H-Home Run!
At the top of the 12th inning, with two outs and no runners on base,
Kitamura hits it to the center field backscreen for a home run!
What a huge run!
Seishu Academy is now one step closer to reaching the Koshien!
Mitsuru Adachi
（Serialized in Shogakukan's 「Weekly Shonen Sunday」）
Created by
Toshihiro Nakazawa
Nobumasa Sawabe
Planning
Masato Hayashi
Rei Anami (TV TOKYO)
Shin'ichirou Tsuzuki
Planning Assistance
Toshisato Okuno Shin Omura Takenori Ichihara
Tetsuya Takeda
Supervisors
Original Planning Assistance
Michihiro Tsuchiya
Series Composition
Yuji Kondo
Main Character Design
Maho Takahashi
Tomoyuki Matsumoto
Koichi Imano
Art Design
Subcharacter Design
Prop Design
Kayoko Ono
Miki Tsubouchi
Hiromi Komine
Yutaka Kuramoto
Art Director
Color Design
Photography Director
Editing
Nobuhide Tanaka Toshiyuki Kuroiwa
Kotaro Nakagawa
Takeshi Takadera
HALF H・P STUDIO
Music Producer
Music
Sound Director
Sound Production
「Summer Rain」
Lyrics／Composition: Kentaro Kobuchi
Arrangement: Kobukuro
Kobukuro
（Warner Music Japan）
Opening Theme
Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment
TV-TOKYO Music
Warner Music Japan
Music Assistance
Ryosuke Sakurai
Animation Producer
Animation Production
Shin'nosuke Wada (TV TOKYO) Naohiko Furuichi
Producers
Osamu Sekita
Director
Shogakukan Shueisha Production
Production Studio
SUBTITLED BY ANBU
Ryuou now trails by a run.
They'll start off the bottom of the 12th inning with Souma, the first batter!
If they don't score here, their dreams of consecutive Koshien championships will be shattered,
and their challenge for the record of four consecutive Koshien appearances finished.
And on top of it all, Seishu will record their first ever Koshien appearance.
But, Kuruma,
that was a wonderful home run from Kitamura, wouldn't you say?
Yes, that sure was a fine comeback,
especially since Akaishi, the captain, grounded into a double play right before.
I was able to catch Oikawa off guard thanks to that double play.
Be sure to tell them that during your hero's interview, okay?
And don't forget to tell them that I was the one who made you start baseball, okay?
Wasn't I the one who taught you how to play the "Yamanote line" game?
Who cares?
I don't really have anything to say.
What about you?
Hold Aoba Tsukishima tightly in your arms when the game is over.
Dumbass, she's going to slap you to the moon and back if you do that.
Right, Akaishi?
Right, Nakanishi?
Huh?
At the bottom of the twelfth, Ryuou Academy will be led by Souma, the center fielder.
Let me have a good dream, Kitamura.
We can win...
or at least I think so.
The Koshien, huh?
This really feels like a dream.
It's headed down the third base line!
N-Nakanishi makes the stop!
He throws it across to first base...
and it's just in time; he's out!
All right!
Looks like the diet was a success!
Well done, former fifth grade class two team captain Nakanishi.
Don't forget that during the hero's interview, okay?
This isn't a dream.
This is actually happening.
That's one out;
Kitamura has retired the first batter.
But it was a good hit that came after working a seven pitch count.
We can win this game if we catch up.
I'm 100% sure.
You're right.
Ball.
I'll show you how hard
the next two outs will be!
Ball!
Good, he's keeping his cool.
Keep racking up that count, Kitamura.
It's down the middle!
He makes contact despite being pushed back by the hard pitch.
And it flies over the head of the second baseman!
All right!
Don't ask me if I'm tired.
And don't you tell me that you're not tired at this point.
Can I let it all out in this inning?
Hm?
Let out all of my remaining strength, that is.
Yeah.
I can't imagine us winning any other way than by ending it here in this inning.
Let's keep our heads up, okay?
Akaishi?
I was the pitcher and you were the catcher, right?
Yeah.
In a jam-packed Koshien.
Ryuou now has the tying run on with just one out out.
First baseman Nakadai steps into the batter's box.
