Is Diamond No Ace Worth your Time? – A Complete Review

Diamond No Ace is a Japanese shōnen manga series based on the sport of baseball. It is written and illustrated by Yuji Terajima and published by Kodansha.

The series follows the story of Eijun Sawamura who is given an offer by a baseball scout from Tokyo’s prestigious Seido High School.

Eijun decides to accept the offer after he visits the high school and is blown away by the team’s potential.

The story progresses with the challenges and opponents that stand in Eijun and his new teammates’ road to victory.

In 2008, Diamond no Ace received the Shogakukan Manga Awards for the shōnen category.

In 2010, it won the Kodansha Manga Award for best shōnen manga. As of November 2015, the manga had 25 million copies in print.

1. Quick Review

Diamond no Ace focuses on the main protagonist Eijun Sawamura.

When he was in middle school, Eijun loses his final baseball game, and ever since, was frustrated with his loss.

As a result of this match, Eijun and his teammates promised to better their game and reach the national baseball tournament when they are in high school. 

During a local match, while everyone is showing off their skills, one scout from the famous Seidou High School witnesses the match.

He then offers Eijun a scholarship to Seido High and the very chance he was looking for to make it to the nationals. 

Now a part of Seido High and surrounded by skilled baseball players, Eijun must prove himself to be considered part of the team.

Hoping to one day be called the team’s ace, Eijun faces competition from players like first-year’s lightning-fast pitcher, Satoru Furuya.

The story progresses with Sawamura adjusting to his new team, internal team politics, and playing against formidable opponents.

Through its characters, the show delivers a well-balanced mix of humor along with emotional moments.

There is significant character development that we have the pleasure of witnessing as the story moves forward.

The best part of Diamond no Ace would have to be the wonderful, motivational soundtracks and lovable characters.

2. Info Card

3. Is it Worth Watching?

Diamond no Ace is a fantastic anime with a very accurate portrayal of baseball. The series is full of high-spirited energy, comedy and rich character personalities.

The baseball matches themselves are very interesting because of the versatile characters that take part in the scene.

The sound effects used in the show are remarkable such as when the ball hits the mitt, the sound is so crisp that it sounds more like lightning crashing down on us.

With beautiful soundtracks and amazing characters, Diamond no Ace is a baseball shonen gem that you would not regret watching.

I. Plot

The series follows the life of junior high Eijun Sawamura. He is a baseball pitcher with a very unusual changeup pitch that he had gained naturally. 

Eijun’s fate is changed forever when he plans to go with his friends to a local high school and play baseball.

During the match, while everyone is putting their best foot forward, one scout from the prestigious Seidou High observes the match.

He then approaches Eijun and offers him a scholarship to Seido High and a chance to make it to the nationals.

Sawamura decides to pay a visit to the school and accepts the offer when he sees their team’s true potential. 

The storyline has the motivational spirit of sports and still manages to throw a couple of laughs in there.

All the characters are memorable because of their distinct personalities and the show is doused with the conviction of team spirit.

II. Characters

i. Eijun Sawamura 

Sawamura Eijun is the protagonist of the series. Eijun is recruited by a baseball scout to Seido High after being spotted during a local match. Sawamura is described as a hotheaded and loudmouthed character.

He is always eager to learn from his mistakes. Eijun is known for his unusual change-up pitch and is a pitcher who throws with his feelings.

His traits of always speaking his mind and being strong-willed inspire his teammates to do their best.

ii. Miyuki Kazuya

Miyuki Kazuya is the catcher as well as the captain of Seidou High’s baseball team.

His capabilities of being a good catcher have earned him national recognition. Miyuki is deemed to be arrogant and cheeky.

He’s not afraid of being disliked and though he sometimes rubs his teammates the wrong way, Miyuki is still well-liked by his teammates because he is reliable, calm, and determined to take his team to victory.

iii. Furuya Satoru

Furuya Satoru is Sawamura Eijun’s rival, classmate and teammate at Seido High.

He is an introvert and not great with words. His character has an expressionless face that makes it difficult to understand his feelings.

However, when something angers him, he gives off a fiery ‘aura’ as a sign of his passion. He holds great respect for players who can catch his pitches like Miyuki but looks down upon those who are unable to do so.

Furuya never holds back during training as he is very competitive.

iv. Kominato Haruichi

Kominato Haruichi is a student of Seidou High School and plays the second baseman.

He is a close friend of Sawamura Eijun and Furuya Satoru. Haruichi is a very calm and quiet person, who is often seen complimenting Furuya or Sawamura, which causes the two to compete against each other frequently.

Though he is shy by nature, he has a habit of saying things rather bluntly.

III. Setting 

Diamond no Ace takes place mainly in Tokyo’s illustrious Seido High School.

The main character Eijun Sawamura receives an offer from a talent scout who comes from Seido High and he accepts it, officially becoming one of the students of their school and players on their baseball team.

The other locations that we witness throughout the show are of the opponent schools against Seido High.

IV. Theme Songs

The opening theme songs for Diamond no Ace are:

• “Go Exceed!!” by Tom-H@ck featuring Masayoshi Oishi (eps 1-25)
• “Perfect Hero” by Tom-H@ck featuring Masayoshi Oishi (eps 26-51)
• “Hashire! Mirai” by Glay (eps 52-75)

The ending theme songs for Diamond no Ace are:

• “Seek Diamonds” by Yoko Hikasa (eps 1-13)
• “Glory!” by Suzuko Mimori (eps 14-25)
• “Mirai e Tsunage” by DOP(eps 26-37)
• “CLOUD NINE” by Seidou High Baseball Club. (eps 38-51)
• “Promised Field” by Seidou High Baseball Club(eps 52-63)
• “FINAL VICTORY” by Seidou High Baseball Club (eps 64-75)

The Diamond no Ace OST cranks up the emotional factor and the intensity with some dreamy and motivating music.

The opening tracks by Tom-H@ck are good with upbeat music that gets the adrenaline pumping.

The music is so high-spirited that you find yourself rooting for the characters as though you were watching an actual baseball match.

4. Grade

5. Final Thoughts

Diamond no Ace displays the perfect balance between humor and inspiration.The story has a good flow to it and constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The art and animation are beautiful and consistent throughout the series. 

The characters and the soundtrack steal the spotlight of Diamond no Ace. Each character has their clear-cut personality which makes you want to root for them and the inspirational music just adds to the energetic story.