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I’m officially rooting for Yakushi at this point. Does that make me a bad person?
Well, naturally Daiya no A would decide to start off 2016 by royally pissing me off – must be payback for initially leaving it off my 2015 Top 20 list. It says something for how much I like the parts of this series that I do like that it could make that list despite annoying me as much and as often as it does (which is a lot and pretty damn often).
I’ve had the feeling for a while that Kataoka was going to start Kawakami in the final. Honestly, as far as I’m concerned that’s the anti-climax to end all baseball anime anti-climaxes. I’m sorry, but you just don’t get to make Nori as useless as a sheet of seaweed on the mound for the entire series and then make him the hero – it doesn’t hold water. I know Eijun is going to get a chance (against Raichi for sure) at some point in this game, but it doesn’t matter – Kawakami started is a plotquake plain and simple, even if I predicted it (and I did, you can check).
What of Furuya? Well, naturally he gets his ego stroked massively even while insults are heaped on Eijun. That aside, it will just piss me off that much more if Kataoka goes against the doctor’s orders and let’s him pitch in the final. I’m trying to give Kataoka the benefit of the doubt and believe all this is about keeping the team’s spirits up and using Furuya as a decoy, but Kataoka has done idiotic thing so often (and been deified for it) that I have my doubts.
It may change once Eijun takes the mound, but no kidding – right now I just like Yakushi better. Apart from Eijun and Haruichi there’s no one on Seidou I like as much as most of the Yakushi kids, and Raizou just appeals to me more and more. He’s a guy that’s very rare in sports manga (and frankly not all that much less rare in Japan) – one who calls bullshit out for bullshit. I love the way he and his team approach the game – they’re loose, they have fun, but they’re serious about winning. And Raizou is a pretty sharp guy when it comes to psychology too, much cagier than he lets on. I sincerely hope we see Raichi pitch in the final (I had some inkling he pitched at times) because I think that could be really interesting.
One other thing you can’t help but notice about Yakushi – almost all their key players apart from Sanada are tenth-graders (i.e. first years). That may be part of the reason why they’re so lovably goofy, but it’s also an ominous thing for Seidou and every other team in Japan – as good as these boys are now, how good are they going to be when the freshman are all third-years? How good will Raichi be? I want to see Eijun get the respect he deserves – and the ace jersey – but I want to see the answer to those questions almost as badly…
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Stöt
January 5, 2016 at 9:53 pmEh, if you're a bad person then I'm a bad person too. Jesus, Yakushi is a so much better group of guys. They're simply made from a superior mould, where's Seido were all cut out of cardboard. And don't even get me started on the managers and staff. Ochai is the only one I can bear at the moment, and all female characters are just so frustratingly disappointing, it's sad. Really sad.
I decided this episode that I want Seido to lose, and Yakushi to go all the way, not as a healthy experience for Seido, not to build them up to something better, no. I want them to lose and to stay shit, At least until Eijun's third year (with hopefully a whole new cast and staff). But as I decided that, I realised it will won't happen. Yakushi is full of first years, because they're going to lose and become better next year.
Nori you suck. Every time I see your sweaty face I know you're going to choke and mess up even the simplest rice dish. You'd spoil Onigiri for me. Furuya deserves very little of the praise he gets, and none of the progress he makes.
admin
January 5, 2016 at 10:05 pmThe problem is that even if Nori doesn't choke and ends up pitching great, it's a total asspull.
gilraen_tinuviel
January 5, 2016 at 11:04 pmI love Yakushi too. The best team, as a whole.
I wish Eijun was in a different team, Seido's people are terrible for him (except Chris-sempai), even Haruichi is sometimes terrible too. Often it makes me even uncomfortable, how he's constantly put down there, it looks too much like a bulling. Especially, when Furuya doesn't receive even half of the critique, which Eijun has to endure, for much worse mistakes.
I've felt for some time that the mangaka actively hates his own MC. I've heard that he wanted to make Furuya the protagonist, which makes sense because it feels that way, but the magazine and editors were against it. I wish they let him, I wouldn't read/ watch it then but there wouldn't be passive-aggressive jerking MC, not developing him properly and such. Looking at Sawamura's baseball skills, accomplishments and development, it's just such a nonsense he isn't recognised yet as a pitcher, especially in his own team.
