Ahem!
Hey, everybody, don't ya want Sensei to come back real soon?!
Yeah!
Okay, so that Sensei can come back at any time,
we're gonna clean this room up good!
Yeah!
Almost all of the mess was made by Miwa-chan.
Don't let her fool you, kids!
C'mon, hop to it! Do it for Sensei!
Yeah!
Wonder when Sensei's comin' back...
Yeah, when...
Sensei!
Hurry on back!
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
What is this?
Barakamon
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
Mom...
What is the meaning of this?
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
As you can see,
this is my silent protest to prevent you from going back to the island.
"Silent"?!
Since I submitted my calligraphy for the exhibition,
I was thinking of going home to the island.
"Going home"?!
Home is here!
The island is "away"!
You ungrateful son!
Mom, stop!
No, I won't stop!
I'll keep punching until you say you won't go!
Let's talk it over!
Say it! Punch! Punch!
This actually kind of hurts!
I won't stop until you say it! Punch!
What are you two doing?
Kawafuji-kun is here.
Kawafuji-kun?
Kawafuji!
Perfect timing!
I just came to report that your work for the exhibition was delivered safely.
Sorry to interrupt.
You're not interrupting anything!
Wanna go eat out?
Are you trying to run, Sei-san?
You can't leave this matter unsettled!
Let's all think about this.
Kawafuji-kun, please help to persuade him.
I was against this from the start.
Back then I had no choice, since my husband made the decision on his own.
And then, later, I found out
that you'd fallen ill and gone to the hospital!
And we were always so careful about your cat allergy while you were here!
Well...
Even if I restrain you, you'll still insist on going, won't you?
In that case, I won't ask your opinion!
I'll keep you from leaving, even if I have to resort to house arrest!
Your mom's really something.
So she's finally putting her foot down.
Well, I think her argument is sound.
Just give up.
What?! Aren't you on my side?!
Now that we know you can write calligraphy even in Tokyo,
I want you working hard instead of lounging around on the island.
Opposing Faction
Is this the system we're following?
True, it's easy to think of an isolated island as a backwoods place without electricity.
However!
Just by living away from the mainland, you can find what you need to live!
There, a shut-in like me can live life to the fullest!
I have few friends here, anyway. All that matters is that I can write calligraphy.
What is this?
Listening to him is making me sad.
You think my worries are only about the land?!
You're mixing with strange people, aren't you?
Your speech and mannerisms have turned crude.
You were never like that before!
Have I really gotten that bad?
Hmm, not so much bad...
as weird.
Lie down with dogs, and you'll get up with fleas.
Choose your companions more carefully!
"Lie down with dogs, and you'll get up with fleas"...
I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!
Yes, you are!
You've been behaving strangely since you returned!
You gorge yourself on pickled vegetables
and say odd words like "komonno" and "nusano"!
I don't say that!
I haven't been influenced at all!
I think you have.
You never used to make such a fuss, Sei-san!
If you're worried about the land or his character,
I don't expect there will be any problems.
Supporting Faction
Dad, you're following this system, too?
When I was around Seishuu's age,
I also stayed on that island.
I had no issue with the environment.
You lived on the island, too?
If I hadn't been there myself,
I wouldn't have forced you to go.
Hasn't Kido Yuujirou taken good care of you?
Kido...?
The village chief!
Correct.
I believe I have an old album of photographs from that time.
What?!
Are you planning to tip the odds in your favor?!
I'll only reminisce a little.
I never knew you had old photographs like these.
Seimei-sensei, you look just like Handa here.
My eyes don't look as mean as his.
Here it is.
A photo from when I was on the island.
Whoa, the village chief looks so young!
It was about thirty-five years ago.
I went to catch a "hisan iwo" with Kido.
Hisan iwo!
There it is! "Nusano"!
We caught a hisan iwo, too.
Well, I wouldn't say "caught"...
Oh! Is this the Kinoshita General Store?!
Yes, I believe that was the name.
This is the shopkeeper?
Look how young she is!
She really was pretty.
Oh! This river's still there, too!
Yes, I once hurt myself there.
Me, too! I still have the scar.
That's enough!
All you're talking about is the island!
None of you understand how I feel!
And I've been so worried!
And you're being too irresponsible, Daa-chan!
Your precious son is walking down the path to ruin here!
"Daa-chan"?
Calm down.
If children grow through separation from their parents,
then this is for the best.
Aren't you on my side, Daa-chan?!
Mom
You were always frail and sickly.
How could you abandon me after all I did for you?!
Your ingratitude is like a mountain!
Your mom's a real pain.
How dare you all belittle a mother's feelings like that?!
