They're calling!
Hello?
Oh, hello there.
Could we get one tenpura donburi and one tanuki soba?
Thank you for your patronage.
Mitsuru Adachi
（Serialized in Shogakukan's 「Weekly Shonen Sunday」）
Created by
Toshihiro Nakazawa
Nobumasa Sawabe
Planning
Masato Hayashi
Rei Anami (TV TOKYO)
Shin'ichirou Tsuzuki
Planning Assistance
Toshisato Okuno Shin Omura Takenori Ichihara
Tetsuya Takeda
Supervisors
Original Planning Assistance
Michihiro Tsuchiya
Series Composition
Yuji Kondo
Main Character Design
Maho Takahashi
Tomoyuki Matsumoto
Koichi Imano
Art Design
Subcharacter Design
Prop Design
Kayoko Ono
Miki Tsubouchi
Hiromi Komine
Yutaka Kuramoto
Art Director
Color Design
Photography Director
Editing
Nobuhide Tanaka Toshiyuki Kuroiwa
Kotaro Nakagawa
Takeshi Takadera
HALF H・P STUDIO
Music Producer
Music
Sound Director
Sound Production
「Summer Rain」
Lyrics／Composition: Kentaro Kobuchi
Arrangement: Kobukuro
Kobukuro
（Warner Music Japan）
Opening Theme
Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment
TV-TOKYO Music
Warner Music Japan
Music Assistance
Ryosuke Sakurai
Animation Producer
Animation Production
Shin'nosuke Wada (TV TOKYO) Naohiko Furuichi
Producers
Osamu Sekita
Director
Shogakukan Shueisha Production
Production Studio
SUBTITLED BY ANBU
Looks like we didn't get the phone call after all.
I guess we're out of the Spring Invitationals.
It's no big surprise if you consider how we fared at the Autumn Tournament.
If only we had racked up one more win...
Let bygones be bygones.
Not having been invited just means we'll have to punch our own ticket to the Koshien.
Look who's talking.
Yeah, says the person who suddenly got acute appendicitis right before our all-important game.
It's not like I could have done anything to avoid it, you know.
If not for the Summer Tournament, I would've played even if it'd killed me.
Like we'd actually let you.
That's right, your health is what's most important.
Speaking of which, is Tsukishima still down with the cold?
I don't think I saw her at school today either.
Well if you're so concerned, why don't one of you guys go and—
You go.
What are you doing?
Can't you tell?
I'm shoveling snow.
What about your cold?
Can't you tell? I've completely recovered.
Completely? Then...
you were playing hooky, weren't you?!
What did you say?
I just had to stay home because even dad fell sick this morning.
Exactly what kind of germs have you been spreading around?
None that you need to worry about since you won't be getting them.
What's that supposed to mean?
Exactly what it sounds like.
More like, are you really going to feed everyone the porridge that you made?
What's that supposed to mean?
Exactly what it sounds like.
But Ichiyo's much better now, so I'll be back at school tomorrow.
Did you guys get into the Invitationals?
We didn't even make the waiting list.
Thought so.
I guess they're telling us to find our own way into the Koshien.
Even Wakaba's dream was of the Summer Koshien, right?
Oh yeah!
Speaking of the Summer Koshien...
Did you see this?
The All-Japan High School Baseball Tournament Art Poster Competition.
Oh, they have this every year, right?
What about it?
The grand prize?!
Didn't you know?
They apparently decided on it at the end of last year.
I wasn't told about this.
She won the grand prize, huh?
What a surprise.
I see.
That only makes sense.
I guess it'd be a little embarrassing to break the news to the model of the portrait directly.
The model?
Anyone and their mother can tell that's your form on the portrait.
No, this is your form.
What are you saying?
You're the one who copied my form, remember?
No, this is undoubtedly your form.
Last year, I lent her the sequence photographs of your pitching form that I studied.
This is awesome, they're going to be displaying this on the huge backscreen!
Looks like your entry to the Koshien's already been decided on before all of ours.
But I...
But what?
I mean, no matter how I see it, the person in the portrait looks like a boy.
That's exactly why it's you.
What's that supposed to mean?
Exactly what it sounds like.
What did you say?
Say that one more time!
Quit it!
Ow...
So this is the mouth!
I can't sleep through all the racket you guys are making!
I was just making porridge.
