Only a handful of teams
are allowed to stand on that ground.
It's a field that all teams dream about and respect.
Koshien Stadium.
Ei-chan, good luck!
Great pitching is something created by the pitcher and catcher working in unison.
Miyuki Kazuya.
Meeting him...
completely changed my high school baseball career.
Nice pitch.
One more ball.
Please...
Coach.
Captain Yuki, Isashiki-senpai,
Masuko-senpai, and Ryosuke-san...
Our team entered the summer tournament with those incredible upperclassmen.
Seido has last year's champions Inashiro against the wall!
One more out and they're headed to Koshien Stadium!
We can do it!
We're going...
to win!
We're winning this thing!
Hanshin Koshien Stadium
We're going to that field!
Hit by pitch!
This can't be happening!
Make it stop!
In the championship game against Inashiro...
We were one out away from playing at Koshien Stadium.
But my pitch hit a batter, which tied the score.
Then we gave up the lead and it was a walk-off loss.
We missed that ticket to nationals.
I don't want any more memories like this.
As the game ended,
all I could do was watch from the bench.
With more power...
If I had more power...
I won't let anyone take me off the mound again.
I will become this team's ace.
Seido Spirit Dorm
What does it mean to play at Koshien Stadium?
What is at that field?
I don't know.
I don't know why you're asking...
High School Baseball Invitational
but who would work hard to go somewhere anyone can go?
We try because it's hard.
It's a dream because it's hard to make it reality, right?
What's at Koshien Stadium? Don't make me laugh.
If you want to know, go see it for yourself.
Idiot.
Seido Homei
We overcame a grueling fall East Tokyo Tournament,
winning numerous difficult games,
and earned a spot at the invitational.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kuramochi Tojyo Kominato Miyuki Furuya Shirasu Kanemaru Yamaguchi Aso
I'm here.
I'm standing on this field.
This dirt..
Seido Homei
The stands...
The smells...
The air is nice at Koshien Stadium.
Number 18 Sawamura Eijun (second-year)
You tried to hog this all to yourself, Furuya.
Twitch
Number 1 Furuya Satoru (second-year)
I pitched the whole time.
Twitch
He's got good balance.
Is he a southpaw pitcher?
It looks like he's smiling.
This is how chapter 2 of the Sawamura Legend begins!
It slipped!
Plop
He's red! His face is red!
He's red all the way to his ears!
You're right! He's bright red!
You can see how red he is from the stands!
It's okay! That doesn't count! We'll pretend we didn't see it!
Get back up!
He stood up defiantly for some reason!
Don't let it get to you, #18!
Hey, he's moving!
It's not too late to rethink your life, kid!
How many deep breaths is he gonna take?
Hurry up and pitch!
Koshien Stadium, the spring invitational.
It's a tournament where 32 teams selected
from each prefecture and regional competition.
Last fall, Seido High School won the Tokyo Tournament
and earned a ticket to Koshien Stadium for the first time in seven years.
Two outs, Eijun-kun!
Number 4 Kominato Haruichi (second-year)
Sawamura, we'll forget about the walk you gave up!
Number 15 Kanemaru Shinji (second-year)
Stay focused on the batter!
Number 8 Tojyo Hideaki (second-year)
I know!
I know what to do!
Steal!
He's stealing a base!
Out!
He threw it right to his feet!
He was stealing it perfectly!
That guy rises up again!
Number 2, Captain Miyuki Kazuya (third-year)
1.83 seconds.
I see why they're eyeing him for the draft!
His shoulder is as good as they say!
That means he's a good batter, too.
You let him steal.
Too many steals.
That start...
Did he pick up a habit from the Jingu Tournament?
They shouldn't be allowed to have a catcher like that!
When facing a team that frequently makes it to Koshien Stadium...
you can't take your eye off them.
Seido Homei
It's the bottom of the eighth.
Seido High has given up two hits and one run.
There's now a runner on first.
Number 6 Kuramochi Yoichi (third-year)
That's three outs!
