Drawing comparisons: Football Clubs and Anime heroes
I apologize readers, I can’t stop myself from writing such an article. What started out (or so I believe), with a harmless photograph by Manchester United fans, drawing comparisons between a stereotypical student and the clubs of the Barclays Premier League (they claimed that they won every time, yeah, I laughed over that one too), has now become one of THE major article topics, with football clubs being compared with students, Batman villains and even food items! And now that I’m jumping on the bandwagon, my topic is naturally my second love. It made me a Basketball addict, it’s the reason my favorite footballer is a footballer in the first place, it’s Anime!
Anime, as Wikipedia puts it, is a style of animation originating in Japan, characterized by colorful graphics. Most Animes appear in TV shows, and some of the major heroes and anti heroes are going to appear on this list! So without any further ado, let’s get started!
1. Arsenal FC and Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)
I decided to start out with an Anime character that most of you must be familiar with (You can stop acting all cool and un-nerdy, we all saw Pokemon). Now, you may ask about similarities, and here they are. Both Ash and Arsenal have names that start with A! Okay, bad joke, I know, anyway, both Ash and Arsenal are very enthusiastic about their own chances, and do reasonably well in smaller and lesser competitive tournaments (Gyms and Premier League), while both haven’t performed all that well at the ‘Big Stage’, with Ash’s sole league victory coming at the Orange League, while Arsenal are yet to win the Champions league. Both have a relatively poor financial background, and an old venerable guy at the helm ‘in whom they trust’!
2. Chelsea FC and Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
The highest selling Manga (a comic based on anime) of all time also has an extremely popular Anime version. With Chelsea being my favorite club, I took nearly no time in drawing comparisons between the two of them. Both are laid ‘back’ (get the ‘back’ pun, right?), and are immune to attacks, Chelsea after they park the bus, and Luffy after he gorges on the ‘Gum-Gum Fruit’, which gives him super elasticity (although both have a weakness, Falcao and Seawater respectively). Both are open when it comes to receiving new members, one slightly more aggressive and money minded though! And both can pack a bad whammy once they go for the single, precise attack (the Drogba/ Torres counterattacks and the Gum Gum Pistol)
3. FC Barcelona and Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
Can’t see the comparisons? Allow me, Both Naruto and FC Barcelona have boring scenes in the fight sequences (flashbacks and the tiki taka between Valdes and the center backs). Both have a trick or two up their sleeve, but are, in effect, one-trick ponies (The Rasengan and Tiki-Taka). Both used to be considered inferior to a rival since their childhood (Madrid and Sasuke Uchiha), but are major forces to reckon with presently. Lastly both Naruto and F. C Barcelona don’t mind cheati- *cough**cough*. Pardon me, where was I? Oh yeah, both of them rock!
4. Manchester United and Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
Arrogant, serious, generally wins, regardless of minor hitches in the course to victory, and plenty of people around to snatch the crown. Seems familiar? It would if you watch both Bleach and Football, for I just described both of them. Both have richer people around them, but aren’t half bad themselves financially. Both have extreme talent and a disaster waiting to happen inside (Rooney’s outbursts and Hollowification), and have been described as ‘Devils’ too!
5. Real Madrid and Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)
If Barcelona is Naruto, what might Madrid be? Obvious right? Sasuke had immense talent in his childhood, and displayed that in an unerring manner, while their so called ‘rivals’ struggled to perform. Both have a wide arsenal of skills or talented goal scorers. And although they started out indomitable, they have, over the course, faced off against quite a few people or teams who are able to challenge their might, if not overwhelm them completely.
6. Liverpool and Uryu Ishida (Bleach)
Historically Manchester United’s and Ichigo’s greatest rival, but are now far from their full-fledged form, and are a mere shadow of their former selves, but don’t bet on it long term, since both have plenty of tricks up their sleeve, and are amazing on their good days. Coincidentally, Uryu killed 18 hollows in a competition between him and Ichigo, before Ichigo (who was then at 10) proceeded to slay a Menos and say “that counts for 10 right?” (Manchester United fans are still obsessed with winning their 20th title!)
7. Bayern Munich and Light Yagami (Death Note)
The last on this list, and perhaps the most convincing. Both of them can be classified as cold and calculating, with a permanent ‘efficient’ tag attached to them, whether it’s raking up points or killing criminals. Both can be classified as geniuses in their respective fields with plenty of wins historically, but at the end of the day, both ended up being 2nd best.
So what do you think about this list? Seems fair I hope. Please do mention any hits or misses on my parts in the comments section. Thanks.