History Manga / CrossGame

** IneffectualLoner / JerkJock: Daimon's Seishu team receives special privileges. With the understanding that they are to win the acting principal the notoriety of raising a Koshien-level baseball team, he diverts funds and kicks the table tennis club out into the rain for them. The varsity team is not above breaking non-starting players [[GloryHound to pursue their goal]] and abusing their position over the farm team. While good on paper, many of the varsity players have reached their peak. Daimon collects top talent but doesn't do much with them. After getting fired, Daimon doesn't learn [[AnAesop his lesson]] and tries the same thing at a new school. Daimon losses twice, both times to a team with [[ThePowerOfFriendship better teamwork]] that he underestimated.

* {{Doppelganger}}: Both characters even have the same voice actress.

Then the end of the first volume happens (equivalent to the first episode of the anime), with Wakaba's death, by drowning in a river during summer camp. Fast-forward four years, and Kō and the Tsukishima family are still dealing with the repercussions. As Kō enters high school, he joins the high school baseball team. As he begins to grow up he finds that getting older isn't easy.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Manga/Touch1981'' and ''Manga/{{H2}}'', the author's previous baseball series. ''Cross Game'' has a somewhat more dramatic feel at first, but all are sweet, slice-of-life stories told through baseball. The three series form a thematic trilogy of sorts, although their stories are unconnected.

''Cross Game'' is a romantic comedy baseball manga series by Creator/MitsuruAdachi, which ran from 2005-10. Although it is better described as a ComingOfAgeStory: All about life. Death. And baseball! Think ''Series/TheWonderYears'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY plus]] ''Film/TheNatural''. (If you are too young to remember ''The Wonder Years'' replace it with ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld''). A year-long anime adaptation aired starting in 2009, with the first episode receiving excellent reviews, both in and out of Japan. Viz has licensed both the manga (volumes collecting two Japanese volumes each, with three in the first, started coming out in late 2010) and anime (weekly episodes began streaming from their website in May 2010).

Then the end of the first volume happens (equivalent to the first episode of the anime), [[spoiler:with Wakaba's death, by drowning in a river during summer camp]]. Fast-forward four years, and Kō and the Tsukishima family are still dealing with the repercussions. As Kō enters high school, he joins the high school baseball team. As he begins to grow up he finds that getting older isn't easy.

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Momiji... from Aoba's perspective

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Manga/{{Touch}}'' and ''Manga/{{H2}}'', the author's previous baseball series. Cross Game has a somewhat more dramatic feel at first, but all are sweet, slice-of-life stories told through baseball. The three series form a thematic trilogy of sorts, although their stories are unconnected.

Then the end of the first volume happens (equivalent to the first episode of the anime), [[spoiler:With Wakaba's death, by drowning in a river during summer camp]]. Fast-forward four years, and Kō and the Tsukishima family are still dealing with the repercussions. As Kō enters high school, he joins the high school baseball team. As he begins to grow up he finds that getting older isn't easy.

* {{Kotatsu}}: Leading to SleepCute, below.

* LoveDodecahedron: Start with Ko, Aoba, and Azuma having lots of fans. Of these, Senda and his attempts in vain to court Aoba gets the most screentime. Ko and Akaishi loved Wakaba, and Wakaba loved Ko back. [[spoiler: Most everyone expects Ko to fall for Akane. Ko slowly develops feelings for Aoba. Azuma says Aoba is the only girl he would consider dating. Mizuki is also in love with Aoba. Aoba actually loves Ko. Akaishi falls for Akane out of displaced feelings from Wakaba. Ko himself is implied to suffer a slight case of LovingAShadow with Akane. Akane falls for Ko but realizes he's grown very close to Aoba. The epilogue shows Ko-Aoba and implies Akaishi-Akane happen]].