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Azuma Satori.
Muroe high school freshman of class 1-3.
She has a reason why she decided to give up the path of the sword.
Her father was a well known Kendo practitioner.
His appearance at home was truly a rare spectacle,
as his only desire was to perfect his skills on the path of the sword!
However,
deep in her heart, tragedy struck!
An accident occurred during a match,
and Azuma's father lost his life.
"Is this what awaits those who follow the path of the sword?"
"Is this the only fate that's at the end of the path?!"
"If so, I can no longer follow the path my father took!"
That was when...
Azuma left the path of the sword.
Episode 12
Azuma and Mei's Circumstances
And that's the story I thought up...
Oh boy...
Hey, Hayashi's coming!
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
Ninety!
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
One hundred!
Good day to you, sir!
Good day, sir!
Tidy up.
Freshmen!
Yes sir!
You all shall practice striking one hundred more times.
Now!
Yes sir!
Holy crap, the Kendo club's insane this year!
They switched out instructors, and I hear practice is really harsh these days.
Might be for the better, they really sucked last year.
Yeah, I never heard the clashing of shinais as much as I do now...
Scary...
I bet all the freshmen'll quit the club soon.
Yeah, training environment's too tough.
I know I wouldn't do any of it.
Hey, don't rest!
Men!
Well fought.
At the last meet we were at, you lost the first match.
Your opponent effortlessly struck your head.
Tell me what caused you to lose!
My opponent was more experienced than me...
I got unlucky.
That is not the cause of your defeat.
Tell me what you lacked!
I lacked concentration!
And I didn't practice enough!
Good, then we shall practice more!
Stand up!
He's scary.
Girls!
Why have you stopped practicing?!
You girls have a practice match next week!
Continue practicing!
Yes sir!
Freshmen, practice your strikes!
We're short two freshmen.
Where are Ayumi and Misa?
They quit. They said the club was too tough, and that they had enough.
Sir, the two freshmen left the club...
If they want to quit, they can. It does not matter to me.
Let's continue!
Yes sir...
We're the only freshmen girls left in this club...
What should we do, Nozomi-chan?
I wonder if I should quit too...
Mei-chan!
If you quit, then I'll be the only female freshman left here!
But...
See you tomorrow, Azuma-san.
Goodbye.
Azuma-san!
Yes?
You're Azuma-san, right?
Yes...
Can I help you?
We finally found her!
W-What's wrong?!
Do you need something?!
Let's go, Azuma-chan!
Go where?!
W-Wait a second!
Tell me what going on!
We're from the Kendo club.
The Kendo club...
You were in your middle school's Kendo club for all three years, right?
And you were really skilled, right?
So hey, why not join our Kendo club then?
Stop it.
Kojirou-sensei?
She can't join the Kendo club.
What?
Am I right, Azuma?
Yes...
Why, why, and why?
Don't you like Kendo?
Of course I do...
I've loved it, ever since I was little...
It's just that...
my parents told me to quit when I started attending high school.
I agreed with them on this matter as well.
I apologize, but I cannot-
What do you mean, Azuma-chan?
You're wasting your talent!
The talent-wasting-ghost is gonna get you!
In fact, it's already here!
What a waste... What a waste...
I-I'm sorry, but that's how it is!
Goodbye!
Then just observe us!
Okay, observe us!
She's loved Kendo ever since she was little...
I bet once she sets foot into the dojo, she'll want to practice Kendo again!
One girl, coming in!
Why did you put a chestplate on me...?
I don't need this for observing...
Don't say that!
If you wanna leave here, you must defeat us!
Or else, you'll never leave here.
Very well.
Let's spar for a bit...
Huh?
Kawazoe-san, I'm gonna bring a dustpan over.
Okay.
Looks like it's gonna rain, Miya-Miya.
That's not good, I didn't bring my umbrella.
It's okay. There are some umbrellas in the dojo.
This voice...
Kirino-senpai?
It's not.
Who is that then?!
Men!
Reverse head strike!
Very skilled!
But who is that?
Men!
Dou!
She's really good...
That's enough, Azuma.
O-Okay.
Azuma?
Saya!
Kirino!
She's strong, right?
Yeah!
Azuma, when did you start practicing Kendo?
When I was in primary school.
She's experienced...
She's very skilled too...
I want her.
I want her so much...
Um...
May I leave now?
Yes.
I'm sorry about this.
We've wasted your time.
She's leaving?!
Wait!
Could you stay a bit longer?
I want to spar with you, Azuma-san.
I wonder who's stronger...
Yuuji-kun is stronger.
He's a guy after all.
Hey, you shouldn't underestimate Azuma-chan.
Yeah, neither of us could get a clean hit off her.
That's not good.
I wanna go home and start studying...
Men!
Azuma-chan was really strong.
But Yuuji got two clean hits off of her, in a row.
If she could hold her ground against Yuuji, then she's really something.
If we sparred for a little longer, she might've struck me.
It's too bad that she needed to leave.
Indeed.
If we could have her as our fifth female member, I'd feel a lot better.
You're right!
Finally, we have our Green.
We can actually have normal team matches now!
Don't get ahead of yourselves...
She can't join our club.
And I can't let her join.
What do you mean?
You want her to join, don't you?
Of course I want her to join, you ninnies!
I don't like this as much as any of you do!
But I we have to give up on her!
Forget about Azuma!
That girl is...
That girl is...!
Are these...
Those are her test results.
Awful, no?
Very.
She always gets to her classes early, and she always takes notes during class.
But... those are pretty awful, no?
Indeed.
It's not that she doesn't know how study.
