#i want to write about pro baseball player miyuki

[nicoleheichou]

I need to finish IMYDCM asap because my tiktok fyp always shows me tiktoks of Shohei and I just want to write for Miyuki now. 😭

[tracingdreams]

完・Never has a kanji felt so final

I really feel like Daiya has ended, now. Now I have the volume here in my hands, that single black character feels like a closing gate on the lives of our baseball guys. 

I didn’t expect to be writing a post about the content of vol 34, and because I’m so late to get my hands on it, I’m sure it’s already been discussed to death. But I’m going to talk about it anyway, because I don’t really want to see this as ‘the end’. I feel like the epilogue is actually a beginning. What kind of beginning? I guess we’ll see...

The epilogue in vol 34 came as a surprise to me.

 I think we can assume Seidou did well at Koushien, given Miyuki’s call up to the under 18s Japanese team. 

Furuya and Eijun were both called up as Tokyo representatives as well.

The biggest surprise to me was Kanemaru as the new captain, although it shouldn’t be a surprise, not really. 

That aside, though, what I like about this little epilogue is that sense of continuity and connection. Koushien is over, but Miyuki is still out there with Furuya and Eijun. The bond isn’t broken, because even though they’re now playing in the autumn tournament with a new team, they still want to challenge Miyuki at full strength.

Eijun’s ending words - this pitching is my parting gift, is also reciprocated by Miyuki’s response - I’ll be waiting for you (in the pro circuit).

So is this really the end? Or is it a beginning? I don’t expect Terajima to write anything about them in the pro leagues, of course, but there is a sense that all of Daiya has in a way been a prequel of their lives as pro baseball players. Eijun introducing it in the way he did - mentioning how meeting Miyuki changed his life - also suggests that. 

Whether they are rivals or teammates in the future, it just feels right that the manga ends with the bond that began it. And I guess if that really is it for Daiya - then it’s probably the right ending.

[ukaiknowsbest]

breaking down Ace of Diamond - the "Hero's Journey."

Using the model/guide presented by Overly Sarcastic Productions in their youtube video Trope Talk: The Hero's Journey, I will attempt to discuss how Sawamura Eijun's story in DnA is his Hero's Journey to becoming an ace pitcher in the Japanese HIgh School Baseball environment.

Blue from OSP put forward the 12 basic parts of the Hero's Journey Cycle. The illustration below will be our reference. I simplified a graph made by Signy Wilson in order to match OSP's less rigid guide.

disclaimer: I am by no means any kind of expert. I was just fascinated when I learned about the Hero's Journey as a general trope/framework when it came to writing stories. I want to apply what I learned by breaking down the story created by Terajima Yuuji in Ace of Diamond.

A. ORDINARY WORLD

STAGE 1. THE HERO IN HIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Hero: Sawamura Eijun. Captain and Ace Pitcher of middle school baseball team. He has no formal training in baseball whatsoever but was the one who gathered and convinced his friends to start a baseball club. He's the best player in their small team. Good at sports but bad at academics .

He is generally a baseball idiot and quite a naive/simple guy with a strong heart. He does not have any idea what competitive and pro baseball looks like because not only does he not have experience but also he does not watch the broadcasts on tv/radio at all.

Ordinary World of the Hero: rural town in Nagano Prefecture, where Sawamura formed a small baseball team with his childhood friends. Acording to him, as long as they all stay together they can always play baseball anywhere.

STAGE 2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

2.1 Problem/why hero's ordinary world is going to crumble: - He lessened his chances of being scouted/accepted in a good baseball school after he btchslapped an entire opponent team and the umpires in their first and only match as middle school team in Saitama Stadium.

He also has low chance of being accepted into the high school in their area (where his friends are all going to) because he struggles with his academics a lot.

Unless he does something he won't be able to be together with his friends and/or play baseball at all.

2.2 Caller of the adventure - Takashima Rei pursues Sawamura into Nagano Prefecture in order to scout him as a sports scholar for Seido High School, a baseball powerhouse school located in the West Division of Tokyo Prefecture.

2.3 medicine/ solution to hero's crumbling world: being a sports scholar for Seido. This would solve almost all of Sawamura's highschool enrollment problem and also give him the chance to play as much baseball as he wants.