Did you flavor it yet?
I was just about to.
Thank goodness.
What's that supposed to mean?
Exactly what it sounds like.
I don't have to take that from you!
You did, I was just speaking on their behalf.
On behalf of who?
Isn't it obvious?
I'm speaking on behalf of the entire world—
Spring can't be far behind, huh?
Hello.
Oh, hello there.
Daddy wanted me to order some alcohol for the store.
R-Really?
In that case...
Oops.
Do I really resemble her that much?
Aoba's sister who passed away, that is.
S-Sorry.
I bet it doesn't make you feel too good hearing it.
Hearing that you look like someone else, that is.
Oh no, not at all.
Especially since she seemed to have been a very wonderful person.
You liked her too, didn't you, Akaishi?
Oh yeah, do you have any pictures of her?
I do, but they're all from far away or from behind...
I don't have any decent pictures of her.
You should ask Ko.
He's got piles and piles of her pictures.
So they were good friends, then.
Yeah.
She really liked Ko.
I see now.
Huh?
Oh nothing.
Could you take care of that for me, then?
You look like my dead uncle, Akaishi.
Like your... uncle?
Oh, he was my favorite uncle, though.
Even if you say that...
Are you going to join the baseball team when you get into middle school like Aoba?
Oh no, I'm not as into baseball like her.
Besides, I'm much better at swimming.
I heard you beat Wakaba's record for the 50 meter front crawl not too long ago.
That's amazing.
Not really.
Waka's record is frozen in time now;
besides, I couldn't break it at the age she set it.
I'm sure she's happy for you.
What she's more happy about, I'm sure,
is that you've become an amazing pitcher who's better than Ao.
That wouldn't be the case either, had Aoba been a boy.
You're lucky that Ao's a girl, then.
Oh yeah, Ao said she might be trying out for the Womens National Team, right?
Hey, Tsukishima!
We're making monjayaki over at Nakayama's.
Wanna come with?
Yeah, I'll go.
See ya, Ko.
Here, have some coffee.
Thanks.
You should have at least put on a jacket or something.
Aren't you cold?
Not at all.
Nice catch!
You must have been really cool back when you were still playing baseball.
I don't know about that.
I couldn't see anything else but baseball back when I was in high school.
I was the star player on my team,
so I wasn't treated like one of the guys.
I'm pretty sure I had more enemies than friends on that team.
Really?
Yeah.
What I know for sure, though, is that I'm much cooler the way I am now.
Speaking of which,
that day is coming up soon, isn't it?
That day?
I've got a sweet tooth, so I wouldn't mind getting a huge one.
I actually wouldn't mind a heart-shaped one either—
It's suddenly gotten cold, hasn't it?
Were you listening to what I said?
All right, I'll make this one!
A man needs to be ambitious!
Haven't you had enough for one day?
I'm just getting warmed up.
Oh yeah, I made up my mind, Azuma.
I'm going to try out for the team.
I see.
Like, what do you want for Valentines, Ma?
Like, it'd be totally awesome if you gave me back like a ring on White Day!
Valentine's Day, huh?
I heard you got the most chocolates out of all the guys on the baseball team last year.
Wasn't there at least one decent girl among them?
Nope.
Since the only person I wouldn't mind going out with at the moment, is you.
At the moment, that is.
Huh?
Huh?!
I thought today was the 14th;
I must have been mistaken!
Please accept this...
Huh...
Wow!
You're giving out that many friendship chocolates, huh?
I'm not the one giving them out; I received them.
From girls?
Yeah, see ya.
That's a lot of rivals to beat down.
Geez, that bag of yours makes me sick.
How many did you get this year?
No clue.
I don't think any of them were serious anyway.
I wish those words were coming out of my mouth.
Isn't there at least one decent girl among them that you wouldn't mind going out with?
I told you.
The only person I wouldn't mind going out with right now is Aoba Tsukishima.
Didn't I tell you guys before?
This is the first time I've heard that.
Oh, I see.
I think I'm starting to see why the girls like him.
Yeah.
You're late, Senda!
What were you doing?
My bad.
You were out buying chocolates, huh?
Dumbass, these are actually—
You dropped your receipt.
Huh...
Well, in my case, girls hesitate to give chocolates to me
because they know I'm going to get them something much better later.
But you still haven't received a single one in your seventeen years, right?
