In honor of the 2021 World Series, starting this Tuesday night, I thought of a thread about baseball in anime. Baseball is big in Japan, having been introduced prior to World War II. (Look up "Moe Berg!")
So I am looking for anime which features baseball. It does not have to be an anime about baseball, just as long as the game figures in one of the episodes.
The only baseball anime I have seen is Big Windup. Ren is the pitcher for a team that always loses, and the team always blames Ren. Switching schools, Ren is ready to give up the game until he is roped into joining his new school’s newly formed team. Finally blessed with a coach and a catcher who believe in him, Ren, a control pitcher, becomes a winner. Hopefully he will eventually become less of a wuss.
Baseball figures in FLCL. Naota’s older brother, not seen in the series, plays ball in the US. The game also plays a role in one episode where it serves as a metaphor for success in life. You have to swing the bat.
Then there is that game in one episode of Dorohedoro. I forget why En has his team infiltrate a ball game, but that is not important. What is important is that this is literally a death match.
In Summer Wars, part of the family is distracted by the high school championship series, as the internet world of OZ is about to be conquered plunging the world into chaos.
Then there is that baseball game in an episode of Assassination Classroom. Koro-sensei cheers his students on like any good teacher would, while biding his time before he destroys the world.
Then there is this bit I found:
This is the English language dub, but you can hear a bit of the original Japanese in spots. A catcher getting hit in the groin is not unusual in baseball, but you won’t find it in any American cartoons of this era.
You got any? Don't just list. Tell us a little about them.
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