STAGE 3. REFUSAL TO THE CALL

3.1 reluctance to go: Sawamura refuses to leave Nagano despite Rei's "sales pitch" to him and his family. He doesn't want to leave his friends just to play baseball in a stronger school far away because he had promised his friends that they would always stick together.

3.2 hero punished for this - his grandpa literally smacks/slaps him in being stupid and doubting his friends.!!! / technically circumstances are already punishing him for being a hotblooded baseball idiot in the first place.

3.3 do you think you have a choice - this is probably the only chance he'll get to play baseball with all his strength AND finish highschool.

B. EXTRAORDINARY / UNKNOWN WORLD

Venturing out into more competitive/pro baseball is a world beyond him. It's scary and unknown and he'd rather defeat bigger teams than leave his friends.

STAGE 4. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

4.1 crossing physical threshold - Rei persuades him to at least check the school out with his own eyes. They leave Tokyo together for one visit.

4.2. crossing a metaphorical threshold - in that visit, sawamura, picks a fight with a senior who's bound for baseball drafts, works together with a nationally acclaimed catcher in defeating the senior player, thus changing his worldview because he had so much fun.

4.2. conscious and irreversible decision - Because of the experience he goes home conflicted. His family encourages him in their own way to follow his guts and heart and go to Tokyo.

STAGE 5. REALM OF ADVENTURE

5.1 hero learns to navigate the unknown world - Sawamura learns the harsh realities of being in a baseball school once he actually starts to live there. Our boy also gets educated in Baseball and Pitching 101. He also finds out the true personality of the catcher he played with before.

5.2 meeting allies/rivals/mentors - he learns about the team better when he meets a whole bunch of people: batchmates, coaches and senpais. He builds interesting dynamics with all of them.

5.3 trials and initial failures - Sawamura undergoes difficult initial training and is barely allowed to play in matches.

5.4 meeting enemies - Sawamura being allowed to play as relief pitcher in the games and face talented pitchers and scary batters mostly in tense situations.

5.5 growth, new skills - Sawamura grows with each match, thus bolstering his confidence. Sometimes he falters but he learns from his mistakes.

5.6 first major success - striking out scary batters with each new thing he learns.

5.7 major challenge that leads to downfall - seido vs inashiro finals match where he goes in full of confidence and courage but then he and his team gets defeated in a devastating way.

STAGE 6. BELLY OF THE WHALE

6.1 lowest point of hero where hero physically or metaphorically goes down - one month after their major defeat, a lot of intense practice matches and change in team dynamics, the team find out that Sawamura has the YIPS. This condition took away Sawamura's ability to pitch in his trademark style/ the only thing he was good at.

6.2 hero's darkest hour - without the ability to pitch, Sawamura questions his reality and why he is still on the team.

6.3 Face and overcome inner demons - with a lot of help from allies and mentors, Sawamura finds a way to bring back a bit of his ability.

STAGE 7. ROAD OF TRIALS

7.1 Discarding old self - In the duration of his downfall and eventual healing, Sawamura turns to books, meditation and becomes even more careful in maintaining his form and body.

7.2 Accepting the new role - instead of fixating on the ace position like before, Sawamura is just glad that he is still allowed to pitch as relief.

7.3 Finding path out of the belly of the whale/The road back - After figuring out a solution to fix his pitching, he focuses on it and regains some of his ability. Sawamura is then allowed to play in matches. Just like before, he improves little by little as he recovers from each failure. He gains fresher mindset and new weapons, thus becoming an even stronger pitcher than he ever was before.

7.4 more trials - they face new opponent schools and old but improved opponents which test the best of Sawamura and the team's ability

STAGE 8. PRE SHOWDOWN BREATHER

every major match in ace of diamond has this part of the story but usually the most critical breather episode is the one before the final match.

8.1 show humanity of other characters - Somethng bad happens to the other mc without Sawamura knowing. This could absolutely wreck their chances of winning the final match. This shows that the other guys are not 100% invincible after all.

8.2 last chance to relax. - calm before the storm. It is also the time where they finalize sawamura's weapons.

8.3 quiet moment to reminisce - usually happens before each match. However the night before the finals was the major one because their old senpais went to visit their practice and encourage them.

STAGE 9. CLIMAX / STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGE

9.1 Final Showdown - Sawamura helps in the team defense with the best of his ability and weapons and he succeeds. Their team eventually wins Fall Tournament even with a few setbacks.

