Major S1

I'll keep this short and simple.

Major is the definition of the word underrated. It is very unfortunate that people often overlook this series simply because it falls under the sports category. It is SO much more than that. I have recommended this anime to people countless times and will continue doing so because not only do I love it, but I believe it has the power to inspire.

The main character of the story is named Honda Goro (changed to Honda Shigeno after a tragic event). He is gifted in pitching and is absolutely in love with baseball. He has the tendency to bring out ... the best in other people simply because of his passion and attitude for the sport. People seemingly gather around him for this reason. No matter how grim a situation may look, he never gives up. The most impressive part about this anime (besides the storyline of course) is the character development. As the series progresses you will witness the characters grow physically and mentally. It is also very easy to get attached to the characters since they are all unique within their own right.

All I have to say is that the first season starts off REALLY strong. Take your time with this anime. It is really easy to get addicted with Major. A person can literally fly through the episodes because of how engaging it is.

Honestly, the real fun begins when you get past the first season.

Major, 154 episodes, 3 OVA and 1 movie long series. Normally it takes more than a month for me to watch series this long. Usually I get bored before the ending and start new random series so in the end it can easily take like a year for me to complete all of it. How long did it take from me to go trough all of Major then? 6 fucking days.


Review is to whole Major as you might have guessed. Spoiler free.


The story of Major is pretty bromaculous and manly, but all in all simple. Goro, our MC, is 4 year-old guy who likes baseball ... because his father is professional baseball player. 6 fucking days later Goro is 34 years-old professional baseball player who teaches kids how to play baseball. How shit got from the start to the end is one hell of an amazing trip. Including drama, comedy, utter awesomeness, character development of one of a kind, romantic subplot, one of the most awe-inspiring shitz since GTO and yeah, some baseball too.


One of the first questions people seem to ask is "Do I need to like baseball to like Major?" Well I dunno. Do you need to like school to like Great Teacher Onizuka? Do you need to be otaku to like anime? Well, those questions doesn't matter. The point is, almost everything I know about baseball is because I watched Major. Almost none plays it in my country anyway. Do I like Major then? A big Yes!


The characters of Major are one of the strongest part of the series. Goro is more awe-inspiring than anyone. If he loses consciousness during the game then he finishes the match unconsciously. He is awesome like that. Don't get me wrong, he isn't ultimate badass, superhero nor the typical shonen protag who wins because he is a ninja or some other shit like that. All he does is his best. It doesn't matter if he loses or wins, he just wants to see what he is capable to do. All there is for him is the moment, he doesn't plan to play baseball in the future, he plans to play the next game and whateverthefuck happens after that happens when it happens if it happens. Don't mind, don't mind. Fukkyah. Goro is now my favorite character of all time.


So in the end Goro alone makes the characters great and that's it... wait, NO. I still remember the names of almost all the million side characters. That's pretty rare for me since Japanese shit sounds like Gibberish anyway. As I said before the series includes character development one of a kind. By that I don't mean solely the MC but actually rest of the fuckhuge cast as well. Gibson is Jesus, Sato gets bitches like no other, Shimizu is the culmination of sweety. Those are just some characters from the first episodes. What makes Major so great from the character part is how every single side character is in important role and nothing would be possible if even one them was missing. Baseball is a team sports and author really gives value to that. If one the team members is delinquent who doesn't give a fuck, then he changes to a guy who shits rainbows. Developmentyeah. Sure we have other sports series e.g. Eyeshield 21, Slam Dunk, Cross Game, H2 which are about team work as well but none of those manages to come to Major's level in terms of characters by any means.


Major is objectively best animu ever and completely flawless. Well lolno. It has problems and flaws like everything has. Characters' actions aren't always exactly the most believable thing ever. Writing is sometimes simplistic. 4th season has problems with pacing, language barrier in american league is confusing, 2nd season could have more rewarding ending. One could say the series is predictable, which it obviously is if you start guessing who wins and who loses since there ain't so many results anyway. But Major isn't about the destination but how to get there. Did I predict all of it? No, not even close. The author knows his shit very well - plot twists, sports series has those as well. Is it realistic? Yes, very. All in all one of the most realistic sport series I've seen. I thought the series would be repetitive towards the end since it's just baseball but now I'm glad of being wrong. There also doesn't seem to be this thing called "just baseball" in existence.


