I just woke up, but anime food already has me super hungry.
Ao Ashi S2 Ep. 2
It’s been a tough first practice with the A team. Not all of the old heads are big jerks, though. Some of them actually invite Aoi and his friends out to a big dinner. Huge, even. I’m quite jealous of how much food they get to chow down.
Kuribayashi joins in at one point, and I think this is where a few things got lost in translation for me. Everyone keeps saying how he’s “scary.” Specifically, his way of talking to you is scary, but I guess I just don’t see it? Kuribayashi tells Aoi that he’s the only newbie who knows where to pass the ball. It’s just too bad that his skill can’t keep up with his mind. This somehow has everyone’s mouth agape. What am I missing? Was Kuribayashi too direct or something? Then he tells Aoi that the kid has the potential to become a “complete” fullback. Again, everyone’s agape. Huh?
There’s a moment where a girl accidentally causes a pitcher of water to fall over. Kuribayashi manages to react in time and catch it. I didn’t think anything of it when the scene occurred. At least they didn’t make a mess! But later, everyone was like, “Whoa, he got to the pitcher before it fell! Amazing!” Um, okay.
Anyway, Aoi begs Fukuda for another chance to practice with the regulars. He puts his position on the line. If he fucks up again, the kid will accept a demotion from the A team. Has Aoi come to some amazing revelation? Not really…? He simply realizes that the regulars don’t need to think because they have drilled the thinking into their bodies. This way, they can properly react at game speed. Athletes often like to say that if you have time to even think on the field or court, then it’s already too late. But I mean, this is what practice is all about. You do it over and over until it becomes second nature. That’s why it’s so annoying when the regulars get on Aoi or anyone else for a single mistake. How else is anyone supposed to get caught up if you demand perfection from the start?
At the end of the day, it’s Hana’s words that reach Aoi. It’s not the regulars, not Fukuda, and not even Kuribayashi. Nope, the girl who isn’t even really in this episode. And yet, she makes her presence felt. When Aoi had dinner with Kuribayashi, he was reviewing the meal plan she devised for him. So where the hell is she? The girl is this important to the story, but she doesn’t even show up once except in Aoi’s memories.
Aoi can’t get up to game speed in just one practice with the regulars, but he ultimately “gets” it. As a result, Fukuda names him as one of the subs for an upcoming match. Not only that, one of the regulars remembers his name. Ooooh, he’s not friendly yet. He simply bothered to carve out a place for Aoi’s name in his memory banks. How magnanimous of him! Man, these regulars are so damn miserable. Where’s the camaraderie? Where are the senpais guiding and supporting their kouhais as they should? I get that Aoi has to earn his place. Every rookie needs to do this across every sport. But I follow several pro sports teams, and none of them act like the massive jackasses in this show.
Alex Freeland gets called up to the Dodgers, and immediately, Mookie Betts — a superstar and future hall of famer — takes the time to help the rookie run a few fielding drills. And I mention Freeland specifically because he’s not some future star player. The equivalent to someone like Aoi would be a highly touted prospect who nevertheless has huge holes in his game. Freeland’s ceiling, however, is a journeyman at best. Nevertheless, he wasn’t beneath an actual superstar’s notice. Could you see any of these regulars doing that for Aoi or the other newbies? No, they think the “kids” are a waste of time, and that’s ridiculous. You guys are freakin’ amateurs. You’re not even pros! Where do you guys get off having such big egos?
The Prince of Tennis II – U-17 World Cup Final Member Selection Match Ep. 2
Damn, maybe it was a mistake to try and cover this show. I mean, it doesn’t have a story. Alright, fine, it technically has a story, but from what I can tell, it’s just a buncha pretty boys hitting back at each other, while screaming out chuuni names for their shots. Kirin Drop! Dragontail Counter! Swallow Whatmajig! Give me your all! I intend to! Why can’t I beat him! You’ve gotten stronger! Thank you! And it’s crazy, ’cause sports is full of interpersonal drama. But this is all we get?
Man…
Ace of the Diamond act II -Second Season- Ep. 1
Eh, a good chunk of the episode is an extensive flashback, which includes the third years introducing themselves to the team. I binged the show to get caught up, so this didn’t hit me in the feels as hard as it should’ve. Ah well, my fault for getting into the series rather late. I honestly decided to cover sports anime this season just a couple weeks before it started.
Anyway, the rest of the episode is then setup for the upcoming rematch, so it kinda felt like a blur as we bounce around from character to character. I prefer a more personal focus to my sports anime — or any story, really — so I have little to say here. It’s why Ao Ashi is my primary aim for this column.
The main character couldn’t get any sleep. He’s too amped up for the upcoming game. But y’know, Ohtani supposedly sleeps 14 hours a day. This was before he had his kid, though. If he’s still sleeping that much with the new baby — on top of all the practice and preparation he has to do to get ready for every game — then I dunno… mom might be doing all the work at home.