One Outs [Episode 1-5] August 9, 2011

Posted by itsahanzo in Anime.
Tags: Anime, baseball, Gambler, Hope, Kojima Hiromichi, Manga, One Outs, One Outs Contract, Saikyou Saitama Lycaons, The Mysterious Man, The Team's Qualification, Tokuchi Toua
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One Outs [Episode 1] The Mysterious Man

Kojima Hiromichi had been a professional baseball player for 21 years with Saikyou Saitama Lycaons. He had won numerous titles which include Rookie of the Year, Batting title – 7 times, Most Home Runs – 5 times, Most RBI – 8 times, Triple Crown – 2 times except for the Championship. In order to fulfil his dream and search for the missing something, he set up a training camp in December at Okinawa with help from Nakane, minor league pitcher and the trainer, Kinosaki.

After 10 days of training, Nakane injured his finger and was unable to pitch anymore. Kinosaki and Nakane was worried that Kojima will be upset and search for a replacement pitcher from the Universities and company teams but failed. Suddenly they were approach but a fat lady, Big Mama, who brings them to an underground baseball gambling den.

Big Mama told them if they found any suitable candidate, she can introduce him to them. Soon she got them into betting on the game of “One Outs”. It is a game to see if the pitcher can get one out from the batter or not. The pitcher wins from a strikeout, or if the ball does not get past the infield on the fly. Anything else and the pitcher lose.

Nakane and Kinosaki both lost on their bets and decided to pay up and leave the place until they found out that they were being scam. Nakane then went up to bat and believe he could clear up the debt. Tokuchi Toua turns down his offer and up the bet ten folds. Nakane freak out but did not want to back down. He eventually freaks out and lost. They went home and Nakane told Kojima about the mysterious pitcher. Kojima went to the place and beats every pitcher until Toua shows up. They then wager a USD 400, 000 bet. Who will come out victorious in the One Out?

One Outs [Episode 2] Gambler

The bet is on the table of USD 400, 000 between Kojima and Toua on the game of One Out (refer Episode 1 for explanation the game). Toua threw a ball on the first three pitches. Toua threw another off ball on the fourth attempt but Kojima hits it intentionally to the fence. He is eager to show everyone his skills as they bet everything on Toua. On the fifth pitch, Kojima miss hit it and it is now 3 balls and 2 strikes. On the final throw, Toua threw a slow ball which Kojima did not expect and lost the bet.

Kojima disappeared after the game. Kinosaki was out drinking with Big Mama and asked her about Toua. She explains that she freaks out the way Toua can read people’s mind such as nervousness, indecisiveness, anxiety and those slight changes in the human emotions. He has the ability to manipulate the human mind. She further explains that outstanding winning instinct inherited from gambling.

Kinosaki then found out that Kojima was hiding in the mountain and went to find him. Kojima was training to focus by chopping woods in the mountain. He is training himself to put emotions aside and focus on betting. He is training for a rematch and the lost trigger his hunger to win even more.

Kojima approach Toua for a rematch and betting his entire career on the line. In return if Toua loses, Kojima will break his right hand. Toua accepted the challenge.

Kojima continues training in the mountain to regain his full confidence to bring down Toua. He chops 1, 000 log a day to practice his focus. When he was about to chop the final piece, Kojima saw a butterfly on the log and avoiding chopping it into pieces and injured his right wrist in the process.

Kojima wore long sleeves track suit to the underground field for the bet. Nakane is worried about Kojima as he is unable to turn his right wrist. The first two pitches were strikes. Toua then teases Kojima on his injured wrist and Kojima was surprised that he knows about it. Toua says that he is going to exploit his injury and throw him the pitch of fate! Will Kojima be able to hit it or will he go into retirement from professional baseball?

One Outs [Episode 3] One Outs Contract

Kojima’s professional career is on line and Toua threw the pitch of fate straight at Kojima’s weaknesses. A professional batter knows whether if he hits a ball when he swings a bat. Kojima twist his entire right arms and forces a dead ball where the ball hits him and he fell to the ground. Big Mama told Kojima that he lost the bet as it a strike but Toua begs to differ. He reach out his right arm to Kojima and he deems himself to have lost the bet. Kojima told him that he is not going to break him arm and offer him to join baseball as a professional.

