Having enrolled in Enoshima High,
I met Araki-san, who was so fat he looked like a different person,
and through a strange series of events, I joined the play-for-fun FC club.
There is also an official club called SC at this school,
against whom the FC will compete
with the representation of the school on the line.
Spurred by the desire to defeat SC,
we practice every day until the sun goes down.
Araki-san, however, never showed up
and the day of the match arrived.
Clash! FC vs. SC!!
Those guys are as huge as always.
While in comparison...
You guys gonna be all right?
Probably.
Don't overdo it and hurt yourself.
Unlike the other team, we just barely have 11 players.
So then, Araki-san isn't...
More importantly, let's focus on the game at hand.
Let's show them what the FC is made of.
Coach Kondo,
allow me to learn from you again this year.
As if that's really your intent.
I can see in your eyes that you're trying
to frustrate my plans, Iwaki-kun.
Yes, that's exactly right.
The chance of us losing is less than one in ten thousand.
We cannot allow that to happen.
Ever.
School Representation Deciding Match
Hey, how about over there?
To a good match.
Do your best this year, FC!
Don't lose, SC!
It's that time of year again,
when we find out which team will earn
the right to represent the school.
Enoshima Broadcasting Club
Who is going to win this match?
Covering this game will be me,
from the Enoshima Broadcasting Club,
Ichiro Yamanashi and...
Momoko Fukushima—
Let's get right to introducing the players.
Starting with SC...
Enoshima High School
Soccer Club
The goal keeper, Shintaro Todo.
On defense from the left side,
Kenji Fudo,
Go Kaiouji,
Shigeru Wakamura.
Defensive midfielders, Shuji Sakamoto,
Ryoma Oda.
Offensive midfielders from the left side,
Kazuma Nakamura,
in the middle, second row,
Yuji Sawamura,
on the right side,
Koji Yakumo.
Finally, the forwards,
Kenya Kudo and Michiro Takase
in a two-top formation.
We'll have to keep an eye on these four players.
The second year, number 10, and cornerstone of the team,
Oda!
Standing at 190 centimeters tall, equipped with the powerful headers
that come with that height,
the enormous forward, first year, Takase.
Physically the strongest on the team,
the powerful defender, second year, Kaiouji.
Finally, the conductor for the team,
the captain, third year, Sawamura.
The opposing FC's starting lineup is...
Enoshima High School
Football Club
Goal keeper, Reo Kurebayashi.
On defense, from the left side,
Shinji Mikami,
Akito Horikawa,
Yutaka Nishigoori.
The defensive midfielders, Manabu Sakurai,
Yukizo Hama.
In the second row, Makoto Hyodo,
Koji Endo,
Kaoru Matoba.
Finally, in two-top position,
Junpei Hino and Kakeru Aizawa.
The players to take note of on this team are...
Wait, really?
There aren't any?
I see.
That's so mean...
It can't be helped,
but if we win this match, our roles will reverse.
Yeah.
It's now time for the kick-off.
Here I go, Brother.
It's too bad that Araki-san isn't here,
but, if we win, I'm sure he'll come back.
In that sense as well, I can't afford to lose this match.
FC moves right into an attack.
Jersey number 9,
Aizawa, is on the move.
Don't let them get a pass to number 9.
Keep them to the sides.
Kakeru...
Whoops.
Hyodo,
you're a midfielder?
So Araki never came back?
Don't worry, Sawamura-san.
Even without him, our strength,
compared to last year,
is on a different level!
Shit. Fudo, block the pass route!
On it!
I'll take that.
Hino-san.
All right!
Oh, and forward number 11,
Hino, takes the ball.
Yes! Looking good, everyone!
It's just like we practiced. Right, Coach?
Yes. Having Kakeru pull the defense
toward him using tricky moves,
while Hino-kun, now lightly defended,
breaks for the left side.
However, the problem lies ahead.
Except for the enormous Takase-kun,
their remaining 9 players are all pulled back on their side of the field.
To break through this tight formation won't be easy.
If only we had another offensive hand to play on the left side,
we could use our physically strong Hino-kun on the inside.
That's true, however...
Yes. In any case, this is our chance.
It's all yours, Mako!
Bring it on.
If you think you can break through this iron wall,
why don't you try?
As if!
Go!
FC's Hyodo
aims a cross over the heads of the defenders to the far side,
but no one's there to receive it!
Ha, fool.
Wait, there is one player!
It's Aizawa Kakeru.
All right!
Kakeru!
What?!
Don't get flustered!
All they got was a lucky pass.
Stay in formation!
That wasn't luck.
Mako-kun knew very well
that Kakeru-kun's natural intuition
would pull him towards the goal.
Go, Kakeru!
Finish it, Kakeru!
It's mine!
Look at that!
What an amazing jump!
Number 2, Kaiouji, clears the ball
before it can reach the far side.
Don't get cocky, freshman.
And I thought I was completely free...
This isn't good.
