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Cross Game - Omnibus edition #1
Cross Game, Vol. 1
Cross Game is a moving drama that is heartfelt and true, yet in the brilliant hands of manga artist Mitsuru Adachi, delightfully flows with a light and amusing touch. The series centers around a boy named Ko, the family of four sisters who live down the street and the game of baseball. This poignant coming-of-age story will change your perception of what shonen manga can be.
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2010
23 people are currently reading
1076 people want to read
About the author
Mitsuru Adachi
693 books221 followersMitsuru Adachi (あだち充 in Japanese) is a Japanese manga artist. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, Adachi worked as an assistant for Isami Ishii. He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kieta Bakuon, based on a manga originally created by Satoru Ozawa. Kieta was published in Deluxe Shōnen Sunday (a manga magazine published by Shogakukan).
Adachi is well known for romantic comedy and sports manga (especially baseball) such as Touch, H2, Slow Step, and Miyuki. He has been described as a writer of "delightful dialogue", a genius at portraying everyday life, "the greatest pure storyteller", and "a master manga artist". He is one of the few manga artists to write for shōnen, shōjo, and seinen manga magazines, and be popular in all three.
His works have been carried in manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Ciao, Shōjo Comic, Big Comic, and Petit Comic, and most of his works are published through Shogakukan and Gakken. He was one of the flagship authors in the new Monthly Shōnen Sunday magazine which began publication in June 2009. Only two short story collections, Short Program and Short Program 2 (both through Viz Media), have been released in North America, though Viz is scheduled to begin publishing Cross Game in October 2010.
He modeled the spelling of あだち (rather than 安達) for his family name after the example of his older brother, manga artist Tsutomu Adachi. In addition, it has been suggested that the accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry in Touch may come from Adachi's experiences while growing up with his older brother. Adachi did the character designs for the OVA anime series Nozomi Witches, so he is sometimes incorrectly given credit for creating the original series.
Adachi is well known for romantic comedy and sports manga (especially baseball) such as Touch, H2, Slow Step, and Miyuki. He has been described as a writer of "delightful dialogue", a genius at portraying everyday life, "the greatest pure storyteller", and "a master manga artist". He is one of the few manga artists to write for shōnen, shōjo, and seinen manga magazines, and be popular in all three.
His works have been carried in manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Ciao, Shōjo Comic, Big Comic, and Petit Comic, and most of his works are published through Shogakukan and Gakken. He was one of the flagship authors in the new Monthly Shōnen Sunday magazine which began publication in June 2009. Only two short story collections, Short Program and Short Program 2 (both through Viz Media), have been released in North America, though Viz is scheduled to begin publishing Cross Game in October 2010.
He modeled the spelling of あだち (rather than 安達) for his family name after the example of his older brother, manga artist Tsutomu Adachi. In addition, it has been suggested that the accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry in Touch may come from Adachi's experiences while growing up with his older brother. Adachi did the character designs for the OVA anime series Nozomi Witches, so he is sometimes incorrectly given credit for creating the original series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
July 26, 2011
I don’t even like baseball.
I mean, sure, I played a fair amount growing up and enjoyed it just fine. I was a good fielder and good enough at bat that my coach called me Secret Weapon (I guess because I was reserved enough so that you wouldn’t expect me to have a swing?). I loved playing the game. It was spectating that I hated. I’ve always been that way. Some people are born without the sports gene, I was born without the spectator gene.
Because of this, I never paid attention to stats or scores. The existence of an ESPN baffled me and that my brother would religiously listen to sports radio appalled me as much as my unflagging interest in comics probably scandalized him. And more to the point, I would never indulge in sports fictions. Whether the movie was about baseball or football or basketball, I would avoid it. If friends were gathering to watch Field of Dreams or Basketball Diaries or Friday Night Lights, I would politely absent myself and play some videogames or read some books. Books that weren’t about sports.
So when I say I adore Cross Game, a series which is rather unapologetically and blatantly about baseball, you should read in your tea leaves that this is a comic worth reading. Tasseomancy being infallible and all.
Also, when I say that Cross Game is about baseball, you should also probably (and rightly) assume that it’s also about much more. Certainly there is a lot of baseball. And there’s some nice family dynamic going on. And there’s some stuff about friendship. And some romance (yay!). But more than that, Cross Game seems to be about the power the deceased can hold over those who remain.
So vaguely spoilery but very early in the series, there is the tragic departure of a primary character. I know, you’ll now be completely on the lookout for which charming figure will buy it, sending the rest of the Cross Game world into the deepest despair. Trust me when I say that I didn’t ruin anything and the death is well telegraphed in advance and that in the end it doesn’t even matter because the important thing is not that this character dies. Instead the book is about what those left behind will do with their loss.
