Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Frzyyy
Final Verdict — Cross Game (SPOILER WARNING!)
To me, Cross Game is an exceptionally easy sports anime to digest because it boasts such a seamless flow, blending sports, drama, romance, and daily life on top of a strong slice-of-life foundation. It’s precisely through these everyday moments that character relationships are gradually built, so when the conflicts, romance, or baseball games hit, everything carries genuine emotional weight. The drama is potent enough to put you on an emotional roller coaster, while the cast generally feels grounded, human, and enjoyable to follow.
Cross Game’s greatest strength lies in Adachi’s mature, subtle storytelling approach. Emotions are rarely spelled out; instead, they’re conveyed through situations, subtle expressions, gestures, brief dialogues, and…
Read at the sourceSnakesbestsna4ks
As we all know, anime are generally over the top and unhinged. Even when it deals with stuff like romance, that dissociation from how it actually pans out in reality by how characters act like hyper-amped caricatures and the wacky fun that comes with it is what attracts us anime fans. But from time to time you'd come across shows that cut a little too close to reality and blindside you with this strangely reminiscent sincerity. For me, that first experience was Cross Game, which to this day I've yet to see a more authentic portrayal of adolescent romance and the nuance of human emotions.
There are no cheesy sparkles or exaggerated antics, its just people being people: quiet telling gestures, painful hesitation born from misunderstandings, or lashing out through subconscious actions. Somet…
Read at the source_Maria_chan_
I don't know, why this is so underrated!!! Highly recommended for those like me who are looking for sports plus romance anime,. This was my first time watching baseball sports anime and learned so much about the game its so interesting. In this type of genre, romance is given more importance than sports. But in here sports and romance given equal importance in this anime.
According to the story, it was amazing. From the beginning, the two main characters disliked each other. Along with that, throughout the anime, their characters gradually develop through their quarrels and past memories and future goals. Apart from this, you will see emotional and comedy in here. But they dragged the death of her sister way too much like come on its like every 2-3 episodes they're talking about her deat…
Read at the sourcejjrofriloc
I wrote this review after watching the show for a second time with a few years gap in-between. The first time I fell in love with the story without knowing anything about baseball. But, the second time I can confirm myself that this will go down as 10/10 in my favorite anime list.
This is a slow burn story but damn it burns right through the heart. The characters, the storytelling, the right mix of comedy and romance and even the OSTs all perfectly executed. Don’t let the art style or the baseball theme put you off.
And best of all, you only need to watch the first episode to feel the essence of the show.
Read at the sourceBeagle313
Short review: Cross Game is definetly three things: an anime, a good anime, and a great sport anime. It isn't though much of a romance. Take these sentences as a bit of a warning. But putting aside that flaw, Cross Game is a work of art. Following a deeper story than you would expect from a sport/romance shounen show, with a great cast of characters, and some nice, 90s style old-school art to go with.
Long review: Cross Game is an anime that seems not very goundbreaking from the outside: a story of two people who have a love-hate relationship with some baseball sprinkled on top. But it goes much deeper. From how the basis of the relationship between them and the person that connects them has been created, through their daily lives with the team, their laughs, cries, struggles and success…
Read at the sourcedeimos96
A unique and somewhat more laid-back sports anime.
The art and production itself is definitely reminiscent of older 90s or early 2000s anime where the focus of the animation leans towards clarity rather than flashy high-speed action and VFX. That said, the animation is definitely not as good as more modern top-budget sports anime in terms of production, but after almost 15 years it still holds up very well.
Sound design serves its purpose. But the soundtrack and the opening and first ending specifically were great!
Now into the meat of it, the writing. I've been scratching my head on what I want to write about this story's narrative. It's a sports anime but unlike most other series of the same genre, this show doesn't preach or showcase that hyper-competitive feel that other series try…
Read at the sourceWhe3333
Spoiler-less, TL;DR, fast, simple, and easy-to-digest review:
Ball, Strike, Out
5/10
Animation? Ok (+)
For 2009 release, the animation ain't that bad... just below average. The artsyle doesn't have much details and relied on simplicity. The art reminds me of Doraemon and other children-oriented animes.
