Teppuu

Spoilers Ahead:

Story: 6
Natsuo Ishida is a super talented girl who pissed off too many people because of her talent. Her brother, friends, and etc. She then gets destroyed by an annoying bitch, Yuzuko Mawatari, from a fight on the roof and then strives to defeat her in the future in a tournament. Problems in the story are sometimes really evident. Some of the action don't have anything to it rather than Natsuo being "talented" except for her last loss that was complete bullshit. The main goal for the mc is just to fight the annoying girl that is Mawatari. Then there is the problems with characters like her brother and Sawamura and Ringi. The main plot isn't boring concept, but it was executed poorly. It had poor buildup, lack of good fights, and it ended way too early. The story is above average and would like to see the continuation, but want to see improvements if the author comes back.

Art:8
The art was done well for the most part. Some character designs were a little weird, but you can still appreciate the designs still.

Character: 6
Some of the characters were actually lovable and others were just plain bad.
The loveble;
-Natsou, even though had a shit personality, was enjoyable character to love. She was like Sawamura from HnI and had some cool story along with her.
-Sawamura, Ninomiya, and Ganeko are also likeable characters.
Ishidou the brother, even though he abused his sister, has seen error in his ways and seem to get him self back on track near the end of the series.
The Garbage:
-Yuzuko is the worst character in Teppuu. I mean the end just proves this as she defeated Natsou even though Natsou is as talented as Takamura from HnI. Seriously this is like Wally vs Ippo except of being logical to some extent(Wally had little experience since he barely started but was talented) instead we get this bullshit that she defeats her with willpower alone. I mean Ippo at least had talent but worked hard too. That being said, I liked that she worked hard to at least get there, but it was clear she should've lost. She also doesn't have any character development other than, she likes to get hit.
-Mario is also some bullshit too. No fighter can have 500 or whatever opponents they have defeated with no losses.(Also that is even impossible as time between fights would have to be like a week or two.) Even greats fall but apparently not. He also has a huge ego for being a person who didn't even fight a man who is supposedly weak.
-Ringi because she is just there to be there.

Enjoyment and Overall:7
The series is good to read and would recommend. It suffers from stuff here and then but overall a 7.

I'm not going to waste too much of your time.

This manga is great, the characters are solidly written and the plot is decent. Instead of your typical sports manga our protagonist acts a lot more like the villain of a sports movie than the underdog hero. She's naturally incredibly talented, and full of spite for everyone around her. Which makes her a far more interesting character to observe than your typical goodie-2-shoes underdog.

The art is, okay. Its not the series strong point at all.

But the truth strength is the level of detail that the MMA fights are depicted with. Seriously this stuff is on par with Hajime in terms of raw accuracy to a fight. Its outstanding.

If you like tough girls, or just enjoy MMA then this is the perfect manga for you.

Sadly my review comes with a massive caveat, Volume 8 does not exist. It was apparently not published on time by the author who only finished 10~ pages and published them unofficially. And since the manga was never given an official English translation we Western fans are stuck with spotty fan translations and the knowledge that we'll never see the true end of the manga.

I still think the final panel is a fitting one to leave off on though, it fits the character well.

Being only 33 chapters I decided I’d just power through it and then bring all of you my thoughts

I’m glad I did because once I started it up I just couldn’t put it down. Teppu is an incredibly intriguing manga for many reasons and It’s also really good to boot. From its complete focus on women’s MMA to it’s incredibly respectful treatment of women as badasses who can through a knock-out punch – there is 0% fan-service in this series, these girls will literally kill you if you try to sneak a peek at them – to it’s portrayal of Natsuo as a sort of villain who you can’t help but root for.

The psych complexities Moare focuses on with Natsuo and those she has effected throughout her 16 year old life cannot be understated here as he blends many layers between the folds of the story. There is Natsuo’s broken relationship with her brother, her broken relationship with her once-best friend Sanae, her hatred for Yuzuko for being the first person to finally be better at her at something, and Natsuo’s own inferiority complex because she’s jealous of those who actually have to struggle to be good at something.

Teppu fight 2Natsuo quite literally plays the part of the villain for this series if you flipped the viewpoint around to Yuzuko’s P.O.V., however because of this it makes Natsuo that much more compelling as a hero. I found myself enthralled by Moare’s portrayal of this tall, lanky girl who was so naturally gifted that she made enemies everywhere she went, and yet all she wanted was to be normal just like all of them. But she can’t, because it’s a superpower she can’t turn off.

