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So you know that whole sports anime thing? That’s how you do it, right there.
As I’ve said already, we’re extremely lucky to have two sports series as great as Yowapeda and Daiya no A airing in the same season (along with Hajime no Ippo and Kurobas). I love Yowapeda for the reasons I’ve described at length in the series posts, but this show is a different animal altogether. You’ve got two of the best studios in the business, both with a long track record with sports anime, and a very solid writer and director, all to go along with a manga that’s as old-school and rock solid as it gets. This is straight-up, pure sports shounen at its very best.
There were so many spot-on moments in this episode that it’s really hard to single out one or two. The focus at first is on Zaizen, the old middle-school rival of Chris, and not unexpectedly he get a little back-story which humanizes him (though he’s still a douche for what he did to Chris). He has a classic battle with Eijun – one which starts with Eijun foiling a suicide squeeze attempt by throwing an un-buntable ball in the dirt. As Chris says, the instinct is spot-on – though in the majors they teach you to throw directly at the batter’s head (it’s an easier ball for the catcher to catch).
The second out thus tucked away, Eijun is freed up to focus on Zaizen, as no trickery is going to bring that baserunner on second home. It’s here we see him take a huge leap forward – the kind youngsters his age with great raw talent and little experience often do. He improvises a new delivery on the spot, a sort of hybrid of his old form and Kataoka’s “build a wall, hide the ball” motion – and strikes Zaizen out with by far his best fastball ever. In fact Chris later says (to himself) that it was “the best pitch I ever caught”.
As good as that was it’s here, for me, that the episode gets really special. First off I absolutely loved Furuya’s reaction when Miyuki needles him about Eijun’s scary potential. “Never once…” Furuya says softly, “Have I thought I was better than him.” Talk about a leap forward of a different kind – Furuya’s stature as a competitor rises several levels right there. But the big story is that Kataoka has made his decision – he knows who the two players joining the first-string will be, and he calls a team meeting to announce it.
Materially, this goes exactly as I predicted last week. Hariuchi is a given – he’s simply too good to pass over. And Chris just isn’t a good gamble, as he is now – Eijun’s potential (and left-handedness) makes him the better pick. But the reason this scene is great is that the focus turns to the forgotten guys – the third-years who busted their asses for three years trying to make it, and lost their last chance. The coach keeps them behind and delivers an emotional expression of gratitude to the lot of them, and they let the pain of the moment come out. This is the truth of competitive sports – for every spot the hero wins, he takes it from someone else. And while Eijun (and Haruchin) are just beginning their journeys, for these guys (apart from Chris, with his massive talent) it’s effectively over. And that really hurts.
It’s important here to remember what we learned about Eijun in the very first episode – for him (and for Ace of Diamond) this is all about the team and the teammates. He came to Seidou to succeed on behalf of the teammates he left behind, and that’s exactly what he’s tasked to do now – most especially for Chris. Eijun is utterly distraught at this turn of events – without a doubt he would have been happier to see Chris picked than himself. But his teammates remind him that it’s not respectful for him to wallow in self-pity or try to resign – he was chosen, the others weren’t. His responsibility is to go forward. And it’s here we see the thus-far rarely seen Yuuki step up and take charge – he’s the one who lays it out there for Eijun in starkest terms.
Eijun will, of course, deal with this and move on – there wouldn’t be a story otherwise – with Chris acting as a coach for the pitchers and catchers. And this wouldn’t be a sports anime without a training camp, which we’re told is coming up. It seems that Chris’ role at the center of the story is over, and he became a far more arresting character than it seemed at first – a true mentor for Eijun when he most needed one. But it’s now full-circle and back to Miyuki, who’s going to have to develop a rapport with Eijun once more. They started the series as a battery in the very first episode and it was always going to come back to that – and to the growing rivalry between Eijun and Furuya to wear the coveted #1 jersey.
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ishruns
December 29, 2013 at 5:02 pmAmazingly Tom Hanks is wrong – There is crying in Baseball.
Skiddou
December 29, 2013 at 6:53 pmReally good episode. The second half reminded me of an interview with the author of Ookiru Furikabutte where she talked about third year players who couldn't make it to the regular. I doubt she'll ever reach the point where there are actually 3rd year players in the main team so it's nice to see Diamond no Ace doing a good job on this topic.
ishruns
December 29, 2013 at 7:38 pmI think Oofuri will go on until they are third years so we might see that happen in maybe 15 years from now.
admin
December 30, 2013 at 12:43 amAt Oofuri's pacing 15 years of manga should get them through one tournament.
leongsh
December 30, 2013 at 7:13 amIt averages one match a year (12 monthly chapters). Closer to 10-12 years for one tournament. Taking into account the mangaka will take a year-long break every 5 years. 15 years is just about right XD
ishruns
December 30, 2013 at 11:07 pmHey stop bashing the snail pace of Oofuri. It's my third favorite sports anime, I like the obsessive detail of every second of a match and training it goes into. That pace comes from someone who loves baseball and wants everyone to know every single facet of it.
admin
December 31, 2013 at 1:17 amLike whether the catcher has hair on his legs…
elianthos80
December 29, 2013 at 7:40 pmSolid episode, loved the the tweaked bgm during the super pitch and everything that came after.
On top of the quality manly tears and crazy boy we got you had to put this 'though in the majors they teach you to throw directly at the batter's head ' 'scuse me while I start weeping.
If Yuu mentoring-wise is Virgil (oh duca mio. Well is good to have still him around as Heart&balls Coatcher PreKurisu at least :,) ) then The Kazuya is Eijun's… Beatrix. May the journey towords battery made in heaven through summer camp hell be long and fruitful with lotsa team feels :,D.
admin
December 30, 2013 at 12:45 amIt's not as though you're actually trying to hit the batter, it's just a matter of throwing a pitch they can't bunt and trapping the runner. You can't do what Eijun did and risk a wild pitch, so the safest thing to do is throw right under the batter's chin.
Amndn
December 30, 2013 at 9:16 amSports anime at it's best, the raw passion can be felt strongly. Never would I think I would be intrigued with baseball. This brought it home.
thedarktower
December 30, 2013 at 1:10 pmgreat episode. a classic one of sports anime.
it started with solid intense finish of the game and moved on to one of the most difficult issues at sports – telling your trainees that they are out. these guys worked so hard and did their best, but in the end, they didn't slip in to first squad. that's harsh.
it was a bit of emotional but with sport touch. and how important that we have 2 experienced studios to carry it out. not only that this part was great, but the fact that all first-string players are mixed as Eijun, but they know they can do only one thing – look forward and win.
DnA giving us the "Senpais" POV and experience all along. demonstrating us how much important is to have a solid team and to be united and focus on the goal.
in a related matter, even for the coach it was hard decision. although he seemed hasty because he decided so quickly, it's not like that. it's very important to be decisive in this case, and it's not like he doesn't care for the players, behind all his toughness he is showing, he knows what it means to be a player who works hard and isn't rewarded.
as for his picks – well Hariuchi is a given as you said, however let's not forget that his older brother is in the team. they don't seem like closest brothers that much..I guess we'll have to wait for further development in that matter.
the question was Chris or Eijun. it's true, Eijun is much better gamble than Chris. he has a lot of potential, it's not the first time that the coach saw his potential, not only as a pitcher but also in his character.
besides, to be frank, the coach still has Chris as sort of manager..and for the coach, his decision is based on the best interests for the group. and Eijun is a better gamble. he can be great secret weapon since he is southpaw.