Last Inning

STORY

Keisuke Hatogaya, working as a salesman, is left with all the responsibility of company scandal, and is sent to a jail.
As a result, he loses job, money and his girlfriend.
At the same time, Saijyu Gakuen High School, once used to be a prestigious high school for baseball, loses the match of Koushien (Japanese high school baseball tournament) preliminary contest.
The present school principal, Shigeaki Sayama, who used to be the head coach of the school baseball team 13 years ago, recalls Keisuke, who were the captain 13 years ago.
13 years ago, Keisuke punches Tsurugashima, the umpire, due to his intended misjudge and excuse.
Then, he left baseball.
But later, Keisuke accepts the offer to be the new head coach.
Sometimes his radical words and original way of teaching make people worried.
But, good results and his verbal skill that he learned when he was salesman convince players and their parents, and get them involved aiming Koshien together.

(Ryu Kamio&Yu Nakahara/29 books as of 2011, August/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

This is a tactics baseball cartoon.
Kensuke brings team members’ potential to their max levels, and leads the team to win games with his appropriate tactics aiming for Koushien.
Cartoons focusing on baseball head coach are few.
Well, of course there are some such ‘Rookies’ and ‘Yattarojan,’ but usually head coach tends to be left on the side especially during game.
On the other hand, in Last Inning, the head coach’s skill rather than the members’ skill influence results of the games.
Efficiently training players, committing to draw players’ max skills, and finding enemy’s tiny weak point, the coach accurately approaches the winning road.
It makes me feel good that his tactics hit correctly and leads the team defeat opponent team that has more ability than Saigaku.
There is nobody who can’t refuse to be attracted to Hatogaya head coach.
It makes me so excited that such new upcoming rivals facing after winning games, the improved team in spite of a few members, and those tactics, by what and how to.
Now facing the end of the last game of prefecture’s tournament, this is the best recommended baseball cartoon as of now.

Shun's Score 10