(L) Cross game

[BetoJR]

In all honesty, to me it's quite obvious Kou is not doing these things for Wakaba. He's doing it for his own sake. A pretty big point, actually, of his character development, right there.

[golthin]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

In all honesty, to me it's quite obvious Kou is not doing these things for Wakaba. He's doing it for his own sake. A pretty big point, actually, of his character development, right there.

yeah, he can't do anything for a dead person. he is doing this to cope with his pain.

[Guardian Enzo]

I fundamentally agree with the last two posts, and I think it highlights the great dilemma of Cross Game. Kou's decision to honor Wakaba the way he has is rather touching and beautiful. Given the truly admirable young man he's turned into, it's hard to argue it's been bad for his development. Yet it also seems to me that he's made himself something of a martyr. In the prime years of his adolescence he's had no romantic experience and almost no social life, despite being the object of adulation by his female classmates. Kou seems content enough in his existence, but there's a sadness to seeing it, too.

[BetoJR]

Well, I may be in the minority here (as it seems) but I always thought of Kou being content the way he is because the person he's interested in would not have given him the time of day, earlier - I mean, it's not like she really does, at the moment, either, but I digress.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Well, I may be in the minority here (as it seems) but I always thought of Kou being content the way he is because the person he's interested in would not have given him the time of day, earlier - I mean, it's not like she really does, at the moment, either, but I digress.

That's almost more depressing, that Kou would basically pine away alone waiting for a girl who professes to despise him. I have to disagree there - I don't think that fits his personality. If he's chosen a monastic life, he's a monk for Waka, not Aoba.

[BetoJR]

And why does a healthy young boy have to choose a monastic lifestyle? Can't he simply not be interested - yet? Something else to ponder...

And, like I said, I'm in the minority. I may be right, I may be wrong... but I think the whole "hate-love" trope is too strong a motive to be simply discarded - even when a third party was involved (at least, early on). And, I mean, it's not like the story itself doesn't add some fuel to it, like Waka stating flatly to Aoba "you still can't have him". Where did that come from, if she didn't detect a hint of interest?

[Guardian Enzo]

Oh, he's interested - the author shows us that very early on with the panty-peeking. He's also not shy, which would be another valid reason why a healthy young boy might opt out of the romance game in HS.

I certainly don't disagree that there's a very real and tangible spark between Kou and Aoba. And I think it's beyond dispute that they know each other better than anyone else knows them, which is a wonderful thing to see on screen. I just don't think either is at the stage yet where they're ready to acknowledge it to themselves, and the animosity between them is just as real as the spark. Some might even say, the cause of it...

[golthin]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Well, I may be in the minority here (as it seems) but I always thought of Kou being content the way he is because the person he's interested in would not have given him the time of day, earlier - I mean, it's not like she really does, at the moment, either, but I digress.

i am with you. Kou getting into baseball is what gave him the opening he needed. I always remember that scene where kou comes by the restaurant and peeks through the window and watches Aoba sweeping, when Aoba looks at the window, he is already gone.

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I fundamentally agree with the last two posts, and I think it highlights the great dilemma of Cross Game. Kou's decision to honor Wakaba the way he has is rather touching and beautiful. Given the truly admirable young man he's turned into, it's hard to argue it's been bad for his development. Yet it also seems to me that he's made himself something of a martyr. In the prime years of his adolescence he's had no romantic experience and almost no social life, despite being the object of adulation by his female classmates. Kou seems content enough in his existence, but there's a sadness to seeing it, too.

Personally I think pair dating in highschool (particularly early highschool) is over-rated in it's importance.

Romance requires a greater level of maturity and commitment then most modern highschoolers have. Now if Wakaba was still alive that would be different because of the commitment level. Similarly Aoba and Kou have a better foundation for romance than just "he/she is cute". But even in those cases I don't think holding off till senior year to start dating seriously is in any way harmful to Kou's development.

Group dating would probably be good for Kou at this stage, but other than that I don't think he's missing out on much.

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Well, I may be in the minority here (as it seems) but I always thought of Kou being content the way he is because the person he's interested in would not have given him the time of day, earlier - I mean, it's not like she really does, at the moment, either, but I digress.

Well add me to this list of minorities because I'm of the same opinion. I myself am not a manga reader so this is where I feel a little more distant from those that read the manga. From what I've heard, there is a deeper insight on the relationship between Kou and Wakaba in the manga. But going from the anime alone, I find myself thinking that maybe Kou really did like Aoba when they were younger as a possibility, unless I missed something.

[Kawaii Denka]

Episode 28: Incredibly exciting baseball-focused anime episode. There's too many great things to say about the great match going on though one moment completely stood out for me;

It's when Mishima hits and you get a still frame-shot where the camera focus starts on Mishima swinging the bat in the background and then gradually shifts the focus to Kou with his arm out-stretched in the foreground. Smart way to reduce animation work, and it was amazing to watch combined with the bgm and the intensity of the moment.

[Sackett]

Slightly over done- but hey, at this point we deserved a little fun.

I loved how Azuma brother noticed the most impressive thing about Kou though.

And Aoba: "What kind of time do you think this is!? I'm gonna beat the sh-- out of you"

Tisk tisk, that's no way for a lady to talk, no matter how much those idiots deserved it.

[totalnet]

Base on the preview for next week's episode 29, it's the episode I been waiting a while for. I hope the scenes from the manga get animated beautifully into the anime.

[Proto]

Hands up those who got the answer to the Cross Game quiz without looking at the answer?

*hands up*

[poko-kun]

I answer "Azuma Yuuhei" in every single quiz.
Whatever it's right or wrong, I'm satisfied.
I'm his die hard fan

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by Sackett

Slightly over done- but hey, at this point we deserved a little fun.

I loved how Azuma brother noticed the most impressive thing about Kou though.

And Aoba: "What kind of time do you think this is!? I'm gonna beat the sh-- out of you"

Tisk tisk, that's no way for a lady to talk, no matter how much those idiots deserved it.

Overdone? No way I actually really enjoyed this episode, "Gearing up for the next batter, huh?" is one of the most attentive comments made in this episode, Azuma's brother seems to be just as aware as Aoba.

As for Aoba, I would give her a high five for saying that to them

Originally Posted by Proto

Hands up those who got the answer to the Cross Game quiz without looking at the answer?

*hands up*

*hand up*

Yeah...but that question was just way too easy

[LusterFlare]

Mmm, another great episode. Looking at the previews, can't wait for the next.

[Proto]

I swear I'm getting addicted to this series. I can watch the anime episodes and the manga chapters over and over, and over without ever getting bored. And I swear, this does means something for someone who had never, ever rewatched a whole series before like me.

[Reckoner]

I think I'm getting addicted as well. Every time an episode comes out, I rush to see it. That is more than I can say for most series out there, where I sometimes got to coerce myself into sitting down and watching an episode for like 30 minutes.

Anyhow, I don't know how an anime base ball game could be so intense and fun. wtf.

[mit7059]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

I think I'm getting addicted as well. Every time an episode comes out, I rush to see it. That is more than I can say for most series out there, where I sometimes got to coerce myself into sitting down and watching an episode for like 30 minutes.

Anyhow, I don't know how an anime base ball game could be so intense and fun. wtf.

If you think anime baseball is intense in Cross Game you should try Oofuri