Ace of the Diamond: OVA's #1-3 FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2021-11-20 18:01:01 +0000 UTCI had NO idea what to expect with these three OVA's post-season one of Ace of the Diamond, but they EXCEEDED every expectation!
Getting slice of life backstory on Ryo/Haruichi, Kuramochi, and Kawakami was so wholesome, sweet, and inspiring! I loved these OVA's and I'm so glad I watched them! Thanks, @Kelsey, for the link to them! Now...let's GO SEASON TWO! :)
LINK: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/eiBakqz8koMixsMFtTXWkK?
Thanks for watching with me and for the support!
Comments
I’m excited to get to the other OVA’s, but these were GREAT! And haaa, oh the sketchy sites – these actually worked out better than the AOT OVA’s I watched on there. There were pop ups littering those reactions; these were much tamer. 😊 I hate that the OVA’s for so many anime aren’t licensed for an official release…seriously, y’all! And I’m not privy to Isekai as a genre; that’s more my brother’s taste in anime, I believe. I DO remember the early days of Crunchyroll; YES, how times have changed. And I agree with you 100% -- Ryo’s actions make MUCH more sense now that we have the full story between him and Haruichi growing up and his views on being the “elder brother.” It made me like his character much more after watching this! YES, Kuramochi’s is my favorite of the three – I really love his past being shown here and I think his backstory was the “deepest” of the three. I hated the fallout between him and his friends, but it made way for him to develop a relationship with those that he could better relate to through his love of baseball, and led to his friendship with Sawamura, Masuko, and Miyuki, so it’s fate, right?! Maybe one day there’ll be reconciliation with his old friends and him. I’m fascinated by how the Japanese high school system works in picking schools based on academic merits, athletics, or other connections – it’s SO different than the US, so I’m always curious about it. There’s been some others mention that Ichidai was the school Kawakami and Seidou were facing the prior year – I do feel bad for Nori in this – his character has a lot more going on internally that I originally thought. And yeah, I can only hope this is setting up for his character to grow in season 2. I always thought Nori was in a pretty decent space, but this shows just how deep his blaming of himself on certain events goes. @.@ I did appreciate the callback to the start of the series in this as well! It also explains why Nori reacted to Sawamura the way he did when he confronted Azuma! And yay – I’m glad I’m encouraging more shipping in this series! Umemoto and Nori would be adorable! Thanks for the comment! These were so much fun to watch!
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 20:02:14 +0000 UTCThank you for the clarification on Ichidai and Manaka! :) That makes sense; I always forget his name for some reason! And I did get that it was Sawamura they were talking about! :) I can't remember if I said it during the discussion or not, but I love that they made that little reference to the first few episodes. :) And yessss, time for Season 2! I can't wait! Thanks for the comment!
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 16:39:57 +0000 UTCYes! just to clear the confusion on Kawakami's OVA episode, It is indeed the match against Ichidai in the Fall tournament which comes after Summer tournament, also Manaka is actually Tanba's best friend/rival and the one who pitches for Ichidai, The way the sub worded it also got me confused when I first watched that episode. By the way, it seems that Romania also missed the reference about Sawamura during that episode when Maezono, Miyuki, Kuramochi, and Shirasu while eating together talked about a middle schooler striking out Azuma. I Just thought about pointing that out since I liked episode 3 the most XD. Anyways now that the OVA's are all done now the stage is set for season 2 so let's go!
John Smith
2021-11-22 14:04:58 +0000 UTCAs far as I know, all the OVAs are canon; but particularly 4 and 5 serve as epilogues to Season 2. And, yes, sketchy streaming sites. I remember the mid-to-late '00s, where the only way to watch anime was hoping it would be licensed or finding yourself on a sketchy site (like Crunchyroll itself at that time; how it's changed!). The sacrifices that had to be made to make anime accessible! And that golden age lasted five years, before the dark age of isekai befell us... :( One of the things that I like about watching this again is having the chance to re-evaluate my first impressions. Way back, I said that I didn't really like Ryosuke because of how harsh he was with people generally and Haruichi in particular, and hiding his injury during the game against Inashiro. But while I still don't like it, his injury was less instrumental in Seido losing than I remembered. Likewise, seeing things from his perspective here, and knowing that he wanted to play and compete with Haruichi as much as vice-versa -and seeing him be the older brother, e.g. when he confronted Haruichi's bullies - I'll admit that I like him a lot more than I did coming in. Kuramochi's story is my favorite of the three; probably because he's my favorite character after Sawamura and Miyuki. And seeing how much his past is similar to Sawamura's is stunning, with the whole situation of his fighting people who hurt his friends and losing his recommendations because of it before being scouted by Rei. And then, there's the inversion of supportive friends who all but forced Sawamura to follow his dreams, to the friends of Kuramochi, who almost crushed them. Learning that they had tricked Kuramochi into attacking the councilor's son was upsetting; worse than them admitting that they couldn't understand how much Kuramochi still wanted to play baseball. And even if it was too late - even if Kuramochi will never know about it - that they were supportive at the end makes me happy (and hopeful that there will be a reconciliation in the future). In regard to both Ryosuke and Kuramochi both leaving home to attend high school, I don't think it's a typical situation for most students in Japan. We're seeing from the perspective of players at a private school that has the resources to provide room and board. Public schools just don't have those resources, which is why they rarely win in nationals (3 wins in the past 30 tournaments, with the last in 2007). That's not to say that there aren't long commuters among students. High school isn't compulsory in Japan, so most schools are selective to some degree - hence why Sawamura was studying for the entrance exam at the beginning of the series - and sometimes students don't end up at a nearby school. So, I'm not 100% sure, but I interpreted the game at the start of Kawakami's story to be the prior year Fall Tournament game where they lost to Ichidai, since Azuma is in the stands. Which means that, at the very least, Kawakami blames himself for ending Seido's season. If that's the case, no wonder his confidence is only intermittent going forward. And despite the support he gets here, I don't think it's improved much. That's too bad. It's also interesting how they weave Sawamura's first visit into the background of the episode. And I'll have to admit I was wrong. I had thought that Rei came to see Sawamura immediately after his middle school tournament ended. But it seems to have been in late September/early October after all. It's funny how Kawakami is flustered when he thinks first Takako and then Umemoto are the one who is encouraged him. I'm sure he was thinking he was about to get a girlfriend, LOL! And admittedly, he and Umemoto would look cute together. Maybe they'll join my low-key ships...
