Cross Game Episodes 16 and 17

Though I find the game quite boring, I'm happy that the farm team wins. I love the p*ssed off look on Coach Daimon's face! This is a very good ending for a coach who is over-hyped.

As for episode 17, I love the interaction between Yuuhei and Kou. They work surprisingly well together in those light-hearted moments.

What's Hot?
Momiji and cat - the song is really cute.

Even though Kou is playing quite well, Aoba is still disappointed with his performance. - Good kick! ^-^

The suspicious looking old man is the Chairman of Seishuu High School. - No surprise at all. I expect him to be someone important.

Aoba hits a single, then steals second and third before scoring on Senda's sacrifice fly. - Girl power!!

During the final inning, Yuuhei asks Coach Daimon if he wished he had better batters in his lineup, such as Miki. Yuuhei also tells Coach Daimon that Kou is the best pitcher they have played against all year. - I love his p*ssd off look!

Farm team wins! - Hurray! The evil coach is finally fired!

After the game, Acting Principle and Coach Daimon are fired, and most of the transfer players also leaves Seishuu. Only Yuuhei stays at Seishuu and he begins living with the Kou because the dorm is closed down. - Their personalities are poles apart but they surprisingly get along quite well under one roof.

In front of Yuuhei, Kou admits that he likes Wakaba. - I think this is the first time Kou actually explicitly admits that.

To get the five most persistent boys to stop asking her out, Aoba goes on a date with all five. - Great idea! This is a good way to get rid of persistent guys.

Kou finds out about Junpei's past from Aoba. He also learns that Yuuhei is trying to reach Koushien in his place. When Aoba asks Kou whether he's serious about going to Koushien, he answers yes as he wants to make Wakaba's last dream come true. - I wonder if they will reach the goal in the 2nd or 3rd year.

What's Not?
Cross Game is great as a romance comedy and slice of life series. However, as a sports series, I think it lacks impact and excitement. I'm actually happy that the game between the First team and Farm team has ended as I rather watch the characters in their daily lives than during games.

Cross Game Episode 15

I love Yuuhei's attitude! It's first class! Coach Daimon's reaction to Yuuhei is priceless too. This is the very reason why I find Yuuhei a more charming character than Kou. Kou is great but just not as cool as Yuuhei. Yuuhei appears to be the emotionless most of the time, but he's actually the opposite. His real motivation for going to Koushien is actually for his brother, who was actually a great Baseball player but had to stop playing because of a leg injury.

In this episode, we also finally found out who that suspicious looking old man is. He's always sneaking around and he seems like an important but yet not important character. Anyway, that guy is the Farm team's manager’s grandfather. From the look of things, I think he may be more than just someone's grandfather. I suspect he's the real Principal.

Next episode, the focus will be on baseball. The upcoming match is going to be very different from the first. With Aoba playing for the Farm team as Center Fielder and with Azuma out, it's certainly easy to predict which team is going to lose and which manager is going to get fired. I only hoping for the game to be an interesting one.

What's Hot?
The suspicious looking old man is the Farm team's manager's grandfather. - I bet he has a more important role than that.

Acting Principal Shido orders the Farm team to be disbanded, but Maeno instead proposes a rematch with the First team. The condition is that the losing coach will lose his job. Coach Daimon agrees in order to settle things once and for all. - It's so predictable who the losing coach will be. Sayonara Coach Daimon! ^-^

When Junpei visits the school in the evening, Yuuhei tells him that he will definitely go to Koushien, and Junpei tells him to have fun with Baseball. - Oh.. brotherly love! ^-^

The Farm team recruits Aoba to replace a retired third-year player. To convince her to play as a Center Fielder instead of a Pitcher, Akaishi has her bat against Kou. Aoba is striked out without a single swing. - Her ego must be bruised.

Like Yuuhei, Junpei is a great batter. - Finally, there's a similarity between Yuuhei and Junpei.

After watching the Farm team practice hard, Yuuhei deliberately injures himself to avoid playing, challenging Coach Daimon to prove that he can beat the Farm team without him. - Cool!

