Bambino!

Bambino! (バンビ～ノ!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsuji Sekiya. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from December 2004 to February 2009, with its chapters collected in 15 tankōbon volumes. A second manga series, titled ''Bambino! Secondo'', was serialized in the same magazine from April 2009 to December 2012, with its chapters collected in 13 volumes. An 11-episode television drama adaptation was broadcast on Nippon TV from April to June 2007.

In 2008, Bambino! received the 53rd Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Tetsuji Sekiya, Bambino! was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from December 13, 2004, to February 23, 2009. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 15 tankōbon volumes, released from March 30, 2005, to April 30, 2009.

A direct sequel, Bambino! Secondo (バンビ〜ノ!SECONDO), was serialized in the same magazine from April 6, 2009, to December 17, 2012. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 13 tankōbon volumes, released from August 28, 2009, to January 30, 2013

Drama
An eleven-episode television drama adaptation, starring Jun Matsumoto as Shogo Ban, was broadcast on Nippon TV from April 18 to June 27, 2007. The opening song is "We Can Make It!" by Arashi.

Soundtrack CD
The music of the drama series was composed by Yugo Kanno. A soundtrack CD was released by VAP on May 20, 2007.

Reception
The Bambino! manga received the 53rd Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category in 2008, along with Takeshi Natsuhara's and Kuromaru's Kurosagi.

At the 53rd Television Drama Academy Awards in 2007, the Bambino! television drama series was awarded four prizes. They were: Best Actor (Jun Matsumoto), Supporting Actor (Kitamura Kazuki), Best Director and Special Award.