Forum - View topicTaishou Yakyuu Musume (Taishou Baseball Girls).
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kyokun703
 Posts: 2505 Location: Orgrimmar |
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Taishou Yakyuu Musume
If sports anime fans are looking for a new baseball anime, I recommend this one. At the time I'm writing this, there are six episodes out so far, ANN lists 13 for now (could be default for now). It's the 1920s, which is a time period I haven't seen much in anime. Westernization is starting, and girls are in transition from switching over from traditional dress to the sailor uniform. Akiko, slighted by her fiance, starts up a girls' baseball team to prove that girls don't necessarily have to be relegated to the role of the housewife. However, she knows nothing about baseball. This is a really sweet anime so far showing the struggles of nine girls trying to learn a game and be taken seriously. There are lots of yuri tones to this anime, although nothing sexual. Kinda like Maria Watches Over Us, but maybe slightly less than that level. I like that this anime is fairly realistic with the girls' team. They are obviously floundering, they have troubles finding and keeping players, they have trouble finding opponents who want to play them. Their baseball skills are atrocious for the most part. They fight, they squabble, they cry, they make game-losing mistakes. One of my favorite things about this series is the time period. I like seeing the transition to westernization. I like the little touches like instead of hearing that ubiquitous clock chime announcing when school starts and ends in modern anime, there's an old guy standing outside with a bell and a pocketwatch, and when the time is right, he rings the bell signalling lunch or end of day. I also like how half of the girls are in traditional wear, and half are in sailor suits. Anyone else watching this? |
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Mike On Top
 Posts: 298 |
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I do.
I actually found it closer to Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight, am enjoying the huge cast, the leading theme (which is not yuri, excuse me very much  ), and yeah, there is a chance for me to learn something about baseball (overall, I am a football fan). The girls are cute, but also naturally amusing, they are not doing cute things, but facing the hardship of sport training, and they do meet a whole lot of resistance in their venture by the older generation, school authorites, males and whatnot. Despite the various otaku baits all over the anime, I like the way these girls are growing soulfully stronger. Not that it is easy, but it can be done, so YEAH 
The pitcher is a disaster with her "Eeh!" throws as of now - every time I feel like she is about to plant either her face, or the ball in the ground, but this is indeed irrelevant comment - the girls do their best to adjust and improve. Did you notice how they carry their lunchboxes? Never seen this before 
Anna-sensei rocks 
I am looking forward to episode 7. Curious how Koume will react to her parents' ... idea. If nothing helps, the baseball bat should be of some considerable assistance 
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11303 Location: Frisco, TX |
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"There's no crying in baseball!" Heh, had to quote that movie. Kinda' weird that the same day I decide to reply to the Major thread, I find out about this A League of Their Own anime. The dreamy Mamiko Noto plays someone in this, so that's always something to look forward to... |
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kyokun703
Posts: 2505 Location: Orgrimmar |
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Ah, I am not familiar with that anime, so it could be closer, but I can't compare.
Yes, I really like this fact. I'm not a moe fan, but I can see how a lot of these girls would appeal to the moe fan crowd. But it's not the focus, so it's okay.
Oh god. She makes me cringe. Talk about "throws like a girl."
Yes, I thought that was strange too, re: the lunchboxes. And Anna-sensei is so feisty (the scene where she first shows the girls how to hit a baseball is hilarious). She is a good example for the "Do you see anime characters as white?" thread. Anna-sensei is so very obviously foreign.
Episode 7 does sound interesting. I love the cook. He's so shy and cute. I think the baseball bat needs to be taken to some of the other male characters in the show though, haha.
Oh, Souya. I think she's the class president (or the class leader, something like that). She's fun, because she's just so matter-of-fact about her observances. I don't think I've picked my favorite yet. I like the main character, Koume, 'cause although she seems meek, she's actually quite strong, and also Kawashima, just for being the strategist of the team. I love the way she tries to curb Tomoe's enthusiasm. |
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rti9
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This show isn't about baseball. It's about cute girls. |
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kyokun703
Posts: 2505 Location: Orgrimmar |
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I think it depends where the show goes. If they become gradually better, then I think it'll be fine. These are girls who for the most part, haven't done sports before (with the exception of Tomoe, and a couple others). I personally do not care how cute the girls are and am just looking for a new sports anime. If they were all bad players like the pitcher, I would stop watching this anime. And may. Although I still like it 6 episodes in, which is longer than I tolerated shows like Basquash and Macross Frontier.