And it has baseball.
One of the things that is somehow necessary to post-funeral catharsis and the fulfillment of promises and the honouring of last wishes revolves around baseball. So these characters who might have only had marginal interest in the sport beforehand are now drawn tightly together, bound up in a memory. And consarnit if I don’t find the whole baseball endeavor fascinating.
In these first two volumes (which contain five regular volumes’ worth of story), the team forms, finds its first feet, and experiences its first major challenge. The team is founded on three kids who have gradually become friends over the four years since The Death and two of them especially find their drive torn between living for a memory and living for the future. Adachi, the creator, essays these scenes wonderfully, balancing heartfelt drama and a sort of madcap humour. And despite the fact that I shouldn’t find them interesting, the baseball scenes have been absolutely riveting. Adachi, by playing the drama of the game against the more relatable human drama, conjours a story that’s engaging and exciting. I cared about the outcome of not just the game but of each inning and the plays that comprised those innings—not because I cared for the sport, but because of what each moment meant for and would say about the characters involved.
I believe there are six more volumes to be released (the series is complete in Japan and is only now being released here) and, lifespan permitting, I will absolutely be here for each one of them. And I don’t even like baseball.
An Extra Note of Discussion:
I was happy to see that the book generally stays away from the cheap and vaguely misogynistic gratification of the book’s demographically pubescent-male readership. There is very little of what might be considered fan service. Apart from a couple scenes in which a character, Aoba, dresses down to underwear (which may be contextually justified and are far from titillating) and lead character Ko’s observation of the hint of a girl’s underwear while riding an escalator (again, contextually justified), there is only a lone upskirt shot that seemed out of place.
But, that’s within the narrative itself. The chapter breaks feature art capitalizing on one character or another in pose or action, showing off their character traits. For instance, Ko might be pitching or batting or concentrating hard or maybe just standing there with a glove in his hand and looking pleasant. Maybe it’ll feature the unstoppable clean-up batter from the varsity team looking suitably menacing. Or maybe it will feature Wakaba or Aoba (two sisters) in some way.
The curiosity is that Aoba, when she appears, will frequently be drawn in a way that markets her as attractive. She might be wearing a school swim uniform or those very short gym shorts that appear in all the anime. Maybe she’ll be sporting a bare midriff and wearing denim shorts with the top button undone. And maybe she’ll be posed in a very lightly seductive manner. None of it is very extreme, but I did find it a curiosity.
Beyond the typical marketing concerns, which would propose that young men generally enjoy seeing good-looking women in their entertainments, I wonder if there isn’t a meta-narrative purpose to the choice as well. Aoba’s character is early on established as something of a tomboy. She changes clothes down to bra-and-panties right in front of Ko, a fourteen-year-old male who has already been established to have a lightly lecherous streak, and he doesn’t bat an eye. From these clues, the average reader might be excused from thinking that Aoba is unattractive. However, later reactions from others say this isn’t so, introducing a measure of cognitive dissonance in the reader. The plain, textual reading is that Aoba is an attractive girl but that Ko has rendered himself unable to see her in that way (at least up to the end of volume two). So, if there is to be romantic tension later throughout the book, Adachi needs to sell Aoba as someone who is desirable.
Thus the seemingly out of place flirtations with fan service.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
I mean, sure, I played a fair amount growing up and enjoyed it just fine. I was a good fielder and good enough at bat that my coach called me Secret Weapon (I guess because I was reserved enough so that you wouldn’t expect me to have a swing?). I loved playing the game. It was spectating that I hated. I’ve always been that way. Some people are born without the sports gene, I was born without the spectator gene.
Because of this, I never paid attention to stats or scores. The existence of an ESPN baffled me and that my brother would religiously listen to sports radio appalled me as much as my unflagging interest in comics probably scandalized him. And more to the point, I would never indulge in sports fictions. Whether the movie was about baseball or football or basketball, I would avoid it. If friends were gathering to watch Field of Dreams or Basketball Diaries or Friday Night Lights, I would politely absent myself and play some videogames or read some books. Books that weren’t about sports.
So when I say I adore Cross Game, a series which is rather unapologetically and blatantly about baseball, you should read in your tea leaves that this is a comic worth reading. Tasseomancy being infallible and all.
Also, when I say that Cross Game is about baseball, you should also probably (and rightly) assume that it’s also about much more. Certainly there is a lot of baseball. And there’s some nice family dynamic going on. And there’s some stuff about friendship. And some romance (yay!). But more than that, Cross Game seems to be about the power the deceased can hold over those who remain.
