Comics.

I've had multiple people (yes, multiple) complain/inquire about why there are comics about dramatic, superhero-like tennis players (Prince of Tennis, or PoT, if you will), comics about street racing (Initial D, which I actually find pretty cool) and even comics about grandpa's sport (Hikaru no Go).

Why aren't there any about badminton?

Well, I'll admit...I'm not surprised to see that there are, in fact, manga about badminton. Actually, theres manga about freaking everything out there. (Ranma? A guy who falls into water and turns into a girl? It gets weirder, but none are coming to mind right now...)

Photo taken from OneManga.com

SMASH! Look no further, boys and girls, because everything you've wished and dreamed is AT YOUR NEAREST BOOKSTORE!

...or not.

I can't say for myself, but I hear it's not very popular. Why? I'm not entirely sure--I've never read it. But I think its safe to say that, as a person who writes a blog devoted to badminton, the idea is good to go.

It's by Saki Kaori and it started in 2006.

Summary from OneManga.com:

Smash! is about two childhood friends (Shouta and Miwa) who share a common love for Badminton. Miwa, who's in love with Shouta, tries to persuade Shouta to apply to the same badminton school as her but the latter being of a carefree, easy-going and dense nature, brushes her away and states that he only plays badminton for fun.
However, Shouta's perspective of badminton quickly changes after a fateful encounter with Yuuhi (a mute girl). In his search for his badminton goddess Yuuhi, Shouta met Anan and thereafter, decides that he's going to pursue badminton more seriously...

Oh man. Shouta. "only plays badminton for fun"? Psha.

Anyways, take a look-see and read it at OneManga. If you like it, then pass it on and hopefully we can raise the ranking up from 87. (Is that how it works? I've never really read on OneManga before...)

BUT WAIT. THERE'S MORE!

Prince of Tennis never came out with PRINCESS of Tennis...but for you girl-badminton fanatics...read...

Picture taken from OneManga.com

BADMINTON GIRL!!!

WHAAAT??? (Ranking: 407. Sadface.)

Summary from OneManga.com:

Asahi is a 7th grade student who's very bad at sports. She joined the volleyball club when she entered junior high school, only to quit it one month later because she couldn't keep up with practice. Feeling discouraged from all kinds of sports, Asahi was reluctant when her friend asked her to play a double badminton match to substitute for a member who couldn't play. Surprisingly, Asahi found out that she has talent for badminton...

Isn't that all how we start out...except for me, it was in high school. And there was no volleyball club. Well, yes, there was, but if I tried out...well...I wouldn't. The ball tends to go the opposite direction.

BADMINTON GIRLS ARE AGGRESSIVE! Don't be fooled by those ridiculously disproportionate eyes of hers-- SHE WILL EAT YOU...ALIVE!!! Pigtails. PAH.

SMASH! seems to have a higher reception...it has 129 chapters, and is still ongoing. Badminton Girl, on the other hand, has 6... all of which are unavailable...

I tried to read SMASH!, but apparently I'm not Asian enough to figure out how to find the pages. (I clicked the Chapter...now what?!?!?!)

If neither of those are to your liking, then e-mail me a story and I'll do my best fit to come up with an awesome comic to fit your asian-badminton needs. It will be filled with rackets that match the body of the stick figures, and you'll be free to use as much imagination as you possibly can to formulate the story in which I attempt to put on paper.

It'll be awesome.

......................

BADMINTON SQUARE!

WILL THEY WIN? WILL THEIR TRAINING PAY OFF? WILL SHE EVER ACTUALLY WRITE THE COMIC?!?!? BADMINTON SQUARE...COMING SOON!.....OR....IS IT?!?