This review is for both Season 1 and Season 2. I think this anime is great, and I'm super sad that they didn't come up with a third season.
Unlike many sports anime, it is very realistic, especially the older ones. The characters don't have any ridiculous, out of this world techniques. The techniques they use here are techniques that exist in real life. The strategies are strategies used in baseball and that is what I like about this anime. It felt real, like these kids could have been your next door neighbor, or your school mates, or even your good friends.
At first each character design look almost the same, but each character's personality is what defined each of them. Each of them is unique in their own way. From the shy, cry baby pitcher, Mihashi, to the hot headed, impatient, loud catcher, Abe. From the cheery, shameless, third baseman, Tajima who is not scared to shout that he forgot to masturbate, to the responsible, mature, a little bit angsty captain, Hanai. Then there's the sweet, quiet Oki, the clueless and a little bit dumb Mizutani, the more mature Suyama and Nishihiro, the gentle Sakaeguchi and finally, the cheeky Izumi. I absolutely love seeing these boys interact with each other, support each other and work hard.
Because it is a manga adaptation, of course there were things missing from the anime that was in the manga. I wish that they did adapt more of the member's interaction with each other, because that interaction is what make Oofuri really special. Yes, the games and learning the strategies that they used was fun and the pace of the game is similar to that of a real baseball game, so you feel that you're actually watching them play in reality. But, watching them act like highschoolers, talking about girls and sex is what I feel is the true gem of this series.
Definitely a must watch. I got hooked and even read the manga. I would recommend doing both!