Nice cheetah!
That shortstop Kuramochi moves well.
He's fast and balances his body well.
I wonder how his batting will improve.
Nice cheetah!
Nice cheetah, You-san!
Seido High School is making a substitution.
Seido Homei
In the bottom of the ninth, Seido High School scored another run
and sent in a pinch hitter.
He was in the first string last year
but after falling into a big slump, he was pulled off the starting lineup.
Maezono!
Oh, yeah!
He's letting Maezono-kun bat.
The bench gets excited when he gets a hit.
The team must be hoping he'll get back into a rhythm.
Yeah.
Zono, get this done!
Number 3 Maezono Kenta (third-year)
Yeah!
It's a high fly ball to the second baseman!
Damn it!
His swing isn't bad.
It's just his timing.
It's the last inning! Let's wrap this up!
Homei isn't just going to let us win.
Remember to be aggressive while you're defending.
Yes, sir!
The team's emotions affect how they play.
Those watching the game can feel them, too.
You aren't just the team representing Tokyo.
You're here on behalf of all baseball players.
It's not enough to enjoy the game.
Seido High School Coach Kataoka Tesshin
Go and experience the totality of baseball.
Let's go!
Yeah!
As we players battle on the ground...
...our every action excites the crowd in the stands.
And as their cheers reach us...
...they raise our spirits, too!
No matter what team we face...
...we never intend to lose!
We will be the top team in the nation!
Game over!
Homei hung on well, but Seido High School has taken this first-round game!
Yes, yes, yes!
Yeah!
Seido Homei
Lip Sync
He throws really well, but he didn't finish the game.
The ace, Furuya-san?
They probably wanted to give the other pitchers some field time.
Sawamura Eijun...
New First-Year Yui Kaoru
They'll need him if they want to be national champions.
New First-Year Yuki Masashi
Changing pitchers in the seventh inning with two outs.
That was a shrewd call.
New First-Year Okumura Koshu
New First-Year Seto Takuma
Maybe they knew how many pitches he would throw.
Good game!
Win the next game, too!
We're at nationals to restore our school's reputation.
This victory begins Seido High School's run to becoming champions.
At least it should have.
From today's second game,
Seido High School from Tokyo will be advancing to the second round.
It feels like they forced the other team down, instead of just protecting their lead.
They're a really strong team.
Hey, are you watching, Masamune?
We might be facing their pitcher in the third round.
They threw some nasty pitches during the Jingu Tournament.
Especially that pitcher Furuya―
Hmph.
The guy who ran away from Hokkaido, right?
He's nothing.
Renji.
Gather the players from their rooms.
Yes, sir.
Masamune.
You're the relief pitcher tomorrow.
Start warming up in the bullpen in the first inning.
Where's Kengo?
He is resting in his room.
This is no time for laying down.
Have him do some exercises before dinner.
We don't want to drop out in the first round.
Komadai Fujimaki Coach Nitta Kozo
We'll fight with our best players tomorrow.
Komadai Fujimaki Number 1 Hongo Masamune (second-year)
To be honest...
Seido (Western Tokyo) Day 5, Game 2 Homei (Oita, Kyushu) Daishi Academy (Nagano, Northern Shinetsu) Day 5, Game 3 Terumi (Fukui, Northern Shinetsu) Kyomadai Fujimaki (Northern Hokkaido) Day 6, Game 1 Toyoda (Aichi, Toyoda)
I still didn't know anything...
Seido
Kyomadai Fujimaki
about what it means...
to play on this field.
No, I could have pitched more.
My second year of high school
began at the Koshien Stadium.
Furuya's incredible.
Hm?
Here, look at this.
Whoa!
Monster Level
Furuya
He's in this paper, too.
Wow.
If you're interested, just pick one up.
What about Sawamura?!
Where do they mention the fiery relief pitcher Sawamura?!
Nowhere, idiot!
And he's over there sleeping!
You're not a little kid.
Number 13 Seki Naomichi (third-year)
Number 7 Aso Takeru (third-year)
Keep it down, Sawamura.
