Description:
When he died 10 years ago, Ryo Hayakawa's father left more than the restaurant Ryo's mother runs: his daughter inherited his talent for baseball, including a jet-propelled fastball. Determined to overcome sexist opposition and make a girls' team the national champion, Ms. Himuro, the head of prestigious Kisaragi High, gives Ryo a scholarship. Then complications arise: snobbish tennis ace Izumi dislikes Ryo; handsome baseball star Hiroki is smitten with her; drunken coach Kido has to find enough top players. Hiroki's attraction is understandable as Ryo's a very likable character. She's not a klutz or a whiner, as many anime heroines are; she's proud of her abilities but surprised at where they take her. As the series continues, the large-framed but timid Mao, shortstop Kanako, and the dim wannabe star Yoko join the team. But they need a power hitter, and Ryo focuses her attention on Izumi. Complicating the relationship between the girls is Hiroki's growing interest in Ryo, and the romance Izumi's mother (now the head of the school) and Ryo's father shared 20 years ago. The team scores an upset victory over the champion boys' team and earns the right to compete interscholastically. But their elation proves short-lived when reporters disinter a decades-old scandal involving Ryo's father, and Ryo struggles to understand if and how the scandal could be true. When the Kisaragi nine reaches the tournament semifinals, the girls find themselves facing the boys' team from their school, led by top hitter/heartthrob Hiroki. The game becomes a duel between pitcher Ryo and Hiroki, intensified by their attraction to each other. The series concludes on an upbeat note that is neither predictable nor pat. Princess Nine ranks as one of the best series for girls in recent years, with characters who are strong, capable individuals but who still exhibit human weaknesses. With any luck, the show will be continued: Ryo, Hikana, Yoki, Seira, Koharu, Yoko, Mao, Kanako, and Izumi--and Hiroki--deserve another season, at least. (Rated 12 and older, but suitable for younger viewers: Alcohol use, brief nudity, minor profanity, minor violence) --Charles Solomon
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