The second match of the Monaco Cup finals.
Due to repeated sabotage, the match at the deserted island was nullified;
the rematch was to take place at the San Agustin River in Mexico.
But, the Japanese representatives were
dropped into the Huautla Cave, which has a depth of 1500m.
Lost within the caves,
the Japanese representatives and Pierrot
came upon the Iglesia Falls, which connected to a downstream river.
However, the river In the cave was more like a flooded underground water tunnel.
Without diving equipment to breathe underwater,
it was impossible to escape.
Once you’re a world-level clown...
You can hold your breath and swim for 2-3km.
So, for now, I will swim down the river and call for help.
Th... Th... The amazing world-level!
But, I’m really hungry right now.
No need to worry.
I have all of the ingredients ready.
How about making the bread for the match using the blind cave tetra?
If you make me a delicious bread...
I think I will get back my stamina and be able to swim.
I see!
In that case, leave it to us!
Yeah.
Let’s make it!
All right!
There’s English bread, German bread, and French bread,
but Japan’s bread, Japan, does not exist.
In that case, there’s no choice but to create it.
This story is a serious, biographical ballad of a boy who possesses Solar Hands,
Azuma Kazuma, who will create a Japanese bread made by and for the Japanese people,
which can be presented to the world proudly.
I swore to your shining eyes
kagayaku kimi no hitomi ni chikatta
Yakitate!! Japan
Translated by: Anime-Empire
on an afternoon when the blue sky
chiisana mado kara aozora ga mieta gogo
was visible through a small window
that I no longer wanted to run away.
nigeru koto nante mou shitaku wa nai yo
senaka ni atatakai te no hira o kanjiteiru
I feel a warm hand upon my back.
kizutsuku yori mo tsurai no wa
The only thing more painful than getting hurt is...
ashita wo akiramete jibun ni uso tsukitsuzukeru koto
giving up on tomorrow and continuing to lie to yourself.
daiji na yume wo hitotsu kokoro ni itsudemo
The one precious dream always held in your heart
shinjite mamotte norikoete ikou
Let’s believe it, protect it, and overcome everything.
daiji na yume ga aru kara motto tsuyoku nareru
Because we have a precious dream, we can become stronger
omoiegaita mirai wo dakishimete
holding on to the dream that we imagined and painted
kore kara mo
forevermore.
Pierrot’s big miscalculation!!
The Last Supper. How does it taste?
Pierrot’s big miscalculation!
The Last Supper. How does it taste?
All right, let’s do this!
Let’s make a super-delicious bread to give Pierrot-han the stamina he needs.
Okay.
Yeah, let’s do this!
Hey, Mr. Clown.
Huh? Wh-What is it?
Do you have any fishing rods?
The fish here are so small that even my sword, Kaijinmaru, cannot catch them.
Of course I do.
After all, the plan was to make bread with fish caught from the river...
Here you go.
Hey! Why would we need so many when there’s only three of us?!
Oh, that’s right.
Is something the matter? You look rather pale.
What are you saying?
Clowns are always pale.
That’s true...
First, let’s make some bait from the flour.
All right!
I’m going to catch me some big ones!
I’m sorry, Japanese representatives.
It was impossible from the very beginning
for me to help us escape from these caves
by swimming 2-3km while holding my breath...
Because I’m...
a deadweight in water.
Man, that’s a big haul.
They’re biting at every cast.
Well, there usually isn’t anybody fishing for them here in the caves,
so they aren’t wary of being caught.
Hey, how about joining us, Old... Mister Pierrot?
This is a lot of fun.
Uh, no no no no.
I’ll pass.
I have to conserve my strength, after all.
Yeah, Azuma.
Don’t cause trouble for our Great Savior.
Yeah.
That’s true...
This is bad.
They are catching the fish easily.
They’ll make the bread at this rate!
I must think of another way to escape quickly...
Or I really will have to swim.
How is it, Kawachi?
They don’t seem poisonous,
but they’re really disgusting.
It feels like I’m eating goldfish.
Disgusting!
They stink, and their meat’s dry.
They ain’t fit for consumption.
Mr. Clown.
We fished them, but they don’t taste too good.
We have flour and seasoning,
so I think that we should give up on making bread with fish, and simply make regular bread.
What do you think?
No! No, no, no, no!
You can make a regular bread really quickly, right?
But, why?