Oda clears the ball...
Wait, no.
It's a long pass to Takase!
Oh no! Everyone get back!
Wow! From that distance he was able to predict
Takase's movement and make such an accurate pass...
Oda is the team's key player.
Without his accurate long feeds, our strategy wouldn't hold together.
Nice, Oda-san!
Don't leave him open.
Stop him, Kaoru.
Got it!
You're tiny.
You!
You think being tall is everything?
Shoot!
He was bait?
Mark number 9!
Too slow! It's mine!
Kudo shoots!
Right!
The keeper, Kurebayashi, dives...
...and hits the ball...
...but it's still heading for the goal!
Clear! Clear! Clear!
Running back to the goal,
Aizawa manages to save the ball by inches!
Good work, Kakeru! Keep it up!
Nice clear.
That kid!
Don't get excited. We aren't even serious yet.
Got it.
There's 20 minutes left in the half.
Hold on. They're coming back with a counterattack.
As if!
Clear! It's clear!
Again, the forward, Aizawa, returns.
Man, again?
However, with both forwards being kept on the defense,
FC is starting to look tired.
Ichiro Yamanashi Momoko Fukushima
This is rather one-sided.
It would appear that the absence of number 10,
last year's ace Ryuichi Araki, is significantly affecting the team.
To think that the king's absence would leave this large a hole.
Coach, isn't there anything we can do?
Well, if we had one or two more strong players,
we might be able to come up with a breakthrough solution.
Don't lose your mark, Kaoru, Kakeru!
Okay!
No matter what the height difference,
with a tight enough mark, I can clear it.
As soon as we clear, we'll counter.
We have to score at least one point somehow.
Shoot!
Go!
Goooal!
With 28 minutes down in the first half,
the tie is finally broken!
All right!
Nice, Captain!
Keep it up, Sawamura!
Just what you'd expect from SC.
They are against a play-for-fun team, after all.
I'm sorry. Because...
Because I let my mark get away...
Don't worry about it.
There was nothing you could've done.
Let's just take one back!
Because of me...
Kakeru...
Only minutes left in the first half.
SC has already pushed back
and hardened their defense.
Shit!
Hino-san!
Okay!
Kakeru! Don't hold onto it!
I'm fine.
Kakeru-kun, over here!
That point was my fault.
I've got to get it back somehow!
What?
Oda-san!
If I get past Oda-san, I'll be in the penalty area.
I'll definitely even the score!
You cannot get past me.
This is because...
Kakeru, no! Pass to Matoba-kun!
H-How?
You have a grave weakness.
As long as you don't correct it,
you will never beat me.
Go!
He kicks the ball and it's a long shot down the field.
This could be their chance!
Takase!
I won't let you do as you please!
Goooal! It's in!
That's the end of the first half.
SC has a comfortable lead at half time,
with a score of 2-0.
Kakeru...
It appears you've dislocated your shoulder.
Let's go to the hospital immediately.
I-I'm fine. This is nothing.
You can't play with that arm.
B-But then, we'll only have 10 players.
In a regular match, even if a player drops out,
the remaining 10 can still play.
Right, everyone?
What's wrong?
Have you already given up after the first half?
I didn't realize the Enoshima High FC
was such a weak-hearted team.
I'm sorry. This is my fault.
I let two goals through.
No one wants to hear your excuses.
A striker never makes excuses.
Respond with a goal.
Brother...
Nana-chan is right, Kakeru.
Kota, what are you doing here?
And why are you half-naked?
I quit.
Like I said, it was boring over there,
so I quit!
What?!
I'm sorry. I quit. Please don't look for me. Kota Nakatsuka
What does he think he's doing?
See ya!
That idiot!
Unimportant. Leave him be.
B-But...
It's like the coach says.
His leaving the team
doesn't change how we play soccer.
Oda...
So, I'm going to have you guys let me join, too.
It's fine, right, Coach Iwaki?
Of course, we're delighted to have you.
All right!
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you!
Man, what a character.
I like you. You're great!
Nice to meet you.
Now we can play together again, right, Kakeru?
Right.
You're tense in the shoulders.
Coach.
You did a great job defending in the first half.
However, you may have stood out a little too much.
What?
Forwards cannot afford to stand out all the time...
Disappear, Kakeru.
You stand out too much.
That's why the opponents’ marks are always tight.
A forward needs to be able to disappear sometimes, too.
The second half kick off of the traditional Representation
Team Match is about to begin.
Kota-kun, do your best!
I love you, okay?
Ichiro Yamanashi
Due to an injury,
the FC right side's Mikami will be substituted with...
Who was it again?
Kota Nakatsuka
Hey! Stop making a fool out of me!
Oh, that's a foul.
However, what a daring, gutsy play
by the recently subbed Kota Nakatsuka.
Okay, Kota! Keep up the fight!
Thanks.
Nakatsuka, what was that?
Yakumo, you're subbed for Teshigawara. Get off the field.
