Let me preface this review by saying that I love this series, and it easily holds its place as one of the top sports anime series of all time. That being said, I can't for the life of me understand how all of the other reviewers here gave this series an excellent rating for all of the categories. The quality of animation is good and improves as the series progresses, however, it is by no means anything amazing. The story line of the overall series and the various subplots have been predictable from the beginning, however, no more so predictable then any other long running sports anime series. Despite my love for watching this series, it has it's obvious flaws. The purpose of my review is not to dissuade anyone from watching this anime, only to express my concerns with the other perfect reviews. If you are a fan of baseball, the sports anime genre or just feel like getting into a good show without expecting too much (and have enough free time to watch 150+ episodes) then you will surely love this series. However, if you are looking for an anime that will blow you away with its witty dialogue, a unique story line and suspenseful plot twists then you will likely be dissappointed with this series. (show less)