Taishou Yakyuu Musume – First Impressions
I watched the first two episodes. This series has the best score (background music) I have heard this year, even better than Cross Game. It uses a primarily orchestral palette of sounds, but often with pentatonic melodies (naturally evocative of traditional Japanese music). Very fitting as a backdrop to this show. I’m always happy when I come across an anime which doesn’t just copy and paste the same old stock music.
The plot is about girls in a more traditional Japan (although I’m fairly sure even today, girls cannot play baseball at Koushien) who want to play baseball, which is seen as unnatural for girls to play. I’ve also been in a baseball mood lately, having watched Cross Game and Touch and realizing that the words “sports anime” are not necessarily something to be repelled by, and can serve as a great background for character-oriented anime. And hey, the characters are likeable and the art (J.C. Staff) is beautiful, so what’s the harm in sticking with this one? It certainly has the ingredients to be something memorable. Besides, I’m kind of interested in the historical setting.
And how can you not like a series that opens with this? By the way, it’s a reference to this popular Japanese song from that period.
One response so far
Agreed with pretty much everything you’ve put down here. While the show itself is filled to the brim with charming characters, the thing that’s impressed me the most has been the music which will make for an impressive soundtrack. I haven’t heard much of Hattori Takayuki’s beyond his work on Nadesico, but I’ve been really enjoying his compositions here.