So vaguely spoilery but very early in the series, there is the tragic departure of a primary character. I know, you’ll now be completely on the lookout for which charming figure will buy it, sending the rest of the Cross Game world into the deepest despair. Trust me when I say that I didn’t ruin anything and the death is well telegraphed in advance and that in the end it doesn’t even matter because the important thing is not that this character dies. Instead the book is about what those left behind will do with their loss.
And it has baseball.
One of the things that is somehow necessary to post-funeral catharsis and the fulfillment of promises and the honouring of last wishes revolves around baseball. So these characters who might have only had marginal interest in the sport beforehand are now drawn tightly together, bound up in a memory. And consarnit if I don’t find the whole baseball endeavor fascinating.
In these first two volumes (which contain five regular volumes’ worth of story), the team forms, finds its first feet, and experiences its first major challenge. The team is founded on three kids who have gradually become friends over the four years since The Death and two of them especially find their drive torn between living for a memory and living for the future. Adachi, the creator, essays these scenes wonderfully, balancing heartfelt drama and a sort of madcap humour. And despite the fact that I shouldn’t find them interesting, the baseball scenes have been absolutely riveting. Adachi, by playing the drama of the game against the more relatable human drama, conjours a story that’s engaging and exciting. I cared about the outcome of not just the game but of each inning and the plays that comprised those innings—not because I cared for the sport, but because of what each moment meant for and would say about the characters involved.
I believe there are six more volumes to be released (the series is complete in Japan and is only now being released here) and, lifespan permitting, I will absolutely be here for each one of them. And I don’t even like baseball.
An Extra Note of Discussion:
I was happy to see that the book generally stays away from the cheap and vaguely misogynistic gratification of the book’s demographically pubescent-male readership. There is very little of what might be considered fan service. Apart from a couple scenes in which a character, Aoba, dresses down to underwear (which may be contextually justified and are far from titillating) and lead character Ko’s observation of the hint of a girl’s underwear while riding an escalator (again, contextually justified), there is only a lone upskirt shot that seemed out of place.
But, that’s within the narrative itself. The chapter breaks feature art capitalizing on one character or another in pose or action, showing off their character traits. For instance, Ko might be pitching or batting or concentrating hard or maybe just standing there with a glove in his hand and looking pleasant. Maybe it’ll feature the unstoppable clean-up batter from the varsity team looking suitably menacing. Or maybe it will feature Wakaba or Aoba (two sisters) in some way.
The curiosity is that Aoba, when she appears, will frequently be drawn in a way that markets her as attractive. She might be wearing a school swim uniform or those very short gym shorts that appear in all the anime. Maybe she’ll be sporting a bare midriff and wearing denim shorts with the top button undone. And maybe she’ll be posed in a very lightly seductive manner. None of it is very extreme, but I did find it a curiosity.
Beyond the typical marketing concerns, which would propose that young men generally enjoy seeing good-looking women in their entertainments, I wonder if there isn’t a meta-narrative purpose to the choice as well. Aoba’s character is early on established as something of a tomboy. She changes clothes down to bra-and-panties right in front of Ko, a fourteen-year-old male who has already been established to have a lightly lecherous streak, and he doesn’t bat an eye. From these clues, the average reader might be excused from thinking that Aoba is unattractive. However, later reactions from others say this isn’t so, introducing a measure of cognitive dissonance in the reader. The plain, textual reading is that Aoba is an attractive girl but that Ko has rendered himself unable to see her in that way (at least up to the end of volume two). So, if there is to be romantic tension later throughout the book, Adachi needs to sell Aoba as someone who is desirable.
Thus the seemingly out of place flirtations with fan service.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
February 4, 2018
PopSugar Reading Challenge
Un libro acerca de o relacionado con un deporte
Calificación para toda la serie
La pase muy bien con este manga (Y con el anime). No sé si recomendarla por su longitud, pero yo nunca me aburrí. Y eso que no sé nada de béisbol xD. Y es que creo que este manga no va realmente sobre béisbol. ¿De qué trata entonces? Eso lo tienen que descubrir por ustedes mismos jajaja.
Me reí mucho, me emocione y me conmoví con esta historia. Y quiero decir que esta fue una de las pocas, poquísimas historias en la que me gustaron sus personajes femeninos.
A buscar más mangas de Adachi se ha dicho. 😋
September 8, 2020
I love manga and this one was definitely not any different! This is about a young person who moves to a new area and has a love for sports. All the way through this edition which is the first three volumes, we follow the main character through their journey of learning the art of baseball. This manga also has some romance aspects of it that really tugged at my heartstrings about halfway through this collection. I may have found my new obsession when it comes to manga and I am going to continue in this series as soon as I pick up the second collection from the library. I am so glad that I picked this up from the library on a whim!
