With thirty-seven volumes in the original manga run that ran throughout the eighties and a whole lot of sequels and adapations out there, Yoichi Takahashi’s Captain Tsubasa soccer manga is getting a fresh adaptation that’s set for the spring 2018 season as it goes back to the beginning. We learned back in January that Viz Media has confirmed that they’ve picked up the North American and Latin American rights to the show for streaming, home video, and merchandising. They’ll be able to set their streaming plans soon now as the official Japanese site has revealed that the show premieres on April 2nd, 2018 on TV Tokyo and other networks.
The show has Toshiyuki Kato directing based on the series composition by Atsuhiro Tomioka. Hajime Watanabe is serving as character designer and chief animation director with David Productions handling the animation production.
The Japanese cast includes Yuko Sanpei as Tsubasa Ōzora, Kenichi Suzumura as Genzō Wakabayashi, Ayaka Fukuhara as Tarō Misaki, Mutsumi Tamura as Ryō Ishisaki, Takuya Satō as Kojirō Hyūga, and Katsuyuki Konishi as Roberto Hongō.
Plot Concept: Captain Tsubasa is the passionate story of an elementary school student whose thoughts and dreams revolve almost entirely around the love of soccer. 11-year-old Tsubasa Oozora started playing soccer at a very young age, and while it was mostly just a recreational sport for his friends, for him, it developed into something of an obsession.
In order to pursue his dream to the best of his elementary school abilities, Tsubasa moves with his mother to Nankatsu city, which is well-known for its excellent elementary school soccer teams. But although he was easily the best in his old town, Nankatsu has a lot more competition, and he will need all of his skill and talent in order to stand out from this new crowd.
He encounters not only rivals, but also new friends like the pretty girl Sanae Nakazawa and the talented goalkeeper, Genzo Wakabayashi, who shares the same passion as Tsubasa, and will prove to be a treasured friend in helping him push towards his dreams. Representing Japan in the FIFA World Cup is Tsubasa’s ultimate dream, but it will take a lot more than talent to reach it.
