You’d think I’d be used to it by now, but it still kills a little piece of me every time a series I love gets the silent treatment from the English-speaking anime world. It happens with sports series more than any other genre, I think – certainly, after the first season I don’t remember anybody talking about the original Major anime much. It’s just that as a pure sports manga and anime, this series is so totally on-point – it just gets it. All the pieces are in place and they fit together as if they were made to – because of course, they were. We’re talking about a legendary mangaka paired with one of anime’s greatest directors, after all.
I think little Daigo is a kind of stroke of genius by Mitsuda-sensei, actually, because his pathos is so totally relatable despite his unusual circumstances. What really strikes me is how no one really seems to understand him. All they do is lecture him (and lie to him, as it happens). And manipulate him, of course. If Daigo really hated baseball all this would be simple, but of course in practice it’s anything but. I’m sure he wishes he did hate it, because that would make all of this a lot less painful to deal with.
Then we have Hikaru, of course, who’s everything Daigo isn’t both on and off the diamond. His reason for not having played baseball is pretty plausible – multi-sport kids are indeed the American way, especially with kids as talented as he is. And for Toshiya to have told him to try other stuff first kind of makes sense, because baseball would always be there for Hikaru. But he’s the salt in Daigo’s wound – Daigo understands the game inside and out and there’s still stuff he can’t do, because his body won’t let him. Hikaru is a dilettante of the first order, but he only needs to be shown something once and he pretty much masters it. How the hell is that fair?
A couple of interesting baseball notes where Hikaru is concerned though… First of all, Henry Aaron (baseball’s true home run king – MLB, that is) used a cross-handed grip when he was in high school, so it can be done. Though, I suppose, it would be pretty awkward for most people. Also, Hikaru’s complaint about baseball – “it’s boring because they hardly ever hit to me, and I have to wait for eight other guys to bat before I can hit” – is cited as one reason for baseball’s declining popularity among America’s youth. Compared to many sports, baseball is indeed slow – and it’s an odd game altogether. An individual game played on teams, I’ve heard it called – and in many ways, I think that’s very true.
The bottom line, though, is that those of us that love it, love it – and Daigo loves it. And his defense of it against Hikaru’s criticisms is the proof. From his perspective, it is indeed a waste for Hikaru not to play. Hikaru has everything Daigo would give his left arm to have, and to reject baseball by choice – for trivial reasons? That’s a personal affront to Daigo, who would love nothing more than to be a baseball hero himself but hasn’t been blessed with the natural talent (or an attentive father) to achieve it. Daigo may not have inherited Goro’s arm or natural hitting ability, but he does seem to have inherited his father’s intense sense of justice.
Daigo, Daigo – he really breaks my heart. Everyone thinks they know him – he wants to quit because he’s no good, he just wanted baseball to make him famous… In truth, Daigo is the only honest one in the room. He just wants to look cool – like Goro. That’s as genuine as it gets for a kid – and now, Kaoru-san goes back on her word to replace his game console? I’m sensitive to adults jerking kids around, thinking they know them when they don’t, because I hated it above almost everything as a kid. In case there was any doubt, Daigo is the one I side with in this series.
Well, this is a baseball manga sure as salt, so we know Daigo is going to end up on that field one way or the other. Is Hikaru manipulating Daigo too, in his own way? Could be – and if he is, he seems to have gotten what he wants. There’s a lot to build on here, both in terms of narrative and for Daigo as a ballplayer. After all, he already knows the game better than any of his teammates (or coaches, probably) and has good baseball instincts – in that sense, the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. And even if Goro himself isn’t around to offer any guidance, that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential replacements hovering on the periphery…
Iki
April 22, 2018 at 4:39 amI feel ya bro, as a sport-fan, a high-quality sport-genre always seems underrated just because it’s sport.
Sometimes always made me wonder, if Major is really a popular series or not.
Guardian Enzo
April 22, 2018 at 5:00 amIn Japan? Huge. One of the biggest baseball series ever, top 3 for sure.
Iki
April 23, 2018 at 4:08 amGood to hear that, because this is actually my most favorite baseball series.
leongsh
April 22, 2018 at 9:19 amYou should get used to it. I have. When it comes to sports anime that airs in regular time slots instead of late night slots, the Western anime world generally ignores those as they generally do not cater to the fandom that wants shipping opportunities.
Your website seems to be the only English-blog where Major 2nd is followed and reviewed. You should continue to keep the flame alive.
I’ll follow your review write-ups as I have been following the Major manga and anime franchise for a long time. The last raw chapter I am up to with Major 2nd is Chapter 135. Will be careful in commenting to avoid spoilers for anime watchers.
