Interesting.
All right, let's do it!
I'll assemble them, my five warriors!
And then I'll create the strongest team!
Episode 1 The Broom And The Ally of Justice
Tonight?
If it's after 9 PM...
Okay then.
See ya.
Keep it down.
We're in a dojo, Kojirou-sensei!
Who answers their calls in a dojo?!
Was that your girlfriend?
Of course it was.
But you were were saying "Senpai" and all that...
Oh, so you were listening...
That's no good!
You have to teach me more!
For our club member's sake, who're busy studying for exams!
Let's go for the nationals!
Besides you, none of those students come by anymore.
Be patient. We'll get some new members soon.
You're leaving already?!
Be my sparring partner!
I'm too hungry, so I can't spar with you.
You're supposed to be my instructor, aren't you?!
It's just a club.
As long as you're having fun, it serves its purpose.
You should kick back and relax more.
That doesn't sound like fun at all.
Come on, spar with me!
Here I come!
Ow, ow, ow! You just wanted to hit me, didn't you?!
Hey, stop it!
That hurts a lot!
Hey!!!
I don't have any more money.
Not even a bit...
I'm broke.
Guess I'll have to start eating less then...
Pathetic...
You must have it tough, teaching at two schools and all!
But you know, that must mean I'm pretty amazing, since I can do it!
You always knew how to manage yourself, Senpai.
You've always been so talented!
Please treat me.
Just compliment him...
get him drunk...
and get him to treat me for tonight!
Can I get one more of this?
I finally assembled a team of girls.
You have a kendo club too, right?
Let's have a match sometime.
Okay, sure.
But there's only one active member, so let's wait until new members join...
Kojirou.
Yeah?
Let's make a bet.
Interesting.
All right, let's do it!
I'll assemble them, my five warriors!
And then I'll create the strongest team!
H-H-Hey, Sensei!
Your footwork is too slow!
You're putting too much stress on your right hand!
Keep your guard up!
Put more effort into it!
Kendo club's really into it...
Dang...
Sensei, what's up with you?
It's like you're a completely different person than yesterday.
I'm serious now!
It's like you said...
we should go for the nationals!
Sensei...!
First of all, Kirino!
If the team captain doesn't strive to become stronger, no one will want to join us!
Understood! I'll do my best!
Excuse me, but we're thinking of joining this club...
So we're here to observe.
We don't need boys!
Why?!
The match is for girls only!
Boys aren't needed!
What match?
That's right.
I agreed to have a practice match with my senpai's female kendo members.
That's why we need to gather five female students.
If we can't even do that, then there's no point in having a match!
I see.
Now that you know, get Saya to come back already.
Well, I don't think she'll be coming back anytime soon.
Saya?
We're here to observe the club activities, is that okay?
I thought I told you that we don't need boys!
That's fine, but forget about observing and just join.
Just put your class and name here.
Okay...
Nakata-kun, you promised you'd come with me to check out the ping pong club.
I know, Eiga-kun.
Don't worry, I'll go with you.
You better.
I'm too scared to go by myself.
Are there any other members?
The seniors graduated and left already.
But we do have three juniors.
There aren't that many members in this club, Nakata-kun.
Let's go join the ping pong club.
But I really love kendo.
It doesn't look like there'll be any other members coming today,
so I'll come by again.
Hurry up!
Kirino.
What's up?
I'm a terrible instructor.
I can only think about myself.
But you know... life's pretty tough.
Huh?
Hey... you got any spare fluorescent light bulbs?
Isn't there an effective way to find really skilled people?
How about this:
█████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
Note: Shinai (竹刀) is a common practice sword used in Kendo. The weapon itself is made of dried bamboo slats.
If we see any girl carrying a shinai, we'll throw tons of rocks at her.
If she's really skilled, then she should be able to cut through every rock.
█████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
Note: Jidaigeki (時代劇) is a popular genre of media in Japan. Usually, these contain copious amounts of swordplay. An example of popular Jidaigeki would be the film series, Zatoichi.
You think it'll be like a Jidaigeki?
No good?
But hey, I'm happy.
You're getting serious for my sake.
Watch out!
A baseball from the baseball club!
A tennis ball from the tennis club too!
A football from the rugby team!
The vice principal's falling from the third floor!
Vice principal!
The vice principal went straight through...!
Did you see that?