I feel sorry for you—
Here, I stayed up all night making this for you.
Thanks.
Damn it.
Looks like I didn't need a bag this big.
How many did you get, Senpai?
Oh shut up and leave me alone.
Let me see!
Don't touch them!
Oh come on.
Quit it!
Since we're talking about you here, I'm sure you received plenty.
Don't look!
What are you going to do about my chocolates?
So, how many were inside?
F-Four.
Oh my, that's a lot less than I expected.
Give me back my chocolates!
Even if you tell me that, it's not like I can—
You go buy four of them and give them to me!
Four chocolates, right?
Oh, hold a second.
Thank you for waiting.
Thanks.
Oh yeah, I heard you were going to try out.
So you heard, huh?
Well I figured it might give me something to talk about later.
I'm not all that keen on joining the National Team, though.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...
You bought one extra.
That one's...
What are you two doing here?
Hello.
Chocolates?
Well, this is actually...
Yup, perfect.
I'm sure the truck driver's surprised by the find in his truck bed right about now.
So, what of this?
Oh, give that to Azuma for me.
To Azuma?
I got you back your four chocolates now, you hear?
I'll be going on ahead.
Bye, Akane.
Bye.
I see.
Today's February 14th, huh?
We're an all-girls school so no one makes a big deal about it.
I don't think anyone's too serious about it in the first place.
But it sounds fun.
Hey, Kitamura?
There's something I want to ask you.
What is it?
No, I'll save it for later.
Huh?
Tsukishima gave this to me?
Yeah.
What about you?
On what planet would she ever give me one?
Good for you.
You said you wouldn't mind going out with Aoba, right?
I like how I can't really understand her.
What?
She's like the easiest person to understand out there!
She definitely knows what she likes and doesn't like, plus she never hesitates to show her emotions.
Yeah, but you forgot one important thing:
that she's not a girl who's honest with herself.
Ko, Akane's here!
Sorry to call you out all of a sudden.
It's all right.
Is this a continuation from earlier?
Yes.
Could you show me some pictures of Wakaba Tsukishima?
This is Akane in the fifth grade?
Yeah.
I borrowed them from some guy who went to the same elementary school as her.
They all seem like they were taken from far away or from behind her back;
none of them really seem decent.
That's what photos taken by a guy with a crush will look like.
Still, these are quite shocking.
She's shocked, too.
In Kitamura's room right about now.
Are they together?
Yeah.
I figured I shouldn't get in their way so I came out.
I see.
I wonder how what Ko thinks about this.
He's elated about it, I'm sure.
All that's left now for him is to hope that her taste in boys is similar to Waka's.
That just might be the case.
Especially since they're this much alike.
But then again, he only bagged himself four chocolates on Valentine's,
despite being the ace of the baseball team.
That's because the rumors of you two going out are still going strong.
Well that's just great.
I'm going to go take a few swings over at the batting center.
I'm going to step outside for a bit, too.
Was there some sort of mistake?
Excuse me?
I got a chocolate from you.
Oh, I asked him to do that.
I did indeed. Yes.
I see.
In that case, thank you.
So this is where you were.
You came just in time!
Could you serve the customers for a little bit?
I'm going to take a few swings, too.
W-Wait, I made this for—
W-What...
That cake was delicious!
Here, have some coffee.
Oh no, I was just about to leave.
Oh don't worry, you live right next door; take your time.
What are you doing?
Seeing those two together now makes me think that Wakaba and Ko really did grow up together.
Well, close the door for now; it's cold.
So it's just like Akaishi said.
I see now.
How much Wakaba liked you, that is.
But we were just 5th graders back then.
I bet we'd be disgusted with each other by now if she was still alive.
I'll even bet on it.
That that would never have happened.
There are a lot of pictures with Aoba here, too.
Yeah, you couldn't separate those two.
Thanks a lot.
Don't mention it.
Oh yeah.
Here you go.
Well, good night.
Good night!
Good night.
You didn't have to come see me off like this.
It's not like I'm leaving forever.
Come on now...
Don't hold back.
Show all those girls from around the country just how good Aoba Tsukishima is.
So Aoba's at the Women's National Team try outs, huh?
Are you worried about her?
Why would I be?
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Thirty-Six:
Girls Baseball!?
How could I be a pitcher if I was scared of home runs?