colenavarro - Major

Major

Goro's dream is to become a professional baseball player like his father. As he strives through the path towards the pro league, from infancy to adulthood, his passion for the game galvanizes all of those around him. Shigeharu Honda is a Major Leauge batter on the rise. His son Goro is a Little League pitcher who one day hopes to follow in his father's footsteps. Momoko Hoshino is Goro's schoolteacher, and the first woman Shigeharu has been interested in since the death of Goro's mother. The destines of these three individuals will become intertwined as father and son experience both heartbreak and triumph on the baseball diamond. But when an unspeakable tragedy visits the family, it will take everything they have to pick up the pieces and reclaim their dreams.

Main characters

Goro Honda/Goro Shigeno: The story's main character, Honda Goro a young talented baseball player at the age of 5. His love of the game stems from his father who played for the Yokohama Marine Stars. At the age of 3 his mother had died and from then on, it was only baseball and his father he had left. Wanting nothing more than to follow in his father's footsteps, he strives to become a professional ball player. Thriving on the challenge of the mound, he puts everything into the competition. He makes friends easily, as people are drawn to his personality and his excitement of the game. Though when the story first started, the only friend he had was Toshi due to the lack of interest for baseball around his town. Goro believes the only way to make his father happy and forgot baseball was to become a pro baseball player himself. Though tragedy was given on Goro, at the age of 5 he had lost his mother and now his father after a horrible accident in a game against Major league Joe Gibson. Though he never really had a grudge against Gibson for the accident, Goro decided he would join the Major League someday and challenge Gibson. He was then being taken care of by Momoko, who was Goro's teacher and his father's new lover. After Momoko and Hideki married, Goro's name was changed to Shigeno Goro. He initially pitched right handed, but blew out his shoulder in senior little league. Though by the influence of Shigeno Hideki he switched to left-hand pitching (Southpaw). In junior high school he played under Mifune East, there he saw some old childfriends Komori, Shimizu and Sawamura. At first when Goro joined the baseball club of Mifune East, it was known to be one of the worst team around the area. Though after Goro came and solved some old problems the team had, the team's reputation grew. He later went to Kaido High School with Toshiya, in order to improve his skills and gain the confidence to defeat the main team of Kaido. In the end, he left Kaido and went to Seishu High School and formed a baseball club to challenge Kaido high. While he never made it to Koshien, his excellent match against the Kaido High School earned him the attention of many professional baseball team's scouts. During his time at Seishu, Goro was pitching with a ligament injury that which caused the balk in the defeat against Kaido. Later, he decided to go to America to challenge Gibson. Though at first he had some detours in America, having lost his bag, he was helped by Ginumachi.He was released by his first club due to a fight with Gibson Jr. during a minor league match. Though later he joined a Triple A team, the Memphis Bats. Leading them to their first championship win in 15 years. Striking out Gibson Jr. When he returned to Japan after the end of the minor league season he confessed his love for Shimizu. During the Baseball World Cup, he replaced the injured pitcher Noro, and played as an excellent closer. Even changing the it back to Japan's favor. Though in the finals, Goro was hit for a walk-off home run by Joe Gibson Jr. and soon after he decided he may as well quit baseball. Though regathered his thoughts, and decides to keep playing, he states at the end of season 5 "Baseball is the only thing I have in the end." He has a strong start in the Majors, though was in form when he got the yips. In one game the yips made him throw a dead-ball at the batters head. To overcome his yips he was demoted back to the bats and went to Billy Oliver, a sports psychologist, for treatment. He used to only use the pitch gyroballs ("rising fastball"), though beginning with the Baseball World Cup, he has successfully added gyrofork ("forkball") to his repertoire.

Shigeharu Honda: Shigeharu is an up and coming baseball pitcher for the Marine Stars. He s a widower and lives with his son Goro. An elbow injury threatens to end his baseball career early on until his friend and teammate, Shigeno, suggests that he try hitting. He was an exceptional pinch hitter before he turned pro, and is a natural in the batter's box. He works his way up from a pinch hitter to play first base for the Marine Stars. He later developed feelings for Goro's teacher and were close to marriage. However, he tragically dies after being struck in the head by a pitch from Joe Gibson, an American pitcher that had come to Japan from the Major Leagues. It was said that Honda was part of a winning Koshien high school along with Shigeno. During his childhood days, he played for the Yokohama little league.

