Data Speaks: The Structure of Classic Matches in Captain Tsubasa Analyzed through Pass Networks and Triads

Abstract

This study applies passing network analysis and triad census analysis to football matches depicted in the Japanese manga Captain Tsubasa. By extracting pass data from comic panels and reconstructing the networks, we quantitatively examined player interactions. The results reveal that Tsubasa Ozora consistently functions as the central player with multiple roles, and that “memorable matches” exhibit distinctive triad distributions, often appearing as statistical outliers. Furthermore, we found that certain triads frequently observed in real football, such as the fully connected “300 type,” rarely appear in the manga, highlighting fiction-specific patterns. These findings demonstrate the structural basis of narrative excitement and suggest new possibilities for applying data science to the analysis of fictional works.