She heard me!
Your ingratitude is like the wind!
You don't understand a thing!
Uh, hey! Ma'am, that hurts!
Sorry, Kawafuji-kun.
Looks like I won't be able to go back for a while.
Seishuu...
I may have sent you to the island initially,
but now it's up to you.
You're always free to come home once you're satisfied with your calligraphy style.
You decide what to do next.
I have wished for nothing but the best for Sei-san!
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
I've done the calligraphy for the exhibit,
and I've gotten some idea of my direction.
I guess there's no need to rush back to the island.
If you'll be a shut-in no matter where you are,
it'd be more convenient to stay in Tokyo.
No matter how you look at it, Tokyo is better...
So why am I stressing over it?
Sei-san...
A package arrived for you.
It seems to be from the islanders.
Could this package mean that they don't want you to return?!
No, they wouldn't do that.
When I was struggling with the exhibition,
I asked them to send some materials I needed.
What's this?
Those guys...
They just packed all kinds of crap in here.
This is bullying!
My son is being bullied!
That's not it!
This must be Naru's.
Who?! Who is this "Naru"?!
She's just a kid!
Dear Sensei, I won a gold prize. Next is the prefectural competition! Tama
This is...
I got a silver prize. Curse you, Tama!
They even sent me this stuff.
Sei-san, what is that?
The practice writings from the kids I was teaching on the island.
Learning From the Past Class 2-1 Yamamura
They made great progress in practically no time at all.
If I'd known their penmanship projects would be graded that soon,
I would've waited to see them before coming here.
I should have received the results with them,
so I could encourage them and celebrate with them.
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
Sei-san...
You Shouldn't Go Back to the Island
Just do what you want!
Mom, are you going to sulk again?
I'm not sulking!
If they need you there,
then you have to go back, right?
Mom...
Just make sure to call us regularly this time!
Is she... telling me I can go?
Seems that way.
Are you sure about this?
Yes...
That boy honestly wants to do something for others.
Keeping him longer would only be selfish on my part.
It isn't just his calligraphy that's matured.
That island is a good place.
Shall we visit there before it gets cold?
Yes.
Ahem!
Not long ago, we received word from our village phone watchman, Akki.
Today, Sensei is coming back on the evening flight!
Yay!
And so!
Today's the day we're gettin' this house cleaned up!
Yeah!
Sensei really will be mad if he comes home to this, so let's do our best!
Boy, this is heavy.
First Sensei leaves the island without warnin',
and now he's comin' back without warnin'.
Are those guys cleanin' the place up right?
tick tick tick tick tick tick
I never imagined we'd waste so much time...
Hey...
Hiro-nii! When did you get here?!
What the heck's this?
Don't even ask!
We learned the hard way it's no fun once the excitement's worn off!
Don't make us feel worse'n we already do!
Fight!!
I shoulda known you kids couldn't handle it.
Ya ain't cleaned nothin' at all!
Tee-hee!
Don't "tee-hee" me!
Hiro-nii, what are you here for?
Since it's gonna be gettin' cold,
I thought I'd put up the windows at Sensei's place.
Come to think of it, there ain't no windows here, huh?
We took 'em down and put 'em in our shed
so the glass wouldn't break in a typhoon.
All right, I'll direct everyone, so clean up right!
Aww!
We gotta hurry. Sensei's on his way.
Need Don't Need Burnable Non-burnable
Separate the trash!
Kenta, you sweep up!
Ayup!
You guys wipe down!
Gotou City Burnable Trash Collection Bag
The place is lookin' a lot cleaner, Hiro-nii.
I told you guys to work, too!
Don't leave any trash!
Jeez, yer inflexible!
This is all for Sensei.
For Sensei, for Sensei!
For Sensei!
It's for Sensei!
Cleaning...
Complete!
There's so much room now!
Now I can make all kinds'a mess in here again!
What worries me is that she'd really do it.
Now we just wait for Sensei to come home!
I can't wait!
Me neither!
Maybe I'll go home and fetch some snacks.
Hiro-nii, go make some food to bring.
Ya really do wanna mess up the room again?
I've arrived.
Fukue Airport
The village chief's supposed to come get me.
I'll probably bump into him if I start walking.
Judging Room
Seishuu-kun's calligraphy should be soon, right?
Yes.
I haven't seen it yet myself, so I'm looking forward to it.
Kanzaki-kun's calligraphy was wonderful as well,
so this may be another battle between the two young rivals.
Rather than focus on the immediate results,
I hope my son will accept them and look ahead to what comes next.
I believe that Seishuu-kun is behaving with sufficient thought for the future.