Toua accepted his offer and return back to Saitama with Kojima. Toua was to meet the owner to negotiate a contract but the owner told him that he will be paid on his performance. Toua told him that he do not need a contract but to pay him 5 Million Yen each time he strikes out someone and in return he loses 50 Million Yen each time an opponent gets a point. The agreement on accepted on both sides and the contract was signed! The owner thought he have gotten a bargain which can make him profits.

Saitama Lycaons’ pre-season game against the Kobe Bluemars was on the same night. Lycaon’s was losing 8 points after 2 innings and the manager, Mihara Yuuzaburou, was told that he has a new pitcher. Toua was told to warm up which he refuses and that trigger anger around the dugout. Kinosaki then cools everyone down. The matched ended with Lycaons losing 8-0 and Toua shutting out 21 batters from the 3rd innings which makes him earning 105 Million Yen for that particular match.

The 2nd pre-season match is between Lycaons and the Fingers. The game ended with Lycaons winning the game 1-0 and Toua shutting out all 27 batters. Ideguchi recognizes Toua’s talents and freaks him out as his legs were shaking throughout the match and even after the match as the batters are unable to hit even a single pitch. At the end of pre-season matches, Toua earned 270 million Yens in salary!

One Outs [Episode 4] The Team’s Qualification

The season begins and they lost 11 games in a row as Toua did not play in any of the games. Saitama owner did not let him play in a single game and hope that the increase attendance can help him cover his losses.

The owner only thinks about money and does not care about winning. He gave other teams 10 games to analyse his pitching. At the next game, Lycaons were losing 11-0 against the Eagles in the first inning and Toua was called to pitch. He gave out a first batting. The opponent was trying to steal a base and Ideguchi threw the ball straight at Yoshida to bring him out. Yoshida who was bribe before the game by the owner let the ball slip out of him hands. Toua then walked over and asked Yoshida to leave the field. His team mates asked him to apologise to Yoshida but he refuses and became arrogant. The owner felt that by bribing the manager and player, he can recover some loses.

Toua led an 8 men defence team and trigger a confidence within the team. The stadium also changes from booing to cheering for the team. It sparks the comeback from the 7 inning winning 4 points. The Eagles change their pitcher to Mizuhashi, Eagle’s ace pitcher. Lycaons batters were shutout and their confidence vanished. Toua refuses to give up and set up a trap. Lycaons with the new soaring spirits close the gap to a point.

Yoshida receives a phone call from the owner. He was told to get back into the game and mess up the 8 man defence at any means even if he has to apologize. What will happen next? Will the owner gets back his money or will Toua wins the game for the team?

One Outs [Episode 5] Hope

The game between Lycaons and Eagles is in the 9 inning with the Eagles leading a point. Yoshida was let back out into the field and he played against the owner’s order.

Toua approached Yoshida and asked him if it is alright to play against the owner’s instructions. Yoshida then told him that he was the no 1 draft pick and used to be a professional pitcher. He was unable to keep up with the players and was approached by a man to fix matches which later the owner found out and interfered. Since then, he has been threatened by the owner and complying to his instructions.

Yoshida told him that they need to win the game. He replies that he is tired. Toua gave out 2 bases and call a timeout. He request for a replacement and was rejected. He went back to the field and threw a dead ball straight at the opponents head. A fight broke up and Toua was ejected from the game.

The owner rang Toua and told him that will be punished and penalised for 200 million Yens for every point they lost. No wanting to lose his earnings, he went to the stands and fire up Yoshida. Yoshida pitch a fierce ball which broke the batter’s bat and eventually won the game.

Due to the match incident, the owner proposed 4 new conditions to the contract which Toua accepted.

1. He must obey the manager’s instructions even if he is ill
2. In term of runs, it is referring to all runs scored when he is pitching
3. Payment rate of the contract will vary depending on the importance of the game
4. The contract can only be known to four people

Any conditions violated will be fined 500 million Yen.

The next match was against the Chiba Mariners, the top team in the league. Mariners comprise of three top hitters in the league and one of them is Takami Itsuki who is top hitter and scorer this season. Ideguchi ask Toua to study the opponent’s data which Toua then tore it up. He told Ideguchi and his team mates that those data are irrelevant and it is in the past. He then explained his observations of the opponents. The match begun and Toua walked 2 batters. What will happen next? For Toua, it is game on!