Angel Cup
Encyclopedia
Angel Cup is a manhwa
about girls' soccer in Korea. The writer is Youn Jae-ho (윤재호), and the artist is Kim Dong-wook (김동욱).
The series was translated into English by Tokyopop
; the Tokyopop version of the manhwa is out of print as of August 31, 2009.
: 이 소진 (Ee So Jin)
The protagonist of the series. She is a freshman who switched during the school year into Han Shin (한 신) High School. An avid soccer player in junior high, she always brought her team to the finals with her skill but was crushed four years running by the league MVP, Shin-Bee. Her position is midfielder
and her number is 10. She went to So-Rah (소 라) junior high school.
A freshman in high school, she was the junior high soccer MVP for four years running. She switches into Han Shin High as a student and becomes the boys' team's new manager. Her acclaimed brother, Shin-Yung, was on the Han Shin Team as well. She seems reluctant to play for private reasons, but So-Jin's enthusiasm gets her to substitute in the futsal
match. It is revealed she has some kind of health condition (possibly life-threatening) that cuts down her stamina after even short amounts of play. Her number is 6. She went to Yun Hee (윤 희) junior high school.
Mi-Ae is bouncy and bubbly. Her breasts, large by Korean standards (C-cup) are a point of ridicule throughout the series. She is the first freshman to take up Soh-Jin's cause of girls' soccer, and although she is not extraordinarily skilled, she makes up for it with enthusiasm. One of the reasons she chose to play against the boys' team in the futsal match is a grudge- she was cut as their manager for no good reason. She is Mi-Rae's older twin, and a freshman. Her number is 5 and she plays as a forward.
Yee-Ju is a sophomore, and starts out as a 'dangerous' kind of character. She smokes until an enraged Soh-jin makes her quit, and her attitude is cool and collected both on and off the field. She was originally on the school's handball team before it was cut, and as a result of this skill plays goalkeeper
. Her number is 1.
Akira is a mysterious girl with a connection to Shin-Bee. In the third volume, it is revealed she spent much time in Japan, where she picked up her harsh demeanor, superior soccer skills, fluency in the language, and an education in karate
(not Tae Kwon Do). Her number is 8.
Song Mi-Jin chose Han Shin as a high school under the recommendation of a coach, assuming that the presence of she and other junior high phenoms would enable the school to form a competitive girls' soccer team. Although upon first impression she appears egocentric and lazy, she is a skilled player with the team's best interests in mind. Off the field, she is usually seen with her friend Sei-Hee. Her number is 4 and she plays as an offensive midfielder.
Like her friend Mi-Jin, Sei-Hee was a phenom at Jin Hei (진헤 junior high. She wears glasses (sports goggles when on the field) and has an odd, oft-joked about 'power of divination' (for comparison, Taiki Kayashima of Hana-Kimi
fame) that is worked by her drawing faces and foreseeing good or bad energy coming the way of the portrayed person. On the field, however, she is a down-to-earth defender who sacrifices her body for the ball. Her number is 9.
A freshman that joins the team after the futsal match; she is exceptional at heading the ball. She also seems to display masochistic tendencies, erupting into shōjo
-esque sparkly joy every time she is injured by a heading. She and Mi-Ae get along well and work together on the field.
Another Han Shin goaltender, Ha-Na is new to the game but tries her best. She recognizes Yee-Ju's skill. In the match against Gai Lyeung, she blocks a difficult penalty kick
after starting before relinquishing the goal to Yee-Ju. Her number is 18.
Soo-Hee is a freshman devoted to Yee-Ju, for whatever reason. Although she is not extraordinarily athletic (or even that athletic at all), she joins Soh-Jin's cause to aid Yee-Ju. She plays as a defender
, and is knocked out making a save during the futsal match. Her number is 3.
Unlike Mi-Ae, Mi-Rae is serious and gets mad easily. She is much more athletic and competitive, but only plays soccer to 'beat her sister' for whatever reason. She plays forward
and her number is 7. She is the younger twin of Mi-Ae and is also a freshman.
Technically not a player anymore, Shin-Bee's brother was a legend on the field on the Han Shin boys' team. He returns to the school in an attempt to dissuade Shin-Bee from playing soccer, but is forced to crossdress in order to do it. He fails when Soh-Jin discovers his gender and creates an upset. Many girls regard him as a bishōnen
and a running gag has involved his cross-dressing
to avoid recognition.
The captain of the boys' soccer team. Attractive with the girls and talented on the field, it's difficult to ascertain his true motives and feelings behind what he does. He has a strong sense of honor, and defends Shin-Bee from the other boys. He doesn't seem to be too much of a knight in shining armor, though, as demonstrated in volume one when he suggests Soh-Jin dress as a maid if she lost the futsal match. A strong player like Soh-Jin, he also plays midfielder and bears the number 10.
