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If you don't know much about soccer, probably you will like it more. It's just more than soccer.

So, here's the thing about spokons that I don't like: They only focus on their respective sport. Only that. Just that. The sport is the only thing that exists in the world. Those who practice a sport know that isn't true, there is more about than that.

Ao Ashi is about a kid who plays soccer and he's kinda bad but also kinda good, and then he's improving throughout the time he's playing. Nothing new about that, right?

However, Ao Ashi goes beyond the sport. Everybody knows how racist Japan ... is, right? Do you know how difficult is for black Japanese people? Especially in sports? Japanese people always think they are foreigners. It's awful. Are you aware of how awful is being an Asian person in European soccer? It's horrible. Well, some characters have been through that in the manga. It's pretty harsh to see. I cried during a particular background story about racism. There were kids involved! It's hard to read.

Moreover, sometimes the manga explains some specific aspects of soccer. What's the difference between Japanese and European soccer? How do youth clubs work? What are the foundations for a young player to succeed? Among others.

That's what I love about Ao Ashi. I don't remember a manga or anime talking about racism or xenophobia like that. It's so weird. The mangaka knows how hostile the soccer environment is. Not everything is nice. Sometimes you struggle, even worse if you are a foreigner or far away from the city.

Don't get me wrong. The manga's main topic is soccer of course. And you will see our main character playing soccer and practicing mostly. But those times when the manga goes beyond that are what I love about Ao Ashi.

Give it a try. You won't regret it.

It's just a romcom, but a good one.

So, let me tell you what I dislike first because... Idk, I'm an awful person.

I dislike fanservice. But I hate, with all my heart, fanservice with kids. That's not ok Japan, you can do better than this. And yes, here I am watching anime because... apart from that, I love anime. So yeah, this anime has fanservice with minors (teenagers). Don't get me wrong, teenagers can get horny, I've been there too. And I will be ok if, somehow, an anime can represent that because it's normal for the majority of teenagers. However, that's different than a boobs ... close-up from a kid, right?

Apart from the fanservice, I'd say it's pretty fine. It will follow the same rules as any anime romcom including the same creepy behaviors like stalking. Moreover, don't expect lots of progress in the relationship. But hey, I'm fine with that because the protagonists are charismatic. And yes, by far, the best part of the anime is the protagonists, especially the male protagonist. I love them. I want them to be a couple. I cheer them on.

For some reason, this anime had a good budget because overall the animation and drawing were amazing. And a big good surprise was the soundtrack, it was excellent.

As a side note, I'm not sure if it makes sense, but we are watching only the POV of the male protagonist. Like only that one. We can hear his thoughts and stuff. But for the female protagonist? Nothing. We don't know what she thinks. We barely see what she's doing alone. Nothing in detail. I know it's weird saying this, but I don't remember a recent anime that did something like that. To be fair, I haven't watched any romcom for a long time, so maybe it's just me. Even so, I think it's a good move because it add a "mystery" that it's good for the plot imo. Still, we know most of the time what she thinks and feels, but you get the idea.

Currently, I'm considering reading the manga, so that means it's a good anime for sure.

You are not going to see any improvement in this season. To be fair, I think the second cour is better than this one regarding the plot. But in terms of animation, story events, and even sometimes pacing, I'd say both parts are pretty average. And just in case, both cours cover an entire arc.

The antagonists of both cours are pretty mid in my opinion. I didn't enjoy most of the battles. Even worse, there was some bad-quality CGI in a particular battle. Obviously, you cannot expect anything outstanding from J.C.Staff, but for God's sake, you can tell there wasn't a big budget overall.

Also, there ... was a "romantic" plot/event (?) (if you already watched the previous seasons, you know what I mean) that doesn't make any sense, but it's part of the nature of this series so, I'm ok with that, I'm used to it. I'm just... not a big fan of these harem situations that the series gives us all the time.

Don't get me wrong, the plot is fine. At least this season it's entertaining (especially the second cour as I said). If you are here to continue the story and/or know more about some characters, go for it. If you think the plot of the entire series is bad or mid, I'd recommend you to drop this one. In my case, I'm still curious, so I'll probably watch a new season if it's announced.