Yawara Inokuma is a talented judoka raised and trained by her grandfather Jigoro. Her grandfather says she's supposed to become the hope of Japan's judo team in Seoul in 1988, but she has different plans: to finish high school and find a boyfriend...like all her friends. But being a normal girl and an olympic champion are two different things. Which path will she choose to follow?

In 1990 Yawara! received the 35th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.