the best way to review REAL is to review Inoue's other masterworks, Slam Dunk and Vagabond.

Slam Dunk is one of the top selling manga in history, regarded by many as the best ever sports manga. 9.5/10

Vagabond, even in its unfinished state, is the best solo swordsman/martial artist story i have read. its themes, characters' emotional growth, and legendary art are something to behold. 10/10

Real is better than both of them.

... Last updated on March 2nd, 2023, 1:00am

When one falls and the world seems to go down with you, There's this light and it's REAL.
Just make it happen.

I don't know if people get what I typed, but yep.
This has got be ONE of the best mangas I have ever read. Give it a read and guaranteed you won't regret.... (or not, according to your type.)

This is one of those titles that you decide to look over a bunch of times, but wonder why you did so in the first place.

Quality art, quality story, and characters that are quite interesting. I highly recommend this one.

Real is nothing shot but brilliant and is Inoue's best, more mature work. The art is as always, amazing, but it's not the protagonist like in Vagabond, instead it's essential and functional to the storytelling.
The story is realistic, deep and psychological and has one of the most emotional scenes I've ever seen in a manga.
It deals with the small and great tragedies of life, but with a inner feeling of strength and hope. From personal, intimate instances the manga manages to tell a collective tale about human dignity and personal affirmation.
Basketball is not the main focus of the story, but is used instead to demonstrate how a passion can have a major role in overcoming seemingly insurmountable situations.

... Last updated on April 8th, 2012, 11:18am

Everyone agrees, this manga is an enjoyable read. The surprising thing about this manga is how it maintains being realistically upbeat about some horrific circumstances.

It covers some of accidents that can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, ect. The stuff we'd rather not think about.

I can't put to words what makes this manga enjoyable but I can say that it's worth checking out.

... Last updated on August 13th, 2011, 2:49am

This is one of the best mangas I've ever read. It's realistic and it really shows the big challenges they have to overcome. As some people already said I love the character growth of Tokomi and the fact that he is getting more spotlight with trying to go pro

The addition of Takahashi to the starting line up of main characters has really improved the manga. "Real" used to be about wheelchair athletes who played basketball. Now, it's about basketball that is played by a variety of characters, some with physical disabilities, some with emotional problems and some with both.

I admire the restraint which Inoue Sensei has shown in developing Takahashi's character very, very slowly. This gives the reader a sense of how difficult his journey is and what an accomplishment it will be if he finally gets back to playing basketball.

Much as I admire the character (and character design) of Togawa, I have always had the sense that for him basketball was second best. Maybe he should try out wheelchair track and field.

... Last updated on December 27th, 2010, 9:21pm

every chapter has its own amazingess

when i first read it im like "whats this crap"
but i was really young at the time.

i re read it, and its deffinatly more than a 10/10

i would go with some where around 6,000,510/10

though not as exciting all through out the chapters and volumes like the previous work Slam Dunk, but the story has all the realities of life in it... and the way sports (bball) was portrayed was wondrous.... the substance of the story can rival any manga/novel... defenitely a Takehiko's work... a two thumbs up...

I'm buying the whole manga from VIZ. Believe me, it's well worth it.
The story is deep and realistic and the characters evolve fantasticly.
The art is superb.

... Last updated on January 16th, 2010, 5:49am