Author Topic: Moshidora (Read 2151 times)

jaybug · « **on:** April 28, 2011, 12:17:00 AM »

http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8027

How to manage a baseball team, take it to nationals, while using Peter Drucker's principles of business management.

I lol'd when I read that. But I really wanted to see how they played that out. To me, this is a gasser. When I watched the first episode last night, it really made me think. One, that they can read Drucker, like someone here might read Sun-Tsu. Two, that there a lot of instances where they go for high concepts, that never make it on TV in the US. But that is another topic.

The animation seems rather standard, but it allows for a more impressionistic feeling, to allow for the story concept to sink into the viewer. We are not stunned by the dramatic backgrounds. We are not mesmerized by fanservice. The audience is left alone to concentrate upon the principles that are being talked about.

Baseball seems to be a more serious subject over there. But maybe that's just because baseball geeks have some control over what goes on the air, unlike here. I bet there are baseball purists here that would think Drucker totally inappropriate as a management tool. Not because it for business principles, but that it is too new, and forward thinking.

I really liked what I have seen so far in this show. I also think I will probably come away with a few more tools to use in my daily life. Ooh, good for you TV, that is fun to watch, what a concept.

SJR0531 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2011, 12:28:27 AM »

PLEASE tell me this is what Softenni failed to do and is actually a sports anime. If it's like Big Wind-up! then i'm all for it!

newy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2011, 02:13:26 AM »

I don't think it's really a sports anime. It's probably more of an economics show just put in a baseball environment. Baseball is indeed quite popular in Japan. This show can probably put in the edutainment segment. Making an analogy with a popular topic might help getting people more interested in what rules the world.

A not so serious sidenote: It was surprising that they also use deformed characters. Didn't expected that for said educating show.

GoGeTa006 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2011, 05:05:58 AM »

is this like suzuka?
I wanted to look at it but TBH I dont like sports anime. . .

if its one the Suzuka trail I might give it a shot. .
hows it going?

cptjanvier · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2011, 09:53:12 AM »

Quote from: jaybug

The animation seems rather standard, but it allows for a more impressionistic feeling, to allow for the story concept to sink into the viewer.

Quote from: newy

It was surprising that they also use deformed characters.

Yep, standard animation, but the soft tones, the focus on talking and emotion rather than action, the prominent female protagonists, the quite bishounen male characters and the deformed characters say one thing to me: they are trying to appeal to the female demographic as much as they can. Major had lots of action, shouting and strong colors, Ookiku Furikabutte was all pastels and emotions and while Taisho Yakyuu Musume had plenty of action as the serious shoujo sports anime that it is, it was also all pastels. So the look is completely appropriate and indicative of the content so far (3 eps into the show).

Baseball and management ideas will appeal to the male demographic who is interested in baseball or other sports and the management ideas will make them think about improving their own results.

On that note:

Quote from: jaybug

We are not mesmerized by fanservice.

I'm enjoying the lack of service for male fans as well. But bishies playing baseball

... I hope I'll get to see a game soon. Now who the heck has been drooling all over my keyboard?!

ETA: The show is rather slow than action-packed, but if you like baseball and interesting concepts and don't mind anime that don't have (literal or figurative) explosions every three minutes, I really recommend it so far.

SJR0531 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2011, 03:12:59 PM »

Baseball with explosions?!

*gets down on two knees* God, thank you for this anime. I know i've complained about fanservice for two years now, but once again you have come through with an awesome idea for an anime.

jaybug · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2011, 11:12:36 PM »

So, what would I call this, the why of baseball??? I would guess it runs in the same vein as Big Wind Up, but from the manager's POV, not the star pitcher's.

I don't even care about baseball. But I like these two baseball anime. They're done by people who dearly love baseball, and have the ability to convey that love to their audiences.

Yes, I think this one is girl friendly. Or How to get your girlfriend to like baseball.

aside, a silicone sister with a managing mister is now to read a silicone mister with a managing sister??? Bruce Springsteen would die.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2011, 03:24:52 PM »

Forced to go with gg's subs thinking maybe they did an okay job on it -- They didn't.

sackii · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2011, 05:12:38 PM »

It's more of a management anime. Not much baseball action in it, although there is still enough for baseball lovers to pick it up and watch it. It's quite good and worth watching.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2011, 06:32:19 PM »

How come Japan is so fond with Baseball? It just seems like it from watching Anime.

lStealtherl · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2011, 06:37:25 PM »

Isn't baseball the national sport?

Nikkoru · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:37:14 PM »

Quote from: Tatsujin on July 08, 2011, 06:32:19 PM

How come Japan is so fond with Baseball? It just seems like it from watching Anime.

They've had a Japanese professional league for a quite a while now, the climate is suitable for field sports, and I suppose the nature of the game appeals to Japanese cultural preferences.

