GIANT KILLING

GIANT KILLING is a Japanese soccer manga series written by Masaya Tsunamoto and illustrated by Tsujitomo. It has been serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Morning since 2007. The story revolves around the professional soccer team East Tokyo United (ETU), which has been struggling in Japan's top league for years. To turn their fortunes around, ETU hires former player Takeshi Tatsumi as their head coach. Tatsumi was once a star player for ETU, but left to manage an amateur team in England, where he achieved success. The work is praised for its in-depth portrayal of soccer tactics and its psychological depictions of players, coaches, and fans. The manga was also adapted into a 26-episode anime series and won the 34th Kodansha Manga Award in the General category. The story emphasizes the team's growth process and the unique coaching style of Tatsumi. Through his transformation of the team, it gradually showcases the soccer spirit of 'giant killing'. Both the manga and anime have attracted a large following, and are loved for their meticulous depiction of soccer and the inspirational themes.