Yeah!
For this ?Crush the Champions? plan to work,
what we absolutely must do
is beat Takemiya High School in the first game
She has graciously agreed to be our school?s special coach
Mrs. Kaede Tarumi.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7!
We have to win that many games to get to Koushien?
What are you talking about? We get to play 7 games!
Nothing happier than that!
I?m kinda happy. To think, there are this many other guys like us playing high school baseball...
They?re all our rivals! We're not losing to them!!
OKAY!
BUT!
They say that the ones who control Kanagawa control Koushien.
This prefecture is just crawling with monstrous players.
That's a creepy way of putting it.
You?ve seen a lot of athletes while covering events in your career, haven't you.
You?re fine. You?re as good as all the others.
And your "Twister" is really good lately, Ushimaru-kun.
"Twister"?! What the heck is that?! -Good name, right?
You?re late!
Why am I waiting?
There are still 10 minutes 'til practice.
You're just too early, Coach
The game with Takemiya will be here in 2 weeks.
There?s nothing wrong with being too early!
If you have time enough to be sitting here yammering away
GRAB A BAT AND GET ON THE FIELD!
YES, SIR!
KUNITOMO! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! YOU'RE THROWING LIKE YOU'RE DEAD!
Coach...
What he needs now isn?t to be yelled at, but constructive advice
Advice?
Yes....
advice he can only get from someone like you who's been to Koushien before
Right; you?ve gotta have something to tell him.... Specialist advice
Kunitomo
you?re turning your body too early.
Your left shoulder....
Hold it there a bit longer.
Yes, sir!
Wow! He's back on form!
You brought out his power, Coach.
Do you really think so?
Here you are.
Alright...Eat up!
Let's eat!
Welcome!
We're here!
I?m so hungry I could pass out.
What the hell... TAKEMIYA?!
Wh-Wh-Why are you here?
Hey~
Old man...
That scary guy is here, too
Oh, you Jotoku boys have finished practice?
Us, too.
What do you mean by ?us??
I?ve become Takemiya's...
special baseball coach.
WHAT?!
What do you mean, you're coaching them?!
These people are our opponents!
It doesn?t matter if they?re adversaries or allies. You?re all baseball lovers.
This...
Must be your doing, OLD MAN! -Kimiyasu-kun
This isn?t Haru-san?s fault. It?s something I decided to do.
Even though you?re Odawara?s mother...
Please don't be Hiratsuka?s mother!
Why are you even doing baseball?!
Well, if I had to give a reason,
it?s Aoshi-kun?s fault.
Me?!
That's right. Watching you made me want to do it, too.
So this is all your doing, Aoshi-kun.
Yowakutemo Katemasu Even if we're weak, we can win
Aoshi-sensei and the clumsy high school baseball team's high hopes
Subs by SpaceCase ?*??(???)????
This show is brought to you by the generous people at Softbank, Nissay, Kao,
Suzuki, Try Home Tutors, and Ajinomoto)
Eat lots okay?
I?m hoping all of you will be on your best form in the game, okay?
THIS IS TOO WEIRD!
Be quiet... -YOU BE QUIET! Just think for a moment; This situation is totally weird!
I understand you like baseball, but it?s not like you have to do it right now...
Yuzuko, what would you do?
If there was something you'd been wanting to do for a long time and you suddenly got a chance to try?
I?ve already decided.
I?ll do whatever I can so Takemiya can win.
But can you even coach, Mom?
Well, I don?t understand the difficult stuff
but I'm just reminding all of them
that, in baseball, to hit
catch
and throw the ball is really fun!
Yuzuko-san's mother is being modest,
but I feel like I can throw harder now thanks to her.
Don?t you dare call her by first name, you stalker.
You?re just the same.
KUNITOMO!
Don't laugh like an idiot in front of your opponents!
Shut up and eat! -S-Sorry; we should hurry up and eat, too.
Coach, everyone at Takemiya has a lot of untapped athletic power
but screaming it at them won't make them listen to your advice any better.
Why don?t you help them grow with praise?
Praise?
Everyone; attention please!
Right now, Coach Urase is going to tell each of you individually what your good points are.
