This episode was full of just about everything that makes Cross Game awesome. These few episodes right before the tournament starts are pure gold, because the creators are subtly trying to get the final few developments in before the matches start for real.
Speaking of which… how about the manga? Has it actually ended already, or does it continue? I mean, the characters are about to hit the final tournament of their high school careers. I can’t imagine this series continuing afterwards.
In any case, this episode was full of these small and subtle jokes as well: right after a point when a character is doing something seemingly cliched, there always turns out to be some ulterior motive. I found it strangely assertive of Aoba to just offer her ladder to Kou when he needed it it. And indeed it turns out that her father once borrowed it from Kou’s father and forgot to return it. Or when Azuma reacted emotionless when Kou brought up his birthday… only for it to turn out that Kou got the date wrong. Or take Aoba’s very subtle birthday present: a piece of cake, right after Kou just gobbled up a cake made by Akane.
Speaking of which, Kou’s eighteen now! He’s an actual adult right now, and so would Wakaba have been if she were alive at this point. That means like, what? Around eight years have passed since the start of the series? I personally love those kinds of series that show multiple flash-forwards, and don’t just stick with one or two versions of the same character.
In this episode I also realized that Kou and Aoba’s father can relate to each other very much: both lost the one they were in love with, and thought to spend the rest of their lives with. That became especially apparent as both of them stood near the graves of Wakaba and her mother.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
The manga is still going, and they are playing in the tournament. My personal opinion is that the anime will end at episode 52 and the manga will finish shortly before, but we will have to see.
well scheduling have been delayed with the Manga. Though i kinda like the pacing the current match on the manga is.
The manga is currently at the Koshien Championship match i believe, so it’s “almost” completed.
yea, the manga is still on-going, though I’m a bit skeptical about how they’ll adapt the story for the anime, there’s a lot of material they still haven’t covered, and there isn’t a whole lot of episodes left
The manga is about at the end of the regional final to get into Koshien. They have to win that game to get into Koshien.
Koh’s not an adult yet: in Japan, they become adults the year they turn 20. (Which would explain the engagement ring being the 20th’s present…)
“Or when Akaishi reacted emotionless when Kou brought up his birthday… only for it to turn out that Kou got the date wrong.”
You mean Azuma right? 🙂
Ah, dammit. I keep getting his name wrong.