That's so strict.
Just because he got a little hot-headed.
Well, the substitution was probably
also to strengthen their defense.
Teshigawara-kun is the strong type
and would help buffer their defense.
I see.
Mako-kun.
Yes?
Junpei, Kota, Reo, Horikawa.
There it goes!
He's sent another long pass towards the front of the goal.
When Oda-kun, who has complete confidence in the accuracy of his free kick,
sees a short mark on Takase-kun,
he will definitely send a pinpoint kick.
But no matter how tall he may be...
All right. It's mine!
...no player can reach above a
keeper who can use his hands.
Once I knew it was coming to you,
making a save was too easy.
Go, Mako!
All right. It's time for a comeback!
A counterattack that makes me want to buy shares in FC!
Using the free kick
as bait to lure us in and perform a counter.
Nice plan.
But without any strong moves, your counters can't scare us.
We'll see about that!
So they were planning on Hino breaking through on the left side,
but the coach has already anticipated this development.
In order to strengthen the defense on the sides,
Yakumo was subbed out for Teshigawara!
That's as far as you go, Hino!
Idiot.
Ridiculous! Again to the left?
That's it, newcomer!
Go, Kota-kun!
That was quite smooth, wasn't it, Coach?
Yes. The addition of Kota, a new attack card,
was quite fortuitous for us.
With this, the physically strong Hino-kun
can push towards the goal.
He will be able to break through that iron wall defense.
You traitor!
That's it for me!
I'm counting on you!
Idiot! How high are you putting it, newcomer?
You won't get a shot!
Matoba's volley shot!
It was blocked! Blocked!
The ball rolls towards the open space on the opposite side.
Who is going to pick this ball up?
Clear it!
It's Aizawa!
Aizawa, who hasn't shown himself this whole time,
has suddenly taken control of the ball!
You can disappear for minutes.
Disappear for minutes, never even touching the ball.
When the ball rolls into the penalty area,
appear only in that instant,
and you'll definitely score a goal.
That's a striker!
Goooal!
First year Kakeru Aizawa's bullet shot claims a goal!
Hurrah! We did it, Kakeru!
That was amazing, Kakeru-kun!
You did it! Amazing, Kakeru!
A striker!
I haven't seen a pure striker like him for so long.
All right. Just one more point!
Let's tie it up!
Yeah!
I'm sorry. If I had marked that number 9 properly...
This is my mistake.
Don't worry about it.
The cause was my amateur free kick.
Change your attitude.
Okay.
Fudo, you're subbed.
Can't you hear? You're subbed!
Understood.
What? Another sub? I don't believe it.
Thanks to Aizawa's goal, FC has narrowed the gap to one point.
Will their momentum carry them to tie up the game?
Momoko Fukushima
Currently in the bathroom due to too much excitement.
Mako-san!
Kota!
All right!
FC's dizzying passes have divided SC's defenders.
Could this be their chance?
Go, Kakeru!
Good. We're controlling the pace of the second half.
One more point. We'll definitely tie it up!
It's mine!
Oda!
So close, Hino.
It's up!
This is bad!
Kudo, to the right!
Crap...
Nakatsuka was positioned a little too far forward.
He's chasing down Kudo,
who's making a break down the sidelines.
Shit. If it comes to this, I'd better foul to stop him!
You won't be able to put a header into the goal like this.
I have no intention of scoring a goal.
What?
We've been had!
I won't let you shoot!
Goooal! SC scores another point!
The score is now 3-1.
Damn it...
What a player.
If my shot had been an instant later,
there is no doubt he would have cleared it.
In that situation, by himself,
could he have predicted where the ball would be?
Not yet! It isn't over yet!
We'll have the last laugh!
Right!
Another counter!
And a shot!
Stopped!
Only 25 minutes remain.
FC, two points behind, starts to feel the pressure.
C'mon, FC!
Fight! Fight!
Coach, if things keep going...
I know. But don't panic.
We still have an ace up our sleeve.
By ace, you don't mean...
We've been expecting you, King.
Can you play for the last 20 minutes?
Obviously.
That's why I've endured waiting in the stands.
I was surprised. I hardly recognized you.
It's too soon to be surprised.
Just watch. The show's about to begin.
Number 12, Endo, is substituted for number 10, Araki!
Araki?
Araki-san?
Araki!
Araki.
Araki...
Who?
Araki, so you've finally arrived...
The magic show is about to begin.
Next Episode: Return of the King
Finally, the complete revival of the
King of the Pitch, Ryuichi Araki.
The long awaited magician's numerous wonderful plays
stir surprise in Kakeru's heart.
In response to FC's resurgence,
SC's ace, Ryoma Oda, makes a decision
in order to definitely win.
The match reaches its climax.
What will be the end of the drama that Kakeru and Araki create?
Next time on Knight in the Area,
episode 7: "Return of the King."
I want to see the striker's stage that Kakeru makes.