I'm amazed that this series, which has brought me to tears many times with its warm, knowing, depiction of loneliness and connection, also is so good as a competitive game series. The idea of Shimada having another "mode" that he shifts into when he makes a mistake, of wild desperate punching, that may be even stronger than his normal composed mode... it's so compelling in such a shonen-y way, and it fits with his character and the flow of the match in such an interesting way.