Whoa, coffee!
What is that grown-up look you have, Aso-senpai?
Yeah, he's the type who grows up on vacation.
You don't even drink canned coffee usually!
We have practice this afternoon, right?
Number 10 Kawakami Norifumi (third-year)
Number 9 Shirasu Kenjiro (third-year)
Yeah, but only for two hours.
Where's Zono?
He went to the park to practice his swing.
He starts early.
Maybe we should join him.
Tojyo, what do you want to do?
I'll go later. There's not enough space.
How'd you sleep, Miyuki?
Not that well.
Part of it is that we aren't playing today.
It just felt like a waste to sleep.
I know what you mean.
Some of the team went back to Tokyo, so sleeping just seems...
Right!
There are TV programs that don't air in Tokyo, too.
Yeah, exactly!
Did you see that one commercial?
They're getting along really well.
The one with Hirapa?
It's a Koshien miracle!
Tournament Day 6, Game 1
Kyodai Fujimaki Toyoda
Komadai Fujimaki leads by two.
They're taking out their starting pitcher, Midorikawa.
He's finally out!
The young monster who heated up the summer is taking the mound!
Hongo Masamune!
He wears the ace number, and is returning to Koshien Stadium!
Hongo-kun!
Masamune!
They swing at low pitches.
Be ready from the first pitch.
This is the first round toward successive championships.
What kind of pitches do you expect to throw?
I don't really expect anything.
Huh?
Well, are there any teams you have your eye on?
No.
Why'd you give those non-committal responses?
Don't treat this as a chore.
Can't you be a little more cooperative?
You need the media on your side to succeed at Koshien Stadium.
Masamune, are you getting enough to eat?
You still look thin.
Go gain some weight!
No, a pitcher has to be able to run!
Do you have a girlfriend?
We're counting on you next year, too!
Any goals?
Only thinking about winning again?
Raise your awareness
to that of a championship pitcher at Koshien Stadium.
They annoy me.
Every single one of them.
I'm the one playing baseball!
There it is!
His last resort, the split!
Enough from the peanut gallery.
Swing and a miss!
Three strike outs in a row!
Yeah, that's the stuff!
That's what I came to see!
Did you see how he looked on the mound?
So intense!
A monstrous sixteen-year-old!
The air sure has changed.
He's in a class all his own.
I've been following him since last year!
Hongo!
Masamune!
Getting all excited over low pitches.
Idiot.
We don't know what will happen next.
The champions of last year's summer tournament and Jingu Tournament.
Komadai Fujimaki.
He pitched just as well as Narumi as a first-year.
His pitches were hitting the high 140s.
Are they fighting?
Hongo Masamune...
He's the same year as you two.
Masamune Hongo!
He may not be Sawamura, but he gets people excited!
With players like that all over the country...
If things go as expected, they'll reach the third round.
And they'll be facing...
They were the last wall that stood in Mei's way last year.
Narumiya's Power Runs Out
Four Pitcher Relay
Extra 14th Inning Three Pinch Hitters
Kyomadai Coach Nitta
Calls it like he sees it
There's no better opponent to measure our strength against.
Let us avenge Inashiro's loss, Cap!
We need to win the second round first.
Keep it down, idiot!
Eijun-kun, do you know where we are?
I'm on fire!
Could you sit down?
We're gonna get complaints.
We're gonna win!
Shut up.
"Beyond the Dream"
"Beyond the Dream."
Nice pitch, Furuya!
You're looking better, but don't get overconfident!
If you just look at the speed gun and ignore the batter, you'll regret it!
I'm not looking at it.
They acknowledge each other
and try to improve themselves.
Eijun-kun and Furuya-kun make good rivals.
Worry not! If your pitching gets weird, I'm ready to take your place!
That won't happen.
Shut up.
Next time on Ace of Diamond Act II
Next episode "I Want to Stand Up Soon"
"I Want to Stand Up Soon."
Let's win the national title!