In the world of manga, as in any other, you will find works that fit a certain criteria and with time you learn to know what to expect. You learn to know what to expect from Shonen Jump, you learn to know what to expect from a certain author, and so on. But every now and then, there comes a title that breaks from that and leaves you wondering what expectation is. Real is that sort of work.
I would be lying if I said that expecting great things from Takehiko Inoue isn't a thing. After all, he wrote what I consider (still to this day) the best sports manga, while he is also still working on Vagabond, which is also another one of those monstrous/bigger than life experiences.
I won't go on to spoil anything, but Real presents us with a subject that most people will not be familiar with, a set of characters that couldn't be more different from each other, ranging from pedantic, to eclectic. But the thing that sets Real apart from everything in any medium is its soul. It is extremely grounded, it is extremely real. You will feel emotions, you will move with the art, and you will cry.
You will cry.
I don't consider any fictional work to be perfect, but this as close as it may get. Not rating Real as a masterpiece is insanity.
Do yourself a favor, enjoy this.
