We know that Akutagawa Ryuunosuke,
who looked up to Natsume Soseki as his mentor,
is considered the greatest short story author in modern Japanese literature...
Sequential Control Circuits Practical Applications
Just who was that girl, anyway?
I took the book she left behind because it looked like it was hers, not a library book,
Quiz Bowl Buzzer Lamp Circuits
but these marked pages have piqued my curiosity.
Is she involved in quiz bowl, too?
Koshiyama.
Koshiyama!
Uh, yes, sir!
Are you listening?
U-Uh, yes, sir.
Then, briefly explain the signature qualities of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's works.
R-Right...
"Briefly explain"? How vague an instruction can you get?
Is he talking about how most of Akutagawa's works are based on classics?
No, they had deep roots in Western literature of the time, too...
What's the problem, Koshiyama?
I'm just not good at organizing my thoughts and putting them into words.
If you'd asked a more specific question, I could have answered it easily...
See? This is what happens when you don't listen in class!
No, I do know!
Yeah, for example...
If you phrased it more like a quiz bowl question...
That idiot.
Do you think this is a joke?!
I-I'm sorry!
Question 5: "Buzou vs Miyaura! Ding!"
Gone!
Gone...
My prized book...
Did that kid who shared his lunch with me pick it up?
Wonder if he's still at school...
Marina, where are we going again?
The roof for voice projection practice.
What was that you said about quiz bowl?
You're hilarious, man.
Er... I, uh...
Are you so buddy-buddy with Fukami Mari that she influences you that much?
It's no laughing matter.
Why did I say that?
Seriously, you're so embarrassing!
You're just making trouble for quiz bowl circle members like Fukami-san and me!
What, you're in the quiz bowl circle, too?
That's right! Just like Fukami-san!
And I'm the class librarian, just like Fukami-san, too!
So he's not the one who's buddy-buddy with Fukami-san—
Anyway, I should get to practice.
He wasn't even listening...
Hey, you're both still in here!
Let's get to quiz bowl!
Today, we have...
...a joint practice with another school's quiz team!
Joint practice?
Which school?
I haven't heard which one it is,
but isn't it exciting?
Maybe it's Asagaoka Girls' High School?
Um, you two go on ahead.
I'm gonna stop by the faculty office.
Roger! We'll be waiting for you, Koshiyama-kun!
Fukami-san really perks up when there's any mention of quiz bowl.
Though, I guess I can't talk...
Am I going to think of everything in terms of quiz bowl soon, too?
Quiz bowl is scary...
Joint practice, huh? I wonder which school they're coming from.
"Small Classroom B"?
Where's B?
Dunno.
It's the room your quiz team uses.
"Quiz team"? Does he mean the quiz bowl circle?
That's actually active?
Uh, never mind. Thanks.
I guess quiz teams aren't that well-known at any school.
Ours is a little more recognized than that, though.
I should've told them to wait for me when I went to the bathroom.
Pardon me.
There he is!
R-Ragnarok!
M-Mikuriya-kun! Why are you here?
Oh... The joint practice?
Yes! Hurry up and show me where "Small Classroom B" is!
S-Sure...
What's going on with your school's quiz team, anyway?
No one even knows about it.
So the school was Miyaura?
Well, I guess they're only in the next town over.
Does this mean I'll get to see Mikuriya-kun's super fast buzzing again?
I can't wait!
Wait, we use a calculator! What're we gonna do?!
What's with this guy?
Small Classroom B
Yo. Sorry I'm late.
Hey, Mikuriya. That was a long bathroom break.
I got lost!
It appears everyone's here now.
As requested, these are our new members.
Maruyama.
Mukai.
Kiyosumi.
Mikuriya.
Also...
Wow!
Look! Real buzzers!
It's not a calculator!
It's so cool to see real buzzers!
Uh, that's what grabs you?
I will now announce today's quiz rules.
No one's listening...
Well, buzzer systems are of primary concern to every new quiz team.
They're not sold just anywhere,
and not every school has a set that's been passed down through years like ours.
That's true.
All I have is...
this single button.
Huh? Why do you have just that one?
Wow, a white button...
Someone gave me this a long time ago...
But it's missing its cord. It's broken.
