Eyeshield 21, THE END
With as many manga volumes (37) as the original Captain Tsubasa series, Eyeshield 21 is over.
Definitely, the manga I've enjoyed the most to date. From beginning to END.
The US World Cup
I am glad I waited until I had the volumes to read bunches of chapters in a row, because I am sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it half as much otherwise. Perhaps this World Cup was not necessary plot-wise, but it was SO ENJOYABLE to see the rivals cooperating and performing brilliant plays together, don't you think? And the "redemption" of Gaoh and Agon! So much fun thanks to them. I didn't expect the mummy-man to be Rui, but it was an excellent surprise. If only, a bit useless in the end. They tried to make it look better by having Sena react strongly thanks to Rui's personal effort, but still... They just didn't want to forget any of their heroes, and that is what makes this series so awesome. I really don't mind if it is not realistic, because it is so epic. The final score? Well, they used to tie a lot at the beginning, and the way it happens was good enough. In the end Sena comments on how he still wants to defeat Panther, and pictures him holding a cup in his hands, so must we assume USA won in the end? Whatever.
The separation of the original trio
Usually, in any sport or fighting series we see the characters start up as rivals and end up as friends and comrades. Eyeshield 21 is no different, only... the main characters all end up as rivals! I found that a bit sad, but so, so cool! Since Musashi can't go to University and is going to devote himself to his father's business, Hiruma and Kurita decide to go separate ways too so that it's the three of them or none together. The winner of the University league will face the winner of the Workers' X league in the Rice Bowl. Will it be Hiruma VS Musashi or Kurita VS Musashi? :D
It is also cool how Unsui is finally determined to become stronger and face his brother Agon from a rival team, and how Mamori decides to follow Hiruma and stop acting like a mother figure for Sena. She, too, will now fight against her old protegee!
The University Teams! (and the X League dark horse)
At the end of volume 37 you have a list of the main teams, their star players and their characteristics.
♥ Enma FIRES: (21 members) Sena, Riku, Monta, Kotaro, Mizumachi, Unsui, Kurita. + Suzuna.
♥ Saikyoudai WIZARDS: (200 members) Agon, Ikkyu, Yamato, Taka, Akaba, Jumonji, Banba, Hiruma. + Mamori.
♥ Oujou SILVER KNIGHTS: (66 members) Shin, Sakuraba, Ootawara.
♥ Shûei DOCTOR FISHES: (45 members) Takami, Yukimitsu.
♥ Zokutou Daigaku: Rui Habashira, who made the team stronger after he joined. (see last Down).
♥ Takekura construction BABELS: (23 members) Kid, Tetsuma, Musashi, Gaoh, Kuroki, Togano, Onihei.
Notes: Everybody in Zokugaku Gakuen can proceed from High School to its adjacent university without an exam. In the case of Enma, it's pretty much like Deimon: the lack of enough applicants allows the University to accept everybody who applies.
Other notes and curiosities from the extras
Secrets:
- Karin, the female quarterback from the Alexanders, has three shelves full of doujinshi in her room. In the end, she becomes a mangaka's apprentice.
- Hiruma's blackmail notebook is empty. He has filled only the first page for show, but the rest of the pages are white, and he keeps all the data in his head or just pretends he knows things he actually doesn't, so people fear him and do as he wants.
- Mr. Don, at age 18, gives orders to his father, the President of the US, and sometimes dictates the politics of his country.
- Clifford hasn't got any blood from a royal family, that was just a bluff. His father is a genius hacker.
- Sena was once defeated by his own cat and stolen his sweets.
What becomes of...
Kakei
He goes back to the States to study at University there. He's such a serious person that he wants to try again once more. Mizumachi laughed at him and told him that he was way too serious from the core. (I have an old doujinshi in which Kakei does just that, but Mizumachi follows him after a few months. In the manga, Mizumachi finally stays with Sena & co).
Kid & Tetsuma
After graduating from Highschool, they start their own business called Western & Car, in which they perform action stunts at fun parks and the like. Apparently, Tetsuma is an expert driver. The money to start such business was provided by Hiruma, who trusted them to make so much profit to give it back to him ten-fold or else "I'll fucking kill you!". ::Sigh:: It reminds me of Harry and the Weasley Wizard Wheezes. ^_^
Panther
He became an NFL star and now earns so much money a year that he's finally bought his grandmother the house of her dreams.
Don, Clifford, Tatanka
They enter the team at Notre Dame University. Sena studied half a year at the High School attached to that university and over there, those three provided him with a special training FROM HELL.
Bud
He once phoned Sena because they needed a Japanese player for a movie, and he should be at least 1,80 m tall. And that's how...
Taki
...Went to Hollywood to start an acting career. But since he had the bad habit of saying just one line as he whirled around, he didn't leave a very good impression. That's why he entered a local football team and played there while performing minor roles as an extra. He lives wandering around Hollywood. Since he seems to be doing just fine, Suzuna has stopped searching for him.
Komusubi
He works at his father's business, hard labor which provides him with sufficient muscle training. His biggest ambition now is to take part in the workers' X league and one day defeat his master Kurita! (They don't mention in which team he is, whether he's part of Musashi's team or another, but I'd like to think he is with them.)
Cerberos & Butaberos
Cerberos went with Hiruma to Saikyoudai because it was his best chance to get regular food, so Butaberos now lives in peace at Deimon (no need to diet and exercise anymore to avoid getting fat and thus being eaten by Cerberos!). But for some reason it's a bit lonely now...
Chûbô
He entered Deimon Devil Bats after the US Cup and on his first year he grew 20 cm! He was the strongest lineman after Kurita's graduation, but he still had respect for his senpais the 3 Brothers and Komusubi. That year Deimon defeated the Dinosaurs again, but with great pains, and in his personal duel against Gaoh he was thoroughly defeated.
"Deimon Devil Bats was a team that started with only three members: Hiruma, Kurita and Musashi.
When Musashi left, it was down to two.
But when Sena joined, they were three again.
And now the team lives on toward the future!"
Sena Kobayakawa.
When I graduate, I want to follow a career as:
American Football Player.
*THE END*