Now, unfortunately because there are so many subplots flying every which way in the background and with the series being the short length that it is, because we also have A lot of characters in this series, by the time the story is over not everything Moare set into motion gets settled and even those events that cause Natsuo to become the way she is get rushed a bit in the finale.

However, the way Moare ends the series it almost feels like we don’t need to see those other subplots, that they weren’t really that important in the grand scheme of things, that Natsuo’s story is more or less complete and anything after that is just fluff that would exist because he wants it not because he needs it to. It is a very interesting dichotomy, because I walked away feeling satisfied by the end which not many authors can achieve when they don’t give themselves time to really bring closure to all their characters.

From just a narrative perspective, I think what Moare achieved here is superb. All the characters in this series have a force that drives them, they each have their goals and their fears, their achievements and their let downs. And I know there is STILL this feeling within the entertainment industry that women can’t be badass enough to carry stories, but really if anything proves them wrong it’s the incredibly down to Earth, street level brawl of a manga. Because there’s nothing really outlandish about it, over the top, or anything that gives the story a sort of fantasy element, this manga could easily be adapted into a Hollywood movie and it would probably do really, really well. Especially with the UFC crowd.

Teppu fight 1Let’s talk about the MMA in this manga, shall we? This series was recommended to me because currently I am reading a manhwa titled Girls of the Wild’s which also centers heavily around MMA, however it doesn’t generally go into a lot of depth of how MMA works and generally sees it’s characters fighting in their own styles while pitted against one another. Boxer vs. a Judo master, both doing their own style of moves against one another. Plus there’s a lot more to that series that lends itself fantasy elements even in the fighting.

None of that seeps into Teppu. Now, there are plenty of speed shots and power shots that are meant to help you understand the force these women are putting their attacks, but Moare makes it very clear throughout the manga that MMA is MMA, and whether you known Jiujitsu, Karate, or just street brawling, when you get in that ring, you fight MMA-style and leave your clear-cut style at home.

There are pages and pages strung throughout the series that go way in-depth into how MMA in Japan works, and gives you step-by-step instructions on how some basic moves work so that you get the gist of what’s going on the story which then in turn allows you to enjoy the fights even more. Moare is clearly a fan of this sport and has down his research into how everything is supposed to work. Even down to the padding the girls wear that is generally drawn in as much detail as anything else this series offers.

Which, by the way, this manga has beautiful art as well. If you didn’t think it couldn’t get any better. Never does it feel like Moare skimps on the details, like I mentioned earlier even going so far as to detail the padding and sponsorship wear these women adorn themselves with in the ring. The action is fluid, and all the girls look like real people. All dressed and pampered in their own way, older women looking older, younger women look younger. And the haircuts that allow for some of the characters to feel indistinguishable from men which in reality there are plenty of women like that.

Every which way I turned I felt myself appreciating this series more and more for its attention to detail within its art, its portrayal of MMA as an actual sport, the rich cast of characters as well the different personalities of each and every one of them, Natsuo’s journey to finally feel happy because for once in her life she actually had to work at something.

This series is quite compelling. And like I said, though the ending can feel rather rushed, dropping some of the subplots created by other supporting characters, it doesn’t feel unsatisfying either. At 33 chapters Teppu does exactly what it planned to do and doesn’t overstay its welcome. If we were to ever get more from this series I would be very happy, but if we didn’t I’d also remain very happy.

If you like MMA, if you like interesting characters, if you like stories that focus on something different for a change, then I definitely recommend you check this manga out. Unfortunately it’s not licensed in North America but you can find scanlations online – even though I’d love to tell you to go out and buy it, it’s still a rather unknown series at this point. It was to me before I started reading it.

Picture the typical sports manga: Main character is untalented initially, but genuinely enjoys the sport they want to be a part of, and will work hard to make it to the top!! Their main rival is an arrogant bully (but the protag might be oblivious to this) who wants to beat down the main character and show them their place because of some serious personal issues. The bad guy is also extremely talented, and find the sport so easy that it's boring.

Now flip that whole thing upside down. There you go, it's Teppuu. You are rooting for a total jerk. The antagonist is an alright girl. Run with it.

