Just to give you some idea, look at the raw screencaps of that 16:9 raw I mentioned below:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8...9958lb8.th.pnghttp://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3...2642cg8.th.png
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/4...1793mi5.th.pnghttp://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2...2215aa5.th.png

The difference with all the other raws for Oofuri Episode 1 is obvious. The "haze" is not that bad in comparison. This is the best raw out there so far but it is 2 weeks late :P Taking into account how soft the picture quality of the earlier raws are, the fansubbing group is doing a great job with what they could get their hands on.

I just got around to watching ep1 raw. This looks like a good show. It's definitely the characters and their interaction, and some emotion. I could do without the hero's gulps and excessive self-loathing, but perhaps that will change soon, at least enough. The Abe character is great. I guess I'll see at least a couple more episodes. Not a genre I've watched before, but this one intrigues me.

We'll grant you that Entropy is certainly not a speed group... But are you volunteering? :D

If I had known Japanese, I would have done that already. (And, by the way, if my comments look discomforting, then I would have gladly accepted the offer of "we will stop scanlating the series". It is not like I am offered something in return.)

Oh, I was just teasing. No worries.
Although if you ever do take an interest in helping any groups, there are many jobs other than "translator". Photoshop skills and excellent English skills being two other important needs. My Japanese certainly isn't good enough yet to do any significant amount of translating. :D

As for the show itself....

After watching it, I can certainly understand why it's classified as seinen than shounen. The presentation of the show seems more reflective (like a man out of high school reminiscing) than the more exciting, "young man destined for greatness" style that's generally more popular amongst boys. Also, it's clear that viewers are supposed to identify with already-wise Abe as much as the developing Mihashi.

Maria is just more evidence of that. Being western-styled and giant-breasted (Geez, there is NO bra with lift like that) clearly makes part of her character a focus of escapist fantasy, but even though her character not being a teacher clearly makes her "accessible" to those identifying with the young students, her personality would be more attractive to older men.

The best western example I can think of is "A Christmas Story". It's a story about a child, but it's clearly aimed at adults who can relate to it.

I'll be watching this series because it's an Entropy project--even though I haven't done any work on it, I'm awfully excited about us moving into fansubs. Sadly, though, I don't really expect to enjoy it much. If the first episode is any indication, the only draw this series has is that it's about baseball. While it features character exposition and development in the series, it's still all just... baseball. I'd consider that pretty flimsy even if I liked baseball. And I don't. Japan doesn't seem to be exempt from the popular opinion that merely having a focus on sports is enough to make something entertaining or valuable. I can see how it might be an added draw for people who enjoy it, but that's not enough to hold up a series that is otherwise weak. Well, most people don't share my opinion, since I'm unlike 99.9% of the world in that I don't develop an emotional attachment to a sport.

dude, what kind of Japanese ace doesn't throw a forkball? has His Imperial Majesty Nomo been forgotten so soon? holmes should go cry in the sandbox until he can hold the split. and that Maria just looks badly drawn; I'm all for the big rack gag (cf. Grenadier's jigglicious reloading sequence being one of the finest feminist critiques of the shounen genre ever), but that design is straight awkward.

though I'll probably watch more of this, mostly 'cause I haven't seen much sports anime and I like to stay up on my categories; so I'll rely on y'all to keep me posted on how typical it is.

If you do not expect to enjoy it, why are you even bothering to watch it? Just because the group you're in is doing this? :rolleyes:

So, in short, you're already bashing this show because it revolves around baseball? Even when there's character exposition and development? And you're already jumping to the conclusion that this series is weak when you have only watched one episode? Get off your high wooden horse.

...yes, as a matter of fact, that's exactly why I'll be watching it.
I said I don't expect to enjoy it much, not that I find it totally devoid of entertainment. My enthusiasm for the group I work with means I'm a bit more inclined to watch it than I would be if they weren't working on it. More than that, though, instead of having steady projects, I do odd-jobs. If I need to catch up on a few volumes of manga so I can properly edit, proof, or QC something, it takes hardly any time at all. Should I ever need to fill in working on this, catching up wouldn't be so easy.

No, I'm absolutely not bashing a show because it revolves around baseball. I am certainly, however, a critic of shows that expect a theme to make up for what is otherwise a poor show. I don't jump to conclusions and expect that this show will be the same, though, as indicated by my use of the phrase "If the first episode is any indication". A glimmer of hope still exists in my heart that won't be the case.

If I simply hated the show, it wouldn't be worth analyzing. I'd have just stated my disappointment and been done with it.

There are at least three other series (Major, H2, Touch), that revolve around baseball, and a similar theme, and still present high-quality and highly-enjoyable stories.

Also, since you are from Entropy, you should have checked the way your group promotes this show: "Voted the number one baseball manga of all time! It also won the Tezuka Cultural Award in May 2006 for showing new possibilities of expression in baseball manga.". Still, if you think, it should be automatically assumed as a poor show because of its theme, and you start with such expectations, then I still don't get, why you even try to watch the show. And, even if you continue to watch, normally, people with negative opinions, need to watch more episodes than us to give more accurate decision on the show, rather than basing it on a single episode.

I never said that I dislike it because of its theme, and I already clarified that in response to your previous post. You're correct in that there have been shows with similar themes and good stories, and I've enjoyed some of them. My problem is not with the theme, but with shows that have nothing much to offer aside from the theme itself.

