Tomorrow's the big day, isn't it?
It's tomorrow indeed.
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
Wow, this is getting exciting!
They're even going to show it on TV, right?
It might only be the third round, but they are up against Ryuou!
They did place in the final four at the Invitationals.
That just means we won't know until we try.
You're going over to Jingu Stadium to cheer them on, aren't you, Ichiyo?
With Momiji, that is.
That's right.
We even managed to find a curious fellow who offered to drive us there.
Aren't you two going, as well?
I'll be watching it on TV over at the Kitamuras.
It comes with a meal, beer, and some finger food, as well.
We don't want to get in the way by actually being there, after all.
You got that right.
Whenever they go to root for someone, the team they root for ends up losing.
I see.
We'll stop practice here for today.
I want you all to get a good night's rest in preparation for tomorrow's game.
I don't have to remind you that our opponent is a tough one.
This might just be the last game you third years will ever play in a Seishu uniform.
But the possibility of that not happening is just as big,
so don't go making summer vacation plans yet, you hear?
We'll be waking up at five tomorrow,
and getting together at six.
We'll leave you behind if you don't wake up!
And, Nakanishi...
Me?
Why am I the only one who has to do extra running?
This will affect my performance in tomorrow's game, you know!
Run now, complain later!
Is what Coach told me to tell you.
That old devil!
Hey, Nakanishi!
You sure look fired up.
What part of me looks fired up?
You shouldn't shoot down someone who's trying to compliment you, you know.
I'll come and watch you play tomorrow,
so give your best, all right?
Let's go, Nakanishi!
Let's go!
Jesus.
What's wrong with her?
Is that your girlfriend?
S-She's not, I swear.
Sure, sure. Let's go, Nakanishi!
Nice literature you got there.
Oikawa.
You should read something more becoming of a high school baseball player.
Like some manga, or photos of gravure idols or something.
You sure seem relaxed.
We are playing a game tomorrow, you know.
It's not like I'll be pitching before our superstar, "The Silent Ace" steps on the mound anyway.
Do you not think you'll get a chance to pitch or something?
I probably will.
If they're as good as you think they are, that is.
Welcom—
Long time, no see.
What brings you here today?
I wanted to do some conditioning before the upcoming tournament.
Could you take a look at my swings for me?
I guess I could.
Seishu's playing Ryuou Academy tomorrow, right?
Yes, we're playing at Jingu.
You guys really lucked out in the lottery, huh?
To be playing one of the final four this early in the competition...
They may be the ones who are out of luck, actually.
You would say that.
But for some reason it actually feels like that might be true when you say that.
Oh yeah.
I heard that the cocky girl that I met here last time is starring in a movie or something.
Are you talking about Shido?
She didn't get the lead role, though.
I heard it's going to be coming out soon.
Idol A is, I mean.
This team went about attacking Shimano the right way.
The problem is whether we'll be able to actually put it into good practice.
You're watching the Ryuou video again?
Yeah.
I'm sorry I'm making you take care of the game calling.
It's like Azuma told you.
All you have to do is concentrate on your pitches.
Ko.
Yeah?
I'm glad I formed a battery with you.
Are you talking about Wakaba's dream?
I'm talking about more than that.
And the game has finally begun!
With Seishu's top batter...
Senda at the plate!
Ryuou's pitcher winds, and here's the pitch!
Boom! He's hit it!
It's going back, way back!
This ball is GONE!
It's a home run off the first pitch!
Suffering the hit, Ryuou's lost all will to fight!
Thank you, you're far too kind.
It's me, Seishu's superstar, Kei'ichiro Senda!
He runs home towards Aoba's loving arms.
Now that's what I call perfect!
Dumbass.
Good night.
We've been blessed with a wonderful day here in Tokyo today,
as we now enter the third round of the National High School Baseball Championship's North Tokyo Qualifiers.
We're now live at Jingu Stadium where swarms of high school baseball fans
and supporters of both schools have been flocking in since early morning.
Today's first game will be starring Ryuou Academy,
who placed in the top eight of last year's summer tournament,
while placing in the final four of this spring's Invitationals.
Today's game will be Ryuou's first in the regional tournament,
and there are high expectations for hitter Shimano and pitcher Matsushima
to lead the team to victory.
You can say all you want now.
That's right.
You're making a big mistake if you think Seishu's the underdog!
Would you like some more edamame, Mr. Tsukishima?
Yes, please.
We'd now like to ask the cast of Idol A what we should look out for in the movie.
Hi, everyone.
I'm Ichiko Suzuki and I play Azusa, the heroine of the movie.
And I think when you're watching the movie you should totally look out for, like,
when Azusa and Keita...
Oh and it was so fun, like when we were like filming the movie,
and you totally have to listen to this—
I'm Risa Shido, and I play the manager of the baseball team.
