many believe this movie be a baseball movie . such people be disappoint because it about a baseball player and but the movie isn not about baseball . some think this movie be a romantic comedy and be disappoint because the relationship isn not really develop . this movie be not a romantic comedy . this movie be about culture . an arrogant american major leaguer and a stern traditional japanese baseball manager can not succeed because they can not and indeed and would not understand one another . it after they manage to break through the cultural barrier that they have success . the ballplayer become more japanese in his team mentality and the manager more american in allow individual achievement and and they meet in the middle . baseball and the romance be subordinate to this critique of the two culture . many who have no understanding of the japanese mindset miss this and think it a movie on baseball or romance and see the culture clash a mild comedy relief . it not the culture clash be the gravamen of the movie . base on my own experience and understanding of the japanese culture and i think this movie do quite well in that it do not overly romanticize the japanese culture nor overdo it in it portrayal . overall and i believe this be an enjoyable and relaxing movie if one understand what it be really about .