An essay, by Andres Lema & Mariana Alamos

Unfit fitness

“It makes me immensely proud to know that I’ve made a contribution to Japanese football.” Those words belong to Yoichi Takahashi, the creator of the manga Captain Tsubasa. And that phrase seems  to be relevant when we confirm that the influence of his creation made the national football team of Japan not only debut in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but also qualify for the following World Cups ever since. Such influence is credited by the constant growing of football popularity in Japan. That is why, the manga and especially the anime, which was created two years later, have been regarded as the correct prescription for increasing football’s motivation in that country. Moreover, that influence has crossed oceans and cultures due to the fact that the anime has been translated into several languages and the Japanese names adapted to a more occidental lifestyle. In Latin America, the anime is known as Super Campeones and the main characters are Oliver, Bruce, Steve, Benji and Andy. But can we find side effects in a worldwide famous programme? Harmful effects, such as parental pressure over children, focus on winning rather than on participating or painful training seem to have been outshined by the beneficial effect of the anime.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), overweight and obesity in the under-twenty-year-old Latin-American population range from 20% to 25%, i.e. 1 out of 4 children or adolescents has one of these affections. WHO points out that junk food and lack of physical activity are the main contributors to overweight and obesity. That is why some may not agree on paying attention to the negatives aspects of the anime, such as extreme competition, and just celebrate that a TV programme encourages physical fitness. However, we consider that Captain Tsubasa promotes unhealthy competition.

The role of parents is really decisive because they exert pressure over their children in subtle and direct ways. Tsubasa (Oliver) is obsessed with football, his motto being “The ball is your friend". His obsession is backed up by his father, who is usually absent as he works in the navy. Still, he sends a former professional Brazilian footballer, Roberto Zedinho, to train and make his son a sport hero. Tsubasa's mother is his first fan. She supports him daily but she doesn't correct her son when he doesn't do his school homework or doesn't inform her where he is.  She wants Tsubasa to become a football star, too. But she is not the only example of parental oppression. Ryo Ishizaki, best known as Bruce, is one of Tsubasa's mates. His mother is always at the stadium watching his matches and madly shouting to her son that he must be the best. In one episode of the anime, it is raining heavily and Ryo Ishizaki's mother is allowed to be around the bench and offers her son and his football mates some tea to prevent them from getting flu. Her son and his mates will not feel ill, but his opponents will in the following chapter. What mother will allow her child to face a storm and give a hot beverage as if it possesses magical properties? Parents in the anime drop unnoticeable but strong hints about how a champion must behave and suffer.

The main characters are able to perform amazing but at the same time impossible dribblings and passes. To achieve that perfection, the players must train harder than their opponents do by being exposed to extended training periods. And when all the players, struggling for breath, are allowed to go to the changing room, Tsubasa continues practicing his 'Drive Shoot'. Due to his determination and stubbornness, Tsubasa masters this technique. During one match, he makes a plea to the coach to continue playing, even though he has a badly injured shoulder, because he has promised to himself to perform that shot in that match. Would a couch put his best player at risk just for a promise?

Throughout the whole anime, it is clearly showed that losing is unacceptable and that successful footballers can show off. These situations are portrayed by different characters, for example, by Kojiro (Steve), who is famous in Japan for his 'Tiger Shoot". He is able to perform this powerful shoot from the mid-field and to break the opponents' nets. And he boasts about this ability, encouraging other footballers to compete against him. But ironically, when Kojiro becomes a member of the Japan Football National Team, he is expelled by the coach alleging that his shots are too weak, so Kojiro cannot be accepted in that team. He will not be allowed to be a member of the team unless his shoots are strong enough to go through a sea wave. Another conceited character is Genzo (Benji Price), an excellent goalkeeper, but at the same time an authoritarian vain boy. He is not only admired, but also praised and respected for having such negative qualities. Although Genzo mistreats his mates and does not accept 'losers' in his team, they love him and feel that they deserve being mistreated because Genzo is someone superior to them just for having some football skills.

"My heart is still beating" says Misugi Jun, Andy Johnson in the Spanish version, who is holding his chest while he reveals his mates and opponents he suffers a heart illness. That is why he has never played for more than 15 minutes. During an important match, he decides to play the whole game even though his decision may cost his life. His friends, coach, manager and even his parents, who are watching motionless from the galleries, support his decision. He plays the entire game and of course, he does not die. All his friends and opponents express that it has been an honour to have been chosen by Misugi Jun to watch him almost sacrifice his life on the football pitch.

Although the anime has encouraged some talented Japanese footballers, for instance, Sotaro Yasunaga and others from around the world, such as Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta, we shouldn't turn a blind eye to the adverse effects the manga fosters. The match between "No pain, no gain" vs "Healthy competition" is still being played and broadcast. So far, the former is beating the latter. But the questions are:  which of them are you going to support? Are you going to let your children enjoy the anime and be exposed to negative influences and wrong values?