And waiting in the on deck circle is none other than Mishima, the cleanup hitter!
He'll walk Mishima if Nakadai brings Souma home, won't he.
Yeah, I'm 100% sure.
But he's sure to hesitate if the situation was
two outs with a runner on first, or one out with runners on first and second, right?
The worst case would be a double play.
After that would be an infield grounder that advances the runner and leaves first open.
I'll take anything but those two, Nakadai.
Strike three!
A-And he strikes out swinging!
That's two outs!
Now it's two outs with a man on first.
Is that okay?
I guess.
One more out! One more out!
And the crowd is going nuts!
Mishima! Mishima!
Both first and third base sides are on their feet and chanting!
Oh man.
Ko's not going to be able to afford to walk him with the crowd cheering like this.
Can I lie to you?
Go ahead.
Strike!
There's no need to hold back.
This scene was meant to happen all along.
Let's light the crowd on fire with this last inning.
And whose last inning is it going to be?
Who knows.
Not knowing is what makes it fun.
Ball!
Does he have any idea how many pitches he's thrown today?
He's only still standing on that mound because he doesn't.
No need to hold back, huh?
We can win.
We can win if we catch up.
Foul!
The ball sails sharply toward the first base line, but falls just centimeters foul.
And this is yet another 158km/h!
Hold on,
won't Ko end up actually throwing a 160km/h at this rate?
Of course not.
Ball.
The count is full!
Will this next pitch decide the outcome of this game?
Ball four!
I guess he just walked him in the end.
Yeah.
Has Mishima ever just looked at a ball on a full count?
He's not the type who would trust the umpire that much.
They didn't show the speed for that pitch just now, huh?
I guess they don't show every single pitch on the backscreen.
That was the fastest pitch of the day, wasn't it.
I can't tell from here.
He promised you, didn't he?
That he'd show you a 160km/h...
Like I said, he—
Can I lie to you?
Strike!
It's over.
The game.
Yeah.
It was over the moment you watched that last pitch pass by you.
We'll make it to the Koshien,
I'll throw a 160km/h.
And...
I like Aoba Tsukishima more than anyone else.
Game set!
After the 12th inning, the score is 2-1;
Seishu Academy has secured their first Koshien appearance!
The strongest team in Ryuou's history lost, eh.
We'd no doubt win if we played them once more.
Ryuou would win twice if we played them three times.
You know it's over once you find yourself saying those words during the Summer Tournament.
Right, Mishima?
We'd win three if we played four games.
Without a shadow of a doubt, you guys are the strongest team to grace Ryuou's history.
All right!
Yeah!
You were awesome, Kitamura!
Oh my god!
Everyone's crying.
I guess I sort of missed my timing to do the same because I was thinking about something else.
Huh?
Oh, congratulations on getting married, Onii-san.
Y-Yeah!
My wedding reception is finally happening!
I can finally submit my wedding papers!
Isn't that voice just now...
Well, I didn't hear anything.
The singing of the school anthem,
then the dash toward the supporters in the stands;
the victory interview...
followed by more interviews and getting our photos taken;
and then the brilliant closing ceremony
were all waiting for us after we fought through the twelfth inning.
Can I die now, Azuma?
No, there's still something left for you to do.
Didn't I tell you to hold Aoba Tsukishima tightly in your arms?
Like I said, she's going to slap you to the moon and back if you do that.
Right, Akaishi?
Right, Nakanishi?
See?
Didn't I tell you that I hate you!
Yeah, I know.
Probably more than anyone in the world.
I've always...
Can I lie to you?
...hated you.
Go ahead.
I know.
W-What's going on here?
The only two who can make Aoba cry
are Wakaba and Ko.
Are you done packing yet, Aoba?
Well, almost.
Almost, huh?
You better wrap it up soon.
You're meeting up with everyone else at the station soon, aren't you?
Don't worry, there's still time.
Did you go visit Akane yet?
Of course.
She's recovering well from surgery.
She said she might even be able to come see us at the Koshien.
I see.
That's good.
Yeah.
Do you want to eat something before you leave?
Nope, I'm good.
I see.