Momoko Hoshino/ Momoko Shigeno: Momoko was Goro's nursery school teacher when he was younger. After Goro left nursery school she dated his dad Shigeharu and was engaged to him at the time of his death. She adopted Goro and raises him as a single parent until she marries Hideki Shigeno several years later. Her name changes to Momoko Shigeno. She later has children of her own, a boy named Shingo and a girl named Chiharu.

Toshiya Sato: Initially at first Sato was a boy who was focused by his mother to focus on his studies to become a responsible adult. Though while Goro was playing catch by himself one time, he saw Toshi staring from his window. At first Toshi did not want to play catch with Goro. Tough Goro went to the front door of toshi's house and basicly grabbed Toshi out of the house to play with him and then Toshi was shown how to play baseball. He develops a love of the game equal to Goro and becomes a talented catcher. He plays as the catcher for Yokohama Little League, which is the area's best team. Told by his mother that if he wanted to play baseball, he had to play for the best team. Goro runs into him again (Goro moved away after he was adopted by his father's fiancee') and the two begin a rivalry as strong as their friendship. He plays against Goro on Yokohama Little and again as the catcher of Tomonoura Junior High School's team. In between the time, Toshiya's family abandoned him due to debt problems, and he began living with his grandparents. Swearing to go pro so he could one day repay the debt he has from his grandparents. At the Junior years Toshi wanted to get into Kaido High because he believed that was the best path to turn pro. He was later told by the Kaido scouts to give up so Goro would join. Though Toshi had misunderstood Goro's idea, and thought Goro did not want to play baseball with him. After the defeat to Mifune East, Toshi regained his confidence in Goro and wish that they would go to the same High together and defeat Kaido. Though later Goro told Toshi to go to Kaido with him to improve their skills. They try out for Kaido High School's baseball team together with Komori and are team mates with Goro on Kaido's Junior Varsity team for a year and half. During his years in Kaido, Toshi had lost contact with Goro after his departure from Kaido. And when Goro finally meet Toshi again, Toshi had completely forgot of Goro's team thinking they were only just surviving in the tournament. During the match against Seishu Toshi was confidence in defeating Goro's team, though was amazed by Goro pitching seemingly he was injured. Toshiya went on a amazing winning in the Koshien Tournament. Forming a battery with Mayumura and was Kaido's fourth batter. After high schoolhe had been scouted by the Tokyo Warriors team , and won the Best New Player award. During the Baseball World Cup, he first joined Team Japan as DH, but later took on the catcher mask. At first he had some trouble during the first match, though with Goro's help Toshi's confidence slowly increased.

Kaoru Shimizu: Kaoru is in Goro's class in elementary school and eventually begins to play little league baseball on the Mifune Dolphins Little League after an argument with Goro where she sees his passion for the game. She was also the first person Goro recuited to the Mifune Dolphins. In the finals against Yokahama, she was the catcher to replace the injured komori. Already in elementary school she began to have feelings for Goro. In Junior High School she switches to softball and becomes captain of the Mifune East Junior High team. Seeming she still had a grugde against baseball because Goro introduced it to her. Initially she plans to follow Goro, whom she has a crush on, to Kaido High School. However, she changes her mind after she discovers Kaido does not have a softball team and after Goro tells her to follow her love of softball. She attended Seishu High School, the one Goro later attends. She told her litte brother Taiga to join Seishu's baseball club seeming the great "baseball fanatic" was there. After high school, she attended Kyowa University. During the winter break of her freshman year, Goro confesses to Kaoru and they are going out. If Goro was suggested as a baseball fanatic, Shimizu was said to be a softball fanatic.

Joe Gibson: Joe Gibson is the man responsible for the death of Goro's birth father. The incident remained a heavy cross weighed upon him, driving him to remain one of the top pitchers in the MLB, so that Honda, by comparison, would be an even greater player. Due to this incident, he began to have family probelms as his family was not fitting in Japan. His son Joe Gibson Jr. started to have a grudge against him as his son believed the reason for the family breakdown was created by Gibson and Honda Shigeharu. He later returned to America after the death of his wife and daughter. He continued pitching after the age of 40, and earning over 300 wins. He stated he was waiting for a Japanese boy to join the Major League to challenge him. For the Baseball World Cup, he was Team USA's ace pitcher, although at that time he was diagnosed with angina pectoris, and the doctor warned he might die if he continue pitching. However, Gibson may feel that dying on the mound pitching his best would be the only way to truly make up to Goro, Momoko, and the deceased Honda. His surgery was successful. Gibson also stated "I too once had a great rival, though he is now dead because of me."

