joan's Topics (101)

There are many lines here from Sawamura that I love and give a deep lasting impression to me. Sawamura truly grows from the last lost. His action and his determination also motivate his teammates. Yeah, way to go my boy, Eijun-chan has already developed a very important quality that every ace should have, A motivator and a light in the darkest day. The coaches can only guide the teams but the team itself always need someone to be their glue and the motivator. Eijun has done what Miyuki should have done. Although, it is good for Miyuki to said that they shouldn't lost to Eijun too. Miyuki is their captain but Eijun is the rock, the glue, & the anchor of the team. Well, the lines that I love are :

1."If only I hit a homerun. If only I were more reliable as a pitcher, the switch would've been made in a jiffy."
I guess the previous lost made him realize that he need to work on his batter ability as hard as his pitching ability. It might be hard for him to suddenly hit a homerun but at least we can expect him to get one or two hit. It also sadden me that Eijun himself realize that Coach Kataoka don't acknowledge him yet. But, I hope that he can continue to show them his reliable side more. The previous game is only the first step. He should work hard so he can be the true ace and the backbone of the team.

2."On a good day or a bad day alike, an ace is the one who stands on the mound, shouldering the hopes and the dreams of all of his teammates regardless."
What even more ironic than Coach Kataoka saying this after his spat with Coach Ochiai in their office? What Coach Ochiai will think about him? I don't know about this Coach Kataoka anymore. For me, it looks like he's saying to motivate Furuya to improve and work hard on overcoming his problems. Coach Kataoka acknowledge Eijun ability but he doesn't think that Eijun is good enough as the ace yet. I doubt he even consider Eijun as the ace. He probably consider Eijun as Furuya's rival and use Eijun great pitch to motivate Furuya to be the best. On the contrary, Coach Ochiai looks like ready to drop Furuya from the ace number anytime soon if Furuya continue to be bad and useless. Coach Ochiai looks cruel enough to drop his previous favorite if my perception of him from the previous chapter isn't wrong. This two coach is like yin and yang. They're the opposite of each other. Either way, I'm glad that he realize what an ace is. I hope he realize that Eijun has that quality and worthy enough to be the ace.

3."when I throw, I gotta understand the reason behind Miyuki-senpai choosing the pitches he call for."
Wow, Eijun, you catch me off guard!!! Scratch that. Most importantly, I JUST REALIZE that Miyuki NEVER have a game calling with you? Poor boy, I thought that the author just don't show it to us, readers, or something. But, if this is true... Wow, Miyuki is hopeless. I guess he really only acknowledge and only see Furuya as the ace. I know that Eijun is just a relief but Eijun has played many games with him before. Eijun also has played in a game that has as bad situation as the previous one and he never even consider it? He probably won't even do it after this lost if Eijun didn't brought it up. But, I'm glad that Eijun decide to take the initiative. He should be an even better pitcher. The whole team start to see his worth and reliability. I hope he don't slip up at this most important point.

The :Re cafe squad is appearing one by one. Nishiki and Tsukiyama. Who's next?
3...2...1...?
Counting down till Kaneki show up.
Where are you, my dear Kaneki? Have you been okay? How's your wound?
Come out....Come out.... We all miss you lots...lots....(づ￣ ³￣)づლ(´ڡ`ლ)

No matter how fucked up that country and how cruel the queen, the peoples don't deserve to have Oliver as the ruler. Unless he has some good motivation to do it other than revenge. It must be hard for Oliver but he's doing all the bad things to others too. I pity that child whom get wronged by his mother. But, I don't agree on his revenge. Because his revenge hurt a lot of people. Many people died. Many of them is innocents and what? for revenge? for the throne? Oliver feed on his egoistical and selfish side. Unless he prove to have some benevolent motivation other than revenge, I'm against of him as the ruler. He's a villain and remain a villain. A black villain. To be a gray villain require him to want to do something good for the country. So far, I don't see him doing it for the betterness of his male counterpart. So no.

First comment!!! It's here!!! Oh my gosh, I'm so excited.

This chapter move into tears. I never stop re - reading it.

I think we're running toward the end. Especially, the end of an era where Miyuki is the catcher.
I'm so sad right now because the possibility of Miyuki x Eijun pair as the ace pitcher and ace catcher is getting slimmer and slimmer. I hope it's not too late for Miyuki to be Eijun ace catcher. I really hate to see Miyuki go without being Eijun ace catcher first. Miyuki is the reason he choose Seidou in the first place!!! Miyuki never see Eijun as the ace before probably because he think that Eijun isn't as talented as Furuya. Well, if we considered the ball speed and the batting talent, of course Furuya will be more talented. But, he realize that Eijun got that special something that Furuya don't. Eijun has that special light that only he has. Finally, the time when Miyuki realize Eijun light has arrive!!! Work hard, Eijun!! Your love is about to be requited!!! At least, Coach Ochiai, Miyuki, and Koushuu acknowledge you.
Eijun play affect the batter line up too. They realize now that even though Eijun play so great, they can't win because they can't score a run. Yeah, after the previous third year batter line up left, Seidou never been the same. They score run less. Now this lost look more like a slap to them.
The scene where Koushuu is staring at Miyuki glove and bat hit me hard. Oh man!!! Miyuki has a serious rival. Koushuu definitely eyeing that catcher position of Miyuki. He probably feel so jealous of Miyuki to be able to catch for Eijun and Furuya. I start to see the future where Koushuu is the ace catcher and Eijun as the ace pitcher. I can see Koushuu working hard and getting acknowledge sooner or later. Will he get his chances to be the catcher in the remaining game in this season? I'm looking forward for this one. Koushuu!!! Go!! Hopefully, your partner will be Eijun.
Coach Ochiai, I used to dislike this man. But, somehow, I start to see that this very man is the first person that acknowledge Eijun potential and capabilities. To think that this coach who used to underestimate Eijun a lot, now, he become the coach who can see Eijun as the ace contender and probably one of the only who seriously considering Eijun as the ace. He seems to acknowledge that Furuya is doomed for a while.
Coach Kataoka, I know that this man is a stubborn ones. But I never thought that he would be this stubborn. What? Furuya need to get through it on his own? Okay, I agree with you, Coach. But, he seems to don't regret his choices. It's like if the time rewind again, he still will pick the relief as late as before and still hanging on the hope that Furuya will get through it. He become the coach who sacrifice the team for the sake of Furuya growth. The kind of coach who he loathes before. I'm so disappointed with him.

