The appeal of "Moshidora" and the practice of Drucker theory: A story of growth for a female high school baseball manager

"Moshidora": A moving story born from the fusion of high school baseball and management

"If a High School Baseball Girl Manager Read Drucker's Management," commonly known as "Moshidora," is a TV anime series that aired on NHK General TV, Kids Station, and NHK Educational TV in 2011. It is based on a light novel by Iwasaki Natsumi, which became a best-seller in 2010. Directed by Hamana Takayuki and produced by Production IG, it aired for 10 episodes from April 25th to May 6th, 2011. Each episode was 30 minutes long, providing viewers with deep emotions and learning experiences.

story

The story of "Moshidora" is a clever fusion of two elements: high school baseball and management. The protagonist, Kawashima Minami, becomes the manager of the baseball team at Todokubo High School in her place after her best friend, Miyata Yuki, is hospitalized due to illness. However, Minami knows nothing about the job of a manager, and so she picks up a book by management expert Drucker, "Management," at a bookstore, and begins to manage the baseball team.

Through "Management," Minami learns and puts into practice various management theories, such as who the baseball club's customers are, how to market to players, how to contribute to the school as a whole, and innovation in high school baseball. Through her struggles, viewers can learn the importance of management and the wide range of its applications. As Minami grows, the baseball club members also change, and the entire team is depicted as coming together to work toward their goal.

cast

The cast of Moshidora provides charming portrayals of unique characters. The protagonist, Kawashima Minami, is played by Hikasa Yoko, who realistically portrays her growth and struggles. Hanazawa Kana, who plays Miyata Yuki, warms the hearts of viewers as Minami's best friend. In addition, a stellar cast of voice actors, including Kakihara Tetsuya, Suyama Akio, Tsuda Kenjiro, Asanuma Shintaro, Nakatani Ayaka, Hosoya Yoshimasa, Nakanishi Hideki, Akazawa Ryota, Uchitomi Yasuaki, and Hirata Eriko, come together to add excitement to the story.

Main Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "If Doraemon Were Realized." The original author was Iwasaki Natsumi, the original character designer was Yukiusagi, the director was Hamana Takayuki, the series composition was Fujisaki Junichi, the character designer and chief animation director was Miyagawa Chieko, the art director was Ohno Koji, the color designer was Tanaka Miho, the director of photography was Arai Eiji, the music was Sato Jun, the sound director was Hiramitsu Takuya, the animation producer was Ogami Hiromasa, the animation production was Production IG, the production supervisors were Saito Kenji, Kashiwagi Atsuko, and Ishikawa Mitsuhisa, and the production and copyright were handled by NHK, NHK Enterprises, and Production IG. Thanks to the cooperation of these staff members, "If Doraemon Were Realized" was delivered to viewers with high quality.

Main Characters

The main characters of "Moshidora" are as follows:

• Minami Kawashima: 160cm. With Drucker's "Management" in hand, she becomes the manager of the baseball team at Hodokubo High School. She is impatient and quick to jump to conclusions, but she can also quickly change her mind.
• Miyata Yuki: 155cm. Minami's best friend, she was the manager of the Tono High baseball team, but was hospitalized for a long time due to illness. At Minami's request, she is put in charge of marketing for the baseball team members. Her hobby is handicrafts, and she has the same mascot as Minami.
• Hojo Ayano: 162cm. A junior of Yuki, she is the manager of the baseball team at Hojo High School. Although she has the best grades in her grade, she is reluctant to be called an honor student. She assists the coach, Kaji, in information analysis and strategy planning. She wants to be like Yuki, whom she respects.
• Jiro Kashiwagi : 175cm. Number 5 catcher for the Hodo High baseball team. Right-handed batter and thrower. Childhood friend of Minami and Yuki. He livens up the team as a mood maker, but in reality he is often not thinking about anything and says what he thinks out loud, making him extremely insensitive.
• Keiichiro Asano : 178cm. Ace pitcher, number 8 on the team for the Tsurugi High baseball team. Right-handed batter and thrower. His sharp fastball is his weapon. He doesn't show up to practice often, but he always comes to games and tries to fulfill his responsibilities as the ace. When he runs out of stamina, he loses control of his pitches.
• Masayoshi Nikai : 170cm. Substitute player for the baseball team at Tono High School. Right-handed and left-handed. He joined the baseball team to gain experience as an entrepreneur in the future. He is such a big fan of Drucker that he has read the complete edition of "Management." He is a good advisor who makes suggestions that even Minami respects.
• Makoto Kachi : 182cm. Head coach of the baseball team at Teikyo High School. He is a history teacher and a graduate of the University of Tokyo. He has a deep knowledge of baseball techniques and tactics, but he can't express his thoughts to the players, and what he says is argumentative and difficult to understand. He is dissatisfied with the current state of high school baseball.
• Tamagawa Mari : A singer from Hino City, where Tokubo High School is located. She is 18 years old, the same age as Minami and her friends, and is also active as a radio personality. Her straightforward songs have many fans at Tokubo High School, including Asano.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "Moshidora" are as follows:

• Episode 1: Minami meets "Management" (2011/04/25)
• Episode 2: Minami tackled marketing (2011/04/26)
• Episode 3: Minami tried to make the most of people's strengths (2011/04/27)
• Episode 4: Minami tackles innovation (2011/04/28)
• Episode 5: Minami throws away her high school baseball past (2011/04/29)
• Episode 6: Minami thinks about strategy and the current situation (2011/05/02)
• Episode 7: Minami thought about the results (2011/05/03)
• Episode 8: Minami thinks about what management should be like (2011/05/04)
• Episode 9: Minami loses something important (2011/05/05)
• Episode 10: Minami is moved by high school baseball (2011/05/06)

Theme songs and music

The theme song and insert songs for "Moshidora" are as follows.

• OP1: Yume Note / Sung by azusa
• ED1: I Love You / Sung by momo

Evaluation and Impressions

"Moshidora" is a work that skillfully combines the symbol of Japanese culture, high school baseball, with the business foundation of management. The story of the main character, Minami Kawashima, growing through Drucker's "Management," deeply moves viewers. Through her efforts, viewers can also learn the importance of management and the wide range of its applications.

The story unfolds smoothly, with each episode depicting the challenges Minami faces and their solutions. In particular, the episodes in which Minami tackles marketing and innovation provide viewers with new perspectives. Another point not to be missed is the growth of the baseball team members and the strengthening of the team's overall unity.

The portrayal of the characters is also very realistic, and as Minami grows, the other characters also change. In particular, Minami's best friend, Miyata Yuki, plays an important role in supporting Minami's growth. The baseball team members also have rich personalities, leaving a deep impression on the viewer.

The technical skills of the production staff are also highly praised. The character designs, background art, music, and more all come together to liven up the story. The opening and ending songs in particular have the power to capture the hearts of viewers.

Recommendation

"Moshidora" is a work that deals with the unique theme of combining high school baseball and management. This work will deeply move and teach viewers, and I would especially recommend it to high school students and business people. High school students can get an opportunity to think about their own future through Minami's growth. Business people can also learn the importance of management and the wide range of its applications.

This series can also be enjoyed by the whole family. Parents and children can deepen family bonds as they watch Minami grow up. Also, by watching it with friends, you can discuss Minami's efforts and broaden your horizons.

"Moshidora" is a wonderful work that provides viewers with inspiration and learning. Please watch this work and experience Minami's growth and the baseball team's struggles.