I'm going to be in the mountains for a bit,
Mizuki.
Darn it, Nomo!
Don't sit on top of that important newspaper article!
Just as I thought.
Ko's been in the newspaper every day since they made it to the Koshien.
He's getting a lot of attention, isn't he?
You better get used to it.
This is just the beginning.
Here we go, Waka.
To the Koshien.
I'm leaving now, Dad.
Yeah.
Take care of yourself.
Say hi to everyone for me.
Huh?
I didn't know you were here.
I figured we could at least decide on a wedding venue now.
Right, Dad?
Don't call me Dad just yet!
I'll be waiting for you at the Koshien, then!
All right!
Welcome.
Where's everyone else?
Oh, they said they wanted to drop by and see Akane before leaving.
And what about you?
I already saw her yesterday so I don't have to—
How about showing a bit more respect?
Don't worry.
I'll behave when we're with everyone else, Kitamura-senpai.
It's this room here.
You give her the flowers.
Okay.
Come in.
Oh.
Everyone was saying how they all wanted to see your face before leaving for the Koshien, so...
Everyone?
Huh?
If you keep being so good to your guy friends like this,
cute girls won't come flocking to you anymore.
Don't worry.
I don't have that many.
That many good guy friends, I mean.
What?
They already left?
They're meeting up with everyone at the station?
I didn't know about this...
Well I suppose you'll only need one to make it work, since this is you we're talking about.
It's nice that Akane's surgery went well, isn't it?
I told you.
Wakaba protected her.
But it's strange, isn't it?
What is?
They say that there are three people who look like each other in this world,
but we live in a big world, and the chances of meeting those people are slim.
Wakaba must have guided Akane to us to tell us something, I'm sure.
To tell us something?
You know how Akane has those moments,
where she'll be like, "If Wakaba were here, she'd say this."
She looks and sounds exactly like Wakaba when she does that.
What exactly did she tell you?
She told me to "talk about the memories I had of Wakaba" with you more.
People only truly pass on,
when there are no more people left to remember them.
Did she say anything else?
I guess a bunch of other stuff.
What about you?
Just a bunch of other stuff.
"Talk more about Wakaba with Kitamura, okay?"
The owner of this store seems to be a fan of mine.
He made me give him an autograph just now.
I see.
Well then.
It's almost time for us to meet up with the others.
Thank you for the drink, Kitamura-senpai.
Oh crap, I almost forgot something.
Sorry about that.
Wait, isn't that the first time we've taken a picture with just the two of us?
I-Is it?
I guess I should ask him to make duplicates, then.
Come on, we're going to miss the train!
We still have plenty of time...
Come on!
Geez.
Why does he always think think the same way as I do?
kaisatsu ippo temae
As my hand slips out from yours
Could you make a duplicate of that photo for me?
You and Ko are alike.
tsunaida te ga hanareteku
One step in front of the ticket gate
Geez.
How long are we going to keep holding hands?
omowazu suu suu hippatte
Without thinking, I gently tug you back
You can let go if you don't like it.
sabishii no aizu dasu
And let you know that I'm "sad."
Roger that.
I see.
So he saw through everything.
atashi ga naki souna kao shite
But you won't smile at me
He saw through the huge sadness I was experiencing when Waka passed away,
and even through all the fun memories.
anata wa kocchi ni egao
when I make a sad crying face
No matter how hard I tried to hide it,
and even if I'd lie about it,
he's always been able to see through it all....
"ai shiteruyo" dato ka
and reassure me
I guess I really do hate him.
"zutto issho dayo"to ka
by telling me things like
I hate him...
arikitari no kotoba wa
"you love me"
more than anyone in the world.
kikenaikara
or "that we'll be together forever"
"anata no koyubi
Or even words like
"If you have the red string of fate
akai ito arunara
wrapped around your pinkie,
kocchi no koyubi to musundete" nante
come wrap it around mine"
koi suru otome ga kuchi ni suru youna
So I become a little red
serifu wa kaerimichi hitorigoto
As I recite these phrases
that a girl in love might say
chotto dake akaku naru
to myself on my way home.
The clover, a perennial of the legume family.
Its four-leafed specimen is said to bring good luck.