You're My Mate (BL)

Sometimes, a great manga can take a topic you're indifferent to and make it captivating. Does Cross Over achieve this with basketball? Not quite.  

Most of you are likely familiar with the now infamous Kouji Seo (yes, the same guy behind Fuuka) due to his popular romance series like Suzuka and Kimi no Iru Machi. Cross Over stands apart from those as it places a heavier emphasis on sports. Romance isn't the central focus here. (Don't worry, though—there's still plenty of fanservice for ecchi enthusiasts.)  

The plot follows a pretty conventional sports manga formula. It’s an underdog story, and I'm sure you've encountered similar narratives in countless other series. An unoriginal story isn't inherently bad—many series with familiar plots remain entertaining and fun. However, Cross Over's biggest flaw is its shift in focus during the last three or four volumes. Without giving too much away, this change undermines the momentum built earlier in the story for some contrived drama. It also makes the manga feel longer than it should, which is unfortunate given its relatively short run of seven volumes.  

The standout aspect of this manga is undoubtedly its artwork. Kouji Seo is a skilled artist. The basketball scenes are masterfully drawn and easy to follow. The characters are well-designed as well, and I genuinely appreciated their visual appeal. And yes, there's a short-haired love interest, a hallmark of Kouji Seo's style.  

The characters align with typical shounen archetypes. The protagonist dreams of being the best—same old, same old. Despite this predictability, the main character remains somewhat likable, but the same can't be said for some of his teammates. A few of them come across as obnoxious jerks. I suspect the mangaka intended to leave room for character development, and, to be fair, some growth does occur as the story progresses. However, due to the narrative shift, some of this development feels irrelevant, leaving readers wondering, "Who cares?"  

Did I enjoy my time with Cross Over? Yes, to an extent. The most engaging parts are undoubtedly the basketball games. (They had better be, considering the entire manga revolves around basketball.) While not groundbreaking, they are enjoyable. That said, the manga has its dull moments and becomes increasingly frustrating near the end because of the story's altered focus.  

In summary, Cross Over isn't terrible, but it's not exceptional either. If you're a devoted fan of Kouji Seo's works and want to explore everything he's created, this might be worth your while. However, if you're searching for an exhilarating, gripping sports manga, this probably won't meet your expectations.  

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Cross Over is a well-crafted manga by the same mangaka who created Suzuka. It combines elements of Slam Dunk and Suzuka, featuring a sports theme with detailed depictions of shooting and rebounding, along with the ecchi style and art reminiscent of Suzuka. However, it doesn't quite match the quality of either of these two series, which is significant coming from a fan of Kouji Seo's work.

Story: The narrative isn't particularly innovative; Cross Over focuses on basketball with a touch of romance and plenty of ecchi scenes. The protagonist, Ogata Natsuki, is a relatively small aspiring basketball star aiming to defeat the top team in the prefecture by joining a weak team and strengthening it. Along the way, he develops romantic interests with several girls, including the team manager and a cheerleader.

Art: The artwork is impressive, as expected from Kouji Seo, but there's a noticeable absence of scale. For instance, players who are 190-200 cm tall don't appear as towering as they do in Slam Dunk. Some striking effects are present, especially during intense scenes where players seem to push through metaphorical brick walls. The female characters are attractively drawn, embodying curvaceous beauty.

Character: This aspect was the most troubling for me. The depiction of Americans as a racist society is unsettling, with frequent underestimation of Japanese individuals in basketball contexts, such as comments like "I knew a person raised in Japan like you is useless in basketball." Additionally, the team center, despite being over 200 cm tall, is frustrating due to his refusal to excel as a center, citing reasons that come across as absurd. Furthermore, character development is limited to Sain Mariannu (the hero's team) and Fujiwara or Fujihara Academy (the rival team).

On a positive note, the characters are nicely drawn, especially the female characters. Each character has a distinct personality, and I personally enjoyed the antics of the dirty scumbag, the cheerleaders, and the team manager, who bears a resemblance to Suzuka Asahina.

Enjoyment: This manga shouldn't be taken too seriously (you'll understand). If you're seeking a basketball manga with the adrenaline-pumping excitement of Slam Dunk, you might be slightly disappointed. The action often feels one-sided, with the best shots predominantly made by the hero's team. The opposing team's plays lack the wow factor present in Slam Dunk's Sendoh or Sawakita moments. There are humorous moments, but also some clichés.

Overall: As a fan of Slam Dunk, Suzuka, and Kouji Seo's works, this manga didn't fully meet my expectations. Nevertheless, it remains a solid read with many redeeming qualities, worth exploring for most until perhaps the training camp part.

It's difficult to put into words the feeling I experienced while reading Cross Over... There's a unique energy infused into every page that made me smile, cry, and laugh, which is exactly why I fell in love with this manga!  
At first, I thought, "Oh, just another sports manga," but what sets it apart is that it truly is a sports manga with so much more depth.  

The plot itself is fairly typical, yet as I mentioned before, I was completely drawn into its atmosphere and couldn't resist getting immersed in the unfolding events. It revolves around the power of teamwork and the importance of standing together to achieve a shared goal. The spirit of the characters is genuinely remarkable. In fact, it was the characters that earned this manga an "overall 10" from me—they feel incredibly authentic. In some mangas, characters can be overly exaggerated, leaving you with an unrealistic sense of grandeur or beauty, but in Cross Over, they seem like people you could encounter in everyday life. As the story unfolds, you get to know the characters better, and watching them grow feels truly rewarding. One thing I did notice is that while the St. Mariannu team and some of the cheerleaders are well-developed, many of the other teams tend to blend together, sharing similar styles and thoughts (though not all of them).  

The artwork may not be the most intricate or elaborate, but it complements the story beautifully, effectively conveying the mood and emotions described. If there's one area the mangaka might improve on, it's the depiction of environments, but even the backgrounds are quite impressive.  

Cross Over is undoubtedly an excellent manga that appeals to both boys and girls across various age groups!

Loved this story!!

Thanks for the recommendations I'll check them out, especially since I just finished reading 'Superstars of tomorrow' a novel by the same author who wrote 'Chronicles of Primordial Wars'. Now im looking for something new to read 👍

Who read the manhwa for story I just look at the pictures because action scenes looks cooler in manhwa.