(L) Cross game

[Guardian Enzo]

There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Aoba loves baseball in any form, on it's own merits. She was a huge baseball freak while Waka was still alive, so it hardly seems likely that Waka's dream would be her main motivator. If anything it's Kou who plays for the benefit of Waka-chan and not any abstract love of the game itself. I think a case could be made that Kou has somewhat indifferent feelings about baseball - he started playing when Waka was alive at her insistence, accepted Aoba's tutelage at her insistence, and (IMO) pursues Koshien out of a sense of duty to her. Aoba would be playing baseball in some form whether Kou did or not, whether Waka was alive or not. Her seeming indifference towards the women's tryouts, I think, came from a mix of guilt about "abandoning" the boys in the midst of their quest and a reluctance to compete at any level she felt was below the highest possible (i.e., vs. the guys).

[Nosauz]

I really don't think kou is just that simple. Kou plays for love for wakaba but he also has deep feelings toward aoba. He could care less about going to koshien if wakaba didn't dream it, but even when he did play baseball the only time he was excited was when he competes with aoba. Honestly this far different from touch whereas in this context if wakaba was still alive I feel that even aoba would be a formidable opponent.

Also if you notice in kou's conversation between akane, she's frustrated because of not being a detriment to the team now that she's out. She feels more comradery with the seishu boys than girls her age competing to be the best so even though her love of baseball is profound, her love for the pro side of mens baseball will always eclipse any of her respect for the women. Although this may sound chauvinistic it's the way she feels, she has supreme confidence in her skill unless she's being compared to kou but there isn't one pitch she has thrown where she has doubted herself.

[HitagiIsHot]

I agree with you both. Aoba definitely loves baseball be it men's or women's. I also agree to the fact that she prefers to stay with Seishu's baseball team (all males except her) than to leave them for the Women's baseball team. I think it is also great that while the sponsors are trying to promote women's baseball, the filler itself is not too intrusive to the main plot and actually fits in pretty well with it.

[Guardian Enzo]

Nosauz, I think you were disagreeing with something that I wasn't saying - I agree with you that Aoba will always value mens (boys) baseball over womens (girls). She (rightly) sees herself as a competitor of the highest order and any environment that wasn't the top of the age-appropriate baseball universe wouldn't satisfy her. She'd rather be given the chance to compete against the boys and fail than succeed against women.

Kou may in fact still play in part because Aoba loves baseball, but that only supports the larger point that his feelings for the game itself are less clear. He loves being very good at something, as almost any boy his age would, but he's not terribly concerned with being the center of attention. I think the game's connections to the Tsukishima sisters are far more important to him than the game itself.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Kou may in fact still play in part because Aoba loves baseball, but that only supports the larger point that his feelings for the game itself are less clear. He loves being very good at something, as almost any boy his age would, but he's not terribly concerned with being the center of attention. I think the game's connections to the Tsukishima sisters are far more important to him than the game itself.

I really wasnt' argueing against this. In the end it didn't matter whether or not nakaishi or akaishi played or not, as long as wakaba was there or he was playing against aoba then he'd have his game face on. I mean considering he grew up basically in a batting cage just shows how unimportant the sport itself is to him. My whole point was, aoba not playing for the national team isn't a big of a loss to her as the anime depicted it. Especially considering the whole notion of why aoba plays. Akane's portrait is another example of aoba's complex feelings toward baseball, so in the end the anime changed some things that really where never even hinted in the manga. Also the proposal scene although alright was still not as good as the scene that pertains to it later occurs. In the end ichiyo nee is not all lovey dovey with guys. I think the only girl who is somewhat open with guys is probably momiji so that again felt awkward.

[BetoJR]

Oh well, I - as a manga reader and a big Adachi fan - can honestly say that I didn't mind the additions at all. And the proposal was actually pretty hilarious, IMHO.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Oh well, I - as a manga reader and a big Adachi fan - can honestly say that I didn't mind the additions at all. And the proposal was actually pretty hilarious, IMHO.

really? It was alright but in the end it really didn't fight junpei at all. He's really straight forward with Ichiyo, and in the end he never flutters with wordy solilquies about his love. This just felt out of character. And as a manga reader I do feel that some of these characterizations are just slightly off. Again I nit pick because I like the show, and I like the manga.

[BetoJR]

"Fight" Junpei? I really didn't catch that one.

And his soliloquy in the anime was a concret proof on why he shouldn't really pursue these things any further, if you ask me.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

"Fight" Junpei? I really didn't catch that one.

And his soliloquy in the anime was a concret proof on why he shouldn't really pursue these things any further, if you ask me.

lets just say hes no hamlet and leave it at that , still he's an awesome character that is always cool which is why this felt off, he's always composed, and he hides his emotions through his carefree nature. If anything I would have imagined him lying on the beach with ichiyo next to him and casually asking her to marry him.