He is initially chauvinistic and harsh toward girls' soccer in general and Shin-Bee in particular. He mocks Soh-Jin mercilessly, even though she trumps him time and time again. He plays an aggressive forward, and bears the number 8. He appears to admire Mi-JIn's skill.
Lee Jei-Jihn: A forward. His number is 22.
Han Yung-Jei: An especially tall forward. His number is 18.
Choi Woon: A midfielder. His number is 14.
An extremely vicious forward with a bloodthirsty attitude toward the field and players. Petite in size and voice, she is nonetheless a power player who isn't afraid to hurt people- on or off the field. She also wears the symbolic number 10 showcased through the series. She makes her first appearance in Volume Three, when she tricks some thugs into taking her to Han Shin High; when Akira ousts her, she throws a flash bomb (!) and beats up the thugs who brought her for their clothes to the point where they bleed.
The imposing captain of the Gai Leung team, she has the physique of a male bodybuilder and an incredibly imposing attitude. her number is 4, and she has a grudge against canned drinks.
Ditzy, klutzy, idealistic but good-hearted, Chae-Young is the self-proclaimed coach of the Han Shin Blue Angels (she also gave it its name), despite having absolutely no prior knowledge of or involvement with the sport. She is also the granddaughter of the chairman of the Dae Han group. It is suggested she has had some kind of modeling career beforehand.
The wealthy chairman of the Dae Han group. He is thrown into a three-month coma, bringing into effect an unusual clause in his will- it is read, and it donates fifty percent of his hefty assets to girls' soccer in Korea. His motives are unknown.
Manhwa
Manhwa is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons . Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua...
about girls' soccer in Korea. The writer is Youn Jae-ho (윤재호), and the artist is Kim Dong-wook (김동욱).
The series was translated into English by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
; the Tokyopop version of the manhwa is out of print as of August 31, 2009.
Plot
Angel Cup is a story about the formation of a High School Girls' Soccer League in South Korea. It centers around two players in particular- Lee Soh-Jin and Shin-beeCharacters
The names of the characters in this section are given with family name first, given name second (see Eastern and Western name order for detailsLee Soh-jin
HangulHangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 이 소진 (Ee So Jin)
The protagonist of the series. She is a freshman who switched during the school year into Han Shin (한 신) High School. An avid soccer player in junior high, she always brought her team to the finals with her skill but was crushed four years running by the league MVP, Shin-Bee. Her position is midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and her number is 10. She went to So-Rah (소 라) junior high school.
Shin-Bee
Hangul: 신비A freshman in high school, she was the junior high soccer MVP for four years running. She switches into Han Shin High as a student and becomes the boys' team's new manager. Her acclaimed brother, Shin-Yung, was on the Han Shin Team as well. She seems reluctant to play for private reasons, but So-Jin's enthusiasm gets her to substitute in the futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
match. It is revealed she has some kind of health condition (possibly life-threatening) that cuts down her stamina after even short amounts of play. Her number is 6. She went to Yun Hee (윤 희) junior high school.
Kang Mi-Ae
Hangul: 강 미애Mi-Ae is bouncy and bubbly. Her breasts, large by Korean standards (C-cup) are a point of ridicule throughout the series. She is the first freshman to take up Soh-Jin's cause of girls' soccer, and although she is not extraordinarily skilled, she makes up for it with enthusiasm. One of the reasons she chose to play against the boys' team in the futsal match is a grudge- she was cut as their manager for no good reason. She is Mi-Rae's older twin, and a freshman. Her number is 5 and she plays as a forward.
Lim Yee-Ju
Hangul: 임 이주Yee-Ju is a sophomore, and starts out as a 'dangerous' kind of character. She smokes until an enraged Soh-jin makes her quit, and her attitude is cool and collected both on and off the field. She was originally on the school's handball team before it was cut, and as a result of this skill plays goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
. Her number is 1.
Lim Myung-Gee (Akira)
Hangul: 임 명지 (아키라)Akira is a mysterious girl with a connection to Shin-Bee. In the third volume, it is revealed she spent much time in Japan, where she picked up her harsh demeanor, superior soccer skills, fluency in the language, and an education in karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
(not Tae Kwon Do). Her number is 8.
Song Mi-Jin
Hangul: 송 미진Song Mi-Jin chose Han Shin as a high school under the recommendation of a coach, assuming that the presence of she and other junior high phenoms would enable the school to form a competitive girls' soccer team. Although upon first impression she appears egocentric and lazy, she is a skilled player with the team's best interests in mind. Off the field, she is usually seen with her friend Sei-Hee. Her number is 4 and she plays as an offensive midfielder.
