[center][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e61b45518fea.png[/img]

[indent][/indent]
[color=lightgray]What makes a champion?

Are they born with innate talent? 
Do they find some spark of genius already buried within themselves? 
Are they molded only by the hands of masters?

Or are they formed from intense pressure and the blazing heat of their hearts?
Something from nothing; coal to diamond. 

Aoikaze Comprehensive High School, known by its nickname「Aosou」is a private school that's been undergoing some interesting changes. Among the many options in Niigata City it was not an unpopular choice for scholarly pursuits, so a new administration's choice to pour funds into new and improved sports programs instead of intellectual ones naturally drew many critics. But it [i]worked[/i]. Special tuition rates for fledgling athletes drew more student applicants, raised the level of their sports clubs, and earned more donations from families and neighborhood locals. Now, the school can begin to boast success stories for a broader variety of graduates. The likes of Aosou's physical clubs like judo, soccer, and more are on their way to becoming fairly formidable in their prefecture. 

...all except their baseball club, which still struggles to find its footing. Is the competition from other schools just too fierce, is there no more drive to be found among Aoikaze Sougou's student body? Maybe the next generation of students -of [i]players[/i]- will finally set that spark to catch... and become the first to bring Koushien's championship flag into snow country.
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[color=#2E2C2C]_[/color][color=#313132]_[/color][color=#353638]_[/color][color=#393C3E]_[/color][color=#3D4144]_[/color][color=#41474A]_[/color][color=#454C50]_[/color][color=#495256]_[/color][color=#4D575C]_[/color][color=#505C63]_[/color][color=#546269]_[/color][color=#58676F]_[/color][color=#5C6D75]_[/color][color=#60727B]_[/color][color=#647881]_[/color][color=#687D87]_[/color][color=#6C838D]_[/color][color=#6F8894]_[/color][color=#738D9A]_[/color][color=#7793A0]_[/color][color=#7B98A6]_[/color][color=#7F9EAC]_[/color][color=#83A3B2]_[/color][color=#87A9B8]_[/color][color=#8BAEBE]_[/color][color=#8FB4C4]_[/color][color=#92B9CB]_[/color][color=#96BED1]_[/color][color=#9AC4D7]_[/color][color=#9EC9DD]_[/color][color=#A2CFE3]_[/color][color=#A6D4E9]_[/color][color=#AADAEF]_[/color][color=#AEDFF5]_[/color][color=#B1E4FC]_[/color][color=#AEDFF5]_[/color][color=#AADAEF]_[/color][color=#A6D4E9]_[/color][color=#A2CFE3]_[/color][color=#9EC9DD]_[/color][color=#9AC4D7]_[/color][color=#96BED1]_[/color][color=#92B9CB]_[/color][color=#8FB4C4]_[/color][color=#8BAEBE]_[/color][color=#87A9B8]_[/color][color=#83A3B2]_[/color][color=#7F9EAC]_[/color][color=#7B98A6]_[/color][color=#7793A0]_[/color][color=#738D9A]_[/color][color=#6F8894]_[/color][color=#6C838D]_[/color][color=#687D87]_[/color][color=#647881]_[/color][color=#60727B]_[/color][color=#5C6D75]_[/color][color=#58676F]_[/color][color=#546269]_[/color][color=#505C63]_[/color][color=#4D575C]_[/color][color=#495256]_[/color][color=#454C50]_[/color][color=#41474A]_[/color][color=#3D4144]_[/color][color=#393C3E]_[/color][color=#353638]_[/color][color=#313132]_[/color][/center]

Lately, I've been craving a sports anime RP of some kind. Of the handful of sports I'm most familiar with, I think a classic baseball story sounds like it'll be pretty fun and more simple to do in a play-by-post RP format. Oh, and I'm bullying [@Sloth] into being my co-GM and moral support. 

This is not a just a baseball RP - it is important to note this is also an [i]anime[/i] RP. Along with the aesthetic, it will come with all of the shenanigans and tropes one can expect from an anime RP. What's that? You're asking about super powers a la Prince of Tennis and other similar sports anime series? Hmm, I prefer a story that's a little more grounded, but maybe we can work something small in~

[hr]
⚾ [i]"Do I have to know the rules of baseball to join this RP?"[/i]

Not at all! We can simplify them for anyone unsure, though I recommend playing a character that's a novice and learning alongside them!

