 0-0. In the 35th minute,Tsubaki intercepts a loose pass near the midfield line. He sprints past two Nagoya defenders and delivers a low cross into the penalty area. Seki reaches the ball first and slots it into the far corner, giving ETU a 1-0 lead. Nagoya's coach responds by substituting in a more attacking midfielder. The opponent shifts to a higher defensive line and increases its tackling aggression. ETU struggles to maintain possession and falls back into a defensive shell. The referee adds three minutes of stoppage time. Nagoya earns a free kick 25 meters from ETU's goal as the episode ends, with the ball not yet struck.
19Episode 19
20Episode 20
ETU begins its league match against the Osaka Gunners. The team deploys a man-to-man defensive scheme to counter Osaka's aggressive four-forward formation. Each ETU player marks a specific opponent and tracks that player's movements across the pitch. This defensive approach prevents Osaka from creating clear scoring chances during the opening minutes. Midfielders drop deep to support the back line and close passing lanes. Tatsumi watches from the sideline and issues short instructions without making early substitutions. The first half ends with the scoreboard showing zero goals for either side. Osaka Gunners adjust their attacking rhythm after the halftime break. ETU players begin showing physical strain from continuous marking duties against fresh attackers. A miscommunication between two defenders nearly gives Osaka a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper reacts quickly and blocks the shot. ETU struggles to transition into offense because marking assignments consume most players' energy and attention. Tatsumi signals a potential tactical change as Osaka increases its pressure.
23Soul of a Pro
ETU faces Nagoya Grand Kings at home. Nagoya scores in the first half from a set piece. In the second half,ETU goalkeeper Akagi stops a penalty kick awarded for a handball by Murakoshi. The save keeps the deficit at one goal. Coach Tatsumi replaces defender Ota with forward Hasegawa to add attacking numbers. Midfielder Sugiyama directs the build-up from deep positions. Winger Tsubaki dribbles past two defenders and delivers a low cross. Striker Sakai's shot hits the post. In the 80th minute, Sugiyama sends a free kick into the box. Defender Murakoshi heads the ball to level the score. Nagoya pushes forward in the final minutes. Akagi catches a long-range shot and quickly throws to start a counter. The match ends 1-1. The draw leaves ETU still in the relegation zone with three matches remaining. The next episode shows ETU preparing for a must-win away game.
Cast
- Kazuki KurodaDaniel Valladares
- Takeshi Tatsumi
- Daisuke Tsubaki
- Kōsei Gotō
- President Nagata
- Yotaro Natsuki
- Shigeyuki Morakoshi
- Shigeyuki Murakoshi
- Yuri Nagata
- Luigi Yoshida
- Yusaku Sugie
- Sera Kyohei
Comment(s)
Staff
- DirectorYuu Kou
- ScriptToshifumi KawaseKenichi TakeshitaTatsushi Moriya
- Unit DirectorShinpei MiyashitaHiroyuki TsuchiyaKenichi TakeshitaHiroshi KimuraYutaka HirataMatsuo AsamiKiyoshi MatsudaYasuo EjimaJōji FurutaKōsuke Kobayashi
- Original ConceptMasaya Tsunamoto
- Character DesignTetsuya Kumagai
- Animation DirectorMasami SudaHiroyoshi IidaShōsuke ShimizuShinobu NishiyamaMasahiro SekinoYūki IwaiTsutomu NishiyamaMayumi OdaNaoki AisakaDaisuke TakemotoTakashi IgariSatoshi KuboMasao EbiharaKumiko HorikoshiEri SanoAkihito AsaiTomochi KosakaKanae Matsunaga
- Director of PhotographyShinyo Kondō
- Series CompositionToshifumi Kawase
- StoryboardJunichi TakaokaKatsumi TerahigashiShinichi TōkairinKenichi TakeshitaHideyo YamamotoHidetoshi NamuraYuu KouMamoru SakisakaYoshio UsudaYasuo EjimaJōji Furuta
- MusicHideharu Mori
- Original creatorTsujitomo
- Art DirectorJunichi Higashi
- Sound DirectorTsuyoshi Takahashi
- Executive producerAtsuya HirookaYūji Shibata
Production
- Animation ProductionStudio DEEN
- ProductionNHK
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