March 20, 2022
Great writing, pacing and character development. Absolutely heartwarming depiction of coming-of-age without throwing in overused cliches. Probably would’ve enjoyed the story more if I understood the mechanics of baseball better.
3.75/5
3.75/5
August 29, 2011
Hmm, since I read the first four omnibi(?) in one go, I can't really separate the various things in the storyline for me. I do want to say that if I had never read scanlations of Mitsuru Adachi, no way would I have bought this - a boys manga supposedly about a sport (and one that isn't even played in my part of the world).
Having read Adachi before, however, I know that his strength is not just his love for sports (although other reviews have pointed out how realistic and dynamic his baseball scenes are in comparison with other shonen sport manga)... actually, it may just be the icing of his art - his real gift is in the personal relationships of his everyday characters (just a tiny bit idealized, the boys are athletic and the girls are usually cute - fat female characters do NOT get bullied for it, fanservice is of the cheesecake variety but you do get a lot of that, there are always old lechers trying to get a glimpse - but usually not to cop a feel - somewhere).
And he builds these relationships often with few to no words by clearly guiding the eye to the important of the storyline and letting a silence stand when it's necessary (speedlines you'll only get when baseball is played, tone is never overpatterned, mostly various degrees of dots to convey shade or intensity). And all his detailed scenery is drawn, not copied from tone-sheets or pasted in as a picture.
Adachi likes his characters, you rarely have totally evil guys (the first baseball team manager and the interim principal of the school come closest) around. They're just themselves and that's where the conflict comes from. He is very clear which characters are his protagonists, but even the side-characters get little vignettes (often by breaking the fourth wall, something you have to like or you won't enjoy Adachi). He is as good as conveying happiness as he is at conveying grief.
Regarding Touch:
I'd love for anything else to be licensed, too - all the Adachi I've read so far (although that isn't everything since his oeuvre is so huge) has spoken to me in some way (made my grin and often made me cry).
Having read Adachi before, however, I know that his strength is not just his love for sports (although other reviews have pointed out how realistic and dynamic his baseball scenes are in comparison with other shonen sport manga)... actually, it may just be the icing of his art - his real gift is in the personal relationships of his everyday characters (just a tiny bit idealized, the boys are athletic and the girls are usually cute - fat female characters do NOT get bullied for it, fanservice is of the cheesecake variety but you do get a lot of that, there are always old lechers trying to get a glimpse - but usually not to cop a feel - somewhere).
And he builds these relationships often with few to no words by clearly guiding the eye to the important of the storyline and letting a silence stand when it's necessary (speedlines you'll only get when baseball is played, tone is never overpatterned, mostly various degrees of dots to convey shade or intensity). And all his detailed scenery is drawn, not copied from tone-sheets or pasted in as a picture.
Adachi likes his characters, you rarely have totally evil guys (the first baseball team manager and the interim principal of the school come closest) around. They're just themselves and that's where the conflict comes from. He is very clear which characters are his protagonists, but even the side-characters get little vignettes (often by breaking the fourth wall, something you have to like or you won't enjoy Adachi). He is as good as conveying happiness as he is at conveying grief.
Regarding Touch:
I'd love for anything else to be licensed, too - all the Adachi I've read so far (although that isn't everything since his oeuvre is so huge) has spoken to me in some way (made my grin and often made me cry).
November 15, 2012
This collection contains volumes 1 through 3 of Cross Game (as originally published).
It would be a disservice to get into plot details for this collection - important things unfold in these first three volumes in ways a summary could never do justice to. In general the Cross Game series is about the son of the owners of a sporting goods store, the family with four daughters down the street who own a batting center and coffee shop, and the game of baseball. But it's also about everything else. Growing up. Family. Fitting in. Not fitting in. Love. Loss. Life.
It's light comedy. And heart wrenching drama. And a perceptive slice-of-life story. And a captivating sports team journey. That it can be all of those things (and more) equally and have everything fit together perfectly is amazing and a testament to the talent of author, Mitsuru Adachi. The heart of every great story are the characters, and Adachi's subtle touch introduces and establishes a large, phenomenal cast in a way that makes most of them immediately memorable.
Add in a strong plot, a careful pace that lets things develop at their own speed, occasional bits of forth-wall breaking that never disrupt the narrative and plenty of surprises and Cross Game easily becomes one of the best manga I've ever read. The art is equally impressive and suits the atmosphere and story perfectly. While somewhat of a "simplified" style it contains great little details and facial expressions and body language that are second to none.