The opposing team is right here! Is that really okay?! -Yeah.
DON?T LAUGH!
Kaede-san
I?m looking forward to this game more and more.
See you on the field.
Straight Slash, Twister... is this a manga?
Er, I just wanted the readers to get an image of their movements with my words
Well, whatever.
But if they lose, the series is finished, ok?
Huh?
WHAT?!
WHY?!
Because ?They?re weak so they don?t win? is so ordinary.
There?s meaning in staying with a team until they win, isn?t there?
How long do you plan to drag out this article?
More importantly, though
We?re launching a new fashion magazine. You're getting moved there.?
A transfer?!
The editor over there wanted someone who really gets into their work, so I recommended you. Good luck.
Lame.
I strongly protest!
Why do the baseball game and the brass band's competition have to be scheduled at the same time?
At this rate, my dream support squad will never be realized!
What am I supposed to do about it?! It depends on the organizer's schedule.
Director Masumoto, isn?t that enough already?
No, Takemiya's atmosphere has completely changed since our practice game with them. They're a really strong opponent!
And what does that have to do with the support squad?
To win against that kind of energy, we have to bolster our own spirits, too!
I understand how you feel; I totally understand.
I?m frustrated at not being able to go, too. Both the baseball team and the brass band, all of our school's students
I really want to go watch and support everyone, but I can't go to either.
Don't worry.
We?re definitely going to win.
So...
The next game
You have to come.
It?s a promise!
You have to win, okay?
Let's go! Come come on~! Slam it over the fence!
Darn!
MITSUYASU!
Don?t worry about the difficult backhand catches!
Just make sure you catch the ones on your glove side!
Yes, sir!
Akaiwa!
Why are you overworking yourself?!
Your job is to keep throwing strikes and to make sure the game doesn't go dead!
Sorry!
My bad, Ushimaru.
Wow! You really made contact, Shikata-san!
Shikata! 5 more balls!
Yes, m?am!
Hey, Okadome! That's the lefty's box!
Do it right!
I?m totally serious!
Starting today
I'm batting left-handed.
Huh?! What?!
It?s 1.5 steps closer to first base from the lefty?s box.
To utilize the power of my legs, if it?s even one step...no!
even one millimeter closer to first base, I should hit from there.
But we only have two weeks til the game.
Can you even swing all the way through batting lefty?
I can overcome that with my superior physical prowess!
Alright, Okadome
Keep testing right up til the last minute. -Yes, sir.
THROW IT!
Damnit.
ALRIGHT, ONE MORE! One more~ One more~
BRING IT ON!
PUT IT OVER THE FENCE!
Are you serious about this?
Of course I am.
I?m going to give my all for Takemiya to win.
Are you okay with that, Coach?
It?s fine. It?s something Kade-san decided to do.
Besides, this isn't really something I need to give my opinion on.
What do you guys all think? About Kaede-san being the enemy, I mean.
Well, of course
Kaede?s always taken care of us
and she?s Tarumi?s mom, so it's awkward, but...
but as for the game...we will win!
I dunno my old man told you,
but we put up a real good fight.
We will win.
YEAH!
That?s great. You guys are worthy opponents. Let?s do this fare and square.
YES, M'AM!
But... it?s still sad.
What an amazing development!
It seems like I?ll be able to write a great article with this!
I don?t really care about the stupid article
but why are you in my room?!
Waltzing in here all brazenly...
Actually...
Yachida Kentaro is coming back from America for the summer tournament.
Does that bother-- -It does not.
But, he said this to you before:
?What I?m hearing now is all determination; there?s no strategy.?
Your opinion on this, Coach? -I don?t really have an opinion
"A strategy that will lead a team to victory."
A perfect battle plan... we have one now.
"Then that means I won't be able to see it."
You can see it any time you want
If you come to our games.
?With this, there's nothing to be embarrassed about in front of me anymore.?
Yeah.
Now it?s your turn to feel embarrassed.
That?s great! Coach Tamo always gives the greatest quotes.
I feel physically sick right now.
This time for sure, I will make a great article.
It might be the last one, after all.
The last?
If Jotoku loses,
my series is over.
Once it?s over I?m being transferred.