The art is simple and beautiful, something I would call smooth and perfectly fitting to the series. Animation is obviously somewhat old and not perfect but something only faggotass would complain about. Visual effect are rather cool during action moments. These all goes for better during the show. Especially after season 3. The sounds, well voice acting is actually impressive as fuck. Goro's voice after 1st season is one of the most original and memorable ones I've heard. Tashiro sounds like he has 20 inch dick. I get chills everytime Shimizu says "Honda" (Goro's old last name) That's definitely a good thing in my eyes. And other characters (voice actors, weh) are awesome like that as well. Music is great, not just something worth of including to the series but something which I actually listened earlier today because it's good. Sound director knows his shit like all people behind the show seems to know so lets that be it.


When it comes to enjoyment Major broke all my expectations by being more awesome than I could have Imagined. After getting older and seeing lot of series it comes harder to enjoy something because quality and logic comes more important due education and other useless shit. Major does great job on fitting the quality standards. It quite literally reminded me what enjoying something means. As it being a baseball series I thought I would end up watching baseball games, but the series isn't like that. I was there on the field experiencing it all. I learnt a lot, but baseball isn't the thing I learned the most. The series grasp the viewers by being dramatic, thrilling and fun to watch all at the same time, atmosphere being godly. Did I laugh? Yeah, it's funnier than gintama. Did I cry? Yeah, a lot. Not so much because of the drama but because it's so awe-inspiring. The series was partly so exciting that I had problems on changing to new episodes fast enough. I also got heart attacks everytime the romance side developed to some direction. In the end Major is one of the most enjoyable series I've seen. To make it clear, I'm not saying the series is great because I enjoyed it so much. I'm saying the series is so great that it's extremely hard for not to enjoy it.


Suggestions;

Sports

Eyeshield 21 (manga)
Slam Dunk (manga)
Suzuka (manga)
Cross Game (anime)
Chihayafuru (anime)

Other

Great Teacher Onizuka
Hoshi no Samidare (manga)

Before you read this review, I would like to say that before watching Major I have never watched or played in a baseball game before. (My country has no baseball love >_>) Despite that, I knew some of the basics from a few video games I've tried a little of before. I cannot vouch for those who are already familiar with baseball as I will be reviewing from the point of view of a newbie.

Story
This is actually pretty typical. Boy strives to become the best in something, which in this case is baseball. Honda Goro tries to take after his father as a pitcher who ... plays in the pro league in Japan. That's basically all you're gonna get. They play baseball to try to get to the next "level", fighting stronger opponents as they go on.

However there are various plot advances as well as drama thrown into the mix, so don't go in thinking this is just a tournament-after-tournament anime.

Art
Art is very solid and pleasing although the animation does get a little sloppy at certain times. However, it is well done during important parts, especially during games. I won't go so far as to say this is any ground-breaking animation, but it serves its purpose. After all, this is a baseball anime, not something that has flashy explosions.

Sound
I absolutely loved the soundtrack. Very few songs used in the background actually are able to make me find myself humming them unconsciously later onward. There are quite a few notable pieces used throughout the series and they all carry out their duty in helping to further emote scenes.

Character
This is where the series shines for me. I enjoyed the character development that Major had. As baseball is a team sport, there is also a lot of focus on developing relationships within the team, and how problems arise and are solved amongst one another. The characters are all very likable (well, with a few exceptions), and its fun to watch them interact with one another.

The show also focuses quite moderately on family relationships. There are a few issues which come up within Goro's family and it shows how he as a child, handles them. I found certain scenes to be quite touching also.

