Tanbabashi
Can't press it
You can do it, Miss Inari!
Kon...
I'd do anything for you.
Anything at all.
All I have is...
Lady Uka!
This is serious! An urgent message from Great Amaterasu!
Urgent message?
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha
nanige naku tsuita tameiki wa
I sighed involuntarily
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha
takai takai sora no mukou ni
and that little bit of sadness
habataite kietetta
flew with the birds to vanish in the distance
guuzen no misu mo waratte shake hands
We committed our share of faux-pas, then shook hands
sonna fuu ni otona ni wa narenakatta keredo
That didn't really turn us into adults,
ima wa sukoshi wakaru yo
but now I understand
akogareta dareka no kage wo nazoru dake ja
that just imitating those you admire
kimi ni todokanai ne
is not enough to reach you
nee itsuka tsutaeru yo
One day I'll tell you of my feelings
dakishimeta negaigoto kimi ni mitsukaranai you ni
I didn't want you to know of my wishes,
watashi no koe ni tokasu
so I lowered my voice
kamisama ni sasayaita
and whispered to the gods
mainichi ni koi shiteru kono ki mo ne tayasanaide
Every day I feel the love inside my heart and hope I won't faint
somatta hoo wo naderu kaze
The wind turns my cheeks red
itsu made mo tonari de waratteite
Please keep smiling next to me
Ordeals, Secrets, Amaterasu
Coming! Who's there?
Oh, it's Hashimo.
H-Hi.
Miss Inari!
Hey, Kouji! Hashimo's here!
Shush! There's a slice of your favorite fried tofu in it for you.
F-Fried tofu!
Hey, Hashimo!
Strange seeing you here. Did Teach send you?
Wh-What's he wearing?!
No, just... Tanba—I mean, K-Kouji...
How're you feeling? I heard you were laid up in bed.
Nah, that'd be my mom. She caught a bad cold.
I stayed home to look after her.
Oh, okay.
Here, I brought you today's handouts.
Oh, thanks.
Hey, since you're here, why don't you come on in?
I'll show you that book I've been talking about.
Hit the living room, Shirou.
Okay.
Uh... Did Tanbabashi just invite me to his bedroom... a-alone?!
King of Ecstasy
Swimsuit Edition!
Here it is!
I just know you've been dying to read it too.
I got my older cousin to buy this baby for me!
Here, lemme show you my favorite—
No, thank you!
Show it to the real Hashimoto instead!
Uh, okay...
Say, uh... You gonna make it to tomorrow's game?
I mean, with your sick mom and all?
Oh, yeah. My cousin's gonna look after her.
Okay.
Say, that reminds me...
Here.
What's this?
Paying you back for yesterday.
Er, it's from Sumizome.
Oh, for the tempura bowl.
She sure is honest.
That sweet expression...
I just know he's into her.
Kouji, you gotta make dinner!
Oh, is it time already?
Dinner?
How's the rice porridge, Mom?
You did a bang-up job, sweetie.
Be careful, okay? It's hot.
Understood.
Of course...
I don't know the first thing about Tanbabashi.
.
i
b
a
r
Kyoto Fujinokusa Middle School
c
Crap! That's the last bell!
Hurry! We're gonna be late!
Um... Ow!
Oh no! I can't get up!
How can I be late on my very first day of middle school?
You okay?
Did you pick a club yet?
I joined the basketball team.
Why'd he stop to help me?
See, I go jogging every day, and I wind up losing track of time, so I'm always late.
I'm just gonna make him late, too.
Why...
Did you see that show last night?
Why is he smiling?
It totally blew me away!
Tanbabashi's always doing his best, even when no one's there to see him.
He's always smiling, even when he's exhausted.
It must mean he's been through harder times, sadder times than these...
Uh... Hashimo?
I-I'm sorry!
Tanba—I mean, Kouji!
I'm gonna hit the road.
What? C'mon, stay for dinner.
Nah, I'm good. See ya!
Hope your mom feels better!
Miss Inari?
That was so embarrassin'!
But then again... That was a side of Tanbabashi I don't usually see.
Inari?
Lady Uka!
Listen, Lady Uka—
Inari.
Lady Uka?
Inari, forgive us!
Wh-Who are you?
There is no mistaking that scent.
It is none other than Uka-no- Mitama-no-Kami's divine power.
Great Amaterasu has ordered us to accompany you to the Celestial Plains.
