There is no doubt that Netflix continues to be successful with its anime productions, and it is no surprise that many of its exclusive licenses also boost sales of its original manga. This has been demonstrated recently with “blue box (Ao no Hako)”, that has not only conquered hearts with its anime, but is now also sweeping physical stores.
The story follows Taiki Inomata and Chinatsu Kano, two high school students who combine their sports lives in badminton and basketball while dealing with their emotions. The interesting thing about “Blue Box” is that it does not focus only on sports, but also involves a romantic plot and a touch of shared motivation.
Thanks to the success of the anime adaptation, the original manga is selling like hot cakes. The publisher Shueisha announced a reprint of all the volumes published to date, totaling eighteen, and confirmed that the franchise has exceeded 7 million copies in circulation. «A major reprint has been decided. JC will reprint all Blue Box volumes. Thank you for your support», wrote the statement.
Interestingly, Koji Miura, author of this story, previously confessed that he doesn't know much about sports. In a recent interview he confessed that he had to rely on other people with experience in basketball and badminton to give realism to his scenes: «As I am not someone who has played sports, it is difficult for me to portray them. I always asked those who knew about the subject how they would react in certain situations. Basically, I asked them everything.».
He also explained why he decided to focus on high school characters instead of professional athletes: “It's a story about high school students, so I thought it would be best not to make them seem too professional. We focus on common high school experiences and add a little fantasy to them».
Meanwhile, the anime produced by the Telecom Animation Film studios remains on air with its second season of the first season, although there is still no confirmation of a second. However, considering the success it is having both on Netflix and in sales, it is evident that the franchise has a lot of potential to continue.
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(C)三浦糀／集英社・「アオのハコ」製作委員会