Enjoyment
Uh, I enjoyed this. A lot. It's my favorite sports anime. Although it isn't without its flaws, I found it a great watch. If you enjoy seeing a character "grow", then you will like this. Not too sure about those who are familiar with baseball though, as it helped as a device to pique my interest.

Overall
Amongst all the seasons, I found this one to be the strongest. (Though this is not to say the other seasons are vastly inferior.) You should give at least this first season a try, even if you don't like baseball, as the character relations are great to watch no matter what sport they are playing.

I started watching Major with the expectation that it would be your stereotypical sports anime. And if you boil it down to its bones, it sort of is. But it's the meat of the story, the actual conflicts and the actual relationships and the actual characters makes this a really entertaining series to watch.

Story: The story focuses on Honda Goro, who is in kindergarten when the show starts. The first quarter or so of the series focuses on Goro in kindergarten and just establishing his personality, life and family and friends. The rest of the series jumps ahead to when ... Goro starts little league and... let the baseball begin!

Art: It's clean and crisp and pretty simple. I certainly didn't have any complaints. The style doesn't have as much depth as the more mature series out there, but I think it's appropriate for the subject matter and the ages of the characters. In other words, it suits the story. =)

Sound: The OP/ED are fine... whereas I don't love them (and I so rarely do), they don't bother me in anyway either, which is pretty good, imo. ;) I did like the voice acting. I thought they did a good job with their characters and their emotions without going overboard and overacting the way some shows do. There is a little Engrish, but... I figure if you watch enough anime, you just get used to it -- it's intended for a Japanese audience after all.

Character: Goro's great. I found myself rooting for him and cheering him on; he's just really charismatic. He's enthusiastic and single-minded and I can't help but appreciate that type of personality, especially in a sports anime. His father is loveable and one of my favorite anime dads. Even his kindergarten teacher is cute and likeable. And during the course of the show, you get to see a bunch of teammates and opponents that have their own brand of flavor and charm that adds nicely to the mix.

Enjoyment: This probably sounds so cliche and fake, but seriously... I laughed, I cried, I groaned and I cheered. For real. And maybe that says something more about me than the show, but it was an unexpected emotional roller coaster in a way. I mean, I really thought it was just going to be another generic shounen and it would just kill some time, but it ended up being compelling and I really felt sucked in and interested. So much so that I'm currently still watching it in its fourth season (btw, girls, Goro grows up to be kind of a hottie and so does Toshi ;D).

Just for reference: S1 focuses on elementary school level little league; S2 Goro's in his last year of middle school and his first year of high school; S3 is the rest of high school; and S4 is Goro post-high school.

I was MAJORly excited to watch Major. I was afraid of it being a MAJOR disappointment, but it ended up being MAJORly fun!

Ok no more major puns, I promise! Major Season 1 is pretty much your standard sports shounen. It's very well made, but it has a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses as other sports related shows.

The best part about Major would have to be the characters. They spend quite a bit of time developing most of the players on the team, as well as other characters, like Goro's rivals (the main character). It's pretty easy to get into the baseball games ... that you watch because the show does a good job at making you care about the "good guys".

As for the baseball itself, it can be quite intense, but the show kind of falls into the trap of being a little ridiculous, like a lot of sports shows can be. You'll see unreal comebacks, ridiculous strategies, and elementary school kids that have the ability to beat high schoolers. Sometimes it's OK, but other times it can really ruin your ability to become immersed with the show.

The games can be a bit predictable at times as well, I found it kind of obvious when they would win and when they would lose, but I was still usually very into the games, so I have to give them a lot of credit for that. The last game especially has no silly gimmicks like some other games, and ends up being a great conclusion to the season.

While the 2nd half of the show concentrates on Goro's little league baseball team, the 1st half of the show actually doesn't have that much baseball, it more concentrates on building characters and a storyline. And surprisingly, the part of the show without baseball isn't bad at all. There is a somewhat predictable romance storyline, and then a pretty shocking twist that I didn't see coming that turns everything upside down. It felt a little lacking and boring at times, but I still enjoyed the first half of the show overall. So while the main appeal of the show is baseball, they do a good job with the non-baseball elements.