[BetoJR]

The thing is: in the manga, she did mention in passing that he actually mangled the proposition. Why couldn't it have happened just as the anime showed? That's just something the anime production team is doing right: adding stuff only briefly mentioned in the original.

[poko-kun]

I found this is interesting.
Kou and Aoba become presenters for "Tombow" school uniform.

You can see their posters placed in Tombow shop.
Rare isn't it?

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by poko-kun

I found this is interesting.
Kou and Aoba become presenters for "Tombow" school uniform.

You can see their posters placed in Tombow shop.
Rare isn't it?

Change your sig to say, "It's Cross Game Decade"!

I'm a bit unclear on how the whole school uniform thing works in terms of the supply chain, as I never had to wear one. Do these companies actually compete to offer uniforms to students of the same school?

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Nosauz

really? It was alright but in the end it really didn't fight junpei at all. He's really straight forward with Ichiyo, and in the end he never flutters with wordy solilquies about his love. This just felt out of character. And as a manga reader I do feel that some of these characterizations are just slightly off. Again I nit pick because I like the show, and I like the manga.

See I think that was the point. Proposals are a big deal, it's not at all unusual for a guy to try and go all out and be impressive. (Maybe he got some bad advice from his mother). It then failed because it was completely out of character for him, but his final recovery was when he gave up and kept it simple.

It also shows that he not as secure as he usually acts. (Which is true for most men).

[Theowne]

Nice episode with some good moments. I didn't have any problem with the proposal scenes. I have admit that I am a bit uncomfortable during moments like when Akaishi helps Akane, and Kou comments that he really loved Wakaba. I understand the sentiment but....Akane is not Wakaba. If they continue this vein of bringing Akaishi closer to Akane solely on this idea that he really liked Wakaba, and Akane happens to look like her, I would be slightly disappointed....

[poko-kun]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Change your sig to say, "It's Cross Game Decade"!

Man... I'm about to change it to year... but you x10 for me already.

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by poko-kun

I found this is interesting.
Kou and Aoba become presenters for "Tombow" school uniform.

You can see their posters placed in Tombow shop.
Rare isn't it?

And this is the reason why sailer uniforms > blazer uniforms. XD

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Theowne

Nice episode with some good moments. I didn't have any problem with the proposal scenes. I have admit that I am a bit uncomfortable during moments like when Akaishi helps Akane, and Kou comments that he really loved Wakaba. I understand the sentiment but....Akane is not Wakaba. If they continue this vein of bringing Akaishi closer to Akane solely on this idea that he really liked Wakaba, and Akane happens to look like her, I would be slightly disappointed....

Actually I thought it was an interesting development, because it seems to me that Akaishi is having a hard time differentiating between Wakaba and Akane. (Unlike Kou who is quite aware they are different people- probably because Akaishi didn't know Wakaba as well as Kou). Not only is this driving Akaishi's attraction to Akane, but also it's driving his attempt to push Akane and Kou together.

It's interesting that Kou seems to realize that Akaishi has trouble separating them in his mind.

I haven't got the impression that this is being considered a good thing. And Cross Game has been impressive enough that I trust Adachi to handle it well. Who knows, maybe it will provide for some character development of Akaishi as he comes to know Akane and realize that she is not Wakaba back from the dead.

Having a character like Akaishi reacting this way allows for some exploration of why it's an unhealthy reaction, and why it's a good thing Kou isn't responding the same way.

[Proto]

One thing I missed in last week's episode discussion is how almost nobody commented on Akane's apparent understanding of Koh's and Aoba's relationship.

Anyway, next episode is the last episode for this year. Apparently the focus of the episode will be the Akane-Koh's date, and how this will affect other characters. Any expectations ahead of it?

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Proto

One thing I missed in last week's episode discussion is how almost nobody commented on Akane's apparent understanding of Koh's and Aoba's relationship.

Anyway, next episode is the last episode for this year. Apparently the focus of the episode will be the Akane-Koh's date, and how this will affect other characters. Any expectations ahead of it?

Lets see... if the pattern flows as expected:

Kou: Frustrated, both because he didn't want the date and because he enjoys it. Perhaps a bit of guilt to go with it.

Aoba: Frustrated but covering it up by teasing Kou about it. Maybe jokingly hinting she'll go out with Azuma and Azuma taking it semi-seriously.

[HitagiIsHot]

Originally Posted by Proto

One thing I missed in last week's episode discussion is how almost nobody commented on Akane's apparent understanding of Koh's and Aoba's relationship.

Anyway, next episode is the last episode for this year. Apparently the focus of the episode will be the Akane-Koh's date, and how this will affect other characters. Any expectations ahead of it?

We should see some interesting Aoba behavior next episode as she puts up a front as a reaction to the date.