“Hehe ♥“ This was pretty much Adachi at his most shameless.  No, I took no liberties with the chapter title – that’s it, complete with the little heart.  He starts with a reflection on windy days and uplifted skirts, and ends with “In this country, from times past, though there […] Read more

“I’m Not Trusted at All” A pretty quiet chapter this time, clearly intended to be a mood piece.  The stage is being set for the jump to the future with some not-so-subtle reminders about the past. The first of these reminders is a callback to the “other” glorious memory for […] Read more

“Are You Worried?” So, there ends the prologue, seemingly, and now begins the real story of Mix.  But will the big question on everyone’s minds be answered anytime soon? I think more than with any other mangaka, familiarity is a vital component of Adachi Mitsuru’s appeal.  Frankly I’m not sure […] Read more

“When Spring Comes” Mix may be a linear sequel to Touch, but in some ways it’s playing more like a pastiche of several of Adachi’s earlier series.  I see elements of Cross Game, Miyuki and especially H2 here, among others, and he’s even included a few names that are puns […] Read more

“Of Course it Does” 13 chapters in, we have our first major timeskip (an Adachi specialty) in Mix.  With the Nikaidou business settled and done with, it’s seems as if the third year of middle school is going to be breezed through pretty quickly, and Meisei High School is where […] Read more

“You’re a Pitcher, Right?”/”I’m Glad” It appears as if Adachi-sensei is getting soft in his middle age.  We finally got our tragedy, but the patient lived. Anyone who’s read enough Adachi manga knew that Mix was a ticking time bomb – something bad was bound to happen (or already be […] Read more

“What’s Your Problem?” The mystery only deepens in the latest chapter of Mix.  Among the interesting developments here are the introduction of some names we haven’t heard before: Eisuke (Touma’s father) Ooyama Gorou (Captain of the Mesei Baseball Club when Eisuke was a member) Sawai (Souchirou’s mother’s first husband, and […] Read more

“Just Trade With Us” It’s interesting to speculate on just how the pacing of Mix might compare to Adachi Mitsuru’s previous epic baseball works, including the series it’s based on, Touch.  A monthly manga tries the patience in a way a weekly doesn’t, but as of right now the master […] Read more

“It’s a First-Class Pitch” Lest anyone think we weren’t going to get around to one, Adachi-sensei delivers an all-baseball (with just a little service) chapter this month. With the Tokyo tournament starting, it seems an open question whether the Tachibana Brothers would be rooting for a win that would allow […] Read more

“They’re So Noisy” No question about it, an Adachi baseball manga in a monthly magazine is a bit of a torture. Mix, as best I can describe it, continues apace.  It’s excellent – vintage Adachi, and he’s clearly invigorated being back on his most familiar ground.  But we’re no closer […] Read more