I only keep it, out of sight like this,
Click Click
to keep myself familiar with the feel of the button on a daily basis.
Click Click
Yikes...
Scary...
That's so cool!
That's cool?!
Anyway, aren't we gonna some quizzing?
It'll be dark soon.
All right, let's move the desks.
Today, we'll have a team match between the two schools.
Though, we could have played free, as well...
"Free"?
"Free batting."
It's a buzz-in match
where you don't set any rules, or if you do, they're simple ones.
Since we're all here for a joint practice session,
why not have a team match pitting the schools against each other for the fun of it?
Just like those TV quiz bowl shows.
A team match, huh?
Wait, what about Mikuriya-kun?
I'm not playing.
The gulf in skill is too big, I guess? Wouldn't want to mess up your game.
He's so full of himself.
Why did he even tag along?
Oh... That's too bad.
Are you nuts? He'd pulverize us!
This isn't the place for my match against you.
As I was saying, I will now explain the rules.
This will be a "fastest finger" contest. You'll have five seconds to deliberate.
For every correct answer, you earn one point.
For every incorrect answer, you lose one point.
Miyaura
Buzou
The first team to ten points wins.
Those rules are meant to test our team's cohesion.
You'll each have a buzzer,
but the whole team will have the right to answer.
In other words, after buzzing, anyone on your team can answer.
Can we confer?
No. No conferring.
Also...
If two players give the same answer simultaneously,
it will automatically be treated as an incorrect answer, so be careful.
In general, it's best if the person who buzzes in is also responsible for answering.
Ashiya-san and I came up with the questions, based on those used in past quizzes.
Hey, this might be our chance!
I just need to buzz if I know it, right?
But if I guess wrong, the team loses a point...
I need to be careful.
We'll start with the buzzer test.
Sasajima-senpai said not to focus on winning and losing,
but in a match like this, the team that doesn't focus on being victorious can't win.
That's exactly it! Quiz bowl is...
Miyaura vs Buzou
a competitive world!
It's not a calculator!
A calculator?
Question.
Lincoln said, "Government of the people, by the people—
Gettysburg!
Q: Lincoln said, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people" in a famous speech delivered in which Pennsylvanian city? A: Gettysburg
Correct.
The name of the city where the speech was given?
Buzou
Miyaura
Question.
Italian for "small goose"—
Ocarina!
Correct.
Q: Italian for "small goose," the instrument invented in the 19th century by Giuseppe Donati is known by what name? A: Ocarina
Yes!
Awesome!
I think Fukami-san may win this for us all by herself...
Buzou
Miyaura
What's wrong with you guys?
Buzou isn't gonna...
...beat us!
College Prep School Pride
No. 1 in the Prefecture
Question.
The method of frying eggs in which only one side is fried is known as "sunny—
Turned over!
Correct.
Q: The method of frying eggs in which only one side is cooked is known as "sunny side up," and the method in which both sides are cooked is called what? A: Turned over
Question.
Fingerprints, voice prints, and other unique physical characteristics are used to—
Biometrics!
Correct.
Q: Fingerprints, voice prints, and other unique physical characteristics are used to verify individual identity in what authentication technique? A: Biometrics
Question.
What technique, based on an Indonesian folk dance, is seen at idol—
Kecak!
Correct.
Q: What technique, based on an Indonesian folk dance, is seen at idol concerts in the form of "otagei" performances? A: Kecak
That's supposed to be my specialty!
Buzou
Miyaura
It's the same pattern again.
I can't even buzz in.
Does this "pushing in" thing really work?
Question.
In the Gospel According to Matthew in the New Testament,
which recounts Jesus Christ's "Sermon on the Mount,"
mankind is likened to "the what of the earth"?
It's not a phrase people use often, but...
The salt of the earth.
Correct.
Whoa, nice!
In the Gospel According to Matthew in the New Testament, which recounts Jesus Christ's "Sermon on the Mount, "mankind is likened to "the what of the earth"? A: The salt of the earth
He got a question that was about to go unanswered, huh?
I guess it's not bad having someone like that on a team.
Not good enough.
If you can't buzz in faster on the easy questions,
you won't make it past the early rounds.
