My top ten anime list takes a tumble as I fall deeper into the abyss they call the Sports genre. An anime that has managed to surpass Code Geass ( in my head ) ?! 

( also in honour of my best friend who recently introduced me to the Sherlock fandom )

At this point of time, I should explain to all of you that three years ago, I was ( and am ) a hopeless romantic who searched far and wide for shoujo and romance. About a year ago, I began to watch more shounen and have slowly come to especially love the sports and historical genres. The first sports anime I watched was Slam Dunk. 

( featuring Gori and screwed Sakuragi )

I loved it. 1000%. Eyeshield 21 followed and soon, I was watching Hajime no Ippo. I decided to try Major because I felt like I had no life after Eyeshield 21 ended ( I admit it isn't the best but it was exciting enough to get my blood pumping ). Major is honestly a gem in the sports genre. Let's not talk about whether is underrated or overrated because I still don't know which it is. Major basically follows the life of Shigeno Gorou from when he's five to thirty-three in six seasons, two OVAs and one movie. Sounds tedious. Sounds boring maybe. When I saw how old Gorou was in the first season, I was turned off. I usually get turned off when the main character is very young but I don't regret giving it a try. I really really don't. Gorou original name isn't Shigeno Gorou. It's Honda Gorou. The description mentioned a tragedy, the reviews mentioned a tragedy, and I didn't realise how bad it was until I saw the opening for the first time in Episode 4. 

I remember staring in absolute disbelief at the opening that simply spoiled everything. EVERYTHING. Then I cursed the creators and then myself because why did i have to see the opening why. Why do the episode titles have to be so revealing? 

I DON'T CARE IF I SPOILED THIS FOR YOU I WILL DRAG YOU DOWN TO HELL WITH ME 

So. Gorou lives with his father, Honda Gorou, a professional baseball player who plays for Japan's Blue Oceans. However, due to an injury, his father is unable to move up to the first string and struggles surviving in the second string. He, however suffers another injury that affects his career because the team won't wait for a second stringer to get better. Honda Shigeharu knows before the higher-ups even tell him that he's being released from the team ( aka forced to retire ). When Gorou, passionate about the baseball his father taught him, hears of this, he gets mad at his dad. The poor boy is only five and the only person who pays a lot of attention to him in nursery school is his teacher, Hoshino Momoko ( REMEMBER HER SHE IS IMPORTANT ). While Shigeharu dispairs, his best friend since highschool and also the Oceans' pitcher, Shigeno Hideki, jokes and tells him to try batting. After all, pitching is not the only position in baseball. Surprisingly, later on, Shigeharu decides to try it and keeps it a secret from Gorou because he wants his son to see him only at his best. 

In six episodes, the strong relationship between Gorou and Shigeharu is built wonderfully. It's touching, heartbreaking and bittersweet. Episode 6 left me a wreck and by the end of that week, all that was left of my tissue roll was a cardboard roll. Season 1 might be my favourite season. Remember Momoko? Before the tragedy of Episode 6, Shigeharu began to take notice of this woman who resembled his late wife in too many ways. Gorou cheerfully mentioned that he wouldn't mind if Momoko-sensei became his new mother. It was going to be a beautifully happy ending. 

IT JUST. I can't.

Okay, before I begin ranting. Gorou makes a new friend called Sato Toshiya, a megane-kun who studies because his mom tells him to and because studying is the only way to make it in life. Gorou pushes away these ideas and calls the little boy out to play. Slowly, the two befriend each other and Gorou has found someone to play catchball with. 

( left, Honda Shigeharu and right, Gorou at 5 )

( left, Gorou and right, Toshi - grown-up at eighteen )

I'll stop now. Season 1 explores Gorou's time with Mifune Little, a little league. Fourth graders to sixth graders take part in little leagues. The big match is against Yokohama Little, the team that Toshiya is playing in, and also the little league that Honda Shigearu used to play in his younger days. The coach used to be Shigeharu's teammate. 

Season 2 follows Gorou's junior high school journey in Mifune East Junior High School with some of his old teammates from little league. The first big match this time is against Tomonoura Junior High School which Toshi plays in. Toshiya's past during the time that Gorou wasn't there near him is rough, as Gorou finds out from the Yokohama Little's coach. After conflicts between the two, they go to Kaidou, the most prestigious highschool baseball school. Gorou, however, soon finds problems with the teaching. Kaidou follows a baseball manual that restricts Gorou's free spirit and the ambitious boys has no problem openly revolting against the system. After a lot of complicated stuff, Gorou leaves Kaidou, leaving behind Toshiya ( the two could start a love story maybe just kidding ). 

In Season 3, Gorou ends up in Seishuu High School, shockingly enough a school with no baseball team ( not so shocking if you've watched it ). Singlehandedly and with his strong resovle, Gorou forms a baseball team from scratch. Their goal is Kaidou, the country's best highschool baseball team, whom Gorou swore to defeat. 

Everyone else in the team is like 

Well, Gorou being Gorou, manages to bring the team up to Kaidou and the result is up to you to find out but the ending matches always make me cry. Like shit. Because Gorou. 

In Season 4, Gorou sets off to America to join the Major League, which unfortunately isn't so easy. Before the Majors, Gorou has to make it through the Minors. The Minor league is made up of the Rookie Leagues, followed by Single A, Double A and finally Triple A. It's not sufficient to say that it's "difficult" to get to the Majors. Gorou is talented, yes, but he finds out that what he has isn't enough - yet. Because Gorou does not run around moping for long. With a new array of characters, Gorou challenges the playoff trophy with the Triple A team, Memphis Bats under the Major League Team, the Hornets, while in Japan, everyone else is slowly carrying on with their lives. 

In Season 5, Gorou is involved in the World Baseball Cup, a match to decide which country has the best baseball. He gets a chance to reach his lifelong goal, Joe Gibson, the main actor who played the biggest part in Season 1's unexpected tragedy. Well, what's life withou Gibson. Jr right?

Right from the beginning of Season 6, Gorou falls right into a pit of trouble. But he's Gorou. And Gorou remains undefeated. After a lot of epic things and tears shed, Season 6 and I'm left with two OVAs and a movie. My heart feels empty and I can hardly find the tears to do anymore. 

What makes Major so captivating? Doesn't it get boring watching Gorou pitch fastballs every single game ( except for a few gryo-forkballs )? It simply doesn't. Instead, it raises the level of excitement for each match he plays. Major is about team relationships. Gorou is undoubtedly a baseball genius. He has the build, he has baseball sense and, an undefeatable spirit and a never-say-die attitude. He's headstrong, hot-tempered, childish but cares deeply for those who matter to him and has a love for baseball that will never die. But it's not just Gorou. The other characters each have their own role to play, even the minor ones. It's what makes this series so captivating. So give it a try even if you don't know anything about baseball. Thank to Major, I'm now watching Ookiku Furikabutte, another unique baseball anime and One Outs which focuses more on the main character being badass and Hiruma-like ( even in appearance! ). 

I don't actually hate characters in anime. It's too strong to be used lightly. But in Major there was just one @!#!!& that I hated. Really, really hated. When you meet an Egashira in Season 2, please hold your tomatoes ready to throw at that b******. I cussed a lot during Season 3. And then when he did something to Gorou right in the beginning of Season 3, I just flipped. I cried and then I screamed. 

( that is me everytime I see that ajSHAJKBEAKJFB )

It's probably my overemotional self who cries too much so, well, if you don't cry much, I'm not saying you should. All I'm saying is that Major is a must-watch. Even if you don't watch Sports anime because who knows, this might just get you into it!