DAYS

During the last spring break before high school, timid Tsukushi Tsukamoto meets Jin Kazama, a gifted footballer who invites him to a pick-up game. It is Tsukushi's first time playing, and he is hopeless, but something about that evening stays with him. He follows Kazama to Seiseki High, home to one of the strongest football clubs in Japan. Tsukushi has no technique, little stamina and no idea how to read a match. What he does have is a stubborn refusal to give up, and an honesty that slowly changes the people around him, from the brilliant Kazama to teammates who have forgotten why they loved the game. Every practice is a struggle, every minute on the pitch hard-won. Tsuyoshi Yasuda's sports story is about effort more than talent: about a team of very different players and the weakest of them earning his place. With long, thrilling matches and a big cast of rivals, DAYS was adapted into an anime and remains a favourite for readers who love underdog stories.