H2 (manga)

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H2
Genre Comedy, Romance, Shounen, Sports
Manga
Authored by Mitsuru Adachi
Publisher Shogakukan
Serialized in Shōnen Sunday
Original run –
No. of volumes 34
TV anime
Directed by Hidehito Ueda
Studio Ashi Productions
Network TV Asahi
Original run –
No. of episodes 41
TV drama
Directed by
Studio
Network
Original run –
No. of episodes 11

H2 is a manga written by Mitsuru Adachi portraying high school baseball. It has been made into an 41-episode anime series and an 11-episode J-Drama live-action series.

Contents

[edit] Plot

During middle school, Kunimi Hiro (pitcher), Tachibana Hideo (3rd baseman), and Atsushi Noda (catcher) were teammates on the baseball team. Thanks to their exploits, their school achieved an unbeaten record on their way to consecutive national championships.

However, after an injury, a doctor told Hiro that if he continued pitching, his elbow would shatter in three months. Likewise, Noda was diagnosed with a career-ending waist injury by the same doctor... ending their dreams of Kōshien. They chose to go to Senkawa High School, which lacked a baseball team. On the other hand, Hideo went to Meiwa Daiichi High School, one of the top-ranked high schools in the country, along with Amamiya Hikari, his girlfriend (and Hiro's childhood friend).

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Hiro decided to join the soccer team, and Noda joined the swim team. But it turned out that the doctor who "diagnosed" Hiro (and Noda) was a quack. Because of this, Hiro and Noda return to playing baseball. Their first hurdle was to persuade their headmaster, who hated baseball.

Haruka managed through a family friend to persuade the headmaster to allow the baseball club to be created if they managed to beat another team. The team chosen was surprisingly Meiwa Daiichi, Hideo's team. Although Senkawa ultimately lost the game, the headmaster allowed the club to be formed - also letting his son Yanagi to return to baseball.

The headmaster also employs Fujio Koga, Haruka's brother, as the team's coach. They play Eikyo High School in a friendly match. Eikyo, a team with the famed pitcher Hirota, beat Senkawa easily.

In the second year, the new baseball club gains three notable members: Sagawa, Shima, and Ohtake. Sagawa was an old friend of Hideo's, while the latter two were relatives of Hirota. Although initially planted by Hirota in order to destroy Senkawa from within, they soon grow used to the friendly atmosphere of Senkawa. In the final game before the Koshien, Senkawa managed to defeat Eikyo.

Senkawa were set to meet up with Meiwa Daiichi after two opponents in the Koshien. It would have been a fight between rivals Hiro and Hideo, except that Senkawa lost in the second round to Iba Shogyo. The loss was due to Hiro not being willing to injure the opposing pitcher, although this was not directly stated by the author. Meiwa Daiichi went on to win the tournament.

[edit] Characters

Hiro Kunimi (国見比呂 Kunimi Hiro?) (Takayuki Yamada)

The protagonist, Hiro initially escaped to Senkawa in order to forget baseball. After his elbow was properly diagnosed, he strived to stregthen the newly created Senkawa baseball team as its star pitcher. Hiro was responsible for introducing Hikari to Hideo. Although he throws a good fastball, he has less control over his forkballs. However, since his failed forkballs turn out to be fastballs, it leads to a degree of unpredictability in his pitches. (Birthday: January 16 (was retconned by author from January 28) to fit plot purposes.)

Hideo Tachibana (橘英雄 Tachibana Hideo?) (Koutaro Tanaka)

Hiro's best friend and greatest rival in baseball, they were in the same baseball team in middle school. Hideo has been dating Hikari since middle school, and aims to enter the professional baseball leagues after he graduates from high school. (Birthday: November 6)

Hikari Amamiya (雨宮ひかり Amamiya Hikari?) (Yui Ichikawa)

Hiro's childhood friend and Hideo's girlfriend, Hikari dreams of becoming a journalist. She is a member of the archery club, but has once come in as a temporary manager for Meiwa Daiichi's baseball team during the Koshien by Hideo's request. Although she seems happy with Hideo, she seems to have feelings for Hiro as well. (Birthday: August 16)

Haruka Koga (古賀春華 Koga Haruka?) (Satomi Ishihara)

Daughter to the businessman whom Hiro's father works for, she was a high school baseball enthusiast. A hardworking baseball club manager, she played an instrumental role in creating and supporting Senkawa's baseball club. As time goes along, her feelings for Hiro grow more apparent, but Hiro chooses not to respond. She dreams of being an air flight stewardess as well as a professional baseballer's wife. (Birthday: March 3)

Atsushi Noda (野田敦 Noda Atsushi?) (Akiyoshi Nakao)

The catcher that makes up Senkawa's battery, Noda is the third person in the friendship of Hideo and Hiro. Fat and lazy, Hiro still acknowledges that Noda is a good catcher: able to make decisions about fielding and understanding the general condition of the team.

Ryutaro Kine (木根竜太朗 Kine Ryutarō?) (Yuma Ishigaki)

Used to play for the Hakusan Angels in primary school until Hideo replaced him. He turned to soccer instead, his athletic ability helping him. He tries to persuade Haruka to give up on her baseball ambitions, but later joins the baseball team in order to get closer with Haruka. Kine acts as leadoff batter and centerfielder, and was also pitcher when he was in the Hakusan Angels. As a homage to Kakefu, he does left-handed baseball swings. As Haruka and Hiro's relationship gets better, he plots with Miho in order to split them up.

Miho Osanai (Manga only)

One of the managers for Meiwa Daiichi, she joined in order to get closer to Hideo. However, she fails in this due to Hideo's loyalty to Hikari. She attempts to break them up, but continually fails. She later plots with Kine in order to break up Hideo and Hikari. Their plotting results in both Miho and Kine getting closer.

[edit] Notable baseball teams

Senkawa

Coached by Fujio Koga, Haruka's brother, the Senkawa team was newly created. However, the presence of Hiro and Atsushi soon proved that Senkawa was a threat to be considered.

Meiwa Daiichi

Hideo and Hikari's school, Hideo is the star player. Miho is one of the managers of the team, but Hikari sat as manager during the team's Koshien games although she was just a temporary manager. The coach is understanding, and gets along well with Hideo.

Eikyo

Eikyo's star pitcher, Hirota, is considered one of the best pitchers in the Koshien. With the backing of the calculative Coach Shiroyama, they were considered serious contenders for the Koshien. Hirota aimed to get

Iba Shogyo

The star pitcher, Kohei Tsukigata, and the star hitter, Shimizu, are both fans of Hiro and Hideo respectively. Tsukigata's pitches, and his curveball in particular, are extremely well controlled, and he had the potential to be considered a genius if he had started training early. They defeated Senkawa in the Koshien tournament as Hiro was willing to sacrifice his own leg in order to not hurt Tsukigata's hand.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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