I was going to open with “the thick plottens”, because this episode of Major 2nd certainly deserves it, but I realized that I’ve used that a couple of times already.  I don’t think there’s any question we were reaching a point where the status quo was due for a shakeup.  One issue I have with this season thus far as that in terms of on-field action, Daigo has been so thoroughly shunted off to the side.  In the outfield (where stuff doesn’t happen that often, which is why I hated it), batting ninth, not too relevant.  It’s fine to prop up the supporting cast, but hey – he is the protagonist and (for me at least) most interesting character.

Sports manga play the long game, especially something like Major where a legend like Mitsuda Takuya knows he’s got as much time as he needs and wants.  All this buildup for Anita and the others is important, and my sense of impatience with all this is no doubt exacerbated by the twin hiatuses causes by COVID-19, stretching this season out considerably.  But it’s also a somewhat unique risk to Major 2nd, because it intentionally chooses to have its protagonist be anti-flashy.  Not a pitcher, not a slugger, neither obnoxious or cartoonishly genki.  Daigo is substance over style and on balance that’s a big plus, but it does make it easier for him to blend into the background if the narrative isn’t careful.

Anita is, well- kind of obnoxious as a focus character to be honest.  I don’t know whether Daigo was aware that she was lying about her Yokohama Little tenure, and if not whether he would have made different decisions if he had.  I’m pretty much with her coach.  I was afraid he was going to say something sexist but in fact he hit her with the truth – her personality is a rough fit for a catcher.  Even for a 12 year-old (wearing #12) she had a lot of growing up to do to become suited to the mask.  And the evidence suggests that she still does.

Now, as to this business with Daigo’s shoulder, I’m of two minds about it.  It’s good to have an explanation for why he handed off the catcher spot to Anita, and I’d like to think he wouldn’t have otherwise.  But unless Mitsuda (and Watanabe-sensei) have been incredibly subtle about it, I don’t think there have been any clues for the audience to pick up on.  And if not, that’s kind of a cheat.  Ronald Knox’ 10 Commandments weren’t coined for sports series, obviously, but in a sense I think they sometimes apply to all fiction.  And this business with Daigo’s shoulder seems to have come out of (ironically) left field.

Now, I guess we’re about to find out the truth one way or the other.  The game is going along well enough – Anita redeems herself with a game-tying dinger in the first, but after that both pitchers settle down and hold the fort.  Anita guns down a base stealer (and picks Urabe off first), and while Sakura isn’t exactly overpowering anybody she’s managing to induce enough weak contact to contain Seiwa’s offense.  But she’s going back-to-back (boo!), and wearing down – and eventually gives up an extra-base hit to the leadoff batter in the 6th.  His hard slide into third dislodges the ball from Seira’s glove, and he repeats the trick at home – in the process causing Anita to injure her wrist.

Carrying only nine players is obviously fraught with risk for any baseball team, and a wrist injury is obviously a deal-breaker for a catcher.  But on the glove hand, Anita can nurse it for a few innings in the outfield – which at least prevents Fuurin having to forfeit.  But that means Daigo has to catch – and I guess also that we’re going to find out what, if anything, is going on with his shoulder.  As Daigo seems a sincere and honest lad I doubt he’d lie (especially to his team), so presumably this shoulder injury is real.  Seiwa may not know about it, but Urabe and Andy know that Daigo doesn’t have a cannon for an arm even if healthy – I suspect Seiwa small ball is about to make a grand re-appearance in these last two innings.

That may be, but more important is the fact that Daigo is going to make his grand re-appearance as well.  I’m ready for some heroism for him, and the fact that by nature his role is supportive rather than transformative makes his moments of heroism that much more satisfying (like the other tireless terrier, Outa Shou).  I don’t know where this game is headed, much less Major 2nd’s overall story, but the next episode title being “That Old Daigo Magic?” is certainly one hell of a good teaser.