Having had the opportunity to challenge Joe Gibson for the world cup, Goro's only dream now left is to prove his mettle in the American Major Leagues. This is easier said than done when opponents such as Gibson Junior await him for the sole purpose of bringing him down. Not to mention that Major League matches are a whole new psychological ball game that will test not just his body, but his confidence. Then again, the only thing bigger than the obstacles in Goro's way is his will to overcome them; now more than ever, he'll need it to make his name ring through the Major Leagues!
When Koh was eleven years old, he lived a quiet and peaceful life, delivering sporting goods for his family's store and batting frequently at the Tsukishima Batting Center. Though Koh had no interest in baseball, he started the play the sport anyways after a series of events, much to the delight of his best friend, the beautiful Wakaba Tsukishima. However, soon life dealt Koh a tragic turn, changing him forever. Now, years later, Koh attends Seishuu Academy and is soon pulled back into the world of baseball. Alongside Wakaba's talented sister, Aoba; old friend and fighter Nakanishi; and plenty of new teammates and companions, Koh will once more pick up the pitcher's mitt and see if he has what it takes to be a champion.
After loving everything Major did, I cannot believe I almost missed out on Cross Game. Are you still twitching from that Post-Awesome Anime Depression? Miss that RAWR RAWR YEAH YEAH feeling and need a high to replace the one Major gave you? Then watch Cross Game. It's just as brilliant at developing nail-biting baseball games, combining it with heart-wrenching drama and marvellously involving character development for a thoroughly rousing experience.
Ippo Makunouchi is a loser. He has no friends, he spends his free time helping his mom with work, and he's constantly being beaten up by bullies. But that all changes when one day he's saved from another beating by Takamura, an up-and-coming boxer. Soon, Ippo turns his life around with a passion for the newly discovered sport, but his new lifestyle is far from easy! Before he can even dream of becoming champion, he'll have to overcome a slew of fierce rivals and learn what 'dedication' really means.
So you're watching Major and you think you've tasted the best that sports anime can offer? Think again! If you love Major, then Hajime no Ippo is a must-watch. With inspiring protagonists, tragic backgrounds, and an action-packed plot that never fails to give and is free of filler, you'll find Hajime no Ippo as gratifying (if not more so) as Major.
Kojima is a baseball legend. As the superstar cleanup hitter for the Lycaons, he won himself many awards including rookie of the year seven times; but there's one title he never acquired: champion. In an attempt to find that special something Kojima feels he's missing inside, he opens a training camp in Okinawa. There, through a series of events, Kojima is introduced to a high stakes game dominated by the talented Toua Tokuchi, and subsequently loses a fortune. However, Kojima finally defeats Toua and due to their agreement, he enlists him to join the now poorly-ranked Lycaons - but Toua demands a high price: instead of a salary, he will receive five million yen for each out, and lose fifty million yen for each point lost. With a bad attitude and prodigal skills, Toua will help transform the Lycaons into winners once more.
You should definitely try One Outs next if you really like Major. One Outs has a fantastic protagonist as memorable and engaging as Goro. Except Toua Tokuchi is the complete opposite to Goro in that he's cynical, dark, and totally comfortable using sneaky methods to win. How he does this, though, is just as AWESOME as Goro at his most kick-arse. In short, One Outs is what you would get if you crossed Major with Death Note, and I think that should be recommendation enough.