Characters? Ok (+)
They are mid at best. Most characters have very slow character development, including the main cast. Kou is bland, Aoba is insufferable, Azuma is as bland as Kou but cooler... I guess, Senda is annoying, Akaishi is a friend you want when you are being bullied, and the rest are just NPCs. They have very slow skill development given that they have 50 episodes to become the very best. And most of them have not improved that much at all. They all still relied on the MC and…
Read at the sourcefaniloy
I've devoured countless sports anime over the years, earning myself the label of "huge fan." From the iconic Slam Dunk, Haikyuu!! and Kuroko's Basketball to the gritty boxing of Hajime no Ippo and the innovative Megalo Box, I've explored both classics like Baby Steps and Ahiru No Sora and more obscure gems like One Outs, Prince of Tennis, and Yowamushi Pedal. The list truly goes on!
What defines a sports anime for me? It's about taking the main protagonist on a journey fueled by a dream. They'll encounter weaknesses, self-doubt, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But gradually, they'll overcome them all. Along the way, they'll meet friendly rivals and supportive seniors, forging bonds as they train, learn, and grow together. Ultimately, self-improvement becomes a shared goal.
This j…
Read at the sourceNothing-Nowhere
I grew up a huge baseball fan. That’s why it was always hard for me to take sports anime seriously. I never thought anything could compare to the real thing.
Then I watched Cross Game. I realized that sports weren’t just athletes competing in a game. Sports were stories, stories of people and how sports play a defining role in their lives.
The way Cross Game captured the culture of baseball is nothing short of perfect. The way the game is displayed, to the way the main characters and the family of the main characters all live with and around it is shown perfectly.
The way the characters grow through out the show, not only as athletes, but as people, is a joy to watch.
The story of Cross Game is a bittersweet one. It’s a story of overcoming, hard work, togetherness and even romance. I…
Read at the sourcePixelB
Cross Game humors itself to be a sports anime. It's not. This show is ABSOLUTELY NOT a sports show. It tricks you into thinking that it is something that it is not. While 80% of the show or more has focused on the "theme" of baseball, the reality is that it might as well be nothing. 80% of this show is absolutely nothing. It's too generic. People just throw balls and practice. There are no play-by-play games. Not a single game is described in detail. A large majority of games are skipped off-screen. People run. Coaches talk and do knocking drills. People hit balls. There are no descriptors. At all. I'm convinced that Mitsuru Adachi, the author of Cross Game, can't write any compelling baseball manga.
See, a baseball anime would actually have details about the damn games. There would be pl…
Read at the sourceno6enthusiatic
Honestly, I didn’t expect to like this anime so much. I would say it has one of the greatest relationship development i have seen (in romantic relationships, but also platonic). I picked it up because it was about baseball, but it’s refreshing to watch an anime that has good parts about sports, about love and also about life in general. I definetly recommend this one to anyone who likes sports and romance with great development. (Mmm, you could say it was enemies to lovers, but not really. It was childhood friends with one sided ‘hate’ to lovers.) Also, the romance it’s not exactly ‘executed’, but it’s definetly heavily implied.
✌🏻
Read at the sourceShroomRunner
Well I am not great reviewer but i want to just said that this anime is higgen gem. First of all i want to say that i am astonished that no one ever mentioned me this anime to me and i found it completely randomly. I haven't even know the baseball rules when i was starting watching the series (i had to watch yt videos during watching anime to know whats going on). It was also the first sports-anime i ever watched. But i think the series was great. I don't like personally too long animes but even though paste here is rather slow 50 episodes were not enought for me (in a good sense)! The characters and realtions between them are well writen and as far as i am able to predict main turns of the plot usually this one suprised me a numerous times. For now it's going to be one of my 3 favorites s…
Read at the sourceKincaidP
Mitsuru Adachi while not the most iconic sports manga writers out there I feel does sports series the best in my opinion. I'm going to make it clear I personally don't feel in general sports anime/manga with the sport itself as the main thing are good in the least bit. I feel they suffer from power scaling. Every match has to grow in scale and stakes with the players on both sides using more and more ludicrous tactics/attacks. For an Adachi series the sport is more of a back drop and the main focus is the characters themselves.
Story:
This isn't a spoiler as it happens in ep 1 but the "main female" we get introduced to Wakaba dies right away and we see the impacts it has on all the characters. Moving forward its them trying to realize her dream and coming to terms in their own respects e…
Read at the sourcestanleyhenrique
Cross Game is a totally captivating and underrated anime, unlike most of today's works, Cross Game is an almost unknown and much underrated anime. The story is always enchanting, regardless of the narrative. The anime is not baseball-themed and not dragged into some clichéd drama or romance, meaning it doesn't have anything like what we see in most animes.
