"Seimei High School"
Hey, Odajima...
The photos from the kendo practice match the other day...
...why are they all of her?
Because there's no point in photographing the others.
This girl's one of their students, right?
Or rather, what are you making?
A life-size cutout.
What the heck are you going to use that thing for?
I'm not telling you.
Hey, if you know this girl, introduce me to her.
Sorry.
Haritsumeta kuuki ga suki
Takamaru kodou hirogatte yuku yo
Fukaku iki suikonda nara
Mou mae shika mienai wa
Daremo kawaru koto dekinai
Watashi shika arukenai michi
Sono namida mo subete kagayaki-hajimeru
Dakara omoi-kiri furi-ageta tenohira ni yadoru power
Mayowazu ni massugu ni ashita e to yuku yo
Honno mabataki no shunkan ni
Kanaeru yo yume no story
Hakanakute toukutemo
Akiramenai wa itsumo
Watashi dake no bamboo beat narashite
As I said, I never agreed to join the kendo team!
I only went to observe the other day
and I only participated in the match so that our numbers were even!
I decided, no more extracurricular activities in high school!
Do you understand now?
Yeah.
Then, please excuse me.
Azuma-chan, you want us to order your protective gear?
Not to worry! I have my equipment from middle school!
Then bring it next time, okay?
Yes, ma'am!
No...
Like I said...
Wh-Why you!
- What's wrong, Ishida-sensei? - Ooh! Damn it!
Well, I confiscated this game from one of the students...
...and I'm trying it out.
This guy's tough!
It won't be good if any of the other teachers see you doing this.
Yes, I just have a little more to go...
It got me.
Let me see that.
See, you have to get its lower body first.
You've done this before?
When the gauge becomes red, the attacks come in a pattern.
It won't be good if any of the other teachers see you doing this.
See?! Easy!
It's no good! 3D is not gaming!
With games, it's got to be 2D!
Long live sprites!
Oh, then would you like to play against each other sometime?
Ooh, fine by me! What platform shall we go with?
How about the Super NES?
- No. - What?
The Genesis.
Or possibly the Duo.
Yoshikawa-sensei, you're a hardcore gamer.
Ishida-sensei.
Oh, yes, sir?
You have students here to see you.
Excuse us!
Oh, what's up?
Hey, hey, take a look at this!
Satoriimu?
A nickname for Azuma-chan. Which one do you think is good?
"Sacchan..." "Satorin..." "Sacchin..." "Sacchii..." A nickname for Azuma-chan. Which one do you think is good?
"Sacchan..." "Satorin..." "Sacchin..." "Sacchii..." We're having a hard time narrowing it down to one.
"Sacchan..." "Satorin..." "Sacchin..." "Sacchii..." You know, new ideas just kept popping up one after another.
I guess the 3 at the top are what we'd recommend.
And I'm thinking "Satorin" might be good.
So, what about you? Which do you like?
Give it up.
It'll be the four of you in the next tournament.
Azuma is...
It's too bad, but she can't join the team.
But... Satorin loves kendo.
I know.
I do, and so does she.
I feel sort of bad for them.
Yes.
But it can't be helped.
And Azuma-san seemed to be having such fun, too.
Yes, I'm sure she did have fun.
But we can't pressure her to join just because of that.
What the? What's going on?
They sure are worked up about something.
Good grief.
Miya-miya...
...let's go to practice.
I'm sorry, I'm on cleaning duty, so you go ahead.
Got it.
See you!
Now...
Uh, um...
Miyazaki-san, you're on cleaning duty today, aren't you?
I'm sorry.
I have something I need to take care of, so would you do my share, too?
After she asked us so nicely... you know?
I know...
Want help?
M-Miyazaki-san...
What? You're alone?
Yes, everyone's skipped out and gone home...
Skipped out, huh? Now that's a problem.
I'll help you.
Oh, no, that's fine. You're not even in my class.
It's fine.
I pressured you into coming to that practice match, after all.
That... I really am fine with.
Because...
Baited body strike! Doh!
All right, I can move!
Men!
I had fun, too, so...
Then join!
- Hiss! - Croak!
No...
I...
...plan to go to college, so I can't join the team.
I lack focus and I'm stupid, so I have to study lots and...
Um...
You know...
...with people who're bad at school,
whether they participate in extracurricular activities or not,
they do bad either way, you know?
When you get down to it, people who excel at their studies
- also excel at extracurricular activities, don't they? - Croak.
N-Now that you mention it...
So, it's really no use for me to study?
She's so straightforward.
I can con her into believing whatever I want.
But...
...it's so fun to drive people into a corner!
- Lt's no use... ...it's so fun to drive people into a corner!
Take a look.
What is this?
My test results.
The ones from the beginning of the year.
Bad, aren't they?
Yes, they're bad.
I'm sorry!
These are from the tests the other day.