9.2 Apotheosis - Sawamura's worldview changed once he realises that even with his improvement and skill, his goal of being the ace is still out of reach for him.

9.3 Ultimate Boon - Sawamura gets to be a pivotal member of their baseball team and can play baseball as much as he wants with his team.

STAGE 7. ROAD OF TRIALS start again after the Fall Tournament Act 1 because Sawamura faces new challenges in Ace of Diamond Act 2.

Meiji Jingu Tournament - Play in matches without Miyuki

WInter camp and break - Intense Physical Training and development and improvement of his weapons which he will use and improve on throughout the rest of Act 2.

Spring Koshien where he realises that he has to do more in order to surpass the current ace which was Furuya.

Start of New Term/ Practice Matches - Sawamura and co. meets their new kouhai and team dynamics shift once again.

Spring Tournament / Summer Tournament - Sawamura meets old foes and new enemies. He also becomes the Ace Pitcher of the team, which adds more pressure on his part.

ACT 2 STAGE 8. PRE SHOWDOWN BREATHER

This is the big and long one before Summer Tournament Finals match where injuries and problems were discussed and feelings were explored.

ACT 2 STAGE 9. CLIMAX

Final (Or most hyped and awaited rematch) Seido vs Inashiro in order to qualify for Summer Koshien Nationals.

**everything after this point will be prediction and just my opinion

STAGES 7-9 start again

Koshien Nationals Arc.

STAGE 10. CROSSING THE RETURN THRESHOLD

Miyuki/3rd years retirement/graduation. Sawamura and his batch will have to lead the team.

STAGE 11. THE REWARD

Sawamura gets to play with his team as ace pitcher.

STAGE 12 / STAGE 1. THE HERO IN HIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Sawamura may become both ace and captain, same as his role back in his middle school team, albeit in a stronger school. Even if he won't be the next captain, as ace he will still be in a strong leadership position.

CONCLUSION

That's how Ace of Diamond is written in the style of A HERO'S JOURNEY.

Act 1 writing especially followed the trope quite rigidly.

Notes:

I still don't want Sawamura to be the next captain. I hope that does not happen. However if it does, it means the story will have gone back full circle. That would be quite poetic ngl.

Gotta applaud Terajima's pacing. Can you believe that the story only reached its lowest and most pivotal point at around episode 70 of the anime???? thank godt that after ep 63 I read spoilers about yips arc in tv tropes or else i would have dropped the series completely.

I had difficulty in classifying the events after the climax stage into hero's journey stages because technically sawamura has not gone "home" yet. Moreover the challenges and trials just kept on piling up after Fall Tournament.

In this whole story, Sawamura has experienced only one true "Belly of the Whale stage" during his YIPS arc. I don't think he really came to a low point in Act 2 other than his first official match as Ace Pitcher. I treated that in the same vein as the effects of Raichi's first homerun off Sawamura back in Act 1.

I realized that having stages 7-9 recur starting from Meiji Jingu to the current summer tournament is what made reading Act 2 quite frustrating for me. That's at least 5-6 arcs of endless roller coaster ride loops.

I consider Miyuki's departure to be the "CROSSING THE RETURN THRESHOLD" moment because playing with him was the major reason for Sawamura's decision to study and play in Tokyo. Something will change Sawamura when this eventually happens.

As Blue from OSP said, the Hero's Journey is just a general guide/framework to writing stories. It is flexible, writers don't even have to use it or all of its parts to make a good story. Terajima just seemed to have adopted A LOT of the hero's journey trope in his baseball series.

I wanted to add more pictures tbh but tumblr is a killjoy :(

This was a fun thought exercise. There were probably even some parts which I have used the tropes wrongly. Please feel free to dispute me.

I talked about Sawamura's mentors here (x).

