Aoashi (アオアシ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yūgo Kobayashi and based on a concept by Naohiko Ueno. It has been serialized in Shogakukan’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits since January 2015. The series involves youth football player Ashito Aoi and his journey and experiences in the Tokyo Esperion youth academy. An anime television series adaptation by Production I.G aired from April to September 2022.
As of August 2022, the manga had over 15 million copies in circulation. In 2020, the manga won the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category.
Aoashi tells the story of young Ashito Aoi in his third year at Ehime City Middle School and his meeting with football coach Tatsuya Fukuda. Ashito, although talented, is a difficult boy, but Fukuda believes in him and invites him to join his own team. Ashito could well change the face of Japanese football.
Ashito Aoi (青井 葦人, Aoi Ashito)
Voiced by: Kōki Ohsuzu (Japanese); Ciarán Strange (English)
Eisaku Ohtomo (大友 栄作, Ōtomo Eisaku)
Voiced by: Tatsumaru Tachibana (Japanese); Christopher Llewyn Ramirez, Ben Balmaceda (14–24) (English)
Sōichirō Tachibana (橘 総一朗, Tachibana Sōichirō)
Voiced by: Seiichirō Yamashita (Japanese); Clifford Chapin (English)
Keiji Togashi (冨樫 慶司, Togashi Keiji)
Voiced by: Taku Yashiro (Japanese); Marcus D. Stimac (English)
Kanpei Kuroda (黒田 勘平, Kuroda Kanpei)
Voiced by: Shun Horie (Japanese); Ry McKeand (English)
Jun Martis Asari (朝利 マーチス 淳, Asari Māchisu Jun)
Voiced by: Wataru Katō (Japanese); Mitchell Stephens (English)
Yūma Motoki (本木 遊馬, Motoki Yūma)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo (English)
Ryūichi Takeshima (竹島 龍一, Takeshima Ryūichi)
Voiced by: Kentarō Kumagai (Japanese); Austin Tindle (English)
Tatsuya Fukuda (福田 達也, Fukuda Tatsuya)
Voiced by: Chikahiro Kobayashi (Japanese); Eric Vale (English)
Nagisa Akutsu (阿久津 渚, Akutsu Nagisa)
Voiced by: Shunsuke Takeuchi (Japanese); Brienne Olvera (English)
Haruhisa Kuribayashi (栗林 晴久, Kuribayashi Haruhisa)
Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara
Hana Ichijō (一条 花, Ichijō Hana)
Voiced by: Maki Kawase (Japanese); Marisa Duran (English)
Nozomi Date (伊達 望, Date Nozomi)
Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto (Japanese); Robert McCollum (English)
Anri Kaidō (海堂 杏里, Kaidō Anri)
Voiced by: Reina Ueda (Japanese); Molly Zhang (English)
Taira Nakamura (中村 平, Nakamura Taira)
Voiced by: Kensho Ono (Japanese); Jason Liebrecht (English)
Yōichi Kiriki (桐木 曜一, Kiriki Yōichi)
Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama
Eita Takasugi (高杉 榮太, Takasugi Eita)
Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa (Japanese); Christopher Wehkamp (English)
Kenta Yoshitsune (義経 健太, Yoshitsune Kenta)
Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu (Japanese); David Matranga (English)
Aoi Kaneko (金子 葵, Kaneko Aoi)
Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu (Japanese); Giovannie Cruz (English)
Noriko Aoi (青井 紀子, Aoi Noriko)
Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)
Shun Aoi (青井 瞬, Aoi Shun)
Voiced by: Yoshiki Nakajima (Japanese); Blake McNamara (English)
Akinori Kaneda (金田 晃教, Kaneda Akinori)
Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi (Japanese); Cody Savoie (English)
Junnosuke Nakano (中野 淳之介, Nakano Junnosuke)
Voiced by: Koutaro Nishiyama (Japanese); Kevin D. Thelwell (English)
Chiaki Mutō (武藤 千秋, Mutō Chiaki)
Voiced by: Yūki Ono (Japanese); Ivan Jasso (English)
Kōji Satake (佐竹 晃司, Satake Kōji)
Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno (Japanese); Landon McDonald (English)
Miyako Tachibana (橘 都, Tachibana Miyako)
Voiced by: Kei Shindō (Japanese); Kat Lozano (English)
Aoashi is written and illustrated by Yūgo Kobayashi, and based on an original concept by Naohiko Ueno. It has been serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits since January 5, 2015. Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on April 30, 2015. As of August 30, 2022, twenty-nine volumes have been published.
The series is licensed in Southeast Asia by Shogakukan Asia.
A spin-off manga series, also written and illustrated by Kobayashi, titled Aoashi Brotherfoot (アオアシ ブラザーフット, Aoashi Burazāfutto), was serialized for five chapters in Weekly Big Comic Spirits from July 12 to August 23, 2021. Its chapters were collected in a single tankōbon volume, released on August 30, 2021.
An anime television series adaptation was announced in May 2021.
The series is produced by Production IAn anime television series adaptation was announced in May 2021. The series is produced by Production I.G and directed by Akira Satō, with scripts written by Masahiro Yokotani, and character designs by Manabu Nakatake, Toshie Kawamura, Asuka Yamaguchi, and Saki Hasegawa, with Nakatake and Yamaguchi also serving as chief animation directors. Masaru Yokoyama composed the series’ music. It aired from April 9 to September 24, 2022, on NHK Educational TV.
The second ending theme song is “Color Lily no Koibumi” by Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai. Crunchyroll has licensed the series outside of Asia. Disney Platform Distribution licensed the series in Southeast Asia.