I feel I was tricked with this manga and it's just bad writing, plain and simple, but I've understood it when I made too big investment and something constantly pulling me back to check it out new chapter. Well, I've met some nice people too, when some part of fandom is cool, it's harder to leave. Oh god, sorry for the rant but Ace of Diamond frustrates me so much!
Stöt
January 6, 2016 at 2:01 amHah, I can relate to your reply too much.
That part on Furuya being the faux protagonist pisses me off a lot if it's true. Because he's really an insufferable twat of a person, and would be an awful choice for an MC in any anime.
I'm starting to think the mangaka is doubting every major decision he has ever made with the series. Making the team a power house with big financial muscle was probably something he regrets, since he consistently makes you want to root for the (underdog) opposing team. He also seem to be reverting the whole coach replacement thing in an extremely awful way, it's retarded. First pitching Ochai as a genius replacement, then as an evil manipulative guy, and now as a buddy-buddy fucker duo with the stupidest coach of all time. Yes, ok. Maybe their qualities together would make a great coach, but Kataoka wouldn't actually contribute with much in that lopsided duo. A scarecrow with a heart would work just as well.
tangytangerine
January 6, 2016 at 12:03 amYeah, I really can't help but find Seido to be an extremely toxic and destructive environment for Eijun. It's like they really go out of their to belittle and ridicule him in every opportunity; even when he's doing a fabulous job. I'm honestly amazed that he's still retains some of his confidence despite the constant insults and belittling he gets every time.
I can't blame anyone for rooting for Yakushi at this point at all. Eijun is pretty much the only reason I'm rooting for Seidou – and I don't want to see him go through another breakdown if they happen to lose. To put it bluntly, had it not been for Eijun, I simply would've dropped this series in a heartbeat.
admin
January 7, 2016 at 2:57 pmYes, the way Eijun is treated is becoming a major issue for me. Maybe there really is a latent mangaka hostility towards an unintended character taking over a series, like Taichi with Suetsugu,
sanaeozora
January 8, 2016 at 9:58 am@ tangytangerine: I agree 100% with your post. I really have trouble remembering a main team in a sports manga that I find myself disliking more and more than I do with Seido. It' simply NOT a good team to play for and ANY of the DnA teams is better in my opinion. I've long wished it were possible, regulation-wise, to have Eijun switch schools and attend Yakushi, he'd surely be a beast there and get the respect he deserves. Not to mention Raizou would actually do something to help him with his batting, unlike Kataoka, a.k.a Mr WORST COACH EVER.
owler
January 7, 2016 at 2:33 amI'll admit I'm starting to dislike Ochiai less, but it's just to a point where I feel like he and coach K. may combine to make a half-way decent assistant coach.
I felt like Furuya got declared the 'ace' more because he's the type that would sulk forever if it was given to Eijun, whereas Eijun just works harder. Heck, Furuya sulks anyway.
Not sure who to pull for in the finals. I kind of want Nori and Furuya to fall on their faces so hard, Eijun can't fix it… plus Miyuki's just screwing everyone over by not even getting a doctor to check over him.
On the other hand, if Seido goes to the finals, both coaches have said they'll leave. Maybe Seido will offer Raisou a big pile of money to take over, and we can have Eijun and Raichi on the same team….
In the meantime, maybe somebody will get around to teaching Eijun how to do more than bunt when he's at bat. That seems to be (in my mind) his biggest disadvantage compared to Furuya. (Has Nori ever even gone to bat?)
Adam Makarevicz
January 7, 2016 at 7:43 am"Seido will offer Raisou a big pile of money to take over, and we can have Eijun and Raichi on the same team…."
You know, after this episode I was actually think that would be so awesome.
Adam Makarevicz
January 7, 2016 at 7:59 amThis episode was the first time I've laughed out loud in a long time, which actually made up for the fact we didn't find out who starts in the finals. Right now, I'm slightly leaning towards Kataoka not deploying Furuya; and as for Kawakami starting, I've voiced my partiality towards seeing him actually do something before. Not that his recent successes aren't out of nowhere (although we got some hint a long time ago about him giving up the sinker or whatever because–I don't remember the reason but obviously not a good one), but point is, I'll be more gratified than upset if he does miraculously do something. At least if he screws up (which I'm betting is what happens) in the early game and not the endgame, Sawamura can come in and save the day and get the respect he deserves.
But I'm rooting for Yakushi too, only because that side we saw of Raichi in literally the last minute. Can we rename the show Diamond no Cleanup?