Ookiku Furikabutte

Among sports manga, it's rare to find a grassroots club aiming for national competitive ranking. Typically, grassroots clubs starting from scratch in various series are content with gaining new members, participating in club activities and events, focusing on slice-of-life themes. Sometimes, there's no "competition" involved, like in an Astronomy or book club.

Ookiku Furikabutte stands out as a unique manga, blending grassroots elements with competitiveness in a popular sport. No star player leads the charge, and the coach is also inexperienced. Though there are seasoned players, including one exceptional talent, Nishiura High School's baseball team lacks a stellar lineup. With just 10 players and a single substitute, the fields were overgrown and required maintenance by the coach from scratch.

Despite these challenges, the team perseveres. Unlike conventional sports manga featuring well-equipped teams with ample budgets, experienced seniors, and coaches, Nishiura's grassroots baseball team comprises only freshmen. They face numerous hardships due to these limitations. The coach and parents pool resources to cover necessities. Players lack uniforms outside of games. During training camps, they get discounts by cleaning fields and forage in forests to save money. They cope without a practice field, figuring out optimal batting techniques and more. The coach leverages personal connections for proper guidance and mentorship.

This grassroots atmosphere permeates the team and is reflected throughout the chapters. Despite being primarily about baseball, many slice-of-life scenes are included, showcasing the freedom and variety of a grassroots club. There’s no strict training regimen; players experiment with different improvement methods. They visit other schools to observe practices, scout games, and participate in joint practices with schools they wouldn't otherwise meet.

However, sometimes character interactions feel forced. For instance, several chapters focus entirely on players agreeing to avoid romantic relationships while in the club. This felt like an authorial insertion telling readers there won’t be romance, lacking authenticity for adolescent conversations.

Each baseball game depicted is highly detailed. With only 10 players, everyone knows each other well, forming strong bonds. Since everyone has a guaranteed spot, no one competes for regular positions, fostering unity. Yet, despite this security, no one slacks off. I delve deeper into characters in my anime review, so I won't elaborate here.

The pros and cons of this approach to a competitive grassroots team? Many slice-of-life activities tied to baseball and deep character development emerge from the small cast. However, the drawback is spending numerous chapters on mundane details, like dedicating 50 pages across multiple chapters to a joint practice camp. This meticulous detail means skipping nothing, resulting in hundreds of chapters released over a decade, yet only covering the second year of high school with a few key games displayed.

This truly is a "masterpiece sports manga," rightly hailed as "the number one baseball manga of all time," having received an award from Kodansha. It genuinely meets your expectations.

I had no prior knowledge about baseball; I simply enjoy reading manga and stumbled upon this while looking for other sports-themed ones. However, this manga will genuinely immerse you in the sport, and while reading, you'll find yourself reacting with expressions like "wow, ohh..., tsk!, damnit" because that's exactly what happened to me.

There's really nothing more to add; the term "masterpiece" perfectly encapsulates the high quality of this manga.

I had been strictly an anime-only enthusiast my entire life, up until now, and I'm 26. The manga that changed everything for me was "Ookiku Furikabutte." Naturally, I started with the anime first but was heartbroken to find out it only had two seasons, barely scratching the surface of the extensive plot in the manga. If a season three and beyond ever materialize, my life would be complete!

The manga is nothing short of exceptional: every character on Nishiura High School's team is incredibly lovable and meticulously crafted. All aspects of baseball are depicted realistically and in great detail—I've been watching professional American baseball since childhood, so I appreciate the accuracy. The artwork is also top-notch.

The characters are what make "Ookiku Furikabutte" shine. There's a plethora of characters to adore. My favorite is Izumi, Nishiura’s center fielder, because he's hardworking, even-keeled, humorous, and sensitive. Sakaeguchi, Nishiura’s second baseman, comes in as my second favorite due to his cheerful disposition and friendly nature. And, of course, there's Tajima—Nishiura’s third baseman—who doesn't love him?

There is so much to cherish about this manga, and I eagerly look forward to continuing my reading journey for years to come. So much of the story remains to be told! Thank you, Higuchi sensei!

While I find real baseball to be rather boring, this manga manages to hold my attention on the sport. Instead of featuring exceptionally tall and attractive guys, the characters resemble typical freshman boys. The mangaka, a graduate in sports psychology, skillfully blends the enjoyment of baseball with scientific advice on relaxation and energy management. Mihashi can be irritating at times, but unlike protagonists in other sports manga, he isn't naturally gifted or self-assured about his abilities. He starts off weak and timid, honing his skills through extensive practice. Abe-kun is my favorite character due to his no-nonsense demeanor and thoughtful moments.

At times, the story can drag on, spending 2-3 volumes on just one game. However, this pacing helps develop the opposing teams' characters, giving nearly everyone a chance to shine—a true testament to teamwork. It's almost impossible not to like them, and I often find myself cheering for everyone's efforts regardless of whether they win or lose. If you're looking for a series filled with dramatic, near-impossible last-minute victories, this might not be what you're seeking. But if you want something that captures genuine emotions and realistic skill development, this is the manga for you.

A delightful read! When it comes to the story, characters, and baseball, this manga is simply outstanding!

The narrative offers profound insights into the unique world of Japanese high-school baseball, a topic that might be challenging for non-Japanese readers to explore otherwise. The culture surrounding the sport is not only explained but also elaborated upon, including aspects like training methods and nutrition, making everything easy to grasp.

Initially, the artwork might seem a bit off-putting, but once you become accustomed to the style, you start to appreciate and even love it. The characters depicted through this art are well-crafted and avoid being one-dimensional, lending an air of authenticity to the story. While many sports manga, particularly those centered around baseball, tend to focus heavily on the games themselves as a means of character and plot development, this manga refreshingly shifts its focus to what happens off the field. You find yourself enjoying the time the boys spend bonding and training together, which in turn makes the games feel much more rewarding.

All in all, it's a fantastic and enjoyable read. I'm eagerly anticipating the next chapters!