⚾ [i]"What kind of character can I play?"[/i]

A highschool student living in Japan will be what we need the most of, but team managers, faculty advisors, coaches, and the like are also applicable. For students any school year is fine, and the school is co-ed. Typically high school sports clubs are separated by sex, but if it's more fun for people we can go with a co-ed team too! Players giving their characters weird or special quirks is totally cool. Applying with more than one character is fine as well!

⚾ [i]"Does my character have to be from Niigata?"[/i]

Nope! They just have to attend school (or work) there. Actually we can swap cities or regions no problem if people prefer, though it will just be home base - the cast will travel for practice and tournaments. Characters can be transfer students from elsewhere, exchange students from other countries, or have different ancestries. Almost anything goes!

⚾ [i]"I want to play as the team's pitcher!"[/i]

Whoa whoa whoa! That's good, you know what you want for your character! But that character will have to work to get there. When the RP starts, characters will show off their skills and compete for the positions they want. If that position is being fought over and your character doesn't end up getting it at first, please don't despair. Your character just gained a rival to grow and compete with. All stories need some drama, so keep fighting for your spot! ...in-character!

[hr][hr][center][h3]I have a general plan for story progression, including breaking down the RP into arcs and chapters and a completely optional and very simple dice system to add some element of tension for us as writers.[/h3] 
I'll explain more if this gets past the interest check stage. I'd love to hear expectations, opinions, feedback, and of course any ideas from people so we can all work together to make a really fun story![/center]
[hr][hr]
A relatively simple character sheet is best, I think. We'll learn all about each character in play after all. The below is what I've come up with using my planned characters as examples. However, feel free to use any sort of format you want and include any additional information you like. If you want to play a second or third year character, go ahead and give them a position and such on the team if you want to - but they will still have to compete to keep their spot at the story's beginning and beyond! That goes for GM characters too!

If you want to play faculty or a team manager instead or in addition to, you can switch up the sections on your sheet for more relevant info. You don't have to stick to the same information I used, but if you feel more comfortable copying my sheets then that works too!

[hider=A list of a few roles to think about]
[indent][/indent]
Nothing listed here are character roles that absolutely need to be filled, they are more like suggestions and examples of the kinds of people you would expect to see in life and in anime tropes for a story like this. Of course I would like to have actual characters for each position on a baseball team (so 9 characters split over however many people join the RP), but otherwise NPCs can fill whatever roles we want. I also expect that characters that play on the team will see more 'RP action' than non-players.

Starting with non-players, some examples are...
[list][*]Coaches (head and assistant)[list][*]Normally also teachers at the school.[/list][*]Club advisors[list][*]School faculty (normally teachers as well) that assist with managerial tasks and student relationships with the school.[/list][*]Student managers[list][*]As it says on the tin, club members that take on more secretarial or managerial role. May or may not participate in practices.[/list][*]Parent representatives[list][*]A tertiary role, helps organize things like fundraisers, collects from families to purchase food and player equipment, etc.[/list][/list]
And for the team, the stars of the RP...
[list][*]Team captain[list][*]A third year player, voted on by the team. Can be any position on the team, of course.[/list][*]Vice captain(s)[list][*]May be appointed by captain to help out, but not official.[/list][*]Starting position players[list][*]Pitcher[*]Catcher[*]First Base[*]Second Base[*]Third Base[*]Shortstop [*]Left Field[*]Center Field[*]Right Field[/list][*]Non-starters[list][*]Those on the bench ready to support and sub in when needed. Pinch hitters, relief pitchers, base coaches, and the like.[/list][/list]
[/hider]

[table][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]___________________________________________________________[/color]
[img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/65808af8b74f.png[/img]
[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=lightpink][h2]Chikami Toyoda[/h2][/color][sup][sup][h3]樋田 近美[/h3][/sup][/sup][/center]
[b][color=lightpink]School Year:[/color][/b] First Year

[b][color=lightpink]Gender:[/color][/b] Male (he/him)

[b][color=lightpink]Height:[/color][/b] 178 cm  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=lightpink]Weight:[/color][/b] 68 kg

