Major 2nd (2020)

As I previously stated, Major was a massive baseball anime series that helped define the sports genre in the 2000s. Believe it or not, it gave birth to some of the most memorable and cliche troupes seen in sports anime series and new twists, which are unusual for sports anime. Major 2nd continued down the 'Boruto' route even when unnecessary. Fans were concerned that this supposed sequel would mean the end of the beloved baseball series, which is precisely what happened, at least in terms of the anime. Major 2nd was not well received, and with all of the issues from the second season piling on top of that, it spelled disaster for the series in 2020.

Major Second Season 2: A Strikeout for the Baseball Classic | Pinnedupink.com

Many people didn't even know about this sequel, given that it was released during the COVID-19 epidemic, while others didn't watch it, thinking that the whole continuation doesn't make sense. Well, their favorite main character did make an appearance, so they missed out big time. But we're not here to talk about the superstar himself. We're here to talk about how the 2nd season of Major 2nd is a stain that's been there since 2020, still waiting for a savior that will uplift the series to its former glory.

This is Just not Major

The ghost of Goro Shigeno haunts every frame of this season, but not in the way longtime fans hoped. Instead of the powerhouse pitcher we grew up with, we get a part-time father who drops in like a relief pitcher—too little, too late. His sporadic appearances only highlight what's missing from this season. Remember that unstoppable ace who dominated the mound? Well, now he's reduced to dispensing fortune-cookie wisdom to Daigo between his baseball commitments. The show tries to paint this as some profound father-son dynamic, but it comes off as a batting coach who only shows up for the big games. Even more jarring is how the series handles Goro's professional legacy. That single World Series victory that took eight years to achieve feels worlds away from the unstoppable force we watched grow up through the original series. It's like watching Superman struggle to lift a car—it just doesn't fit what we know.

Major has always been about peak anime baseball. Major is home to all of the best pitching, catching, and batting you can ever imagine, and that's what makes the combination of anime and baseball such a treat to watch. While Major 2nd already set itself apart compared to its predecessor by being a 'zero to hero' situation showcasing the magic that hard work and dedication is all about, the second season takes it up a notch, throwing at you all these different issues that demand some real perseverance to overcome.

However, these issues make the anime appear unimportant, and the entire concept of Major 2nd discovering and walking through unknown domains mostly fails. Sure, adding a team that mainly consists of girls is a plus for anyone who is or was part of a girl's baseball team, but for the rest of the audience, it is something you wouldn't expect from an anime like Major. This setting would be perfect for a slice-of-life anime similar to Non-Non-Biyori or another baseball anime like Cross Game, but Major is worlds apart from those series. I cannot imagine the surprise on their faces when they see Major 2nd after watching the first season while knowing nothing about what it's about because that's just how it went in my case.

Focusing on Everyone but the Protagonist

Speaking of changes that don't quite hit the mark, let's talk about the massive roster shake-up at Fūrin Middle School. Following a shoplifting incident that cleared out most of the male players (talk about a curve ball), the team suddenly becomes predominantly female. Don't get me wrong—this could have been a home run of a plot point. Instead, it feels like the series is trying to bunt its way to social commentary. Mutsuko Sakura gets pushed into the spotlight, transforming from slugger to pitcher faster than you can say "seventh-inning stretch."

Meanwhile, Daigo's playing captain without a coach, like a catcher trying to call games without a pitch sequence. The mixed-gender competition angle could've been revolutionary for a series like Major. Still, it feels more like a gimmick than a genuine exploration of baseball's evolving landscape. It's as if the series is trying to steal home but gets caught in a rundown between tradition and innovation.

In recent years, focusing on the side characters rather than the main character has become more of a trend. A perfect example of this is Itadori Yuji from Jujutsu Kaisen, but that's only because people have yet to give Major 2nd any love. Daigo Shigeno has to be the most ignored and forgotten character in the entirety of the 2020 year, and that just makes him the worst fit for an anime-like Major. This has been obvious since the first season came, and success only comes sometimes, but the second season drags stuff out without showing any tangible results. Not to mention that the protagonist is not even in the picture most of the time, and they only focus on him at the end of the series or something. I am sure none of you noticed because you have yet to get that far.

This is what I talked about earlier. Major 2nd is a new take on everyone's favorite baseball anime, and while change is good and needed, this isn't like the change wasn't what was needed, more like the execution of the change of setting just isn't something that the Major series wanted to be honest. Plus, the 2nd season came out more than 4 years ago, and they've yet to announce a new one; it will be a while before we can forget that this season even existed in the first place. Plus, the series suffered from many unexpected hiatuses, making it harder for the anime to progress faster than it currently is.

Decent Characters

The characters are one area where the second season of Major 2nd excels. The series features new and returning characters not distinguished solely by physical appearance. Every other character has a different personality and traits that are unique to them, which makes the character cast full of names and faces that are likable for every viewer. Plus, every character is trying their hardest to get better at the game while tackling the different issues that might be someone's cup of tea, especially those who dived into Major 2nd before even paying a visit to the long-running baseball series that gave birth to it.

But for others, it might be something they aren't expecting from something like Major. The series finally broke the ironclad rule of the Major series, one that's been in place since the first arc aired on TV. Major follows this rule that every other season is an arc; the season finish ends the arc, and we jump on to the next with the sequel. But Major 2nd's second season ended abruptly without ending the arc, and seasoned series fans didn't receive that cliffhanger treatment well. I know that the series had many problems because of COVID-19, which caused a new low point for every industry in 2020, the year the anime debuted. But still, add that to the other problems the anime needs help with. What do you get? It's a second sequel that almost no one cares about! And that’s just so sad. But I think that shows that are as legendary as Major should just call it a day and finish as the series ends, but I just heard how Steins;Gate is getting a reboot. Why do we have to do this with every other great series? It’s a hit or miss, mostly a miss, and we keep trying to pull off stunts like that. Don’t learn from our past mistakes, do we?

While the second season follows the same formula laid down by the first season, it introduces a bunch of more struggles, both related and unrelated to the anime, that make the anime feel like something other than Major. This is noticeable from the get-go and brushes many viewers away. However, the drop in production quality is excusable, given that the anime industry took a significant hit in 2020. You should skip the second installment if you are an experienced Major fan who is interested in getting into it. If you are looking for a change of pace and a new environment, read the manga to find out if it is worth your time. However, I can envision viewers abandoning the show once they realize it is nothing like the Major they adore.

For a rating, I would say seven is appropriate. The anime could have been much better if we had a proper ending, but it is what it is. Considering how COVID has thrown off our perception of time and space, I have been waiting forever for news of a sequel. Let’s see what the future holds for us since wishing for the entire Major 2nd manga to be adapted into an anime isn’t totally out of the question, given we’ve seen that happening in the case of the first Major series. But as to how long it’d take to make that happen, I’d say pretty long, given the manga isn’t that far ahead of the anime because of the breaks and how the author’s health isn’t the best right now. We wish them the best health so they can bring us nothing but the best conclusion to one of our favorite series of all time!