zeroantizero
2021-11-22 11:23:49 +0000 UTCYessss, I think the Kuramochi one might be my favorite, with the Ryo/Haruichi one right behind it. But I’m SO glad I watched them, too! They were so much fun! Yeah, Ryo befriending Haruichi’s bullies is so fascinating – it reminded me of Zootopia, where Judy befriends her bully when she grows up; showing they both “grew up” and moved forward. And yessss, Ryo’s seemed so harsh this series, but we finally see this is a front and he’s just hiding it because he’s the big brother. It’s great! And *ahem* yeah, Sawamura, I mean, if Miyuki is the only one he’s calling by his full name…flirting is ON…just…maybe needing fine tuning. :3 You’re right! I remember that Shirakawa WAS in a flashback before, but that one kid looked SO much like him! And yeah, that connection might explain his saltiness, too. Yeah, I think I liked Kuramochi’s OVA the most because of how sad and heavier it was – I felt so bad for Kuramochi. He had this genuine passion and it helped him have a “safe space,” and his friends not only didn’t support him but took advantage of him…that was really sad. I was sad he didn’t see the banner at the end, but it makes sense as Kuramochi was just “done” and over it. I’m glad that he found a team with others that are just as passionate as he is! 😊 And YES! The Room 5 Scare tradition is so great! I love that Masuko was the one to scare him! 😊 Yeah, forget fake friends; Kuramochi is in a much better place. And ooooh, that makes sense! Thanks for the clarification on Manaka! And cheers! Onto season 2!!!
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 03:34:27 +0000 UTCI love the brotherly love between Ryo and Haruichi so much! I love how Ryo’s always been protecting his big brother; it’s a nice to see that beneath his hard exterior he’s shown this series so far, he’s actually very loving of Haruichi! I love the callback with the wooden/metal bat as well in this! I HATE THAT HE DOESN’T SEE THE BANNER! I hated that – I guess it was maybe better in the end, but I hated that his friends somewhat tried to support him and he just had drifted too far from them…it was bittersweet, but I really liked the Kuramochi one – I love that he found others who shared his passion and didn’t judge him for it! 😊 And Kawakami’s…ahhh, I love his dynamic with Azuma! It’s a great connection back to episode one of this series when Kawakami and Azuma met Sawamura! And ahhhh, I like that this also serves as a Kawakami reminder before Season 2; interesting!! Ooohhh, I love the first two OVA’s even more now that I know they’re pretty much canon; that also explains the Kawakami one much more! Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m sooo excited to get into Season 2! 😊
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 02:59:24 +0000 UTCOh, these OVA's were wonderful! I'm so glad I watched them! :) And yes, the transition from the 3rd to 2nd to 1st years in this series is wonderful and I love how they emphasize it through these OVA's. I love how these characters all ended up taking care of each other and helping each other out! :) I'm glad you're joining me on the Sacchin/Kawakami ship! :) And thank you for the kind words and comment! I'm soooo excited for Season 2, and I agree, watching these in 3-episode segments has been so much fun! :)
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 02:44:39 +0000 UTCOh, that's true! The start of season one seems like AGES ago, but I like that we see some similarities between Kuramochi and Sawamura, here! :)
Romaniablack
2021-11-22 02:33:47 +0000 UTCYess thanks so much for reacting to these OVAs!! Touching backstory galore aside, I also really love how they share that same idea of connection through the generations. Seeing ryousuke and haruichi both push each other forward from chasing and being chased by love and brotherly rivalry always tugs at my heartstrings, and kuramochis too, seeing how he also struggled at first when he arrived at seidou. That line ryousuke said to him about there always being others who are ready to take your place works as a reference to haruichi, but mochi also says that exact line to sawamura as a wake up call in ep 2(?) I think back when he was sulking and upset in the dorms! The scaring the newbie thing was also noted to be a tradition of their room back when mochi and masuko had their first meeting with sawamura, so it was a nice callback to see in action :’) having more azuma in the kawakami episode also recontextualizes a lot of our/sawamura’s first impression of him, and seeing the lessons and encouragement he left nori in his own way shows a lot more of why our old third years (especially jun) looked up to him/his generation so much! And you can count me in on the lowkey shipping of sacchin/kawakami hahaa. Looking forward to next week (thank you for these 3 episode chunks lolol they feed my daiya craving so well), let the s2 hype begin!!