[miyuwuki]

So imagine Mei with 2 years younger sister (same age as okomura) who fight 24/7 over anything and everything. She knows Kazuya too and Kazuya doesn't even remember how many times he saved the world from their fights. Mei was about to cut her hair in the middle of the street when she throw a ball that has a signiture of his favourite pro player if it wasnt for Kazuya stepping in 😂. Thats until she had enough and decided to go to Seido. At the beginning of the year she made a big announcement in the baseball court about revealing all the secrets she knows about Narumiya Mei's. Hood for them the coaush wasnt there. And kazuya was surprised because he didnt know she started to attend Seido. She is beautiful (tho she has black hair) and attractive so the seido boys being themselves were ready to listen to a girl like her but Kazuya stopped her which causes chaos 🤦‍♀️ he was scolding her because he knows there is nothing good coming from her mouth about Mei and so Mochi Zono and the other boys were scolding Kazuya for scolding her and starting to question their relationship. But she introduced herself his younger sister Miyuki Y/N and Kazuya right away (he will kill me off court if he hears you calling yourself Miyuki) Mei is a protective brother 😂😂 Sawamura being curious baby he asked her about Mei secrets and she just told them all the unnecessary thing. (He sleeps with lights on even though he is old😂. He couldnt go to the washroom alone until 4th grade😂. He is allergic to strawberries plez give him a lot of strawberry milks etc😂) 😂. That day probably seido know Mei more than inajitsu 😂. But thats not what sawamura want 😂 he asked her about his changeup .. and she was like (katshap ? He likes katshap in his pasta. So weird 😑) 😂😂 what about his fork? (Oh you mean haulk? Mei-nichan doesnt like the green hero. He prefers iron-man) she has zero knowledge about baseball this is why Kazuya scold her from the beginning 😂 he saw all the chaos coming but its not his fault his friends scold him for stopping her 😂. But she said (mei-nichan) and thats when she was caught for being meis real sister not kazuya but Sawamuar was ready to point her out as SPY 😂. so she just said she is here to make Seido win because she share the same enemy with them 😂 the more they talk to her the more she looks like Mei. Childish in many ways. But when kazuya talk with her seriously about why she is in Seido she just explode crying infort of everyone because Mei told her he hates her so much that he even doesn't want to see ugly her face around and dont even dare to call herself Narumia to not embarrass him ☹ and our babay Sawamura made it his goal this year. TAKE DOWN THE KING 😂😂!!!BBBUUTTT kazuya hears these sentences every year from her b3cause this is how they fight😂🤦‍♀️ so he knows Mei doesnt mean any of that but well, she is also like a younger sister to him too so he comfort her ❤

omg anon this is so CUTE. i feel like narumiya is such a caring brother despite being witty af and the fact that miyuki would also treat her like his own sister is just so AAAAA. and sawamura is so hectic here (as always) lmk if u want me to write this this is so cute

i love how you guys send me your ideas and imagines you guys are the best

thanks for sending this in this was so wholesome <3

[evercelle]

Ever do you have any daiya fic recs?! Angsty ones are also welcome!!

do i have daiya fic recs, oh my god, of COURSE i have daiya fic recs. icymi, my last two daiya fic rec asks are here and here! for new recs... i have SO, SO MANY, but i tried to rec stuff that’s outside of the first like 15 pages of sorting by kudos lol. enjoy!!!

ongoing

the path we walk (misawa, ongoing) / (canon re-write with a twist: msw are soulmates, and everyone knows about it. the most thoughtful soulmate AU i’ve read, bar none! a delight every update to read!!);

30 day free trial (misawa) / Professional baseball player Miyuki Kazuya and beloved pop idol Sawamura Eijun become friends, move in together, get married, and fall in love. Not necessarily in that order. (cute!)

soft uwus for ur heart

princess carry (furuharu) / six times furuya picked haruichi up for absolutely no good reason at all (CUTE + fun background shenanigans ft. mostly eijun + s1 cast);

and nothing more or less (kuraryou) / ryousuke and youichi: a year in the life, and a chronicle in keeping time for one another. (post-canon, lovely);

Interconnected (koutaku) / Okumura Koushuu is not very observant, but eventually he has to realize that his teammates are also his friends. (dying for more act II first years interactions, and this is it!!);

followed & led (koutaku) / One day, Koushuu realizes that Taku is his friend. (noticing a trend here with okumura-POV fic lol... okumura + seto over the years, fabulous);

He Drives Me Crazy (But He’s Cute) (misawa) / Miyuki Kazuya has an epic crush on his tragic dingbat of a roommate. (love a miyuki equally exasperated & resigned to his attraction to eijun lol);

“Something to Look Forward To” (misawa) / (Miyuki gets Eijun a birthday present. Adore!);

late to the game (misawa) / Kazuya can’t tell which is more embarrassing–the fact that he had thought something like that about Sawamura, the resident idiot of the team, or that he almost hadn’t caught said idiot’s pitch because of it. (partners in everything, including getting together!!);

