Haramura is...
The reigning middle school national champion is...
Haramura Nodoka...
So do your skills measure up to your popularity? Show me what you've got.
Does it start now?
It's started.
Nodoka...
A
Chikumahigashi 1st Year Kamigaki Megumi
Go, Nodo-chan!
A
Imamiya All-girls 3rd Year Tanaka Mai
A
Toufukuji 2nd Year Kawachichi Semi
You can do it, Haramura-san!
Table E's second to last round is about to begin.
Tradition
Hand 7
Let's have a good game.
What?
What the heck is she carrying?
Pro Fujita, what in the world is that thing Haramura is carrying?
It looks like a stuffed animal.
It is now being inspected.
She didn't have it when she was in middle school, did she?
No, she didn't...
You may proceed.
It does just look like a stuffed animal, doesn't it?
Pro Fujita, why do you think it's a penguin?
Hell if I know...
Did Takei Hisa give her the idea?
That is so obviously just to make her stand out!
What's with that person? She sticks out like a sore thumb...
Haramura has now taken her seat!
What? She's going to play while holding it?
How cute...
That's so intriguing.
Oh man, this is funny.
Haramura-san...
That's funny?
Nodo-chan, you can do it!
You set her up?
Well, after the results from my test at the training camp...
Hug Etopen?
You're extremely good when playing mahjong online at home.
If you hug a penguin so you can go to sleep like at home,
then, you might be able to play mahjong just like at home, if you hug the penguin too.
That's...
Well, about half is just to give people something to talk about.
Something to talk about?
You're one scary woman...
But, after injecting the penguin into the mix, Nodoka's many easy misses drop drastically.
She's the strongest when she's playing mahjong on the internet.
The username "Nodocchi" is famous in the online mahjong world.
In other words, this is the first time that people
will see the true strength of Haramura Nodoka,
descended from on high!
So, the second last round of table E has finally begun!
The debut match for the reigning champion of the national middle school mahjong tournament, Haramura Nodoka!
[Sitting South: Kiyosumi First Year - Haramura Nodoka]
Pardon me.
She hesitated on her first turn?
Discard pei or 9 sou, it's a no-brainer!
These idiots behind me are so annoying!
Nodocchi always spends some time thinking at first when she plays online.
I see.
Although it was only like, four or five seconds.
But by the second turn, her hand no longer has even a hint of hesitation.
After considering during the time her opponents are making their moves,
she figures out every pattern of what she should discard, and what will come up.
Is she trying to throw me off my pace by playing quickly?
I'll wipe you out with a yakuman!
[Taishou: The player in the final round of a tournament.]
I'll just play like I always do and leave it up to our taishou.
A
Eighth turn
Immediately, again?
Why the heck did she discard the 6 pin?
Doesn't discarding the 1 man leave her a better wait?
Though there are few 4 or 7 pin left, if you're just going for the win, it'd be better to discard the 1 man...
[Itsuu: 1-9 in a single suit. 2 han (1 if open)]
But Haramura Nodoka still sees the chance for an itsuu.
Let me refill your tea, Touka-ojousama.
Thank you.
Pro Fujita, discarding the 6 pin, what are your thoughts?
If you had the choice, would you rather aim for getting 1000 points half the time,
or 2000 points one third of the time?
2000 points would be more efficient, right?
This is the same as that.
Haramura Nodoka made that judgment in just a split second.
There's quite a difference between people who think only about winning percentages
and those who go so far as to factor in expected values.
But Nodoka wouldn't usually go for an itsuu.
So she's thinking there's still a 3 man left by looking at what the other players discarded?
She got it!
Riichi.
Haramura Nodoka is off to a head start with a riichi!
Her team's already on top, so why did she call a riichi here?
Maybe she's decided that it'd be better to keep up the attack than play defensive for the team.
Or maybe she's not considering the team, and just trying to grandstand.
D'oh!
If she'd have discarded the 1 man,
she would have had an ippatsu tsumo.
Saki-chan, wanna bite of my taco?
The first hand is a draw.
Tenpai.
I'm in no ten.
Tenpai.
No ten.
I guess Haramura Nodoka isn't really much...
Yeah...
Yes! She doesn't stand out much at all!
But the speed at which she calculated her play was almost like the "Nodocchi" I've seen online.
I could see her shadow hidden in Haramura Nodoka's records in middle school,
but now that I see her play, it's obvious...
Nodocchi's shadow!
A
East Round Hand 2 Fifth turn
All right, it's a comeback hand!