Nagai is running away. I think it's a good enough choice for now. Retreat a little until he has a good enough plan or strategy against Sato. Nagai couldn't fight against Sato all on his own. Especially, with the whole nation chasing him on his back. He's not strong enough yet. He need allies. This time he should has an allies that can fight on his par and not a clueless one that need to be safe the whole time.
Nagai with his whole weakness is one of the interesting character in this manga and in the whole manga universe. He is also one of my favorite. Because he's not naive or all the time positive. Because he has a pessimistic and negative tendencies. Because he's a realistic person. Because he receive little to nothing of love from his family.

I try to empathize with Princess Tao point of view but i can't because I understand Princess Kouren feeling. For some people, it's better to fight till the death than giving up on your freedom. I don't agree with both of the princess but I understand Princess Kouren motivation to protect her kingdom as kind of a person as Princess Tao is.

From Teitou vs Inajitsu game this time, I realize one thing. A pitcher can't be immature. A pitcher throw brought along heavy responsibility. It's for the team, for the game, & for defense. One wrong move can brought disaster to the whole game flow. A pitcher throw can make or unmake their team victory. A pitcher has to remain cool headed and calm for the sake of the team. Not letting his emotion get the best of him or ruining his play or the game. Although Mei still shut the batter with his immature throw, if the batter hit that ball, it will be Teitou who smile in the end and not Inajitsu. Don't you think that's what Mei try to convey to Furuya? Yep! Only Furuya. Cause they kinda suffer the same trauma. It's like he want to tell Furuya to stop messing around and grow up already. Shutting down the batter in front of you and trusting your catching aka battery are more important than trying to hard on being strong alone and messing up the whole game.
On contrary, I think Eijun is the type of pitcher who prevail in the worst situation. Maybe it is because his middle school baseball team is so weak that they lost more than winning. Eijun know what it's mean to lose a game far before he enter Seidou. He used to motivate his teammate over a lost. He also know how it feel to lose your dream because of a lost because his previous team in middle school is weak. So, even in the worst situation, he try hard to control himself and do his job. Eijun is more mature than Furuya. He also handle himself better under pressure. Like a diamond, he's been shaped better by his experience than Furuya who barely have a middle school experience since no one able to catch his ball. Furuya first team experience is Seidou. He also experience being the ace for the first time in Seidou. While Eijun is the ace of his middle school baseball team. Yes, the level of the team is different. But Eijun has experience to be the ace even if he's a relief in Seidou. Therefore, he knows the weight more than Furuya.
I believe Eijun will fare better than Furuya in the future from this point forward. Except if the author decide to throw another drama and make Furuya recover from his struggle and be the best pitcher like what he always wish for.
Now if Only Coach Kataoka and Miyuki open their eyes and acknowledge Eijun by relying more often to his throw than Furuya, everything will be fine. But, once again, this is Diamond no Ace and the mangaka-sensei loves to torture the reader by making his MC Rival aka Furuya prevail in the end.
Regards.

By this point of the story, I understand that the first year squad are the only one who truly see Eijun worth. I also know that deep down inside Miyuki acknowledge Eijun too. But, Miyuki never see Eijun as a suitable candidate for an ace pitcher. I think Miyuki see Eijun as a pitcher that is great enough to motivate Furuya. I don't think Miyuki ever think that Eijun can be the ace seriously.
What I'm afraid is I can't see Eijun as the ace with Miyuki as the ace catcher. I'm afraid that by the time Eijun get to be an ace. He'll be a third year and Koushuu is the ace catcher instead of Miyuki. Miyuki is a third year. This year is the last chances for Miyuki x Eijun ace combo. That's made me feel impatient with the way the story goes. Too Slow!
Of course, as much as I regret not seeing Miyuki x Eijun ace combo, I'll probably move on as long as I got to see Eijun as the ace. Still, such a waste. Miyuki is the reason, Eijun goes to that school. This is more like a one sided love because Furuya comes into priority more than Eijun.
Eijun learn a lot from this lost may be more than what Furuya learn. Eijun knows the wall that hinders him now. The wall called relief pitcher and ace pitcher. The wall in the form of Furuya. He probably just know feeling jealous. Yes. Eijun-chan, be jealous and be determined to snatch that ace number from Furuya. Work harder. Be even better and precise in your control.
Furuya has everything Eijun don't from being a fast pitcher to a good batter. But in the end, the one who can bring the team to a victory will play. Eijun should be that pitcher who can be a mental support for his team just by being there, who can lift the mood when the team is in a crisis, who won't fall at the worst possible situation, the one who can bring the team to victory. Eijun need to be a strong pitcher both mentally and technically. I believe he can do it. I always see Eijun as that type of pitcher. Someday, I will.