Huh?
It's been a while, Sousuke!
Yeah. Five years, isn't it?
Why would you transfer schools at this time of year, though?
You're one to talk.
You're the one who transferred
in the middle of winter when we were in sixth grade!
I've decided to go to Iwatobi.
I found some guys there I want to
swim relays with!
Yeah...
I guess I did.
So what brings you to Samezuka?
Weren't you already going
to a school in Tokyo with a strong swim team?
Well, I have my reasons.
What're you being so vague for? That's not like you.
I just thought I'd spend my last year as a high school swimmer
in my hometown, enjoying it my way,
since I already know where I'll be going after high school.
Wait a minute.
You're not going to quit swimming, are you?
I got scouted.
Huh?
Damn, man! That's awesome!
C'mon, Rin, cut it out!
Tachibana, can I borrow your eraser for a sec?
Sure. Here.
Thanks!
Career Path Questionnaire
Join Us,
New Members!
Beginners Welcome!
Join Us, New Members! Beginners Welcome!
No one came today, either.
The Stroke of a Chance Meeting!
I knew it!
All we can do is give an amazing relay performance at nationals
and have our club's name resound throughout the country!
We can't wait 'til summer!
At this rate, we'll have no choice but to
run naked through the halls, Rei-chan!
Where did the swimsuits go?!
What's more important to you: getting naked,
or getting zero new members?
I don't want either!
And can we drop the "naked" thing?
Okay, then let's write a song for a swim club commercial!
Who's going to write it?!
Rei-chan?
And who's going to sing it?!
Rei-chan?
Come to think of it, where are Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai?
Year 3, Class 1 Nanase Haruka
A College B Employment C Other (Free )
Free
Umm...
What does this mean?
Nothing. It means what it says.
It means what it says?
Nanase-kun, you want to continue swimming, don't you?
Someone with your athletic abilities
could probably enter the sports world.
Why don't you think a little more about this?
There's a famous saying that goes:
"Give it a try. You won't know until you do."
Sorry for the wait!
Can we stop at the convenience store?
Okay!
Gather round!
I'm Yamazaki Sousuke.
I transferred here from Tokitsu High School in Tokyo.
Yamazaki is ranked in the top ten in the country for butterfly.
Wow! That's amazing!
Learn what you can from him.
Yes, sir.
I'm the advisor, Sugimoto.
You already know Matsuoka, yes? That saves us some time.
Matsuoka, I'll leave it to you to show him around.
Yes, sir.
Welcome to the team, Sousuke.
Thanks. Glad to be here.
So this is a nationally ranked swimmer's perfect body!
N-Nice to meet you! I'm Nitori Aichiro, second-year.
Welcome to our team!
Nice to meet you, too.
Isn't Tokitsu High School's swim team one of the best in the country?
That's amazing!
Just what I'd expect of Rin-senpai's friend!
Does that mean you're friends with Nanase-san and the others, too?
This guy was my buddy from Sano Elementary.
He's got nothing to do with Haru.
I know about Nanase.
I once raced him at a tournament.
My entire body buzzed with energy when I swam with him.
I see why you're so taken with him.
Wha—
For crying out loud...
You two really are close, aren't you?
He's fast...
Raising his upper body unusually high above the surface
reduces water resistance during the recovery, making him faster.
That, and his flexible shoulders.
No muscle training can give you those.
That Sousuke, he's gonna do well for us.
Oh!
Then that amazing new member
Captain Mikoshiba mentioned is...
Indoor pools really are great.
You don't have to worry about the sun's rays!
But we only get to use it during the cooler seasons, Sensei.
Anyway, this year, we're winning regionals and going to nationals for sure!
If we make it to nationals, this place will become famous, too.
I bet you'll get a big boost in membership!
I know!
If that happens, Mako-chan and Haru-chan can start working here!
Dummy!
I didn't rebuild the club to give you guys a place to work!
Iwatobi SC Returns Grand Opening Event
What's this poster?
Ah! As you can see,
it's a poster advertising our grand opening.
You guys can help me put them up!
Splash Fest?
You wrote the English wrong.
So what kind of event is it?
I'm planning all kinds of fun stuff.
Oh, like what?
For instance...
A kickboard race that even kids who can't swim can take part in!
A "how far can you swim without taking a breath" water race!
And finally, the Armored Sidestroke!
The Armored Sidestroke?
I've heard of that!
Back in the Warring States Period,
samurai used this traditional swimming technique
to cross rivers without removing their armor!
I don't understand that.
I still can't come up with a good main event, though.
Do you have any ideas?
This sounds fun! Let's all think of ideas!
I'd like to ask for your help as well, Amakata-sensei.
If you wouldn't mind maybe singing in a bathing suit or...
Whoa, hot!
