Here goes my "Let's Draw Nomo" Song!
Two balls came flying in.
Small balls came flying in, too.
But hold on, here's one more.
Just barely scrape the surface for a fine play.
Cross one, two, and three mountains.
The sign for "victory" is V! V! V!
Then we have ourselves another V! V! V!
And surprise! We're done!
That's game, set, and Nomo's done!
So this is Ryuou Academy High.
They're gunning for the National Championships, apparently.
They've got high hopes, don't they?
And they have every reason for it.
They made it to the top eight in last summer's Koshien tournament,
and they made it into the top four in this spring's invitational tournament.
That's his second of the day, isn't it?
They've got a slugger with fifty high school career home runs under his belt;
and a seamless batting lineup centered around Yoshino, their clean-up hitter.
Their twin tower pitchers that you're looking at on the right and left
are both legitimate fastball pitchers who can top 140km/h.
They're clearly the favorites in everyone's book.
What are you going to do about it, Ko?
We won't make it to the Koshien unless we beat these guys.
We'll pull through somehow.
It looks like going up against that cleanup hitter will at least be easier than pitching to Azuma anyway.
You can't tell how a game's going to end until you play it.
Right, Azuma?
Yeah.
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
Fukashi Higashi (TV TOKYO) Naohiko Furuichi
Producers
Osamu Sekita
Director
Shogakukan Shueisha Production
Production Studio
SUBTITLED BY ANBU
Well well, if it isn't the prefab squad.
What's going on here?
Trying to spy on us before the game?
I didn't know you transferred to Ryuou.
Hey, Azuma.
I never would have imagined that you'd decide to stay behind with these guys.
And you wanted to go to Koshien so bad, too.
Running errands for your upperclassmen?
Oh shut up!
You can't play in games for a year if you transfer over to a different school!
But that's just in official games, isn't it?
You should have no problems participating in a scrimmage match, if I recall correctly.
If the coach wanted to play you, that is.
W-What are you trying to say?
Nothing at all.
You're out!
Who's the guy who hit the liner just now?
No clue.
We have too many people on our team.
He's not a regular, that's for sure.
Keitaro Mishima.
You know that guy?
Yeah.
I met him once in the senior leagues.
You better give up on your ridiculous dream while you're still ahead;
because we're playing in the Koshien both this year and next!
You got that?
Who was he again?
Oh come on.
You guys played in the same team until last summer, remember?
That was Kubo, the third baseman.
Where are you going?
The restroom.
Strike!
Miki.
Azuma.
Looks like you're still playing baseball,
since I'm seeing you here.
Damn right I am.
What would I have left if they took baseball away from me?
Where did you transfer to?
Some nameless public school.
We have twelve guys on the team.
Sounds fun, doesn't it?
But I still can't believe that he got demoted to the prefab squad,
and you deciding to stay with them.
Me neither.
But it doesn't look like you're regretting it;
you look better than you did a year ago.
Same goes for you.
Let's meet on the field again.
Yeah.
Did you see that at-bat just now?
Yeah.
He's just like Azuma.
Azuma remembered his name after only meeting him once.
Keitaro Mishima...
You guys want to grab some beef bowls before heading back?
You're going to get some lip from the manager if you do.
I've got somewhere to be.
Sorry, guys.
What's with him?
I guess it's that time of the year again.
Once a year, he turns into a total hermit.
I'll just have to man up!
Huh?
Wow, what a coincidence!
I guess I've been giving you much less credit than you deserve!
Getting a present for your girlfriend?
W-Well, sort of...
I see.
It's okay, I won't tell anyone.
So, what are you looking for exactly?
R-Really, it's okay.
Excuse me!
Could we get something reminiscent of flourishing high school youth for this guy?
I-I'll take this one.
Consider yourself lucky!
You managed to find a good one thanks to me.
Yes, thank you.
Though it's nothing compared to this brooch.
This would look so nice on Ichiyo...
Don't you think this will go perfect on the chest area of her apron?
Maybe?
I can just see her wearing it now...
That's it for today's lecture.
It sure is pouring.
They don't call it the rainy season for nothing.
I miss the sun.
You've been cleaning that part forever, you know.
I can't get this stain off right here.
It always gets to me since it's clearly visible from my seat.
I really do hate guys who sweat small things like that.
And I'm done here.
I'll go clear the blackboard.
You'll be playing in the first qualification round soon, won't you, Aoba?
We'll come and root for you, so good luck!
Sure thing... is what I'd like to say,
but I won't be playing in that game.
Isn't it frustrating?
You've got the skills for it,
but they won't let you play just because you're a girl.
Thanks, but even if I were a guy it'd still be a little hard for me to play.
Our regulars this year are really good.
Really?
But not good enough to get to the Koshien, righ—
I don't know about that.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You're scary, Aoba.
And that's it for today's cleaning.
Who's this school on the very top again?
It says "Ryuou Academy" no matter how many times you see it.
With the number one seed next to their name, too.
It's a good thing we went to go check them out earlier, right?
We just had to get the worst lottery pick, didn't we?
This is a good thing;
we can go up against them before you start wearing out from playing consecutive games.
Either way, we'll have to play them if we want to get to Koshien.
