Dad's Comic Life

Ren was stunned as he read the rejection notice.

The problem wasn't with his story or that someone else had stolen his idea. The issue lay with the characters' moves.

Yes, their soccer techniques.

The Football Association felt the skills depicted in Captain Tsubasa were unrealistic.

In other words, the crazy moves and rules from Captain Tsubasa made the officials feel like Newton's laws of physics had been utterly disregarded.

To be fair, Ren had often felt the same way about Captain Tsubasa in his previous life.

While the manga did feature some advanced techniques inspired by real-life soccer, the over-the-top special moves and stunts imagined by Yoichi Takahashi were downright fantastical.

Examples included:

A dual-player shot where two players kicked the ball together to achieve a superpowered strike.A shot so powerful it could send the ball, the goalkeeper, and several defenders flying into the net.Ball control so perfect it allowed characters to glide across the field as though surfing on the ball itself.

Yet, it was precisely these exaggerated moves that made the sport so appealing to kids.

In his previous life, Ren himself was drawn to soccer by the sheer coolness of those moves.

It seemed that while this world was more open-minded about manga, the officials in the Football Association remained rather conservative.

"Fine, I'll revise it."

With the rejection notice in hand, Ren took his drafts back to his desk, ready to make adjustments.

But as he worked, something didn't sit right.

Without those gravity-defying moves, the story felt incomplete.

"A scientifically accurate Captain Tsubasa just isn't Captain Tsubasa," Ren muttered, tapping his finger on the desk as he racked his brain.

Then an idea struck him.

What if he combined elements of Slam Dunk and Captain Tsubasa?

A New Vision

Ren's eyes lit up. He recalled bits of Slam Dunk and Captain Tsubasa, thinking about how their strengths could complement each other.

In his previous life, Ren had read a soccer web novel called The Forbidden Zone Fox, which shared a similar vibe. He figured he could create something akin to that, though it would require some significant changes.

For instance, character positions needed rethinking.

Take Akagi Takenori, the gorilla-like captain from Slam Dunk. In basketball, he was a center known for his strong offensive play. But Ren felt Akagi's true strength lay in his defense, like an impenetrable wall. In soccer, Akagi might be better suited as a center-back or defensive midfielder.

Then there was Hanamichi Sakuragi, the brash protagonist. In basketball, he was a power forward, excelling in rebounding. Translating this to soccer was tricky. While his rebounding skills suggested a role as a goalkeeper, Sakuragi wasn't just about rebounds—he had the versatility to excel as either a center-back or striker.

Rukawa Kaede, the talented and cool-headed small forward, was a scoring machine in basketball. Ren felt Rukawa would make an excellent striker or winger in soccer.

Other characters like Mitsui Hisashi and Kogure Kiminobu also found their new positions in Ren's soccer lineup, based on their basketball skills and personalities.

Although basketball and soccer positions didn't directly correlate, Ren wasn't mapping them one-to-one. Instead, he assigned roles based on each character's strengths.

Defensive specialists went into defensive positions, while offensive talents took on scoring roles.

As for the goalkeeper? Ren decided to introduce a brand-new character for that position.

With this framework in mind, Ren's creativity began to flow.

Preserving Iconic Moments

While reworking the story, Ren ensured some iconic moments remained intact.

For instance, in Slam Dunk, Mitsui Hisashi was a brilliant shooter who temporarily left basketball due to a knee injury. He eventually returned, delivering the memorable line:

"Coach, I want to play basketball."

In Ren's soccer manga, Mitsui would still be a talented shooter, sidelined by injury and disillusionment. He'd say the same iconic line, but it would now be:

"Coach, I want to play soccer."

In fact, Ren realized he remembered Slam Dunk's plot more vividly than Captain Tsubasa's.

Of course, some parts of Slam Dunk's storyline were too intense to include.

For example, in the original manga, Mitsui became a delinquent and led a gang to destroy the basketball club. In Ren's adaptation, Mitsui wouldn't be a violent troublemaker but a disheartened teen who hung around with a few friends, mocking the soccer team from the sidelines.

After all, this manga was a collaboration with the Football Association and the Ministry of Education, unlike Ren's past works.

In his earlier comics, Ren had occasionally included scenes of gang fights or delinquency, but those were independent projects. This time, with official oversight, such content might get flagged and rejected.

If there were any conflict in the story, it would have to be toned down significantly.

Seeking Professional Advice

"Jada, tell the Football Association I'll need to visit them for some research," Ren said after finalizing his new concept.

The realism in Slam Dunk had been one of its strongest assets.

The manga's creator, Takehiko Inoue, was a basketball enthusiast, and his love for the sport shone through in the meticulous details of the games, tactics, and character movements.

To achieve a similar level of professionalism for his soccer manga, Ren needed guidance from real experts.

"Sure, but why?" Jada asked.

"I want this manga to be as authentic as possible," Ren explained. "Even if our national team's record isn't great, I'm sure their experience can help me portray soccer accurately."

Jada chuckled, "I'll make the arrangements. Just try not to get caught up in one of their press conferences."