The best part of all of this is I don't even really care for baseball, and it doesn't matter at all. Everything grows from the characters and since the training and games matter to them, they end up mattering to me. Adachi also knows exactly what to focus on in terms of presentation, so the baseball itself is vastly more interesting to me than in real life. I'm sure fans will get even more out of it, but I can not stress enough that this is worth reading even if baseball's not your thing.
This is the first series I've read by Adachi, and is very unlikely to be my last. If you've read this entire review it should be no surprise that I absolutely love this manga, and I give it my highest possible recommendation.
It would be a disservice to get into plot details for this collection - important things unfold in these first three volumes in ways a summary could never do justice to. In general the Cross Game series is about the son of the owners of a sporting goods store, the family with four daughters down the street who own a batting center and coffee shop, and the game of baseball. But it's also about everything else. Growing up. Family. Fitting in. Not fitting in. Love. Loss. Life.
It's light comedy. And heart wrenching drama. And a perceptive slice-of-life story. And a captivating sports team journey. That it can be all of those things (and more) equally and have everything fit together perfectly is amazing and a testament to the talent of author, Mitsuru Adachi. The heart of every great story are the characters, and Adachi's subtle touch introduces and establishes a large, phenomenal cast in a way that makes most of them immediately memorable.
Add in a strong plot, a careful pace that lets things develop at their own speed, occasional bits of forth-wall breaking that never disrupt the narrative and plenty of surprises and Cross Game easily becomes one of the best manga I've ever read. The art is equally impressive and suits the atmosphere and story perfectly. While somewhat of a "simplified" style it contains great little details and facial expressions and body language that are second to none.
The best part of all of this is I don't even really care for baseball, and it doesn't matter at all. Everything grows from the characters and since the training and games matter to them, they end up mattering to me. Adachi also knows exactly what to focus on in terms of presentation, so the baseball itself is vastly more interesting to me than in real life. I'm sure fans will get even more out of it, but I can not stress enough that this is worth reading even if baseball's not your thing.
This is the first series I've read by Adachi, and is very unlikely to be my last. If you've read this entire review it should be no surprise that I absolutely love this manga, and I give it my highest possible recommendation.
April 20, 2019
8/10.
Adachi tiene una magia especial. Me encanta su forma de manejar el drama y también su sentido del humor. Su estilo de dibujo es además uno de mis favoritos, no puedo evitar admirar su trazo en cada viñeta.
Adachi tiene una magia especial. Me encanta su forma de manejar el drama y también su sentido del humor. Su estilo de dibujo es además uno de mis favoritos, no puedo evitar admirar su trazo en cada viñeta.
November 22, 2018
I did not finish the book. I did not understand it.
December 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this manga; for me its quality rivals that of Yotsuba!.
I wish I had started reading it when I bought it, because I would like to read beyond volume 3. That may no longer be possible since it was released 10 years ago.
I wish I had started reading it when I bought it, because I would like to read beyond volume 3. That may no longer be possible since it was released 10 years ago.
July 8, 2011
The world of Cross Game is one I never thought I'd be granted access to since Mitsuru Adachi (despite being a manga-ka giant in Japan and one of the main reasons Shonen Sunday is such a successful publication) has rarely if ever been brought over to North American audiences in English format. But thanks to the good graces of Viz and their slowly growing pool of older licenses, Cross Game has crossed my path - and I am ever so grateful that I gave it a chance. As someone who loves shonen manga and baseball (but don't ask how my team is doing - I'm a Cubs fan, after all!), Cross Game was a manga I seemed destined to fall in love with - and so I did, fast and without regrets.
You can read the rest of my review of Cross Game GN 1 at Nagareboshi Reviews!
You can read the rest of my review of Cross Game GN 1 at Nagareboshi Reviews!
March 14, 2015
I was really not expecting that twist in the early chapters. I thought I was in for a romcom throughout childhood and then WHAM!
Right in the feels. (I shed tears.)
The rest of the book starts feeling like a traditional shonen story but it really started off on the right pace by introducing the characters slowly and making you love them.
Right in the feels. (I shed tears.)
The rest of the book starts feeling like a traditional shonen story but it really started off on the right pace by introducing the characters slowly and making you love them.
February 12, 2011
A highly recommended manga series for any fan of a light hearted, but character driven story. The author, Mitsuru Adachi, has long been a lauded writer for the sports manga genre, writing in such a way to make both the story and sport compelling. With Cross Game, he has definitely raised the bar.
June 25, 2018
Maravilloso. gracias a la persona que me lo recomendo. me a encantado.
mas que a nadie en todo el mundo *****...
mas que a nadie en todo el mundo *****...
October 11, 2022
I am a huge baseball fan and I had heard a lot about Mitsuru Adachi’s manga series Cross Game, but I had never checked it out until recently. I really love the Ace of the Diamond manga and I was looking forward to diving into another baseball series.
