Oh god, I should have known that the creators would update Momiji’s little bit at the start of every episode a Christmas theme. One thing that bothers me though is why she’s still portrayed as a six-year old. I mean, saving budget is one thing, but if you’re going to bother to give her a Christmas outfit, then why not redraw her entirely?
In any case, this episode really was as good as ever. Aoba’s accidents brought forth so many subtle developments in so many different characters, and on top of that some of the other relationships that didn’t have anything to do with her also developed. To think that Akaishi finally tried to make a move on Akane. It’s a shame that he chickened out later, though: I guess that he still doesn’t want to betray Kou in this way. Oh, but we do have ourselves a proposal with a ‘certain’ other couple.
Also, if the girls’ baseball tryouts really were anime-original, then I really have to congratulate the creators of the anime: I didn’t notice a thing until people pointed it out. It’s great to see that the creators know how to adapt a story, but also to add a bit here and there, where they see a chance for improvement, and to actually integrate this seamlessly with the main storyline. I loved the way how this episode blended the new scenes of Aoba, failing to make the selection due to her illness, together with the Azuma, who feels guilty about what he did (especially considering his brother), and Kou, at whom the creators still throwing hints that he’s really caring for Aoba.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
It’s not just the girls’ baseball tryouts that are anime-original. Anything that has to do with girls’ baseball in the anime (Senda’s “cousin” Midori, her classmates, that “Ouka” college female team, etc.) does not appear in the manga. The Wakasa Life Insurance Company, the main sponsor of the anime series, has been promoting girls’ baseball throughout the series, hence the commercials and the “Aoba of the Week” feature introducing different real-life female baseball players throughout Japan at the beginning and end of each episode.
No matter what the reason, the filler content is pretty good. The creators have succesfully added another plotline to the series so far that fits. I did think a couple of times when I was reading the manga that aoba is kind of under-developed.