Oh, wow! They've improved.
It's because I joined the kendo team.
What did you say?!
I bet your grades have gotten worse in high school, haven't they?
- Yes, because the material's become more difficult...
- Wrong! It's because you quit kendo! - Yes, because the material's become more difficult...
Wh-Wh-What did you say?!
It's obvious, isn't it?
Kendo hones your mind and your ability to focus, right?
You quit doing that, and that's why you've lost your focus in school, too.
Y-You have a point...
"Kirino" "Top 20 in Class" "Eiga" "2nd in Class" "Yuuji" "4th in Class" Y-You have a point...
"Kirino" "Top 20 in Class" "Eiga" "2nd in Class" "Yuuji" "4th in Class" As proof of that, our kendo team has a lot of people with excellent grades,
"Kirino" "Top 20 in Class" "Eiga" "2nd in Class" "Yuuji" "4th in Class" with my boyfriend being the primary example!
"Kirino" "Top 20 in Class" "Eiga" "2nd in Class" "Yuuji" "4th in Class" Just look at this lineup!
Th-That's amazing!
And if you joined the kendo team,
you could get them to help you with your schoolwork, too.
Oh, how attractive... To think there's such an attractive bonus...
Just one more push.
What are you anyway?! A fool or a klutz?! Make up your mind!
If you're a fool, studying won't do you any good
and if you're a klutz, you need to get your focus up through kendo!
- Isn't that right?! - Croak! - Hiss!
Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You may be right...
Instead of inching your scores higher with the studying you suck at,
wouldn't you rather work hard at the kendo you're so good at
to improve your non-scholastic record
and get into college through recommendations?!
If you're going to be a fool anyway, be a kendo fool!
"Recommendations" If you're going to be a fool anyway, be a kendo fool!
"Recommendations" Croak!
Did you hear something go boom?
I understand.
I...
...must join the kendo team, mustn't I?
Yup!
I'll join! Please let me join! The kendo team!
Please! Let me in! Let me in!
- Please! Please! I'm begging you! - She's going to make a good gofer.
- Please let me... - She's going to make a good gofer.
...join the kendo team!
"Kendo Dojo"
"Team Application" "I would like to apply to join the kendo team." "Year 1 Class 3" "Satori Azuma"
You're joining?
Yes!
All right!
Welcome, Satoriimu!
- All right! - I'm glad. Azuma-san's going to join the team.
- We got her! - I'm glad. Azuma-san's going to join the team.
- Lt's Green! It's Green! It's Green! - Now, we'll be able to do matches with five members.
What to call Satori Azuma?
I'd say Satorin's fine.
"Yakitori"
What? So, you finally got five members together.
Yes, and they're a pretty promising bunch, too.
With the roster we've got,
the Nationals Prelims will be something to look forward to.
Wanna have another match after the Prelims?
That'd be fine by me.
But I'll be honest, I don't see us losing.
After all, we won easily last time, too.
You idiot, I'm talking about the other school.
I won't get beat so easily this time.
Then, shall we bet something again?
Oh, no...
It's not good for instructors to be making bets, is it?
That's not what trophies were made for.
Huh? What're you talking about?
But if you're seriously aiming to win on the national level,
you'll have to put some thought into instructing them.
What do you have planned?
What do I have planned?
We're just going to work hard and do things properly.
Is that any way for an advisor to talk?
If you're going to train in a short period of time,
do training camps and stuff.
Training camps, huh?
Well... but that requires all kinds of preparation...
Yeah, true.
So, here's the deal...
Oh! Dan-kun!
Hey, sensei, quit nomming me!
Huh?
It's the practice dummy that Saya and I made.
It's well-made, don't you think?
More like, too strong a resemblance...
You're awful, senpai!
To smack around Dan-kun, even if it is a practice dummy!
That's right! That's right!
What? But we got it to look so much like him...
I guess there's no helping it.
Which should we go with next?
They're creepy...
Let's stick Kojiro-sensei's head on.
This is what I look like?
Well, I got tired of making them, so...
People, this is no time to be relaxing and goofing off.
Next weekend is the tournament we've been waiting for!
It's the Nationals Prelims!
Tournament...
The Nationals Prelims...
Now, don't let this shock you!
But if we win that, we'll go on to compete at the National Tournament!
Well, yeah, because it's the Nationals.
If I lead the team to the national level!
If the school recognizes this wonderful achievement of mine!
That...
That utterly trivial blunder will surely be forgotten!
Surely, I won't have to quit my job here!
Tama! First off, you win the individuals tournament!
And you will grab our ticket to the Nationals!
Right...
I wonder if I'll be able to do that.
But high school kendo is still really about the team tournament, right?
It's when you go to the Nationals as a team
that an instructor's abilities are truly recognized, right?!
Beats me.
Right?!
Y-Yes, sir.
All right, it's settled!
