Why Shohei Ohtani's favorite manga means he will choose the Giants

Ace of Diamond has been one of my favorite shows since I first watched it in the summer of 2017. It is the rare piece of sports media that showcases its creators' deep love and passion for both the sport and the characters. However, I had forgotten that Ohtani had previously highlighted.

So, as baseball fans all over the world spiral wondering what the best player in generations is going to do, I figured I'd take GPT's tweet as an excuse to rewatch some Ace of Diamond from the Giants perspective.

It's worth noting that the Ace of Diamond manga (comic) has not been released in English, so I have only watched the anime. My understanding is the anime is quite true to the original manga, but there presumably are some distinctions.

The show does an amazing job developing the world, often dedicating multiple episodes to peripheral schools and players, but Ace of Diamond centers around the Seidou High School boy's baseball team. Seidou is a powerhouse private school that recruits some of the best baseball players from around the country. 

However, while they are one of the most prestigious programs in the country, they have not reached nationals, or won a championship in a significant period of time. In fact, there is growing pressure to fire the architect of the program (Coach Kataoka) because of a growing belief that he is too stubborn and rigid in his approach to constructing and deploying a team.

Sounds quite a bit like the Giants.

The primary protagonist of the show is Eijun Sawamura, a lovable left-handed pitcher whose earnestness and work ethic make him easy to root for. However, the coolest character on Seidou's roster is catcher Miyuki Kazuya. There are multiple ways for the Giants to spin Miyuki's story in their favor.

Considered the best catcher his age, Miyuki's excellent defensive acumen and elite ability to get the most out of the pitchers he works with is what draws Eijun to Seidou in the first place. A left-handed hitter who lacks power early in his career, Miyuki has plenty of similarities to young Giants catcher Patrick Bailey.

The real connection to Ohtani in this moment, though, comes in a flashback. Miyuki is reminded of his own recruitment when he runs into some of the superstar players at rival Inashiro High School. Inashiro is the Dodgers of the Ace of Diamond world. The school has the biggest budget, the most consistent track record of success, and they got even better because of superstar pitcher Narumiya Mei.

Narumiya, the best pitcher in his class, did not just decide to attend Inashiro, but recruited a super team comprised of the best players at every position from around the country. As he recruited a lineup, Narumiya approached Miyuki, believing him to be the final piece of the puzzle. 

Just as Ohtani will likely meet with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman trying to entice him to sign with the Dodgers, Narumiya and several other impressive players meet up with Miyuki trying to get him to Inashiro.

Here is a condensed version of Miyuki's exchange with Narumiya (translation via Crunchyroll English subtitles):

Narumiya: Inashiro invited you too, right? So, why don't we make the ultimate team together? If we all get on the same team, we could take nationals.

Miyuki: I'm sorry, but I already got an invite from Seidou a while ago. I can't join you guys.

Mei: Seidou, huh? They have only gone to nationals once since their old coach quit. [The Giants have only been to the playoffs once since Bruce Bochy retired]

Miyuki: Well it's not really about that. Inashiro's a team with a bunch of All-Stars like you, right? So... I want to face you as an opponent.

Miyuki understands that Seidou has the resources and talent to be on the same level as Inashiro, but rather than joining them, he chooses to take on the challenge. The Giants will need Ohtani to have a similar internal thought process to convince him to spurn the Dodgers.

Furuya Satoru, the two-way star who had one of the best fastballs in the country and is an excellent power hitter (who also deals with arm injuries). Furuya's character is fueled by a friendly rivalry with Eijun to become the team's undeniable ace. While Furuya develops a powerful four-seam fastball and splitter combination (a comparable approach to Ohtani), Eijun thrives with a varied arsenal. Eijun has an incredibly flexible body, which helps him generate added deception and movement on his pitches to generate soft contact.

On a related note, here's a quote from Giants amateur scouting director Michael Holmes on what Dick Tidrow saw in Logan Webb coming out of high school that intrigued him:

“He was getting loose with his shoulders like Michael Phelps would do in the platform before he’d jump in the pool. Dick was intrigued by the mobility and flexibility. He said he thought there might be a really good sinker in there.

While Narumiya and plenty of the players on Inashiro receive their moment in the sun, Ace of Diamond is about players working to overcome obstacles. Fans of the show, Ohtani included, connect with so many characters for that exact reason. 

I've seen claims online that Ohtani's favorite character is Yakushi High School ace Sanada Shunpei, however, I've been unable to find the original report that stems from. However, if true, Sanada is the only upperclassman on a young underdog team that pulls off some of the biggest upsets in the tournament. As the Giants seemingly pitch Ohtani and other superstars on leading a group of promising young players (Webb, Patrick Bailey, Casey Schmitt, Kyle Harrison, Marco Luciano, etc.) forward, his favorite character may have done exactly that.

In case it's not already clear, I do not believe Ohtani is going to sign with the SF Giants because they most resemble Seidou High School from Ace of Diamond. However, if Ohtani were to choose San Francisco, it would be because he is placing greater value on things beyond recent MLB standings. And, for what it's worth, the art we most connect with is often a direct reflection of the things we value.

The fact is, it's guessing season right now for fans, and in the case of Ohtani, who has an entire apparatus built around him to ensure secrecy, nearly everyone in the baseball industry has no idea what he's going to do either. In the face of that uncertainty, I encourage fans to leave room for fun and excitement throughout the rumor churn of the offseason.

So, if you're reading this, desperate for a compelling baseball story that isn't free agent rumors, or driving yourself into a wall by refreshing Twitter 5-10 times every 90 seconds, it might be worth checking out Ace of Diamond and diving in headfirst to the story of Seidou High School. If you do, at the very least you will have something in common with Shohei Ohtani.