Here goes my "Let's Draw Nomo" Song!
Two balls came flying in.
Small balls came flying in, too.
But hold on, here's one more.
Just barely scrape the surface for a fine play.
Cross one, two, and three mountains.
The sign for "victory" is V! V! V!
Then we have ourselves another V! V! V!
And surprise! We're done!
That's game, set, and Nomo's done!
Now then, we'd like to ask Chairman Okubo,
who just rushed in right now, to deliver the congratulatory address.
Incoming students,
I'd like to congratulate you on getting into this school.
Although it goes without saying that you should try your very best
in all academics, sports, and extra-curricular activities
in the next three years of your high school career...
I sincerely hope that you also cherish and enjoy your days of youth here
and cultivate the friendships that will no doubt be treasured memories to you in the future.
After all, what's there to life other than to enjoy it?
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
Masato Hayashi
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
Shunji Aoki Naohiko Furuchi
Producers
Osamu Sekita
Director
Shogakukan Shueisha Production
Production Studio
SUBTITLED BY ANBU
That guy who stole your kitsune udon is climbing something again.
Just a little further...
It's all right now.
U-Um, that cat looks like a stray, so do you think I could...
No, I'll raise it!
No, I will!
No, me!
That sure would be helpful.
We already have Nomo at home, after all.
Nomo?
It's Mizuki Asami!
He's so cool, isn't he?
He's so lively and nice.
Lucky Aoba.
Aoba's cousin?
Seems like it.
So he's freeloading over at the Tsukishima's?
Seems like it.
He's been traveling around the world
with his mountain climber dad,
but he apparently wants to at least spend his high school days in Japan.
This is bad.
She's going to be living in the same house with a guy like him?
Not to mention that something about him seems awfully similar to me.
He's the type of guy who's popular with the girls.
The type who's popular with girls!
He's apparently more famous abroad than in Japan.
Who?
The udon-thief's mountain climber dad.
Geez.
Everyone and their mom's interested in him now, huh?
Not as much as you are, though.
Good afternoon.
Hey.
Oh, so sorry about that,
Kitamura-senpai.
Be careful, will you?
Sure thing,
Kitamura-senpai.
Aoba!
Come get me when you're done with practice.
I'll help you with your on-the-way-home shopping.
I'll be fine on my own.
I can't let you do that;
Ichiyo asked me to help you.
I'll be waiting at the club room.
Club room?
Which club did he join anyway?
He's in the alpine club.
The alpine club?
I didn't know we had one.
That's just what they call themselves;
they're more like a hiking club.
That's not at all fitting for the son of a famous mountain climber.
He only handed in an application form;
he's apparently training on his own.
...and that's what seems to be going on.
It's not like I asked, you know.
New members, gather in.
Yes, sir!
Kitamura-senpai!
If you'll excuse me.
I'm Miya, the captain.
Even first years can become regulars on our team if they're good enough.
Keep that in mind as you practice, guys.
Yes, sir!
We'll start with some fielding practice.
Everyone line up at your desired positions.
Yes, sir!
How are the new recruits looking this year?
Well,
we've got ourselves some exceptional talent
both from the middle school team and from other schools.
Right?
It's a damn shame that I can't field the cream of the crop
in any official games, though.
She'll be a boost in firepower;
a pretty big one, at that.
Guys don't like losing to girls, after all.
But they won't be able to catch up to her just by upping their game a little.
It'll bolster our team's strength whether they like it or not.
Gotcha.
I remember auntie's funeral,
but I couldn't attend Wakaba's since I was abroad.
I still can't believe it.
She's really gone, isn't she?
Yeah.
She was really cute.
She was smart, surefooted,
and she was so nice...
Yeah, yeah.
I know.
I'm just nothing but a—
But you were the one I liked, Aoba.
Hey, Ichiyo?
Should I just take this trash out?
Oh, sorry about that, Mizuki.
Do you know where to go?
Yeah, I'll be fine.
Morning, Aoba.
Morning.
But you were the one I liked, Aoba.
Are you for real?
My my, isn't this a rare sight.
You're not dressed just in your underwear
like you usually are after you get out of the shower.
As expected from the lovely high school girl of ours.
Oh, shut up.
Hold on, Aoba.
Wasn't that milk past the expiration date already?
It's fine to keep it refrigerated up to two or three days past the expiration date.
No, Nomo!
You shouldn't be licking that.
What's that supposed to mean?
That looks refreshing.
Yes it is.
It's a little too low, though.
Time for breakfast, Mizuki!
Coming!
Wait, Aoba!
You're so mean!
You didn't have to leave me behind.
You're the one who decided to go to the bathroom.
You could at least wait a little for me, couldn't you?
Can't you at least go to school by yourself?
We're not in elementary school anymore, you know.
Well that's not what I'm trying to say.
What was the point of me coming all the way back to Japan, then...?
Did you say something?
Good morning,
Azuma-senpai.
Where's Kitamura-senpai?
He wouldn't come out of the bathroom, so I just let him be.
You're not going to wait for him?
I'm sure he can get to school on his own just fine.
It's not like we're in elementary school anymore.
Right?
Like I said, that's not what I meant...
Besides, I'd have to wait a long time if I were to wait.
He's been running in and out of the bathroom all morning.
Does he have a stomach ache or something?
Yeah.
He gulped down that milk that was past the expiration date last night.
Didn't he check before he drank it?
He did.
But then he said it's fine for three or four days past the expiration date.
What an idiot!
What did you say?
O-Oh nothing.
I guess he's right.
Four days is pushing it.
Just barely safe, huh?
Now I remember.
"Ko Kitamura," was it?
I met him before at Grandma's, right?
