Story:
The story follows a middle relief pitcher in a Japanese baseball league modeled after Japan's NPB. He plays for a team stylized after the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with many other teams being modeled after other real teams in the NPB. The main point of the story is about the pitcher's pursuit of that big payday. His understanding that he must make as much money as he can playing baseball fuels his performance. This creates a very realistic story about a guy just trying to get what he can before his luck runs out. The story really caught me, as it wasn't the typical chase for glory, but the chase for stability. It mirrors how baseball works in real life, where the non-star players basically have to skate on thin ice 24/7, knowing that a few bad games can cost them their job. It's really captivating
Art:
The show isn't extremely impressive for the most part. It's mostly standard 2D animation, though they do use 3D animation during action scene on the field and with the usage of vehicles. There's nothing I would call "bad" from an art standpoint.
Sound:
The theme songs for this show are actually really catchy. The opening theme is called Merigo by Cypress Ueno to Robert Yoshino. The ending theme is called Shadow Monster by Asako Toki. Both songs can easily get stuck in your head after hearing them enough, and are not in any way annoying. The BGM wasn't super noticeable, but didn't suck either.
Character:
The main character, Natsunosuke, is a very great main character. He's not you typical anime protagonist with a hero streak. He's just a regular, everyday normal guy who just happens to play baseball. He has his insecurities in regards to his standing with his team, and is constantly thinking about the possibility that his baseball career could come to an end. This makes him very realistic and relatable. They was his friends and teammates are portrayed is also hyper-realistic. The struggles they all deal with in regards to their professional careers is what helps drive the show when it's not focused on Natsunosuke.
Enjoyment:
This show never felt overwhelming or over-dramatic. Each episode had a great story that helped you dive deeper into the lives of Natsunosuke and his teammates. The situations portrayed covered many topics of his life, and helped make the show feel diverse and alive. It's the easiest-to-watch sports anime I've ever seen.
Overall:
It's the best sports anime I've ever watched. This show does not have a single anime bone in it's body. It's all about the game. No long anime speeches. No fundamental moves with fancy names. No over-the-top reactions. Just the realistic portrayal of a middle reliever trying to get that bag before his career ends. As a big sports fan, I couldn't ask for a better show.