Posts Tagged “Sports”

Of the anime I initially sampled this fall, Hyakko was the one that had the most slapstick/physical humor and though I enjoy a variety of comedic styles including dry, pun-filled, and ironic, slapstick and the like garners the most immediate and primal reactions of laughter from me. (It doesn’t hurt that “stupid” comedies Wayne’s World and Dumb and Dumber are among my favorite films.)

Episode 2 was full of these moments as Torako and Tatsuki competing against each other as the quartet tries out different sport clubs. First, they try baseball and Torako pegs Tatsuki in the upper thigh. Next, they attempt to play doubles tennis but Torako double faults by missing the ball she throws up as part of her “Tiger Smash” serves and accidentally throws her racket at Tatsuki’s face on her second whiff. Basketball follows and they decide to have a free throw match. Tatsuki blocks Torako’s attempts with her own shots and Torako does the same to her when she’s up at the line. Torako spikes a jump ball into Tatsuki’s gut then Tatsuki chases her attacker around for a few seconds before landing a flying kick to Torako’s back.

The group decides to give sports a break and moves on to arts clubs, like calligraphy and plant arrangement, but the bad blooded rivalry continues. Finally, they go down to the soccer plain to stage a penalty kick showdown with aloof Suzu acting as impartial goaltender and Torako slide tackles Tatsuki as she is about to take her kick.

Koji Oe made the connection two months ago between Torako and Azumanga’s Tomo – the irritable relationship between her and Tatsuki is similar that of Tomo and Yomi or Pani Poni Dash’s Himeko and Rei. In fact, Torako’s seiyuu – Fumiko Orikasa – also gave voice to Himeko. But, while there is that sort of annoyer-and-the-annoyed relationship, I think of it more as a conflict between an honorable, mannerly upper-class girl (who happens to be the daughter of an electronics company president) and a risk-taking, combative, dimwitted, not particularly ambitious girl who presumably comes from a working class family. Also: Tatsuki’s anger seems to be more bitterly expressed than in the other two duos, which makes it more entertaining to watch IMO.

Anyway, I have enjoyed the four episodes I have seen so far and look forward to finishing this short series over the next few weeks.

One of the rules in baseball that may not be obvious to casual baseball fans is that a batter can run to first if the catcher drops the third strike (i.e. the ball is not “legally caught”) and fails to tag him out when first base is open or when there are two outs. It still counts as a strikeout for the pitcher and the runner gets to stays on base if he reaches. (This has sometimes led to MLB pitchers getting four strikeouts in an inning.)

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=SiS2-t5s4ig[/youtube]

Well, during a tournament game between teams from Yokohama and Tokai, the Yokohama catcher dropped what would have been the third strike to close out the inning and the entire defense walked off the field toward the dugout. As the Tokai batter was walking back to the dugout, someone told him to run to first. He did and then went to second, then to third before scoring all the way home. The two other runners on base also scored, making it a three-run strikeout and expanding Tokai’s lead to 6-0.

At least the umpire was nice enough to explain the situation and outcome to the crowd.

So I was kicking around on YouTube’s “Most Viewed” page yesterday and found an interesting video of Japanese street protesters. You’ll never guess who they want to resign from office: JFA (Japan Football Association) president Saburo Kawabuchi.
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Many people have been talking about Japan in this year’s World Cup after their performance in 2002. I saw recaps of the Japan-Australia game and Japan’s goal against Australia probably shouldn’t have counted. The officials didn’t call it and don’t have instant replay like the NFL; instant replay would be impractical anyway in soccer because the clock would keep running while they were checking something. (Reportedly, one of the referees was overheard admitting to the Aussie keeper that it was a mistake.) I was a soccer referee for 3 years and I think that I would have made the same mistake; I would have to have seen the offending player’s momentum to make a definite call. Anyway, Australia scored three goals and beat them so hopefully people will move on to the other two matches. Read the rest of this entry »