Guardian Enzo
April 22, 2018 at 2:46 pmNot to mention those of us following the translated manga…
Thanks for the comment – not dropping this series, no worries.
leongsh
April 23, 2018 at 2:30 amSince the anime watchers are behind on the translated manga followers, you are covered. At the rate that the manga chapters are being translated, the anime is expected to catch up somewhere in the middle or towards the end of the expected 2nd cour.
Unfortunately, the Major 2nd manga is not as far ahead as Major was before being adapted to anime. It would be nice to have the same arrangement as Major, i.e. for the 5 seasons of Major, it was covered over 5 consecutive years with each season being 2 cours, repeat of the season, then the next season is shown and so on.
Passa
April 23, 2018 at 1:56 amAfter taking a bit of a anime hiatus like 6 years ago I found your blog and in one of your posts you mentioned Major.
I gave it a watch and I absolutely loved it. We all know why it’s not popular and it’s a shame especially since Major 2nd is shaping up to be good.
It’s only episode 3 but I still have to wonder if at any point Goro is be part of a plot somewhere…
Guardian Enzo
April 23, 2018 at 2:42 amI could answer about Goro, but…
Thing is, Major 2nd is popular – in Japan, just not the West. It, Mix and Daiya no A are probably the three biggest baseball manga going. Well – maybe, Oofuri, too.
CoffeeMilk
April 26, 2018 at 11:56 pmIn large part, these first few episodes are a tale about loving something that doesn’t love you back. And baseball, more often than not, does not love you back. Not as a player. Not as a fan. It is often cruel, full of defeat more than success.
After the first episode, this show struck out for me. If I didn’t already have the second episode queued up, I wouldn’t have bothered, but I’m glad I did, and I eagerly watched the third right afterwards.
Guardian Enzo
April 27, 2018 at 1:17 amGlad to hear it, but just out of curiosity- what was it in the first ep that turned you off?
CoffeeMilk
April 27, 2018 at 3:46 pmThe trajectory of the episode. It basically starts up high, then goes downhill all the way before ending on a down note. And Daigo isn’t as likable by the end of the first episode, because the episode doesn’t let us into his internal struggle. It was a poor structural choice for a single episode start. The first two episodes together work much better as a unit, because the second episode does let us in to Daigo’s internal struggle.
If you weren’t already a fan of Major, if you weren’t a fan of the manga, the first episode by itself is a turn-off.
Guardian Enzo
April 27, 2018 at 3:53 pmNot in a position to answer that, I suppose, but while that’s an interesting take it didn’t strike me that way. But I am indeed pre-qualified…
elianthos80
April 28, 2018 at 3:37 pm– Nor a fan of being jerked around either. Been through enough of that BS as a child too
one more stone leaving my trust in adults bleeding by the side of the road* dramatic pause *– That said… hard to say how much of Hikaru’s approach is a cunning plan and how much is his figurative lightbulb lighting up on the spot as he’s struck by/with insight ( he IS a sharp kiddo after all) and/or he just goes with flow waiting for someone or something to really grab his interest but 1) he seems genuinely impressed by Daigo’s passion – and by his persevering unrequited love and his talent for being a schandenfreude magnet on the field – 2) his cheerfulness even when he’s giving the viewers mighty 2nd hand embarassment vibes is just… X°D TL;DR it’s easy to root for Daigo and his situation really tugs at one’s heartstrings but Hikaru… come to Auntie let’s be cheerfully brainy and lowkey ease our suffering together :,)
– where did that stray ball of Delayed Meeting Plot Convenience [Hot Dad alert!] even came from? O_o
– those are some very lousy coaches if Hikaru had to put the whole Dolphins team in line about being so unsupportive of Daigo in any case. * insert some possible jab of the authors at herd mentality x bullyism enablers here ? *
– one improvement compared to the manganso far: the lack of little big Sis fanservice shots. Hallelujah.
steelbound
January 6, 2022 at 6:13 pmI know it’s super late and you’ll probably never see this, but, I started watching Major this past summer when I didn’t want to commit to another rewatch of Hunter x Hunter (I’ve seen it a total of 3 times now). I love Cross Game and Touch and I figured having the seasons breaking up Major would allow me to bail if it wasn’t for me.
Turns out I needn’t have worried. I love Major. I’m surprised how different it feels from Cross Game and Touch. It’s truly a shame this isn’t a bigger series. The amount of time that passes in the series as we see the character mature and age is really unique; the only other anime that’s similar, that I’ve seen, is Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu.
Guardian Enzo
January 6, 2022 at 10:17 pmOh, I see all…
Major is in fact very big in Japan, one of the most popular sports manga ever. I agree it’s very different from Adachi, but I don’t think Adachi or Mitsuda are especially trying to do similar things. I’ve always said that the sports is just the canvas with Adachi, it’s the relationships that are the painting. Major has great characters (especially Goro and Daigo) but the sport is essential thematically in a way it never is with Adachi. I love both, they’re just different.