The edition that I read is a large 575 page 3 in 1 collection. The set up as the book opens follows.
The Tsukishima family, who run the local batting cages and the Clover coffee shop, and the Kitamura family, who own the sporting goods store down the street, are good friends and their children have grown up together. Wakaba, the Tsukishima’s beloved second daughter (out of four) and Ko, the Kitamura’s only son, are particularly close and even share the same birthday. It seems like fate that the two of them should be together. The only person who’s unhappy with the two being nearly inseparable is the next youngest Tsukishima daughter, Aoba. She adores Wakaba and so holds a grudge against Ko. Although Aoba won’t admit it, except for the fact that she loves baseball and Ko isn’t even really interested in the game, she actually shares quite a lot in common with him.
While there are moments in Cross Game that are absolutely heartbreaking, the manga also has quite a bit of light-hearted humour to it as well, making the series more touching rather than depressing. Occasionally, Adachi does have the tendency to either break the fourth wall or come very close to it. I did find this amusing, but it also threw me out of the story. However, I really enjoyed the small bits focusing on the Tsukishima’s pet cat Nomo; they made me smile every time. Adachi’s art style is fairly simple and straightforward. Every once in a while it feels like the panels are a bit disjointed, usually when Adachi sets up a dramatic reveal, but overall it is very easy to follow. One thing that he does that I particularly enjoyed and appreciated is how he captures the passage of time, often using the changes in season and in the neighbourhood to visually transition from chapter to chapter. This also helps to establish a sense of place and makes the town feel as well-rounded and complete as the characters.
Although there is plenty of personal drama, conflicts, and lively baseball games, I mostly find Cross Game to be a rather quiet coming of age series. Out of this volume, I preferred the first part of the story which focuses a bit more on the relationships between characters than on the baseball. But even when baseball becomes more prominent in the manga, the character interactions remain crucial and convincing. There is something subtle and very skilled in how Adachi balances the two elements.
That being said, I find it strange that I’m not more gung-ho about Cross Game; for some reason it just didn't immediately grab me. There is so much about this volume that is good, but I just did not get immersed into in the same way I dove right in to Ace of the Diamond.
The edition that I read is a large 575 page 3 in 1 collection. The set up as the book opens follows.
The Tsukishima family, who run the local batting cages and the Clover coffee shop, and the Kitamura family, who own the sporting goods store down the street, are good friends and their children have grown up together. Wakaba, the Tsukishima’s beloved second daughter (out of four) and Ko, the Kitamura’s only son, are particularly close and even share the same birthday. It seems like fate that the two of them should be together. The only person who’s unhappy with the two being nearly inseparable is the next youngest Tsukishima daughter, Aoba. She adores Wakaba and so holds a grudge against Ko. Although Aoba won’t admit it, except for the fact that she loves baseball and Ko isn’t even really interested in the game, she actually shares quite a lot in common with him.
While there are moments in Cross Game that are absolutely heartbreaking, the manga also has quite a bit of light-hearted humour to it as well, making the series more touching rather than depressing. Occasionally, Adachi does have the tendency to either break the fourth wall or come very close to it. I did find this amusing, but it also threw me out of the story. However, I really enjoyed the small bits focusing on the Tsukishima’s pet cat Nomo; they made me smile every time. Adachi’s art style is fairly simple and straightforward. Every once in a while it feels like the panels are a bit disjointed, usually when Adachi sets up a dramatic reveal, but overall it is very easy to follow. One thing that he does that I particularly enjoyed and appreciated is how he captures the passage of time, often using the changes in season and in the neighbourhood to visually transition from chapter to chapter. This also helps to establish a sense of place and makes the town feel as well-rounded and complete as the characters.
Although there is plenty of personal drama, conflicts, and lively baseball games, I mostly find Cross Game to be a rather quiet coming of age series. Out of this volume, I preferred the first part of the story which focuses a bit more on the relationships between characters than on the baseball. But even when baseball becomes more prominent in the manga, the character interactions remain crucial and convincing. There is something subtle and very skilled in how Adachi balances the two elements.
That being said, I find it strange that I’m not more gung-ho about Cross Game; for some reason it just didn't immediately grab me. There is so much about this volume that is good, but I just did not get immersed into in the same way I dove right in to Ace of the Diamond.
January 25, 2018
Mitsuru Adachi ha sido mi mangaka favorito (top 3) por gran parte de mi vida, a pesar de que la mayoria de sus mangas son muy similares, con las mismas ideas, chistes, y personajes principales. Esto en cualquier otro autor seria un problema, pero en Adachi es su mayor atractivo, ya que se ha vuelto un MAESTRO en contar esa historia, la historia de un grupo de jovenes preparatorianos, apasionados del baseball, luchando por un lugar en el "Koshien", algo asi como la Serie Mundial americana, pero de preparatorias japonesas.
