The word 'anime' (アニメ) is a Japanese shortening of the English word 'animation', a gairaigo, or foreign loanword.
The word 'anime' (アニメ) is a Japanese shortening of the English word 'animation', a gairaigo, or foreign loanword.


Ryuu Ichijou, a boy who dreams of joining Japan's national soccer team. Ryuu is called a genius soccer player, and his aspirations seem within his reach, but when he is in elementary school he gets hit by a car while protecting his friend, and must face two years of grueling rehabilitation. Story focuses on Ryuu as he joins high school soccer club and works through the remnants of his injuries to achieve his goal.
These open a search for this title on each store. They’re affiliate links: AnimeSphere may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and Bookshop.org supports local independent bookstores.
AnimeSphere only links to legitimately licensed sources. Some titles may not yet be available outside Japan — the search links above will tell you for sure.
Opens our Bookshop.org storefront (supports local independent bookstores) — search the title to pick a volume. As a Bookshop affiliate, AnimeSphere may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.