I don't understand it at all personally, baseball doesn't simply bore me, to me boredom is simply the absence of stimulation - baseball's the antithesis of all things entertaining for me. A thick rolling fog of tediousness that makes my brain go numb along with a couple of my appendages.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2011, 01:13:12 PM »

Why did they have to take my favorite character away? Why?! And the ending of the last episode was so tearjerker.

....

Lord of Fire · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2011, 04:20:03 PM »

Quote from: Tatsujin on July 09, 2011, 01:13:12 PM

Why did they have to take my favorite character away? Why?! And the ending of the last episode was so tearjerker. ....

What, you didn't see it coming? Maybe it's because I've become a bit familiar with the 'sickly girl' Trope, but given the nature of the story, I saw death flags raised quite quickly.

I liked this show. Nothing great, but it could've been worse, I'm sure.

Bob2004 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 11, 2013, 09:16:16 PM »

I just discovered and watched this today, and I've already finished it. I really loved the concept - as a student of business & Japanese, I get to enjoy watching anime, while pretending it's revision for both Japanese AND business. It's perfect!

For the most part, it really lived up to my expectations, too. Sadly, it began to go downhill towards the end, and the last two episodes really spoiled it for me - I liked this show for the business management parts, so even though the drama was fairly well-executed, it just didn't appeal to me - and frankly, really didn't gel with what the rest of the show was trying to be, either. I was quite disappointed.

But the first 6-8 episodes are great, and really worth watching. It explained several key business concepts simply, and demonstrated how to put them into practice, all while being very entertaining and light-hearted. I enjoyed it very much.

Also, it seems there's a live action film adaptation starring Maeda Atsuko, as well. Has anyone seen it? I might give it a go at some point.

jaybug · « **Reply #15 on:** August 12, 2013, 12:15:14 AM »

Quote

Also, it seems there's a live action film adaptation starring Maeda Atsuko, as well.

Ooh, I did not know this. I'll have to check it out also.

Nikk. I think baseball appeals to the samurai in the Japanese. It is also about we, not me. There is a politeness too in the sport, that is not present in other sports. I think they would have come up with it on their own, had the need to large flat areas of playing fields more than likely prohibited its inception.

zherok · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2013, 02:20:17 AM »

I thought Moshidora was pretty decent, but the length definitely did something to the narrative. It felt like the entire show was in a hurry to get everything done, and so would introduce plot elements for immediate usage, and then drop them when they weren't important anymore. And yeah, the drama was kinda weak as baseball anime go. She had like the most generic illness ever.

jaybug · « **Reply #17 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:25:33 PM »

For the record, I agree with Zherok. lol

zherok · « **Reply #18 on:** August 13, 2013, 01:46:32 AM »

I guess the funny thing is I don't really care for sports in general. Baseball has a compelling narrative though, in a way that other sports often don't. I think it's the way roles work. It avoids some of the "superstar steals the show" emphasis that dominate a lot of other sports. You can have an amazing pitcher, but someone still needs to hit the balls. And even the least important character is gonna appear in both the lineup and on the field, while something like basketball ends up with a couple players controlling the narrative and the bench hardly sees play at all. Slam Dunk had it's starting five do that, and had a bench only three people deep (IIRC.) And I believe the author's followup to Slam Dunk had no bench at all.

Anyway, the conceit was neat for Moshidora. I think the emphasis on a non-player made it a bit distant (none of the players seemed particularly important beyond hitting the right plot points.) But for ten episodes it did well.

Out of curiosity, are there any baseball shows either of you (or anyone) liked more? I think Cross game is probably my favorite at the moment (and Adachi is awesome all around), though One Outs was really fun too. Shame it only had one season though.

VicViper573 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 13, 2013, 03:36:13 AM »

Quote from: zherok on August 13, 2013, 01:46:32 AM

I guess the funny thing is I don't really care for sports in general. Baseball has a compelling narrative though, in a way that other sports often don't. I think it's the way roles work. It avoids some of the "superstar steals the show" emphasis that dominate a lot of other sports. You can have an amazing pitcher, but someone still needs to hit the balls. And even the least important character is gonna appear in both the lineup and on the field, while something like basketball ends up with a couple players controlling the narrative and the bench hardly sees play at all. Slam Dunk had it's starting five do that, and had a bench only three people deep (IIRC.) And I believe the author's followup to Slam Dunk had no bench at all.

Anyway, the conceit was neat for Moshidora. I think the emphasis on a non-player made it a bit distant (none of the players seemed particularly important beyond hitting the right plot points.) But for ten episodes it did well.

Out of curiosity, are there any baseball shows either of you (or anyone) liked more? I think Cross game is probably my favorite at the moment (and Adachi is awesome all around), though One Outs was really fun too. Shame it only had one season though.

I've heard Touch is the baseball manga, like Captain Tsubasa is for soccer mangas.