To a magazine that doesn't suit me one bit.
If you think about it like that,
You?re amazing Coach.
I mean,
You were able to change so easily from being a researcher to a teacher.
That.... There?s no way it was easy!
It's just that I forgo relationships with troublesome people
And associate myself only with those absolutely necessary.
But you become a teacher?
Even if something doesn't suit a person
You can always find something about it that's agreeable.
Something agreeable?
Ah, yeah.
You have baseball, don?t you, Coach.
Even if you go to a new place, shouldn?t you just find something about it to like?
If there isn't anything, you can just run away.
True. -HOWEVER!
I, unlike you,
was able to find something I love
and that I want to be doing to come back to
Did you really need to say that?!
There?s only a little bit of time left we can practice with everyone, huh.
We?re not finished yet.
I?m going to bring Tarumi to Koushien.
And then
I?ll confess my feelings to her.
AHH! When did you get here?!
I?m going to confess my feelings to Tarumi-san now.
CONFESS?!
Even if you don?t say anything, your feelings are crystal clear!
Why are you even telling us this anyway?! -Yeah...
I would like my two rivals to witness to watch.
You...
Were you listening in on us just now?
I?ve known you liked her for a long time, Shirao-san.
Don't you know how well I?ve been watching her?
First Kunitomo from Takemiya
and now even Shikata is getting in ahead of me...?!
What is it you wanted to talk to me about?
I?m going to...
confess my feelings to you now.
It's a bit late for that now, don't you think?
I only have right now.
Because if we lose the game,
everything will go back to the way it was before.
I?m...
very grateful to you, Tarumi-san.
Because you put me on the baseball team,
I ceased to be a stalker.
Thanks to you, Tarumi-san,
I was able to become a baseball club member.
Thank you so much.
I understand.
If that's how you feel...
get a hit in the game.
Yes!
I will get a hit
to capture your heart!
We're gonna WIN! -TAKE DOWN TAKEMIYA!
Those three are really into it, aren?t they?
We can't lose to them! Let's go guys! -Yeah!
One, two!
Oh, a thunder cloud.
ONE! Ah... Woah...
(96th Annual All Japan High school Baseball Championships Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament, Game 1) (Iwahara vs Komagata District 3)
Ah, so it?s started...
Wouldn't you like to show your spirit by supporting the baseball team?
We?re looking for people to join right away who can play instruments other than trumpet.
Wouldn't you like to show your spirit by supporting the baseball team?
Trumpet....
Coach! What's going on?!
Kamezawa!
You...
You've really aged.
What is this, all of a sudden.
Ah, no... it's just
I?m quitting school, too.
WHAT?!
As I originally planned
I?m going back to my research facility in the spring of next year.
Well, that's kind of a letdown. I thought you?d continue there forever.
Can you come watch the game?
Of course I?m coming. Those guys are - here, look - totally annoying.
(Shirao: Let?s fight together, Kamezawa! We?re going to Koushien!) (Akaiwa: We?re definitely gonna get our first win, so you?d better come!) (Ebato: If you have time, please come. We?ll be waiting for you.)
(Okadome: Kamezawa! Get your ass here 'cos I?m gonna show you some epic base stealing!) (Kashiyama: I?ve improved, so please come watch!)
Well, then...
Hm?
We?ll be waiting for you!
Nice batting! -Good, Kashiyama-kun! -Listen up!
This is our last practice before the game.
I want each of you to continue testing out the batting methods you've been working on.
YES, SIR!
Nice, Kashiyama. Your swing has gotten a lot more stable. -Thank you, sir.
Kashiyama?s "Straight Slash" looks promising, doesn't it.
"Straight Slash"? What's that?
Haven't you read Riko-san?s articles?! Look, look!
This.
Ushimaru-kun?s is "The Twister."
Twister...
It does look like that, I guess.
I REALLY LIKE IT!
FYI, mine is the "Pendulum Swing"
Mine is the "Flirty Glance Swing"
How does she come up with this stuff...
Coach! Mine is the "Suspicious Stance."
Nice swing... that... er, "Suspicious Stance."
Keep your eye on the ball -Twister!