Why must we prepare a bread with fish for the match when we’re in such a crisis?!
There’s a very good reason for it.
I didn’t mention this before,
but my favorite food is fish.
No...
Actually, I think I prefer meat.
Since this may be my last supper,
I really want to eat a delicious bread made with fish.
The truth is that I just want to buy some more time...
The last supper...? You can’t be serious.
Pierrot-han... you plan on dying?
If that should happen, we’ll die, too!
I’m not planning on dying, but...
Even a world-level clown is going to find it dangerous
to swim for 2-3km without breathing.
I’ll be putting my life at stake here.
Actually, I will, without a doubt, die. I’m a deadweight in water, after all...
Forgive me, Mr. Clown.
Yeah, this is the least we can do for you.
Your life is on the line, after all.
Thank you, Japanese representatives.
But, what should we do?
It’s impossible to make a delicious bread with such disgusting fish.
All right! With this, I can buy a little time.
And now, I should come up with another escape...
I thought of something good!
It’s Japan #22!
Did I say something bad?
No, not at all.
Of course it’s bad, you dumbass!
Really? Thank goodness.
Be patient for just a little longer.
I’ll make it at mach speed!
Yeah!
You really don’t have to pass the speed of sound.
Ah, but...
Aren’t those blind cave tetras really disgusting?
Don’t you think that it’s a good idea to put some more thought into making...
It’s all right.
I developed Japan #22 to taste good, no matter what fish I use.
It’s kamaboko Japan, after all.
Note: Kamaboko (蒲鉾) is a block of processed fish paste.
Kamaboko, you say?!
Do you mean the kamaboko you make by crushing fish meat?
Yep!
It’s true that kamaboko is made from fish such as sharks and flying fish,
which are pretty dry and have no umami.
Note: Umami (旨味) refers to the savory or meaty taste found in fish and meat. It is considered a fifth taste sensation (in addition to sour, sweet, salty and bitter), and is now an official word in English.
Yeah, but does kamaboko go well with bread?
I’ll apply a trick to it, so no worries.
Japan #22 is definitely delicious.
Still... However... But...
What’s with you?!
Well, there are no definites in this world.
If Azuma says it’s definitely delicious, then it’s definitely delicious.
Yeah, that’s right.
Mr. Clown, don’t worry.
Let’s make it right away!
This is really bad.
Based on past experience,
Castella
Japan (#21)
it’s almost a given that his bread will be really delicious.
On top of that, he’s trying to make it faster than the speed of sound.
At this rate,
I’ll be at the bottom of the lake faster than the speed of sound!
I have no choice, then.
Until I can come up with another way to escape,
I must prolong my reaction for all eternity!
Prepare yourselves, Japanese representatives!
We should mix half of this minced fish with the dough.
Oh?
I see, I see.
While I may have said that...
When I am reacting to kamaboko,
what should I tie it up with at the end?
The trick is to season it strongly.
Okay, let me do that.
Note: bokoboko = full of holes; Kumamoto = a prefecture in Kyuushuu kamatoto = a pretentious woman
Kamaboko...
Bokoboko...
Kumamoto...
Kamatoto...
Nothing really quite fits.
I mean, a reaction is not something that you really think about, or prepare beforehand.
It’s an expression of feeling
borne from your body and soul reacting naturally to something that’s extremely delicious.
However, my life is on the line this time.
I have to think hard and come up with the longest reaction possible!
Kawachi, you should let it drain a for a while longer.
Isn’t this enough?
Get serious, Baldy.
We have lives at stake on this bread.
We aren’t playing house.
Note: Mamagoto (ままごと) means playing house.
I know that!
Mamagoto?
Mamagoto... Mamadoko...
Note: Mamadoko (ママどこ) means “where’s mama?”
Where’s Mama?!
I think I can go with this!
I mean, I haven’t found my mother, after all...
In these desperate circumstances,
if I were to call out for my mother,
I’m sure that I’d be able to make them understand my need to find her.
So, we just steam this now, right?
Let me see...
However, the mamadoko reaction won’t last more than a moment.
How can I prolong it...?
Isn’t it a little too salty?
Sorry about that.
I guess I seasoned it a little more than I should have.
That isn’t good.
You should calculate exactly how much salt you’re going to add.
Calculate?!
True, but...
It’s not like you to use a word like “calculate.”
Calculate?
That is it!
