Ace of the Diamond

Length is the first thing to know about this one. It is a 75-episode sports series, so you are signing up for a long season of practice, rivalry and tournament play. The payoff is time with a big ensemble of teenage players and a protagonist who has to prove himself against teammates who are better trained.

The appeal is in the structure. A talented newcomer with an unusual pitching style joins a powerhouse high school team, and a rival first-year competes for the same ace title. Tags such as shounen, school club and baseball tell you the tone: earnest, competitive and driven by team spirit. You do not need to know the sport well, though a general sense of how baseball works will help.

The score is 80 out of 100 from more than 65,000 AniList users, which is a lot of people who stuck with a long show. Production I.G and MADHOUSE share the credit. It suits anyone who enjoys sports stories where progress is gradual and the cast keeps growing. If you like the genre and have a long stretch of free evenings, this is a solid choice. It streams on Crunchyroll.