Similar Story (and Romance) to SOLDIER!Cloud dynamic in 90s Shounen Manga
Final Fantasy VII is more than the Love Triangle. And luckily for me who grows up with many 90s manga, I find this similarity so I know which pair is the canon one. Yep, I want to share a similar dynamic to SOLDIER!Cloud without having an alien cell in your body. This comes from a 90s soccer manga that won Kodansha Awards for best shounen, the title is SHOOT! The manga was ongoing in 1990-1996 (37 volumes) but it also has one prequel, two sequels, one spin-off, anime adaptation, and a live-action movie.
The main focus of the first title is about the main character becoming the legend's successor/legacy.
left to right (as I would mention their name here): Kamiya, Kubo, Kazuhiro, Kenji, and Toshi
Toshihiko Tanaka (16 yo) was an ace in Kakenishi Middle School’s Soccer Club. Along with his best friends, Kazuhiro Hiramatsu (winger) and Kenji Shiraishi (goal keeper), they study in Kakegawa High to join the soccer club because they admire the captain, Kubo Yoshiharu (17 yo).
Kubo is a talented player with a bright future. He joined a junior team of a soccer club in West Germany (Frankfurt? I forget) when his parents worked there. As Yoshiharu family returned to Japan, many schools want to recruit him but he prefers to be the founder of his own team in a school that had no soccer club. It's also a bit controversial since he invited a troublemaker player named Kamiya Atsushi to establish a team together from zero. Well, his character is those who could see other people's potency and encourage them. He's also an idealist and values freedom that no one can dictate him and his team (that's why he doesnt wanna join famous high school soccer club). In his first year, the underestimated team reached the semi-finals of the prefecture qualification that inspired Toshi. In a short, Kubo is someone Toshi look up to and want to be. But Toshi is just an awkward dork who is even insecure towards Kazuhiro's talent. Though, Kubo notices Toshi's hidden strength in his left leg and gives him special training.
Toshi has a crush on the club's manager and classmate, Kazumi Endo, but he is too shy to show it. And since volume 01 show Toshi impressing Kazumi on the cover, we've known that they're love interest here. Meanwhile, Kubo has a girlfriend he has been dating since first grade, Minako Kitahara. Whenever Kubo is surrounded by journalist and/or his fans, Minako would take Toshi's hand and drag him to accompany her in the cafe like going on a date. Kazumi herself are close to the Trio Kakenishi but she's jealous of Minako who is playful with Toshi. I need to note that Kazumi is a delinquent girl and usually end up bickering with Toshi. Though, the anime adaptation turns her to be Trio Kakenishi's childhood friends and portray her more sweetie. In short, the manga is less romantic than the anime adaptation if that's what you seek. But the manga has many running gags that would make you laugh out loud.
Snippets of the "love square" lol
In summer tournament, Kakegawa High meet a difficult opponent at the prefecture semifinal. The team is behind by score 1-2 and almost desperate. Seeing that, Kubo then makes what public would call it "legendary goal." He does a goal to goal by passing 11 opponent players to make a draw 2-2, giving the team hope. He collapses after that and entrusts Toshi to make the winning goal in the last 10 minutes with the deadly shot Kubo has trained him, "meteor shot". Toshi makes it, the team wins their first prefecture semifinal which means surpassing the last year achievement.... but they lose their beloved captain.
Kubo dies the way he lived; loving soccer and playing it with all his heart. He didn't tell anyone on the team (even to Kamiya, his best friend, and Minako, his girlfriend) about his leukemia, he didn't listen to his doctor to stop playing soccer, and sometimes he cried alone in the club room knowing his illness could take his life anytime but he doesn't wanna give up on his dream. That goal is his greatest accomplishment but it also gives you a glimpse of just how far he could've gotten in soccer if he wasn't ill. Who lose him is not only his team, but also his rival, and the public who wanna see his career in national team. Still grieving, the team couldn't play properly in the final right the next day and lost by a score 7-1. The smile Kubo gave Toshi right before the semifinal match and asked him "Toshi, do you like soccer?" is something he would never forget.
