Dear Boys (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese sports manga series written and illustrated by Hiroki Yagami. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Magazine from June 1989 to January 1997, with its chapters collected in 23 volumes. The story concerns the progress of the Mizuho High School basketball team as it attempts to win the prefectural championship. It also deals with the relationship between the players on the team, especially the two main characters Kazuhiko Aikawa and Takumi Fujiwara. Dear Boys has spawned other manga series, also published in Monthly Shōnen Magazine: Dear Boys The Early Days (1997); Dear Boys Act II (1997–2008); Dear Boys Act 3 (2008–2015); Dear Boys Over Time (2016–2017); and Dear Boys Act 4 (2018–present). A 26-episode anime television series adaptation of the original series, produced by OB Planning and animated by A.C.G.T, was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April to September 2003. In North America, the series was licensed by Bandai Entertainment and released under the title Hoop Days. By March 2019, the overall Dear Boys manga series has sold over 45 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In 2007, Dear Boys Act II won the 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the category.

Plot

At the outset of the manga, the Mizuho High School basketball team is in trouble, as there are not enough players to play a game. Additionally, the coach has left after a conflict with Fujiwara. However, Aikawa transfers to Mizuho and through his enthusiasm and sheer love of the game, infuses the few remaining members with a sense of purpose. Despite the fact that there are only five of them (i.e., they have no substitutes), they manage to get the coach of the girls' team to coach them as well. At first, she seems very strict, but later reveals her attachment to her "Dear Boys". Together, they do their best to make their dreams come true and take their team to the top of the prefecture.

Characters

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Hiroki Yagami, Dear Boys was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Magazine from June 1989 to January 1997. Kodansha collected its chapters in 23 volumes, released from 16 December 1989 to 17 March 1997. Other related series and sequels, published in the same magazine, have been released:

Video games

A video game, published by Yutaka for the Super Famicom, was released on 20 October 1994. Another video game, titled Dear Boys: Fast Break!, published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, was released on 18 September 2003.

Anime

A 26-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by OB Planning and animated by A.C.G.T, aired on TV Tokyo from 8 April to 30 September 2003. Da Pump performed the opening theme "Sound of Bounce", while Chris Sasaki (credited as Chris) performed the ending theme "Baller no Shōgō" (Ballerの章号). In North America, the series was licensed by Bandai Entertainment in 2004. They released it under the title Hoop Days; episodes were partially released on two DVD sets on 28 June and 23 August 2005 and a "Complete Collection" was later released on 5 June 2006. The series was licensed in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, who released a Complete Collection set on 6 September 2006. Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia and was broadcast on Animax Asia.

Episodes

Reception

By March 2019, the overall Dear Boys manga series had sold over 45 million copies. In 2007, Dear Boys Act II received 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the category.