Now that he's had plenty of painful experiences,
he should behave less impulsively from now on.
He should behave less impulsively, huh...
I do hope so...
Village chief... You're still not here...?
Oh! A vending machine!
Impulse
Painful Experience
Quick! Just need my wallet...
My money!
Painful Experience
Got the coins... Now, cold tea...
Cold Hot
Uh...
Green Tea
Hot 'n' Hearty Corn
Painful Experience
Isn't it too early to have winter items?!
Isn't that...
Sensei!
What're ya doin'?
Did you come to pick me up?
Nope, just out fer a drive.
What's the village chief doing?
Sensei.
Wanna hop on?
Come to think of it, this is just how it was when I first arrived.
So, right about now...
The weather's good today, so it's pretty.
It's just th' ocean. Ain't nothin' special.
Nothing special, huh...
It's best when there's nothing special.
There was a call from Kawamoto-san.
Hello, this is the Kinoshita General Store.
Oh, Kawafuji-san?
I believe Sensei should already be home...
The village chief was going to—
Sensei, is 'round here fine?
Huh?!
I can't hear you!
'Round here fine by you?
Just a moment, please.
Huh?!
Sensei!
The moment Sensei opens the front door,
we'll give 'im a big cheer!
I'm gonna do a tackle!
All right! Do that!
He's here already?!
Oh, it's just Aki.
What do you mean, "just" me?
Where's Sensei?
Kawafuji-san called for him, so he's at the shop.
It seems the results of that calligraphy exhibition are out.
Huh, really? That was fast.
This could be bad.
Yeah, really.
He'll be depressed if he got second place again.
No way.
Sensei's a grown man, so he ain't gonna say anything to spoil the mood.
You're naïve, Hiro-nii!
You mustn't underestimate Sensei's childishness!
Don't make light of how mortifyin' second place is!
Hey, everyone! Sensei's comin'!
Huh? Where's my cracker?!
Didn't you have it just now?!
Wait, mine's gone, too!
Where's mine?!
Found 'em!
I'm home...
This ain't no laughin' matter...
That hurt!
Sensei, you all right?
You guys are treating me like this after I was gone all this time?
Sensei!
Your hands are all sticky!
Looks like he's in a good mood.
In that case, we oughta be fine.
Say, Sensei!
How'd the calligraphy competition go?
Did ya get first place?
Naru! Didn't we tell ya not to ask that?!
It's a very delicate subject!
Did ya?
Sensei, don't worry 'bout it, okay?
Wait, were you guys concerned about the results of the calligraphy exhibition?
Huh? Did ya place well?
Well, yeah.
Yay! You done it!
Yay!
Thank goodness!
All right!
Come on, cheer up.
The old veterans were just too good this time.
Results
5. Handa Sei 7. Kanzaki Kousuke
You were both out of the running.
They probably didn't want the youngsters to get swelled heads.
Well, this is more like the result you should have had the first time.
So you're here, Kawafuji-kun.
Oh, Sensei!
You informed Seishuu of the results?
Yes, he seemed concerned about it.
Do you think that it was a depressing result for him?
Well, that's hard to say...
Still, this was his first step in writing with his own calligraphy style.
I look forward to his future work.
Cheers!
So, what kinda calligraphy did ya write, Sensei?
Oh, I'm curious, too.
The theme wasn't anything major.
Quit bein' so coy and just tell us! Ya placed well, right?
Ya could at least say that much, right?
Right?
Then I'd say,
it's about what's most important to me right now.
Kido Hiroshi Yamamura Miwa Kubota Hina
Arai Tamako Kotoishi Naru
What's most important to you?
Don't tell me it's Hiro-nii!
Ain't it the penmanship we wrote?
No, not that.
Kotoishi Naru
You guys're so shallow.
People run on food!
Kido Yamamura Kubota Hiroshi Miwa Hina
Arai Tamako
It isn't about food, either.
Then, maybe a rabbit?
What are you talking about, Hina?
I bet it's rhinoceros beetles!
I bet it's a praying mantis!
My bet's on scorpions!
Don't put Sensei on the spot, everyone.
Aki, you're playing the "good boy" role again.
I am not.
You've gone cold, Aki.
Sheesh...
Sensei...
An awful lot's happened,
but it's real fun when we're all together!
When I see you guys having fun with no thought for anything else,
it has an influence on me, too.
"In-flew-ants"?
It means these are the moments that are important to me.
Do you understand?
Not really.
Kaette Kite Urishika
Glad You're Back
Naru
Glad You're Back
Illustration: Tachibana Masaki
Ready, set...
Thank you very much!