Princess Nine Complete Collection

Fifteen-year-old Ryo Hayakawa has inherited her late father's incredible pitching arm. Inspired by her talent, Keiko Himuro, chair of Kisaragi Girls High School, starts a baseball team, and--determined to break gender barriers--wants them to play in the championship finals at Koshien Stadium…but first the team has to prove that it can compete in a boys-only league. Even a viewer with zero interest in sports (such as myself) can't help but be riveted by this excellently plotted, well-written, and deeply heartfelt anime series. The cast includes top softball players, complete beginners, and tennis star Izumi--Ms. Himuro's driven, haughty, and complicated daughter and Ryo's rival in love--whom Ryo must somehow convince to join the baseball team. Together with their crafty drunkard of a coach, the girls work through tough training, personality conflicts, crises of confidence, love triangles, and scandal, all leading to a highly emotional and nail-bitingly suspenseful finale. This set contains the complete series of 26 episodes for half the price of its six individual discs as sold separately. Rated 12-up, and boasting a very good English dub (along with a subtitled Japanese language track), this marvelous series is highly recommended for teens and adults. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (S. Raiteri)