Instead of making it a simple pun, I should make my reaction into a code!
While they may all be first-class bakers...
they seem to be bad at calculating things.
So, while they figure out the answer,
I will have plenty of time to think about another escape route.
There is a message within this numerical value.
The RSA codes used in computers and on the Internet
are also created based on such numerical values.
All right, now we just have to bake it.
What the...
What’s Pierrot-han up to?
11 times 26 is 286...
And... putting them all together...
It’s done!
Already?!
You really did do it at mach speed, did you?
Huh?
I messed up, so it wasn’t that fast.
Yeah, I think we probably took about two hours.
Damn it...
I got so involved with figuring out the code that I lost track of the time.
Oh... Oh well, that’s all right.
Either way, it’s going to take everyone a long time to figure out my code.
All right, let me sample it.
Here you go. Japan #22.
All right.
Chomp.
Delicious!
At this rate, my feelings will...
c-c-come out straight.
Kawachi!
You must be strong!
Be strong, Pierrot!
You cannot do a regular reaction!
If I don’t want to drown here...
The code...
I must scream out the code!
104,877,443,673!!!
Wh-Wh-What the...? I don’t get it!
This is a code.
A code?
That’s right.
This number is based on the 26 letters of the alphabet.
Until you figure out the meaning of this code,
I will not go into the river.
Ju... Just wait a moment.
Why must we do something like that?
Yeah...
Isn’t it more important to get out of here quickly, than to solve that code?
Do you have a problem with my reaction?
This may be my very last reaction.
It’s a reaction with my life on the line.
When you put it like that...
104,877,443,673.
Come on, what’s the meaning of this code?
With this, I can buy us some time.
Come on. 104,877,44...
I got it!
The answer is M-a-m-a-d-o-k-o.
“Where’s Mama.” Right?
H-H-H-H-H-How did you know that?!
It’s really simple.
104,877,443,673.
If you do mental arithmetic on it in base 26,
Note: The kanji 乗 means “to raise to the power of.”
13 times 26 raised to the power of 7,
plus 1 times 26 raised to the power of 6,
plus 13 times 26 raised to the power of 5,
plus 1 times 26 raised to the power of 4,
plus 4 times 26 raised to the power of 3,
plus 15 times 26 raised to the power of 2,
plus 11 times 26,
plus 15.
That’s what you get.
Now, the numbers 13 and 1 appear twice to form m-a-m-a.
4, 15, 11 and 15,
when compared to the alphabet, give you d-o-k-o.
Well, that’s how we get “mamadoko.”
You did all that by mental arithmetic?!
Are you the Rainman?
Azuma, you had that kind of power?
I’m pretty surprised, too.
Despite my appearance, I’ve been strong with numbers since childhood,
but I’m terrible at learning Japanese.
Really?
Then, can you solve this problem?
98,765 times 4321.
It s 426,763,565!
Is that right, Suwabara?
How would I know?!
Don’t ask questions to which you don’t know the answer!
He’s right...
This must be what they mean when they say, “there’s a fine line between genius am idiocy.”
How mean...
The reaction I was planning to prolong for all eternity
ended up being so short that it was completed within the time of the eyecatch.
I guess I have no choice, then,
but to tell them the meaning behind “where’s Mama” for all eternity.
In that case,
I can just tell them my life story again, all the way from the beginning.
That’s impressive.
Yeah, “where’s Mama” is correct.
And this is where the show starts.
Let me explain the meaning of “where’s Mama” in detail...
That isn’t necessary.
You don’t need to tell us, Mr. Clown.
Uh, but...
That’s right.
You grew up without knowing your mother’s face.
We really understand why you’d convert “kamaboko” to “mamadoko”
in the desperate circumstances of being trapped within this cave.
Yeah.
We really don’t need any more words.
I hope you meet your mom soon!
Guys...
And, for precisely that reason, you must swim quickly.
Yeah, swim.
Swim!
Go on... Go on... Go on...
Everything backfired,
and I’m in the worst possible spot that I could be.
What can a deadweight in water like me do at such a time?
Oh yeah...
H-Hey!
This bread was really delicious, so before I jump in, I would like you to tell me the recipe.
Okay.
Well, in order to help you meet your mom quickly,
I’ll explain it to you at mach speed.
Listen carefully.
First, mince the fish, wash it with water, and squeeze all of the wafer out.