Kaede-san?
Aoshi-kun?
What?s the matter?
I was remembering that game.
Aoshi-kun! It's okay!
That was truly a horrible game.
Let?s try to have a better one tomorrow, okay.
It?ll be fine...
I won?t be playing in it.
Wow... So this is where you do your teaching.
Just going through the motions of it anyway.
No, you are an exemplary teacher.
What is it, Ushimaru?
Tomorrow...
Do you really think you can win?
Of course.
Of course we?ll win.
I?ve been wondering about that for a long time, but...
What is this?
Ah, this? It was in an old Sci-Fi drama. It?s an alien greeting.
It means, ?Good luck?
Oh, really.
Oh, everyone! About the game... -SHHHHH!!!! -What, what??
And what about it?
Well, that?s because you?re like an alien, Aoshi-kun.
Not a single person ever thought Jotoku could win.
If you asked 100 people, they?d all say it was impossible.
Basically, the chance of winning was 0%.
But then you appeared, Aoshi-kun, and said,
?Even if you?re weak, you can win!?
When you said it, Aoshi-kun became the 101st person and the probability changed.
Even if 100 out of 101 people said it was impossible, if just one person said it was possible...
The probability becomes 0.99%
Well, it?s not even 1%, but it?s not 0.
It might be an exaggeration, but you becoming the 101st person
changed the baseball team?s chances of winning from 0 to 0.99%
You said just now that you weren't a teacher, right?
But if you were able to become someone?s 101st person
That alone makes you an excellent teacher.
Thank you.
Let?s have a good game tomorrow.
BUT! Our side is totally going to win!
No
We are going to win.
All right~
Just to let you know, I?m person number 102.
So your chances of winning are... 2 people out of 102... - 1.960784%
Of course you'd know that.?So... your chances of winning are 1.9%
I believe you'll win.
With all my heart.
Yes, m?am!
(96th Annual All Japan High School Baseball Championship Kanagawa Tournament)
Coach...
In the end, I couldn?t get even one person to come cheer for us, but it?s not the quantity, it?s the quality.
I?ll be cheering for you from the stands.
If you?re not on the bench with us, we?ll be disqualified.
No way, really?
So I need to play from the bench? -That?s prohibited by the rules.
Then when can I play my trumpet? -Let?s go.
YES, SIR!
Oh, Kamezawa-kun!
YO! I?m here!
WOAH! KAMEZAWA! EVERYONE! KAMEZAWA?S HERE! KAMEZAWA! KAMEZAWA-KUN!
If you guys totally suck today, I'll be taking over!
What the heck?! We don't need you!
Listen up, I have no intention of staying here for 9 innings.
Let's score a lot of runs in the early innings and have the game called.
It?s a no-risk, high-return gamble.
We?re gonna win, YOU GOT THAT? YES, SIR!
ALRIGHT! CIRCLE UP! -All right! Yeah!
SAY SOMETHING, Captain! -Oh, right.
Everyone... Let?s show everyone the results of all of our experiments.
Swing with all your might. WE?RE GONNA WIN! YEAH!
LET'S HAVE A FAIR GAME! -LET'S PLAY!
All right!
"Broadcasting live from the Odawara Public Baseball Field, Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament Preliminaries, Day 6."
"Takemiya High School vs Jotoku High School..." -Pardon me, Coach...
Jotoku and Takemiya. We?ll be facing one of them next.
May I watch, too?
Takemiya?s first batter is Koga-kun. The game will be starting shortly.
"The 83rd Annual All-Japan High School Brass Band Competition..."
Great, now I'm tuned in to both!
"Center, Koga-kun."
PLAY BALL!
BALL!
AKAIWA!
Loosen up!
Your job is to not let the game go dead, right?
Yes, sir!
BALL TWO!
BALL THREE!
BALL FOUR!
This is no good! He?s too nervous!
AKAIWA! You want me to throw for you?!
Akaiwa, loosen up! -It's okay!
Just relax!
SAFE!
SHIKATA!
You guys! Have you forgotten?!
If you don't want the ball to come at you, scream, ?DON?T COME HERE!?
DON?T YOU DARE COME HERE! -NOT HERE! -NOT TO ME!
