Suzuka

Suzuka (涼風) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Kouji Seo. The series is a character-driven romance story that uses the athletics of track and field as a subplot.

The series was first serialized in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine published by Kodansha. It was later adopted into a 26-episode anime series co-produced by Studio Comet and Marvelous Entertainment. Both the manga and the anime series are licensed in North America by Del Rey Manga and FUNimation Entertainment respectively.

Plot
Suzuka is a sports-themed romance comedy that intertwines the pursuit of love and athletics. The story is based around Yamato Akitsuki, a young man from rural Hiroshima Prefecture moving to the big city of Tokyo, and his new next-door neighbor, Suzuka Asahina, a skilled high jumper. Yamoto falls in love with Suzuka and pursuing a relationship with her he joins the track and field team hoping to impress her. After joining, Yamoto discovers that he has the potential to become a top hundred-meter sprinter.

Suzuka's character-driven plot predominantly makes use of dramatic structure to facilitate character development. Characterization is further achieved through the use of character back-story. The story in general employs a realistic tone, but occasionally uses surreal humour. Some events covered in the story are: track competitions, vacations, culture festivals, and outings to a Karaoke Box and a theme park.