The appeal and evaluation of "Major": A monumental baseball anime

Dig deeper into the appeal and emotion of "MAJOR"!

"Major" is a TV anime series based on the original manga by Takuya Mitsuda, and was broadcast on NHK Educational TV from November 13, 2004 to May 21, 2005. It is a moving baseball-themed story with 26 episodes, each 25 minutes long. This is a masterpiece that conveys the importance of family love, friendship, and hard work through the growth of the main character, Goro Honda, and his pursuit of his dreams. Below, we will introduce detailed information and the appeal of the work, as well as touch on subsequent series and related works.

story

Honda Goro is a 5-year-old boy who lives with his father, Shigeharu, who is a professional baseball player. Goro loves baseball and dreams of becoming a "great pitcher" like his father. To make that dream come true, he continues to work hard every day on the training his father taught him. Momoko Hoshino, a nursery school teacher, watches over Goro. She is like a mother to Goro, warmly supporting him by playing baseball with him and cooking dinner when his father is away on tour.

Meanwhile, his father, Shigeharu, was a first-tier professional baseball player, but he was plagued by injuries and was unable to show his true potential. Just when he thought he had finally recovered from his back injury, he hurt his elbow. Despite all that, Goro followed his father's example and continued to move forward step by step towards his dream.

Commentary

"MAJOR" is based on a manga by Takuya Mitsuda that ran in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday from 1994 to 2010. The anime follows the story of Goro, who dreams of becoming a professional baseball player like his father and eventually becoming a major league player. It depicts the bond between five-year-old Goro and his father Shigeharu, as well as his friendships with Momoko and his first baseball friend, Toshiya Sato.

When Goro turns 9 and enters the fourth grade of elementary school, he joins a Little League team and begins his baseball career. Goro, who plays as a pitcher, develops friendships with his teammates and faces off against rivals such as Hisaya in games. This story depicts Goro's growth through baseball, giving viewers inspiration and courage.

cast

Honda Goro is played by Kumai Motoko, Honda Shigeji is played by Koyasu Takehito, Hoshino Momoko is played by Noda Junko, Sato Toshiya is played by Oura Fuyuka, Shigeno Hideki is played by Sakino Shunsuke, Joe Gibson is played by Ochiai Koji, Shimizu Kaoru is played by Sasamoto Yuko, Komori Daisuke is played by Kugimiya Rie, and Sawamura Ryota is played by Sasajima Kahoru. These voice actors express the emotions of the characters realistically, adding depth to the story.

Main Staff

The series is written by Rikei Tsuchiya, the script is by Rikei Tsuchiya, Isao Shizuya, Takao Yoshioka, and Reiko Yoshida, the character design is by Masaru Oshiro, the art directors are Yasutada Kato and Tokuda Toshiyuki, the cinematographer is Taro Sato, the music is by Noriyuki Asakura, the sound director is Hajime Takakuwa, the animation producer is Seiji Mitsunobu, the producer is Naohiko Furuichi, and the production managers are Noboru Sawada and Hisako Matsumoto. These staff members worked together to create a moving anime.

Main Characters

Honda Goro is a fourth-grader who loves baseball, has a rebellious spirit, and has excellent baseball sense. However, he sometimes hurts his important right shoulder by pitching too hard. Sato Hisaya is a boy who met Goro and discovered the joy of baseball for the first time, and later joins the prestigious Yokohama Little League, standing in Goro's way. Shimizu Kaoru is a classmate of Goro, and is more energetic than the boys. She has feelings for Goro, but this also causes her trouble. Honda Shigeharu decides to retire due to an injury to his left elbow, but returns as a batter at Shigeno's urging. However, he dies after being hit by a pitch from Gibson. Hoshino Momoko is a kind woman who looks after Goro, who attends nursery school. She is engaged to Goro's father, Shigeharu, and takes Goro in after Shigeharu's death. Shigeharu is the ace pitcher of the Blue Oceans, and encourages Honda, who is deciding to retire, to become a batter. Daisuke Komori was a kid who was bullied, but he met Goro and became his friend. He also had a great sense of baseball and became a battery partner with Goro. Ryota Sawamura bullied Komori at first, but was inspired by Goro's passion, apologized to Komori, and joined the Mifune Dolphins. Joe Gibson came to Japan as an active major leaguer, and felt responsible for Honda's death. From then on, he always pitched hard for the sake of the baseball world.

subtitle

Episode 1 "Goro's Dream, Dad's Dream", Episode 2 "Two Friendships", Episode 3 "I Hate Dad!", Episode 4 "A Birthday One Day Late", Episode 5 "The Man from the Major Leagues", Episode 6 "Goodbye...", Episode 7 "Honda Goro, 9 Years Old!", Episode 8 "Team Formation!", Episode 9 "A Lonely Mound", Episode 10 "A Fiery Battle in the Rain", Episode 11 "The Team Dad Was With", Episode 12 "An Invitation from Gibson", Episode 13 "It's Summer, Baseball, Training Camp!", Episode 14 "Reckless The subtitles of all 26 episodes indicate the development of the story, such as episode 15 "The Coach's Thoughts", episode 16 "I Quit!", episode 17 "The Tournament Starts!", episode 18 "Aim for Our First Victory!", episode 19 "Mom's Happiness", episode 20 "Goro's Off the Mound!?", episode 21 "This is Baseball!", episode 22 "The Night Before the Showdown", episode 23 "No Will to Lose!", episode 24 "Catch Up! Overtake!", episode 25 "All Together", and episode 26 "We'll Never Say Goodbye".

Related Titles

"MAJOR" has been made into sequels, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5, and Season 6. There are also various related works, such as the movie "MAJOR: Friendship's Ball," the OVA "MAJOR: Message," and the OVA "MAJOR: World Series: To the Moment of Dreams." Through these works, Goro's growth and his pursuit of his dreams are depicted in greater depth.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Kokoroe" with lyrics and music by Kenichi Kitagawa, arrangement by Lord of Major, and sung by Lord of Major. The ending theme is "STEP" from episodes 1 to 16 with lyrics by Hideyuki Obata, composition and arrangement by Hirofumi Asamoto, and "Faraway" from episodes 17 to 26 with lyrics by Yuriko Mori, composition and arrangement by Jin Nakamura. These songs further enhance the emotional impact of the story.

Evaluation and Impressions

"MAJOR" is a moving work that depicts the importance of family love, friendship, and hard work through the sport of baseball. The protagonist Goro's growth and pursuit of his dreams gives viewers courage and hope. The characters' realistic emotional expressions and the staff's careful production add depth to the story. Furthermore, Goro's story continues through related works, allowing viewers to enjoy his growth over a long period of time.

This work is recommended not only for baseball fans, but for anyone looking for an inspiring story. You will empathize with Goro's dreams and efforts, and it will give you an opportunity to reaffirm your bonds with your family and friends. Please watch "MAJOR" and feel the emotion and courage.