REAL (Japanese: リアル, Hepburn: Riaru) is a profound Seinen and Sports masterpiece created by Takehiko Inoue, the legendary author of Slam Dunk and Vagabond. Since its debut in 1999, it has been lauded as one of the most mature and emotionally resonant manga ever written, focusing on the grit of life rather than the glory of victory.

Unlike the high-flying action of Slam Dunk, REAL is a grounded, psychological drama centered on Wheelchair Basketball. It follows three young men, each shattered by tragedy or failure: Tomomi Nomiya, a high school dropout haunted by a motorcycle accident that left a girl paralyzed; Kiyoguchi Togawa, a former sprinter who lost his leg to bone cancer; and Hisanobu Takahashi, a former popular "alpha" student who becomes paralyzed from the waist down after a bicycle accident. The story isn't just about sports—it’s about the "real" struggle of finding a reason to live when your world has been destroyed.

Alternative Names by Language

リアル / Real / Реальность / ريل / เรียล / 真实 / 真實 / 리얼