09 Oct / Cross Game 4 (vols.8-9) by Mitsuru Adachi, translated by Lillian Olsen
Let the games continue! Volume 8 adds a new character to the roster – cousin Mizuki Asami returns to Japan from his mountaineering adventures with his world-famous father, and moves in with the Tsukishimas.
As sweet, polite, and considerate as he is, he almost immediately announces his preference for Aoba (that cousins can legally marry is oft-repeated, ahem). Also a first-year student at Seisshu with Aoba, Mizuki becomes the new school heartthrob although he remains loyally devoted to a nonchalant Aoba.
Ko and Aoba are getting along as well as they ever have – not – and yet their inability to let go of Wakaba’s memory keeps them bound together. Baseball, too, keeps them both engaged, although Aoba can’t officially play in the games (just because she’s a girl – what’s with that??!!). Even Ko admits she’s an integral team member; Aoba makes everyone that much better with her eye-popping talent and unwavering strength.
By Volume 9, the team’s uphill battle to get to Koshien – the ultimate high school baseball competition – is well underway, and Seisshu is steadily progressing up the rankings. They’ve got their eye on the inevitable game against Ryuou, the team favored to win Koshien. Not to be outdone, Ryuou’s got quite a dugout drama of their own going on, outsized egos beware …
In spite of those detracting close-ups (see omnibus 3 if you must know), every volume of Cross Game offers plenty of clever details – a wise-cracking kitty cat, peanut gallery asides, silly little sidenotes to the editor about delayed panes – that enhance the cautious romances, underdog match-ups, unlikely friendships … and most of all, the fun, fun, fun. Let’s play ball …!
For other omnibus editions of Cross Game posted on BookDragon, click here.
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 2011 (United States)
CROSS GAME © Mitsuru Adachi
Original Japanese edition published by Shogakukan Inc.