Oh, crap!
[Daisangen: Three melds of the dragons. Yakuman]
Dai-san-gen!
Chi!
Pon!
I can do this!
Pon.
Be the one...
I got it!
It's coming together!
Ron. Tanyao, dora 1.
2900 with the bonus is 3200.
You bitch!
So she tried to pass over my daisangen by calling a tanyao?
And what the hell is with that piece of shit penguin?!
A
East Round Hand 2 Second Bonus Round
[Ryankan: 3 tiles in a suit like 1,3,5 or 4,6,8]
Isn't it better to leave the ryankan with the 3 pin dora?
Can't they see the three 2 pin?
A
Eleventh turn
Ron.
Sanshoku, dora 2. 12 000 with two renchan is 12 600.
That 12 000 point loss for Chikumahigashi has got to hurt!
It's over for Chikumahigashi. As expected from Haramura Nodoka!
But didn't they have a big lead before Haramura Nodoka showed up?
Now that you mention it... Could it be that Kiyosumi is really strong?
Haramura Nodoka...
As I thought, she's...
Tsumo. 1300 from each of you, please.
Fast!
Haramura Nodoka is on a roll!
This is really getting one-sided.
Now that the three other schools in the match have no choice but to aim for big hands that come late,
nobody can match Nodoka's speed!
There can be no mistake!
Haramura Nodoka, is none other...
Tsumo. 3000 from each of you, please.
...than Nodocchi!
That completes the second last round.
[Fukushou: Player in the second last round]
The fukushou for Kiyosumi High School, Haramura Nodoka, has won a quick, decisive victory!
A
Kiyosumi +25 100 Team Total 208 100
Thank you for the game.
Kiyosumi High School really is just blowing through the first round!
Let's go get something to eat.
Pro Fujita, what do you think of the play we saw from Haramura Nodoka?
Honestly, I'm surprised. She's in a completely different dimension than she used to be.
And what could be the trigger for that?
The penguin... maybe?
It couldn't be... right?
Everyone!
We have a serious problem! A serious problem, indeed!
Touka...
Where the hell were you?
H-Haramura Nodoka...
She's Nodocchi, just as I thought!
You're still saying that?
She's almost a completely different person than her records from middle school.
The Haramura Nodoka I saw today was playing 99% like "Nodocchi."
And that means... And that means...
I'm not going to be able to blow everyone out of the water!
That's some impressive self-confidence.
I see... Haramura Nodoka is the fukushou, so that means you'll be playing her, Touka.
Exactly! I'll make it clear as night and day who the true idol is!
Assuming that Kiyosumi makes it to the finals...
They'll make it, all right!
Koromo... Koromo still isn't here yet?
Again?
Hey, did you see that?
What are you talking about?
Kiyosumi.
You mean Haramura Nodoka? I saw her just before...
Haramura, again?!
No, man!
The one who played after Haramura...
Their taishou?
That's right, their fifth!
She's friggin' nuts, man.
She blew Toufukuji away just like that and ended the match!
Kiyosumi's fifth player?
The fifth player, they say?
It couldn't be...
...her?!
Lunch Break
Hey!
Over here, over here!
Good job!
Now then: To Kiyosumi High School's mahjong club blowing through the first round,
and to aiming for victory in the second round!
Cheers!
Okay, dig in!
[The inside of a taco is warm!]
But man, Saki-chan was just unbelievable!
To blow Toufukuji away and end the match was just...
But that was, see, because Haramura-san and everyone already had lowered their score so much.
When Toufukuji started the final round, they had 46 800 points remaining.
Nice work.
Thanks!
I was really nervous today, playing against people I didn't know.
But it was fun, really!
I want... I want to play against even better people!
Hey...
Congrats on getting to the second round.
Pro Fujita!
Isn't that the pro doing commentary, Fujita Yasuko?
Whoa, for real!
Pro Fujita is coming to talk with... Kiyosumi High School?!
It's Ms. Katsudon...
One day I'll beat her...
Is it okay for the famous commentator to be shooting the breeze over here?
I'm just a bit interested in those two.
You two are like completely different people from the ones I played before.
What type of magic did you use in these past ten days, exactly?
Now, now...
Don't you think it had a lot to do with a certain beat-down they received?
But even if you win this afternoon's second round and get into the finals,
you'll be playing against Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi, you know.
Ryuumonbuchi's Amae is unbelievably powerful.
And Kazekoshi has brought their best team this year.
I don't think you'll be able to do what you did in your first match...
Th-Those two schools are really that good?