Oh yeah, maybe you did.
He was Wakaba's boyfriend, right?
Though who knows what "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" means at that age...
He was her boyfriend.
He was the only boy that Waka ever liked.
Nice pitch!
Hey, where do you think you're going, Ko?
T-To the bathroom!
Diarrhea...
D-Did you say something?
Nothing at all, Kitamura-senpai.
Damn it!
I like someone...
who can throw a 160km/h fastball.
I wonder how fast that fastball was.
Nomo!
Nomo?
You really like mountains, don't you?
Yeah.
It's my dream to become a mountain climber just like Dad.
You like her that much, huh?
I'm home!
Aoba's back!
I'm starving, Ichiyo!
Yeah, yeah.
Welcome back, Aoba.
Oh, thanks.
She used to change with her door open before.
Really?
Not only that, she used to parade around the house in just her underwear.
Really?
Mizuki,
Aoba, Momiji, time for dinner!
Coming!
Nomo?
So this is the mouth that's been spilling all the unnecessary details.
Thanks for the meal.
I'm done with today's English homework, Aoba.
You want to copy it?
Oh, thank you!
You're a lifesaver!
Come on, don't cheat, you two.
Who cares.
I'm tired from practice today anyway.
It's not just today that you're tired, you know.
Mizuki only comes in handy for English;
I'm better than him on the other subjects.
It's exactly as you say.
Geez.
Oh, Mizuki,
you can go ahead use the bath first.
Okay.
I'll take you up on that offer, then.
Is he really that cool?
Even the girls in the next class are making a big deal about him.
Don't you think he's cool?
All right.
I will get seconds, after all.
Hello?
Hey, Ko,
what do you think of Ao...
What did you say?
Oh, nothing.
Here's the order form, Ko.
Make sure your dad gets it.
Sure thing.
I'm going home, Azuma.
Okay.
See you, Momiji.
Sorry, Waka...
Like I said!
Go forward!
Turn right!
And then cross diagonally!
No way!
I swear you told me different.
You told me to go straight,
turn left at the signal,
and then on the t-junction...
Fine, I get it.
I'll go with you, come on.
Well we're going there to go get you a notebook, aren't we?
I only asked you to get it since you said you were going to the convenience store.
Just quit your yapping and follow me.
This is why...
Good evening!
What are you standing around for?
Hurry up already!
Coming.
Cousins can get married in Japan, right?
What are you talking about?
I just wanted to make sure.
Like I care.
Mizuki Asami!
Where are you?
Yes?
Do you want something?
Do I want something?
How dare you say "no" to our class's Mari Nakao?
And Yukari Sono from class 2-C!
And Miki Ito from class 2-A!
Am I really that popular with older women?
Shut up!
How dare you make the madonna that I had a crush on for two years cry!
I had a crush on her for three years!
I had one for a year and a half!
This is unforgivable!
Get down here, right now!
But how could I say "yes"?
I already like someone else.
You like someone?
Who is it?
Aoba Tsukishima.
What?
Aren't you two cousins?
Oh, but didn't you know?
It's legal to marry your cousin in Japan.
Did you say something?
Nope.
Maybe I'm hearing things.
Dumbass.
Didn't you know?
Tsukishima's already going out with Kitamura.
Oh that's just a false rumor.
What?
Akaishi from the baseball team's been spreading it around
so that no weird bugs linger around our top pitcher.
Aoba was angry about it, too.
Really?
Then are you going out with your cousin?
W-Well, no...
I'm working on it, though.
I do realize it looks bad on the outside...
Did you hear that?
Tsukishima's single!
...but I thought lying to myself would be even worse.
I've been a huge fan of Tsukishima for the past four years!
All the other girls just...
I've liked her ever since elementary school!
I see.
So she was single!
Like I said...
Hooray!
Hey!
Maybe I shouldn't have said that.
You're so cool, Kitamura!
Ko!
Looks like they called our bluff.
Tsukishima!
You're so cute, Aoba!
On you and Tsukishima not going out, that is.
Of course they'd find out.
More importantly, you should get her to rest.
I think she twisted her ankle while running bases just now.
Tsukishima.
Which ankle is it?
Which one got twisted?
Oh, I'm perfectly fine.
I can't exactly trust your "perfectly fine".
You did pitch an entire game with a broken pinky in middle school, after all.
I guess there's no fooling you, Senpai.
It's not me that saw through it, unfortunately.
Get to the nurse's office.
Kitamura... senpai.
Huh?
He's been covering up his left arm since yesterday.
I just slept in a weird position, that's all.
You go visit the nurse's office, too.
You little punk!
You didn't have to do that!
Look who's talking!
Where did those two go, looking all friendly like that?
Do they look "friendly" to you?
You shouldn't be running around with a twisted ankle!
Oh and like you really "slept in a weird position"!
Good thing yours actually did just turn out to be from a bad night's sleep.
Didn't I tell you?
You don't have to get all angry.
Let's go home, Azuma.
Yeah.
Just "slept in a weird position", huh?
Did your leg really swell that much from sleeping in a weird position?
Are you sure you're all right?
I'm fine.
I can walk on my own, so you can let go.
Listen.
I'm serious about you, Aoba.
Azuma.
Yeah, yeah, I'm coming.
Azuma.
I'm coming, I said.
Azuma.
Shut up.
Don't forget about our promise for this Sunday, Mizuki.
What promise?
He promised to pay for my movie ticket if we win our next game.
So you're going on a date, then.
You haven't been on a date since Wakaba passed away, right, Ko?
I'm sure Wakaba wouldn't mind
if you were to date a girl who really likes you for who you are.
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Twenty-One:
Anyway.
I'll be your date for going back home.