[b][color=lightpink]Home Town:[/color][/b] Sado, Niigata Prefecture

[b][color=lightpink]About:[/color][/b] Don't you think 'opened yourself up to better opportunities' sounds better than 'ran away'? Chikami certainly does. Friendly, accommodating, and just a little cagey about his past, Chikami came to the mainland for one simple reason: to try and spend some time in the sun after living beneath a metaphorical shadow for so long. Might as well play the sport he loves while he does it. Aosou was one of the more affordable options in Niigata that featured a dorm, but he is pretty sure that he would have been able to thrive anywhere so long as he put his mind to it. Oh yes, being positive all the time takes work and some serious brain power!
[/cell][/row][/table][hr][table][row][cell][center][b][color=lightpink]Current Position:[/color][/b] n/a[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=lightpink]Jersey Number:[/color][/b] n/a[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=lightpink]Batting Order:[/color][/b] n/a[/center][/cell][/row][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]/[/color][/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=lightpink]Throws:[/color][/b] Right  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=lightpink]Bats:[/color][/b] Left[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]\[/color][/center][/cell][/row][/table]
[center](Chikami is a club member but has not made the team yet. Some first year character information will start n/a)[/center]

[hr][hr]
[table][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]___________________________________________________________[/color]
[img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6791a6bf960b.png[/img]
[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=9F5FBF][h2]Atsumu Satou[/h2][/color][sup][sup][h3]佐藤 侑[/h3][/sup][/sup][/center]
[b][color=9F5FBF]School Year:[/color][/b] Third Year

[b][color=9F5FBF]Gender:[/color][/b] Male (he/him)

[b][color=9F5FBF]Height:[/color][/b] 183 cm  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=9F5FBF]Weight:[/color][/b] 76 kg

[b][color=9F5FBF]Home Town:[/color][/b] Niigata, Niigata Prefecture

[b][color=9F5FBF]About:[/color][/b] Fellow students will tell you that in class, Atsumu is polite and attentive - a model student who isn't hard to talk to even if he keeps mostly to himself. However the members of the baseball club will tell you a much different story. On the field, Atsumu is a ruthless taskmaster with a cruel tongue whose ire is the stuff of nightmares for his underclassmen. As a vice captain he does his best to keep the club members in line and in shape, especially any would-be pitchers which he revels in taking down a few notches. He works hard at everything he does. The rumors that he actually does have a heart somewhere in his chest? Definitely exaggerated! 
[/cell][/row][/table][hr][table][row][cell][center][b][color=8E47B1]Current Position:[/color][/b] Catcher[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=8E47B1]Jersey Number:[/color][/b] 2[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=8E47B1]Batting Order:[/color][/b] Sixth [color=2E2C2C]____[/color][/center][/cell][/row][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]/[/color][/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=8E47B1]Throws:[/color][/b] Right  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=8E47B1]Bats:[/color][/b] Right[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]\[/color][/center][/cell][/row][/table]

[hr][hr]
[table][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]___________________________________________________________[/color]
[img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/87e4f8ca0444.png[/img]
[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=cornflowerblue][h2]Hikari Noujima[/h2][/color][sup][sup][h3]能島 光凜[/h3][/sup][/sup][/center]
[b][color=cornflowerblue]Alma Mater:[/color][/b] UCSD

[b][color=cornflowerblue]Gender:[/color][/b] Female (she/her)

[b][color=cornflowerblue]Height:[/color][/b] 170 cm  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=cornflowerblue]Weight:[/color][/b] ♥♥ kg

[b][color=cornflowerblue]Home Town:[/color][/b] Sanjou, Niigata Prefecture

[b][color=cornflowerblue]About:[/color][/b] Hikari was just one of many kids who grew up loving the sport. She stuck with hard ball throughout her school years, though she did swap to soft ball in college. Turned out adapting to it was just easier than trying to worm her way onto the men's team on top of navigating her life as an international student in a new country. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything, though. With spontaneous adventure complete and diploma in hand she got crazy lucky to arrive back in Japan at the same time a school in the next city over put out a few job postings. She isn't sure the school's board are in their right minds, but... "Coach Noujima" has got a great ring to it, huh?[/cell][/row][/table][hr][table][row][cell][center][b][color=cornflowerblue]Current Role:[/color][/b] Coach*[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=cornflowerblue]Tenure:[/color][/b] Brand New[/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=cornflowerblue]Teaches:[/color][/b] n/a   [color=2E2C2C]. . . . . [/color][/center][/cell][/row][row][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]/[/color][/center][/cell][cell][center][b][color=cornflowerblue]Throws:[/color][/b] Right  [color=gray]|[/color]  [b][color=cornflowerblue]Bats:[/color][/b] Right[/center][/cell][cell][center][color=2E2C2C]\[/color][/center][/cell][/row][/table]
[center](*depending on other character applications, Noujima will be either an assistant or head coach)[/center]