"Bottom of the 1st Inning, Odawara Jotoku?s First batter, Third Baseman, Shirao-kun."
(Lineup: 1 Shirao, 2 Akaiwa, 3 Ebato, 4 Kashiyama, 5 Ushimaru, 6 Mitsuyasu, 7 Iseda, 8 Shikata, 9 Okadome)
Nice batting! Shirao! Nice!
KUNITOMO! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!!
Yes, sir.
Yeah, that guy is totally scary...
SMILE!! :D
Kunitomo
Let?s get a strikeout, okay!
Even when he smiles, he's still terrifying.
"Batting second, pitcher, Akaiwa-kun"
HE'S OUT!
OUT!
"At the bottom of the 3rd inning the score stands at 13 to 0 with Takamiya High School leading."
Just 13 points! We can still catch up!
LET'S GO, OKADOME!! GOOD LUCK!! YOU SHOW THEM!!
"Now batting 9th, Center fielder, Okadome-kun"
OKADOME!! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING IN THE LEFTY'S BOX?!
SHUT IT, KAMEZAWA!!
YOU JUST WATCH ME!!!
HUH?!?!?!?!?!
LET'S GO!
STRIKE THREE!
Damn it!
WHY ARE YOU TALKING SO BIG IF YOU SUCK SO MUCH?!?! IF YOU CAN'T HIT, LET ME DO IT!! OKADOME...!!!
Kamezawa-kun, calm down! Geez!
Kamezawa-kun...Everyone?s staring at you...
You over there! If you don?t quiet down, I?m throwing you out!
OKADOME...!!!!
"Batting 4th, 2nd baseman Kashiyama-kun"
LET?S GO, STRAIGHT SLASH!! -STRAIGHT SLASH!! GO, GO!!
YAY!
Our first point!! -YAAAAY!!
Don?t get so happy with just one point! We're playing irregular baseball here, remember? Keep the rally going!
"Jotoku added 3 points in the 3rd inning and 2 in the 4th, so the score is now 16 to 5."
"However, in the top of the 5th inning, Takemiya is hammering pitcher Akaiwa and it's two outs with bases loaded."
Tamo-kun, how are you going to get us out of this pinch?
Ebato!
Excuse me, a time out, please. -Okay
TIME OUT!
"Odawara Jotoku's left fielder Ushimaru-kun comes in quite close, but that leaves only two outfielders."
Ah, this is definitely your "irregular baseball."
"Up next, the performance from Kangagawa representatives Odawara Jotoku High School."
"Their selection is Pomp and Circumstance."
"Pomp and Circumstance!"
Can they really protect the outfield with just two people?
It's gotten interesting, hasn't it.
What are you trying to do with this?
By increasing the number of infielders, you increase the chances of making a glove-side catch.
Alright, remember our practices!
Focus on the ones that come to your glove side!
OUT! -YEAH!
Ushimaru! Way to stop it! -Thank you.
Our first shutdown inning. Now it's time to strike back!
OK!
Listen up.
You guys are weak. But!
Even if you're not good, you can get outs like this.
We?re going to win as weaklings.
WIN LIKE THIS! -YES, SIR!
All right!
16 to 5, huh...
If we can?t score two runs this inning, the game is gonna get called and we'll lose!
"Batting 5th, Left fielder, Ushimaru-kun."
It'll be okay. The chances of winning aren?t 0! They're 1.9%!
Ushimaru-kun!
I believe in you! You must get a hit!
Yes, m?am!
Dangit! It's times like these I really want to play trumpet.
Please control yourself.
BASH! THAT! BALL!
HEY!
HIT BY PITCH!
OH! -Ushimaru! -Ushimaru!
Nice fight! -Walk it off!
I don't think that's what she meant when she said get a hit...
"Batting 8th,1st Baseman, Shikata-kun"
SHIKATA!
Belt it out of the park.
Yes m?am!
FAIR BALL! -YEAH, THIS IS OUR CHANCE!
GO! RUN RUN!
Out? SAFE!
YEAHH!!! SHIKATA! A TRIPLE!!!
TARUMI-SAN!
Good job, Shikata!
