This 2000s Sports J-Dorama Is So Good I’m Sad I Didn’t Discover It Earlier

Despite giving out show and movie recommendations to my friends left and right, I have to admit that I am myself pretty bad at following their advice.

Sometimes I put off watching someone's suggestion for an unthinkable and even embarrassing amount of time. And when I finally watch it and become obsessed with it, I inevitably have to face my friend's knowing “I told you so” smirk.

This is exactly what happened with this 2008 sport classic that I've watched just recently. As someone who basically lives and breathes underdog stories, I don't know what took me so long. But that's why I'm so excited to talk about this series right now in hopes of convincing someone like me who's been putting off watching it for a while.

Rookies (2008) Is An Interesting Take on Sports Dramas

Based on a manga of the same name, Rookies tells a story of a dysfunctional baseball team and their new teacher who believes in their potential despite everyone else writing them off as hopeless cases.

Speaking of the teacher, Kawato sensei comes in like a breath of fresh air. Sure, his teaching style is not exactly what you'd expect from your average school mentor, but this guy believes in his students and that one thing you can't deny. He believes in them so hard it's almost ridiculous at times. But that's exactly what makes him awesome.

The great thing about the show is how it handles its characters. While a lot of “teacher saves troubled kids” stories are told in a way that makes the students' transformation feel rushed and not really that much believable, Rookies takes its time.

The show doesn't sugar-coat their struggles and the change doesn't happen overnight. It's messy, it's one step forward and two steps back which I absolutely appreciate as I don’t really like seeing overly exaggerated success-stories.

Rookies Did A Great Job at Depicting the Team Spirit

One thing that stuck with me the most is how it handles the team dynamics. The show really nails those small but meaningful interactions between teammates that hint at how far they've come. It's subtle, gradual, and doesn't feel forced.

This is all thanks to the actors who absolutely killed it. There's not a single weak link in the cast. Every single one of them has brought their A-game to the show.

I know it's better late than never, but if you, like me, have been putting off watching the series, you need to give it a chance. And honestly, writing all of this just made me badly want to rewatch it.

Thankfully, Rookies is currently available on Netflix.