You're absolutely right that it can't be judged on one episode alone. Which is, as I clarified in response to your previous post, all my "negative opinions" are speculation based on my impression of the first episode, and I'm waiting to see more. While the first episode didn't impress me, I'm not going to see more of it before I praise or critique it as a whole.

I don't mind critcism of what I have to say (although I appreciate it more when it's polite). I do mind, however, if you criticize what you think I said instead of what I actually said.

I have already watched the first three episodes and I'm already addicted to this show, just like how I was addicted to Hikaru no Go and Prince of Tennis back then. The first three episodes were very slow but very promising.

It's too bad that not many people are talking about this show online. But in Japan, the DVD for volume one is already on the top 50 on Amazon despite the fact that it's going to be released in two months. That's a good indication that this show is pretty famous in Japan right now.

Does anyone know how long it will be? Since it's so slow, I assume it'll be over the norm 25 episodes.

13 episodes have scheduled TV times. They haven't announced the full length of the show.

Great show indeed!
Watching this show will really make you see how the manga was able to win the Tezuka Cultural Award for "showing new possibilities of expression in baseball manga"... because in almost all animes I've seen, it always has this "the ace pitcher has amazing fast ball skills" stereotype, and with this show, we have a whiny slow pitcher who doesn't have confidence in himself but has great control which not all skilled pitchers are able to achieve.

Gotta love the characters in the show too! Momoe is GREAT! She's the "goddess / Amazon of baseball" and her coaching / training abilities are amazing...! She really knows what she's doing, and has pretty nice tricks up her sleeve too ;)



I'm not sure if the author really intended the BL-ish feel of the manga/anime, but it certainly adds more viewership to this anime, considering that even non-sports but BL fans will also be enticed to watch this show XDDD

The summary of episode 2 is up in our blog by the way (for anyone who wants to see), by Seleria *pokes Seleria*

Ookiku Furikabutte 02 - A Catcher’s Role 「キャッチャーの役割」

Yeah I agree with you. The BL moments definitely adds up to the fun. I'm already a fan of RenxAbe.

This series looks like it's going to be another HnG or Prince of Tennis, both are kind of unique in terms of sports anime.

Just finished watching Episode 4. Oh my... I'm enjoying this show a lot.

The practice game with Mihoshi starts in earnest and it's very nicely setup and done. There's a fair bit of catcher's strategy given as Abe's thought processes are verbalised in his choosing of pitches for Mihashi to pitch.

If the first 3 episodes have not given you any indication that Momoe is a very savvy coach, this episode will leave you in little doubt, if any.
It's nice to see how Mihashi starts to do really well by trusting Abe. He gets praise from his team mates at the end of each inning he pitched and it's something he never had experienced. His growth in confidence feels naturally done.

It's not all about Nishiura players. Kanou, the Mihoshi pitcher, has his own demons to exorcise too.
Roll on Episode 5.

I agree that ep4 was once again very enjoyable. An episode made only of a baseball match... but with feelings added? I might start to understand why some people have been telling me Oofuri is more of a seinen than a shonen. So many characters went through nice development in so little time.




Oh, and one silly thing about this episode: a player from the Mihoshi team is voiced by Jun Fukuyama (he voices a Nishiura player, too) - except this time he uses a voice that sounds totally like Lelouch from CG (with kansai ben added :heh: ). It didn't help that I watched the ep on a certain streaming video website, so I got to see a ton of scrolling messages which were like "Lulu wwwwwwww". The resemblance was really that shocking, I just had to smile. Has any CG watcher not thought of it?

I read on a blog that Ookiku Furikabutte's director also directed Dokuro-chan. Which means he also directed Jungle wa Itsumo Hale nochi Guu? If that's the case, my interest in this anime just increased ten fold.

I've only watched the first episode and it was really nice. The BL hints were interesting to watch :) I don't understand a thing about baseball, but I don't think it would make me stop watching this.

Coincidently, Hikaru no Go was a previous winner of the Tezuka Culture Award for the Creative Category, which is the same category Oofuri won last year.

I think that this show is unlike Prince of Tennis, since the baseball is not exaggerated and doesn't have the usual "superpowers" that most sports show have. I think I read it here somewhere that a fellow poster said that one of the reasons for the manga's popularity is the author's devotion to baseball science (but I can't really tell, since I am not a baseball fan).

Several things that I like about Oofuri are:
- The main character is not haughty and big-headed about his skills. Most would be and yet have nothing to show for, Ren is actually very skilled but unpolished. Ren may be whiny and a crybaby, but I find his emotions real because something happened to him to make him that way. He just lacks self-confidence, but he gets better at handling it as the story progresses.
- Reading the manga ahead, the story showcases a team that is mirroring a family.
- There are really no real rivals in the team, so the team works hard for the benefit of the whole team.
- Momoe is not only their for the fanservice, what with her big boobs and all, she is actually very good at baseball herself and her insights are delightful. She is so kick-ass!
- Hinted BL everywhere!
- Characters are not initially what they seem (prime example would be Mihoshi's pitcher, Kanou).
- I love the storytelling, there are some random things inserted like brain hormones and even a brief mention of "self-stimulation", which makes it more interesting.

That's it for now, but Oofuri has got me hooked, and it is not because of the theme of baseball alone, it is the characters and their interactions (and not just the BL element) and I am cheering for them and waiting to see how they come together to become a star baseball team. Those looking for some baseball action, should see episode 4. ^^