You guys sure like to think positive, don't you?
We won't be able to go up against them unless we do.
Yup, yup.
Thought so.
Ryuou Academy High, 11th grader.
Keitaro Mishima.
As the only freshman on the team, he started the opening game of last summer's North Tokyo Tournament
as the sixth batter and center fielder.
He fractured his left wrist at the top of the third inning;
a serious injury which sidelined him for six months.
It appears that his coach didn't play him in the Spring Tournament because he was still worried about the wrist.
On a side note, he hit a home run to left field in the one at-bat he had
in that game where he fractured his wrist.
You dummy, I was the one who asked for this.
Huh?
I thought Azuma asked me.
Who are you reading about?
I had her find out for me exactly because I don't know.
And so?
They made the top four in the Spring Invitationals, huh?
Ryuou Academy High.
Yeah?
"Let's Win the National Championships!" huh?
I'm counting on you, ace.
Now then, I guess I'll go for a run.
You sure it's okay to rely on a guy like him?
I think the same thing when I look at his usual self.
But...
But?
He's quite ominous.
Kirigaoka West High School.
This is their baseball team's second year since formation;
naturally, they don't have any 12th graders.
So they don't have very many players, then?
Yeah.
But since they used to be an all-girls high school until three years ago,
they're in no way lacking in the cheerleaders and female managers department.
As a side note, they apparently have way more female managers than they do players.
I feel threatened... and really jealous at the same time.
Ow!
How could you say something so thoughtless like that?
If you haven't noticed,
there will be no forgiveness for you if you put on a half-assed display,
from me or Waka.
Yeah.
Could you take over the counter for me, Aoba?
Coming.
Oh hey, Ko.
Hi.
Feel free to stay a while.
Where's the brooch?
Isn't it cute?
Nomo's really taken a liking to it.
It really does look good on her.
Go go, Kiri West!
Slug 'em out, Kiri West!
Wow.
Those cheerleaders are blinding me.
Ours aren't doing so bad either.
Let's go, Seishu, let's go!
All we have are kids?
This is depressing.
Just too depressing.
All right, let's turn this feeling of emptiness into strength!
Yeah!
Strike!
Three strikeouts on nine pitches, eh?
All right, Ko!
Senda!
Give 'em all you've got!
It's our turn to attack!
All right, come at me from anywhere you want!
Strike!
You're so cool, Sakurakoji!
Jun Sakurakoji,
also known as "The Smiling Prince."
His chiseled looks grabs the hearts of girls;
he even has his own fanclub within the school.
Strike three!
Damn it!
I love you!
You're so cool!
This isn't an 'N Sync concert, you know.
I'm the prince you all should be cheering for, damn it!
Damn it.
I'm not going to lose to their cheering!
Fourth batter: first baseman, Azuma.
All right!
That's two runs for us!
Foul!
Are you sure that wasn't a home run?
Play fair, ref!
At least go read up on the difference between a home run and a foul, will you?
Looks like the bottom of our batting order's getting some at-bats now, too.
Tada!
Yay!
The ever-so popular first baseman and shortstop Senda has opened up a chance!
Ball!
Yeah, he's seeing the pitches well.
Yay!
Game over!
A mercy rule victory at the bottom of the fifth, eh?
Looks like the wind helped us there.
Yeah.
But Miya's swing from last year probably wouldn't get past the fence unless there was a typhoon behind it.
He has been taking a ridiculous amount of swings ever since he was named captain, you know.
But it's a shame we couldn't let Ko pitch a little more.
That in itself is a luxury.
That was so close!
This sucks!
Sucks to be you!
It may have been a ten run difference,
but a loss is a loss!
We got past the first round,
but despite the fact that our defense didn't have to do much because of their offensive inefficiency,
we still made a few mistakes.
I've written out a few pointers about our offense as well,
so be sure to read it over.
We can learn even through easy victories.
Got it?
He's looking at even the minor details, huh?
But he's accurate.
Yeah.
That old man is an ominous one as well.
And, Nakanishi,
it looks like you've only lost three kilograms.
Oh,
I heard that a strenuous diet plan is bad for a growing teenager, so...
It's okay.
You let me worry about the nutritional management of this training camp, okay?
Okay.
You may rest until dinner time.
Yes, sir!
Okubo, Tsukishima, you girls can go back home now.
Yes, sir.
Thank you for your hard work.
In any case,
three cheers for Seishu Academy High getting past the first round!
Hooray!
You wanted to pitch, right?
Why don't we wrap it up here.
I can still go.
You wouldn't want to keep your party waiting forever now, would you?
See ya.
Don't quit baseball, okay?
What gave you that idea?
All right.
I heard they won their first match easily.
He struck out ten batters while only giving up one infield hit over five innings.
Wow.
But it wasn't as easy as you think.
He didn't go easy on any of the batters.
You're watching footage of the Ryuou game?
We're up against San'nou next, you know.
I know.
But since we don't have too much data on them...
You just have to pitch like you always do.
Go root your heart out for Ko, okay?
I'm going to root for the team, not him!
Whatever you say.
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Twenty-Four:
It's an honor.
I've got to thank you, Azuma.
After meeting you, I'm not afraid of any batters anymore.