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| As much as I enjoyed Cross Game, Touch had already alerted me to Adachi's two most bothersome flaws, and he failed to change his ways, 20+ years later. Also, watching Touch first made me see the earliness of Wakaba's exit as another flaw to add on top. I hoped he'd have matured as a writer with the passage of time - and CG's opening episode set-up suggested he had - but it turned out nothing had changed. He still avoided allowing the main pairing to enter into a relationship until the very end to increase the drama, rather than taking his work in a direction more suited for older/more mature readers. And he still ended it in an unsatisfying way; not showing the matches at Koushien and not showing much/anything of the post-baseball lives of the characters. He's great in many ways, for sure, but he's 100% far better at starting stories than he is at seeing them through to conclusion - that's what my experiences with the two most popular adaptations (both very faithful, afaik) of his work tell me. The difference between CG and Touch that makes me care far more about Touch, in spite of the frustrating amount of post-26/27 filler, is simple: Adachi put his heart and soul into developing his characters, and the relationship of the main three, BEFORE getting into baseball. In the case of CG, 1/17th of the manga focused on the build-up to its tragedy. In comparison, Touch had around 1/4th of 26 or so volumes focused on the build-up to its tragedy. And the ages of the characters involved, as well as the increased depth that resulted from the maturity of their relationship, meant the difference between the emotions I felt with regard to the two tragedies was night and day. Kou suffered from the lack of time spent building up to Wakaba's exit, too. He had the same basic character type as Tatsuya - Touch's lead - but wasn't shown to suffer, or think of others, anywhere near the same amount. Where as Tatsuya had to deal with people seeing his twin brother instead of him, as well as an inferiority complex that prevented him from liking Minami back, all Kou had to deal with was losing his tween beloved. His easy-going, expressive basic personality was all he had to offer, and his childish exchanges with Aoba didn't help him out. It wasn't far into CG when I started being bothered, rather than moved, by Wakaba's scenes getting repeated and adding nothing. And, even though TatsuyaxMinami was drawn out for no good reason after awhile, there was NOTHING stopping Kou and Aoba getting together LONG before the 50th episode. The fact that there weren't any romantic developments between the two prior to Kou's 'lie' confession near the end highlighted that Adachi simply wanted to leave everything until the last minute so as to not have to deal with covering the evolution of his characters from children into adults. Tying into the total lack of romantic progression throughout the series, the characters introduced to fill space throughout were very noticeable. As mentioned by me a few times in my other posts, Mizuki's character served no purpose whatsoever, other than extending the length by a few episodes. The same is true of the Risa character. And Wakaba coming as close to being reincarnated as possible, just so that Kou could be allowed to pick Aoba over her, was weak-writing on Adachi's part - showing backward thinking, instead of the forward variety - and it's no coincidence that Akane's introduction happened to coincide with the the 30-41/42 fillerish stretch. Too little happened throughout the series, and that displeased me since I expected there to be less time wasting than in Touch. In fairness, Touch did have a lot more fillerish content, but it also had 51 more episodes, and its opening 26/27 episodes of 9/10 greatness covered half of CG's length. ...I'm probably showing a little bit too much 'tough love', as ever - I DID actually derive a lot of enjoyment out of CG. Heck, even I was moved by the baseball finale, combined with Kou's huggle, in spite of the predictability of it all. I loved Kou's emotional + poker face friendship with Azuma, and a number of scenes made me laugh - such as Junpei's WTF ("Will you grow a garden called happiness with me!?" proposal. It was definitely a series that scored high on enjoyment, and that's why I stayed with it for 50 episodes; going on a number of 10+ episode marathons. It's just a matter of it having a lot of annoying flaws and not turning out to be the perfected version of Touch I hoped it would be, going into it. Due to it having less bothersome filler than Touch, looking lovely (/720P), and being a pleasure to watch, I'll give it 7.5/10 - the same score I gave Touch. But I'll definitely think far more fondly of Touch in the future; when my memories of both start to fade. |
| hmmm...it seems like the numbers dont lie.. |
| best anime I've watched in a while 10 definetly |
| ... so where's my Koshien? |
| Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines. |
| Quick reply to post #10, I totally agree with you dude. Cross Game for life |
| ... I'm going to seriously miss this series. To me, this was a fantastic episode. A great way to end it. It left me entirely satisfied - though I know others opinions differ. I don't really care about baseball, usually, but even I thought this was an exceptional series. I can see why many only give it 9/10, but based on enjoyment alone, it's a 10/10 for me, despite there being "filler" in some episodes. Loved it. :) |
| my 2nd time watching this series and i honestly believe it was much better the 2nd time great series 10/10 |
