DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA ComedyCross Game

REVIEWS

• 

  waka

  100/100
  A story that took years perfecting, and it is something that you will never forget

  This is the first anime that I watched that was written by Mitsuru Adachi
  I saw his work timeline, he had too many similar looking manga's
  Fact : he cant draw characters that distinguish enough
  So all characters look similar if not same.. through all his manga
  Also reading the synopsis.. I came to an understanding... that the author
  Was trying to perfect his story with different version, and i guess this was it.

  I love Slice of life anime So had to try this,
  Also did i mention i hate sports.. because of a personal thing..
  So i should have been negatively based for this series...
  So i wanted to see how well it can perform regarding my love hate sports thing.

  Note : no offence for sports people, just a personal thing.

  Disclaimer : I somehow ended up re-watching it 4 times (50 Episodes)

  Honestly, i was blown away by the first episode, what a very strong start for an anime
  I am not gonna hint anything bout it i swear.
  Also I strongly recommend not going to read any kinda synopsis..
  I even recommend not looking at cover arts that much.. its gonna have a spoiler of some kind, i am very paranoid when it comes to spoiler of this series
  especially episode one.. so here we go..

  Watch EP 1 : carefully don't let small details take you off guard.
  Also, read manga if possible, after you are done with anime.. as that will give
  a nice visual approach to the story.. plus revisiting old memories..

  The anime is pretty much cannon as its just a shy of 50 episodes out of which 49 are canon.
  And even that episode tied pretty well into the main story If not a bonus.

  "Just enough 50 episodes"

  We have comedy, romance, drama, Baseball action in one place.
  Don't skip this series based on any of the above genre or you gonna miss out on a gem.

  Sound:
  The Opening song "Summer Rain" really perfectly matches the anime
  Good thing that they didn't replace it ever.

  The Ending song one -- (not gonna tell name, don't you dare go try listening this before you finishing first episode) -- fit perfectly
  Not gonna say what the song is bout at all.

  The 2nd one is Orange Days, a Rap song
  Why does it exist there ? but okay for such a gem i can forgive them on their single mistake
  its not like the song is bad or anything, just that using a song like that in an anime with a soothing anime.. is a bit weird

  The 3rd Moeru You na Koi Janai Kedo got a nice beat and slow rhythm.

  And the last ED song.. not gonna tell that either.

  Cross Game’s cast is one of the most memorable in all of anime
  Each character is developed so well that there isn’t really a character that you won’t like.
  depth of the characterization to keep you wanting more.
  And i am sure you will never forget the names of lead characters.

  The show takes the time it needs to develop its characters,
  allowing us to slowly know them as we watch them go through their daily lives,
  through their interactions with the other characters and through a large number of well-placed flashbacks.
  This allows them to grow beyond the typical traditional character archetypes,
  with every character given the space and time needed to develop and grow

  Despite being somewhat predictable, Cross Game is well executed
  Well even life is predictable at times ? right.

  I really liked the art from this show, it really suits the setting of the show.

  This show while not being a baseball only anime,
  Made me respect sports a bit, enough to actually watch a proper sports anime..

  So anime Gets pretty Sad at time, but has super good cute scenes too...
  it's like anime that gives ya head pats when you are sad.

  Sports/animation/etc
  unlike typical anime the story ain't bout being the best an all that
  It has a pretty close to real life goals.
  This anime is as real it gets to sports
  This is not a prodigy story, if you are going for that..
  Watch Major(if sports prodigy is what ya want)

  Maybe since its sports, so animation should be top notch one must say..
  but for the time being 2009' i guess it did a pretty well job on that
  and not mention it soothes the overall setting of the show..
  its not like there are dips and highs in animation quality.
  So you good with that.

  The pacing of The show is slow for a sports anime, but well-executed
  you wont feel like its skipping stuff so i guess that is also a plus.

  You don't watch this show for the baseball (Though you can) - there are certainly much better shows out there(Like - Major).
  it really isn't about the baseball, it's to give the characters something to look forward to, something to aim at.. a setting
  That we will all come to love at the end of the series, baseball fits perfectly well for the series.

  since i cant portray my feeling well in words
  I did took topics from many reviews, and put my answers in it.. during those session i found this..

  "literally about 30 times they will use the terribly drawn cat (worst part of this anime) to clumsily transition."

  Hmm what can i say, that's the most charming thing in anime
  You will come to enjoy the scenes when ya see that cat ..
  the cat doesn't take like minutes of screen time
  its there for a second or two. Totally love that adorable little kitty.

  I rate it a obvious 10/10
  Who wants a remake ? Me, but also no.. i guess this was as good as it gets.
  Who wants a dub ? please don't, i have seen people saying if it had dub.. it would have had more audience
  but i think, its best to watch in subs.. Not doing the sub/dub war here..
  There are many anime that has really nice dubs i get it..
  but i dont think this anime suits a dub.

  What i want is, this to get more attention so more people see it.

  TL;DR : go read it, or just start watching it.

  Actual TL;DR : The anime is bout the characters development(Aka Slice of life), look past the sports genre and typical rom-com tag, and try giving this a go, with just 2 episodes i am sure one can tell if he gonna love it or not

  if you are through 2 episodes, you sure can make it to the end, if not then sadly this anime not for you...
  now that doesn't mean you should go the anilist/mal... and spam bad bout this okay.
  because i cant imagine a person hating this anime, enough to go pull the pen and write a review (not pen..)

