Gurazeni グラゼニ

Gurazeni Review (Rating: 5/5)

Overview

Gurazeni is a Japanese baseball manga written by Yūji Moritaka and illustrated by Keiji Adachi. Serialized in Weekly Morning from 2010, the series gained popularity for its unique focus on the financial and everyday realities of professional baseball players.
Reference: Gurazeni - Wikipedia

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Synopsis

The story takes place in the fictional professional baseball team, the Spiders. The central figure is Natsunosuke Bonda, a relief pitcher who entered the league as a lower-round draft pick. Unlike star players, Bonda lives with constant awareness of his contract value, performance, and career stability. The manga realistically portrays the ups and downs of his life, showing how wins, losses, and negotiations directly affect his livelihood.

Through his struggles, interactions with teammates, and observations of the baseball world, Gurazeni sheds light on the hidden side of professional sports.

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Main Characters

• Natsunosuke Bonda
  The protagonist of the series. A left-handed sidearm relief pitcher for the Spiders. Though not a star, he earns millions of yen annually and works steadily to maintain his place in the league. His perspective—always mindful of salaries and contracts—provides the lens through which the reader experiences the reality of professional baseball.

• Tokunaga (“Toku”)
  A 35-year-old radio color commentator and former Spiders pitcher, originally from Yamanashi like Bonda. He spent ten years as a starter but retired with fewer than 50 wins, and his peak annual salary was 30 million yen (about US$274,000). Now working at Otowa Radio through personal connections.

(Other supporting players and staff appear throughout the story, adding depth and realism.)

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Story Development

Gurazeni stands out for highlighting “salaries” as a driving theme. Bonda constantly compares his own income with that of other players, recognizing how each game can directly impact his financial future. Injuries, player longevity, and post-retirement life are explored with unusual frankness.

Episodes showcase encounters with star athletes, struggling veterans, and ambitious rookies, giving the series both variety and realism. Sometimes humorous and sometimes serious, the manga depicts both the harsh and inspiring aspects of the baseball world.

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Unique Features

1. A Focus on Money
   The very title, Gurazeni (short for “Ground Money”), reflects the central theme: every play on the field is tied to financial stakes.

2. Life Beyond the Stars
   Instead of focusing on superstar athletes, the narrative follows middle-tier players like Bonda, showing how they sustain themselves in the league.

3. Layered Storytelling
   Characters who seem minor at first often reappear in pivotal roles, making the story worth rereading and revealing the careful construction of the narrative.

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Impressions

While many baseball manga celebrate stardom, Gurazeni offers something different: the story of a player who is not a star, yet undeniably elite by virtue of surviving in professional baseball. Bonda embraces his “ordinary” image, but the manga reminds us that even non-star players belong to the top ranks of the sport and earn a living through immense skill.

What makes the work particularly engaging is how seemingly minor characters later take on major importance, adding richness to the story and making readers want to revisit it. The narrative convincingly shows that even beyond the spotlight, there is drama, struggle, and triumph in professional baseball.

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Conclusion

Gurazeni is a high-quality work that captures not only the glamour of baseball but also its sobering realities. By centering on a non-star player, it offers a fresh perspective rarely seen in sports manga. Whether you are a fan of baseball, sports, or simply stories about working life, Gurazeni provides both insight and entertainment. A true 5/5 masterpiece.