Sasabe-san...
Forget I said anything!
Done at last!
Now we just need an exciting main event!
How about a doggy paddle race?
That sounds fun!
Then how about a contest for the most beautiful form in the butterfly stroke?
We can call it "The Butterfly of Beauty"!
Maybe we could also have a muscle contest...
Would you get over the muscles already?!
What about you, Haru?
Do you have any ideas?
How about a relay?
Are you serious, Haru?
That would definitely be exciting!
Let's do it, Haruka-senpai!
It would make a great showpiece for the tournament!
So we'd need opponents to swim against, right?
Splash Fest?
In Iwatobi SC...
...Returns!
Uh, I don't follow you.
Hello, Rin?
Is that you, Makoto?
Yeah. Actually...
So you're saying you want us to be your opponents?
You think you could?
You guys...
Please?
Honestly...
How carefree can those guys be, huh?
You complain, but you'll do it for them, right?
But who's gonna swim with me?
It's not an official event, so I can't really approach the team with it.
I don't mind doing it.
Huh? Really?
Sure. But...
I'd like to swim the freestyle leg.
That's fine with me...
But isn't the butterfly your specialty?
I just feel like swimming freestyle.
I want to do it, too!
It's a good chance for me to get more competitive experience!
Also, I think Nakagawa-kun said he wanted to do it, too!
Thanks. That's a big help.
Nakagawa-kun will do backstroke, so I'll do breaststroke.
Are you really okay with the breaststroke?
To be honest, it's my goal to specialize in two strokes, like you.
So I've been training hard in the breaststroke.
I want to be able to swim on the
same team as you with pride, Senpai.
My team, huh?
I can't comment on Haru and the other guys.
I haven't built a solid team of my own yet.
Want to run along the beach today?
Sounds good.
Want to extend our distance a little, to prep for the tournament?
Okay.
Hey, Haru...
What?
What are you going to do?
About what?
The thing Rin mentioned.
What do you guys plan to do?
As long as I can swim, I don't care where.
That's just like you, Haru.
Over here!
Here you go.
They're late...
I've got bad news!
What happened?
N-Nakagawa-kun got called out by a teacher,
and said he couldn't come anymore.
Huh?! What did he do?
I guess he got an unbelievable score on yesterday's test.
He has to take a make-up exam right now.
What's an "unbelievable" score?
So it's just the three of us?
What should we do?
We can't swim a medley relay like this!
Piggyback ride!
You're heavy...
Wait for me, Onii-chan! Ah, I forgot my swimsuit!
Ren's always late for everything!
Haru-chan!
Sorry for the wait, Haru.
Are Ran and Ren coming, too?
They said they want to be in the kickboard race.
You swim with us too, Haru-chan!
I only swim freestyle.
Then I'll swim freestyle, too!
No fair! I will, too!
Isn't there anyone else who can swim backstroke for us?
Not on such short notice.
Since there's no school today, no one's in the dorm, either.
I can swim two legs of the relay.
It's just a local event race, right?
We don't have to stick that strictly to the rules.
It's not an official event,
but if we're gonna do it, I don't want to do it half-assed.
Hey! Mikoshiba!
Mikoshiba?
Yeah! I'll be right there!
You're late!
Sorry, sorry!
Hey, I've only ever known one person with the surname Mikoshiba.
What a coincidence. It's the same with me.
Hold on a sec!
Wh-What do you think you're doing?!
Are you, by any chance, Mikoshiba Seijuurou's brother?
What? You know my older brother?
Bingo! He's the captain's...
...younger brother.
Then you can swim the backstroke, correct?
Of course I can. It's actually my specialty.
I won a ton of races back in middle school!
There's not a single person in my hometown who hasn't heard of me!
By the way, the nickname they gave me is...
The Sea of Japan's...
...Sea Otter!
Sea... Otter...
Could this be what the captain meant when he said
someone amazing was joining our team?
Yeah. He didn't mean Sousuke.
He must have meant him.
My brother's always saying whatever the heck he wants.
I've told him over and over that I'm not joining the swim team.
Mikoshiba!
Coming!
Gotta go. Time to pick up chicks!
Man, you never quit!
I'm telling you, I have no intention of joining the swim team!
Girls don't like guys on the swim team!
I'm not asking you to join the swim team.
I'll take you to a great place.
You want girls to like you, right?
Hey! Haru-chan! Mako-chan!
Good morning!
Morning!
Big Brother Butterfly!
Butterfly! Butterfly!
Um...
Oh! Rei-chan, you're so popular!
I'm honored.
Here's today's program.
Thank you.
Looks like lots of events are planned.
I can't wait!
You liar!
You said you were taking me someplace with lots of cute girls!
Quit whining! There are plenty here!
