2010-01-25, 14:49 | Link #2481 | ||
Alto x Ranka :)
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New York City
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As for Miki, I agree. I have respect for him and he's an intelligent baseball player from what I can remember about him.
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2010-01-25, 17:33 | Link #2482 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Not to say it can't happen but im a person that looks at evidence present in both the anime and manga. I can't seem to recall many instance where Kou does something unusually outside but at best would be kou buying a shirt for aoba at that market. |
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2010-01-25, 19:01 | Link #2483 | |
Knowledge is the solution
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: St. Louis, MO
Age: 39
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2010-01-25, 19:10 | Link #2484 |
耳をすませば
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Age: 34
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Yeah, I really don't see how anyone could say that baseball is the priority in Cross Game. Maybe with some of Adachi's earlier stuff (aka Touch) you could make an argument about balance, but on the whole, actual baseball drama has played a fairly minimal role here. And the romantic subplots in particular are definitely prominent enough that I really don't think it's just fan-interpretations.
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2010-01-25, 19:15 | Link #2485 |
A blast from the past
Artist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Fortaleza-CE, Brazil
Age: 46
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I think the only time the sport plotlines were actually focused on way more than the romance ones - at least in one of Adachi's series I know of - was actually in H2. And we all know how well that turned out for some people, right?
I think this is jus fine as it is, myself.
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2010-01-25, 19:42 | Link #2486 |
Seishu's Ace
Author
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
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Yeah, no doubt in my mind that baseball has the supporting role here - the personal drama (it really can't be called "romance" based on what we've seen so far) is the featured star. And that's how I like it - with a story this good and characters like Kou and Aoba, their story should be in the center of things.
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2010-01-25, 19:42 | Link #2487 |
Hurray for Takako Shimura
Join Date: Sep 2009
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I have no problem with the slower pace but I don't understand the logic of slowing down now after such a crazy episode the week before. I would either have done it the other way around (and given what is discussed in #42, it was possible to show this episode last week) or balanced out the important events in between the two episodes.
I had no problem with the "Sendo" scene but I agree that the trademarked Adachi subtlety™ was missing at times, especially with the Akane flashback hammering down the idea that hey she is feeling weak and you might remember she mentioned she had a weak body last week so it all makes sense AMAIRITE? On the other hand, I thought it was clever to give a personal reason for Nakanishi to reach Kōshien. I am only nitpicking, though. I am having a great time every week. Indeed you guessed correctly. I didn't want to delve too much into that topic but... edit: spoiler removed by Mod Last edited by Pellissier; 2010-01-26 at 02:29. Reason: future manga spoilers or comparisons, even if minors, are not allowed here |
2010-01-25, 20:18 | Link #2489 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
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@Guardian Enzo The spoiler in regards to The Rumblefish post is rather minute and at best only hints at nothing more than whats already shown in the series. It just sounded serious with the warning. |
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2010-01-25, 20:33 | Link #2492 | |
Alto x Ranka :)
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New York City
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I mean, the whole 160 km fastball was just mentioned this past episode and that has to do with the type of guy Aoba would date, and the only person that I can think of with the ability to reach that velocity is none other than one of the main protagonists, Kou. I agree that the romance isn't prominent but it certainly isn't merely an afterthought, it's as subtle as Adachi's style.
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2010-01-25, 20:45 | Link #2493 |
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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I am a little concerned about pacing as we've got only nine more episodes to go. The baseball tournament will have to cover at least three or maybe four to give it the weight it deserves in the story. We've been waiting for this event to happen for months now. Also I'm still not certain whether Aoba will join the other ladies or not. She keeps saying no, but I think her natural competitiveness might make her change her mind. You could see the glimmerings of that decision in her face-off with Ozaki-san. If she does join the Japanese women's team, they'd need at least two episodes to cover that.
My earlier concern about pacing remains. I don't want to see all the interpersonal relationships get resolved in a rush during just the last episode or two. I also didn't think it was particularly out of character for Azuma to make suggestions to Senda about his batting style. As someone else said, Azuma wants to win at Koshien, so having a reliable lead-off hitter will be important. I think this exchange also shows what an excellent judge of character Azuma is. He understands that Senda's natural tendency to show off makes him want to swing for the fences, exactly the wrong motivation for a lead-off hitter. Overall I think Azuma might be my favorite character of all. As for Kou, that glance he cast at Akaishi (tnx, Theowne) and Akane, and his later observation of Aoba surrounded by her harem, seemed to me to indicate the beginnings of some resolution about his feelings. I thought he seemed rather happy to give his blessing to Akaishi and Akane and a bit jealous of the attention Aoba was drawing from those other boys.
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2010-01-25, 20:50 | Link #2494 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
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2010-01-25, 21:04 | Link #2496 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Age: 35
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Baseball is never really the focus of Cross Game, it's there as more of a way to unite the characters in the manner that Adachi wants, as others have mentioned, the only real series that adachi uses baseball as the main plot line is H2, where as baseball here is used to show the nuances of the players and people surrounding kou. Of course in the anime with all the female baseball stuff which has zero subtlety, just look at the batting scene between fatty and the batting scene between midori, the scene just screams awkward and lacks Adachi's subtle hand. So of course with these kinds of episodes yes baseball feels extremely important, but in the manga and in most of the episodes, baseball is more of a tool to develop the characters, we discover a lot about kou through baseball, his work ethic, his confidence, his love for aoba, his aspirations, his motivations. Baseball is the harmony whereas the relationships play the melody, and of course when you have sudden key changes the score can sound off but still it's obvious what parts are the melody and what parts are harmony.
Well on the comment about the abrupt nature of this series, from experience with other adachi works, it seems like he'd wrap this up in one episode, probably have new op and ed so that they can have more animation time, and in all honesty I don't see how their gonna fit in all the edit: removed by Mod Last edited by Pellissier; 2010-01-26 at 02:29. Reason: spoilerish comments or "deductions" are a no-no |
2010-01-26, 01:03 | Link #2498 | |||
Ushio... omochikaeri!!!
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North Carolina, US
Age: 36
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#42
I forgot this week's ep was a filler/anime original. It is a pretty good one at that. Definitely enjoyed the material in it and the music too. Though I can definitely understand why people are worrying about how Cross Game is going to end with only 9 episodes left (I think 51 is the assumption here). While Kou x Aoba is not really developed in this episode, it was nice to see Akaishi walking Akane home (which a big thing for him), Junpei-Ichiyo's date/meeting parents, and even the exchange between Aoba and Ozaki. I thought it is a nice addition of fleshing out the general story even further. ED4 is growing on me... As usual you can find my synopsis & review with pics here. Quote:
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Let's go Kou - ask Aoba out!!! <--- What does Azuma/Mizuki/all aoba's suitors have to do to make him do this? Maybe he is just waiting till he can fulfill Waka's dreams? or when Waka's gift guide is complete?? Last edited by HitagiIsHot; 2010-01-26 at 02:22. |
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baseball, drama, romance, school life, shounen, sports |
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