Buzzer Beater
Encyclopedia
is a manga
series by Takehiko Inoue
. The series debuted on the web
and was later published in print format by Shueisha
, being serialized in its Monthly Shōnen Jump
manga magazine. It can be read on Inoue's website in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
. The name of the manga comes from the term
used for when a basket is scored at the same moment a period or the game itself ends. The story revolves around a basketball
team from Earth assembled to participate in an intergalactic basketball
competition. The web comic is released in four languages.
The original Japanese web comic is on Inoue's site, just like the others. All text in the talk bubbles was manually written by Inoue, although altered in the foreign adaptions, specifically for translation. The English translation leaves all the Japanese sound effects untranslated. None of the manga is edited. The manga's Korean translation has a completely different designed page, also replacing the Japanese sound effects with a Korean translation drawn by Inoue. The same translation was serialized in Daiwon C.I.
's manhwa
magazine; Comic Champ
, also published under its Champ Comics line. The Chinese translation is directly translated from the Korean one.
and premiered on WOWOW
from February 5, 2005, ending its run on May 7, 2005. A second 13 episode series, continuing the story and also animated by TMS, premiered on Nippon Television
on July 4, 2007 and ended its run on September 26, 2007. Both anime adaptations were supervised by Inoue. The anime series includes story elements and characters that were either hinted at or did not originally appear in the manga.
Position: Point guard
An orphaned street kid and boisterous 14 year old who survived on the streets by hustling adult basketball players with his phenomenal skills. He was selected to the Earth All-Star team because of his superhuman speed. Hideyoshi is prone to paralyzing migraines during practice or in games. It was later revealed by DT that he is growing horns because he is a half-Goran taken from the symptoms, and DT's self history. Hideyoshi wears a wristband made of unique elastic material found only on the planet Goru, the sole memento from his unknown parents.
Cha-che
Jersey #:2
Position: Shooting guard
The teenage granddaughter of the team's creator, Yoshimune. Cha-che wanted nothing more than pleasing his grandfather and making his long-term dream come true: lead a complete team of Earthlings that will eventually conquer the Intergalactic League. She challenged Maru to a shooting match in order to join the team, where she sank a half-court shot. She is an extremely good sharpshooter who sank 2 10-point baskets early in the game against the Swallows, the first team they faced. In the anime, her shooting skills was the basis of a comeback which allowed her team to triumph over the Smoky Kings.
DT
Jersey #:9
Position: Point guard
Earth's best point guard, with speed and mind numbing play. "DT" is a nickname that he gave himself, referring to his ability to put his opponents and teammates into a state of "dream time" when he plays. He has a friendly rivalry with Hideyoshi, similar to that between Sakuragi and Rukawa from Slam Dunk
. DT is a former Goran, but broke off his horns when they began to manifest themselves when he was a teenager, and thus wears his trademark skull cap to hide the scars.
Ivan
Jersey #:55
Position: Power Forward
A 15 year old that looks like a full-grown man. He met Hideyoshi during the elimination match to recruit players. He is the reigning shotblocking king of state R.
Maru
Jersey #:7
Position: Shooting guard
A player whose specialty is shooting. He was known as the JBA's "shooting android", however it is shown that during the final minutes of an all-deciding match, he missed two free throws and then made one which he was purposely trying to miss. He revealed that he had then undergone "tough physical and mental training". In the anime, he was not able to show his skills against the Smoky Kings, missing all of his shots, however became a key part of the team in later matches. He is a fond parent who loves his children dearly.
Mo
Jersey #:35
Position: Center
A former sumo wrestler. He is 220 cm. tall and a monster under the basket with his physique and skills.
Rose
Jersey #:8
Position: Point guard
He is stylish in purple. He loses to DT in the PG match because of his temper. He didn't go into the game vs. the Swallows because he had an injury.
