Rookies (manga)
Rookies (ルーキーズ, Rūkīzu?) is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Masanori Morita. The series was featured on Weekly Shōnen Jump during its original run from 1998 to 2003. The series was licensed for release in France by Edition Tonkam and in Italy by Star Comics, where it was featured in the magazine Express. Rookies had previously been published in Taiwan by Da Ran Culture, but the company went bankrupt and Tong Li Publishing picked up the license. The manga has been adapted into a television series which was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System between April 19, 2008 and July 26, 2008. The series was later released on DVD by TC Entertainment, and the soundtrack released on June 28, 2008. The finale of the TV series was in the form of a film, called Rookies: Graduation (Rｏｏｋｉｅｓ－卒業－, Rookies -Sotsugyō?) which premiered on Japanese cinemas on May 31, 2009.
Rookies is the story of an amateur teacher, Koichi Kawato, who is faced with the challenge of guiding a high school baseball club composed of delinquents. The students are wary of him and often threaten Kawato, but he refuses to abandon them and continuously speaks highly of recognizing their dreams. Eventually, the team is assembled and they dedicate their time to achieve their dream of going to the Koshien.