Review: Touch

GENERAL INFORMATION
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Sports
Author: Mitsuru Adachi
Manga: 26 volumes
Anime: 101 episodes
Anime Films: Touch: Sebangō no Nai Ace
Touch 2: Sayonara no Okurimono
Touch 3: Kimi ga Tōri Sugita Ato ni
TV Film Anime: Touch: Miss Lonely Yesterday
Touch: Cross Road
Live-action Movie: Touch
Live-action Drama: Touch

PLOT
(Some Information from Wikipedia)
Touch follows the lives of three people: the identical twin brothers, Uesugi Kazuya and Tatsuya, and Minami Asakura. They've lived next to each other since they were babies, and their parents even built a playhouse in the yard between their houses. As they grew into their teens, they suddenly noticed that one of them was a girl.

Kazuya, the younger twin, was an excellent student, as was Minami. Tatsuya is really talented but also a bit of a slacker. Since middle school, Kazuya has received awards and recognition for excellence as a pitcher and baseball player. Tatsuya, however, is more inclined to let his brother take the limelight, as he is unwilling to directly compete with Kazuya. This includes competing for Minami's love as well. While most people, including their parents, suggest that Minami and Kazuya will make a perfect couple, Minami tends to prefer Tatsuya.

During the first year in high school, however, Kazuya is hit and killed by a truck while saving a child on his way to the final match of the local qualifying baseball tournament. Because of Kazuya's death, Tatsuya is eventually convinced by Minami to take over where his brother left off and help lead the team to Kōshien, the stadium where the national high school baseball championships are held. At the same time, Minami dedicates herself to making it to the All Japan Gymnastics Tournament. This is a story of how Kazuya's memory brings them together.


REACTIONS/COMMENTS

Story: Touch is definitely one of the best stories ever to be found in manga. The story is actually quite simple, yet deep. The beauty in the story is its simplicity and realistic portrayal. There are so many real-life encounters that you will find in the story. There is sibling rivalry, death of a beloved, the memory of that beloved, achieving your dreams, working for a goal, teamwork and friendship, and then there's love. Touch is a heartwarming and very funny story that touches each and everyone of us for what message it delivers. Two thumbs up and 5 shining stars for this wonderful story.


Characters: As with a realistic plot, there are realistic characters. Each with his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Not a single feature out of place, not a single part out of personality, coupled with superb portrayal from the amazing Mitsuru Adachi. The characters change, and you see their growth. You see the development to maturity in each one of them. At the same time, we see a uniqueness in each of them as there is in each of us.


Art: The art in Touch is simple. Yet it does not forget to attend to details. Mitsuru Adachi has a way for bringing out life in his drawings. There is good background with clear emotions. The features of each character, each clothing, each scene, are always with accurate detail and that is something to appreciate.

Animation: **I cannot give a rating on this part as I have not seen the anime.

Voice Acting: **I cannot give a rating on this part as I have not seen the anime.


Soundtrack/Themes: **I cannot give a rating on this part as I have not seen the anime.


So I guess I only reviewed the manga part of Touch. This is truly a masterpiece! However, I hope that to all you manga readers out there, this may have helped you. I will be giving ratings for the anime part the moment I watch the anime. For now, I can only give this. For those of you who have seen the anime and would like to give their ratings, please do! That will be great help!