Are they shooting a movie here?
Wait!
Please, join the kendo club!
Kendo?
We need you!
I'm not interested.
"I'm not interested..."
Impossible!
She's really skilled... in fact, she's special!
Dammit, this girl needs to join the club!
Kawazoe Tamaki!
Too strong...
Tamaki, that's enough for today.
You did well today.
Good job everyone.
She didn't even break a sweat.
Oh man, give me a break...
Thanks for the food.
Oh, that smells good.
I made some for you.
Just heat it up if you want some.
Okay.
Hey, Tamaki.
Why don't you join the kendo club at your school?
Why should I join?
Why, you ask...
I practice everyday when I'm home.
Well, I'm sure practicing at school can be fun too...
Don't mind me.
I'm full.
I'll do the dishes later, so just put them in the sink when you're done.
My dear wife... Our daughter's at an age where even I can't understand her.
It's the wrong program...
It's not that anime...
That was funny.
I'm Chiba Kirino, the team captain of the kendo club.
Excuse me.
I came to observe yesterday.
I've been waiting for you.
Write down your class and name, please!
He tagged along again.
Why's he crying?
There was no ping pong club.
Actually... yeah, there never was one to begin with.
That's right.
Why didn't you guys tell me?!
Oh well, this is fate.
You can join the kendo club too.
But I've never done it before...
That's fine.
You know, a ping pong paddle and a shinai are both made from the same wood.
Kirino, that's not exactly right...
Don't worry, we'll make you guys feel right at home.
Practicing kendo makes summers feel hotter and winters feel colder, and the gauntlets smell too.
But it'll be fun, I guarantee it!
By the way, Nakata-kun...
Do you have a girlfriend?
If you do, you should get her to join the club.
I don't have a girlfriend.
I'll ask my girlfriend to join...
I don't think she's decided on a club yet.
You have a girlfriend?!
Hey, let me hold the shinai.
Let me swing it.
No can do, Eiga-kun! You have to build up your muscles before summer arrives!
I'll have to get my own shinai soon.
How come Yuuji gets to hold one? How come he gets to swing it?
Because Nakata-kun has experience.
When did you start practicing kendo?
I was in the kendo club during all three years of junior high.
And I trained at a dojo during primary school.
Oh, where at?
Kawazoe Dojo.
Kawazoe Dojo?!
█████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
Note: Tanaka (田中) is a common Japanese surname. Nakata (中田) is an uncommon surname, and is easily mixed up with Tanaka at times.
Tanaka-kun!
It's Nakata.
I made the right choice when I forced you to join!
I came here on my own though...
Sensei, I wanna wear the armor and swing the shinai around too...
Okay, whatever!
Do whatever the hell you want!
Kirino, help Eiga-kun get his gear on!
Is there a girl at that dojo about the same age as you?
You mean Tama-chan?
Yeah, Tama-chan.
Kawazoe Tamaki from Class 1-9.
Actually, I was looking up her background yesterday.
W-What for?
Could you please get her to join our club?
I don't think that's possible, knowing Tama-chan.
She's not really interested in kendo.
Back in middle school, I invited her to join the kendo club,
but she asked me, "Why?"
To her, kendo's just a household chore.
She doesn't think of it as a hobby, at all.
I see now...
But how can we get her to join our club...?
Why do you want her to join the club?
Because it can't start without her help.
In fact, it would all be over if she didn't join.
Could you fill me in?
I made a bet.
A bet?
My students are really strong.
If you win, I'll let you eat at my dad's restaurant for free, for an entire year.
Real Tokyo-style sushi... free for an entire year.
Welcome!
Real Tokyo-style sushi, free for an entire year!
Welcome!
Real Tokyo-style sushi, free for an entire year!!!
Hey!
Welcome!
I'll do anything to win, since I get free sushi if I win!
A whole year's worth of sushi!
It's an awesome deal, isn't it?!
What a sad guy.
He's a poor excuse for an adult.
He doesn't place his students as his first priority,
and he only thinks about himself.
He's too sad.
I'd say... he's completely useless.
Tama-chan.
Going home kinda late, aren't you?
They didn't need me to help at the dojo, so I went shopping.
But they didn't have it anywhere.
What were you looking for?
A DVD.
Since it was the limited edition box-set, the store was already sold out of it.
