Cross Game: Unlikely Anime for Gundam Fan
An anime centered on baseball is something I had no intention on watching. I like my anime with either hardcore science fiction, like Gundam or Akira, or crazy comedies, like the first season of Hayate no Gotoku. When the first episode of Cross Game came out I had heard so many good things about it, I decided to check it out since the second season of Hayate no Gotoku wasn’t what I was expecting. I was looking for something different. And I’m glad I stuck with Cross Game to it’s end.
What I learned the most is to be open minded about anime genres. Before my thought process was sports and anime is not a good mix.... that was until I watched Cross Game. The ending was pretty good with a few surprises. I'm going to miss this series.
My full thoughts on the end here. Spoiler Free.
I love this show, I put it on my to watch list but never did get around to do so. Then I ended reading all the manga during my winter break and was hooked. Can't wait to watch the anime in the future.
i love it too, it too bad cuz it end in this week 50th ep T_T
Cross Game, is not about just baseball, is far more than this, from my point of view, far different form Captain Tsubasa that focus only on soccer and another one that I forgot the name, that focus only on basketball.
Sports anime are rarely this good. Cross Game is a great and special exception on my point of view.
its rare to have an anime have such an impacting first episode. without it, it'll be hard for me to keep watching this, but i'm glad it all fits in.
the pacing of this i really liked, until the end. having it stretch abit, and similar to the pace of the rest would've been better but still we know that theres deadlines to meet =)
great to know you're keeping your mind open.
Actually Cross Game is unusual example of most popular sports based anime. Cross Game is much closer to slice of life + drama with sports mixed in as a theme.
More traditional sports based anime series are very technical and episodes are integrated with progression/growth of main character(s) in that specific sport featured.
Of course I am not trying to say Cross Game is bad in anyway, I loved it, it has good mix of everything and yet I would normally consider it "slow" actually came to me as "relaxing" to watch.
Examples of more "traditional" sports anime series are such as "Hikaru no Go", "Hajime no Ippo", "Eyeshield 21", "Akagi" and "Kaiji".
Yes some of them are not even actual sports but story progression and technical aspect that makes the series exciting and make watchers absorbed in same in that regard.
Oh, I just finished the series yesterday. Along with 80's Touch of the same author it really hit my fave anime list. I think it's even better then Touch (there are many plot similarities among this two series).
I really enjoyed Cross Game even though I'm not into baseball - in my neck of woods baseball is not more then some exotic sport^^
I you liked it then pick up Major now!!! It is the best ever produced sports anime (also baseball). The new season started now (ep 130 and counting)... It's just great as you follow a boy named Goro from Kindergarten until he reaches NPB and MLB and you get to see fun, hard and sad times (really really sad ones) of his life. It‘s really undescribable good.
Another good sports/racing anime is called Capeta... a little boy who discovers his love for go-carting and before he even realizes it, he starts to fight for his dream to get to the international stage of the F1.
I hated sports anime but this two shows changed my mind!