is a Japanese manga

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...

 written and illustrated by Katsutoshi Kawai. The manga was serialized in Shogakukan

Shogakukan

is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...

 magazine Shōnen Sunday

Shonen Sunday

, first published on March 17, 1959, is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan. Contrary to its title, Weekly Shōnen Sunday issues are released on Wednesdays.- History :...

from 1996 to 2005. The manga spawned two 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....

 series, Monkey Turn and Monkey Turn V, which were both produced by Oriental Light and Magic and aired on TV Tokyo

TV Tokyo

is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...

 throughout 2004. The manga series won the Shogakukan Manga Award

Shogakukan Manga Award

The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...

 in the shōnen

Shonen

The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...

category in 2000.

Plot

The series follows Kenji Hatano, a young man who sets out to master conquer the world of kyōtei

Kyotei

The , literally "boat racing" and referred to as BOAT RACE, is a hydroplane racing event primary held in Japan. It is one of Japan's four , which are sports events where parimutuel betting is legal.Kyōtei was introduced in Japan in 1952...

(hydroplane racing

Hydroplane racing

Hydroplane racing is a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers. It is a popular spectator sport in several countries.-International Professional Outboard Hydroplane Racing:...

). Over the course of the series he develops a serious rivalry with fellow racer Hiro Doguchi.

Characters

Kenji Hatano

Initially a high school student who was dreaming of being a professional baseball player but then quit after losing this match against this other school. His teacher saw talent in Hatano then introduces him into the world of motorboat racing. He promises to become the top racer in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 within three years. He realizes this feat by mastering the "monkey turn" a type of high speed cornering used in boat racing.

Masaya's principal rival, his style of racing is much reviled by other racers on the circuit.

Masaya's childhood friend and romantic interest. She is very supportive of Masaya, and attends all of his races.

Competition

Every year there are competitions in motorboat racing.Beginners will start at B2 they will slowly rank up by their winning percentage rate. At A1 they have a chance entering the Special Grade Cup(SG Cup)They need a certain percentage rate to go in the SG Cup. The people who can enter the SG Cup is 4 people from each area in Japan. There is also a Prize Money Cup . The prize money cup lasts for four days. And the people who can enter the Prize Money Cup is the top 12 prize money winners. Prize money cup is the last match for the whole year.

External links

• Monkey Turn at ShoPro Entertainment
  VIZ Media
  VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
  
  
• Monkey Turn at VAP