Another thing they do a good job with is the art and sound. The animation is crisp, the art is mostly pretty, although I think the baseball fields look kind of ugly and unfinished. The music adds a lot to some of the more epic moments during the baseball, and is very good.

Overall, Major doesn't end up being a major-league disappointment, but it doesn't end up being major-league good either. It's more of a "very good" show. People who know baseball may be a little turned off by some ridiculous parts, but the baseball is still exciting, and the non-baseball stuff isn't half-bad either. Major is a show I would reccomend to anyone who likes sports shounen.

Major is a definite must-see for anyone that enjoys sports anime/manga. The plot is pretty much your typical addictive shonen sports anime, but there is some noteworthy drama elements in there as well. I personally enjoyed the series very much, some parts were definitely tear-jerkers, the rest was adrenaline packed baseball.
The character development is well done, you either sympathize, hate or fall in love with them X3. Also the graphics and sound are all good so that does not deter from the enjoyment of the series at all.
The opening/ending themes are quite nice in compare to most OSTs.

Holy cow. Watching this Anime was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made. Ever.

I was in the middle of studying when I decided to pull this off of my plan to watch list for a small break. Next thing I knew, a week and a half passed without me doing a thing.
I could NOT stop watching this show. It is extremely dangerous and should not be seen unless prepared.

You have been warned.

This first Major season is really interesting. This series shows Goro Honda as a little kid, his interaction previously with his dad, his teacher and his best friend Sato Toshiya. After this little arc, we are presented to his Minor League team; The Dolphins, where Goro is the main pitcher, together with new school friends. The enter in a showdown to the Minor Champion, where Honda met again his childhood friend Toshiya, as a rival, playing as a Yokohama Little League catcher and extremely amazing player with the bat! That's the start to Honda Goro trophies, enemies and friends in the sport. IS ONE OF ... THE BEST ANIMES I'VE EVER SEEN, NO WATCHING THIS MASTERPIECE IS ALMOST A CRIME! GO AND WATCH!!!!!!!!!!

I signed up on AnimeList especially to give this review, I just got through the 3rd season of Major after watching S1-S2-S3 almost non-stop.

I was skeptical at first to say the least but simply started to watch out of boredom. However, today it hit me that watching Major was probably one of my best decisions ever. The first season was pretty good, but when you get to the last episodes of season 3 you will be watching a complete masterpiece. Episode 24-25 of this season were probably the best two episodes I have ever watched of TV and I have seen over 200 series. Start ... Major now and stick with it.. I can promise you it will be worth it.

If your wondering why I like it then I will state the following:
Art - Majors weakest point is probably their Art its a fairly old anime and hard to compare to animations of 2015 but still desires a 8

Story - Major's story is simple but amazing it might not surprise you but it sure as hell will captivate you to watch

Sound - The sound and music are great not the best but sure as hell top 10.

Character - You can't do anything about but love Goro the main character.

Enjoyment - Forgetting time...and watching non-stop to only be beaten by the extreme urge to play a sport...This anime actually fueled me to pick up Tennis again\

Overall - Only to be out mastered by Shingeki no Kyojin, Death Note and given my 3rd best place of all anime...even pushing aside Kuroko no Basket.

Do yourself a favor and watch

Major is soo good. Its not very often to find an anime that looks like for kids from the front cover, but turns out its an anime suitable for older ages. Season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the 2 new seasons for the new generations of Major are as great as the old generation.

Ive rewatched every season twice at the time of review, and this review was right after finishing the World Series OVA.

10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, ... 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10,

When COVID-19 put Major League Baseball on hold, I was disappointed. I'm not the biggest baseball fan, but I love watching my home team and look forward to having games to watch during the week and a fan community to follow and feel a part of. With the delay of the 2020 season I was debating whether to watch Major or Ace of Diamond and with both having multiple seasons and 100+ episodes, was kind of put off from committing to such a long series.