Lazuli
Jersey #:21
Position: Small forward
A tall player who turns out to be a woman. In the anime, Lazuli was originally the captain of the Smoky Queens, a Goran team in the Underground League who often cheat to victory, and are notorious for injuring and brawling with their opponents. After Yoshimune's team defeated them, Lazuli joined the team on their quest to conquer the intergalactic league. Lazuli is an admirer of Apiru, the ace player for the Swallows who also happens to be a woman.
Han
Jersey #:12(manga only), #5(anime
)
Position: Point guard
/Small forward
He is a tall PG, tall enough to be a center, second only to Mo in terms of height http://www.itplanning.co.jp/bbimages/body.img/BE79/FBEAT79.HTML. He was in the Earth's team because of his elegant ball-handling skills. He is calm in the match against DT for the PG position but was unable to show his real skills. He was deployed as SF against the Swallows. In the anime
version, his number is #5.
Yoshimune
The extremely wealthy millionaire who oversaw the recruitment and formation of the Earth's team in his bid to win the Intergalactic league. Although 77, he is still vigorous and takes an active role in overseeing the team's training and play during games.
Liz Murdoch
Liz is the coach for the Earth team, and is half Goran. Her father, Mr. Murdoch, is the Goran president of the Intergalactic Basketball League.
Other characters
There are three other alternate players on the team who are not named.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series by Takehiko Inoue
Takehiko Inoue
is a Japanese manga artist, best known for the basketball manga Slam Dunk, which has become a success both in Japan and overseas. Many of his works are about basketball, Inoue himself being a huge fan of the sport, and many Japanese children started to play basketball because they read the manga...
. The series debuted on the web
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
and was later published in print format by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
, being serialized in its Monthly Shōnen Jump
Monthly Shonen Jump
is a now defunct monthly shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Shueisha from 1970 to 2007 under the Jump line of magazines. It was the sister magazine to Weekly Shōnen Jump.- History :...
manga magazine. It can be read on Inoue's website in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
Manga
Buzzer Beater is Inoue's second manga to focus on basketball, following his very successful second manga series, Slam DunkSlam Dunk (manga)
is a sports-themed manga series written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shōhoku High School. It was first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan from 1990 to 1996 and had also been adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation which had been broadcast worldwide,...
. The name of the manga comes from the term
Buzzer beater
In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end-of-quarter or halftime buzzer...
used for when a basket is scored at the same moment a period or the game itself ends. The story revolves around a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team from Earth assembled to participate in an intergalactic basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. The web comic is released in four languages.
The original Japanese web comic is on Inoue's site, just like the others. All text in the talk bubbles was manually written by Inoue, although altered in the foreign adaptions, specifically for translation. The English translation leaves all the Japanese sound effects untranslated. None of the manga is edited. The manga's Korean translation has a completely different designed page, also replacing the Japanese sound effects with a Korean translation drawn by Inoue. The same translation was serialized in Daiwon C.I.
Daiwon C.I.
Daewon C.I. , short for Daewon Culture Industry, is a subsidiary of Daewon Media founded in 1991. This South Korean publisher releases domestic and imported comics, Newtype Korea Magazine, children's books, and light novels. With Haksan Culture Company and Seoul Cultural Publishers, Daewon C.I...
's manhwa
Manhwa
Manhwa is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons . Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua...
magazine; Comic Champ
Comic Champ
is a biweekly magazine published in South Korea by Daiwon C.I.. It specializes in serializations of domestic Korean and imported Japanese comics. Titles serialized in Comic Champ are collected into volumes and published under the Champ Comics imprint....
, also published under its Champ Comics line. The Chinese translation is directly translated from the Korean one.
Anime
Buzzer Beater is also Inoue's second manga series to have been adopted into an anime. A 13 episode TV series was produced by TMS EntertainmentTokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
and premiered on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
from February 5, 2005, ending its run on May 7, 2005. A second 13 episode series, continuing the story and also animated by TMS, premiered on Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
on July 4, 2007 and ended its run on September 26, 2007. Both anime adaptations were supervised by Inoue. The anime series includes story elements and characters that were either hinted at or did not originally appear in the manga.