I am no expert in MMA, but the martial arts I've seen come off as realistic with the occasional break from probable done for rule of cool.

I just felt like writing down how this manga and I connected. it was like something out of a dream for me, the main character was the only character iv'e ever been able to totally empathize with. every thought she had I had every action she took I had taken reading this a year out of high school was like living threw high school again, and that alone was glorious. this manga got me back into manga and helped me find my self after having my life upended without this I probably would not be who I am today. I can truly say that Natsuo is me, or rather the me who I was in before life hit me it was a bitter sweet nostalgia of watch a young hyper talented athlete lose themselves to the boredom of being innately talented at everything. I can only lament that I don't get to see her come to the same conclusion I have and transcend the material and cast off ones talent and become a full self. never the less being able to get such a clear view of my own life was the flashpoint that set me forward to my current mental clarity, and for that I am truly grateful.

this is a very personal review but I just wanted to get it off my chest. it feels good to close this chapter in my life and its thanks too teppuu that I can.

Imagine a manga that centered on a sadistic insecure bully who is thrown into the world of MMA by a chance encounter and you will have Teppu.

Teppu's story isn't exactly original but it is written in a very believable way. Meet Natsuo, an individual who has never been bad at anything and is utterly bored because of it. She decides to attend her school's club registration and bumps into a newly formed MMA Club. After being hassled she agrees to spar against the club founder. It ends before it can be concluded but she understands that she would have lost and begins to hate the founder and decides to beat her at her own game.

The artwork doesn't compare to the greats but Oota is definitely gifted. At her best she blows you away with realistic muscle definition and at her worst the characters may look very similiar.

Natsuo is my favourite female protagonist. Everything she does is either hilarious or incredibly badass equipped with a very interesting personality and history she is the series halo. The other cast are equally enjoyable but lack that epic touch barring Japan's strongest woman.

My favourite part of this manga is how enjoyable it is. It doesn't dive into Plato's psyche nor does it have Edgar Allen Poe's cynicism but it doesn't need it. It leaves you wanting more and has seen scenes that take your break away. In fact chapter 23 left me in a state similiar to how I felt when my favourite manga/anime finished.

Overall this manga is very enjoyable and has an incredibly original protagonist. Diced with an well written plot and scenes that will blow you away, it is definitely worth reading.

I love martial arts. It's in my blood. When I first read Teppuu, I did not know what to expect. Some crappy story about a person "wanting to get stronger"? Some lame quotes like, "I want to protect my friends, and I want to get stronger!" (Valiant, but cliche')

Story:
Teppu is about a girl. A girl named Ishido, Natsuo. It just so happens Natsuo is an ace at every sport, and rarely fails at what she does. But here's the trick; Natsuo is a jerk and a bully and every kind of person you DO NOT want to have as your friend. Which may be a reason why she has few. The story basically focuses on Natsuo's loneliness and wanting to pound Yuzuko's (Her main rival) face into the ground.

Art:

Art, in my opinion, is great. Sometimes comedic, sometimes serious. Fits the manga perfectly. There IS quite a fair amount of blood in this series, so if you don't like that...you probably won't like the theme of the stories...

Character:

Okay! Now we're getting into the good stuff. It's simple and very well portrayed. Natsuo's a jerk. Yuzuko is cheerful. Ringi is competitive, and Sanae is die-hard stoic and hates Natsuo's guts (for a good reason.)

Overall:

I mostly liked this series as it is a fairly realistic approach towards MMA and martial arts, but I did not really appreciate Natsuo jerkass approach to everything. Some moments you will laugh, some, you'll cry, but if you enjoy martial arts, hate romance, and like muscular girls with bare midriff, you'll enjoy this series...

A very enjoyable manga about a female high school student who is known to be great at everything that she does that she doesn't feel excited to do anything. However, that changes when she finds MMA which inspires her to move on and to actually work hard on something.

The lead is a bully/jerk who doesn't throw out any cliched lines about getting stronger for the sake of someone else. She simply wants a challenge, which makes her a unique lead character for this genre.

However, this manga ended way too short as is the curse with mangas like these. The story was good but needed some work to be great. I found myself interested in the main character as I can relate to her in some ways. It was nice to know she wasn't 100% perfect and has her emotional baggage which makes this manga work.

Good read for anyone interested in MMA manga.