Prinn
2021-11-21 00:37:18 +0000 UTCSawamura’s first encounter with Rei was similar to Kuramochi, he looked right at her chest and thought “Cleavage like mountains” 😂
John Miller
2021-11-21 00:20:39 +0000 UTCAh I love the OVAs lol I'm glad you watched them and enjoyed them. The Mochi one is also a favourite of mine. I always find it interesting that Ryousuke ends up being friends with Haruichis bullies lol. Like yall used to fight eachother and he used to bully your baby brother but you can still come together and hang out when you're in town and you're all older. It's pretty funny. I love seeing how soft and gentle Ryousuke is with Haruichi. At Seidou we always see him being sarcastic and harsh and a little bit "evil" but at home with Haruichi and in their childhood he's so soft and supportive and sweet and I love getting to see that side of him. It feels like such a privilege. Sawamuras flirting skills need some fine tuning but if no one else is calling Miyuki by his full name at least he stands out to him 😂😂 he just needs to learn new flirting techniques That wasn't actually Shirakawa but I made that mistake too lol. Shirakawa was on Chris' middle school team though which might offer some small explanation as to why Shirakawa is always so salty with Miyuki as a catcher. I think one of the sadder points of Mochis backstory is the fact that he almost lost all chance at playing baseball because of these friends. They would pick fights with people and then lie to Mochi by saying these other kids would beat them up randomly so he would defend them and get in trouble. That was probably the part to me that stuck out as why Kuramochi wouldn't want to fuck with them anymore. He said it didn't affect him and that he was fine but if Seidou hadn't come around, he wouldn't have been able to play baseball in high school at all because of their lies and their selfishness. I dont think he actually saw their banner at all which is quite sad but I prefer your headcanon that he saw it in the reflection lol makes me feel better. I loved seeing the room 5 tradition of scaring the first year every year lol. I dunno if it started with Kuramochi or if it started with Masuko or maybe even before that but I do love seeing it again 😂 Its so nice to know that Kuramochi ended up finding true friends and true teammates to support him. Who needs those fake friends when you have a little brother in Sawamura and best friends in Miyuki, Zono, Shirasu and Nori 😊😊 Also, Manaka wasn't a Seidou pitcher. That's the name of Tanbas friend from Ichidai Sankou, the one Tanba wanted to go against and the pitcher who got hit in the shoulder by Raichi in season 1. That's the team they were playing in that game when Nori threw 2 deadballs and a walk. On to season 2!! 🎉🎉
Kelsey
2021-11-20 20:30:47 +0000 UTCThe Kominatos OVA always melts me into a pile of goo. I love them so much 💕 One of my favorite parts is how Ryo always pushes for Haruichi to do everything he wants, even if that’s following Ryo around, because as the eldest he doesn’t feel like he can do anything he wants himself. And, of course, the first time both of them deviate from their older & younger brother roles of being selfless & a follower, respectively, is related with baseball. Ryo abandons his selflessness when he asks to go to Seido & Haruichi doesn’t follow Ryo & instead strives to surpass him when he chooses a wooden bat. And when Kuramochi doesn’t see the banner, it was so sad. But I think it symbolizes perfectly the rift between him and his friends. Even though they cared for him, his friends weren’t able to understand him. So it wasn’t until he got to Seido, that Kuramochi experienced being surrounded by others who are as passionate as him. And I loved that he found his place where he feels understood and not alone. The Kawakami one does a better job at portraying Azuma. When we first see him, he’s kind of a villain but now we can see that every harsh word he said to Kawakami that day Sawamura came to visit was because he believed Kawakami could do better and wanted to inspire him to do so. Plus, it does bring up again the issues Kawakami has with pitching and how some of them can even be related to Sawamura himself, so it serves as a good “recap” for his character before S2. ps. The first 2 OVAs are “semi” canon. They are 2 of 3 “extra chapters” focusing on Ryo, Kuromochi & Miyuki’s past that the author wrote. The one about Miyuki was included in the season itself right before the final match of Seido vs Innashiro. The only one that’s not canon is the Kawakami one which explains why they had the girl messaging him leave the school. Also, the future OVAs you’ll watch are full canon canon. I CAN’T WAIT FOR S2! It gets intense real fast & I am so ready to see your reactions 😇💕
Melanie Marie
2021-11-20 19:39:17 +0000 UTC
