Nine (manga)


Nine is a baseball manga series by Mitsuru Adachi. It was serialized in Monthly Shōnen Sunday Zōkan from the October 1978 through November 1980 issues. The series was adapted into three anime television films and a live-action television drama. An altered version of the first anime film was released in theaters, with new and re-arranged music.
The story is about two friends who were star athletes in junior high school who decide, on entering high school, to join the struggling baseball club so they can have a challenge. The title comes from the nine members of a baseball team.

Plot summary

Just before entering Seishū High School, track star Katsuya Niimi and judo champion Susumu Karasawa see a girl crying as the school loses a baseball game. The boys decide to join the team and improve it in order to make her smile. The girl turns out to be Yuri Nakao, daughter of the baseball coach, and they learn the baseball team will be shut down if it doesn't start winning. The series follows the three, as well as pitcher Eiji Kurahashi, as Niimi and Karasawa learn about baseball and what it means to be one of nine players on a team, as they work together through high school make it to Kōshien.

Characters

Character voices listed are for the anime releases only.
;Katsuya Niimi
;Yuri Nakao
;Susumu Karasawa
;Eiji Kurahashi
;Yukimi Yasuda
;Kentarō Yamanaka
;Jirō Yamanaka
;Chimi Yamanaka
;Coach Nakao
;Kazuya Niimi's father
;Kazuya Niimi's mother
;Eiji Kurashashi's father
;Yukimi Yasuda's grandmother
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TV movies

Nine

The first Nine TV movie aired on May 4, 1983 on Fuji TV's Nissei Family Special program.

Music

;Opening theme
;Insert songs
;Ending theme

Staff

Sources:

Nine 2: Sweetheart Declaration

The second Nine TV movie, Nine 2: Sweetheart Declaration, aired on December 18, 1983 on Fuji TV's Nissei Family Special program.

Music

;Opening theme
;Insert songs
;Ending theme

Staff

Sources:

Nine: Final

The third Nine TV movie, Nine: Final, aired on September 5, 1984 on Fuji TV's Nissei Family Special program.

Music

;Opening theme
;Insert songs
;Ending theme

Staff

Sources:

Theatrical movie

The first Nine TV movie was remade into a theatrical movie titled Nine the Original, released on September 16, 1983 by Toho. Modifications were made to the original TV movie to fix problems with it, and some of the voice actors and background music were changed as well. When the Nine movies are rebroadcast on TV, this movie is shown in place of the original TV movie.

Music

;Theme songs
;Insert songs

Staff

Sources:

TV live action drama

A Nine live action TV drama special aired on January 5, 1987 on Fuji TV's Monday Dramaland program.

Cast

Sources: