When watching any type of media, it is easy for a viewer form expectations based upon the past. This can lead to the feeling of being disappointed when something does not live up to those expectations. This is not the case with Cross Game, a shounen which demonstrates that a captivating story can be found in a simple story of romance and baseball.
The main characters of the show are all memorable, from the four street sisters to Ko’s best pal Daiki. The small cast is what makes the show so memorable that they can bring the character of each and ambiance to every scene they appear in. They are able to handle themes such as love and death easily and give them more depth than one would think of from a shonen show.
Cross Game is unique because it knows where to direct its attention. The characters are well developed, but there’s not much drama or surprises in every episode. This lets the viewers be able to fully enjoy the development of their relationships without being overpowered by the need for more emotional tension or a plot constantly trying to shock the viewer with new twists and suspenseful cliffhangers. The fact that it steers clear of these kinds of pitfalls is the reason that makes Cross Game so wonderful, and something that the genre could benefit from more of.