Kinichirou Imamura is a solitary high school student who has lived his life avoiding a social life. He accidentally goes back to 3 years in the past and sees this as an opportunity to make new choices for his life. What he doesn't foresee are all the consequences that come along with his decisions. All hardships challenge him and confront his own anti-social personality. I like that not only he gives himself the chance to try things he never did before, he gives the chance for people to get to know him better. He may be a short tempered loner, but his main attribute is that he is good at reading people's hearts. Imamura may know future facts, but they merely pose as future possibilities due to his lack of action. He learns that being apathetic won't lead him anywhere.
Ouendan are cheering squads. Imamura's memory of a remarkable encounter with Usami Yoshiko, the lonely captain of Kobosu Minami High's ouendan club, sparks an avalanche of events which start with him trying to enter the notorious club. One of the really interesting things about the storytelling is the question of how can we positively influence someone. Just as the ouendan tries to motivate the baseball team, Imamura attempts to inspire his new friends. Initially dismayed by how little the ouendan has to offer to a baseball game, he later learns the power and influence that can be given through encouragement. Although matches start and end with the actions of the athletes on the field, they only got there through the assistance of their friends, families, and in this case - the cheers from the bleachers. Albeit he is merely a young individual, his words and actions carry enormous weight to his friends. No man is an island.
Even though I love many of the characters, I feel like some of the side characters had odd developments that didn't really fit their personalities. Another complaint is that a few times it feels like the author is writing a bit aimlessly. Maybe lack of planning and the publisher's decisions led her astray.
I would divide this manga into three arcs: ouendan arc, drama club arc, and the marathon arc. The first is definitely the strongest. The second starts strange, but it delivers in the end. The third starts awkwardly and slowly grows, but the final volume shifts gears completely and ends everything abruptly. Despite that, I don't regret reading this manga.
Is the ending unsatisfactory? Yes, it is disappointing. Could the story be much better? Definitely. But before reading or giving a rating to this manga, ask yourself this: Does a weak ending ruin everything that came before? Or is it just one more flaw in something good?