"Batting 9th,Center fielder, Okadome-kun"
KEEP IT GOING, OKADOME! -GO, OKADOME-KUN!
OKADOME!!
Don't be stubborn! Bat right!
Kamezawa.
Left or right, it doesn't matter.
No one beats you 'round the bases!
Bring it on.
SAFE! -YEAAAAH!!!
There are...
THERE ARE NONE AS FAST AS ME!!!
INVINCIBLE!!!
NO ONE BEATS YOU!!!
"Batting 3rd, Catcher, Ebato-kun"
"Trust your Instincts"
Nice batting!
YAY!!
HELL YEAH!!
All right...everyone?s tests are paying off.
MITSUYASU! Keep it going!
KUNITOMO! YOU BASTARD, DO YOU EVEN WANT TO WIN?! YOU MORON!!
(Yuzuko, Koushien)
HE'S OUT!
-YEAH!!!
"In the top of the 7th inning, Takemiya shuts down Jotoku and the score remains at 21-18 going into the bottom of the 7th."
Guys
It?s the 7th inning.
This is it.
The inning where the game can be called.
All of you do everything you can.
YES, SIR!
"Batting 7th, Right Fielder Ikeda-kun..."
I WILL GET A HIT!
"Batting 1st, 3rd baseman, Shirao-kun..."
SHIRAO-KUN!
STRIKE ONE! -Yes!
GO OVER!
IT WENT OVER!!! -YEAH!!!!
That's it... It?s over.
YOU JERKS!
PULL YOURSELVES TOGETHER!!
ALL OF YOU'D BETTER PSYCH YOURSELVES UP!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!
Mom?!
YOU GUYS!
IT?S NOT OVER YET!
LET?S WIN TOGETHER!
WE?RE GONNA WIN THIS TOGETHER!
ALL RIGHT!
?? TAKEMIYA ??
ALL OF YOU! LET'S SEE YOUR SPIRIT!!
LET'S GET AN OUT! ONE OUT!
"Batting 2nd, Pitcher, Akaiwa-kun"
STRIKE THREE!
NICE BALL!
SHAKE IT OFF! Kimiyasu!
Old man...
Shake it off, Kimiyasu!
Don?t worry, Akaiwa!
"Batting 3rd, Catcher, Ebato-kun"
Ebato! Let's change the mood around here.
?? TAKEMIYA ??
Yes, sir!
Yessssss..... Let?s light up this lineup!
"In the bottom of the 7th inning, it's 24 to 21."
"Jotoku's fierce attack continues."
"It's two outs with bases loaded. With one more run, they have a chance at a called game"
"The next batter is the pitcher, Akaiwa-kun."
Let?s settle this, Akaiwa-kun!
Akaiwa!
We?re counting on you.
Yes, sir.
STRIKE ONE!
STRIKE TWO!
It'll be fine, it's Akaiwa; It'll be fine, it's Akaiwa; It'll be fine, it's Akaiwa...
Run, Kimiyasu!
GO! GO! GO! GO! ROUND THE BASES!
AKAIWA-KUN!
RUN!!! AKAIWA!!!
SAFE!
YEAAAAAAAAH!
YAY! THEY WON!!
Even though they're weak, they won!!
YOU WON!!!
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WEAK, WE WON!!!
"The game is over in the 7th Inning, Odawara Jotoku having taken down Takemiya High School..."
Congratulations, Tamo-kun
Alright.
Back to practice! -Yes, sir!
"Odawara Jotoku High School wins in a called came!"
THAT'S THE GAME! -GOOD GAME!!!
Congratulations!
Good job, Kimiyasu!
Congratulations everyone!
It?s all thanks to me being here! Be grateful!
THANK YOU!
Coach
This is that last ball that Akaiwa-kun hit.
A little souvenir to remember your first win by.
You all really did your best.
To win when you're weak
You proved it possible.
I?m so...
proud of you guys.
Could you please stop that? It?s embarrassing.
What...
Alright, listen up.
We don?t have the time to revel in our victory; you guys get yourselves ready!
Our mission to crush the champions!
So the next one is Dougaku
Our true adversary!
Yes, sir!