My name is Kakeru Aizawa.
I'm a second year middle schooler who loves soccer.
Although, I'm only the manager in the soccer club.
But unlike me, my brother, Suguru Aizawa, is truly amazing.
He's the genius soccer player known as "Japan's Treasure."
One day, while I was working as manager for my brother's team as usual,
my childhood friend Nana Mishima,
nicknamed Seven,
suddenly came back from America and transferred to our school.
Seven joined the club as a manager
and said, "let's do our best as managers,"
but my brother put me in the
selection match and told me to compete as a player.
The Knight in the Area
Kunimatsu-san sure is relentless.
He's completely blocking the pass path to the leading forward, Kakeru.
But the white team's sideback has pulled too far back.
Huh?
The defensive midfielder, Yuusuke-kun, is fine,
but, as it is, the middle is leaving too much open space,
so if one penetrating pass gets through, they'll be in trouble.
They need to feel the zone better and keep it compact.
The red team's conductor is Suguru-san, after all.
Um... so the defensive midfielder is in outer space
and Suguru-san is a compacter?
Nana-chan, you sure know your soccer.
I am the manager, after all.
Here it comes!
Yuusuke, mark him!
On it.
Right?
Or left?
Wait. This is...
a feint!
It's right!
Oh, shoot!
A pass! To the opposite side?
No. This pass is...
Straight for the goal.
A pass to Kakeru.
When did he get...
Man! So close!
Just a little further.
A little?
He was two meters short.
Even if the manager, Kakeru-kun, was able to reach the ball,
he wouldn't have been able to score.
Why you, Nishijima!
Don't come over here!
What? Where I watch from is my choice, isn't it?
You started off too slow.
Shut up!
You should be able to get a ball like that.
I'll get the next one.
Team/Period | First Half | Second Half | Overtime | PK | Total
White Red
That pass was just mean, no matter how you look at it.
There was no getting it.
And why aren't the other offensive players following?
They're leaving Kakeru to run by himself.
It's not that they're not following; they can't follow.
What?
No one can keep up with the unexpectedness of Suguru-san's passes.
No one, except Kakeru.
Are you okay, Kakeru?
That Suguru's sending some impossible passes.
Do you want to be subbed out?
Just a little more...
Just a little more and I'll get it.
Kakeru?
The white team's defense is getting better.
Space was being left in the middle, but now the gaps are closed.
It won't be easy,
even for Suguru-san, to make that pass to Kakeru.
What? You're saying he'll keep sending that pass to Kakeru?
Obviously.
The rest of the offense can't keep up
with the speed of Suguru-san's passes.
Only Kakeru is seriously calling for the ball.
His eyes keep calling for that pass.
Kakeru!
If you're a forward, you need to look like you want that pass.
Call for it with your eyes.
I'll definitely give you the pass, if you call for it.
I'll stop him this time!
I-I can't move...
If I close in, he'll pass it.
But if I fall back, he'll push forward with his dribble.
His killer intent is palpable.
This is what it feels like to face the U-15s' ace...
Damn it!
The ball!
Getting a decisive pass into the area
doesn't happen by the power of the conductor alone.
When the forward moves towards a ball he can't even see yet,
The conductor's creativity creates a miracle.
A killer pass that cuts the field like magic.
No way!
There's no way he'll get it.
I'll get it!
There's no way my brother...
no way Suguru Aizawa would send a pass that I couldn't get!
I'll definitely get it!
All right!
Shoot, Kakeru!
Gooo!
That was close.
Nice save, Tominaga!
So close! That was a good save by the keeper.
Normally, that would have scored.
What are you talking about?
That was a totally easy save.
Hey, Nishijima...
What?
Come out back with me!
I also think it was obvious that that shot was going to be stopped.
What?
He should've shot that with his left.
Instead, he took an extra step so he could shoot with his right.
That gave the keeper an instant
to read the course of the shot.
If he had shot with his left, he would've scored.
Get it, pointy-head?
Kakeru's always like this...
Always?
Yeah. We all had huge expectations of him
when he joined the club at the start of middle school,
since he was Suguru-san's brother.
But, even though he had technique and speed,
he was always kind of awkward.
In matches he'd create opportunities,
but his shots never went in.
In the end, he never scored a point during scrimmages
or against other schools.
So, he got the nickname "Mr. No Goal."
Kakeru...