Koh Kitamura es un joven cuya familia tiene una tienda de deportes, y pasa su infancia acompañado de dos niñas: Wakaba y Aoba Tsukishima, hermanas ambas. Wakaba se considera la "novia" de Koh, y le apoya en lo que eventualmente se volveria su aficion por el baseball, ademas de contarle de un sueño que ella tiene, y que mas tarde dirige a todos los que la conocieron: Koh en el monticulo central como pitcher, Akaishi como Catcher, ambos en un estadio lleno de gente, participando en el "Koshien". Ademas de Koh, la hermana menor Aoba tambien muestra tener un enorme potencial para al deporte, y trabaja constantemente para mejorar su estilo, a pesar de que el Koshien es un sueño fuera de su alcance, por ser solo para hombres. A muchos de los personajes los dirige la tragedia que sufren en su infancia, y trabajan con todas sus fuerzas para alcanzar aquel sueño unificador de la querida Wakaba, encontrando en el camino rivalidades, romance, y mas de una sorpresa en mas de un aspecto.
Mitsuru Adachi es un maestro del genero "Slice of Life", y sabe muy bien lo que hace cuando cuenta esta historia. Al leerla seguiras a los personajes y sus sentimientos, sus alegrias, sus tristezas, triunfos y fracasos, y en mas de una ocasion se encuentran luchando contra la corriente.
Mi calificacion seria 4.5/5, El unico problema seria que la historia es algo corta, comparada con otras que ha escrito.
Koh Kitamura es un joven cuya familia tiene una tienda de deportes, y pasa su infancia acompañado de dos niñas: Wakaba y Aoba Tsukishima, hermanas ambas. Wakaba se considera la "novia" de Koh, y le apoya en lo que eventualmente se volveria su aficion por el baseball, ademas de contarle de un sueño que ella tiene, y que mas tarde dirige a todos los que la conocieron: Koh en el monticulo central como pitcher, Akaishi como Catcher, ambos en un estadio lleno de gente, participando en el "Koshien". Ademas de Koh, la hermana menor Aoba tambien muestra tener un enorme potencial para al deporte, y trabaja constantemente para mejorar su estilo, a pesar de que el Koshien es un sueño fuera de su alcance, por ser solo para hombres. A muchos de los personajes los dirige la tragedia que sufren en su infancia, y trabajan con todas sus fuerzas para alcanzar aquel sueño unificador de la querida Wakaba, encontrando en el camino rivalidades, romance, y mas de una sorpresa en mas de un aspecto.
Mitsuru Adachi es un maestro del genero "Slice of Life", y sabe muy bien lo que hace cuando cuenta esta historia. Al leerla seguiras a los personajes y sus sentimientos, sus alegrias, sus tristezas, triunfos y fracasos, y en mas de una ocasion se encuentran luchando contra la corriente.
Mi calificacion seria 4.5/5, El unico problema seria que la historia es algo corta, comparada con otras que ha escrito.
April 22, 2023
I'm no baseball fan, nor am I a fan of coming of age stories. So it comes as a big surprise to me to even have to say that I really liked the first three volumes of Cross Game, a coming of age story involving a kid who loves playing baseball.
The human drama is so well crafted in that it never feels like a soap opera. It's understated and feels naturalistic enough. The lack of sensationalization is very refreshing, and makes the story feel like it could have actully have taken place in real life. The story follows Ko, a young teenager who navigates his way through personal loss to play baseball at a high level. A new coach shows up and displaces Ko and his friends from the team, requiring them to prove themselves on the field. It's endlessly surprising to me just how riveting this story is, since so much of it sounds kind of mundane.
Mitsuru Adachi's artwork is economical - the backgrounds are generally void of detail and the character designs are simple. But the sparse artstyle provides a nice clarity for the type of story being told, and that story is ultimately a very charming one. Highly recommend checking this out, even if you're not into baseball.
The human drama is so well crafted in that it never feels like a soap opera. It's understated and feels naturalistic enough. The lack of sensationalization is very refreshing, and makes the story feel like it could have actully have taken place in real life. The story follows Ko, a young teenager who navigates his way through personal loss to play baseball at a high level. A new coach shows up and displaces Ko and his friends from the team, requiring them to prove themselves on the field. It's endlessly surprising to me just how riveting this story is, since so much of it sounds kind of mundane.
Mitsuru Adachi's artwork is economical - the backgrounds are generally void of detail and the character designs are simple. But the sparse artstyle provides a nice clarity for the type of story being told, and that story is ultimately a very charming one. Highly recommend checking this out, even if you're not into baseball.