Their summer is over, with the hole left by Kubo's death. (Vol. 08)
Minako is praying for Kubo from the tribune. Anyway, watch Kubo's legendary goal and last stand here --> (anime) (live action)
The team slowly moves on and prepares themselves for the winter tournament. Kamiya is the captain now. But when Toshi is given Kubo's jersey, number 10, he doubts himself and feels the weight is too heavy for carrying Kubo's legacy. Kamiya tells Toshi this is Kubo's desire, that he has prepared Toshi to be his successor. But Toshi is too nervous in the field because the media set a high standard about him while he isn't ready to be compared with Kubo. At the first match of the tournament, the team wins 7-0 but Toshi, as center forward, doesn't make any goal. Kazumi tries to support Toshi genuinely but it doesn't end well. Minako, then fills this blank.
Just like the old days, Minako keeps telling him that he and Kubo are similar in the way they pursue their dream and passion for soccer, that he reminds her a lot of Kubo. She encourages Toshi to believe that he can be a star like Kubo. Toshi is attracted to her despite his feelings for Kazumi. But... she always goes on dates with Toshi in the places Kubo went on dates with her. She also gives Toshi cola after club because it's Kubo's favorite drink although Toshi prefers Pocari Sweat. Though, Toshi becomes overconfident and cocky that he can do everything Kubo did in the field. In qualification matches, it works. He makes goals after goals and the team is happy. Only Kamiya reacts indifferently about it.
At this point, I think this is similar to SOLDIER!Cloud copying Zack's mannerism and 'becoming' him… with Aerith being attracted to Cloud because of their similarity and missing Zack so badly.
And finally, Toshi makes blunder because he always tries so hard to copy Kubo's technique, tries to become Kubo. But Kamiya saves the team. After the match, he's angry at Toshi and punches him because this is not what Kubo meant about Toshi being his legacy, that he and Kubo is a very different person in the field. Realizing his mistake, Toshi meets Minako and tells her to not meet him again. And he says sorry because he isn't Kubo. She cries, admitting that she feels very lonely since Kubo is gone. This happens in volume 12.
Long story short, Toshi become his real self after that, be more confident, and he would honor Kubo's legacy no matter what, carrying his dream along with his own and the team, not feeling burdened anymore. Minako is also not in denial state anymore, she put Kubo's picture again on the desk which she hid after his death, and watches Kakegawa matches again despite him not being there physically. Kakegawa team doesn't just surpass the prefecture tournament (vol. 15), but they also win the national tournament (vol. 28).
See? Cloud & Toshi just need to be confident and be themselves. Their fake self just make a blunder.
Toshi eventually ends up with Kazumi. I dont really care of their romance tbh because it's slow burn that even needs two sequels to have them finally kiss! But it's clear to see how Toshi having feelings for Kazumi from the beginning and missing her so much when she's busy with her career as model/idol. Kazumi also never has an eye to another guy although Kazuhiro also have a crush on her and confess it. The compilation of SHOOT ends with Toshi becoming a player in Real Madrid and winning a match in the World Cup 2002 against Germany.
By the way, the live action of SHOOT! (produced in 1994) is centered more in the romance between Kubo, Minako, Toshi, and Kazumi since it's just 90 minutes movie and the actors aren't that great playing soccer. But Takuya Kimura won an awards as breakthrough actor for playing Kubo. And if you wanna follow the series, the anime ends up in winning the prefecture winter tournament, equivalent to vol. 15. The manga is much more than that since it has total 37 volumes.
Anyway, enough talking about the romance, I personally recommend SHOOT! to you because the match itself is realistic and the mangaka used references from real football players at that era such as Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Maradona, etc. Kakegawa's total football is also inspired from Dutch National Team. This is not Captain Tsubasa who have magical shoots! The almighty player who can do everything like Tsubasa is Kubo and he's doomed by the narrative. Despite being the MC, Toshi himself is not the center in the Kakegawa team because the leadership is on Kamiya and the playmaker is on Kazuhiro. After Kamiya graduates, the captain ban is passed on Kazuhiro. While Toshi end up in Real Madrid, Kamiya is in Juventus, and Kazuhiro is in Arsenal.
More importantly, I wouldn't recommend it if it didn't win a Manga Awards. It's proved. SHOOT! really shows how soccer is a teamwork effort. Every readers will remember all the names of Kakegawa's main line-up and their position, not just 5 people. And not only Toshi whom Kubo gave special & secret training, the team itself is the legacy he created from zero.
