What should I do?
Oh, right...
It's spring already...
Tama-chan.
Oh...
Hello.
I'm sorry. Did I keep you waiting?
No, not at all.
Do you want to go straight there? Or...
Shall we grab a bite to eat first?
I'm so sorry...
I haven't made a trip into the city in a while,
so I was nervous and I didn't feel like eating much breakfast...
Tama-chan, you spilled.
I'm sorry. It's all because I asked you to come along.
Oh, not at all.
I also want to see it on as big a screen as possible, so...
Well, it's a good diversion.
Since I have college entrance exams next year.
Oh, good luck with that.
Thank you. You, too.
After all, you'll be a senpai on your team in the new school year.
A senpai?
Me?
Of course.
A senpai...
Have you been training properly?
Oh, y-yes!
Really? That'll be something to look forward to also then.
I haven't had a match with you since fall.
That's true, since things got hectic for our team.
I won't lose next time!
Neither will I!
We want...
...to protect...
...everyone's smiles!
"Super Sword Squadron" "Blade Bravers"
"Warriors of the Four Sacred Beasts Come Together!"
No one! I'll make not one person cry
One fell swoop, a final change!!
Help me!
One fell swoop, a final change!!
That's the spirit, Juji!
Super Sword Squadron, Blade Bravers That's the spirit, Juji!
Super Sword Squadron, Blade Bravers Surpass me!
Super Sword Squadron, Blade Bravers And surpass yourself!
Win, without fail!
Because Shinaider will never die, ever again!
Shinaigirl!
He's returned to life?!
Someone shouts deep in my heart... He's returned to life?!
Someone shouts deep in my heart... Silver Braver!
Someone shouts deep in my heart... Captain!
Whoa-oa-oa!! Captain!
Whoa-oa-oa!! Here we go! Final Change!
Whoa-oa-oa!! Right!
Whoa-oa-oa!! Big Braver Robo! Great Star Sword! Blade of Trinity Crash!
With a shinai possessed by the god of destruction Big Braver Robo! Great Star Sword! Blade of Trinity Crash!
With a shinai possessed by the god of destruction
Take aim at the enemy... Slash! Slash!
Then, I'll see you.
Yes.
Braver was a little cool, too.
Yes. So was Shinaider.
"Chiba Deli"
A third year student, huh?
I wonder how many new members we'll get this year.
Whoops.
Mom, do we have any spare fluorescent light bulbs?
It looks like it's over there, Shinobu-chan.
Makoto, don't you think this is unfair?!
What's unfair?
Why do we have to join the kendo team?!
After surviving the entrance exams,
we're about to begin our glorious lives as high school students!
So why does that have to start with head and wrist guards?!
But it sounds like fun. Being in sports is good for you, you know.
If it's good for me all the same, I'd rather choose another sport!
Like table tennis or lacrosse or kabaddi or sepak takraw!
None of those apparently have teams...
Not even table tennis?
At any rate, let's at least drop by the dojo.
We've come this far, after all.
To begin with... When you get down to it...
I absolutely hate kendo!
Excuse me!
There's probably no one here. Let's leave.
You don't have to be so impatient.
Oh, excuse me.
Yes?
We're new students...
New students...
Would you mind if we observed for a bit?
Not at all, please come in.
New students... What should I do?
Um, could we observe something?
Oh, r-right...
Aren't there any other people here?
Th-They're not here yet. I'm sorry.
See? It's a waste of time to be here. Let's leave.
Please wait just a little longer. Everyone will be here shortly.
Hurry! Someone come!
Pardon me for being late!
And this is?
Azuma-san in Year 2.
What? No one else is here yet?
No. What should we do?
It would be better to do something for them to watch, right?
Especially since they seem bored...
That's true. It would be bad to let them be bored, right?
Um, feel free to ignore us.
Please go about your normal business, senpai.
Senpai...
Did he just call us senpai?
Yes.
If these two join the team, they'll be our very first kouhai, won't they?
You're right.
In other words,
whether we gain new members or not is riding on our abilities, isn't it?
Is that... what it comes down to?
I understand.
Let us tide things over for now
until our team captain, senpai, and teacher get here.
With our performance!
Performance?
I will stop a naked blade with my bare hands!
- What? - Go!
There!
That's not a naked blade.
What? That's your complaint?
We failed, didn't we?
Wouldn't it be better to show a normal practice...
Hello.
Miyazaki-san, put on some kind of performance!
What the?! You're creeping me out!
Wait, who are they?!
Uh, then...
"Miya-miya" "Dan-kun"
There.
And from here...
There!
Ta-da!
That's got nothing to do with kendo.
- Eh?! - Eh?!
