Two Lonely Souls United by Basketball: New Manga "Hakusen ni Tenten" Begins
A new addition has been made to the world of manga where sports and drama are intertwined. In the May issue of Kodansha's prestigious Monthly Shonen Magazine, released on April 6, 2026, a new series titled Hakusen ni Tenten (Dots on the White Lines) by Satori Okita has begun its publication. This youth drama, which was presented to readers with lead color pages in its first chapter, handles how sports can bring even the most opposite characters together in an impressive way.
At the center of the story is Suzume Hiiragi, who struggles to adapt to her surroundings and experiences deep loneliness in her school life. Suzume's monotonous life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Osamu Mitaka, a tough-looking yakuza member smoking on the street. Suzume, who is strictly bound by rules, confronts Mitaka by saying "smoking is forbidden here," leading to a tense first meeting between the two. However, fate brings them together again the next day on a basketball court. As Mitaka begins to teach Suzume the fundamentals of basketball, a sports-based friendship blossoms between these two lonely souls whose social statuses are completely different.
The series' creator, Satori Okita, is a name previously known for works such as Toumin Shoujo and is noted for their success in reflecting the inner worlds of characters. Hakusen ni Tenten marks the author's first major long-running project blending sports and drama genres. The magazine in which the series is published, Monthly Shonen Magazine, is known as one of the most established and respected outlets in the industry, having hosted legendary series such as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April), Noragami, and Beck.
Although basketball-themed manga usually focus on competition between school teams, Hakusen ni Tenten focuses more on personal growth and the bonds formed by individuals who have been "pushed to the fringes of society." This unusual dynamic between a yakuza and a student adds both a humorous and melancholic atmosphere to the series. For fans of the genre, this new series promises not just a sports manga, but also a sincere coming-of-age story. In the coming chapters, we will all see how Suzume finds her own path among the white lines on the basketball court.
