Dear Boys

Dear Boys

Company type	Manga franchise
Industry	Manga, anime, video games
Founded	1989
Founder	Hiroki Yagami
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Manga series, anime television series, video games

DEAR BOYS (presented in all caps) is a Japanese sports manga series created by writer and artist Hiroki Yagami. It was featured in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Magazine from June 1989 until January 1997, compiled into 23 collected volumes. The narrative centers on the Mizuho High School basketball squad as they strive for the prefectural championship, highlighting key figures Kazuhiko Aikawa and Takumi Fujiwara.

Following the original, the series continued with multiple sequels published in the same magazine: Dear Boys The Early Days (1997); Dear Boys Act II (1997–2008); Dear Boys Act 3 (2008–2015); Dear Boys Over Time (2016–2017); and Dear Boys Act 4 (2018–present).

An anime adaptation consisting of 26 episodes was produced by OB Planning and animated by A.C.G.T, broadcast on TV Tokyo from April through September 2003. Licensed for North American release by Bandai Entertainment, it was titled Hoop Days.

As of March 2019, the Dear Boys franchise had surpassed 45 million copies sold, ranking it among the highest-selling manga worldwide. In 2007, Dear Boys Act II earned the 31st Kodansha Manga Award in its category.

Plot

After their coach departs following a confrontation with Fujiwara, the Mizuho High basketball team faces potential disbandment due to insufficient players. Their fortunes change when Kazuhiko Aikawa transfers to Mizuho, reigniting enthusiasm for basketball within the team. With only five active players and no substitutes, they enlist the girls' team coach to oversee their training. Initially stern, she gradually forms a strong rapport with the players. Through perseverance and teamwork, they surmount their numerical disadvantage and compete at the prefectural tournament.

Characters

Aikawa breathes new life into his teammates’ dedication to basketball. A former captain and standout player at Tendōji High, he occupies the small forward position and is recognized for his impressive jumping ability. His skills develop steadily with each game, revealing innate talent. He maintains close friendships with Masato Sawanobori and Takumi Fujiwara, supports the team during challenging matches, and is romantically involved with Mai Moritaka.

Fujiwara serves as Mizuho’s captain and point guard, maintaining a relationship with Mutsumi Akiyoshi from the girls’ team. He is recovering from an old knee injury that requires rehabilitation before the prefectural competition. While he encourages Aikawa’s efforts, he is considered less skilled compared to Tendōji’s star player Masato Sawanobori.

Miura plays shooting guard and is a longtime companion of Fujiwara. His specialties include three-point shooting and stealing the ball. Following an injury sustained during a crucial game, he misses subsequent matches. He shares a romantic connection with Keiko Ogami from the girls’ squad. Teammates hope for his full recovery of precise shooting and playmaking abilities before the tournament.

Ishii holds the power forward position and is known for his fiery temper that initially results in early fouls but improves as the season progresses. He has been close friends with Dobashi since middle school, earning a reputation as a “big machine” due to his physical playing style.

Dobashi acts as the team’s center and largest member. Although his leg strength is comparatively weak, he excels defensively through rebounding and stealing balls. His injury has a significant negative impact on team performance.

Takashina joins as the sixth player on the roster, demonstrating versatility across multiple positions along with strong three-point shooting and rebounding capabilities. He previously attended middle school alongside Ayumi Fuse.

Mutsumi leads the girls’ basketball team as point guard and is romantically linked to Fujiwara. After experiencing emotional difficulties that caused fouls and benching during quarter-finals, she recovers to contribute decisively in securing victory in the finals.

Mai becomes the most accurate three-point shooter on her team after training under Aikawa’s guidance. She is romantically involved with him.

Keiko plays center for the girls’ team and shows romantic interest in Miura.

Sawanobori is Kazuhiko’s closest friend and competes on Tendōji High’s basketball team.

The manager of Mizuho’s team attended junior high with Fujiwara and Miura. Once a prominent player sidelined by injury, she initially gained a reputation for being strict but gradually evolves into a devoted supporter.

Kyoko coaches Mizuho’s girls’ basketball squad and plays a crucial role in preventing the boys’ team from disbanding by facilitating Aikawa’s transfer through her connections. Despite her strict demeanor, she genuinely cares for her players and motivates them to excel.

Manga

Created and illustrated by Hiroki Yagami, Dear Boys was featured in Kodansha's shōnen manga publication Monthly Shōnen Magazine from June 1989 through January 1997. Kodansha compiled the chapters into 23 volumes, which were issued between December 1989 and March 1997. Several related series and continuations, also serialized in the same magazine, include:

• Dear Boys The Early Days

Ran from February to May 1997; compiled into a single volume released in August 1997.

• Dear Boys Act II

Serialized from July 1997 until November 2008; collected in 30 volumes published between November 1997 and February 2009.

• Dear Boys Act 3

Serialization spanned December 2008 to December 2015; gathered into 21 volumes released from June 2009 to February 2016.

• Dear Boys Over Time

Published from February 2016 to January 2017; issued in three volumes between June 2016 and February 2017.

• Dear Boys Act 4

Commenced serialization in October 2018. The inaugural volume appeared in March 2019, with a total of 20 volumes available as of July 2025. Additionally, a six-volume digital prequel titled Dear Boys Shōnan Dai Sagami Special Selection, set two years prior to the main narrative, was launched on March 15, 2019.

Video games

A game developed by Yutaka for the Super Famicom debuted on October 20, 1994. Another installment, Dear Boys: Fast Break!, was released by Konami for the PlayStation 2 on September 18, 2003.

Anime

The anime adaptation consists of a 26-episode series produced by OB Planning and animated by A.C.G.T, which aired on TV Tokyo between April and September of 2003. The opening track "Sound of Bounce" was performed by Da Pump, while the closing theme "Baller no Shōgō" featured vocals by Chris Sasaki.

In North America, Bandai Entertainment acquired licensing rights in 2004, distributing the series under the title Hoop Days across two DVD collections released in June and August of 2005, followed by a Complete Collection in June 2006. For Australia and New Zealand, Madman Entertainment secured licensing and issued a Complete Collection in September 2006. Meanwhile, Medialink licensed the show for Southeast Asian markets, where it was broadcast on Animax Asia.

Reception

By March of 2019, the Dear Boys manga had surpassed sales of over forty-five million copies.

In the year 2007, Dear Boys Act II received the prestigious 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the category.