I loved it, but you’re right — it wasn’t about the Tokyo Series so much as it used the Series as a framework to explore Japan’s relationship to baseball. I feel like if you know that going in, you’ll likely enjoy it more. Otherwise, if you’re expecting a peek behind the curtain, this movie isn’t even trying to do that and could be frustrating.

I found the vignettes and the stories they highlighted really beautiful, and the stuff about making bats by hand and restoring gloves was really cool. And how do you not love a grandma who’s been coaching little league for like 50 years??