cross game (TV)

~satoushigeki

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:26:37 -0400

Finally ...
the stupid coach was kicked out :(

~punchii

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:46:39 -0400

In Episode 15.

- Azuma is not as cold-hearted and hard edged as he has initially made out to be. The scene with his brother showed a softer side to him that he has not shown to anyone else.

- Miki's look at the end of the earlier scrimmage/practice game when he watched the farm team leave the field together is given voice in his last words to Azuma before he left.

- The first team coach burned his bridges with Azuma, his best player, the moment that he responded with, "Miki who?"

- The best moment of the episode is when Kou finished what Aoba wanted to say and showed how well he knows her. It's also in his own way of showing his concern for her.
- Finally, Azuma makes his gamble but it's a very calculated one as he has been quietly getting information for himself and has seen enough to have a good idea of the comparative capabilities of both teams.

A couple of scenes from the manga were dropped and one was expected while the other I thought would have been kept - where when Akaishi, Nakanishi and Kou were thinking in the cafe with Aoba and each of their faces lit up as one-by-one and looked at her as they hit on the realisation that Aoba could play that position before Aoba did so in the anime.

~satoushigeki

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:46:45 -0400

this is gonna be a long story...

~ichitaka05

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:21:45 -0400

Watch more and you & you'll understand more. lol

~tunika

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:00:50 -0400

I have watched two episodes, I like baseball and Love baseball anime.
Characters are little off or mayby I dont understand them xD But this was pretty nice, mayby I soon continue watching.

~lamegeek999

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:55:59 -0400

I love this anime but I don't exactly think it is the best one this season. Cross Game is actually one of the few baseball anime that I actually watch cause usually I hate baseball anime. Sorry but I'm not exactly a fan of the sport in fact I think its quite boring.

~satoushigeki

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:20:47 -0400

Next episode, side story *maybe*

~punchii

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:07:57 -0400

This show puts a smile onto my face :) I found myself smiling quite a lot during that episode. I'm sad though that Kou doesn't win his wager with Aoba.She was probably happy that she didn't have to treat Kou to a Napoletan (sp?).
The foul ball before strike three Azuma said should have hit dead center (presumably for another home run and the game ender). It didn't, so Azuma considered Kou the winner during that confrontation and took strike three. i wonder if Kou made a losing pitch because he was smiling at Azuma when he was pitching?!
Didn't it seem like... Azuma let Kou have that strike 3? iono seemed like it. loved it.
I can't wait for the next episode. Cross game is just really easy to enjoy!
I'm glad Kou had a nice debut, can't wait to see if they ever get together.

~Koshiba

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:31:12 -0400

I haven't read the manga but I've been greatly enjoying the anime so far. One of the few series I'm actually following this season. :)

~satoushigeki

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:11:27 -0400

Finally, i know how to play baseball

~punchii

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:26:45 -0400

I have already finished chapter 140, i wonder how long does it take until the next chapter come out, can't wait to read it... But next episode of its anime will come out next week, so i don't have to ge upset anymore, love this anime, Ko and Aoba look more lovely in this anime!I look forward to see it!

~ichitaka05

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:33:10 -0400

@ punchii
Thanks for the review of the epi 8... but some people didn't watch that episode yet... but it'll be nice if you can put it in the "Spoiler" code.

Also it's not exactly follow chapter by chapter on the manga.

~satoushigeki

Fri, 29 May 2009 08:33:54 -0400

I have not started reading manga yet.

~punchii

Fri, 29 May 2009 06:37:49 -0400

Posting my thoughts on Episode 8 before I forget to post about them (like Episode 7 =P).

This episode starts the shift of attention towards Kou from Aoba in the previous episodes. Before then, we get to know Aoba's original reason for disliking Kou. As a kid, Wakaba lavished a lot of attention on Kou and Aoba felt left out. That accumulated and became the extreme dislike she continues to foster for Kou. Oftentimes the cause of these kind of lifelong of grudges are forgotten but Aoba recalls it now as she is starting to reevaluate her opinion of Kou.

That doesn't mean that she will forget her dislike of Kou so fast. When she hears her father offering to set aside treats for Kou, she goes ballistic towards Ichiyo about how Kou is treated by them and proceeds to list all the bad points of Kou before being stopped by Ichiyo with a simple, "I see," as she points out that Aoba is wearing a shirt with a hole just as she proclaims Kou to be bad for doing the very same thing. "So alike, you and Kou."

I love that scene.

Most of the rest of the episode is about preparing for the upcoming practice game between the first team and the reserve team. Along the way, they give us another reason to boo and hiss at the "acting" principal.

The night before the game, Kou goes to the batting centre looking for Aoba. Both Ichiyo and her father are surprised as they have always been at loggerheads. He does find her at home and asks her to follow him out at night. They go to a park with lots of couples hugging and kissing away... No, that's not what they are there for.

Rather, Kou wants Aoba to give an honest assessment of his pitching. He wants to hear it from her as he thinks the other guys, like Akaishi and Nakanishi, are only saying good things so that it won't affect his confidence. He does not expect to do well against the first team as they are mostly high level players scouted to join the school. He does though want to know where he stands, i.e. whether he will embarrass himself.

With each pitch thrown to Aoba playing as catcher, the sound of the baseball hitting the mitt gives you a fairly good idea. I liked the look on Aoba's face when she catches the very first pitch. That look of surprise and revelation on her face which Kou couldn't see since it's only partly lighted by a park lamp. When asked for the honest assessment of his pitching, she tells him, "Not bad." Kou is extremely happy at that because a "Not bad" from her to him means "Very good".

Before he walks off, he asks for a wager that if he can keep the first team to 10 runs or less, she will treat him to a Napolitan pasta dish at Clover but cooked by Ichiyo. She counters with only if he keeps them down to 5 runs or less. He calls her stingy. Aoba in a quiet aside to herself asks who is being stingy when she looks at her sore left hand.

That chink in her thick armour against Kou is ever so slightly widening.

Next episode, is the start of the practice game, which the "acting" principal is making into an event that has everything against the reserve team.

The anime continues keeping to the 4 manga chapters per episode pace and doing so very scrupulously - starts exactly from the start of Part 2, Chapter 19 (Chapter 29 counting cumulatively) to the end of Part 2, Chapter 22 (Chapter 32 counting cumulatively). No surprise if you follow the manga as most of the manga chapters they chose to end with are good anime episode endpoints.

~satoushigeki

Fri, 22 May 2009 06:52:29 -0400

Yay

okay, i think 1 episode = 3 chapters

~mizorechan

Fri, 22 May 2009 05:26:03 -0400

Love the op but the story is abit faster than the manga