During the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, Japan’s national team delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Tunisia on June 21 (Japan time). The match’s opening goal, scored by Kamada Daichi off a cross from Nakamura Keito, quickly became a hot topic online—not just for its quality, but for its striking resemblance to a famous scene from the soccer manga Ao Ashi.
A Goal Straight Out of the Manga
The play in question saw Kamada meet Nakamura’s cross with a precise finish, a moment that fans immediately compared to a goal by Kuribayashi Haruhisa from Ao Ashi volume 36, chapter 366. In that scene, Kuribayashi uses a clever heel flick to redirect the ball past the goalkeeper, a technique that mirrors Kamada’s execution. Social media erupted with comments like “It’s like Kuribayashi from Ao Ashi in real life” and “The manga became reality.”
Official Response and Fan Excitement
The official Ao Ashi X (formerly Twitter) account joined the conversation, posting the relevant manga panel with the caption “Great Great Great.” Fans flooded the post with reactions, calling Kamada the “real-life Kuribayashi.” Voice actor Hamano Daiki, known for roles including Samurai Sword in Chainsaw Man, also weighed in, tweeting that the goal was “exactly that” as he watched the World Cup match.
Author’s Tribute to the Team
After the match, Ao Ashi creator Kobayashi Ugo shared an illustration of Ueda Ayase on the official account, celebrating the victory with the caption “Our ace!!!” The moment where fiction and reality intersected left fans amazed, highlighting both the expressive power of soccer manga and the high technical level of the Japanese national team.
Anime Season 2 on the Horizon
The TV anime Ao Ashi is set to return with Season 2 on October 4, 2026, airing on NHK E Tele. The new season will kick off the A-Team arc, with the story moving to the Premier League. A teaser PV has been released, showing Ashito and his teammates stepping into a new chapter with determined expressions, along with glimpses of the upperclassmen in the A-Team.