And you'll never make it into the same ring as me.
Question.
The 17th Century Dutch artist known for Girl with a Pearl Earring—
Vermeer.
Correct.
Q: The 17th Century Dutch artist known for Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Milkmaid was whom? A: Vermeer
We'll get nowhere if we can't buzz in first.
He said these were Miyaura's new members,
but I guess they have the edge in cohesiveness?
It's up to me to try my hardest now.
Question.
Buzou
Miyaura
The faces of a die add up to t—
"T"?
A parallel?!
Five seconds.
They add up to twenty-one.
If Fukami-san is hesitating, then...
They add up to "t"...
The "twenty-one" is already in the question?
Which means subtracting or dividing would be unnatural, so maybe multiplying?
You've gotta memorize questions about dice.
It takes too long to do the math.
Six... twenty-four...
I can't work it out in time!
720!
Correct.
Q: All the faces of a die add up to twenty-one, and multiplying them results in what number? A: 720
Leave the math questions to me!
Inoue-kun!
Yay!
That was great!
Die in a fire, normie!
Yes. For the time being, this is fine.
Enjoy quiz bowl to your hearts' content.
One day, you'll take part in a real competition.
When that time comes...
what you feel now will be your sustenance.
Let's keep it up!
Yeah!
Question.
Wind blowing from the land toward the sea is said to be favorable for ships—
They won't take this one!
Tailwind!
That one?
Not forewind?
Q: Wind blowing from the land toward the sea is said to be favorable for ships leaving port, earning it what name? X Tailwind A: Forewind
The correct answer is forewind.
Huh?!
I thought so...
Don't get all trigger-happy!
Miyaura
Did you forget that wrong answers lose points?!
Question.
Which Japanese term, meaning "bustling activity," originated—
"Tenteko"—
"Touhon seisou!"
Q: Which Japanese term, meaning "bustling activity," originated from Japanese drum performances? X Touhon seisou A: Tentekomai
The correct answer is "tentekomai."
Are you serious?!
So "originated" didn't refer to a place of origin, but a point of origin in Japanese music.
Originated (place)
Originated (point)
Mukai, you idiot! I buzzed in!
Well, you keep getting them wrong!
No conferring.
Now's our chance!
Question.
The Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature...
Numerated format and literature!
...are Romance of the Three Kingdoms...
I don't know all three of the classics.
What I do know is the determining point:
The first syllable of the second title!
...Wa—
The determining point is on the third title.
That was a mistake.
It's not the "Three Great Classical Novels"! There are four of them!
I was going to pass this one off to Koshiyama-kun,
but I got the determining point wrong!
Of course! This question's for me!
The hints given were Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Water Margin
That leaves Journey to the West and The Plum in the Golden Vase.
Journey to the West
The Plum in the Golden Vase
So which one's the right answer?
Three, two, one...
The Plum in the Golden Vase!
Q: The Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Journey to the West, and what? A: The Plum in the Golden Vase
Correct.
How did you decide which one it was?
Most people think of them as the "Three Great Classical Novels,"
which are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Journey to the West.
But this question specified four novels, so I figured it had to be that one.
They saved me on both the numerated and parallel formats!
Pushing in is making my hand cramp up.
You've been doing that?
And they both only just got into quiz bowl.
They're both amazing!
This is a surprise.
Question.
French for "new wave"—
All three of them at once?!
Language questions are Fukami-san's thing!
La Nouvelle Vague!
Correct.
Q: French for "new wave," what term refers to a 1950s trend in French film-making? A: La Nouvelle Vague
Yes!
Buzou
Miyaura
Just three more points...
Dammit! We're supposed to be better on the buzzer!
It's because you keep getting trigger-happy!
If you hadn't shouted over me for that answer...
What?!
Hey, cool it.
If we get too flustered, we'll lose.
So far, all the questions have been ones we've seen in collections, right?
Y-Yeah.
That's true.
We have mountains of past question collections left by older students and alumni.
I'm buried in them every day, but I've still only read a fraction.
We should have the advantage on questions used in past quizzes!
Question.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a—
Muhammad Ali.
Correct.
Q: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" was said to describe the style of which former heavyweight world champion boxer? A: Muhammad Ali
All right!