I decided to finally watch Major from the recommendation of my siblings and I was absolutely blown away. It was ... an absolute fun ride and a really emotional heartfelt story. Despite starting off when Goro is only 5, the story manages to discuss very serious and mature themes. Major manages to transcend the sports anime genre from being a "really good sports anime" to being "just a really good anime in general"

The characters are great despite having a major focus on our protagonist Goro, the show takes the time to plant seeds that grow into trees of plot and development and does a great job of making each character have their own motivations and really makes each game have weight and stakes.

For fans of baseball and anime this is a must watch.

Okay, disclaimer, baseball is one of my favorite sports. I never got to play it growing up because I had track and that was in the spring, but it's one of my favorites. I religiously follow my favorite baseball team in the summer. But that's not the point of this anime.

Let me also say that I literally made an account on this thing just to write a review on this masterpiece of an anime. I don't watch anime that often, I watch it to brush up on my Japanese and get some enjoyment out of it as well. I am Japanese so yeah, I just ... suck at it but whatever.

But let me just review this thing. Major is easily my favorite anime of all time. Am I bias? Sure. Absolutely. But it's not just that I love baseball.

When I was looking for an anime to watch way back when in middle school, I wanted to watch a sports one. I just finished watching Eyeshield 21 and thought that was a blast. So then middle school me stumbled upon this anime. How many days did it take me to watch its entirety? Well I like bragging so I say 3, but realistically it was around 4-5 days. Honestly I soaked this anime up like a sponge it was a bit concerning looking back.

But now, I tend to re-watch the entire 154 episode series at least every 1-2 years. I'm in the middle of doing so right now and it's a blast. I'm finishing this up at a steady pace and it's once again a bit concerning. I don't even care though.

I literally cannot sing enough praise for this anime. The plot twists, the heart-wrenching, the music, the EVERYTHING. I already know what's gonna happen and I still catch myself intently watching season after season in mere days.

Sure, there were a few moments I thought was a bit unrealistic/I didn't like it. But it didn't even matter. I don't even know, this is my favorite anime of all time and it's so underrated. Nobody talks about it but I don't care.

I try to get all my friends to watch it but naturally they don't just because it's a sports anime. But it's so much more than that. The character development to me is just crazy. The way the main character, Goro, gets his shit done is just a bit absurd. Sure, to win games it gets a bit dicey and up to luck, but that just adds to the thrill of the show.

It's impossible for me to sing enough praise about this show. I literally love it too much. Listening to all the music too, I forgot how badass it all is. If you're reading reviews debating to watch it or not. Just stop. And just watch it. You won't regret it, there's just no way you will.

"Never judge a book by its cover."

This is a saying everyone should live by. I for one have always ended up judging several anime based on what the cover looks like, but Major is one I am glad that I have given a try. It may shy away some people because it's a sports anime, but it teaches so much more and was a great watch! I cannot believe that it is this underrated and such a gem. Everyone should give this series a try.

I wish I could have written a better review, but please bear with me as this is my first. I just ... could not pass up the chance to review such a great anime.

I can't believe I haven't stumbled upon this anime until 2018 ... I confess I've seen all of it in less than a month and OMG it was sooo good.
The word underrated was made exactly to define this anime... I just finished watching it and I can't quite put it into words the feeling that this left me . It was so good, the fact that you can follow up the MCs life from the age of 5 until hes a full grown up it is absolutely amazing.
The way the story is told is a masterpiece.
This anime takes you trough a rollercoster of ... feeling , from crying to cheering. All I can say it is the perfect anime for my taste. I would 10/10 recommend this to any of my friends

"These types of wounds will heal with a little spit."

This review is for the entire series.

Major, to me, is arguably one of the best anime ever created. Its story is truly paralleled by no other. Watching Major is like being gently yet purposefully guided along a path filled with twists, bends, steep inclines, and difficult obstacles, but the experiences along the way will be remembered for the rest of your life. I have a special place in my heart for Honda Gorou, the main character throughout this series. After watching all there is to watch, all 6 seasons, both OVAs, and the movie, I'm left ... with an empty, resounding ache that never wants to let Gorou go.