And I liked Princess Nine, despite the cruddy animation, so maybe our tastes are just different. |
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Mike On Top
Posts: 298 |
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I also like him, but I could hardly imagine that my parents would tell me to marry a Saburo and I would embrace the idea without voicefull scandal Well, it's the Taishou era, perhaps Koume is comfortable with the guy, but ... baseball comes first (as follows):
... Actually, I laughed my lungs out  The plan spoiler[to gang up guys with advanced baseball skills on the streets at night] was brilliant. I read that in the light novels, the girls team keeps being rejected, they have little chances to play against good opponents. As much as they are all baseball novices, they have the nerve to come with bright ideas - which, in Tomoe's case, tend to be dangerously innovative. The way she converts her kendo to baseball invokes various approaches, one of which is spoiler[to blackmale Koume], because she needs a batter (instead of outfielder). Gee, cunning to the bones
Weeell, Akiko (?) still has a long way to go with the curve balls and the fastballs -_-; and ... some girls merely can't jump
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kyokun703
Posts: 2505 Location: Orgrimmar |
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Bah, I'm disappointed ep. 7 didn't address the spoiler[engagement] more.
It was a cute episode though with the "street batters." Akiko's throwing form is improving slightly, thank god, although she still does that annoying "ehh!" I suppose I could consider it like the tennis grunts that pros do when smashing the ball back and forth. |
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Patachu
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1325 Location: San Diego |
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This show is the sleeper hit of the summer.
The question now remains, what kind of breaking ball did Akiko throw when spoiler[she got that robber in the nuts]? At first instinct it looks like your typical sinker but I wouldn't be surprised if she inadvertently threw one of the first forkballs in Japanese history, considering how popular that pitch is over there compared to in the West .... |
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Mike On Top
Posts: 298 |
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As well as I did mistake Koume's position [which should be a catcher], I'll go all the nine yards and profess my opinion that Akiko threw a curve ball at Tomoe, who batted it back to the robber. Definitely doesn't look like a forkball. Purely within my imagination, but I think a forkball should rotate in a tilted upside-down manner than clean sideways. Later, when the girls asked her to show them her magic ball, she tried a knuckle ball (to no success of course,  ) - which kind of gives the hilarious impression she doesn't really know what she is going to throw any way, but if it looks good, it counts :}. (Pretty much mine level of understanding baseball, so I am about to make myself a laughingstock in this topic). It was funny how Akiko was disappointed of not being recognised as a street pitcher, the least.
Also, Koume might be the first one who brought the issue of spoiler[flying saucers] in Japan, kukukuh. Unless she meant spoiler[a real saucer was flying], which is amazing in itself enough to divert the attention promptly
Ah, don't be, really I deliberately omit the previews and was somewhat shocked by the cliffhanger. However, Saburo is still in the game and along with Akiko's feministic drama, we might see a development soon.
You know, I am not knowledgable on gender related studies, but whatever the era and the nation will be, it will always sound offensive [what her fiance told Akiko]. I believe it is actually very frustrating for both genders to fullfill that level of rigid expecations for their respective social roles in an ... appropriate manner, but such confrontations smell like power abusement. Afterall, a couple's life is about "you" and "me", not the neighbours, mom and dad, and what the boss thinks. Which is why I consider arranged marriages the epitome of unpardonable social pressure and, hence, unnatural and genuinely unsatisfying job. Such marriage does not create a solid emotion (albeit the usual significant stress). It creates rather convinient self-description and it is a matter of time to feel the hollowness spreading. Especially for the woman. It's difficult for me to gauge the happiness under these circumstances. I think people should marry mostly if and when they really feel like sharing life with each other. |
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kyokun703
Posts: 2505 Location: Orgrimmar |
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Ep. 8&9:
This show is being fansubbed so slowly... (edit: lol, I say this, and then the fansubbers post the rest of the series, today, all 3 eps. Cool.) Ep. 8 seemed to be a fun filler episode that's mainly spoiler[a way to get some information on the opposing team]. I love Kawashima's creativity at getting what she wants. And she's so cute spoiler[when the film guy asks her out]. Ep. 9 finally went back to the fiance situation, and spoiler[it totally reinforced my liking of Saburo. He seems to be a very nice, grounded, accepting young man. And Koume knows this. It must be nice for her to have support from somebody who is not part of the baseball team.] Tomoe is just silly. Her reactions when Koume gets attention from Akiko or if she thinks she's "losing" Koume are just hilarious. |
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