See? Cute girls!
I've been tricked, Nii-chan!
Where'd Sousuke go, anyway?
Huh? He was just here.
Damn, if it's not one thing, it's another.
Let go!
Quit flailing!
I'm going home! I'm going—
You're late!
Onii-chan!
Hey, Gou.
Good morning!
Good morning.
Wait a second!
You're...
cute!
There's no mistake.
They're definitely brothers.
Rin, and all of you, thank you for coming.
Sure.
I've been looking forward to it!
Really? I'm glad to hear it!
Here are programs for all of you.
Thank you very much.
Sousuke-kun!
Hey! How've you been, Gou?
Great! It's really been a long time!
I haven't heard from you once since we ended up in separate high schools.
In that respect, you're just like Onii-chan!
Sorry about that.
Honestly...
Who is that?
Rin-chan's best friend
from when he went to Sano Elementary School.
He swam in the lane next to ours during that relay.
Oh, that was him?
We'll catch you guys later, then.
Yeah.
Okay.
Let's go!
I'm Mikoshiba Momotarou! My hobby is hunting for stag beetles!
My favorite proverb is "Even Homer sometimes nods"!
My best dish is fried eggs!
When I shower, the first place I wash is—
Get a move on!
That hurts! Ow, ow, ow, ow!
Rei-chan, this is it.
Indeed...
The Armored Sidestroke.
Let us witness it for ourselves.
So this is the Armored Sidestroke?
Yeah. It's my first time seeing it, too.
B...
Beautiful!
Huh?
The Armored Sidestroke
Let's see. Next is...
Muscle Contest
the Muscle Contest!
They're really holding one?
It seems she insisted on working it in.
Huh? But Gou-chan's not here.
She's over there.
Muscle Contest
Gou-chan's a judge?!
What do you want,
Yamazaki?
It's been a while,
Nanase.
I saw your relay at the regionals last year.
You're out here now?
As it happens.
What you guys did was really idiotic, though.
You even dragged Rin into it.
What is it you want to say?
I would never have made him do something like that.
What do you mean?
Don't ever get in Rin's way again.
And now it's time for today's main event, the 200m medley relay
between Team Dolphin and Team Shark!
Onii-chan, good luck!
Gou-san!
Go for it!
Apparently, that's Captain Mikoshiba's younger brother,
and his specialty is the backstroke!
Also, Rin-chan's going to swim the butterfly today!
We'll now begin the race.
Oh, is he?
So the freestyle will be Yamazaki-kun.
Ready!
Set!
Seriously, that kid...
He's so smooth in the underwater phase!
He's got serious skills!
But Makoto-senpai's stroke is faster!
The gap between them is getting wider!
Ai-chan, you're on breaststroke?
I won't lose!
S-Same here!
All our training seems to be paying off.
Yeah.
I have no intention of losing here!
With Nagisa's speed boost after the turn, he'll increase our lead!
It seems our team is superior.
Guess I'll have to let you start before me.
But you'd better watch your back.
You don't want to get bitten.
What?!
Well, you can just bring it on!
A showdown between Rei-chan and Rin-chan!
Rin is steadily catching up to Rei.
He's fast!
Just a little more and Rin-senpai will catch up!
He closed that huge gap in just a moment!
Who the heck is he?
He's the captain of our Samezuka swim team, Matsuoka Rin!
Who'll finish first?!
It's Rei!
The gap's even smaller than before!
He's keeping pace with Haru's speed!
Looking good, Sousuke!
Go for it!
Haru!
Haru-chan!
Haruka-senpai!
Haru!
You did it, Haru-chan!
That's our Haruka-senpai!
Let's keep this up and kick some more butt at the summer tournament!
Yeah!
Sousuke!
Good job.
That was some nice swimming.
Thanks for today.
I'm sorry!
It's because I was so slow.
Don't worry about it!
For our first outing as a team, we did well.
I'm not gonna lose next time!
Hey.
Ow!
Next time? You're planning on a next time, huh?
If you want to swim, come join the swim team.
We'd be glad to have you.
I'm glad it turned into an exciting race!
I was actually afraid I was going to get bitten.
Let's go grab a bite on our way home.
That sounds good!
Are you treating us?
Listen, you...
Okay, fine.
Wait, you will?!
Yeah.
By the way, who won the Muscle Contest?
Makoto did.
What?
I was forced to join at the last minute.
One of Gou-chan's schemes?
No, Gou-chan gave Rin the most points,
but somehow, I wound up with the highest total.
That's the power of the charm point everyone admires: back muscles!
More importantly, Rei's acting weird.
Was he entranced by the Armored Sidestroke?!
The Butterfly of Farewell!
Next episode, The Butterfly of Farewell!
Rei-chan! Don't go!