After reading the free copy of Kasane no Tao, I thought it was enjoyable. However, I didn’t think I wanted to grab a copy of it because I wasn’t too sure about its localization.
Well, weeks later, I decide to give it a shot. I’m not into golf, but sports manga isn’t exactly a thing in the states. We’ve gotten some more recently but it still pales in comparison to Japan. Kasane no Tao then proves fascinating as it introduces a girl with the potential to be a great golfer, and she’s refreshingly straightforward about what she wants. In reading this first volume, not only does she continue to be my favorite, but, somehow, the game of golf is told in a manner that’s super fun.
Fifteen-year-old Kasane Hibino was working at a small, no-name golf clinic so she could support her mom and dad. Since she couldn’t handle the drama that came with high school, plus the fact that her family was poor, this was the only thing she thought she could do. But she does manage to find time to golf, and she is pretty talented at it. In fact, so talented that her life changes when randomly one of the most famous golfers in Japan stops by the golf clinic. Jambo Otokozaki sees her golf stroke, and, after testing her skill, realizes she has potential. He then asks what she wants. Point blank, word-for-word, her response:
“To be absolutely honest, I want to be rich!”
And Jambo then tells her she can be rich by playing pro golf. So instead of working at a small-time clinic, she’s now on the path of becoming a pro golfer. This essentially involves a few things:
- Moving away from her mom and dad.
- Hanging out with a Taiwanese golfer on a crazy course.
- Being the only girl trainee on a ship (!) with a bunch of boys.
- Showing her golf skills in her very first game competing against others.
Simple enough I guess!
Kasane no Tao, serialized in Manga Sunday in 2010, is not for everyone. There is a lot of dialogue, as the manga bends over backwards to explain everything. From certain golf swings to the types of clubs being used to the golf balls being used, it can be heavy. Remembering all of it can be an issue. It also is about golf, which can be boring. Maybe one day I’ll actually sit at the TV and take in a game, but it does not look all that fun to watch, period.
But if I do, it’ll be because I’ve been reading this manga, because even with its explanations, it’s super fascinating. While it goes heavily into the types of golf nuances, it goes as far as mentioning body positions. Like how your back is set as you swing, the way you move your knees, etc, and it does this while also showing the action as well. For that, Techu Imatani has to take credit because it looks super appealing. Like I wouldn’t want to do any of it, but when the manga shows and manages to have walls of text about these details and still be interesting, it’s certainly a credit to the artist for making golf look fun.
Kasane, however, is the main star that continues to make me want to check out more. She doesn’t get shunned by some of the more proven players — she gets taken seriously. And with her frank personality, combined with her talent, it works out well. She’s also so determined to succeed that she once, in the rain, on a golf course she’s unfamiliar with, hit the ball off the wall and tried to get it into the hole. Note the ball was close enough to her and said wall and could have smacked her in the face, or hit her in general.
All in all, there’s a lot that happens in Kasane no Tao‘s first volume. From being discovered, to having to leave her parents, to then having to prove her talent, to some of the craziness that takes place in her first game, a lot happens, and it’s enjoyable to read. I still am not a fan of the Japanese letters being left in, but aside from that, the localization seemed fine. So yes, I think this is one digital manga that, and at its price point, is worth a shot. If you’re into sports manga in general, you shouldn’t wait much longer.