Genre Sports
Age Rating For Older Teen
Price $9.99

Publisher's summary of volume from the back cover:

The Kanto Tournament grudge match between the Devil Bats and the nearly unstoppable Shinryuji Nagas rages on, and if Deimon is to have even the slightest hope of winning, it must shut down Shinryuji's offense. But with Naga ace running back Agon slicing through the Deimon linemen like they aren't even there, the Devil Bats are forced to use up their final time-out in a desperate attempt to let Sena's overworked legs cool off. If he pushes himself too hard, Sena might wind up with a permanent injury--so why is Hiruma sending him after Agon?!

For the most part, this volume of Eyeshield 21 is a culmination of what came before it. By this point, there's little room for introduction if you haven't gotten into the series previously. Instead, this is sheer action as the Deimon Devil Bats fight for their lives in what is probably the most difficult match so far. The most evident evolution is the art of Yusuke Murata. The illustrations are simply gorgeous and if you look back at the earlier volumes of the series, this artwork now looks very refined. And considering all the suspenseful scenes taking place in this volume, it's needed and Murata is up to the task.

Riichiri Inagaki also knows how to tease the reader and there are a couple of dramatic moments here, whether it's the first chapter or the last. Inagaki does a couple of complicated things with football and had this been narrated in prose, I don't think I could have followed it. Instead, Inagaki and Murata combining their skill makes for some interesting plays that's both exciting and accessible to the reader.

As far as storytelling is concerned, Monta shines in this volume with Sena taking the occasional spotlight. This is one of those volumes where you can't wait for the next one to arrive. The extras in the manga are cute and funny, including a diagram between the various rivals and love interests.

Suffice to say, if you've followed Eyeshield 21 this far, this is a must read. We've come a long way and while Inagaki is as cunning as ever, Murata's artwork has been steadily improving that it might not be obvious to casual observers.

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