"I am the bone of my sword, Steel is my body and Fire is my blood, I have created over a thousand blades, Unknown to Death, Nor known to Life, Have withstood pain to create many weapons, Yet, those hands will never hold anything, So as I pray, unlimited blade works" |
| Just watched the series last week - AMAZING. I'm being picky about which shows I give 10s to...but I couldn't help but give this one a perfect score. In fact, I wrote a post about it today (http://beneaththetangles.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/cross-game-and-love-part-i-playing-games/). :P Also, I disagree with those that said the romantic relationship with Ko and Aoba came too quickly. The show, throughout, was very subtle with presenting relationships. It was no different in the end. And the ending with the ever-attitudy Aoba holding Ko's hand and saying he could let it go, and Ko's very in-character response was perfect, as was the beautiful scenery involving the subway passing by. Oh, and Aoba crying on Ko's chest...goodness, that was a great scene. All the build up from YEARS of "hate" and of the pain from Wataba's loss all expressed in one good cry. I was on edge wondering how the scene would go when Ko would hug her...it was excellent. I LOVE this show. |
| Beneath the Tangles: Where Manga Meets the Maker |
| Love this series and pretty sweet ending. The first half wasn't bad at all but when they got into the first High School team this series really got me hooked. Awesome Characters, great story and I could really feel the love for baseball in this series -> 10/10 |
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| This was one of the greatest anime I have seen in a very long time! I didn't expect to have another 10 on my list for a good while, but guess I was wrong. |
| this was truly a masterpiece. this anime took me on an adventure of a lifetime. i cried my heart out, out of sadness and joy. from beginning to finish i was never dissappionted, with the most touching first episode to a satisfying kou x aoba. |
| Finished know. I was about to vote Hated it, but went for disliked it. Too much predicatable and cliché. Anyone who has seen more than 20 animes should find this obvious. 3 or 4/10 for last episode, 8.5/10 overall |
| Cross Game was never about surprises (with the exception of a couple of big twists). Sure you can predict what's going on within a couple of episodes, but the anime took what I think to be the most natural course of development. In the case of this series, it's not about the destination, it's about how it gets there, and the moment that Aoba realised the truth about Ko's "lie" was nothing short of magnificant. A lot of anime have unsatisfactory endings, but Cross Game's ending is simply outstanding. It just goes to show that predictable endings can be perfect endings too. |
| Take off every SIG!! |
AnoniMus said: Too much predicatable and cliché. Anyone who has seen more than 20 animes should find this obvious. But I still hoped for Kou X Akane in the last episode... :) |
| am i the only one who wanted aoba to end up with azuma?... |
| mukuro-sama♥ hibari-sama♥fon-sama♥ My top wanted things: 1. Yato umbrellas!! 2. Mukuro's left eye 3. LEON!!! (KHR)  |
| Will someone explain to me 1. So at the end by the train when Aoba had her monologue, is she implying that she always loved Kou but she doesn't know it? (or does she know it but too stubbron to admit it?) 2. Kou knew Aoba liked him, but didn't say a thing?? 3. Aoba ignoring Wakaba's warning about stealing him? 4. So Akane was pretty much a tool 5. Where the hell is my Koshien? 6. Also, I was sure that the last episode would be about Kou giving a ring to Aoba for brithday or something instead to Wakaba |
ConfuciusMay 28, 2011 6:25 AM
| Even when I was in crowd, I was always alone |
| I started to watch this series looking for a sport based anime, but in the and I'm kinda happy about how it went in all the 50 eps... Maybe a little slow in the first part and too little fast in the second... @confucius, that's my guess, I'm not really sure... 1) She's implying that she always loved Koy, but she doesn't know, or at least she wouldn't accept that... 2) What should he say? 3) Wakaba is dead, and moreover I think wakaba will be happy if Kou is with Aoba rather than someone else :) 4) Yeah! But also Akaishi always loved Wakaba and Akane too... 5) eheh :D I'd actually satisfied with this end, extending could get the series worse, maybe not... (the manga also finish there) |
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AironicallyHuman said: He still avoided allowing the main pairing to enter into a relationship until the very end to increase the drama, rather than taking his work in a direction more suited for older/more mature readers. And he still ended it in an unsatisfying way; not showing the matches at Koushien and not showing much/anything of the post-baseball lives of the characters. Bravo, spot on. Your post echoed exactly how i felt at the end. After following the anime for 50 episodes, and watching the subtle (and slow) developments between Ko and Aoba. I really expected a better closure than what we got. It felt more like a sudden ending, rather than a conclusion on the story of the Crossgame 'world'. I guess the ending dissapointed me so much because i have grown attached to the characters and expected to see each of their stories told and ended neatly. If there ever was an anime/manga that needed to be continued or come out with some extra issues, Crossgame is it.. (and School Rumble). |