- Okay, okay, okay, Shinobu-chan! - Now, now, now, Miyazaki-san!
What's with that first year?!
After I went to all that trouble to put on a performance!
If we would just show them a normal practice...
It's kind of rowdy in here.
What's up?
Dan-kun!
Would you listen to this?! That first year's giving me attitude!
First year?
Are you interested in joining?
Yes.
We only came to observe.
Do you have any experience?
No, but we have protective gear.
They're hand-me-downs from our big brothers!
They quit and our moms forced the gear on us so it wouldn't go to waste.
Oh, yeah, stuff like that happens.
But well, you're here now, so take a look at things.
You can decide to join us or not after that.
Might you be the team captain?
Nope. Why?
Because you seem the most normal.
This is our team captain, Dan-kun.
I'm the team captain!
He's an acorn.
Who are you calling an acorn?!
Miyazaki-san, violence is not allowed inside the dojo!
That first year pisses me off!
I'm leaving.
Shinobu-chan!
A-Are you okay?!
Oh, her legs must have fallen asleep.
That's what you get for disrespecting kendo!
No, I don't think that's relevant here.
This is why I hate kendo!
The protective gear looks lame and fuddy-duddy and kind of smelly!
Shinobu-chan!
There's no point in doing kendo in this day and age!
That's not true.
Kendo is fun!
Yes.
Precisely!
Oh, senpai.
Going at it, are we, my friends?
Weren't you going to retire after spring vacation?
Don't go arbitrarily kicking us out.
We'll come to practice until the Nationals.
I heard what's going on.
My first year friends!
That kind of prejudice towards kendo is outdated!
"In this day and age"? No, no, non, non.
Now is the time to Let's Kendo! Come on, together!
With kendo, sure, the protective gear is unwieldy
and fuddy-duddy and wrist guards stink,
but you'll definitely have fun if you get into it!
Dan-kun!
Yeah!
Time for practice!
And a one, two...
I'm starting to get psyched up here!
Men!
Wha...
What is this? It's like they're all different people now...
What do you think? Cool, isn't it?
Yes...
But more than that...
...everyone seems to be having fun.
Yeah, this is the Muroe High kendo team.
You're a lot like how I was a year ago.
- What? - All right! Stop!
Well? That's kendo.
It's very impressive. I was surprised.
Especially her.
She's so small, but she's amazing.
Tama-chan's competitive on the national level, after all.
Are you getting a little more interested now?
Yes...
But we're really complete beginners.
Can we become like all of you senpai?
I guess that depends on how much you practice.
But being a beginner is no reason to hesitate.
I mean, on our team...
I'm sorry! My meeting ran late!
Sensei, you're late.
I'm sorry! I'll get changed right away!
Our advisor is the least experienced person here, anyway.
Well, everyone, this past half-year, I have served as advisor and instructed you all...
I have been instructed by you all, but...
You're so honest.
Well, I'm going to have to leave you guys for a while.
- Why?! - What for?!
The truth is... um...
Because I'm going to have a baby.
What?!
So, I'll be on maternity leave for a while.
Is it a boy?! Or a girl?!
I haven't found out yet.
How far along are you?
A little over 3 months.
Have you told your husband already?
Tama-chan?
Congratulations.
Congratulations!
Thank you.
Did it move?
I can't really tell.
It's only been 3 months, so...
Me next! Me next!
We can ask Tama-chan's father and Uchimura-san again
to lead our practices and instruct us,
but what should we do about an advisor?
I guess we'll go ask someone else.
Like the assistant principal maybe.
Oh, you don't have to worry about that.
I've already asked someone to fill in for me.
Is it a teacher who knows kendo?
Yes, he's very good!
Sensei?!
Ishibashi-sensei?
My honey! You shouldn't be here!
I told you to keep your work with the team to a minimum, didn't I?
Your body doesn't belong to you alone anymore.
But I'm still only 3 months along, so...
Is our new advisor Ishibashi-sensei?
Oh, so it's your husband.
But doesn't he instruct at two schools already?
Or rather, a teacher from another school can't serve as an advisor.
Quit jumping to conclusions. I'm not the advisor.
Like I have time for that.
Uh, your new advisor is this guy.
Come on out!
M-M-My...
My name is... Bureibaa!
My family name is Bureibaa! My first name is Bureido!
People call me Bureibaa Bureido!
Nice to meet you!
It's sensei...
- What's up with that? - Uh, so um...
- Beats me... - Uh, so um...
Pleased to make your acquaintance, members of the kendo team!
- I'm... - Sensei!
- Hey! What're you doing, Kirino?!