We're going to Nationals as a team!
There's no other way for me to survive!
Oh, there goes sensei's head...
Cut it out! You're asking for bad luck!
I'm sorry for being late!
Azuma.
- Sacchin! - Satorin!
My glasses are bent out of shape now.
Azuma, you're okay with this?
Oh, I have a spare, so it's fine.
No, that's not what I meant.
You're really sure about joining the team?
Did your parents give their permission?
Yes!
My parents were also concerned
that my grades had gone down after I'd quit kendo.
So they said I could try doing kendo again.
And besides,
Yoshikawa-sensei helped me to convince them as well.
Yoshikawa-sensei did?
I see, I'm glad for you, Azuma.
Oh, but...
If my grades go down, I'll have to quit again.
Team Good Grades!
Here!
I'm leaving that part up to you!
Yes, sir!
We'll teach you good and proper, Sacchin!
You can count on us!
I look forward to your tutelage.
All right, we've got our five now!
And the playing field should be better than even for us at the tournament!
Good luck, my warriors!
Yeah!
The boys are being neglected the same as ever.
Let's do our best in individuals.
In order to train all of you further
and to deepen the team's bond with Azuma,
we are doing a training camp this weekend!
What?!
Sensei, are you serious?!
I'm serious!
I've already gotten permission from the school.
A training camp...
It feels so extracurricular!
This is what sets us sports teams apart, Kirino!
A training camp...
Where are we going to have it at?
Here!
What?!
We're staying at the school and doing nothing but training for 2 days!
We're gonna go all-out, so be ready for it!
Um...
Aren't training camps usually held in the mountains or by the ocean
or a waterfall or at a temple or something?
We don't have that kind of budget!
What's wrong with this?
All the facilities we need are right here.
Couldn't we at least go visit another school?
I don't have those kinds of connections, either!
Then it'll be the same as our usual practice.
Don't worry.
This isn't exactly to make up for it or anything,
but the Machido girls are supposed to come over.
It'll be a joint practice.
Machido? You mean that...
That's your senpai's school, isn't it?
Um, will their boys be coming over, too?
The boys aren't coming!
If we also invited the boys, I wouldn't be able to handle things.
We really are being neglected, aren't we?
We'll just do our best, right, Dan-kun?
A training camp...
- Tama! - Yes!
Let's get things fired up!
Let it rip against that thing!
But it's a dummy of you...
I don't care! Beat it up without holding back!
As a symbolic gesture of your intent to surpass me!
Uh, she's already surpassed you...
Muroe High kendo team, we're going to the Nationals!
Yeah!
Oh, sensei's head split...
It popped!
Why?!
Sensei's dead...
He's not dead!
- Lt's a bad omen. - Lt is a bad omen.
I-It's fine! It's not a problem!
Hey, quit nomming it!
It kind of feels like things are getting serious now.
Yes.
Have you ever been to a training camp?
Yeah, back in middle school.
Come to think of it, will this be your first?
Yes.
It's pretty fun.
The practices were rough,
but at night, we used to get pretty rowdy.
Rowdy...
Oh, but there're only two of us boys...
And Dan-kun's got Miya-miya...
See you.
Okay.
Training camp?
Yes, this upcoming weekend.
So, you'll have to eat by yourself.
Ah, right...
This is for the team, after all...
Training camp, is it?
So, where is it going to be at?
At school.
At school?
That's keeping it awfully close.
Where are the boys going?
The boys will be with us.
The boys are going to stay over at the school with you, too?
Yes, Yuuji-kun.
The Nakatas' boy...
That... Yuuji-kun?
Yes, that Yuuji-kun.
And you're staying at the school with that Yuuji-kun?
Yes.
I'm done eating.
Tamaki.
Yes?
Whatever you do, don't do anything you'll regret.
Yes, sir.
Training camp...
That'll be 250 yen.
"Tokyo TV" "Programs" "Sunday"
That was close.
Train...
...ing camp...
I'm calling the star rise
Yuuyami ni kagayaki-dasu negai-tachi
Kono te no naka orite-kite nagare-boshi
Madobe de suashi no mama yoru o miagete
Nemurenai tsuki-akari hitori
Me no mae o chira-tsuiteku hiruma no watashi
Jibun dake karamawari de modokashii mama
I'm calling the star rise
Me o tojite kokoro no koe kiiteru
Mada shiranai watashi ni deaitai
I'm calling the star rise
Mabayuku kagayaiteru negai-tachi
Kono te no naka orite-kite nagare-boshi
Enigma Ishibashi!
Our plot to conquer the world using girls' kendo...
Have you made progress with it?
No, not at all.
You fool!
Coming up next is Episode 15 already!
"First Training Camp and First Public Bath!"
What are you doing?!
M-My apologies.
If our plot does not succeed soon, he will...
He will show up!
L-Lord Death Armor!
Y-You are!