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Really curious about this anime being a fan of sports and was really surprised by the story line and the characters. I really like the approach that the main character is fighting to get better and improves each episode. Beautiful animation and efforts with the episodes. Chinatsu is all about being number one and tries her best not to get attached to anyone. Then realizes she has a heart and not a robot and little by little she opens up more and more making the scenes organic and easy to root for her. Taiki is one of the MC best friends but secretly has a crush on him and does not know how to express her feelings and struggles to see him slip away. Shes awesome as well in her own sport.

Being a manga reader of Blue Box, I can confirm, the anime adaptation is really faithful to the manga. The animation is just BREATHTAKING. The down to earth romance storyline this has, with sports elements and motivational one liners, this is the perfect anime to upswing your mood. While Blue Lock remains my most fav manga, this comes in a close second. The MC is extremely likable and you start rooting for him in his pursuit of his crush. The scenes with Chinatsu Senpai (his crush) are so beautiful that I had to watch them in 0.75x and replay a lot of times. I've never seen beautiful animation like this before in a series like this before.

1. Unique Blend of Romance and Sports The series beautifully combines two genres: heartfelt romance and intense sports drama. This dual focus sets it apart from most other stories that focus heavily on just one of these genres.

It captures the challenges of balancing personal relationships with the demands of competitive sports, something relatable for many.

2. Relatable and Realistic Characters The characters, especially Taiki and Chinatsu, feel grounded and relatable. Their personalities, struggles, and growth make it easy to empathize with the Their awkward yet sweet romantic tension makes for a wholesome and engaging watch.

3. Stunning Artwork (Potential for Animation) The manga's clean, expressive artwork is one of its highlights. If animated by a studio like Kyoto Animation or MAPPA, the sports scenes and emotional moments could be visually stunning.

4. Wholesome Storytelling Blue Box emphasizes steady emotional growth over unnecessary drama. This makes it a refreshing story compared to more melodramatic romance or sports series 5. Cross-Genre Appeal Fans of both romance (Your Lie in April, Horimiya) and sports (Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basket) would find something to enjoy, giving it broad audience appeal.

6. Pacing and Tone The slow, slice-of-life pacing, combined with the energetic sports sequences, could offer a nice balance for viewers looking for something heartwarming but not too heavy.

This type of anime typically features a brainless male protagonist, but this one stands out with a well-intentioned male character. The main character loves an older girl, but when another girl expresses interest in him, the older girl withdraws her boundaries to spend time with him. We'll see how it all ends in the final episode, but I anticipate a predictable outcome. In these series, the girl who genuinely loves and tries to please the guy usually gets sidelined. I hope this won't be the case, but it will likely follow the classic formula. If the series concludes differently, I will delete this comment.

(10+) So hard to rate this one, because the animation is gorgeous, the story is long and smartly done, all the characters are likeable, and I really admired how deeply the series dived into the sports played by the characters: badminton, basketball, and gymnastics. If just for those factors, it's an easy "10"! But, but, but... I really DON'T understand the male protagonist's choices when it comes to the romances he's offered! At all. I think the gymnast should have been an easy call, but it wasn't, and I thought she was the most likeable and interesting BY FAR. A second season has been announced, and I will be 100% watching it, but I was not thrilled with how everything shook out. Props to the two male sidekicks, both were great, as was the addition of a female secondary character in the last 4 or 5 episodes. Lots to work with for another season! Two points off on this season, though: 1 because I think there should have been a more definite end, and 1 because I'm still thinking the best character in the series didn't get a fair shake!

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