| I honestly think people who are complaining about the ending being premature is missing the point of the anime. First of all, Cross Game is a simple shounen fairy tale, the ending of which you can tell for the first few episodes, and it NEVER pretended to be anything otherwise. Its simplicity and non-pretentiousness is exactly what makes it so good. The important question was never in "what happens", but HOW it happens. The story is basically how the cast realised Wakaba's last dream, and about Ko and Aoba finally overcoming their mutual obstacle of the death of a loved one, and finally getting together. And it did EXACTLY that, no more, no less. The story is over, there's nothing more to tell, and people who are expecting more are looking for an anime Cross Game was never meant to be - it's not meant to be one of those never ending sports/romance shows that just keeps going and going. If it kept going I'd label it as selling out due to popular demand. As for the Koshien - it doesn't matter, they've reached it and realised Wakaba's dream, there's not much more to say on that. In case people haven't realised, baseball has never been the top priority of the anime, and it says as much as Ko and Azuma both realise that there are much more important things in life than baseball, and I think not showing Koshien is actually a neat way of underlining that point. Personally, I honestly could not have asked much more from a near perfectly executed and wrapped up ending. |
| Take off every SIG!! |
| This ending was truly a master piece. from the start you can easily guess that they would end up together (although akane made me doubt). however is the way they ended it what made it so good. the liar phrase, aoba crying, both going for their first picture... T_T so cute |
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| Another great anime even if the original creator likes to recycle a lot, they do feel different at the end of the day. 9/10 |
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| That last moment on the train was everything I could have wished for in KouxAoba... One of the most compelling and quietly brilliant series I have seen in a long time. Fantastic. |
| "Ah yes, the demon drink...'Nature's Alzheimer's' they call it" |
| Spirit, characters, drama, comedy, the whole atmosphere... Loved it! Adachi is splendid! |
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| to everyone complaining about the lack of koshien, you get a glimpse of the match when the ending song plays which fulfills wakaba's dream. you have kou as the pitcher, akashi as the catcher, and aoba in the center field (the picture of aoba that akane drew displayed on the center field screen). how is that not a great ending?! the manga didn't even have that much closure. Confucius said:Will someone explain to me 1. So at the end by the train when Aoba had her monologue, is she implying that she always loved Kou but she doesn't know it? (or does she know it but too stubbron to admit it?) 2. Kou knew Aoba liked him, but didn't say a thing?? 3. Aoba ignoring Wakaba's warning about stealing him? 4. So Akane was pretty much a tool 5. Where the hell is my Koshien? 6. Also, I was sure that the last episode would be about Kou giving a ring to Aoba for brithday or something instead to Wakaba 1. she's always loved kou but either was respecting wakaba's wishes or really didn't understand her feelings for him. 2. i think that's just kou's personality. 3. as someone mentioned, i'm sure wakaba would want kou and aoba to be happy together. that warning was made before she died anyways. 4. i think akane was guided by wakaba to help them realize their feelings as well as a reminder that wakaba was always with them. 5. see what i said above. 6. technically wakaba was going to get the ring on her 20th birthday. so assume aoba got it then. |
silvermoon8573Oct 14, 2011 8:38 PM
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| Well that was spectacular!! I really enjoy this series a lot, even if I'm not a big fan of baseball some of the matches really kept me on my toes and the end was outstanding!! 9/10 for me and I'm so glad for Aoba and Kou ^^ |
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| Final episode had me on the verge of tears for these characters. This anime's musical score was through the fucking roof amazing! It elevated so many amazing scenes into perfection. I haven't felt this bittersweet about finishing a series in a really long time. I will really miss watching this through for the first time. Subtle, naturally paced, and a great cast. I loved this more than I ever I thought I would. Straight up 10/10 for me in every way. |
| Aoba didn't stop bitching until the very end. I hate people like her who hide their true feelings in both anime and real world. These kind of people ruin both their life and other people's lives. Story was good, but I couldn't find the romance I was expecting. Animation was very high quality. Especially I liked the warm colors very much. The character drawings weren't too detailed, but it is better that way. In an anime, characters must look anime-rashii after all. Rating: 9/10 |
| Very good enjoyable anime, i have no idea about baseball and i watched this mainly because of romance, slice of life and its characters, it managed to pull me in and make me cheer on them even during baseball matches. Very good anime 8/10 Sent with Mal Updater |
( Currently interested in OP MC genre. Recommendations are welcomed, preferable those yet not on my list ) |
tigerz said: I still didn't really understand the whole it's a lie thing. I just don't understand where that came from. It's a lie meaning aoba didn't really hate him all along and he knew it all along but pretended he didn't. I just couldn't understand why he said that when she asked if he liked her better than Akane. How could anyone understand what he meant then. From my angle, i'd say since they are both alike , they were both not honest persons, he realized long time ago that she wasn't honest person with her feelings and also the fact how they think similar helped him to confirm that. He just used her own language to confess indirectly, she would slap him even before anything could happens if he did it more usual way, You know how she is, haha ;) |
