Eyeshield 21 is like the most awesome thing in this world. Oh my god.
Got absolutely no knowledge nor passion for American Football? Doesn't matter. Football might as well be your favorite sport after finishing this manga.
Story - ES21 tells the story of our protagonist Sena Kobayakawa. He, like most shounen anime protagonists, is extremely weak, good-for-nothing, and is constantly bullied. The premise is actually very interesting, because Sena developed a skill which matches him being constantly bullied! Yes, the skill lies within his pair of legs.
Sena has always been special since the start, but being special doesn't mean that he has to be invincible. No, Sena tastes a lot of crushing defeat throughout this story, but nevertheless he just keeps on getting up, continue to fight on, and in the end emerges victorious. And it's not just Sena who's fighting, it's all of his teammates. It's the whole Deimon Devil Bats. Each members has their own story and their own passion.
The execution is BEAUTIFUL. This could probably be the most passionate sports series out there. All of the matches are amazing and you can go around re-reading it for many, many times. It is really weird how the duo mangakas could make all of them very interesting and even though there is a lot of them in this manga, none of them feels repetitive. Each of the matches are unique in their own way. The matches also have perfect length, just the perfect bit of drama, and as always, the satisfying conclusion. It shows how even when the team's on the brink of defeat, they can always get up and NAIL IT!! (with regards to common sense still)
The techniques. Sports mangas ought to have weird techniques, and what's really weird of this manga is: the godlike techniques don't seem weird at all... Maybe it's due to the explanation given, but at any rate, it's actually pretty realistic if you think about it (minus the weird visual effects of course). Some, well, like Don, might seem very unrealistic but hey, you can't take mangas too seriously.
The ending might seem really vague, especially the last match they have together (not gonna tell, read it read it READ IT YOU'LL REGRET NOTHING!!), but I think it's fine just the way it is. It left us kinda wondering at the end, so I would consider it a good cliffhanger ending.
Can't believe I have blabbered this much JUST for the story, but in short: the story is fricking awesome.
Art - Holy sh*tting goodness, the art is wonderful. The first 8 volumes will probably keep you "lol the art" but on the later volumes, oh my god once again: it's beautiful. One of the best art improvement I've ever seen. The later art looks really masculine and the techniques are very easy to understand. I really love how the movement just flows and it's like we can see the pictures moving. Even the anime couldn't animate this better. Yusuke Murata is pure genius. If you have read One Punch Man before ES21 you'll probably get blown away by the improvement.
Character - We have tons of characters here. Aside from the unique traits of each individual, the character development is also really great. Monta, after letting go of his longtime ambition, finally finds his true life on American Football. Hiruma learns to trust others and leave his back to his teammates. Kurita learns to, even though he's kind, to fight fiercely in order to protect what he cares for. The trio gets to understand their passion. Sakuraba matures and he leaves his old life behind to fully dedicate himself to being an athlete. And most of all, the one who grows up the most, is Sena, who throughout this series has grown, from a weak-willed boy into a very formidable young man with solid dreams, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to reach that dream of his.
Enjoyment - This is no doubt my favorite manga ever and I fully enjoy this. I mean, a LOT. Maybe the first 5 volumes will get you bored but believe me after volume 9, it is all action and it's freaking awesome. It gets better after each chapter, and all of the matches are very intriguing they will surely keep you glued to your seat.
To sum up from this longass review (the longest I've ever written): if you haven't read this manga, READ IT. It is a masterpiece.