I forgot to pre-order it, since I was on cleaning duty yesterday.
Hey, Tama-chan.
Yes?
All you can eat!
Nothing, forget I said anything.
It's such a waste though...
See ya.
Yuuji-kun.
Yeah?
Stop calling me Tama-chan.
We're high school students already.
Then what should I call you...
Kawazoe... Tamaki.
Tama... Tama...
Forget it.
Tama-chan's fine.
We'll get to see Eiga's girlfriend today...
I wonder what kind of girl she is.
They've been dating since middle school.
Hey, what do you think she looks like?
I'm having a hard time believing that such a person could exist.
She must be an illusion he created, a girl only he could see!
I think she's a normal girl.
Well, not really as a girlfriend, but more like a regular friend.
No, since he looks like that, he must be seeing a girl that really sparkles.
This is just me,
but seeing a couple where the girl's flat-out gorgeous pisses me off!
In fact, she must get sick of looking at the guy!
A couple has to add up to 100%!
In other words, a 30% male will pair up with a 70% female.
And a 10% female will pair up with a 90% male.
That's the only way the world can maintain its balance!
He's getting way too serious about this...
So... sparkles may actually be possible.
No way.
I'm here.
I brought Miya-Miya with me.
Hello, I'm Miyazaki Miyako.
You're friggin' kidding me!
Toyama, find your cell phone yet?
I must've dropped it during History class.
C'mon.
Oh boy...
Toyama-kun.
This is your cell phone, right?
Sorry.
I have the same model, so I took the wrong one.
Takasugi.
I pity the fool.
Wait, I wanna practice kendo right now...
You have to introduce me to her.
It's all a part of my plan to get Kawazoe Tamaki to join our club!
Once we get her, we'll have Miya-Miya join us afterwards.
That's our second priority.
Yes sir!
Oh, it's Kojirou.
Iwasa, Toyama!
Stop skipping club all the time!
Show up sometime!
Sorry, but I'm busy today.
They're club members, juniors.
Kirino, I hear you're the team captain now.
That's right, and we have some new freshmen members.
You guys better work harder.
This is how you hold a shinai!
You're so cool, Dan-kun!
Dammit, battery's dead.
You're probably having an off-day.
Dammit all.
Watch this!
This is how you thrust!
Cool, huh?
You're so cool, Dan-kun!
I'll let some steam out with a little sparring.
There must be a way...
What makes Kawazoe Tamaki tick?
Let's see...
Tama-chan!
I'm Chiba Kirino, a junior. We kinda met the other day.
I'm the team captain of the kendo club.
Nice to meet you.
I see...
Hey, did you join a club yet?
If not, do you wanna join the kendo club?
I'm not really...
You're not sure yet, right? You haven't checked us out yet.
Well then, let's go.
But I'm not really...
That hurt...
Stand up, freshmen.
I'm going to train you, thoroughly.
Now, let's practice striking the forearm.
Stop him! This isn't sparring at all!
Relax, he's doing fine.
Toyama-kun!
You shouldn't be bullying the freshmen.
You're the one who told us to work harder.
I'm working hard--in my own way.
Eiga-kun, let's practice your thrust now.
I'm gonna get Sensei...
Why?
Is he in charge of this club, even though you're the team captain, Kirino-san?
It's because he's the strongest person in the club.
A lot of people left the club because of him.
So he's in charge because he's the strongest club member?
Okay then.
Tama-chan is usually quiet and reserved.
But she's very idealistic.
She always wanted to be a kind of hero that upholds justice.
She doesn't forgive anyone who does bad things.
I'm Kawazoe Tamaki from Class 1-9.
I'll be joining this club temporarily.
Next Episode Preview
Take means Bamboo, and katana means Blade.
Put 'em together, and you get Bamboo Blade!
Hey there, nice to meet ya!
Well, with a new semester that's just begun, we'll have to work harder than ever!
For starters, our anticipated new members are getting harsh training from their seniors
through means of bullying, violence, and more violence!
When the troublesome students cause trouble, a voice we have all waited to hear cried out.
And that's Tama-chan!
Do you know her?
What did you think of her heroic grace?
She's definitely strong!
When the situation gets worse, her heart of justice ignites!
I'm hungry, so let's have lunch!
Next episode of Bamboo Blade is:
Blade Braver And Lunch
And that's one point from you!