(CR) Ace of the Diamond (Seasons 1 and 2)

[thundrakkon]

I just finished episode 62, the first of the 2 episodes released, and I have to say, it was a crap episode. My fears have come true, and all the great things this series has done up to now feels like a waste. It feels like watching Cardfight Vanguard, which the protagonist loses over and over again. The worst part of this is the fact that the 3rd years got eliminated by the same snobby group that defeated them last year.

Also, to make a quick diving catch like that, the runner from first should not have had the time to make it to second to be safe. This felt like a wasted season, where this game took so many episodes, yet ended in failure. Now we'll have to deal with Eijun bellowing in sorrow for so many episodes to come. I would have been fine with them winning this game, but losing the next game in the Nationals series. That would have sit better with me, and then have Eijun develop from there.

[fertygo]

Such a heartbreaking lose, its really the most gutted I felt to team losing in anime show

Furuya being frigging alpha at the end of eps 63 really give me chill though.

The 2nd year gonna be fun,

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

Now we'll have to deal with Eijun bellowing in sorrow for so many episodes to come.

I was worried about the same thing until Furuya's proclamation at the end of 63. I hope/think that will preemptively snap Sawamura out of it, unless he's ready to just give up on his goal of becoming ace.

I am very curious how the Sawamura/Furuya angle will work out in the end. Sawamura has to become ace since he's the protagonist, but Furuya seems just as talented if he can get his endurance up (which he's clearly working on... though long distance running isn't really the best way to work on pitching endurance, lol, but setting the sports science aside...)

[thundrakkon]

Well, I hope Sawamura snaps out it it soon, too. I just don't like watching sports shows where the protagonists bellows in sorrow for too many episodes, and it never fails to have athletes feel the taste of defeat in sports shows.

As for the Sawamura and Furuya story, I'm going to guess that they become very competitive with each other, each driving to become the ace. Eventually, Sawamura will probably take the ace position, and Furuya would make an excellent closer. It's just that if Sawamura does not pitch until the end, it will be kind of weird watching him cheer on the sidelines at end of games in the future, with no way of doing anything if the game gets out of hand.

[Stark700]

Latest back to back episodes were some of the best I've seen from a sport series. That feeling of taking a loss is absolutely touching and realistic that I find to be very relatable. The episodes also captured their expressions exceptionally well.

[ditn]

Well this sucks,its the same thing again,bit disappointed tbh.
And if they couldnt beat them this year how will they beat them next year with alot of third years gone?

[Hidan]

Well I am not sure how they're going to beat them without the 3rd years, but I do hope Sawamura snaps out of it and gets better again. I laughed when they were playing with Tanba's head

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by ditn

Well this sucks,its the same thing again,bit disappointed tbh.
And if they couldnt beat them this year how will they beat them next year with alot of third years gone?

I kind of feel like Inashiro will get upset next season by that team with the father-son Coach-cleanup duo (can't remember their name). Inashiro's full of third years (next season), so they can't be the final enemy for Seido...

[sayde]

I'm considering taking a break from this series for awhile. Because while I acknowledge the merits of developing and building up a losing team, it still sucks tuning in week after week just to seem them lose and have to start over. I already dealt with this from Haikyuu and now I gotta deal with this again? *sighs*

Isn't there anything relatively recent akin to Prince of Tennis anymore?
Something sports related where the main character pretty much dominates (albeit with a few bumps in the road) the entire way. I love that stuff.

[thundrakkon]

I'm wondering if the team will have some first year phenom next year as a batter. Also, they can go with the exceptional transfer student route to acquire amazing talents.

[leongsh]

Very cautious in commenting on the anime as I follow the manga.

For what its worth, Episode 62 is classic sports anime cliche that it is probably a law - the protagonist does not make it on the first try. Of course, there are exceptions but that's a separate thread altogether. The episode did capture how close Seidou came to winning it before they fell.

