Maki has an axe to grind with Seidou. But I got to thinking about this.
Maki Yousuke, from Sensen, has a grievance against Seidou. They never invited him to play there, and he never thought to apply. So he ended up at Sensen, nursing a grudge.
But realistically...the whole premise of Daiya is that Seidou didn’t have an ace candidate prior to Eijun and Furuya’s intake. Tanba was a bit up and down, Nori was building his confidence, and we have no idea who might have been there prior to that.
Maki is in the same year as Miyuki, Nori and so on. A whole year before Furuya or Eijun became part of the equation.
I find it surprising that Seidou would not have been interested in a tall pitcher with an effective curveball, given their pitching problems.
(Although Rei scouts a yankee who breaks people’s noses and a sassy brat with a smart tongue. She also scouts Eijun after he slapped the opposition silly. Maybe she only scouts problem kids, and Maki is too well behaved).
I also find it hard to understand why Maki didn’t apply there, like Furuya did, if he really wanted to go. Maybe that suggests something else about his family’s circumstances and school fees, which would be understandable. But, since he basically admits to himself he could have chosen to go there and prove himself, that doesn’t seem to be the reason.
So basically Seidou didn’t notice a player that might have helped them get further more quickly, and that player didn’t go for what he wanted although Seidou probably needed him.
Sigh.
I think this is the reason I have trouble empathising with Maki or his team. The main reason he isn’t Seidou’s ace in this semi-final game is because of his own decisions.
And just because he recognises that at the end, it does him and his team no favours.
