In a sentence, this series will touch your heart - this is a hard anime to find, but if you can get your hands on it and don't mind watching anime from another age (the 80s), sit back and enjoy the ride. Slow but very deliberative and excellent character development, packed with foreshadowing and plot twists; some expected, many more not. While it is a "sports-themed" anime, don't let that stop you from picking it up - the near-flawless execution triumphs over what on the surface may seem like a fairly simple plot outline. This is a masterpiece; if you're in the market for a storywith characters that you actually want to succeed but also want to be kept guessing whether they will or not, look no further. Touch, and never forget.