In reviewing the sixth and final season of Major I suppose I should say a word about the first five because in many ways the continuity of the series is such that all the episodes can be viewed mostly as one long season. 220https://lostinanime.com/wpcontent/uploads/2010/10/vlcsnap2010091719h44m32s80.png For my tastes the first season of Major remains the best. The initial six episodes and their tragedy were perfect and Goro was an amazingly gripping main character right from the start. The camaraderie of the Mifune Dolphins never seemed to be quite matched by any of Goros later squads and the friendships Shimizu Komori Sawamura and Goros relationship with Momoko were the best of the series. That aside there was something to be said for all the seasons. While the show was somewhat inconsistent after the first season it was never less than interesting and occasionally brilliant. Goros HS career was capped by the match with Kaidou one of the best of the entire series. Watching Goro humbly scratch his way through the Minors was often hilarious and moving. And the World Cup season was consistently exciting probably the secondbest overall season especially the subplot with Gibson. Indeed Gibson Sr. was responsible for many of the best moments in Seasons 26. He was always a complex conflicted character but he changed the most of anyone both in terms of his makeup and the way he was perceived by the audience of any character. 220https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblrlxjbwjI5WF1qlmn6co2250.gif As for S6 it was probably middle of the pack for me. The first dozen or so eps were excellent I loved the Yips storyline. But it was plagued by inconsistency a bit after that with some of the dramas being resolved in a rather formulaic manner. It rallied at the end with the last game of Goros season a dramatic highpoint. In terms of pacing I would guess that there were originally plans for a seventh season because the drama peaked with two eps to go and much of the eyeopening development occurred in a short musical epilogue. We may very well see some of that epilogue direct from the manga fleshed out in the OVA I hope so. In the end Major is all about Goro Shigeno though hell always be Honda to me and Shimizu. Hes one of the essential characters of modern animanga a stubborn shortsighted frustrating and incredibly talented courageous and bighearted guy. This series is really about Goros incredible force of will and the impact it has on everyone around him. GAR hardly even seems adequate to describe him he has absolutely no fear and will sacrifice himself to the point of foolishness for the sake of his team. He wrecked his right shoulder as a kid doing that and almost wrecked the left in S6. But thats Goro for him the competition is everything the spirit of the battle. Hes a modern warrior in baseball cap that never fits and spikes. And his sheer will inspires Komori Shimizu Toshi Watts Keene Gibson Jr The list is endless. They all want to support him or battle him or strangle him sometimes but the excitement he brings to their lives is like a drug. 220https://pm1.narvii.com/6903/5c61c23f24ffe9360030ee9dc97221903c131aear11006335v2hq.jpg Where S6 and Major as a whole fits into the grand pantheon of sports series depends on your POV. It certainly doesnt aspire to gritty realism this is a celebration of the exceptional with exceptional events to match. But it brings genuine excitement and an infectious love for the game of baseball. And even setting Goro aside there are wonderful characters here. Shimizu Karou obviously the love of Goros life but also her little brother Taiga played with wonderful snark by Paku Romi. Little Komori the overachiever who always wanted to do Goro proud. Joe Gibson the arrogant young star who grew through tragedy into a sensitive giant of a man and almost as GAR as Goro. We meet most of them again in the credits of the finale and its a nice trip down memory lane. Major has been a part of my life for so long that its hard to imagine it never will be again. Since the flawless S1 none of these seasons has ever found Major at the very top of my list but its always there waiting for me like a wornin mitt ready to be picked up anytime. I could always count on Goro for a straightforward optimistic and fearless take on life and set aside darker thoughts to root him on for 22 minutes. That I think is really something to be treasured. Favorite Character: GON SHIGENO 220http://pm1.narvii.com/6923/8abec59d289cbea5570c737ac88cc2882bb10515r1407232v200.jpg