Rookies (manga)

Rookies
First volume of Rookies, published by Shueisha
ルーキーズ (Rūkīzu)
Genre	Baseball
Manga
Written by	Masanori Morita
Published by	Shueisha
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Original run	June 4, 1998 – November 4, 2003
Volumes	24
Television drama
Directed by	Yuichiro Hirakawa
Written by	Yoshihiro Izumi
Music by	Takefumi Haketa Yu Takami
Original network	Tokyo Broadcasting System
Original run	April 19, 2008 – July 26, 2008
Episodes	11 + Special
Live-action film
Rookies: Graduation
Directed by	Yūichirō Hirakawa
Studio	Toho
Released	May 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)

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 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.

Koichi Kawato is the new Japanese teacher at the ill-famed Futakotamagawa high school, whose baseball club is composed of thugs and bullies who have been suspended for a year from all school competitions, for causing a brawl during an official match. The newly appointed teacher finds that the club members left are only interested in women, smoking and doing nothing good until, under Kawato's guidance, they recognize that baseball is what they truly love doing. Kawato also teaches them that they should follow their dreams, and for them, being able to reach the national high school tournament finals in Koshien (Hyogo prefecture) is what they have always wished for. However, reaching Koshien is far from easy as many obstacles await them.