Story [10]: The story of “Cross Game” has a totally immersive and extremely natural plot so that it fully favors the viewer experience. “Cross Game” is a silent anime, so silent that you can hear the wind blowing through the fallen leaves and the snow crunching underfoot, making the piece both heartwarming and emotional.
Art [9]: The animation is simple and efficient, there is nothing to criticize due to the low budget. The author's st…
Read at the sourcemhasanjoy
What a gem!
An anime about baseball. I don't like baseball. And recently, I had bad experience with an anime about baseball called 'One Outs'. So I was rather skeptical about this one. I like drama and character development in my entertainment medium. If I want my blood pumping from a game then I can just watch it live where results aren't predetermined.
Story: 8/10
What a strong start from the get-go. I was completely hooked from the very first episode. The story is quite simple but engaging. The most significant difference between Cross Game and other sports shows are its willingness to portray the characters outside the sport. Showing who they are as people, what they care about, what they like. What I hate the most in my entertainment medium is the forced comedy. And nowadays, there i…
Read at the sourceHongbae
The only anime I have given a 10/10
I have rewatched this anime maybe 3-4 times and will continue to do so in the future when I feel low...
I would recommend this anime to anyone that likes a good sports anime with some subtle romance.
I remember the first time watching this anime it was after I finished the whole Major series and was into baseball. It took me by surprise, the subtlety of the anime and how it deals with different themes and just watching a badass but down to Earth MC
It is a mastery piece
After reading my review if you decide to watch it not give it a 10/10. That is totally fair - the rating is based on my opinion.
ENJOY GUYS
Read at the sourceCheesePizzaXL
Probably the best anime I've ever seen, and I'm not saying that lightly. I didn't care about baseball before starting the show. Halfway through I was fist pumping when they won and slamming my desk in frustration when they lost. Kou and Aoba are the highlights of the show and my favorite characters.
Story
The story is simple but incredibly well done. It's does not get predictable until arguably the final arc. The pacing is great and it never gets boring. It manages to alternate really well between sports and personal lives of the characters. The plot is realistic and there's nothing too outlandish going on. And yet, it manages to be interesting without over-the-top stuff.
Art
The art is adapted faithfully from the 2005 manga. And it is reflective of its time. The "standard" anime art s…
Read at the sourceOtakuManChild
Wow. I just finished this series minutes ago and felt compelled to leave a review.
Story - 10
This show right here is why 12 episode anime bum me out. A truly great story needs time and care to play out properly. I am very thankful Cross Game was given a 50 episode run and not a 12-25 one. It allowed for a story spanning several years to never feel rushed and for major events to never feel watered down. Cross Game wears a lot of different hats while telling it's story but I think they navigated through each genre well. Romance, Sports, Drama, SoL and Comedy all mixed well together. This story had an appropriate ending too unlike a lot of other Rom Coms out there.
Art - 7
I always find this to be a preference thing. Honestly, the art wasn't my thing. A lot of the characters looked ver…
Read at the sourcedazzibelle
This show was literally the beginning of realising what anime I like. The plot is too amazing, the music is top tier, especially having the best OP, and I really like the nostalgic art style and the ears as it gives similar feeling with each anime that was produced by Adachi.
The first ep was immaculate. Who would of expected anyone to die in this anime IN the first episode? Definitely not most people (unless ur an average Adachi Mitsuru fan). The story builds up to show the relationship between MC (Kou) and this girl that were basically destined to be together, being born at the same time, place and day (sorta like Touch?). However, the girl then gets into an accident. The MC, as a 10 year old kid, doesn't really understand this circumstance, he doesn't really understand what It means fo…
Read at the sourceCakeDogge
Story is nothing unique, 7 is good, the jokes and tropes here and there are funny for the giggles. Otherwise, The story is carried by the outstanding 10 I gave to character development. The pace is perfect for the 50 episodes it has. character development never felt stretched or out of place.
let me say this,
I've never felt the outstandingly firm and solid character emotions and personality hold out for so long in a series without being in the way. These characters are unique to this show to the tee. The personality never changed a single bit from episode 1-50. It might seem like 0 character development, but trust me when I say this, their characters are unique enough that all you need is to be introduced to their characters.
The Music fits the theme perfectly well. The melancholic them…
Read at the source