When I make a fast break, my brother will pass it to me.
I run and run and run,
and I finally receive that unsuppressed pass.
I'll put it in next time.
I'll definitely put it in!
He went with his left!
Nice batting!
Aizawa hits a home run out of the field!
All right. Next time.
Sub out, Kakeru.
What? B-But I still...
No buts about it.
Go back to the bench and do your work as a manager.
That's...
We're subbing. Shigeo Nishijima, you're in for Kakeru Aizawa!
Okay!
See ya.
That guy...
Kota Nakatsuka, go in as the left sideback.
Yes! All right! I'm in!
Do your best!
Don't worry about it, Kakeru.
You've still got your manager work.
Right?
Kakeru.
Good work, Kakeru.
You did well out there.
Here...
I'm not being sarcastic. I really think so.
I'm not the only one, either.
I'm sure that Suguru-san wanted to say, "good work," too.
Team/Period | First Half | Second Half | Overtime | PK | Total
White Red
Suguru-senpai sure is amazing.
Between the assist for the first point
and the long shot for the second...
The recruit team won against the regular team
just because he played for them.
On the other hand, I sure feel bad for Kakeru-san.
It can't be helped. He's just the manager.
My goal was half thanks to you, Suguru-san.
That was a sweet pass.
I don't know how anyone could miss with a pass like that.
Oh, sorry.
Even though you're brothers, I feel bad for Kakeru.
His older brother took all the talent with him.
I really sympathize.
I'm counting on you until Ishikawa returns, Nishijima.
You mean, when Ishikawa returns, I'm off the team?
Didn't I score today?
The only forward on our team who can easily get past Kunimatsu-san
and score is me!
Oh?
Easily get past me?
Ow!
It's true, isn't it?
I won today.
Idiot. I was taken down by Kakeru, not you.
Kakeru?
It's an embarrassing story,
but his tricky moves had me doing
impossible sprints over and over again.
My knees couldn't take it.
But Kakeru missed pass after pass while I scored on the first one.
You really didn't understand anything, did you?
During today's selection match,
the passes that Suguru was sending to Kakeru
were all serious passes.
He's never even once passed like that to any of the regulars.
A forward who can score on a pass like that could play nationally...
No, internationally.
So what? You worked pretty hard today.
I don't want someone who
was taken down by Kakeru to tell me I worked hard.
What? That's not very cute!
Where's the "thank you"?
Ow!
Suguru-san...
You want to say, "put Kakeru in a game," right?
Yes.
You know it too, right?
Even if you're the conductor,
without a forward who can pick up your passes,
we can't compete in the nationals.
It's no good. I can't use Kakeru in a match.
Why not?
The moment he went to get the pass,
he'd moved into the defender's blind spot
or slipped past them with a feint.
He's got the perfect moves for a top scorer.
Even though he was being so
tightly marked by Kunimatsu-san,
he was always aware of the goal
and he picked up your passes many times.
I was also surprised by his stamina.
Kakeru's been the manager since second year, right?
Yet, even after running around that much,
his speed didn't drop at all.
That's why Kunimatsu-san, who had been marking Kakeru,
was exhausted by the time
Nishijima was subbed in, and he was able to score.
He picked up your serious passes
and was even able to attempt a shot at the end.
It's true that he wasn't able to score,
but he was able to create so many chances.
That's why.
In a close match,
the most important thing is to never let a chance pass you by.
Miss that many shots and what happens?
The team's motivation falls...
Exactly.
Even if Kakeru makes chances,
if he doesn't score, it amounts to zero.
Maybe even less than zero.
That's soccer.
But...
What Kakeru lacks isn't skill or stamina.
It's heart.
It's the same reason why he avoids his left.
Suguru-san.
I thought if I put him in a match,
he would change a little, but...
Kakeru!
Suguru-san has high hopes for you, Kakeru.
That's whyâ€”
My brother's right.
Those with weak hearts aren't meant for soccer, right?
There's no need to humiliate me.
I get it.
Kakeru...
So Nana-chan became a manager.
So...
Has she gotten cuter?
Huh? Um... no, not really...
You fell for her!
Why do you jump to that?
You're wrong!
Kake-nii's been in love with Seven
ever since elementary school.
Huh? Am I wrong?
That's what it seemed like.
After she moved away, you were watching the sunset and crying.
Cut it out!