The story follows the life of Honda Gorou, from his nursery school days in the first season all the way up to his mid-thirties in the final OVA (Major: Message). This first season, from the very first episode, paints a perfect picture to give you a sense of what the entire anime is like. Baseball is the main theme, yes-- but Major transcends far beyond just an anime about sports. Even as a newbie to baseball, and even though I was unfamiliar with a lot of the baseball terms and game rules, it didn't hinder my understanding at all. Beyond just baseball, there are several impactfully developed themes that recur throughout the story, the most notable two of which are the values of family and teamwork. Yeah, it sounds so cliche and overdone-- but Major is special in its bitterly honest and emotionally personal portrayal of these values. In the end, it really feels like you yourself have struggled alongside Gorou, and through his experiences, you genuinely become closer to him as you may even learn a thing or two about life.

The art only gets better with each season, which also has something to do with their air dates. It's clear, smooth, and well-animated consistently throughout the series. You can get a bit picky with how the direction adult Gorou's hair is sweeped doesn't seem to move consistently with his head, but it's really quite trivial. It's also notable that most of the female characters look really similar, and some background male characters have poor facial designs, but it didn't detract too much from the story, personally. The sound is great too: I love all the OSTs and most of the OPs and EDs with the exception of the Season 4 OP. In Major, art and sound are both considered more than just a way to portray the story. They are treated as key components crucial to the story, intertwined in such a way that emotions become heightened and enjoyment is at its maximum potential.

In the end, I really enjoyed the story of Major, and the tremendous character growth of not only Gorou, but all of those around him who all face their own issues. They manage to overcome them with help from their own strength, but ultimately and mainly with inspiration from Gorou's warrior spirit. I honestly feel personally connected with Gorou. Throughout all 6 seasons, 2 OVAs, and the movie, I found myself cheering for him in times of adversity, crying with him in times of despair, and laughing with him in times of joy. He's become like a genuine friend who I truly care for. His charismatic passion for not just baseball, but also towards family, purposeful teamwork, and many other life values have marked a special spot in my heart that I will never forget.

If you had time to watch one last show, this is it! On the surface, it looks like it's just about baseball, but trust me, it's much more than that. This legendary anime series will change your life for the better. No other show has ever given me the extremely satisfying feeling that Major provides its audience. Major will make you a better person in every way. It will appeal to everyone, not just baseball fans. The characters are so well developed that you will never forget them. Major will make you cry. It will make you laugh. Major will make you the happiest person ... in the world. I guarantee it. Before I saw Major, I didn't care much about baseball. After watching all 6 seasons, I started practicing pitching at 5 AM every morning. Major teaches you how to make friends, how to work as a team, how to realize your dreams, how to overcome obstacles, how to be a leader, how to achieve greatness, how to foster a relationship, how to deal with all kinds of situations... (The length of this list is OVER NINE THOUSAND!!!, as Vegeta would say.) Major has brought me true happiness. It can do the same for you.

Watch it now! starting from episode 1:
http://www.gogoanime.com/category/major/page/5

Major Season 1 is a definite gem of a series. Although I'm not to big on sports anime I must admit that the story can't help but grab your attention with it's hard hitting drama (no pun intended). The character's feel realistic and charming; so much so, that you are completely drawn in to their development. Especially Goro, the main character. For the baseball aspect of the series you definitely won't be disappointed. There is a great amount of on the field action to keep you on the edge of your seat. The only drawback I can say is that the animation could of been ... a little better,there were times I kind of felt like I was watching anime from the 80's. I really enjoyed this series; so much that it didn't even feel like 26 episodes. Can't wait to watch season 2. Don't miss out on this one folks!

In the realm of sports anime it seems they are either a big hit or a miss. The anime Major, is a baseball anime focused on the main character’s journey growing up through baseball and actually ages as the series progresses. It was produced by the smaller and lesser known Studio Hibari (Duel Masters) and directed by the up-and-comer Kenichi Kasai. He is known for his great storyboard work and the story within Major is definitely something worth the emotional investment.

