even before becoming ace he carries so much weight on his shoulders and the expectations he has for himself are so heavy but that only shows his determination and desire for the ace number. the way his mental fortitude and his ability to bounce back is one of his greatest assets
eijun’s growth always get me that’s the boy who would get off the mound with tears in his eyes and a guilt for needing the team to cover for him… but each loss, each failure, each hit someone gets off him teaches eijun to be stronger
even the way he reacts at being taken off the mound has shown his growth and he’s aware of his own mistakes (sometimes in a way thats harsher than necessary). even on days he plays well in games he’s never satisfied by his performance, mindful of how the fielders helping him
While Furuya is so focused on the future that he fails to “see” his team in the present, Eijun is the opposite—he centers everything on each inning, each match, and the immediate goal of becoming the ideal ace. But that leaves him spiraling when he’s forced to ask, “What’s next?”
What I love most about Act II is how Eijun and Furuya’s arcs start at opposite ends and slowly meet in the middle. Eijun begins Act II unable to see how Furuya could forget a pitcher’s role is simply to retire the batter before him, only to buckle under the title of ace himself.