Bound For: Celestial Plains
Sorry for spookin' you like that!
Amaterasu told us to hurry, you see.
Uh, it's okay.
Let me tell mew, she really runs us ragged.
It's all right, Inari.
We'll put in a request to send you back as soon as possible.
Okay.
Last stop: Celestial Plains, Main Entrance.
Celestial Plains, Main Entrance.
WE/MAX
This must be... where the gods live...
Um... Might you know where our brother would be?
Master Toshi? I heard he was headed for Shizuoka.
I see.
Now, let us purr-ceed to Amaterasu Oomikami's palace.
Amaterasu Oomikami?
This is Great Amaterasu Oomikami, the sun goddess who rules over the Celestial Plains.
Squid?
I already heard all about it, Uka.
You've really gone and done it now, haven't you?
O-Our most sincere apologies!
Um... It was actually all my fault!
I made that silly wish, and Lady Uka—
I know that too.
Silence
Be quiet and listen!
Silence
Inari!
Silence
Take heed.
Even I cannot remove the divine power placed within you.
So you must be removed from the mortal world and given training, like any other new god.
Training that will take a good many years, mind you.
Right? Doesn't sound so great, does it?
So I got to thinking:
are you worthy of bearing divine power in the mortal world as you are now?
Thus, you will be tested.
Tested?
Your test will be:
get through all of tomorrow without transforming.
I-Is that all?
But if you happen to use your powers even once, you'll be stuck here until your training's over.
But that's—
Uka!
You're not off the hook either.
If she fails, you're getting married off to some god.
That's not—
It's not like I can see any prospects on your horizon, good or otherwise.
But we love someone! Two someones!
They just... can't seem to make it off the paper or screen somehow.
There's no hope for you.
And with that, Inari...
Good luck!
Yes, ma'am!
Is that all?
No transformin' till the sun goes down?
I've got this one in the bag!
All right!
I'm off!
Amaterasu turned out to be pretty nice after all!
All right, it's banquet time!
So if that human transforms, one of us gets Uka as a bride!
Uka, darling! Pour us a drink!
Ooh, me next!
Can I come over to your place sometime?
We are not a barmaid!
If only something interesting would happen...
Great Amaterasu!
Silence!
Here I am, holed up day after day, busy at work...
Why, those blasted humans couldn't live without me!
Ah, shade...
The sun sure is beatin' down on me all of a sudden...
Huh? Fushimi?
Oh? Sumizome!
Morning! Headed to the basketball game?
You're goin', too?
Uh-huh. Tanbabashi invited me.
H-He did, huh?
Then let's go together!
Okay!
Sumizome's so mature.
I bet men fall head over heels for girls like her.
It sure is hot today, isn't it?
Good thing I wore a skirt.
I know, right?
I never expected to see you in a miniskirt, though.
That so? I guess a lot of guys insist on bare legs in skirts.
Seriously? I wear shorts under my skirts in winter.
You know, this could actually be fun!
Wow, so you read manga, too?
Just a little. Know any good ones?
Some shaved ice would really hit the spot on a day like this!
Oh, I know this place that makes some great warabimochi!
You do? Tell me, tell me!
Sumizome's pretty cool!
Boring.
Where's all the love-triangle drama, for heaven's sake?
Great One, please!
Fine.
Let the real banquet begin!
Inari...
So earlier we were talkin' about the long weekend, and—
What's with him?
I guess that's why.
No way we can reach that, though.
Hey, miss!
Won't you get my balloon?
Wh-What... the heck...
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha
Don't strain yourself too hard, Fushimi.
Sorry. It looks like it's just plain out of reach.
What?!
If only you were bigger, like a grownup...
Say what?!
Sorry about that.
I guess I could transform into a grown-up...
I sure wish you were bigger.
Wait... Transform?
So that's your game?!
Here you go!
Is this how it's gonna be?
Why, if only you had some nice, big muscles—
No transformin'!
If only you were a three-star chef—
Forget it!
If only you were just four inches tall—
No transformin'!
No! Matter! What!
Fushimi? What about the game?
Are you all right?
Oh no, I've suffered a fatal concussion!
I'm not long for this world!
If only... If only I could see my beloved wife's face one last time!
Please change into my wife! Here's a photo!
So much for being subtle!
What's all this?
What's a test without a little interference?
Please, just let me see my wife's face again before I die!
It's not like it'll kill her.
Looks like you're feelin' well enough to go see her yourself!