April 5, 2018
I may have to buy this series - it's very good. Ko, in his first year of high school, deals with baseball, complicated relationships with the girls who've lived next door to him his entire life, and a complicated relationship with a former bully turned staunch friend. It's warm and funny, and Adachi has an amazing ability to capture the tense moment of baseball where anything can happen - the pitch in flight, the bat and the ball colliding in opposing directions, the unfurling of a pitcher's motion toward the plate. It's a welcome change from comic artists who clearly know nothing about the sport but try to draw it anyway!
The character bits are strong and well done. The art's terrific. It's a very good series.
Plus, I love the omnibus format, nearly 600 pages strong!
The character bits are strong and well done. The art's terrific. It's a very good series.
Plus, I love the omnibus format, nearly 600 pages strong!
March 20, 2018
I thought I was settling in to enjoy a light, rom-com in a sports setting but then towards the end of the first volume of this Omnibus, something happens and changes the whole story. The next two volumes are basically how the characters deal with the events of volume 1 and I must admit this was not what I was expecting from a sports manga. Beautiful art and a story that will probably stay with you long after you finish reading the volume. Highly recommended even if you're not a fan of baseball.
August 22, 2019
My only true complaints are that I get misdirected since manga is backwards from american comics. Not just in pages but in panels. I really dug this slice of comic about coming of age, being on a team, and friendship. This series uses baseball as the canvas to tell a much more intimate story about grieving holding on to memories and promises you keep when you're a kid. I'll have to continue with this series seeing how I'm so in love with all of the characters. I can't wait to see what happens with them.
March 25, 2021
The best manga I have ever read. And the anime adaptation is amazing as well. To me, this manga is a constant soothing rain of feelings poring on me throughout the journey of the manga and its characters. The story is amazing, characters have their own personalities and depth, it might not be the best sports manga out there but it is the best sports+romance manga period. The ending is sooo gooood that it gives me goosebumps even when reading it for the 12th time. No kidding. Ya, it's that good!
January 2, 2025
A timeless look into a slice of life story surrounding Japanese high school baseball. The book made me care about the wants/ dreams of the main characters Ko and Aoba with the twist at the end of the first chapters that hits you in the gut. The build up to the first game before the summer season with the introduction of the brutal varsity team players and head coach was fun to see albiet a tense at times. In all the right ways. Surely the beginning to a sports Manga classic!
August 14, 2017
I chose this because it seemed a quick way to complete the sports requirement for #ReadHarder2017 but damn it, I really enjoyed the story and want to know how it finishes (or progresses because it's serialized so when will it actually end?) For me the best part - the hook to keep reading - is the girl next door pitcher - I need to find out if she's allowed to try out for the high school team!
May 2, 2020
I just couldn’t put this one down. Never played baseball, probably never will, I’ve never even seen a baseball game, but this series is so well-written and the characters are extremely compelling. I love the slice-of-life atmosphere and I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories. Till now, I haven’t really gotten into manga, I think this will be the one.
July 27, 2022
I've read this before but with the MLB gone woke, I decided to fill the void with something more wholesome and inspiring. Adachi-sensei has a great grasp of humanity and how they come out in a sporting environment, and I'm glad I decided to pick this one up again. If you like baseball and like athleticism to be a way to understand humanity, I think you'll enjoy this.
June 26, 2017
Cross Game is a baseball slice of life romance manga based in Japan. It focuses on a young man named "Ko Kitamura" and follows his life from early years of elementary school all the way to high school. It's a fantastic journey and I would highly recommend you to give it a chance.
October 12, 2018
The out-dated art style and manga storytelling did not jive with me. It's hard to come back to classics. Also I'm not into sports (why do I have so many sports manga on my to-read list?). A pass for me. I am picky though when it comes to manga.
March 1, 2019
Mixed feelings about this one. I really liked the art -- its cute and expressive. On the other hand there was unexpected child death and that's a really hard troupe for me. The baseball stuff is ok, but I'm glad I have some understanding of how the game works or I'd have been very confused.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2021
Adachi writes very believable characters. And art style belies a harder hitting coming of age story (and baseball).
Omnibus collects the first 3 volumes of Cross game that serves a a prologue to the lives of Ko and Aoba.
Omnibus collects the first 3 volumes of Cross game that serves a a prologue to the lives of Ko and Aoba.
May 26, 2021
I found this really compelling. It's definitely not a typical shonen work. It's far less focused on the sports side of the story than something like Haikyuu or Slam Dunk, instead prioritizing the character relationships and relatable moments of adolescence. I'm curious where this ends up.
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