Shonen Sunday

2000 Issue 24
Published by Shogakukan
Update by Eri Izawa

What is SUNDAY?
SHONEN SUNDAY is one of the largest weekly manga magazines in Japan. Containing some of the latest and hottest boys' manga series in Japan, SUNDAY has hosted such notables as RANMA 1/2 and the currently popular MEITANTEI CONAN.
Selected Overview:
In the previous issue (dual 22-23), Adachi Mitsuru (H2, TOUCH, MIYUKI) returned to the pages of SHONEN SUNDAY with a brand new production: ITSUMO MISORA ("ALWAYS MISORA"). Called "a drama of a girl," the opening color pages prominently feature an Oscar Academy Award and a picture of our gutsy heroine, bandage on cheek, kicking out energetically. Apparently this story will tie into the Oscars somehow.
The story itself starts with a stampede of pigs on school grounds, another well-placed kick by our heroine (complete with characteristic Adachi Mitsuru crotch-shot) and the unexpected meeting of two old groups of enemies, both of whom appear to be new members of the "rental club" at the school (replete with jokes about rental golf clubs). The "rental club" exists purely to help established sports club at the school fill in their numeric ranks during matches and tournaments.
If this description so far sounds rather mixed-up, with many new and weird things all happening very quickly, it accurately matches the first few pages of this series.
To summarize, the reader finds out that our 12-year-old, kickboxing heroine Sakajou Misora and her two male friends Mihashi Ryuudou and Murata Jyuushirou have just entered junior high. There they meet another trio against whom they have a long-standing grudge: a girl named Kokubo Miyako and two boys, Kasuga Chiyonosuke and Kitajima Kouta. In Issue 24, we learn a little more about their old grudge. Four years before, our heroine's friends had been attending a nature camp. They had just befriended a stray cat and had been walking along, minding their own business, when they came upon the other trio running in the opposite direction and carrying watermelons. After being given a watermelon by the other group, our heroine and friends quickly discovered the watermelon had been stolen. Now mistaken for the "trio of delinquents," our heroes are chased off a cliff by angry adults and quickly develop a dislike for those other kids. That very night, in a showdown between them near an old shrine (in which sits their new cat), some misdirected fireworks resulted in a fiery explosion that knocked all of them out and burned down the shrine.
Meanwhile, back in the present, Misora remembers seeing a strange old man around the time of the explosion. She can't remember what he said, but the friends figure it might have something to do with the ornate box she carried out of the shrine. However, on the night of her 13th birthday, Misora dreams and remembers the old man and his words: "Thank you, boys and girls. In gratitude, I bestow a power upon each of you courageous people, on the day you reach the age of thirteen." Her bedroom clock shows it is just past midnight. The mysterious cat watches from nearby. Misora is 13-years-old.
So, what will happen? With Adachi Mitsuru's classic combination of great art, good stories and the occasionally aggravating fascination with girls' butts, who knows? Stay tuned.