Kazuki Akane
Director
Stars Align (2019)
Season 1
Constantly outperformed by the girls' club, the boys' soft tennis club faces disbandment due to their poor skills and lack of positive results. In desperate need of capable players, Toma Shinjou is looking to recruit, but he fails to do so. Enter Maki Katsuragi, a transfer student who demonstrates great reflexes when he catches a stray cat, Instantly capturing Toma's attention. Toma ambitiously asks Maki to join the team but is quickly rejected, as Maki doesn't wish to join any clubs. Toma refuses to back down and ends up persuading Maki - only under the condition that Toma will pay him for his club expenses. As Maki joins the team, he immediately outshine the rest of the team. This gives rise to conflict among the team, Maki challenges his fellow team members to devote themselves to the game they once neglected. This story focuses on the boys' soft tennis club and their discovery of their own capability, while also enduring the darker side of growing up in middle school.
Released Oct. 11, 2019
Episode 24 min
14+
Genres: Animation, Anime, Anime: School, Anime: Sports, Drama, Sport
Keywords: tmdb.sports, tmdb.tennis, tmdb.competition, tmdb.slice-of-life, tmdb.school, tmdb.championship, tmdb.anime + 61 more, imdb.tennis, imdb.racket-sport, imdb.anime-animation, tmdb.bromance, tmdb.lgbt, imdb.non-binary-protagonist, imdb.teenage-boy, imdb.2d-animation, imdb.friendship, imdb.male-bonding, imdb.boy-protagonist, imdb.boy, imdb.gender-non-conforming, imdb.abusive-father, imdb.toxic-father-son-relationship, imdb.bromance, imdb.tennis-competition, imdb.school-club, imdb.male-protagonist, imdb.emotional-abuse, imdb.family-life, imdb.primarily-teen-cast, imdb.adoption, imdb.ensemble-cast, imdb.teen-drama, imdb.primarily-child-cast, imdb.bullying, imdb.twins, imdb.transfer-student, imdb.domestic-abuse, imdb.primarily-male-cast, imdb.mature-themes, imdb.physical-abuse, imdb.unrequited-love, imdb.high-school, imdb.middle-school, imdb.school-life, imdb.shounen-ai, imdb.unrequited-gay-love, imdb.training, imdb.dysfunctional-family, imdb.soft-tennis, imdb.teen-angst, imdb.coming-of-age-drama, imdb.original-anime, imdb.school, imdb.violence, imdb.slice-of-life-anime-animation, imdb.youth, tmdb.non-binary, imdb.teenage-boy-protagonist, tmdb.junior-high-school, tmdb.school-life, tmdb.japanese-junior-high-schooler, tmdb.bukatsu, tmdb.gay-subtext, tmdb.school-club, imdb.hand-drawn-animation, mdblist.anime-dub, imdb.lgbtq-character, imdb.lgbtq-film
Watch Providers: Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
Production Companies: 8bit, TBS, FlyingDog
Network: Bandai Channel
S1E1 - Episode 1
When an old friend moves into town, team captain Toma has a plan to save the boys' soft tennis club that's in danger of being disbanded for how awful it is.
Oct. 11, 2019, midnight
S1E2 - Episode 2
Maki's first day of practice is not only brutal, but eye-opening for the entire team. Tensions rise when he calls out the others for their lack of effort.
Oct. 18, 2019, midnight
S1E3 - Episode 3
Toma's frustration with the team boils over after pairing up with Maki for a few practice games. Maki later learns about Itsuki's family situation after he lashes out at a bully.
Oct. 25, 2019, midnight
S1E4 - Episode 4
The new pairs see how they fare in a series of practice matches against Toma and Maki. Meanwhile, their advisor reveals a plan in store to help out.
Nov. 1, 2019, midnight
S1E5 - Episode 5
When pressed for the truth, Maki confides in Toma and they take a stand against Kenji. Later, Rintaro admits that he's been a burden in more ways than one.
Nov. 9, 2019, midnight
S1E6 - Episode 6
The soft tennis club takes on Misaki Academy in a series of practice matches, but they'll have to change things up if they want to stand a chance.
Nov. 15, 2019, midnight
S1E7 - Episode 7
Maki and Toma face off in an intense match against Misaki's ace pair. The club is later surprised by their advisor who suggests they skip practice and take a little break.
Nov. 22, 2019, midnight
S1E8 - Episode 8
Once the club finds out their first opponent in the tournament bracket, they're forced to use unconventional tactics to scout out an elite player they'll be facing.
Nov. 29, 2019, midnight
S1E9 - Episode 9
On the day Shingo's little sister comes to watch him play at the school, not only does soft tennis get put on hold, but dreams are crushed as well.
Dec. 6, 2019, midnight
S1E10 - Episode 10
The day of the tournament has come at last and it's time to find out if everyone's hard work can win them a single match to save the club from getting disbanded.
Dec. 13, 2019, midnight
S1E11 - Episode 11
With under three months of play under his belt, Maki faces a crowd-favorite opponent with his doubles partner Toma in the club's one last chance to stay alive.
Dec. 20, 2019, midnight
S1E12 - Episode 12
Win or lose, Toma and Maki are having a blast playing the national champs. The underdogs get support from the crowd as everyone cheers them on.
Dec. 27, 2019, midnight
Network: Bandai Channel
Episode Runtime: 24 min.
Season Runtime: 288 min.
Released: Oct. 11, 2019
Last Air Date: Dec. 27, 2019, midnight
Status: Canceled
Certification: TV-14 / 14+
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