What? Kake-nii, you seem kind of down.
I'm tired from practice.
I'm home.
Welcome home.
Welcome home...
Thank you for the meal.
Oh. Are you done already?
Suguru, you come home late every night.
I have practice.
Oh, you're on the ball.
That's terrible.
That was my goal.
Hey. I waited for you.
I had a feeling that you might be here again tonight.
I don't who you are,
but do you think you could go all out with me tonight?
Oh, this?
Don't worry about it.
I just really wanted to wear this tonight.
During my two years in middle school,
I never received a number, but I've always practiced in this.
My middle school soccer experience
has been like this uniform with no number.
All right. Let's get started.
Here I come!
I'm going to enjoy this with all my strength!
With all my strength...
End of the first half.
Middle school soccer has a thirty minute half,
so let's take a break here.
I must look like an idiot, right?
I'm just the manager, but I do this every day.
It's like I don't know when to give up.
Here. You're thirsty, right?
I don't know who you are,
but you know that I have a weak left.
When I was in elementary school, during a practice match,
I caused one of the other regulars to
suffer a serious injury because of my left kick.
He tore a ligament in his knee
and his leg bent in a weird direction.
The ambulance came and took him away on a stretcher.
Since then, I've been afraid of kicking with my left.
Well... it's just an excuse.
All right! It's a little early, but half time over.
Let's start the second half.
Wait up!
Hey!
Why?
You're home late.
At the convenience store again?
Hey, Kakeru. What were you doing?
Stop playing dumb.
Why won't you come out and say it?!
You have something to say, right?
Then just be clear about it!
Hey, Kake-nii. Cut it out.
You two have been acting weird since yesterday.
What's wrong with you?
Sugu-nii, it's breakfast time.
Good morning.
You're awfully chipper this morning.
I was worried since you were fighting yesterday.
Here.
Mother, where's Kakeru?
Surprisingly, he left early this morning. Why?
It's nothing. Man, I'm hungry.
A flat?
This isn't my day.
I won't make it to morning practice like this.
I guess it doesn't really matter.
After today, I'm...
What's wrong, Kakeru?
My bike got a flat.
This reminds me of when we were younger.
I couldn't ride a bike yet,
so I ran desperately to keep up with you.
Oh yeah, that's right.
I'm sorry about yesterday.
It's okay.
I attacked you the day before, so we're even.
Kakeru, I have something to talk to you about before practice.
Me too, brother.
Actually, I was thinking of telling you after practice,
but I'll say it now.
I want to get it off my chest.
I'm quitting the soccer club.
I was pretending
to want to pursue being a manager.
But I was half-hearted.
I want a clean break.
No matter what?
No matter what.
I see...
But... I still want you to give it your best.
You don't have to worry about me anymore.
Become greater and greater,
and represent Japan as a conductor.
I want you to stand in the
middle of the field and shine like a king.
Because, in the end, I like your soccer.
The king of the field...
But you know, Kakeru,
even if a king fights with everything he's got,
he can't win by himself.
Brother...
If the conductor is the king of the field,
then the striker is the knight.
I needâ€”
No. Japan needs a knight who can receive passes
in the penalty area and open a path towards the goal.
A knight in the area.
A knight in the area?
You're amazing, brother.
Even though you're only a year older than me.
You must be able to see yourself
standing on the field of the World Cup.
A knight in the area...
I'm sure there is one.
A striker who can receive
your magical passes and send them on into the goal.
What?
Kakeru, I had a dream this morning.
A dream?
Yeah, the best dream.
I was wearing the national blue uniform
and I was standing on the field.
It was the finals of the World Cup.
The score was 0-0 in extra time.
I sent a through pass towards the front line.
The ball flew through a hole in the defense and into the area.
Kakeru, who do you think it was...
who received that pass?
This is terrible.
They said someone fell asleep at the wheel.
Two middle school students...
How sad!
A bag from our school?
It couldn't be!
Excuse me. Excuse me.
S-Suguru-san!
Kakeru!
Next time: A Brother's Pulse
Suguru and Kakeru.
The precious dreams
of soccer that the two brothers had always had
are about to be lost.
To those two, who had walked the same path for so long,
an unthinkable time of parting was approaching.
Next time on The Knight in the Area:
the third episode, "A Brother's Pulse."
Don't go! Suguru-san! Kakeru!