- Sensei! Sensei! Sensei! Sensei! - Hey! What're you doing, Kirino?!
- Sensei! Sensei! Sensei! Sensei! - No, you're wrong! I'm Bureibaa...
Sensei!
This is why I told you to come in normally!
Welcome back, sensei!
I'm home.
Well...
I'm being reinstated to substitute
for Yoshikawa-sensei during her maternity leave.
But what about the old hag, the friend of the chairman's wife?
She didn't speak out against this?
That old hag apparently moved away.
Now that she's not a neighbor, it seems she has less influence.
Also, Yoshikawa-sensei got a letter of recommendation for me from Hayashi-sensei.
Ooh!
I'm no good at kendo, but I'm good at getting things done.
Well, so there you have it.
I look forward to working with you again.
Yes, sir!
Oh? New students?
Yes, we're here to observe today.
I see, I see. We welcome anyone who's motivated!
You're getting ahead of yourself, sensei.
You're not officially the advisor yet, are you?
Don't be so uptight.
I'm Toraji Ishida. And you are?
I'm Makoto lwasa.
I'm Shinobu Toyama.
Iwasa?!
Toyama...
Were your big brothers on the kendo team?
Yes, though, they don't seem to have gone to practice much...
Did you know them?
Lwasa's little brother and Toyama's little sister, huh?
They're not alike at all...
Yeah, especially lwasa-kun...
Makoto-kun. Shinobu-chan.
Yes?
We won't push you into anything,
but if you're interested, we'd love for you to join us.
Right...
Come practice kendo with us
and make up for what your brothers missed.
Right...
I'll think about it.
Today's a great day.
It's a new beginning for the Muroe High kendo team!
All right, get your head guards on!
I'll check on your progress, since it's been a while!
Yes, sir!
Kojiro.
You got protective gear?
I brought it with me. The full set.
I guess he just couldn't wait to practice with everyone.
That guy hasn't grown up at all.
There.
All right! We're going to train 'til we drop today!
Huh? Why?
What a weird team.
The senpai and kouhai and teachers are jumbled together.
It's like they're all friends.
All right! Come at me, Tama!
Men!
Head strike!
"Oden"
If this is to celebrate my reinstatement,
you could've picked a fancier place.
Be grateful that we're celebrating at all.
I've got expenses looming on the horizon here.
You really move fast, though.
I fell over when I got the call from Yoshikawa-sensei.
What did you go do after that anyway?
I worked a part-time job that Nobu-chan found for me on a ship,
helped out at home, stuff like that.
Other than that, all I did was practice swings.
Swings, huh?
Yes.
After work, until I was dead with exhaustion...
Hundreds of times for hours on end.
Thanks to that, I was able to keep my mind off things.
So that's why your moves haven't deteriorated too much.
I'd expected you to be more rusty.
To think that at my age,
I was finally able to remember just how tough
and just how engrossing practice swings can be.
It's all still ahead of you, isn't it?
Both the tough times
and the moments where you can lose yourself...
You're right.
Sirs, when you say swings, are you talking about baseball or golf?
It's kendo!
Tamaki.
Good morning.
So you were doing some swings?
Yes. It's a new shinai, so I thought I would break it in.
And I also felt like working up a little sweat.
Did something good happen?
Yes.
It's been a while. Shall we get some practice in?
Yes, please.
I did not realize just how much you had grown...
Men!
Mother.
I...
...have become a second year student.
I love kendo!
I like the sunlight so crystal clear
Everyone's backs shining bright
Because we all have our sights on the same days ahead
There won't be any loneliness anymore
"Hakata Station" There won't be any loneliness anymore
"Big Duster Sale!"
No one is all alone
When even your heart comes to a standstill
Everyone will watch over you with smiles
That's why we have the power to reach the blue sky, plunged in brilliance
Undaunted, let's go down this path with single-minded devotion
Someday, at the pinnacle of all the excitement
A rainbow story will be born
"63rd Hououki Tournament" A rainbow story will be born
"63rd Hououki Tournament" Even when things are tough and we feel frantic
We'll surely be able to overcome it
"Danjuro Eiga" "Kirino Chiba" "Sayako Kuwahara" "Tamaki Kawazoe" "Miyako Miyazaki" "Satori Azuma" "Yuuji Nakata" "Shinobu Toyama" "Makoto lwasa" We'll surely be able to overcome it
"Danjuro Eiga" "Kirino Chiba" "Sayako Kuwahara" "Tamaki Kawazoe" "Miyako Miyazaki" "Satori Azuma" "Yuuji Nakata" "Shinobu Toyama" "Makoto lwasa" Sounding the bamboo beat that's a part of us
Then, I'll see you.