Luck of the Draw (misawa) / It's time for the NPB draft, and all Eijun wants is to be a battery with Miyuki Kazuya again. (tasty pro!msw morsel)

low-key sads 

take two (sawami, nsfw) / Miyuki hasn't seen Sawamura in years, and he's quite happy to keep it that way. Sawamura has other ideas. (canon divergent future AU where miyuki doesn’t play anymore, stings in a wonderful way);

a lie in three parts (misawa, nsfw) /  alternatively: Miyuki and Sawamura steal each other's lives without ever knowing it and pay the price for their affections with a sacrifice that nobody asked them to make. (heist AU, my second greatest weakness after childhood friends + the sheer yearning...!!)

p.s. i also wrote misawa fic a few months back that i forgot to post about here :’)

[captain-booty-bae]

I wanna read a fic where Miyuki and Sawamura never got the chance to get together and sawamura went to the majors.. (and they didnt keep in touch because of some things k?) then timeskip...

pro!baseball player Miyuki Kazuya got invited to a talkshow for an interview and then they got to the point where they talk about personal things about miyuki having a choice he deeply regrets and miyuki, of course, said yes, I regret not telling them. and crowd goes out of control and he got asked, "If given the chance, what would you tell them?"

then miyuki instead of answering, he pulls out a cd and asked them if he can sing, then he sang "lemon by kenshi yonezu" and ofcourse in this universe, he composed that. and the whole japan got shookt because miyuki kazuya can sing!! and he composed a song!!! and its for someone!!!!!

meanwhile Sawamura on the day of Miyuki's interview was on his way to japan to sign a contract of one of the pro baseball teams.

then continue it guys..... HAHAHAHAHA my imagination in this quarantine time has no limits.

P.S miyuki knows how to play a guitar and also I know lemon is a song about losing someone you love (but in this case, its not because of death)

and please if you want to try to write this, go for it cause I cant write for shit.

[spitzofseidou]

ace of diamond (season 1) review

Hey there! I have recently finished the first season of Ace of Diamond and I’m going to be reviewing on five categories: plot/pacing, characterization/relationships, voice acting, art and OST. Aaaand because of how much I enjoyed it, I’m going to throw in my favorite character, dynamic and OP/ED. At the end I’ll be adding rewatchability/recc score. 

Genre: Shonen / Sports Subgenres: Comedy / Slice of Life / School  Synopsis: Sawamura Eijun is a unique southpaw pitcher from a small town in Nagano with a lot of potential but unpolished skills. After being scouted to play for Seidou High School (a prestigous baseball school in Tokyo) he is encouraged by his friends and family to go and accept the offer and pursue his passion for baseball at a higher level. Confident to the point of arrogant, he declares that he will be the ace pitcher on this new team and be the best -- but has to grapple with the fact he is surrounded now by extremely powerful, talented players who have been honing their skills for years-- some of whom are better than him, like his rival Furuya Satoru, a pitcher with a wicked fastball. Together, this team aims to be the best in Japan and aim for the Summer Koshien, tackling formidable teams who stand in their way--as well as work on their own goals, dreams, fears and insecurities. 

Plot & pacing: The pacing of this show is very well done. In a 75 episode first season, it is rather long, with many of the baseball games drawn out. But its well worth it, as the writing brings a lot of emotional gratification by “feeling what they feel.” Starting with Sawamura being scouted, going through intense spring training and the selection of the summer starting roster, throughout the highs and lows of the summer season and into the post-summer scrimmages and finally rounding out the season with the third-year retirement game before the fall tournament raffle, every bit is given important narrative attention. 

The reveal of information through the eyes of the protagonist; not knowing about Chris Yuu Takagawa’s injury until Sawamura knows it, not knowing how much the current third years sucked as players until the right moment through flashbacks during the tipping point of the finals game, for example -- is such an important choice that we as an audience feel what he feels. The summer games feel very high stakes, the emotional impact is well-earned; every victory feels like it was earned and not given through plot armor or well ~obviously Seidou is the protagonist team, they have to win.~ Seidou as a team was written as strong but not invincible. SPOILER: This is emphasized at the finals game against Inashiro. Despite losing, while emotionally devastating, it feels like it was a logical writing choice and will be important growth for not just Sawamura but the team as a whole. 