Supporting characters

Daisuke Komori: Komori was Honda's catcher since his earlier days as a little leaguer back when they were in Mifune Dolphins along with Sawamura and Shimizu. At first he was being bullied by Sawamura but was helped by Goro and solved the problem. He continued to catch for Goro when he returned from Fukuoka in Mifune East Middle School but ended when Mayumura eliminated them single-handedly in their game with Kaido Unified. In season 3 where Goro left Kaido and entered Seishuu, they become rivals where Goro eventually won. After High school, Komori went on to play for his Uni as their pinch hitter so far.

Taiga Shimizu: Brother to Kaoru Shimizu. First seen back in Season 1 where he asked his sister if baseball was fun? Returned again in Season 3 as a new member of Seishuu Baseball Team where he played as a shortstop. With his excellent skill and speed, he helped Goro in challenging Kaido. Besides that, he also helped to take over the mound when Goro was injured by Egashira during their practice game with Kaido. He was a smartmouth kid who believed in defeat, but later changed his opinion after watching Goro time and time again pitching with an injured foot. Later on he became the captain of the Seishuu Baseball Team to challenge Kaido once again with his new teammates. Declaring their goal is to win at Koshien. Though at first, he did not have the confidence and decided to learn throwing the gyroball so he could give new members the belief of going to Koshien. Though later Goro told him that he should make a team that suited him rather than follow in Goro's footsteps. His the 1st batter (batting left-handed) and plays shortstop.

Ryota Sawamura: Initially Ryota is a bully in elementary school, pushing Komori. Goro and Shimizu stand up to him and he eventually backs down after Goro hits him for trying to throw his baseball glove into the river. He soon realizes that he doesn't have any real friends and asks Goro if he can play baseball with him, Shimizu and Komori. He start of playing soccer but changes to baseball so he could play in the little league with Goro and the others. In middle high, he went back to soccer and was the captain of the team. Though in season 5, we learn that he injured his knee and couldn't continue playing. He remains friends with Komori, Shimizu, and Goro.

Yoshitaka Yamane: Introduced in the Junior High story arc, Yoshitaka Yamane is on the Mifune Junior High School team, but uses it to cut class with some other friends that follow him. He and his friends beat up Komori after he tells them that they have to quit if they aren't going to contribute to the team... and then frighten all the other players into quitting too. When Goro returns and confronts him, Yamane reveals that he hates baseball because he cannot play it anymore. He was injured the year before and cannot throw the ball with his right arm. Goro, who suffered a similar injury, teaches Yamane to throw left-handed and he rejoins the team, playing first base. He goes on to Mifune High School with Komori. In which he becomes the pitcher.

Joe Gibson Jr.: The son of Joe Gibson, Junior is of the same age as Goro. When Junior's parents divorced because his mother could not stand life in Japan, whereas Gibson wanted to remain in Japan pitching until he had found out how to make up for killing Honda, Junior stayed with his father in Japan. When his mother and sister died in a traffic accident in America, Junior became resentful towards his father and the deceased Honda. His motivation to play baseball was fueled by the desire to defeat his father. He is an extremely talented batter, being able to switch hit. He played for the AAA Oklahoma Falcons, the MLB team Texas Raiders, as well as the USA Team during the Baseball World Cup. He hit the walk-off home run against Goro 103 mph pitch to lead USA to the world cup victory. He plays third base.

Mayumura Ken: Introduced in season 2, he isforward attitude. His personality is very direct and to the point, often times coming off as cold. He appears to be in complete control of his emotions at all times, including when facing established and more experienced players. His pre-game ritual of sitting in a bathroom stall while listening to music is seen by others as getting him in the right frame of mind to pitch, but in actuality he does it because he is anxious and helps him focus his anxiety. His goals are to achieve all possible individual achievements in Japanese Baseball before moving onto the Majors. He currently plays for NPB's Yokohama Blue Oceans as a starting pitcher.