Yoshihiro Togashi's Buttobi Straight

Buttobi Straight (ぶっとびストレート ) is a oneshot manga created by Yoshihiro Togashi in 1987.

It follows the exploits of a violent and impulsive boy who sought to become captain of his school's baseball club. (Wikia)

Togashi also won the 34th Tezuka Award for this manga.

Weekly Shonen Jump 1988 Issue No. 1-2 34th Tezuka Award Results

This is a quote from Yu Yu Hakusho 4ever:

"34th Tezuka Award Selection

1st place (Score: 45 points)

Yoshihiro Togashi, 21 years old, Yamagata Prefecture

Buttobi Straight (ぶっとびストレート)

“The baseball team’s brawler Todoroki-kun plays a big game, in a contest between two teams, against ace Segawa and his coach, who favor managed baseball!!”

T/N: managed baseball (kanri yakyū): In japanese, the organized baseball, which emphasizes the discipline of collective action, is called “managed baseball” . The coach Nachi-sensei thinks Todokori should be kicked out of the team, because he is a bad example, and being good at trowing fast balls isn’t good enough for a high level team aiming the championship.

● Commentaries from the judges: Tetsuya Chiba, Michitsuna Takahashi and editor-in-chief Shigeo Nishimura

“The main character’s powerful and energetic spirit is exhilarating. There’s something great about the author’s abilities” (Chiba-sensei)

“The protagonist has a good character, if you make it your own, it will get even better” (Takahashi-sensei)

“The fact that you can portray a story with a ridiculous setting with great seriousness got you points” (Chiba)

● Commentary from Osamu Tezuka

“The manga world is now past its full maturity, and the new manga world is entering an off-season, seeking for new feelings and directions. Perhaps, the works submitted this time also reflect this situation. The authors’ enthusiasm can be seen in the overall quality of the works, the quality of the illustrated stories, the writing style, and the writing style of a SF shounen manga. However, the themes were too great or too heavy, making the score a little hard to digest. The semi-winning works, including "Buttobi Straight”, evaluated for its strength in conveying the passion and enthusiasm of the author in a straightforward manner, were all selected works brimming with the authors’ assertions. Manga can only be accepted after impressing the reader. I hope that those who aspire to become manga artists will develop the ability to express their own emotions and arguments without falling into self-righteousness.“

Togashi’s profile published in the JUMP COMICS DELUXE: "Aim to be a mangaka! - Tezuka & Akatsuka Prize - Awarded Works 1” (March, 1988)

On the right page it says Togashi's date of birth (April 27, 1966), his age (21 at the time), Blood Type (A), and his Height/Weight (5ft 7in/157 pounds). It then asked Togashi questions:

■ Date of birth

April 27, 1966

■ Age

21 years old

■ Blood type

Type A

■ Height and Weight

171cm, 71kg

■ What awards have you won so far?

Hop Step Award Honorable Mention.

■ Respected mangaka: works

All the people who make a living from manga: their works.

■ What kind of manga do you want to draw?

Even if it kills myself, a manga that appeals to the readers. (I think it’s the most challenging thing)

■ What was the motive that made you start drawing manga?

If I get tired of scribbling, I’m dead.

■ A word to the readers of this work.

Read.

Togashi: "I created this work to apply for the Tezuka Award, to test myself. If I think of it now, at this point (and even now, really) I didn't really have a good drawing technique yet. However, at that time I could stay up for 3 days straight without a problem, and that was my weapon. Everyone, please use that overabundant power and put it into a theme you really want to draw. Pursuing that without becoming greedy and while narrowing down what you want to incorporate is important."

Buttobi Straight was later published in Togashi's manga "Ōkami Nante Kowakunai!!" in 1989 as chapter 6.

Some say this is Togashi's first published manga but it is actually his third. The first debut being Tonda Birthday Present (とんだバースディプレゼント) and the second being Jura Miduki (特別読み切りジュラのミヅキ).