By the way,
adding water to the fish and washing it helps to get rid of any unnecessary elements.
Next, cut the mix in half, and use one of the halves to make a slab of kamaboko.
Season the other half to taste, and knead it into the bread dough.
Next, dice the kamaboko slab and add it to the bread dough.
All that remains is letting it ferment.
After that, you steam it, but it’s delicious if you bake it normally too.
That’s it.
After that, you steam or bake it...
Oh no!
What am I taking notes for!
More importantly, it was over so fast that I couldn’t even buy any time!
So, that should be enough, right?
Let’s do our best and swim!
Your mother’s waiting.
Do your best.
Hurry up and swim.
I guess there’s nothing more that I can do.
I guess I just have to suck it up and jump in.
I don’t know where you might be,
but don’t leave me now...
Mama!
To think that after becoming a world-level clown who could do anything,
not knowing how to swim would become a fatal flaw...
Since circuses don’t have pools, clowns don’t need to swim in the first place,
and since I didn’t have a family, I couldn’t go on family trips to the beach, either.
Mama!
Mama...
Oh, I would have liked to go to the beach with you, just once...
and after swimming for a while, play in the sand with all my heart...
Pierrot-chan, tres bien.
Pierrot, would you like to play catch?
Okay!
I’m a world-level clown,
so acrobatics are a piece of cake!
What’s wrong, Pierrot-chan?
Looks like you made an error in catching it.
That’s strange...
Here.
Another error, eh?
Catch it this time, okay?
Okay.
Oh I see!
This must be third Major League...
Note: This is a reference to the protagonist Hoshi Hyuuma, from the baseball anime “Kyojin no Hoshi.”
Enlightenment!
No, he isn’t!
But, it’s strange...
Why did I make an error in catching a regular pitch like that?
What is it?
What’s happening?
Huh?
I can breathe!
Since I was making errors all the time, I can breathe now!
I’m breathing via errors!
I’m breathing via era?
I’m breathing via era.
Note: “Error” is pronounced as “eraa” in Japanese; “era” (鰓) means “gills.”
I’m breathing with gills!
I see!
The minced blind cave tetra had
the most muscular portion around the cheek of the fish,
in other words, the portion with the gills, mixed in it.
Be it tuna or snapper, the cheek portion is the most delicious part.
To think that they remembered to add that into the kamaboko...
Thank you, Japanese representatives!
Thanks to your bread,
I’m able to swim!
We’ve been told that Pierrot and Kazuma’s party have been untraceable.
I wonder if they’re really all right...
Well, considering the kind of people they are...
I’m sure that they’re alive somewhere.
What the...
My...!
What is it?!
What in the world happened?!
D-Damn it.
I cannot breathe with gills in the air.
itsuka wakaru sa kizutsuitari nayanda hibi
Someday you’ll understand.
The days when you were hurt and confused
kagayaki ni kawaru. Dakara tsukamaetete
will turn into something radiant. So, hold on to...
ima wa kurushii kimi wo. Nigenaide kanau made
your present suffering. Don’t run away till your wish comes true.
kodoku wo kakaekomu toki mo
Even at times you embrace loneliness...
kimi wa mada hitori ja nainda
you are not yet alone.
jibun sae shinjirarenai bukiyou na kimi demo
Even if you don’t quite believe it, even the clumsy little you
nandomo kara wo tatakinagara
can knock yourself against your shell many times over,
tobidasu hi wa jibun dake no chikara sa
so that the day you fly out, it will be with your own strength.
tatoe kimi dake ni tsubasa ga nakutemo kitto
Even if it is only you who doesn’t have wings,
utau tori ni natte
become a song bird.
Next Episode
Our royal palace possesses ingredients gathered from all over the world.
You can take whatever you like.
How generous!
However!
Only if you can answer my question.
What was that?!
Next time, on Yakitate!! Japan,
The King’s Question!!
Who is the first person you feed
your delicious-looking bread to?
Who is the first person you feed your delicious-looking bread to?
Be sure to watch!
Yakitate!! Seed of knowledge.
Kamaboko originated from Japan.
Kamaboko
Originated in Japan
Because it resembles the ear of the plant cattail,
Ear of a cattail
it used to be called “gama no ho.”
Gama no ho
The ear of a cattail, or gamahoko, eventually became kamaboko.
Gamahoko
Oh?!