Major

11/20/2004

Goro invites a boy named Toshiya to play catch, reluctant at first, Toshiya comes to love it. Shigeharu vows to make a comeback as a hitter.

11/27/2004

A little league coach is dazzled by Goro's raw talent and teaches him to throw breaking balls. But Shigeharu, fearing injury, won't let him play.

12/4/2004

Shigeharu is back on the team as a hitter and, on his best friend and teammate's suggestion, looks to remarry, but he's absent on Goro's birthday.

12/11/2004

Goro is captivated by Joe Gibson, a major league player now playing in Japan. When Shigeharu homers off of him, Goro is beside himself with delight.

12/18/2004

Shigeharu gets beaned by Gibson, but the Blue Oceans go on to win. Goro falls asleep enraptured, but the next day brings anything but joy.

12/25/2004

Three years after his father's death, Goro joins the Mifune little league team. The coach welcomes him warmly, but the team has no love for the game.

1/8/2005

Kaoru Shimizu joins the Mifune team, but they're still two players short. Goro then runs into his classmate Komori, who's being forced to shoplift.

1/15/2005

Komori and Sawamura join the Mifune Dolphins, who now have a full team, but they have to play a game to save the team despite having hardly practiced.

1/22/2005

Having learned the importance of teamwork, Goro steps up his game and puts down the adult batters, but his own team can't hit the opposing pitcher.

1/29/2005

The Mifune Dolphins have been reborn. Urged by Coach Ando, Goro goes to observe the top little league team in Japan and runs into his old pal Toshiya.

2/5/2005

Gibson, now back in MLB, invites Goro to see him play in San Francisco. Though put off at first, Goro wants to see top-level baseball, so he accepts.

2/12/2005

The Mifune Dolphins join a training camp during summer break with all the best teams in Japan. Goro runs afoul of another team's heavy hitter.

2/19/2005

After Mifune loses a practice game to Kuki Little in part because he can't bring himself to pitch inside, Goro asks Yokohama Little for a game.

3/5/2005

Goro, determined to beat Yokohama Little, helps Sawamura practice pitching. When Coach Ando sees them at it, he realizes he'd given up on his dreams.

3/12/2005

Ryoko, the girl Goro just met, is a pitcher for Yokohama Little. He invites her to play ping-pong, upsetting Shimizu and keeping her up all night.

3/19/2005

Before the fall tournament, Mifune practices at the batting cages. There, they run into the Okamura triplets, who play for their first-round opponent.

3/26/2005

The Okamura triplets score a run off Goro with their strategy, and their ironclad defense grinds down Mifune's will, but Shimizu gives them new life.

4/2/2005

In round two, Mifune faces Totsuka-Nishi Little, led by ace Kyuta Usami. Goro spots Momoko out with Shigeno and is consumed with dread.

4/9/2005

Mifune is on the ropes; Goro suddenly gives up a home run, and they can't hit Kyuta's pitch. To make matters worse, Komori sprains his wrist.

4/16/2005

Sawamura's desperation bunt gets him on base, breaks up Kyuta's perfect game, and rattles the ace. Mifune then closes the gap to one run.

4/23/2005

Mifune draws Yokohama Little in the quarters, but Komori's injury is worse than they thought. With the team needing a new catcher, Shimizu volunteers.

4/30/2005

Coach Ando throws out his back, so Momoko fills in for him against Yokohama Little. Mifune, overwhelmed by the big stage, commits several errors.

5/7/2005

Toshiya gets Goro to hit into a double play. In the top of the 3rd, as Goro gets shelled again, he uncorks his secret weapon on cleanup hitter Majima.

5/14/2005

The game enters extra innings. Yokohama Little saps Goro's energy with bunts and puts Ryoko in to pitch. Goro's teammates worry about how he'll react.

5/21/2005

Ryoko and Toshiya defy their coach and pitch to Goro. Ryoko puts all her might into her pitch, and Goro musters his last ounce of strength to swing.