She managed to come to this school with decent grades.
But she makes clumsy mistakes on her tests, like filling in the wrong circle.
Or she'll write in an answer for the problem below the one that she's actually solving for.
If she starts practicing Kendo again, I fear that she might lose focus on her studies,
and her grades may fall even lower.
She wants to get into a university after graduation.
Ishida-sensei, will you stop trying to convince her to join the Kendo club?
I got it.
That girl...
She...
doesn't have time to join a club!
She has to study hard and get her grades up!
I don't really get what you're saying, but do we really have to give up on her?
I guess we have to, since she doesn't wanna join.
Does she really want to quit Kendo altogether?
Of course not!
I understood that after we exchanged blows.
She loves Kendo!
Within her heart is the burning spirit of Kendo!
She will definitely return here, as a swordswoman!
No!!!
I forgot my textbooks and problem sets!
I can't do my homework!
I'm feeling exhausted after today...
Men!
Dou!
Men!
I want to spar with you, Azuma-san!
This isn't good.
I must study!
My goal for the next test is...
average!
I want to spar with you!
I'm Azuma Satori.
I hope to reach average, while on the show!
Hasn't she picked up yet?
If she doesn't hurry, she won't make it!
Hello?
Ah Nozomi-chan?
Where are you?
You have to hurry.
We're all waiting for you at the train station.
The practice match-
Mei, I'm sorry.
I'm quitting Kendo.
It's time, let's go.
We can't keep our hosts waiting on us.
Nozomi-chan?
Hello?
Hello?!
Mei-chan, you're gonna be in the practice match today.
We managed to just have five people to compete today.
What to do...?
We won't force you to join anymore.
But just come back for one last visit.
Please observe us at our upcoming practice match!
All you have to do is observe!
We won't follow you around anymore either!
But...
Azuma-san.
They're practically begging you, so won't you please come back one more time?
Actually...
you better come.
She was so scary...
What's up with her?
I'm sorry...
But I just can't-!
Excuse me!
Yo.
Are you going home?
Ah... er...
I'm uh...
Uh...
You came this far!
At least take a peek!
N-No...
But I...
Azuma-chan!
Yay! She came!
But it looks like someone forced her to come halfway.
She wouldn't have come otherwise.
That is, if she really hated Kendo.
That's...
Miyako-chan's...
Excuse me!
Are you with Muroe high's Kendo club?
Yes.
I am...
I'm from Seimei high.
I came to observe the match, but it started raining all of a sudden.
Will you share your umbrella with me?
Sure.
Yay.
W-Wait...!
You're squeezing me tightly!
I wonder what'll happen if Miyako-chan sees us like this...
Look over here...
Look at us, Miyako-chan!
Who's that acorn-head?
Dan-kun...
Could we go home?
What's the matter Miya-Miya?
Are you feeling ill?
It's not that...
But I just got a bad feeling is all...
If you don't, then we have to go.
We don't have enough people, you know that.
Oh, don't worry.
I made sure this one cute girl would be there.
Even if I don't go...
We're going, and that's final!
What?
Oh, it's Miyazaki-san and Eiga-kun.
W-Wait Dan-kun!
What's their relationship?
They're dating.
They're a really nice couple.
I mean, they're always together.
So that's her boyfriend...
and they're dating?
By the way, where are the other Kendo members from Seimei?
Where's Azuma-chan?
Where?
Over there!
B-But I only came to observe!
You'll feel more relaxed when you're in proper Kendo attire!
Since you're already here, might as well gear up!
Why...
Why is my name written on this?!
Don't sweat it.
It looks good on you.
I get to be a referee today!
Yuuji, what's wrong?
Well... you know...
Miya-Miya, you too?
Nothing's wrong with me.
Excuse me!
I'm Odajima Reimi from Seimei high school's photography club.
I came to take pictures.
It's that girl!
Okay, no problem.
Don't mind me.
Miyako-chan!
Say cheese!
Reimi...
Who was she again?
I'd like to know that as well.
Ishida-sensei.
Yoshikawa-sensei.
What brings you here?
I heard there would be a practice match here, so I was curious...
May I observe?
By all means, please, come in.
Pardon me.
I'm Ishida.
Hayashi-sensei, I thank you for coming today.
Oh no, the pleasure's all mine.
I've heard a lot about you due to your reputation...
But to actually be able to have a practice match with you...
I think it'll be a good lesson for my team.
Think nothing of it.
They look like they're having fun.
I'm sorry, my team's a little bit on the slobbish side.
I'm a little soft on them.
I don't know what to do about them.
It's tough, especially when you're dealing with teens.
We're gonna start warm-up sparring soon.
Put your headguard on.
I-I'm sorry.
What should I do... I'm in the practice match.
Mei-chan, you're fourth.
O-Okay!
If I lose... Sensei's going to give me an earful.
Tell me what caused you to lose!
Tell me what you lacked!
I don't lack anything anywhere!
I only joined because my friends wanted to join this club...
I'm not really fond of Kendo...
I have had enough.
After this match is over, I'm going to quit.
Are you ready?
Y-Yes!
Um...
Will you spar with me?
Okay.
Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
Nice to meet you.
This'll be fun.
Okay!
Let's begin!
Next Episode
I'm Azuma Satori.
I finally made a real, full appearance in the show.
I'm gonna get real active in the show from now-
What?
The episode's runtime's already over?!
Well then, I'll improvise!
Next time is-
My glasses...
Where are they...?
Next time on Bamboo Blade: Azuma and Mei's Circumstances...
Teachers and Students
Wait, that's this episode's title!