The yips arc that follows the loss wraps up in a very wholesome retirement game, with Sawamura not fully recovering, but beginning to do truly do so, and the hopeful note of beginning the fall tournament, leaving the audience ready and excited for more. 

As a side note, Ace of Diamond very beautifully balances comedy to drama, so it takes itself seriously but is also genuinely comedic. I have two running jokes of “fellas, is it gay to x” and “screenshot of out context being x” as well as actually laughing over some of the planned jokes. But it is truly an emotional carthartic journey.

[Did I cry? yes. so much.]

characterization & relationships: All of the characters feel very well-rounded with diverse ethnic and social backgrounds and personality traits. Some may be static but many of them experience growth to become better people and players. Sawamura is a good “bouncing board” of a character, as someone who goes from arrogant to experiencing several setbacks and a devastating loss that makes him examine his own biases, weaknesses and flaws that also reveals to his opponents their own shortcomings. Several other characters are better players than him, and that’s okay. On the flipside, one of the canon examinations as well as audience reaction is that Coach Kataoka has a team who is a family, a well-oiled machine who works amazingly together because they trust and care for one another, that he encourages growth and inspires them to be the best not just as baseball players, but as individuals as well. The opposing teams are also not just blank slates to fight against, but thoughtful people with their own desires, backgrounds and flaws--Mei Narumiya is cocky and unable to handle criticism once put on a pedestal, Sanada Shunpei has low stamina, etc etc. 

Something that’s extremely important to reemphasize is the relationship the Seidou team has to one another in that everyone affects everyone else. Sawamura chooses to go to Seidou specifically because Miyuki Kazuya, a first year at the time, encouraged him to pitch, so he had one upperclassman who already believed in him by the time he enrolled. Sawamura has both batchmates (first years Furuya Satoru and Haruichi Kominato) that encourage him through rivalry (Furuya) or gentle friendship (Haruichi) and several upperclassmen he admires and multiple times states he adores this team as it is, because he looks up to them for guidance and inspiration-- quiet team captain Tetsuya Yuuki, loud outfielder Isashiki Jun (the namesake of this blog, “the spitz of seidou”), speed demons Ryousuke Kominato and Youichi Kuramochi, and more. 

In particular, he has an exchange of growth with Chris Yuu Takagawa, someone he mistook for being uncaring and hopeless about baseball with a dead-eyed appearance. Chris, after being injured, all but had given up on playing again, but Sawamura’s noisy and blunt personality who kept pushing him encouraged him to return to the field, and have hope again. Chris is a teacher that Sawamura then deeply respects and is there for him when he has the yips, returning the favor to help break him out his funk. The symbolism. *weeps*

Important to note also it that is isn’t just about Sawamura and the effect he has on them, but the relationships they have with each other. The Kominato brothers have their own relationship where Haruichi wants to be like his older brother; Isashiki may act wild and aggressive and cocky, but he is truly humbled by their team captain Tetsu; Miyuki and Chris met years before Seidou and that informs their dynamic and the kind of players they are today. This also extends to other teams; some have similarities like Akikawa Academy revering their pitcher Yang Shunchen and how that parallels with Seidou adoring Tanba even when he was out with an injury, and others juxtaposed with them i.e. how some players at Inashiro seem to resent the spotlight Mei receives or Shirakawa callously telling another player to kill himself. 

I also wanted to note the way Coach Kataoka also sees his team; he is in many ways like a stern but loving father figure who wants the best out of his boys in every way, off and on the field. Other coaches seem to care more about money or fame than their wellbeing (Coach Todoroki or the replacement coach for Seidou), and others have different styles as coaches whether from pro experience or just age. It really emphasizes that it’s not just about the talent a team may or may not have, but how those players are nurtured as people.

(Favorite relationships: Chris & Sawamura, the Kominatos, Miyuki & Chris, .)

[Side note: if you care about shipping, this is a buffet, you’re going to have a great time.]

