Kei Kurumazaki’s football manga focuses on the unsung heroes of the sport: defenders.
If someone tells you to think of a football manga/anime, the first names in your mind would probably be Blue Lock or Aoashi. Both of these titles are bonafide masterpieces in their own way, especially Blue Lock, which has taken the world by storm.
Despite being such a household name, Blue Lock, like most other football-related stories, focuses mostly on strikers. The premise of the story is literally to churn out 11 world-class strikers and putting them in a team together. But what about the other positions on the field?
In football, one of the most unsung yet thankless roles is that of the defenders. If the team loses, the fans blame them for letting the balls pass into the goalpost. But if the team wins, the strikers are the ones who take away the lion’s share of the golden glory. But die-hard football fans know that a good defense can make or break a team.
And in this manga spotlight, we are looking at a short but passionate story of such a young defender, who turns his life around after a teacher discovers his talents. “EMBERS” is a manga that burns bright, but leaves you wanting more…so much more.
EMBERS
Manga author: Kei Kurumazaki
Manga illustrator: Sotaro Nishii
Publisher: Shueisha
Where to read: MANGA Plus, Viz Media
What is EMBERS about?
Being only 20 chapters long, EMBERS has a very simple premise. The protagonist Noboru Haitani is a middle-school brawler who has never lost a fight. He indulges whoever comes to pick a bone with him and shows them their place. One day, an older teacher from their school challenges Haitani.
But instead of a fight, the teacher takes him to the field and tells him that if Haitani can take the football from him, he will win. Cocky after his previous victories, Haitani falls flat on his face after not being able to take the ball from his teacher even once. But he rises up to the challenge and practices following his teacher’s instructions.
The teacher, on the other hand, realises that every time he plays with Haitani, they end up by the fence. This means that although Haitani can never take the ball from him because of their skill gap, the middle schooler doesn’t let him pass either. He is like an impenetrable wall standing in between the player and their goal, which is one of the best qualities in a defender.
After training Haitani and his friends, they form a football team and play in a middle-school tournament against one of the best schools. Although they lost terribly, Haitani didn't let the other team’s ace Yuga Takami score a single goal for most of the match. At the end of the game, a new rivalry is born between Haitani and Takami.
After falling in love with football thanks to his teacher, Haitani works hard to get into the sports-centric high school his mentor used to attend. He passes, and gets into the school only to find out that Takami is also attending the same one. Forced to play in the same team and proving their worth to the existing players, the story of Haitani’s rise together with the deuteragonist Takami finally takes off. And together, they make history.
How embers become blazing infernos
The word “embers” literally means a small ignited remnant of a fire. Metaphorically, it’s often used to describe the smallest sparks of hope. Even if something has burned out, if an ember of it remains, the fire can glow again. The EMBERS manga proves it with every chapter.
The protagonist is Haitani, who was expected to turn to a life of crime after his notorious temper flared in middle school. But thanks to an amazing teacher, he found hope in football and dedicated his talents and power to the game. Takami, on the other hand, was showered with compliments all his life for his talents as a promising young striker.
But when he lost the last game of his middle school, the blame of the loss also came down crashing upon him. Just as his fire was about to be extinguished after being faced with defeat for the first time, Haitani came up and promised him that he will get the ball back to him as many times as necessary as long as Takami continues to try to score.
Together, they also become the beacon of hope for the fading powerhouse Kosei High, who lost last year’s prefectural tournament to the domineering Kurobayashi team. The team’s struggle to get to the Nationals while also polishing the two diamonds in the rough Takami and Haitani is the main plot point of the manga. And the closer they get to their goals, the more exciting the story becomes. To the point where you can’t help but keep scrolling until you find out what happens next. From barely-there embers to blazing infernos, the story truly knows how to build characters that you can’t help but cheer for.
This manga exists…for the love of the game
Meme references aside, EMBERS proves its creators’ love for football with every chapter. It’s short, but gives us a great idea about some of the best offense and defense tactics used in football. From how to bypass overwhelming physical disadvantages to learning how to dribble and pass as a newbie, we see it all. Haitani and Takami’s journey is inspirational to say the least, but the other characters also hold their weight.
This is especially true for Kosei’s coach and captain. The team’s captain Bugai is a cunning midfielder who acts as the bridge between the offense and defense. And wherever the rookies lack in experience, he makes up for with his deep understanding of the game.
The other attraction is Kosei’s coach, who is a third year high school girl. Shizuku might remind you of Riko Aida, who was the coach of Seirin High in Kuroko’s Basketball. Although their coaching styles are a bit different (I mean they are coaching two different sports), seeing a girl keeping a bunch of rowdy high school boys in check with her deep wisdom is always a treat to see.
The manga also introduces some great rivalries, but due to its short length, we never see them become fully formed. Despite that, we see some great matches and how the protagonists’ team overcomes their disadvantages in their games is really stimulating. Overall, the manga feels much like a short but eventful football match that you hope doesn’t end.
The art of EMBERS is its MVP
Just as a good defense can make or break a football game, the art can make or break a manga.
Thankfully, the art of EMBERS is nothing short of a masterclass in sports illustration. Every move is dynamic and every dramatic shot feels like it walked out of a terrifying horror manga. The true nature of Haitani’s monstrous power is embedded into each panel carefully.
All the characters also have unique faces, features, and characteristics, which feels like a gift when the games are moving fast. Even the more comical panels are drawn with care, drawing out funny moments in a dramatically serious sports manga. Sotaro Nishii’s art brings this manga’s story to life and I can’t wait to see more of his work in future.
Should you read EMBERS?
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 coming to an end on 19 July, fans might be going through withdrawal soon after such an exciting tournament. But if you are a manga fan, then you have nothing to worry about as you can read EMBERS and relive some of the glory days.
Whether you are a football fan or just enjoy sports manga and anime from time to time, EMBERS is for everyone. It’s short, fast, and extremely exciting to the point you can’t put it down midway through. It’s also finished, which means readers won’t have to wait for new chapters anymore.
However, as a manga fan who loves EMBERS, I do wish it were longer. I wanted to see Haitani and Takami become friends, rivals, and great players on the world stage together. The timeskip at the end of the manga is good, but it doesn’t satiate the thirst it creates with its short course. I can’t help but hope we get another such hype football manga soon, and with more chapters!
Who created the EMBERS manga?
The EMBERS manga is written by Kei Kurumazaki and illustrated by Sotaro Nishii.
Where can I read the EMBERS manga?
You can read the EMBERS manga on Shueisha’s MANGA Plus platform as well as on the Viz Media platform.