This girl...
The second round will begin shortly.
Will the first players from each school please proceed to their assigned locations.
All right!
So, let's go!
Okay!
If you'll excuse us...
That girl might turn into something...
But it's a shame she's the taishou.
Even if they get to the finals, her opponent is Amae Koromo.
She might be broken just from one hand...
[Table D Observation Room]
It's totally empty!
Well yeah... Nobody's going to come see our match this afternoon.
Since most people are interested in the two seeded schools,
they're here to see the matches for Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi.
So, everyone, are you prepared?
Yes!
Everyone's focused on us!
Completely focused on us!
Um, why was I asked to come here?
It would be better if we didn't have to call on you.
Substitute.
In place of Koromo.
In other words, if Koromo doesn't show, you're the taishou in her place.
Man, Koromo is such a pain!
She must have destroyed all five alarm clocks.
Um, what are these, exactly?
They at least make you seem a bit like Koromo!
Yes.
Well, you've already been registered as a substitute, Ayumu, so there's no problem actually.
B-But...
And yet, what's with those clothes?!
I came here straight from the mansion, so...
And I'm your maid, Touka-sama!
But I'm hers exclusively.
Uh, right... Sorry.
What are you talking about?
Well, I suppose it can't be helped.
If it does happen to be your turn, then please wear my clothes.
O-Ojousama!
Y-You mean that I'd get to put on your clothes, Touka-sama?!
But like I said, I'm Touka's personal maid!
But, there's no way I could substitute for Koromo-sama!
Will the first players for the second round table A get ready, please.
Ayumu, don't worry.
There's no need for you change your clothes.
Yes?
Today the only person playing from Ryuumonbuchi...
...is me.
Ten seconds until the start.
9, 8, 7, 6,
5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
It's the start of the second round!
Sheesh...
The President is just a slave driver...
It's already this late?
As we thought, Kazekoshi's match is really crowded.
That's it, I quit playing mahjong!
And that does it, folks!
The second round table H is over!
Kazekoshi All-girls, with a decisive win!
The tradition of Kazekoshi All-girls is back!
Good job!
No prob!
Good work.
Thank you very much!
Kazekoshi's amazing...
They defeated last year's third place, Shiroyama Shougyou, in a flash!
Firm as a rock, strong as steel!
Even Ryuumonbuchi might be in trouble this year!
This might be the strongest five people in history!
Say it more, say it more!
Let's do it tomorrow, just how we did today, okay?
Right!
Kazekoshi, huh?
But... they sure are pretty...
[Kazekoshi All-girls High School Waiting Room]
You think you can just slack off?!
What the hell was with that last match?
You played poorly because your captain here is such a pushover!
Ikeda!
Y-Yes?
What the hell was that discard of the 7 pin?!
You should be thankful your opponent was a chump,
because you can't honestly think you could get away with that shitty play in the nationals, right?!
You fucked up like that last year too, didn't you?
You got hit with a baiman,
and you dragged mud all over our school's tradition... Or did you forget?!
Please stop.
Her miss is my miss.
If you're going blame her, blame me as well.
Ikeda is the second ranked player in the school.
And she wins 31% of the time even when practicing with alumni.
You are also part of the team for this competition, Coach Kubo.
And if you look at her past play, I think her ability to count points is superior.
And yet, Ryuumonbuchi's Amae Koromo possessed a demon last year.
I think even I would have given that up back then.
I'm sure she's blamed herself the entire year.
Captain!
I am proud of her, so...
When you get back, we're having a serious meeting on this, got it?
Captain!
Captain...
What about the other three schools?
Have the other three schools been decided?
Yes, they've been decided.
Ryuumonbuchi won A block.
And what's more, they won by blowing away Shinonoinishi in the first round.
Their lead-off, Inoue Jun, in one stroke as East in the south wind round...
The others in the finals are Tsuruga Academy and Kiyosumi High School.
It looks like it's the first time either of them have gotten to the finals.
So Ryuumonbuchi won?
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness?
If Ryuumonbuchi didn't make it through, then we couldn't directly get our revenge on them, right?
Both our Coach, and Ryuumonbuchi...
Our other opponents...
And the people who come to watch...
...let's show them all.
Show them that we, Kazekoshi All-girls...
...are the best there is.
Next Episode
The Night Before
Fireflies sure are pretty, don't you think?
They really are...
Oh, can you two do it?
Do what?
Where you trace along the middle of the tiles and flip them over one after another!
I fail to see what that has to do with fireflies.