Our main character, Gorou Honda is a small kid in kindergarten living alone with his dad. Even then, since his dad is a professional baseball ... pitcher, Gorou usually finds himself alone at home. When he was even younger Gorou’s mother died. This anime puts the viewer into an emotional roller coaster early and often. The Honda family is put through some tough times and within the first 6 episodes, it might be too much to handle emotionally.

Season 1 here focuses on Gorou in his elementary days. This is where he learns the world of baseball from honing is talents, playing together with a little league team, and his hard work through it all. Yes, young Honda is a baseball genius, but the show grows based on the journey of Gorou learning everything baseball, be that success and failure. Instead of the usual shounen formula of a weak guy getting stronger, Major is really about a strong guy overcoming his weaknesses.

Animation and music wise, there are really no complaints. No, it does not blow anything out of the water, but it would be safe to say it is average for the time. The only issue that can be thought of is at the start, there is a scene where Gorou’s dad is upset the little Honda was throwing a hard ball too young. This can mess up your shoulder terribly as a growing child playing ball. However, later in the series, Gorou refuses to come out of the game possibly ruining his arm for life. Now it’s not a big deal as long as it’s for “this moment in time” for the team and game, but as a sports player and fan, this is unacceptable. As an anime fan it is neither here nor there. It just needed to be said.

Great pacing from start to finish along with emotions coming out of the viewer so frequently the next episode cannot come fast enough. It really is a hard show to put down at all. This is how anime fans want to consume a sports anime. Gorou Honda’s little league journey is something special to follow and be part of. Anybody who played baseball as a kid can relate to this and any sports anime fan will find this anime extremely hard to put down like a good book.

This anime was so good(all the seasons) that when i finished it i just sat staring at the screen because I just didnt know what to do. I am not a fan of baseball in real life but this anime is so good it didnt even matter, I didnt enjoy the first season as much because i felt like he was an annoying kid, but by the end you feel like you grew up with him and you get attached. I really enjoyed the show and i would recommend to everyone(although it is a bit long and could take a long time for people to ... finish). Gorou is like the perfect combination of OP yet always growing to become better. Only reason it doesnt get a 10/10 is because to me that is perfection, and I cant say this was the best ever because I havent seen them all, but i would say for me its in the top 10 of all anime i have seen.

Here's the deal with Major. Despite its length and despite your opinion on baseball, its awesome. Watch it.

Major is a simple, but well-thought out story following Goro Shigeno as he journeys through life with baseball. The story is what you'd find in many sports anime/movies; try hard enough and succeed. Major pulls this concept off so well that it never feels stale, and includes some very good, unexpected plot twists, especially later on.

The place where Major shines most is the characters. Everyone is so interesting and well-developed, including back stories and front stories. They have very unique personalities with multitudes of reasons as why ... they play baseball. Over the course of the 6 seasons, everyone grows literally, and in characters, from child to adult. Its refreshing to see where they go with their lives after each season.

Sound and art are good. Everything looks as it should and sounds as it should. Voicing is very well done and believable. The art also well done. Scenes that are meant to look intense are given extra detail and Shigeno's fastest pitches are drawn, showing off that speed. You can feel how fast he pitches many times. The only gripe I have is that they re-use his pitching animation a lot. I understand pitches have a certain form they never break from (as a basketball player, I know this), but it would've been nice to see more variety in how they animated his pitches while showing his same pitching form. Also, sometimes the lively, cheering fans can look pretty stoic despite a major homerun. Otherwise, everything is very good.

All in all, Major is a must-see for sports fans. Its well-done and a great pleasure to watch. Regardless of your opinion of baseball (I've never liked baseball in the past), there's so much to take away. Great characters, great story, an overall fun time. 154 episodes, one movie and one OVA sounds rather daunting, but I can say this; Major will have you hooked from very first fastball.