Battery

[Munsu]

Takumi Harada moves to a mountain town in Okayama prefecture during the spring break before he enters middle school due to his father's job transfer. Takumi is a pitcher, and after the moves he loses faith in his own talent, when suddenly his classmate Kō Nagakura appears in front of him. Kō has a strong desire to form a "battery" (a combination of a pitcher and catcher) with Takumi.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...e.php?id=18153

Battery is easily one of my favorite series this season, and also has a potential to be one of my favorites sports animes, though the tops are hard to break through regardless. Now, what puts this series apart from the rest is that it's more seinen and more focused on slice-of-life and drama aspects. So on that regard, it's standing apart from the rest.

Not saying that all's great and the drama that has been presented so far is all that compelling, but it's a refreshing series for me and I honestly can't wait for the next episode to come out week after week. It's slow, we're 4 episodes in and we've barely started the first practice and such. Not sure what the goal of the series is either, but so far I think it's providing for a good atmosphere for a plot that carries some weight with it.

So, worth a shot. I really like the main character, love his attitude, though in some instances he can come off as a bit annoying and irrational (but understandable given his personal make-up). He won't be for everyone.

I hope we get more female characters as it progresses, particularly characters of their age. He's like 12yo, but given how this series is handled, the characters seem like seniors in high school, so easily to forget how young they are. The little brother is awesome as well in my opinion.

I hope it ends up being a long series.

Four episodes out currently:
Episodes

[shinta|hikari]

Sigh, the coach vs player thing again..!

What I loved about Ookiku Furukabutte is how the coach and players are so in sync. And the coach's boobs. Why does there ALWAYS have to be some juvenile conflict between the coach and players? The coach is a fucking adult, for crying out loud.

[Munsu]

Sigh, the coach vs player thing again..!

What I loved about Ookiku Furukabutte is how the coach and players are so in sync. And the coach's boobs. Why does there ALWAYS have to be some juvenile conflict between the coach and players? The coach is a fucking adult, for crying out loud.

Yeah, and always the bullies.

But the coaching conflict seems like it'll be quickly stamped out, seemed quite evident at the end of the last episode.

[MFauli]

I miss Ace of Diamonds :/

Not saying Battery is bad, but it´s clear that its focus is on human drama instead of baseball.

[Edort4]

I actually think this show is bad. And I say its bad because is boring. It fails on the most basic, entertaining.

I was going to write that it fails giving "action" but maybe the truth is that it doesnt even try to begin with.

Papier mache boring characters and frivolous "drama".

[Munsu]

Yes, this is not a shounen action series.

[Edort4]

Yeah its more like a watered down Shojo. Not that the genre has anything to do with it being bad and boring for me. Art is good by the way.

[Munsu]

Yeah its more like a watered down Shojo. Not that the genre has anything to do with it being bad and boring for me. Art is good by the way.

I'd say this is the equivalent for baseball anime of what Grimgar was for MMORPG anime in some regards.

I do think the sports action will start picking up soon though. We'll see.

I wouldn't say shoujo, it's seinen... but certainly there's definitely a feminine touch here that's bound to entice female viewers. One has to wonder if the series is targeting the demographic it classifies itself as to try to target.

[shinta|hikari]

Don't you guys find it weird how huge these kids are for being 12 yr olds?

[Munsu]

Don't you guys find it weird how huge these kids are for being 12 yr olds?

Nothing out of the ordinary, particularly for athletes. But easy to forget how young they are.



Not the best, but you can at least see some contrast there from another adult character, another athlete, and their difference.

Part of the problem is that most of the time we're seeing our main characters by themselves.

The other, there's a bit confirmation bias from what one usually see on the entertainment media, which is the opposite. Most of the times we see characters looking younger, shorter, and acting more adolescent than what their age would suggest.

So I don't see anything particularly wrong here, other than indeed it stands-out from the norm in this regard. Their interaction is more adult-like than the usual as well, which doesn't help with the perception.

[MFauli]

Don't you guys find it weird how huge these kids are for being 12 yr olds?

I found it weird ever since they mentioned that those kids are 12. It´d like Japanese cannot ever get it right. Either we end up with ridiculous heights like in Shigatsu wa kimi no uso, or they look way too adult/hot, or they look too young.

[shinta|hikari]

I think most high school anime out there have it right, though. Look at K-ON. Even their flabby legs look like a JKS's. Naturally, faces are not in any way indicative of age in anime. They all look like babies if judged by facial features alone.

The kids in this show look at least 16, especially because of the proportions. I'd get it if it's only Go or a few of them who matured quickly, but all of them look, talk, and act like highschoolers, not middleschoolers.

My wonder is, why didn't they just start in high school? To avoid having to include breaking balls for the pitcher (because he's too young and blablabla)? BTW, is that even true? Will throwing breaking balls at an early age hurt your body?

[Munsu]

I think most high school anime out there have it right, though. Look at K-ON. Even their flabby legs look like a JKS's. Naturally, faces are not in any way indicative of age in anime. They all look like babies if judged by facial features alone.

The kids in this show look at least 16, especially because of the proportions. I'd get it if it's only Go or a few of them who matured quickly, but all of them look, talk, and act like highschoolers, not middleschoolers.

My wonder is, why didn't they just start in high school? To avoid having to include breaking balls for the pitcher (because he's too young and blablabla)? BTW, is that even true? Will throwing breaking balls at an early age hurt your body?

Yes, it's true, particularly because it's hard for them to keep proper mechanics consistently on an undeveloped body. So while technically, the risk is about the same, but the reality is the lack of youth discipline exacerbates the issue.

Regardless if it's really scientifically true or not, it's a real concern in practice and in reality.

[shinta|hikari]

I see. In that case, does that mean it's possible for a gifted individual with great discipline to use it without hurting himself? It just seems like such a cheat move, one that you can't help but take advantage of, if everyone but you isn't doing it.

[Munsu]

I see. In that case, does that mean it's possible for a gifted individual with great discipline to use it without hurting himself? It just seems like such a cheat move, one that you can't help but take advantage of, if everyone but you isn't doing it.

It's not about being possible or not, it's about it being risky or not, disciplined or not. Being disciplined simply reduces the risk, but even the mere act of using the pitch constantly is problematic.

But most is anecdotal, it's been hard to show it scientifically as in what's really causing the injuries.

Also, not sure in Japan, but in the US young people throw it. Many get injured as well.

So it's more of a philosophy of protecting kids, arm fatigue is very real, and throwing curveballs and the chances of improper mechanics in any which throw is a problem.

Anyways, for the context of this show, it's not something they threw out there out of their ass.

[MFauli]

I mean, guys, real baseball is shit, anyway. In reality, a pitcher is happy when he manages to throw the ball into the mitt of his catcher and not 10+ meters elsewhere. It´s only in anime where we have flashy, fancy breaking balls and shit that make a sharp turn inmidst air, like Captain Tsubasa and football.

[Munsu]

I mean, guys, real baseball is shit, anyway. In reality, a pitcher is happy when he manages to throw the ball into the mitt of his catcher and not 10+ meters elsewhere. It´s only in anime where we have flashy, fancy breaking balls and shit that make a sharp turn inmidst air, like Captain Tsubasa and football.

[MFauli]

video not available in my country

[Munsu]

Post the video URL here:
http://www.unblockyoutube.co.uk/

And see it it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0b4Q1Ddm-o

[shinta|hikari]

Breaking balls are real, Mfauli. That said, I'm usually bored to death watching baseball.