or Money Diamond, is a Japanese baseball manga series written by Yūji Moritaka and illustrated by Keiji Adachi. The manga was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Morning and has been followed by four sequels since.
The series follows the unforgiving money-and-statistics-centric world of professional baseball, in a similar concept to Moneyball, but through the eyes of players: a relief pitcher and left-handed specialist, Bonda Natsunosuke, and Tokunaga, a retired pitcher turned color commentator. The fictional teams in the series are based on real teams in the NPB, particularly the Central League.
A 24-episodes anime television series adaptation by Studio Deen was broadcast from April to December 2018.
Characters
A 26-year-old professional baseball player for the Jingū Spiders. Born in Yamanashi, he was recruited 8 years ago and was Mr. Irrelevant in his draft class that received only 15 million yen (US$137,000) as a signing bonus. Left-handed short middle relief pitcher and left-handed specialist. He earns 18 million yen (US$160,000) per year, which is above average for his role due to games played per season, yet it is well below average for players his age. Obsessively reads player's directories and has become very knowledgeable about other players contracts and annual salaries. He is very worried he won't be able to earn enough money during his baseball career so he can retire comfortably. It got to the point that in a radio interview, where he was inebriated, he blurted out his jealousy over the Osaka Tempters and Mops middle relief pitchers, who not only earn more than him, but also made twice the appearance each, exposing his inferiority complex.
Usually called ; he is a 35 years old radio color commentator. Originally from Yamanashi like Bonda. He was a starter for the Spiders for 10 years before retiring from baseball 3 years previously. He had less than 50 wins and his highest salary was 30 million yen per year (US$274,000). He got his current job through his connections with director of Otowa radio but often offers nothing of substance as a commentator. Bonda believes that due to his extravagant life style he ended his career broke and is making little money in his current job. Despite being more diligent on his research due to him using a computer, as opposed to Hideo Matsumoto's fully manual system, which helped the radio station getting inside scoop on newly promoted players, he was fired in season 2, just as he and his fiancée are travelling to Guam.
Spider's no.2 starting pitcher. 26, from the same draft class and area as Bonda, but earns 36 million yen, has 21 wins in 7 years as a pro. Bonda's best friend and they frequently go out for drinks together. In the current season of baseball he has been a starter in 3 games, with only 1.00 ERA, but lost all 1-0.
Left-handed Left outfielder for the Spiders, from Yamanashi like Bonda. He wears jersey no.3, traditionally given to the team's best hitter. He is dealing with a batting slump. He was first to hit Bonda's pitch for a home-run in a high school tournament. Earns 20 million per year.
Manager of Jingu Spiders. Has a lot of trust in Bonda as a reliever.
The Spiders bullpen coach. A stoic bearded man who has a good understanding of Bonda's strengths and weaknesses.
Japanese canteen waitress, very optimistic and bubbly and popular among men. From Osaka, a huge fan of Osaka Tempters, while she hated Bonda in the game, she had no recollection of him as a player when he was a customer. Her opinion of him changed when she attended a fan meeting session in the playoffs.
Bonda's scout. He advised Bonda to not spend the money he got as a signing bonus but use it as an insurance if he's injured or is dropped from the team. Hideo Matsumoto Voiced by himself. The only factual character in the anime, a baseball announcer for Otowa Radio Station. In season 2, it is revealed that he still uses a fully manual system to write notes rather than using a computer. However, due to the extensive research needed to cover back-to-back games live, he often works long hours and little sleep.
Right handed closer for the Spiders 29 years old. He was scouted from an amateur team and earned the closer spot last year receiving a 50 million yen contract. He robbed a win from Shibuya, but injured himself after blowing a save a month later. After he recovered, he blew one more save costing Shibuya another win and was sent to the minors.