Yoichi Takahashi retires: the legacy of Captain Tsubasa (Holly e Benji)

Yoichi Takahashi, creator of the manga "Captain Tsubasa" (known in Italy as "Holly e Benji - Due Fuoriclasse"), has retired after 43 years. The manga, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1981 to 1988 across 356 chapters collected in 37 volumes, follows the rise of young prodigy Tsubasa Ozora from local team Nankatsu to FC Barcelona. The anime adaptation, produced after the 1982 FIFA World Cup, premiered in Japan in 1983 and in Italy in 1986. Takahashi's work is credited with popularizing football in Japan and inspiring the creation of the J1 League in 1992. The manga features real-life-inspired characters such as Rivaul (Rivaldo), Juan Diaz (Maradona), and Karl Heinz Schneider (Rummenigge). Players including Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Zinedine Zidane, and Lionel Messi have cited the series as an inspiration. The franchise continued with sequels "Captain Tsubasa J" (1990s) and "Captain Tsubasa Road to 2002" (2002). Takahashi's retirement marks the end of an era for the manga that bridged Japanese and Western cultures through football.