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• 

  Ronyfaz

  100/100
  a sweet, simple dream

  > "Show me a sweet dream" - Coach Maeno And that's just what this show was. A sweet dream. My only regret about watching this anime was that I watched it too quickly. Probably the fastest I've ever watched a 24+ episode anime. But I couldn't help it. And there were many reasons why. Gripping, emotional, and sincere doesn't begin to describe this show. Cross Game has one of the greatest pilot episodes I've ever seen in any show, rigged full of emotion and pulling you in, quickly attaching you to so many of its cast in the process: the show carries on that momentum consistently throughout its proceeding 49 episodes. As you've probably noticed, Cross Game is a sports anime. While I have never had an interest in baseball, Cross Game fueled my competitive spirit to the point where I would verbally cheer for the MC's team, either because of my limitless love for its cast or, in some cases, my firm hate for the opponent. All the build up delivers. If you have no interest in sports, I'd still give this show a shot. There is never a true focus on the sport rather than its mean to move the story forward. >"Simple is best" - (once again) Coach Maeno This anime is a simple masterpiece. And by "simple", it's as you read it. But there's a strength in that. The show's writing is phenomenal and it's characters compliment each other in a unique and astonishing way. Dynamics between characters create such a natural and mellow feel to the show. The main character, Kou, is a large reason why. A likeable protagonist with a big heart. His interaction with any cast member is bound to have your eyes and ears locked. It's a smooth, simple sea. A very fun one to sail on. The story is well constructed and its characters have a sense of familiarity that make you feel involved in everything this show is about. You can't help but want to stick around. --------- Cross Game is a journey of emotion. A hail to baseball and its troubles. A shining cast's voyage towards happiness, acceptance, departure, and love. There's something to take away from this show for everyone. You want romance? Check. You want action? Check. You want a fun, passionate, exciting, and humane display of fiction embedded in a 50 episode anime about a baseball player named Kou who decides to commit himself and grow into a kinder, more mature person? Check. I could go on about this show's redeeming aspects, but if I were to summarize my journey with this show into one compact sentence, it would be a "sweet dream." Fans of all kinds of different genres, except people who only and only watch horror (honestly--you guys too), try Cross Game out. Give it a test watch. See how it goes. It might just be a sweet dream.
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• 

  yuureivt

  94/100
  Slice of Life with a side of sports creating a near perfect combination.

  I write my reviews based off 5 elements: Story, Characters, Music, Animation/Production Quality and Impression. All of my reviews are spoiler free. This review is based on the subbed version

  Story:

  While it takes a while to develop an end goal, in typical Japanese baseball anime fashion, the goal of the main character is fairly predictable. However, that being said, there is not much of a complex story in this series. It's a fairly straight shot type of story that has a clear beginning and end. The amount of plot twists are minimal and episodes are fairly easy to digest given the low complexity of the situations in the story. As long as you have the minimum knowledge of the rules of baseball, most people will find this to be a fairly easy watch. In my opinion, there is no real need to have an overly complex story and I actually enjoy the mundaneness of this series. The fact that's it's not trying to be Eyeshield 21 or Kuroko no Basuke by giving characters super powers is a plus in my book given how this series is mostly character driven and is more focused on the slice of life elements. That's not to say the series does not also dive deep into baseball. A fair chunk of the series takes place on the field as well as practice and in the club, however the best moments in the story typically happen off the field.

  Characters:

  From episode one, viewers will more often than not find themselves already becoming attached to certain characters. Due to the nature of this series being heavily character driven, Adachi does a masterful job of creating both realistic (outside of the fact that the mc is basically a pitching prodigy) and relatable characters. My only issue with the characters is that the main character can sometimes be underwhelming in terms of how I personally would think someone would act in certain situations; but that is not to say it is entirely unrealistic. I just do not believe MOST people would act the way he does in those situations.

  Music:

  If I were to describe the music in this series I would describe it as mediocre with flashes of brilliance. While the opening and ending for the most part are forgettable there are moments in the series in which the music is WONDERFULLY placed and brilliantly enhance the viewing experience. There are specific songs where when they play certain sections, I become overwhelmed with the emotion I felt during the scenes they were played in. For these specific songs, I give high marks for their quality and how they were used in the series.

  Animation/Production Quality:

  Adachi has a VERY specific and unique drawing style that most everyone who has ever seen his works can recognize. He is widely known as an artist who can create an entire dialogue filled with emotion without having a character utter a single word. He masterfully draws and fleshes out the best scenes with nothing but the characters, their facial expressions, emotions, and the backdrops behind them. That said, outside of that, the animation quality is average at best and at times does dip below average. This is not a high budget anime by any means, but it doesn't have to be. As a slice of life anime that paces itself one firm step at a time, there's not much to nitpick over when it comes to the animation. The voice acting is nothing to write home about, but that is mostly because they're not expected to sing or voice in laborious or extraneous circumstances, it's exactly as if someone is just speaking. Because of that, I don't particularly think the voice acting stands out, but it does exactly what it's required to do.

  Impression:

  Many people get interested and invested after just the first episode; as did I. I watched the series when it had already finished production and ended up binge watching the entire series in a span of a couple days. By the end of the 50th episode I had lamented the fact that I did not take my time to properly savor the joy I felt while watching. I have a very short list of anime I would love to watch with my (future) kids one day and this series is near the top.

  Final Words:
  It's a shame that most will never watch this anime as they either have no interest in Adachi's drawing style or are not keen in how it is neither too deep into the slice of life pool or the sports pool. The most endearing fact of this story is that it feels like this could happen in real life; that it HAS happened in real life. The characters are all extremely likable and feel true to life. Whenever anyone asks me for a recommendation for an anime and they ask for something that's easy to watch; this is the first one out of my mouth.

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