Manga
Description
In 2023, Mamoru Yoshinaga, the legendary Tokyo Wonders footballer known as Kaiser Yoshi, is approached by a sports newspaper with an unexpected proposal: a series of retrospective articles on Olympic football. The subject is the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a tournament Yoshinaga has never discussed publicly. Hesitant at first, he agrees to revisit the past, and the manga follows his memories as they resurface, recreating the fever and frenzy of those summer games. The narrative shifts between the present-day interview setting and the historical events of 1996, focusing on the Japanese national team's campaign in the Olympic football tournament. Central to the story is Yoshinaga himself, a gifted and driven player who was a key figure on that team, and the comrades who shared the pitch with him. Other characters from the Mr. CB soccer manga, including members of the Tokyo Wonders squad, appear in supporting roles, offering their own perspectives on the period. The manga also weaves in reflections on the wider Atlanta Games, the cultural significance of the centennial Olympics, and the weight of national expectation. A special feature included at the end of the first volume is an interview with former Japanese national team captain Masayoshi Maeguchi, who sheds light on the so-called Miracle of Miami, a dramatic upset in the group stage that became a defining moment of the tournament. As Yoshinaga's account unfolds, the manga explores themes of memory, legacy, and the unspoken pressures that accompany representing one's country on the world stage.
Information
Atlanta 1996
Type: Manga
Date: 07/23/2024
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Staff
  • Story
    Masaya Tsunamoto
  • Art
    Isao Tanishima