Major: Message
Summary: Thirteen years after achieving major success with the Indiana Hornets, Gorou Honda's career as a pitcher ended abruptly after sustaining a horrible injury. Inspired by his father, who continued playing baseball despite major setbacks, Gorou plans to restart his baseball career and play in a new position. However, his strong dedication to train has puzzled his family, especially his young daughter Izumi, who is frustrated with the absence of her father from her lives. Faced by another tough obstacle, Gorou once again decides to prove his resolve through his beloved sport.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Description
Thirteen years after achieving major success with the Indiana Hornets, Gorou Honda's career as a pitcher ended abruptly after sustaining a horrible injury. Inspired by his father, who continued playing baseball despite major setbacks, Gorou plans to restart his baseball career and play in a new position. However, his strong dedication to train has puzzled his family, especially his young daughter Izumi, who is frustrated with the absence of her father from her lives. Faced by another tough obstacle, Gorou once again decides to prove his resolve through his beloved sport.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Major: Message Pictures
Major: Message Review
Major: Message — Thirteen years after achieving major success with the Indiana Hornets, Gorou Honda's career as a pitcher ended abruptly after sustaining a horrible injury. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.
Thematically, It sits firmly within Sports conventions as a OVA work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.13). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.
Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.
On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.
The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.
Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.
No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.
In sum, Major: Message offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Sports, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.
Characters & Voice Actors
Honda, Gorou
Main
Morikubo, Shoutarou
Japanese
Shigeno, Izumi
Main
Kumai, Motoko
Japanese
Shigeno, Daigo
Main
Sawashiro, Miyuki
Japanese
Shimizu, Kaoru
Main
Sasamoto, Yuuko
Japanese
Honda, Shigeharu
Supporting
Koyasu, Takehito
Japanese
Hoshino, Momoko
Supporting
Noda, Junko
Japanese
Komori, Daisuke
Supporting
Miyata, Kouki
Japanese
Satou, Toshiya
Supporting
Morita, Masakazu
Japanese
Shigeno, Hideki
Supporting
Sakuya, Shunsuke
Japanese
Shimizu, Taiga
Supporting
Park, Romi
Japanese
Staff
Hatta, Masanobu
Producer
Hayashi, Masato
Producer
Saitou, Masahiro
Producer
Hasegawa, Yuuki
Assistant Producer
Fukushima, Toshinori
Director, Episode Director, Storyboard
Iizuka, Kouichi
Sound Director
Morikubo, Shoutarou
Theme Song Performance
Iida, Tomotaka
Publicity
Imaizumi, Tetsuo
Background Art
Komine, Hiromi
Editing
Kondou, Yuuji
Animation Director
Matsuda, Hiroshi
Key Animation
Matsumoto, Tomoyuki
Animation Director
Mifune, Chiho
Key Animation
Mitsuda, Takuya
Original Creator
Mori, Ayako
Key Animation
Nakamura, Chiho
Color Design
Niimura, Kyouko
Key Animation
Nojima, Masahiro
Planning
Okimura, Tadayoshi
Key Animation