What you should definitely look for in this movie...
are all the scenes with me in it.
I hope you'll remember my face and name.
And the highly anticipated game between Ryuou Academy and Seishu Academy
is about to begin.
We're now live at Jingu Stadium in the third round of the North Tokyo Regional Qualifiers,
where Ryuou Academy faces off against Seishu Academy.
Ryuou will be playing defense first,
with the left-handed ace, Matsushima, taking the mound.
On first base is their big gun, Shimano,
joined by other familiar faces that fans will surely recognize.
That means we have a chance, right?
Yeah.
At the top of the first inning,
Seishu will be led off by their shortstop, Senda.
Play ball!
You're out!
That was fast.
The siren didn't even finish ringing.
Dumbass.
Strike three!
You're out!
Steady as a rock,
the Silent Ace, Matsushima,
almost makes it look easy.
They dare to play against Ryuou without a strategy?
Now then.
Let's see that 150km/h fastball everyone's been talking about.
At the bottom of the first inning,
Ryuou's attack will be led by leadoff man and center fielder, Nakagawa.
Strike three!
T-That's three strikeouts.
He's struck out Ryuou's first three batters
without a bat touching a single pitch!
A stunning performance put up by Seishu Academy's 11th grader, Ko Kitamura!
He was the center of attention in the second round where he threw a 150km/h fastball,
but what a performance!
An amazing pitcher has entered the fray!
Isn't my control off the charts today?
Y-Yeah.
Your control's not the only thing off the charts today.
You've never seen anyone like him before, huh?
He's not the kind of pitcher we should be playing against in high school.
We really lucked out in the lottery, huh?
At the top of the second inning,
Seishu's offense will be led by fourth batter and first baseman, Azuma.
Seishu's main cannon, clean-up hitter Azuma will be opening the attack this inning.
He was walked in all his at-bats except his last in the previous round against San'nou, but...
There it goes!
It's over the top of the right field wall!
Azuma hits his second consecutive home run following his last in the previous game!
It'd be your guys' fault if we didn't make it to the Koshien with me and Kitamura on the team.
You might be right about that.
Strike three!
You're out!
Strike three!
Steady as a rock!
And he's faithfully struck out the next three batters.
As expected from The Silent Ace, Matsushima!
But the score is now 1-0;
Ryuou has given up the first run!
Don't worry, Matsushima.
I'll get that run back for us soon enough.
Yeah, I'm counting on you.
Fourth batter and first baseman, Shimano.
We're now at the bottom of the second,
as Shimano steps into the batter's box in the midst of the cheers of the roaring crowd.
Ball!
Come on now, don't be scared.
Strike!
Slug it out, Shimano!
Ball!
Shimano! Shimano!
Strike!
That's some good pitch-calling.
And it's a changeup!
With that, he's completely lost balance!
But the ball's landed in an interesting spot!
Shimano runs all out,
and gets on first with an infield hit.
But the crowd is letting out a sigh.
That goes to show how much expectation was put behind this guy!
I'm impressed.
What did you say?
This is the first time anyone's got a bat on a Kitamura pitch today.
Do you have any idea who you're playing against, punk?
Of course I do.
We're playing a Ryuou Academy team that's without Keitaro Mishima.
Am I right?
Now, what kind of pitching will Seishu's ace Kitamura show us
with no outs and a runner on?
You're out!
Strike three!
All right, that's his fourth strikeout!
That's three outs, change sides!
And Shimano is stranded at first base!
They dare to play against Seishu without a strategy?
Come on, we're late!
You said this would be faster than taking the train!
I'm so sorry.
I didn't factor in engine problems into the calculation.
You girls go on ahead, I'll follow after I park the car.
Huh?
Why don't you dump that car already?
They're winning, Ichiyo!
What took you guys so long?
Oh, so you came, Mizuki.
Where's Aoba?
She's over there,
but I think we should leave her alone for the time being.
Come on, Ko!
And he's caught looking!
First batter Nakagawa couldn't do much but stare helplessly.
And that's three strikeouts this inning as well!
All right!
He did it!
Awesome!
All right, keep it up, Ko!
Why don't we sit over here.
All right!
Yeah.
Coach.
Could you let me stand in the first base coach's box starting beginning next inning?
Huh?
At the top of the fourth inning,
Seishu will be led by second batter and left fielder, Miya.
My bad, that was too high.
Not high enough that I couldn't reach with it my mitt.
It should be your speed that you should be apologizing for.
Are you mad?
Not really.
You didn't let it go in vain, after all.
I'm talking about the home run I hit.
You're putting up a good game.
Enjoy it.
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Twenty-Eight:
Let's end this.
I'd forgotten that the batter's box could be this exciting!