peloblancophoto

[heaven-s-black-box]

Notes- Coach Has a Kid?! Kataoka, Kunitomo, & Todoroki

Return to File

Recovery date: October 5th, 2024

Description: Hi can I request? reader, be in the coaches kid and how the team would treat them ? Please and thank you if you have time ! xx

Notes: Recovered in conjunction with an anonymous researcher, we thank them for their contributions. The coaches deserve more love, I was also going to do Ichidaisan's coach, but we don't really know much about the team outside the pitchers.

Back to directory

Kataoka Tesshin (Seidou)

First off, you ignore him for a week after he tells you he’s stepping down if the team doesn’t make nationals

He only tells you because you live together and you were bound to find out before he told the team, but he swears you to secrecy

You keep quiet because you don’t want to stress out the team, but the third years enlist your help in training the team so they’ll make nationals

Now, you’re the same year as Miyuki

All previous years of the team treat you like a little sibling, you always watched practice after school

Yuki’s year were the last to regard you as a little sibling, Miyuki’s year regard you as a close peer, and the current and future first years think you’re the best Senpai

And that’s before they find out you’re the coaches kid

Everyone calls you by your first name at your insistence, so it’s not until one of the first years see your name written out that anyone realizes

Also, it’s Furuya who sees your name first because he’s following you when you change your shoes

He doesn’t put it together, I’m sorry he’s almost as dumb as Sawamura, and it’s Kanemaru who puts things together 

Kanemaru: Does anyone know Y/n-senpai’s last name? Furuya: Kataoka. Sawamura: Ha! That’s the same as the general’s name! Kanemaru: … Wait, is Y/n-senpai coach’s kid? … Y/n-senpai!

Anyways, the team loves you and no one respects you

Like, we’re talking Sawamura levels of disrespect from everyone

Not that you care, in fact Kataoka was worried you might have trouble making friends because of him

Friends are not a problem, you basically gain a hundred brothers and a few sisters

Kunitomo Hiroshige (Inashiro)

Everytime someone learns he has a kid they’re shocked

It, makes him less menacing? No, no it doesn’t they take that back

You are the same year as Itsuki

Mei is even more of a menace when he finds out, you’re his new favorite underclassman

He begs you to try and convince coach of things

Masa-san keeps saving you, he encourages you to kick Mei’s ass

You don’t out of consideration for your father’s team and his role as the ace

However it gives you the chance to perfect your icy glare, you and Masa-san end up as Mei’s babysitters

When Masa graduates he jokingly says he’s leaving Mei to you

Itsuki is your bestie, he was the first one to find out the coach was your dad

You don’t visit practice when you’re younger, and Kunitomo is a very private person so only the staff know about you because he’s had to call in sick once or twice or take a day off

And like, one or two students who’ve asked about the picture of you in his office

He’s a good dad, despite what his demeanor might make some people think

Back to Itsuki finding out, he asks you about it during lunch on your first day

It’s your little secret because no one else can fathom the idea, so no one asks

You stop by practice one day with a packed dinner for your dad and everyone tries to stay cool but they’re radiating confusion

Y/n: Dad. Dad! Where do you want me to leave your dinner. Kunitomo: In my office, please. Itsuki: Y/n-(chan/san)! Good evening! Mei: DAD?! Masa: Mei, shut up.

Masa-san also knows because you were really sick once just after he became captain

So Kunitomo felt he had to explain because he wasn’t sure how much time he would need to take off

Todoroki Raizou (Yakushi)

You get adopted

I’m sorry, but Raichi basically got adopted and so did you

You’re a year older than Raichi, so Sanada’s year and your dad maybe tries to set you up

If men are your thing, if not he just wants you two to be friends

Also, I say the teams adopts you but you more adopt the team, you get so many new brothers

You’re the manager, Raichi got infinite baseball playing skills and you got the logistics

The brains and the brawns

You’re especially close with Mishima and Akiba because your dad trained them

Also, it was never a secret Todoroki was your dad

Todoroki: You’re going to take me to nationals! Y/n: Shut up old man. Todoroki: Wha- Y/n, my darling eldest, I would expect this from Raichi but you? Y/n: Well Raichi’s not here, so someone has to keep you in line!

You become an older sibling to all the players, even the third years

It’s just you, your dad, and Raichi so you’re kind of used to taking care of people

You have a part time job, Sanada makes sure you’re taking care of yourself because you don’t seem to share your father’s lax attitude

That’s not to say Todoroki leaves all responsibility to you, for all his shortcomings he does try to be a good dad for you and Raichi

The team loves you, and you may look after them like little brothers but they take that role very seriously

No one messes with their manager

[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).

[ukaiknowsbest]

Basic things I learned from Daiya no Ace Reddit

Pitchers have on and off days.

Pitchers should have a pitch count limit. Possibly less than 50 per day. Japanese highshoolpitchers are just overworked.

Highschool Koushien Tournament produces so many crippled players because of the whole “ace should pitch the whole game” thing.

Kawakami is an elite sidearm pitcher.

Seidou’s bullpen/army of pitchers is already considered top of the country.

There is no such thing as zero seam pitch.

Most of Sawamura’s breaking balls are considered variety of changeups.

Most of Seidou batters lack plate discipline.

Sawamura’s pitches could also break wooden bats but since jp highschool baseball use metal bats, they dont break.

Kataoka made really poor decisions in the first final against Inashiro.

Furuya’s form is now whack.

Inui Kengo is better than Miyuki at framing pitches thats why Mukai looks good as his pitcher.

Yeung Shunshin is considered better than Mukai.

Coaches should check up and correct on Pitchers’ form at all times by videoing them and making sure they get plenty of rest.

Terajima often makes up baseball terms.