Voice Acting: The voices of this cast are spot on. Everyone’s voice seems to match their face and personalities and all of the voice actors give 110% to the character. The voices really make it for me, as I’m very particular about the sounds. It feels very realistic and the voices really make them seem like actual people and gives the audience a reason to invest. I’ve got nothing but praise for the voice actors and voice direction of this cast. Art: I could go on and on about the art. The motion is very fluid, the backgrounds are amazing. The character designs are stunning and everyone feels unique and given thought. Style-wise it was very refreshing to see as a lot of modern anime I’ve been watching seems to have the stereotypical “2000s” feel, whereas Ace of Diamond feels like a gorgeous late nineties/early 2000s homage--fitting since, despite airing in 2013-2015, the manga originated in 2006 and it followed the art of the manga nicely. The color palettes are very beautiful and vibrant. I remarked more than once while watching it that it was clear that the artists cared for studying human anatomy, movement and realism (in comparison to how some battle shonen care more for looking cool.) The art is what drew me in to begin with and it never disappointed.  OST: I loved the OST so much. Frying-Pan did such an amazing job delivering gorgeous pieces of music. The beauty of it was just off the charts and went above and beyond to make fitting pieces for character themes, scenario specific pieces etc. Also the OPs by Tom H@ck and Glay were appropriately themed and got me pumped every time. I love the various endings also and their little character revealing bits. I like them all so much I never skipped them while watching.

[Favorite OP: Perfect Hero. Favorite ED: Cloud Nine. I listen to Cloud Nine literally every day.] Can I rewatch? Absolutely! Even knowing what’s going to happen, the emotional journey is worth it.  Would I recommend? 10/10. Even if you don’t like sports, this is a great one. It was my first sports anime and it has set the bar so very high. 

[geekyjoys]

Japan’s National Catcher, Miyuki Kazuya, Accused of Doping During Recent Baseball Season

Posted seven hours ago - December 1, 20XX - by Japan Professional Sports author Kitamura Kou

Miyuki Kazuya, Yomiuri Giants’ main catcher, and recently promoted Japan Team Captain for the World Cup, stunned the world when he led the Japanese Team to win against the Puerto Rican last season at the World Cup, before losing to the American Representative Team, landing securely in second place. The Yomiuri Giants' orange "Miyuki 22" jersey has been increasing steadily in sales until it peaked as the most-sold official NPB merchandise in a single season. Although still a relative rookie—three years as the starting catcher for the giants, and only six total under the NPB—Miyuki's reputation as the up-and-coming superstar came as no surprise to most avid watchers. Especially because of his skill.

However, it seems some officials have gotten suspicious of his near-perfect gameplay (a 0.402 batting average, 37 home runs, and 98 RBIs all in a single season!). Miyuki is currently being investigated by the NPB for suspicion of the use of PEDs during the recent season, and possibly prior seasons. His managers and the Yomiuri Giants’ have yet to comment on this scandal. However, it has been confirmed by NPB officials that Miyuki has submitted samples to a lab to be tested.

Comments:

baseball-fanatic lol i knew he was too good to be true. how do we know he didn't send in someone else's blood to scam the system?

see comment thread below:

miyumiyukazu he’s been playing this good ever since he was in high school??

yomiurimiyuki it literally hasnt even been proven yet, theyre just investigating so stop acting like he's guilty. and there's a thing called DNA in blood that EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS EARTH has unique to them. if he submitted someone else's blood, they'd know

catcherintherye all lies come from SOME place of truth

pitchtomepls that… that doesn’t even make sense...

tigertime stay pressed, hater. peace!! (-3-)

lovekazukun i can’t believe this because remember that one time the team went out drinking at a bar and miyuki only got a soda and waited outside because he can’t stand alcohol or the smell of cigarettes

see comment thread below:

baseballislife OMG YES!! during the “team diaries” video last year right?

miyumiyukazu yes!! you expect me to believe miyuki kazuya, the smol-but-tol-and-angry team captain was doping??

npbfollower what i’m more surprised about is the fact that the npb actually started the whole thing. the news didn’t come from an outside leak, npb information spread and went viral.

lovekazukun but he’s the darling of the npb… why would they want to destroy him like that??

meisan because the mlb is offering him bigger contracts once he becomes a free agent next year

101pitching oh yeah next year will be his seventh season and the end of his contract with the giants

pitchtomepls you guys think it’s a warning to miyuki? like they’re blackmailing him not to go?

npbfollower idk but something’s fishy here

meisan the only reason miyuki wants to go is because he wants a new pitcher. he’s said it before in interviews. he wants a real partnership with his battery mate, and he hasn’t found that in japan. not even with narumiya mei (as much as i hate to admit it lol)

pitchtomepls and the npb doesn’t wanna lose their international advertising cash cow to the major leagues. pffft typical.

