Angel Cup

There isn't much I can say about Angel Cup that would fully express how deep my love of this manhwa series is. The story, art and especially the characters eventually just drew me into loving it. Angel Cup is centers on a tomboyish girl named Soh-jin who loves soccer but gave it up at the end of middle school after failing to win MVP due to the superior skills of rival soccer team's star, Shin-bee. Soh-jin, who is actually an extremely proficient player, ends up attending a school where there is only a male soccer team. The male soccer team is famed for being talented and for having handsome players. Soh-jin who wishes to play soccer again and start anew, has to build a new female team from the ground up. Also at this same school is Shin-bee who too has given up on soccer for unknown reasons to Soh-jin. But, unintimidated, Soh-jin attempts to recruit Shin-bee into her new team. The manga follows Soh-jin's days filled with soccer, the scouting of the team and their matches against rival schools. The manhwa is filled with fun, ssuspenseful drama but more importantly, a heavy emphasis on sport. Personally, I find few sport mangas to focus less on romance and more on the sport. There are shojou mangas around that focus on the sport, e.g. 'Girl Got Game' but have too much of a slice-of-life asepct to it - take 'Suzuka' for example (Although I really love this manga XD).
The story is not one-of-a-kind but it isn't overused either because it is not ecchi and nor is it slice-of-life. What sets it apart from other sport mangas is its characters' individuality and the realism of their backgrounds. They have problems with various things - from their ego, health, menatality, etc. but this is what makes the manhwa so stunning and enjoyable. The manhwa stays (pretty much) on the more human side unlike 'Prince of Tennis' which features superhuman moves. The art is manhwa-like but it can't be criticised as it is clean and crisp.
In concllusion, I really do love this manhwa and I think many people out there who have an appreciation for sport or good characters with depth would enjoy this manga just as much as I did. I remember rereading this series over and over again and each time I would find something different. A truly unique manhwa! Do give it a try and judge for yourselves.
My Rating: OVERALL 9