Nice!
Thanks.
Buzou
Miyaura
We can't lose to a rookie quiz team that doesn't even have buzzers!
Miyaura's attitude has changed...
It's okay.
Just three more points.
Let's get them together!
Yeah!
Time to catch up!
Yeah!
Question.
Locally known as "Uluru"—
Ayers Rock!
Correct.
In an instant,
it felt like everyone was suddenly on the same page.
Everyone participating becomes one
in pursuit of the questions...
Miyaura
That's all there is in this world we build together.
Just one more point.
Question.
Meaning "there is no longer friend or f—
No side!
Correct.
Buzou
Miyaura
All right!
Q: Meaning "there is no longer friend or foe," what is called to signal the end of a rugby match? A: No side
Miyaura High School wins, 10-9.
We lost.
Still...
Thanks to you buzzing in, I was able to answer.
Me, too!
I answered a math question! Was that awesome or what?
Yeah. I wonder if that was a classic.
I'll remember it.
There's no need for quiz bowl that you play only to win.
When I was reminded of my own ability and panicking...
I nearly forgot what's really important.
Fukami-san?
That was a fun quiz, wasn't it?
We won, and yet...
Why does it feel like we lost?
Want to go one more round?
Sounds good.
Move!
You call yourselves members of the Miyaura quiz team?!
And who even cares if you guys win or lose?!
M-Mikuriya's snapped!
And I don't even get why!
Let me play, too!
Hey, Buzou! You're up against me next!
I'll take all three of you on by myself!
Sorry.
Of course, I won't even let any of you push the—
Oh, s'pretty simplistic inside.
Ain't it?
What have you done?!
The cute girl from before!
Oh, and this one's got a lot packed into it!
Honestly... You can't just take apart other people's things!
I only opened 'em up a little.
See? Nothin' wrong with 'em, is there?
Besides, you're the one who said you'd show me a real set, Gakuto!
She called him by his first name?!
U-Um... What's your relationship to Sasajima-senpai?
Huh? You don't know?
Gakuto's my...
Your...
...big brother!
Oh? No reaction?
But you're obviously a Kansai girl!
You look nothing alike!
You're a totally different genre!
Assuming the family register is true, she is my honest-to-goodness
little sister, y'all. I think.
Whaddaya mean "Ya think"?!
Well, anyhow, about those buzzers...
Now I've seen the real deal,
I bet I can make a set.
Make a set?
Of buzzers?
Th-That's impossible!
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Making a button would be one thing,
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
but the control box infrastructure is really complicated!
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
It's not enough for it to just light up when you push the button!
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Do you even know how interlocking circuits work?
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Do you understand sequencing?!
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
A beginner doesn't have a hope in hell!
Nag
Gripe
Nag
Gripe
O-Oh, right...
You forgot this in the library at lunch.
Oh! I knew it!
Sequential Control Circuits Practical Applications
Thank goodness! I only just bought it!
I saw instructions on how to make a buzzer system in that book.
It looks really difficult, don't you think?
C-Can you really do it, Sasajima-san?
Call me Jinko.
Well, rather than makin' it with a sequencer,
it's better to use one-chip microcomputers, like they use in the control boxes.
S'easier to do, and cheaper, too.
Is it okay if it's just one-way? If so...
Yeah, go with that.
Why do y'all look so bewildered?
Just so ya know, you can trust Sasajima Jinko, the human low-current electronic device,
with all your homemade buzzer needs!
"L-Low-current"?
Y-You're the type of girl that's into electrical craft?!
One of the gap moe "low-current girls" you very rarely see in Akiba?!
A-A "low-current" otaku...
I guess fanaticism comes in many forms...
One thing you can't have quiz bowl without
is a set of buzzers.
It's something all high school quiz teams want.
I'll make one for y'all! Leave it to me!
There it is! The low-current girl!
Low-Current Girl
Since I'm doin' this, it'd be cool if ya could tell at a glance who each buzzer is for.
Maybe by drawing things they like on them?
Good idea! And Gakuto likes quiz bowl, right?
And Marippe likes quiz bowl, and Shiki-kun likes quiz bowl, too.
Sounds like they'll all end up looking the same...