Han Sei-Hee
Hangul: 한 세희Like her friend Mi-Jin, Sei-Hee was a phenom at Jin Hei (진헤 junior high. She wears glasses (sports goggles when on the field) and has an odd, oft-joked about 'power of divination' (for comparison, Taiki Kayashima of Hana-Kimi
Hana-Kimi
Hana-Kimi or known originally as in Japan, is a shōjo manga series written by Hisaya Nakajo. The manga was serialized in Japan in Hakusensha's semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hana to Yume...
fame) that is worked by her drawing faces and foreseeing good or bad energy coming the way of the portrayed person. On the field, however, she is a down-to-earth defender who sacrifices her body for the ball. Her number is 9.
Han Yu-Ri
Hangul: 한 유리A freshman that joins the team after the futsal match; she is exceptional at heading the ball. She also seems to display masochistic tendencies, erupting into shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
-esque sparkly joy every time she is injured by a heading. She and Mi-Ae get along well and work together on the field.
Na Ha-Na
Hangul: 나 하나Another Han Shin goaltender, Ha-Na is new to the game but tries her best. She recognizes Yee-Ju's skill. In the match against Gai Lyeung, she blocks a difficult penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
after starting before relinquishing the goal to Yee-Ju. Her number is 18.
Soo-Hee
Hangul: 수희Soo-Hee is a freshman devoted to Yee-Ju, for whatever reason. Although she is not extraordinarily athletic (or even that athletic at all), she joins Soh-Jin's cause to aid Yee-Ju. She plays as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, and is knocked out making a save during the futsal match. Her number is 3.
Kang Mi-Rae
Hangul: 강 미래Unlike Mi-Ae, Mi-Rae is serious and gets mad easily. She is much more athletic and competitive, but only plays soccer to 'beat her sister' for whatever reason. She plays forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
and her number is 7. She is the younger twin of Mi-Ae and is also a freshman.
Shin-Young
Hangul: 신 영Technically not a player anymore, Shin-Bee's brother was a legend on the field on the Han Shin boys' team. He returns to the school in an attempt to dissuade Shin-Bee from playing soccer, but is forced to crossdress in order to do it. He fails when Soh-Jin discovers his gender and creates an upset. Many girls regard him as a bishōnen
Bishonen
is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth ". The equivalent English concept is a "pretty boy".The term describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation...
and a running gag has involved his cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
to avoid recognition.
Yoon Joon-Suh
Hangul: 윤 준서The captain of the boys' soccer team. Attractive with the girls and talented on the field, it's difficult to ascertain his true motives and feelings behind what he does. He has a strong sense of honor, and defends Shin-Bee from the other boys. He doesn't seem to be too much of a knight in shining armor, though, as demonstrated in volume one when he suggests Soh-Jin dress as a maid if she lost the futsal match. A strong player like Soh-Jin, he also plays midfielder and bears the number 10.
Song In-Hyuk
Hangul: 송 인혁He is initially chauvinistic and harsh toward girls' soccer in general and Shin-Bee in particular. He mocks Soh-Jin mercilessly, even though she trumps him time and time again. He plays an aggressive forward, and bears the number 8. He appears to admire Mi-JIn's skill.
Other players on the boys' team
Yang Gin-Mo: A large and quiet goalie who recognizes power when he sees it. His number is 1.Lee Jei-Jihn: A forward. His number is 22.
Han Yung-Jei: An especially tall forward. His number is 18.
Choi Woon: A midfielder. His number is 14.
The Gai Leung High School Girls' Team
An opposing team consisting of mostly players with huge builds. A favorite to win, and Han Shin's first opponent.Yu Hee-Na
Hangul: 유 희나An extremely vicious forward with a bloodthirsty attitude toward the field and players. Petite in size and voice, she is nonetheless a power player who isn't afraid to hurt people- on or off the field. She also wears the symbolic number 10 showcased through the series. She makes her first appearance in Volume Three, when she tricks some thugs into taking her to Han Shin High; when Akira ousts her, she throws a flash bomb (!) and beats up the thugs who brought her for their clothes to the point where they bleed.
Shi-Ro
Hangul: 시로The imposing captain of the Gai Leung team, she has the physique of a male bodybuilder and an incredibly imposing attitude. her number is 4, and she has a grudge against canned drinks.
Yoon Chae-Young
Hangul: 윤 채영Ditzy, klutzy, idealistic but good-hearted, Chae-Young is the self-proclaimed coach of the Han Shin Blue Angels (she also gave it its name), despite having absolutely no prior knowledge of or involvement with the sport. She is also the granddaughter of the chairman of the Dae Han group. It is suggested she has had some kind of modeling career beforehand.
Yoon Kang-Ui
Hangul: 윤 강위The wealthy chairman of the Dae Han group. He is thrown into a three-month coma, bringing into effect an unusual clause in his will- it is read, and it donates fifty percent of his hefty assets to girls' soccer in Korea. His motives are unknown.