(L) Cross Game

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by poko-kun

You read too much Slam dunk

BAD MEMORIES MAN, DON'T REMIND ME OF THAT. I remember watching that as a kid and going, "NO ............................. !!!" at that one specific episode where he miss-passed that ball last minute ...

On another hand, I don't mind if they lose. I'll literally cry buckets of tears, but sometimes things just don't work out. I wonder if Adachi would be cruel enough to have Mishima struck out the 160km as the game ending point.

Originally Posted by JackRydden224

I love how when Kou is one step away from making Wakaba's dream come true he thinks of Aoba.

I actually went back to read the chapters before the Ryuoh game started and I gotta say Koh is carrying a lot of things on his shoulders into this game. Wakaba's dream, Akane's health, Aoba's feelings and the entire team's dream.

Honestly, that's why I like and hate Adachi. Part of what they go through, nobody would understand. It literally brings me tears when I read someone who have to shoulder so much, which reinforces what I said about crying buckets of tears if they do end up losing.

As reader, I can't even begin to fathom carrying such weight for so long (it literally is your entire life riding up to this point IS for this), let alone almost grasping it and then failing at the end.

I might be taking this a bit too personally but it's just incredibly frustrating.

On a lighter note, I wonder what "the lie" will be. Aoba AND Koh, please cave in =(.

[stpehen]

Okay, I'm pretty sure this whole thing is over at Chapter 160.

[poko-kun]

Stephen, any good news?

[BetoJR]

Let's hope!

[The Rumblefish]

Originally Posted by stpehen

Okay, I'm pretty sure this whole thing is over at Chapter 160.

Stop teasing! Gah!

I was wondering if they would mention anything in this week's issue, given that Cross Game is on the cover. I don't know if you only have access to the chapter or if you also have access to related articles but, from what you could read, do they make any big announcement? Do they officially announce that the series stop precisely at 160 / 17 volumes? Do they mention anything about when the TV series end?

Thanks.

[poko-kun]

No news is good news... I guess.

[The Rumblefish]

IT'S OUT!

Thanks Stephen & Co. for delivering so fast! I was about to jump on a plane and feared I'd miss it.

Spoiler for #158 a.k.a. ROLLERCOASTER:

Wow! All that in just a single chapter!? I can't believe how fast it went! He "dumped" Mishima in one chapter, after such a long time spent on the match, that is so weird! And what a last couple of pages! Very close to previous Adachi series yet it had its own flavor as well. Congratulations to Junpei and Ichiyō.

I have to give it some time but right now my first impression is that the four ball idea was a great one. Not only is it fair on Mishima, I find the idea of not knowing for sure whether he hit 160 excellent. I also wondered how Adachi would deal with the game if Mishima went on base, but it was dealt perfectly, since everyone knew how it would end.

I love Kō's lie. I was expecting the exact opposite (him lying that he did not love her) and therefore I wondered how he came to mention the promise of hitting 160km/h. I really think the "never knowing for sure about 160" is great. It makes for a very interesting situation regarding Aoba and Kō. Can't wait to see how they close it down. After-match + epilogue? or two parts epilogue? Time jump?

Great chapter! Great manga!

[poko-kun]

What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's his lie anyway????

Spoiler for what????:

false (Win + hit 160 (not sure)+ love her the most) = truth
Oh well... he asked her if he could lie, but it doesn't mean that he had to.

[The Rumblefish]

Spoiler for Poko-kun's question above:

I am not sure if you are asking seriously but yes, his lie is exactly what you mentioned. Kō tells her he is going to lie. Then he announces his lie:
1) He is going to get them to Kōshien.
2) He is going to hit 160km/h.
3) He loves her more than anyone else (which was the only part of his lie directly answering the question she had asked him).

His goal was to make lies #1 and #2 become the truth, in order that #3 becomes de facto true as well and would not force him to spill it out "honestly". Remember, he's a bold-faced liar and a guy who hides his true feelings. That was his own complicated way to confess to her.

The fact that she now has the gambit of "not sure if 160" makes it all the more fascinating. If she is honest to herself, she is convinced he did make the 160. But she might want to play around with him to force him in confessing more honestly. Or Adachi could keep it vague intentionally.

It's a really nice plot trick.

Beautiful Shōnen Sunday cover, by the way.

[Chiefklondog]

wow that was a fast paced chapter
i guess we can for sure say its ending at 160 then, 2 chapters of wrap up seems like so little for how long we have waited but i have to hand it to him, this last chapter was a very well done and quite the twist.

Spoiler for 158:

its going to be very interesting to see how everyone is going to react to everything now in these next chapters. with koh's lie and adachi's fast paced twist of the last ball with no speed shown this could really be wrapped up in a great many different ways. Cant wait to see which one adachi picks!

[Kunagisa]

Best. Lie. EVER.

[poko-kun]

Spoiler for #158:

I think she believes that ball was hit 160 kmph (to her face! Aoba!)

[Proto]

Meh, there goes my ideal ending. Aw well, let's see what does Adachi has in store for us in the last 2 chapters. (which doesn't mean that the chapter was bad, but coming with the wrong expectations in never nice I guess )

[BetoJR]

Well, this matched my expectations completely. Hats off to you, Adachi-san, hats off to you.

Oh, God, I cannot wait to see this animated, now.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by Proto

Meh, there goes my ideal ending. Aw well, let's see what does Adachi has in store for us in the last 2 chapters. (which doesn't mean that the chapter was bad, but coming with the wrong expectations in never nice I guess )

yea it seems about right... 2 more chapters im a sad panda.

[joeboygo]

Guys, before we go any further...

That last pitch to Mishima was inside the strike zone.

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by joeboygo

Guys, before we go any further...

That last pitch to Mishima was inside the strike zone.

About that, what does coach mean by

Spoiler for 158:

"He doesn't trust the umpires to give him benefit of doubt." Benefit of doubt of what? Is 'he' referring to Koh? Koh doesn't trust the umpires to make correct judgments on close calls?

[poko-kun]

Originally Posted by joeboygo

Guys, before we go any further...

That last pitch to Mishima was inside the strike zone.

... I think it's in the strike zone.
But umpire called that a ball..
plus they didn't show the speed too.
:3

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Well, this matched my expectations completely. Hats off to you, Adachi-san, hats off to you.

Oh, God, I cannot wait to see this animated, now.

I'm about to dance around the Anime thread now. lol

can't wait.

[joeboygo]

Originally Posted by stuopidget

About that, what does coach mean by

Spoiler for 158:

"He doesn't trust the umpires to give him benefit of doubt." Benefit of doubt of what? Is 'he' referring to Koh? Koh doesn't trust the umpires to make correct judgments on close calls?

If it's a close call it usually goes against Mishima, because of his reputation. Remember earlier in the game, Azuma swung at a deliberate walk attempt and gave his team a run. If you're a good hitter the umpire's aren't going to take such good care of you.

But look at the picture. Adachi took the trouble of letting you know where the catcher's feet and mitt were. This was not even close. And Mishima knew it.

[apropervillain]

Originally Posted by joeboygo

If it's a close call it usually goes against Mishima, because of his reputation. Remember earlier in the game, Azuma swung at a deliberate walk attempt and gave his team a run. If you're a good hitter the umpire's aren't going to take such good care of you.

But look at the picture. Adachi took the trouble of letting you know where the catcher's feet and mitt were. This was not even close. And Mishima knew it.

I think it had the opposite effect. The pitch was so fast that it froze Mishima at the plate and because he didn't swing, considering his reputation as a hitter, the umpire instinctively called it a ball.