Underrated Anime: Ookiku Furikabutte (Big Windup!)

With Major taking the majority of the baseball anime scene, other anime have fallen to the side. With Diamond no Ace also trying to make a move on the genre, anime like Ookiku Furikabutte have been lost. Despite this, I believe that Ookiku Furikabutte had potential to equal that of Major.

Okkiku na Summary

Mihashi, previously a starting pitcher at Mihoshi High School, had been seen as the cause of a losing team. Thanks to constant criticism and bullying Mihashi found himself changing schools and almost quitting baseball. Yet upon going to see what the baseball team was like he runs into their coach, Momoe. With her going full throttle, Mihashi tells her that he is a pitcher, thus sealing his fate. While he does have a slow pitch, everything else he can do is levels above average. Along with his newfound teammates and a bit more confidence, they aim to reach Koshien as a team.

A Different View of Baseball

What Ookiku Furikabutte has to offer isn’t the most proactive main character unlike Major. Instead what we get is a frail main character that we want to cheer on. We don’t get the overpowered character that we know has every capability given to him from genetics or family history. Instead, we get the earnest hard working type that puts everything into his game. Maybe I am a bit biased, but when it comes to innate talent over hard work, I will always support the effort.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHRKr-jynq8[/embedyt]

Verdict

While I still consider Major to be the greatest sports anime of all time it may be due to its story. Everything about it is complete, something that Ookiku Furikabutte can’t compete with. Maybe if the series had just as many seasons as Major, the two would be closer. Even though this isn’t the case I find myself still doing the same between the two anime. Supporting the Ookiku Furikabutte since it truly is a good anime.

David Harada
David Harada
A weeb in hiding by day, an avid Manchester United supporter by night. Living on both sides of the coin, David has graduated with a Liberal Arts Degree in Philosophy and Writing from Soka University of America. With a strong background in Japanese culture and being able to speak the language to boot, this man straddles the line between full-time nerd and sideline athlete. To him, as long as it is interesting he will watch it!

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