I read a lot of manga, and I usually don’t cry even if characters die... but for some re...

I’m really confused here.. Why do you hate Sora? He seems genuine, kind, and earnest, especially towards the MC. He didn’t even blame him for telling him the wrong time for their game so that he could take Sora’s place. I honestly find the MC much more annoying. He envies Sora because Sora is better than him in everything, but is that really something to hate Sora for? IMO, that just makes him a pitiful bastard. A wiser person would envy him, but at the same time, observe and learn Sora’s good points in baseball and in life for his own use. Furthermore, talent only gets you so far. Sora’s current success now is only possible with large amounts of hard work. Not only does he keep up his grades, but he must of spent hundreds or thousands of hours practicing baseball in England while the MC was just running away. In that case, it’s only obvious that Sora would be better at pitching than the MC. In fact, I admire Sora even more for that since he’s been able to make up for his natural disadvantage with control in pitches; control isn’t something you only get with practice and effort. Sorry for the wall of text, I’m really interested in your perspective.

Thanks for the reply, I do agree with some of the points you brought up. It’s clear, he had to practice a lot to get better, (but he definitely has talent too, it’s even mentioned that he has a good pitching arm) the reason I dislike him isn’t because he’s better but because of his personality and actions towards the Mc. Like, if you’re so smart, how can you be so dense to not realize how much pain you cause the Mc? Rather than not realizing it, he seems to enjoy making him miserable. It’s pretty clear the Mc isn’t a good liar, and his expressions show everything, and whenever Sora sees him making some horrified/grotesque grimace he gets that “innocent blushing uke” face. He clearly enjoys it. (There’s plenty examples in the first two chapters alone) Also, he only plays the “good guy” as long as things go his way. For example how he gets sulky and doesn’t even bother hiding his displeasure when the Mc gets chosen as the pitcher. (He even tries to object) And later when the Mc stops going to practice he continues on with that attitude, as if the Mc did something wrong. What’s the point of being a part of a club if you’re not enjoying it? I completely understand the Mc not wanting to go. Imagine trying your best and still losing to someone in every aspect, you’re dreams, grades,...they take away everything important to you and then smile in your face. The Mc feels as if his place has been taken from him. (Idk if Sora deliberately tried to copy him or something) And while I don’t think it’s Sora’s fault for being better, if he wanted to play with the Mc so bad, why did he chose the same position? The Mc isn’t perfect either, but I can sympathize with him. And while he’s made mistakes, he clearly has a conscience, feeling guilty to the point of developing a trauma, still saving that lil b*tch from the truck despite his dislike of him, giving him a sweater against the cold and escorting him at night... While Sora knows the past, and how important it is to the Mc, he keeps rubbing it in. They both want to be the pitcher, but while the Mc just wants to be the pitcher, Sora wants to be the pitcher AND a battery with him despite the Mc feeling repulsed by it, and obviously not wanting any of it. He repeatedly ignores the Mc’s wishes, and keeps pressuring and guilt tripping him into forming a battery with him. Like that night at the training camp, talking about how great the catcher position is and how happy he is to form a battery, it’s just like catch ball bla bla bla. Then why don’t you be the catcher? If catch ball means that much, you be the catcher, why force the Mc to comply to your own selfish crap?
I know I keep repeating the same reasons, but it also keeps repeating in the manga, and seeing the Mc suffer because of it makes me hate him more. At the end of the day, I just dislike him for being a selfish, ignorant, fake, manipulative, overbearing, ass wipe. (+his “blushy maiden” face is very punchable) And because I like and empathize with the Mc and his struggles, and he greatly contributes to his suffering. I feel bad for him, because his efforts don’t amount to anything, he loses his place, and the one thing he doesn’t want to give up (being the pitcher) also gets taken away from him, by the very person (he hates, and) who took his place. He has to form a battery with him, catch his pitches (that have better control than him), help him by giving instructions, and look at him smile and enjoy playing the very position he yearns for. I can also see that he’s definitely talented as a catcher, but I hope he doesn’t give in. (Or if he stays a catcher, he’ll overshadow Sora, and overcome his trauma) I feel bad when he takes on the position while being repulsed and unhappy with it, while everyone is enjoying themselves and pushing him into it.
Also, glasses boy is best boy. (And I low key ship them.)
Sorry for the long paragraph lol.

Wow I see. I never really noticed a lot of the small details you brought up! You’re right in that Sora get’s sulky when the MC is chosen as the pitcher, but I feel like it’s a natural reaction to losing. I mean, it’s still better than the MC’s arrogance and looking down on of Sora when he won the position. IMO, I feel like if you’ve signed up for a club, it’s a commitment that you should follow through on. If you really don’t like it, than quitting is fine, but I don’t’t understand the not going to practice but still staying in a club. I think Sora was sulky then because he was kinda disappointed with the MC’s response to failure. I personally don’t think that Sora likes seeing the MC in pain, but more that he’s naive or ignorant. I mean being book smart doesn’t always translate into interpersonal skills. I also feel like Sora chose to become a pitcher due to his admiration of the MC.

I have to agree with your fact that Sora is being selfish by wanting the MC to be the catcher when he clearly doesn’t. I also never thought of the argument that Sora could be catcher if he really cared so much, so thanks for pointing at out! Honestly, I don’t feel like Sora guilt tripped the MC that much. I think the MC being pressured to become a catcher was all really the coach’s fault. I never thought that that night in the training camp was really terrible of malicious though. I felt like it was Sora’s version of encouragement and it helped cheer up the MC. It was really interesting to see your and other ppl’s perspective on that though.

In the end, I feel like the reason I don’t like the MC is his lack of drive, perseverance, and effort. I don’t think we have really ever seen the MC put effort into anything. He did put effort into baseball in his childhood, and he still failed then, which sucks. But after that, he never even tried or worked hard at anything, from sports to grades. So I can’t really empathize with the feeling of trying your best but still failing, since I don’t think he worked that hard or tried his best. I feel like the way he just gives up as a response to failure is pretty disappointing. He doesn’t seem like a bad person though, and I really look forward to his character growth.

I actually don’t really like the glasses boy. lol. We haven’t learned much about him yet, but I think his response to when the MC confessed his wrongdoings was pretty cold.
I do understand why people hate Sora now, since his naivety and ignorance causes pain, which is terrible. I do think he should become aware of it and face some consequences for it, but I also find Sora more forgivable since his actions aren’t on purpose.

I like sora and the mc has no reason to hafe him...dont get me wrong tho i do love the mc more than i love sors but sora did nothing wrong....i find the mc to be very relatable and real sora is kind and nice and innocent so what jes better at it then u...if u look at it the mc woild be the villian i mean he lied to sora when they were kids by deleting the message about the time of the game...the mc has no reason to hate sora i love sora...i love the mc more tho and i completly understand his feelings but sora did nothing