Nishiyama Middle School
Where'd she go?
I think it was this way!
Where is she?
Show yourself!
Phew. Finally shook 'em.
Now, let's get to the game!
Sorry! I guess all that runnin' really tired you out.
I'm okay. It's just a little hot.
But what about you, Fushimi?
You feeling all right?
Wait here. I'll go get you some water.
Huh?
It won't open!
Lock
Why not?!
Lock
Did you really think you could shake us that easily?
You're not goin' anywhere until you transform!
Finally, a chance to catch our breath!
Honestly!
How awful...
Sumizone!
Are you okay?
She's sweatin' buckets!
Somebody! Anybody!
Open up!
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
This is all my fault.
Where is everybody?
It's so small!
What now? If I were just a little smaller, I could...
Get through all of tomorrow without transforming.
If she fails, you're getting married off to some god.
Inari, konkon!
Inari!
Change... into Tanbabashi's little brother!
Lady Uka's gettin' hitched!
Inari...
Help!
Huh? Fushimi?
T-Tanbabashi! It's Sumizome!
Infirmary
It's just a mild case of heat exhaustion.
I'll be fine. They've called my parents.
Oh, I see.
Sorry I made you run all over the place.
But I was the one who put you through all this trouble.
No, no! It really was all my fault!
I'm so glad you were there, Fushimi.
Thank you.
Uh-huh!
I'm glad it wasn't anything serious.
I'm sorry, Tanbabashi.
That game meant so much to you, and they called it off because of me.
Don't worry about that.
The important thing is that Sumizome is gonna be just fine, thanks to you.
If she felt the same way about him...
Fushimi?
...they'd be in love... with each other.
Here you go!
Hmm?
What's this?
May each and every one of your days be filled with joy!
And may your love bear fruit.
Bound For: Celestial Plains
It's better this way.
Yeah. It really is better.
If none of that had happened, I would never have given him that charm.
I won't be able to go to school for a while.
I wonder if they'll be mad at me.
Touka, Keiko, Maru...
And just when Sumizome and I became friends, too...
Tanbabashi, too. Not now...
Huh?
Oh, jeez. C'mon.
I couldn't keep my promise...
and now Lady Uka's in big trouble.
Maybe we went a little too far.
Yeah.
Forgive me, Lady Uka!
Inari.
Thank goodness you're all right.
But... I...
Put your mind at ease, Inari. You helped a friend in need.
One need not regret doing what is right.
Great Amaterasu?
As promised, we shall receive our punishment.
Lady Uka!
But as for Inari—
She passed.
Yes, she pa—
Passed?!
If you'd tried blaming Inari, I would have punished both of you.
But now I see how highly you think of her.
You mean...
this whole time, you were testing us?
The bond between god and human is a remarkable thing.
Great Amaterasu!
So this means I can still stop by to chat with you, Lady Uka?
Of course, Inari! About anything at all!
You got it!
Guess this isn't the time to admit, "I was just trying to kill some time!"
My approval rating would take a nosedive for sure.
That was a close one.
Kyoto Fujinokusa
Middle School
Morning!
Tanbabashi?
Sumizome...
Here's that answer I promised you.
Huh? Are you sure? Thanks!
If you're okay with me, that is.
I'd like to do something besides study all the time.
I'm happy for them. But still...
This is great news!
The team captain wouldn't shut up about how great a manager you'd be!
M-Manager?
He wasn't askin' her out?
Hey, Fushimi! Morning!
Y'know, I think this thing really is working!
Morning!
Thanks again!
I'll take good care of it!
So he thanked you.
Yeah!
I still can't believe it,
but I couldn't be happier!
Good for you, Inari.
I get it now.
That warmth I feel every time I stop by...
That's Lady Uka.
She really has been keeping an eye on me all this time.
Get away from her!
Touka?!
You stay away from Inari!
watashi wa naze koko ni ite
Why am I here
aisuru sube mo shiranaide
if I don't know how to love
sukuwareru toki wo yume mite ikiteita
I lived my life dreaming of salvation
unmei no kodou ni makasete yanagi no michi wo nukete
I rode my bicycle home past endless willows
jitensha de kaetta
and left my life to the vagaries of fate
chiisana dekigoto ni
The waves of life
yosete wa kaesu mainichi ni
break on the little things around me
anata ga soba ni ite
Please be with me
watashi ni hikari wo ataetekureta kara
You gave me the light
you saved me
You saved me
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha
See you next time !