We’re going into the top of the sixth and Seidou still cannot get anything going against Inashiro. It’s only thanks to some heads up defensive plays that they’re still in this game.
What They Say:
“Strong Men”
I want to pitch to that mitt again… A meeting with catcher Kazuya Miyuki changed the 15-year-old Eijun Sawamura’s life. He said goodbye to all his friends and knocked upon the door of Seidou, a prestigious baseball school, intent on testing his own strength. There, he met many proud baseball players who were betting everything on the sport! A classic tale, yet new and fresh. All the emotion and excitement of the popular baseball manga is at last coming to television in the form of an anime!
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
There’s strategy in baseball, no matter how much it looks like a pitching pitching a ball, a batter batting a ball, and a catcher catching a ball. The ball moves based on how the pitcher throws it and, hopefully, how the catcher calls it. The batter has to adjust. It’s a mental game in a way, but most sports are that way. The quarterback is the offensive coordinator on the field and the pitcher/catcher battery controls the game.
In the last half of the game, Inashiro is going to throw more changeups in hopes that Seidou will focus on the pitch. So here we are, in the top of the sixth and Kuramochi is up to bat. The first ball is a changeup for an infield hit and easy out. It appeared Narumiya stepped off the bag and I’d like to see the coach step out and argue calls, but I guess that’s unsportsmanlike in a high school game.
Chris calls it and Narumiya has only thrown four changeups in the past five innings. Now he’s thrown three of them barely two batters into Seidou’s lineup. The second matter, Ryosuke, is struggling with his injury and tries to force a hit. He gets out at first, unable to get the speed he usually can. With that, the power hitter Isashiki is up and he’ looks like he’s going to try too hard to hit the ball. The first pitch is a swing and a miss for the fifth changeup in the inning. Isashiki hits the changeup deep into the outfield, but flies out easily to end the inning. Narumiya threw the ball too high and he isn’t too happy about either the pitch or allowing the ball to get to the outfield.
On the side, Kuramochi is struggling internally about whether to call Ryosuke out on his ankle. He needs to, though. That’s what teammates do. He’s going to hurt the game more than help with his condition like this. The coach is very hands off, but he needs to step up and say something if he noticed anything.
In the bottom of the sixth, we start with the catcher on first and Narumiya sacrifice bunting to get the man to second. But right now, all Tanba can think about is the home run he gave up earlier. The measure of the pitcher will be told in how he deals with this batter and he walks him. Tanba’s shaken, but he played hard and Kazuya’s calling the game aggressively. The seventh batter hits a hard liner to second baseman Ryosuke for the second out. The eighth batter hits a ball hard from left to home and the third base runner stops in his tracks. This pitch doesn’t just stop the base runners, but it sends a message to Tanba. He’s not alone on the mound. He has a strong catcher in front of him, a strong defense behind him, and a rotation that can help if needed. This has to calm him down and set the momentum in Seidou’s favor, leaving three Inashiro runners on base. The ball goes to Ryosuke at second and he dives for the ball, but doesn’t make it—no doubt because of the injury. Kuramochi backs him up with a palm grab and steps on the bag for the third out to end the inning.
It’s a risky play that can’t be allowed in the finals. Mistakes are made, but the second baseman has to be able to get to that ball. Ryosuke has to step out of the game if they have a chance in the last three innings of the game.
In Summary:
Sports anime is about guts. The guts to play the game under duress and the guts to play when you’re hurt. Ryosuke is about at his limit when it comes to guts, but the last play of the sixth inning was a gem. If Ryosuke hadn’t tipped the ball, it surely would have gone into the shallow outfield for a few runs. If Kuramochi hadn’t known about the injury and been there to palm the ball, yep another few runs. The scrappy Seidou team is at their wit’s end and they’re still fighting. That’s what makes it so exciting. How will they fight back? Will they be able to fight back at all?
Grade: A
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Equipment: PS3, LG 47LB5800 47” 1080p LED TV, LG NB3530A Sound Bar