101pitching if he signs with an MLB team, he's probably going to get a nike or adidas contract but Asics has their claws DEEP in the NPB board so they might've done something here to prevent him from leaving and signing with a rival

miyukikazoo what, ran out of dating scandals to throw at him, so you accuse him of doping??

see comment thread below:

miyumiyukazu HAH OH SHIT !!

baseballislife at least it's right after the season, and not during or right before. that way, the scandal can be proven false and he'll have plenty of time to forget

furuyaaasss ikr i was getting so pissed off at the dating scandals,,, like, he's already confirmed he's GAY so stop trying to pair him up with the first actress he greets at a business party

pitchtomepls wowowow we have some shots fired in the area

101pitching wow these insults are almost as sharp as miyuki's would be hahaha

miyukikazoo what can i say, we miyuki stans learned from the best

furuyaaasss ive stanned him since his seido days and his battery with furuya so ive had time to learn lol

tigertime you know what they say, don't mess with a fangirl in a miyuki 22 jersey

anonymousbaseball why did they make kitamura write this shit?? his expertise would be much more useful taking a look at the upcoming college drafts, not this "scandal" or whatever. stop tarnishing his reputation as a credible author.

goldeneaglefan hes just really good, why does that automatically make him suspicious of doping? he had like 50 something career homeruns in HIGH SCHOOL, so 24 in a single season, SIX YEARS after becoming a pro isn't all that surprising tbh

see comment thread below:

kazuyaaa thats the truth right here. being naturally good at something DOES NOT make you a cheater

kyotobaby lol what about that one volleyball player who was accused of doping last year?? or the hakone runner?? and weren't they both proven false?? haven't we had enough of these flase allegations by now?

see comment thread below:

tosstome you mean kageyama and kurahara? https://vleaguenews.com/kageyama-tobio-doping-scandal-disproven https://collegeathletics.org/hakone-issues-official-apology-to-runner-kurahara-kakeru

sssportsss KAGEYAMA TOBIO DESERVES AN APOLOGY FROM THE V-LEAGUE AND I WANT IT NOW!!

rahrahrakuten welp looks like ill have to find a sports fandom that isnt toxic. anyone have any suggestions?

see comment thread below:

npbfollower swimming?

lovekazukun nah dude, matsuoka and nanase (japan's star swimmers rn) are always at each other's throats. it's like they want to kill each other 24/7 and its so horrible

npbfollower please tell me that's a joke. you're joking, right? i might be dense but pls tell me thats a joke

lovekazukun no...? why?

npbfollower sis, they're literally dating. they have been together since like college https://sportsshipping.org/matsuoka-and-nanase-are-official

nautilusshell hopefully he'll be back for the annual college tournament! my brother goes to waseda and he was kind of excited to play against miyuki

see comment thread below:

baseballislife yessss its a tradition! and as as the starting catcher, he should be there to scout out potential threats or assets to the giants' team!

nautilusshell he has some say in who the giants sign next, right? as the superstar catcher, i would assume they don't take his opinion on who to sign lightly

baseballislife yeah he does. i've been following some of the college teams not associated with schools and i wanted to see how miyuki would fare against the nagano jets... they have four pitchers currently and are looking for a two new ones ever since the two oldest ones moved on/graduated. one of their pitchers has been giving all the other universities and independent teams some trouble, though...

nautilusshell ah yeah i've heard that! mihashi ren, right? the nagano jets have an impressive lineup this year... kominato haruichi, abe takaya, and then the newcomers, seto, okumura, asada, kuki, yuuki (who is the younger sibling of seido's assistant coach!!)... i wouldn't be surprised if they swept the college series and minor-leagues this year.

[Link to master page]

Author’s Note: The NPB actually has a nine-year free agency rule but, for the sake of the story, I’ve cut it down to six years like the MLB.

[nicoleheichou]

What tf am I supposed to do now that it's over?! Like this was so great, I'm really gonna miss it. You got anything else planned already or are you gonna take a small break? Either way I just wanted to say thank you for the great story!

Lol I'm sorry! 😂 I know it's like become part of your daily routine with the way I was posting it. And I have a few ideas in mind but I'm not sure what characters to write about so I'll def ask for input but also I have one with sakusa x reader where sakusa is a single dad juggling being in msby. Or pro baseball player miyuki from daiya no ace and reader in a long distance relationship and the effects it has on their relationship.