#255 Don't drift, dribble your way to victory! The home opener is against Kochi United SC!

"I've decided that I won't run away from any battle... each one leads to the next!!" - Takumi Fujiwara

The 2026 home opener is finally upon us this weekend! Our opponent is Kochi United SC, a J3 club that is currently sitting at the top of the J2/J3 100-Year Vision League WEST-A. Their manager is Mr. Yoshimoto, who served as a coach for our very own Albirex Niigata until midway through last year. Furthermore, former Albirex players Mikado and Kawada are also on their roster.

Kochi hasn't played against 2nd place Tokushima or 3rd place Niigata yet, but they have defeated 4th place Toyama and 5th place Kanazawa, so they are an opponent not to be underestimated. Our Albirex managed to get through a grueling four-game away stretch from the start of the league with 3 wins and 1 loss, and we are now returning home after finishing a Miyazaki training camp that lasted about 50 days. Both our condition and morale should be high. Manager Yoshimoto knows us well, so he might already know the characteristics of the players who have been with us since last year. Therefore, I'm looking forward to seeing our new players make their mark. The weather looks like it might turn, but since we are able to play at the perfect time for a home opener, I hope we can show the difference in categories and secure a victory!

Now, for the home hype illustration, the first since the Shimizu match last September, I chose the theme of a "clash of car manga titans." For Niigata, we have Shuichi Shigeno, known for "Initial D" and "GF Ghost," and for Kochi, we have Michiharu Kusunoki, known for "Wangan Midnight" and "Shakotan Boogie." When people hear "car manga," these are the two names that come to mind for many.

Both of them also colored the era with motorcycle manga in the 80s. Shigeno's "Baribari Legend" and Kusunoki's "Aitsu to Lullaby" were serialized at the same time, driving the boom. I hear they have interacted for a long time and have been a source of mutual inspiration.

Also, it might be an old story now, but Niigata Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture are famous for being prefectures that have produced many manga artists, to the point of being called "Manga Kingdoms." In Niigata, there are too many to list, such as Rumiko Takahashi, Shinji Mizushima, Mineo Maya, Makoto Kobayashi, Takeshi Obata, Yoshihiro Yamada, and Motoei Shinzawa, but Kochi also has an impressive lineup of titans. Taira Hara, Hiroshi Kurogane, Masaya Tokuhiro, Rieko Saibara, and Eisaku Kubonouchi, whom I love, are also from Kochi. Also, although not a manga artist but a picture book author, Takashi Yanase, who was the subject of a popular morning drama, is also from Kochi.

I thought about countering with bonito and winter yellowtail, or Ryoma Sakamoto and Tsunosuke Kawai, but I decided to borrow the power of these manga masters instead.

The home opener. Not on a mountain pass or the Shuto Expressway, but on the pitch, let's outrun our opponents and raise a triumphant cry at Big Swan as the signs of spring draw near.

P.S. This is completely unrelated, but the protagonist of "Initial D," Takumi Fujiwara, has a name that sounds like Albirex, doesn't it? Here is the proof.

Now, with this article, the "home hype illustration" has reached its 45th entry. There are still quite a few clubs in the 100-Year Vision League that I haven't drawn yet, so please look forward to them in the future. I will continue to send you more content about Niigata's attractive local products and features!