Episode 63 is where it truly hits home. The despair and the mourning of that lost chance to win it and move to the national stage. When they have given so much but missed it so narrowly, the pent-up emotions within just burst forth. The episode was a good epilogue to the match to show how much it meant to the Seidou players. Amongst the scenes, we saw a number of players blaming themselves in the search for reasons why they lost. Some directly like Miyuki who blames himself for rushing for the win and not noticing Sawamura getting more tensed, and Furuya who blames himself for not being more resilient, while some do it quietly but showing in their faces, Kawakami shows it in his face that in he lost the game for them, and Sawamura being the most shell shocked in coming back to that pitch that hit Shirakawa in the head that gave the walk to change the momentum.

As to where it goes from here, there's a lot of bumpy road to come. Won't say anything more. Hoping the series will continue for the whole of 2015. There's more than enough manga material that has been released to date to cover 52 weekly episodes.

[Uribatake]

I wish I could say that expecting Seidou to lose softened the blow, but... Man, that hurt.

Originally Posted by sayde

Isn't there anything relatively recent akin to Prince of Tennis anymore?
Something sports related where the main character pretty much dominates (albeit with a few bumps in the road) the entire way. I love that stuff.

The only other sport shows I can think of where the main character is an unbeatable genius who keeps winning over and over are Initial D and One Outs.

Originally Posted by leongsh

Hoping the series will continue for the whole of 2015. There's more than enough manga material that has been released to date to cover 52 weekly episodes.

As far as we know, the show only got extended until March. Still, DVD sales have been pretty solid, so I guess there's hope for a second TV series later in 2015.

[sayde]

Originally Posted by Uribatake

The only other sport shows I can think of where the main character is an unbeatable genius who keeps winning over and over are Initial D and One Outs.

I'd rep you if I could. But I guess the only thing I can do is to just say "thank you very much". These types of sports anime seem to be sort of rare from what I'm gathering.

[leongsh]

Originally Posted by Uribatake

As far as we know, the show only got extended until March. Still, DVD sales have been pretty solid, so I guess there's hope for a second TV series later in 2015.

I'm aware of it being extended up until March 2015 but hoping for more than that. If it does stop in March 2015, it would be at an awkward point - being neither nor there. Can't say more as anything more detailed would be spoiler stuff. Will just have to wait and see.

[Jagger]

They did mention some episodes back that the 3rd years initially sucked and that they overcame their lack of natural talent through sheer hard work. Unlike people like Sawamura, Furuya or Miyuki who were diamonds in the rough to begin with. If they get some more "diamond in the rough" 1st year batters, I don't see why they couldn't make the nationals.

[thundrakkon]

I saw the OVA, and it reminded me of something. Haruichi is a beast! He is probably the best batter, based on batting average and on base percentage, in all of High School in Japan. I wonder if he will bat 1st, 2nd, or 3rd when the new line-up comes up.

[LG-MAX 2.o]

now reached the current episodes, excellent anime, the feeling of the last episodes was incredible.

[Berndelta]

I took a break from the anime, as I started getting very ahead in the manga. But I do hope the anime continues to get extended. It's great to see a very solid and enjoyable baseball anime living on.

Originally Posted by sayde

I'm considering taking a break from this series for awhile. Because while I acknowledge the merits of developing and building up a losing team, it still sucks tuning in week after week just to seem them lose and have to start over. I already dealt with this from Haikyuu and now I gotta deal with this again? *sighs*

Isn't there anything relatively recent akin to Prince of Tennis anymore?
Something sports related where the main character pretty much dominates (albeit with a few bumps in the road) the entire way. I love that stuff.

As a Kansas City Royals fan, I know this feeling all too well. One game away last year ;-;

[shoyo]

i'm a haikyuu and kuroko no basuke fan.. will check this out as well..

[thundrakkon]

I was originally concerned with Eijun wallowing in depression after the finals game but was relieved that it didn't last long. However, nope, they are still going there with the latest episodes. I really hate it when animes drag out the down points of the MC. It gets boring fast when the MC keeps on getting defeated with little improvement.

I was hoping that the new coach would have some keen insight, but he also let me down with giving up on Eijun so soon. It's not like he hasn't seen Eijun for 10+ games already, and then he is solely basing everything on this final game?

I'm really not liking the direction the anime is going right now, and there are only 6 more episodes to go (as far as I can tell).