Characters
Jersey #:1Position: Point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
An orphaned street kid and boisterous 14 year old who survived on the streets by hustling adult basketball players with his phenomenal skills. He was selected to the Earth All-Star team because of his superhuman speed. Hideyoshi is prone to paralyzing migraines during practice or in games. It was later revealed by DT that he is growing horns because he is a half-Goran taken from the symptoms, and DT's self history. Hideyoshi wears a wristband made of unique elastic material found only on the planet Goru, the sole memento from his unknown parents.
Cha-che
Jersey #:2
Position: Shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
The teenage granddaughter of the team's creator, Yoshimune. Cha-che wanted nothing more than pleasing his grandfather and making his long-term dream come true: lead a complete team of Earthlings that will eventually conquer the Intergalactic League. She challenged Maru to a shooting match in order to join the team, where she sank a half-court shot. She is an extremely good sharpshooter who sank 2 10-point baskets early in the game against the Swallows, the first team they faced. In the anime, her shooting skills was the basis of a comeback which allowed her team to triumph over the Smoky Kings.
DT
Jersey #:9
Position: Point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Earth's best point guard, with speed and mind numbing play. "DT" is a nickname that he gave himself, referring to his ability to put his opponents and teammates into a state of "dream time" when he plays. He has a friendly rivalry with Hideyoshi, similar to that between Sakuragi and Rukawa from Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk (manga)
is a sports-themed manga series written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shōhoku High School. It was first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan from 1990 to 1996 and had also been adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation which had been broadcast worldwide,...
. DT is a former Goran, but broke off his horns when they began to manifest themselves when he was a teenager, and thus wears his trademark skull cap to hide the scars.
Ivan
Jersey #:55
Position: Power Forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
A 15 year old that looks like a full-grown man. He met Hideyoshi during the elimination match to recruit players. He is the reigning shotblocking king of state R.
Maru
Jersey #:7
Position: Shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
A player whose specialty is shooting. He was known as the JBA's "shooting android", however it is shown that during the final minutes of an all-deciding match, he missed two free throws and then made one which he was purposely trying to miss. He revealed that he had then undergone "tough physical and mental training". In the anime, he was not able to show his skills against the Smoky Kings, missing all of his shots, however became a key part of the team in later matches. He is a fond parent who loves his children dearly.
Mo
Jersey #:35
Position: Center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
A former sumo wrestler. He is 220 cm. tall and a monster under the basket with his physique and skills.
Rose
Jersey #:8
Position: Point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
He is stylish in purple. He loses to DT in the PG match because of his temper. He didn't go into the game vs. the Swallows because he had an injury.
Lazuli
Jersey #:21
Position: Small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
A tall player who turns out to be a woman. In the anime, Lazuli was originally the captain of the Smoky Queens, a Goran team in the Underground League who often cheat to victory, and are notorious for injuring and brawling with their opponents. After Yoshimune's team defeated them, Lazuli joined the team on their quest to conquer the intergalactic league. Lazuli is an admirer of Apiru, the ace player for the Swallows who also happens to be a woman.
Han
Jersey #:12(manga only), #5(anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
)
Position: Point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
/Small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
He is a tall PG, tall enough to be a center, second only to Mo in terms of height http://www.itplanning.co.jp/bbimages/body.img/BE79/FBEAT79.HTML. He was in the Earth's team because of his elegant ball-handling skills. He is calm in the match against DT for the PG position but was unable to show his real skills. He was deployed as SF against the Swallows. In the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
version, his number is #5.
Yoshimune
The extremely wealthy millionaire who oversaw the recruitment and formation of the Earth's team in his bid to win the Intergalactic league. Although 77, he is still vigorous and takes an active role in overseeing the team's training and play during games.
Liz Murdoch
Liz is the coach for the Earth team, and is half Goran. Her father, Mr. Murdoch, is the Goran president of the Intergalactic Basketball League.
Other characters
There are three other alternate players on the team who are not named.