I don’t think anyone is actually watching the series right now due to the fact that everyone hates baseball even if the series is hardly about hardcore Baseball. It just shows how Prince of Tennis and other crap shounen sports anime has all but demolished any credibility in the sports genre. It’s sad because the psychological twists rivals any thriller/mystery I ever watched.
I actually love this episode for two reasons: a total mindfuck, and the rendering of an excellent pitcher to total crap with compounding tactics. The above pitcher is Kira, a pitcher for the opposing Mariners team. Tokuchi’s delaying tactics caused Mariners to be in a panic, and the coaching staff decided to rush Kira into pitching without practice. With more and more pressure put on Kira, Kira eventually lost so many points that he no longer want to pitch anymore. It’s truly amazing how sports is not really all about talent, but also mentally battering your opponent into submission.
In the same case, that is why some people who are not exactly intelligent or excellent are able to command so many people under their charge. They might not be awfully smart, but they do know how to manipulate effectively to shift the momentum to their side. Tokuchi’s intelligent play to intimidate, confuse and bewilder his opponent eventually resulted in Lycaons gaining back to 16-16. For those who do not know baseball, to catch up from 0-16 down to 16-16 is almost a miracle. To do that in an inning? Impossible, but the mental game of Tokuchi did it.
If I have to give a reason to watch this, it will be Tokuchi. Any person who likes psychological thrillers can try this mind-numbling strategist as he toys with his opponents’ head. You will never know what he will do next.
Loading ...
17 Comments
Check my website out for more anime episodes. Watch them for free at http://uggitalk.com
I’m watching it, 1 of my favorites this season!
Toua’s so awesome, though the 7th episode was pretty ridiculous.
Haha, I’m also watching this! It’s one of the few shows that I watch as soon as subs come out (I’m actually about to watch episode 7).
I’ve never really understood the technicalities of baseball, but because it really isn’t much about hardcore baseball as you said, I find myself enjoying this show so much with all tension and mind games going on. I’ve always find sports-anime in all forms and themes to be exciting ^^
Definitely one of the charms of this series is Toua himself. He really is an enigma. It also adds to the mystery of his character that the viewers don’t get to find out what exactly is Toua’s thinking during the game. He always has this self-assured look while playing (with his poker face) that intrigues me every time.
This is easily my favorite show of the season. I’ve even taken to watching the raws immediately. Brilliant.
I guess I’ll have to watch this since I like watching baseball shows. It’s sad that baseball gets no love. Impz you can consider watching rookies too. It’s a manga-adapted drama with a more realistic touch as compared to those POT crap.
one outs is a really good anime… but only few viewers are able to understand it and so many anime fans are watching other sports anime that are really impossible..
i’ve been watching the series so far from episodes 1-8 and the story really fascinates me,, i just cant predict what tokuchi is thinking..
anyway at the end of episode 8 tokuchi had already 16 homeruns to pay to the owner… and the game was not discontinued like his original plan..
i just want now that episode 9 will come out… cant wait for his plans…….
@Sarumanu: Really? Actually, it is possible to have such a blowout when one team is extremely weak compared to another. Moreover, I was actually surprised that it is not the truth. You know, the part about playing 3 straight games in a row because most pitchers rest at least 3-4 days after 1 complete game. Still, Toua is just a freak.
@Eipu: I think that it will be very interesting to find out why he started to play baseball. However, Episode 8 clearly revealed that he wants to bring Lycoans to the championship. A person who does not care about winning (and just wants to fool around with gambling) will never do that or request that from his team mates. As such, he is clearly not just an addict but a righteous competitive person that is just a bit quirky.
I can appreciate the approach toward the game as all about mind games. Honestly, at the level of professional baseball, skills are probably rather even. It is really who can outsmart and manipulate your opponent accordingly so that you can crush them even if they are similar. In soccer, weaker and less technical teams could beat stronger teams by physically intimidating and pressurizing them to make mistakes. Toua is simply doing that in a mental way.
I am actually a big fan of baseball so all the rules are rather familiar to me. @_@ Still, there are some technicalities in this episode that I never knew existed.
@Elva: Already finished it and I cried manly tears at one of the parts. I loved Rookies, and I am amazed how those series always make me cry. I guess it’s meant to tug at your hearts and warm you up.
@Gilgamesh: In a way, I can understand some of his moves, but I did not expect the twist at the end of episode 7. It is just playing around with rather obscure rules, which shows you the intelligence of Tokuchi to fool with everyone’s head. I felt that the comeback was a bit exaggerating since the bench/coach should be more rational and logical about the situation. However, without their exasperation and drama, Tokuchi’s plan cannot succeed.