| ( Currently interested in OP MC genre. Recommendations are welcomed, preferable those yet not on my list ) |
kie_ said: Am I the only one who didn't like the ending...? i could use little bit more of "we are together scenes" but yeah you are likely to be in minority here, hehe |
| ( Currently interested in OP MC genre. Recommendations are welcomed, preferable those yet not on my list ) |
| beautiful series, probably one of those anime i wont be forgeting for a long time |
| Nope. |
| This was all more about the journey than the destination, was hoping for more of a romantic ending.. but oh well still was a great series. |
Apologies, I just can't avoid to rant. |
| Just rushed it in 5 days, great series overall though the ending was quite predictable (since the 3rd or 4th ep to be honest). Btw, it surprised me that the 160km/h pitch wasn't the winning one, when the umpire called it a ball it was a big WTF for me, but it adds more realism to the game, so that was a good thing. 8,5/10 for me (I guess it lacked the epic touch that makes me give a 9 to a series). |
| Fantastic ending, really difficult to sum up in words how this anime all came together. The foundation was laid in episode 2, when Kou learned that to get Aoba to like him, he needed to pitch over 100mph. From that moment on, the conclusion was seemingly inevitable. Every episode had the signs. Not words, mind you. Visual signs. A look here, a pause there. I've never seen stronger romantic feelings between a potential couple displayed in any other media (animated or otherwise) before. It came as no surprise Kou and Aoba would end up together, because by that point and time nothing made more sense. Even so, the process was the amazing thing and this episode really cemented that. Akane wasn't the useless character we all assumed. No, she was guided by Wakaba to bring Kou/Aoba together and give them her blessing. We get to see Koushein and Wakaba's dream fulfilled, with even Aoba appearing just as she had pictured. Akaishi and Akane are clearly relationship material and even Azuma learned of far more important things than baseball. This was the perfect ending to an epic story. |
| This was such an amazing show :') This is one of the only sports anime I actually enjoyed ! |
| Finished the series in one week. Just watched this episode. I'm speechless. This is the first time I've ever watched a sports anime and this show surprisingly entertained me with just the sports element. The romance only added to the show, and I think they did an amazing job. There were so many minor nuances that made this show amazing, that I can't possibly list all of it. 10/10 |
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| Loved it right to the very end! In the beginning I was questioning whether to get involved with this series, considering how strong it started off with Wakaba's tragedy, but I'm truly glad I followed through on this series. Now I only wish it were longer! Hope there's eventually a follow-up, I'd like to see their appearance @ Koushien!! |
| El Psy Congroo まだまだだね!!! |
| ~ hiding a lie with a lie ~ Im Super happy! :) Shames! I totally love the ending. Super fulfulling. :D Its been so long since I watched an anime like this. weeeeeeeeee. Kou x Aoba is what Ive always been waiting for.. And despite of being disappointed a few times because I thought it won't have a clear ending with romance at all, I was totally awed in the end. :D hoho. Saikou!!! But of course not just for the Kou x Aoba though it was a great factor. :) The whole anime was nice. The pacing was good. :) Seriously, Im glad Ive watched this .. :D Ive already added it in my top faves. :D 10/10. |
| Okay thats it.. Actually im just halfway through the series but decided to take a peek on about what to happened to the romance.. I see that Kou and Aoba ended up ? Such a waste,, Akane is better in all aspects besides Baseball IMO. I don't really wanna do this but i think Ill drop this one.. Don't get me wrong, I love the series and I really like Wakaba that's why its natural for me to root for Akane. I did all my best to like Aoba but it didn't work. i just can't like that personality, voice ,, the hair and also her face which is if you look closer, Her's and kou's face are like identical twins.I like a sweet and more feminine just like Akane.... |
solomon585858 said: I didn't like Kou ending up with Aoba. I don't see their relationship is going be strong enough to them eventually become a couple and marry in the end. Kou needed a kind and soft girl like Akane or Wakaba (who died) in the end. Aoba just doesn't suits him for me. So I am greatly disappointed he ended up with her. ((( THIS.........I FEEL YOU BRO. I FEEL YOU.THAT'S WHY IM MAKING A WISE DECISION AS AN WAKABA/AKANE FAN..IM DROPPING THIS ONE EVEN THOUGH ITS GOOD. IM JUST IN EP 27 BTW. ROMANCE REALLY IS THE REASON I WATCHED THIS AND UNFORTUNATELY ITS NOT GOING THE WAY I LIKE IT. |
| Satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series. I love how they don't explicitly show that Kou's pitch went over 160, although everyone knew it did. The photo scene was great, it's such a shame there are so few scenes of them accepting each other. I'm surprised they didn't bring up the Wakaba 20th birthday ring thing, but considering Aoba and Kou ended up together, I guess it is inevitable. 10/10. |
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