What's Hot?
None. Great episode!

Cross Game Episodes 13 and 14

In terms of sports and baseball, I don't really like Cross Game. However, story-wise and humor-wise, I think Cross Game is really good. Again, I find episode 13 a little slow in pace. Even though Kou and friends are attending a secret intensive training camp, I don't feel the intensity of the training at all. What I like about this episode is that Azuma and his teammate, Miki are starting to show displeasure with their coach's style and decision. I really hate the coach and hope to see him getting fired soon. ^-^

As for episode 14, as expected, Seishuu fails to reach Koushien. In Azuma's mind, he feels that the coach should not keep Miki on the sideline throughout the game. Azuma is never a guy who openly show his emotions, so he just takes them out on the baseballs at Tsukishima batting center. In this episode, we are also introduced to Azuma's brother, who is the complete opposite of Azuma. Azuma is cool whereas his brother is simply a pervert.

Anyway, there's a new Ending Theme. It's called Orange Days and it's by Squarehood. It's a nice catchy song.

What's Hot?
Azuma notices the absence of the farm team and asks Aoba about it. Aoba lies to him that the farm team is attending a secret intensive training camp. To Aoba's surprise, she later finds out that her lie turns out to be the truth.

Kou forgets to bring a bag to the camp and Aoba offers to bring it to him. Following Kou's father's bad instructions, she alights at the wrong bus-stop, where the direction given by a local woodcutter makes her further lost. - The woodcutter looks creepy!

Kou finds Aoba's shoe near a swollen stream and starts to look for her frantically. The entire process is filmed by the woodcutter. - It's pretty funny.

Kou, Aoba and Senda think that the woodcutter is an obaasan. However, the bus driver tells them that the last obaasan in the area has just passed away. This freaks Kou, Aoba and Senda out. The truth is the woodcutter is an ojiisan. - Well, he does look like a guy. The only thing unmanly about him is his dressing and voice.

During one game, outfielder Miki changes his position against Coach Daimon's orders to make a game-winning play. As a result, Coach Daimon takes him out of the lineup for ignoring his orders. Azuma is the only one who agrees with Miki. - Coach Daimon is such a prideful and selfish jerk!

While watching Seishuu lose in the round of 16 without Miki in the lineup, Aoba meets a loud fan, who reminds her of her father. After the game, she helps the man by hitting a thief with a baseball. She then learns that he is Junpei Azuma, Yuuhei Azuma's older brother. - Yuuhei is definitely more cool.

Junpei gives Aoba a ride home. When he sees Ichiyou, he immediately falls in love and becomes her suitor. Momiji rates him 6/100 initially, and then changes her rating to 2/100. - LOL Momiji is so cute.

Momiji helps to drive Aoba's annoying suitor (the boxing guy) away. - Momiji is adorable!

What's Not?
The baseball part is not very interesting nor exciting.

Cross Game Episode 12

Now that the baseball match is over, Cross Game is back to slice of life. Even though this episode is a little slow in pace, it's an enjoyable one. It's obvious that Kou has not yet forgotten Wakaba. In this episode, it's revealed that he has been dutifully buying the birthday presents she requested every year. This is really sweet of Kou!!

What's Hot?
Senda's cousin challenged Aoba to a match. Aoba initially rejected the proposition but eventually she agreed and won.

Kou finally saved enough money to buy Wakaba's 16th Birthday gift: a kitty teapot. However, the spoiled first team's manager bought the last one. So, in order for Kou to have it, he had to be her servant for one day. - This really shows Kou's love for Wakaba.

What's Not?
Senda's cousin asked Aoba to join her high school as her school has a female baseball team. However, Aoba rejected the invitation and insisted that she's going Seishuu. - It's obvious that Aoba loves baseball and I really don't understand why she wants to join Seishuu. Is it because she wants to personally witness Kou's progress? She appears to be a really determined girl and so I hope for her to follow her dream and continue playing baseball in high school.