I do hope that the second half of this series is going to introduce some sort of challenge for Kou, because with this episode, it’s already getting boring to watch these matches in which Kou and Azuma dominate the entire game. I tried to like this series’ baseball matches, but in the end it’s really something that Touch did much, much better.
Now that we’re at the halfway point, it’s about time for Kou and Aoba’s relationship to develop again. In this episode, they again dropped various hints that they’re into each other, including Aoba at last getting impressed by Kou’s pitching-work, but we’ve reached the point at which it’s beginning to get repetitive. We need some more conflict to spice things up.
This episode finally gave us a good look at what may look like two promising rivals, but the creators still need to put a lot of time in them to flesh them out properly. At the moment they’re nothing really special yet.
Rating: (Enjoyable)]]>
Cross Game – 26
“but we’ve reached the point at which it’s beginning to get repetitive. We need some more conflict to spice things up.”
Don’t worry.
“Don’t worry.”
+1 on that
You seem to be quite lucky because… it is indeed soon reaching that point O). Though I can’t say the same about well developed rivals, competing teams are just there (I don’t think this series really focuses on baseball, though it is important its not the highlight though it is getting attention in the latter chapter but I wouldn’t necessarily say it draws all the attention to it like say Oofuri).
I completely agree with the above opinion. The baseball games are really secondary to the emotional and physical growth of the characters. The games are almost used to highlight a new development in the relationship between Koh and Aoba. As Koh becomes more competitent and handles game situations in a more mature manner, so does the relationship move forward. There are other subplots that are probably going to be introduced but the baseball games just don’t seem as important. As long as they reach Koshien. At which point the series will reach a watershed momement and hopefully a nice conclusion.
Watching Cross Game has the zen-like feeling of watching bonsai growing. There are zero plot twists (it starts with two leaflets,and ends up with a tree), and each step is carefully and painstakingly developed.
We know from the beginning who is going to be a great player, and who Aoba will end up with. I have long abandoned any idea of being surprised, and just enjoy the flow of it.