Teppu Review: A Girl Who Has Always Won at Everything Discovers Mixed Martial Arts and Meets the First Person Who Makes Her Want to Fight
by Moare Ohta
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Quick Take
- The most psychologically unusual sports manga protagonist: a girl who wins everything and hates it, who joins MMA to find something that can beat her back
- Moare Ohta's women's MMA manga is technically accurate and emotionally strange in the best way — 8 volumes, complete
- One of the most underread manga in Dark Horse's catalog
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want sports manga with an unusual protagonist psychology
- MMA fans who want the sport depicted with genuine technical accuracy
- Anyone who wants completed sports manga that takes female athletes completely seriously
- Readers who can handle M-rated sports violence
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: MMA fight violence including blood; physical damage depicted realistically
Mature sports violence — the MMA content is not gratuitous but is complete.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★★ |
| Art Style | ★★★★★ |
| Character Development | ★★★★★ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★★ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★★ |
Story Overview
Natsuo Ishido is the kind of athlete that other athletes resent — she picks up any sport immediately, wins, gets bored, moves on. She has done this her whole life. She does not know what it feels like to lose. She does not know what it feels like to want something.
She meets Yuzuko Mawatari, who cannot do anything naturally but loves MMA with her entire being and fights despite being repeatedly beaten. Natsuo is disturbed by this. She joins the MMA gym. She wants to understand what passion for losing feels like.
The 8 volumes follow Natsuo's development as an MMA fighter and her attempt to understand what Mawatari has that she lacks.
Characters
Natsuo Ishido — One of manga's most original protagonists. Her resentment of her own talent, her specific curiosity about what it means to want something, and her response to being put in situations she cannot immediately win — these are psychological territory that sports manga rarely enters.
Yuzuko Mawatari — The reason Natsuo is here. Her passion for a sport she is not naturally suited for is the series' moral counterweight to Natsuo's natural gift. She is not the protagonist; she is what the protagonist is trying to understand.
Art Style
Ohta's art is exceptional — the MMA sequences are drawn with technical accuracy about grappling positions, striking technique, and the specific physical geography of the cage. Female athletes are drawn as athletes, with the muscular development and specific movement patterns of actual fighters. This is rarer than it should be in martial arts manga.
Cultural Context
Women's MMA in Japan has a specific history — Japan's DEEP Jewels promotion, which appears in the series, is a real women's MMA organization. Ohta researched the sport at the level of a practitioner, and the technical content reflects real technique and real competition structure.
What I Love About It
Natsuo's psychology. She is genuinely unusual as a sports protagonist — not an underdog, not a prodigy who discovers passion, but a prodigy who had passion taken from her by her own talent and has to find a sport difficult enough to give it back. The specific inversion of the normal sports manga arc makes every development land differently than expected.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers who find Teppu describe it as the best women's martial arts manga they have encountered — the technical content, the protagonist psychology, and the art quality are all cited. It is consistently described as underrated. The 8-volume length and M rating have limited its visibility.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Natsuo's first real loss — and what she feels in the moment after — is the series' most significant single event and the clearest answer to what she has been looking for.
Similar Manga
- Hajime no Ippo — Martial arts, underdog protagonist, technical accuracy
- Ashita no Joe — Combat sport psychology, what fighting costs
- Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple — Martial arts, multiple styles
- Hinomaru Sumo — Martial arts combat sport, physically demanding protagonist
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Natsuo's psychology is established in the first chapter.
Official English Translation Status
Dark Horse Comics published the complete 8-volume series. All volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 8 volumes, complete — minimal commitment
- Natsuo is one of manga's most original protagonists
- MMA accuracy is exceptional
- Female athletes depicted with genuine physical specificity
Cons
- M-rated violence limits the audience
- The 8 volumes feel short — the series could have continued
- Some MMA technical knowledge helps appreciate the match content
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Dark Horse; standard |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.