This is a great anime! Episode 8 is by far the best episode so far. It was surprise tactics one after another. It’s hard to predict what’s Toua planning. I was pretty shocked that he started giving up so many runs in episode 7 and clearly thought that he was exhausted but the rainstorm strategy proved otherwise. But now that they’ve caught up, it’s another story. Was delaying the game all part of the strategy to win the game? But if they do move beyond 5th inning and win, Toua will be paying an enormous sum to the Owner. I can’t wait for episode 9!!
I think that it will be very interesting to find out why he started to play baseball.
I’m itching to know that! A tiny peak of his past/background would be extremely welcomed. I mean, no one turns out with a personality like him without a huge, intriguing reason. Or Maybe not.
I forgot to mention that another reason why I’m loving One Outs is because it gives me ideas (sometimes life’s lessons) to think about every episode. Like in one of the earlier episodes when Toua said that it’s because Lycoans’ members don’t feel a “sense of urgency” during the game that they don’t win. When I reflected on this and looked at my own life, I was able to relate with the Lycaons’s members pretty well. And recently, I’ve started adopting Toua’s way of thinking with simple things, like studying. Hehe. It’s actually Toua’s simple yet powerful speech that gets to me every time ^^
Episode 8 clearly revealed that he wants to bring Lycoans to the championship.
I need episode 8 subs NOW
I wonder what is causing his increasing devotion to the team? Perhaps, he really has started to realize that he has passion for the game itself and not only the gambling that comes with the game. And really, what’s with his fixation with gambling??! I’m dying to know!
One Outs IS amazing, but you don’t have to crap on the entire genre with “It just shows how Prince of Tennis and other crap shounen sports anime has all but demolished any credibility in the sports genre.” when Prince of Tennis was one of the most egregious shonen-style examples of them all. Most sports anime don’t really rely that much on ‘power ups’ and just keeps it in the realm of slice of life situations and game tactics.
If you think sports=shonen-crap, then watch Ookiku Furikabutte or something. Oh wait, I guess most folks wouldn’t, because they have such MASSIVE BIASES holding them back. Whatever.
@impz
I am actually a big fan of baseball so all the rules are rather familiar to me. @_@ Still, there are some technicalities in this episode that I never knew existed.
Exactly what makes Toua so scary since he is all into the NUANCES of the game. I wouldn’t say that skill levels in baseball are all similar, though there’s always that ‘any given swing’ aspects of it. Even the most newbiest of pitchers can get in a fluke home run from time to time. But Toua won’t ever let the discrepancies get to him. Instead, he uses the nuances in his favor. Even in pro sports, most players don’t really get around to doing that except for the few elite.
@Shipp: I am trying to make the point that many PEOPLE have a misconception of sports anime due to the Prince of Tennis series and many other shounen-like crap out there. Obviously, I do not think that sports genre = crap because I am a sports fan that actually enjoys sports anime. Bamboo Blade, Ginban, One outs and Ookiku Furikabette are all shows that I have watched and enjoyed. Remember? I even blogged Ookiku faithfully. ^^ Just to make sure because I can’t tell if you are directing that criticism at me, heh!
Ya, obviously there are some people who are better at swinging the bat than others. However, in the pitching box, it’s really how you manipulate the pitcher to make him throw your pitch so that you can hit cleanly. Obviously, there are people like Pujols or Rodriguez who can bat anything and everything in front of them. The majority of people are somewhat similar though, and the difference maker is how they manage to beat their opponent mentally.
However, Toua is just out of this world. His knowledge and a rather “obvious” will to win the championship makes him a competitor that will never be easily shaken by mind games at all. He’s too scary. Manipulating the top team of the league with such ease gives me the creeps.
Heh, sorry about that. It’s been a while since the Ookiku blogs, and I rather feel defensive about sports anime when it’s getting attacked by otakus from all sides it seems.
Speaking of players solely playing mindgames, I guess good examples could be the old Glavine/Maddux in the 90’s where they had middling or even terrible speeds, but based their ENTIRE games on off-balancing opponents and fluking people with rising fastballs, curves and such. They can get punished rather badly if they misread the opponents, but when they get the mind-game on, they even get around to homerun hitters like Pujols. Baseball is really an art. There’s no other way to describe it. Especially when it’s such a personal, 1 on 1 basis without the excessive physical aspects of Basketball, Football or Hockey where physicality and team-tactics overrides individual efforts in the world of team sports.
i just started on this one and i’m liking it already. it kinda reminds me of Monster, what with all the headology being applied to people.
I agree with you 100%. I love this anime. I loved Kaiji and this reminds me a lot of that! Great anime!
Oh em Gee!! i SuPpeR Love This aNime!!!
This is sO aweSome! sPeCiaLLy TokuChi!! =] hahaha
bTw!.. LiaR GaMe is aLsO aweSome!..
iT’s a manGa FRom The Same CReaToR oF One OuTs!.. =]