Nice shot, Aoyama!
A-o-ya-ma-kun!
Sakai!
Good luck, Sakai-senpai!
You're amazing! Yay!
Sakai-senpai!
He's blushing! How cute!
Why are they getting all worked up over Sakai?
They don't even do that for me, and I'm freakin' hot!
Dude, you're actually in our league.
I wonder why he's so popular all of a sudden.
Come to think of it, he's changed his hairstyle.
#11
Sakai-kun's Hairstyle Has Changed
Heya.
Huh? Sakai isn't here.
Hey, Aoyama, have you seen Saka—
It's me.
Stop trying to look cool!
What's with that hair? You look like Aoyama!
Is this a wig? Is it?
I've always had hair like this.
I'm gonna go on ahead.
I ♥ Sakai
Aren't there more of them now?
Looks like it.
Is he trying to get on the "handsome team"?
Sakai-kun!
Good luck, Sakai-kun!
Oh, my God!
We won't tolerate defectors!
Triple sliding tackle!
So cool!
Huh?
Are you trying to be mops?
Mop Team
Thanks for cleaning the field.
Sakai-kun, you're so cool! Please go out with me!
U-Um, Senpai...
Huh?
What?!
I-I baked these in class. If you want them...
Thanks.
How dare you?!
You guys want some?
Ha, you wish!
We're going to eat them all!
Sakai-senpai!
Please have these!
Please eat mine, too!
Thanks!
Sakai's looking good lately.
You said it, girl.
Sakai's changed, huh?
No, he couldn't have changed that quickly!
Right?
We're going to unearth the real Sakai!
Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i!
Sakai! Come on, Sakai!
There it is!
Fujimi's specialty: butt keepie-uppie!
What do you say now, Sakai?! We're serving up your favorite: butt jokes!
Surely you can't resist the urge!
You're so silly.
So smooth!
Sakai...
Come back, Sakai! Come home, Sakai!
Why? How did this happen?!
Oh, Sakai-senpai!
Um...
I-I'm in love with you.
I'm serious! Please go out with me.
No, with me!
Huh?!
What's your deal?
Hey!
I'm sad to say that Sakai's gone over to the other side.
Let's at least see him off.
Since when do you like him?
I'm sorry.
I can't.
What?!
What's this?
I... I...
Sakai!
I can't belong to just one person.
I'm everyone's Sakai!
So cool!
Oh, really now.
Sakai's Poetry Reading
"The world is beautiful."
"Why, you ask?"
Poetry by Moi
"Because I exist."
Poetry by Moi
"Now, come into the Sakai fold."
He really is in a faraway place now.
Yeah.
Sakai...
Sakai scored again!
Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i!
Impressive.
But what about all that nonsense?
If our team gets stronger for it, I welcome it.
Zaizen!
If one of our defenders can score, it definitely helps the team.
But you know...
Right?
Sakai. Don't worry about those guys.
You just keep on scoring goals, left, right, and center!
Let's storm the Nationals together!
Zaizen, you should know this about me.
I don't give a damn about Nationals.
All I want to do is score!
Huh?
So switch positions with me!
From now on, I'll be a forward!
What?!
That sounds like a good idea, Sakai playing up front.
Coach!
I can hear the voice of the God of Soccer.
Score goals! Go! Go! Go!
He's whispering to me, telling me to score goals!
Score goals! Go!
I'm actually starting to get pissed now!
I've been a forward my entire life.
Sakai again!
He's unstoppable!
Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i!
I can hear it. I can hear it!
Thanks for missing the ball for me.
The desire to be attractive and stand out has turned Sakai into a goal poacher.
Sakai's actually amazing.
He looks every inch a striker.
And...
This Sakai might actually be funny in his own way!
Converting Sakai into a forward might not be a bad move.
What?
At this rate, I really might lose my position.
Sakai of the world! Sakai of the world!
Beautiful!
This is when I need...
...Aoyama!
There it is!
I need to score!
Go! Go! Go!
Sakai!
Aoyama!
Thanks!
Sakai!
Nice shot, Sakai-san.
What? Even Aoyama?!
Sakai!
He's the real deal!
At this rate... At this rate...
[Super Effective Boy]
A cleaning hero born in Germany
Eliminates stains with just water
Fujimi High School scores!
We made it to Nationals!
Hooray, hooray.
Hooray, hooray, amazing.
Hooray, hooray.
I cannot do this!
Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i!
Amazing Sakai!
Go!
I heard it, too.
That whisper you were talking about.
What's wrong with you, Zaizen? Don't mark your own teammate!
When he gets a sniff of a chance, I'm going to steal the ball from under his nose!
I heard that.
A smart pass from Aoyama!
What are they doing?!
Even if people decry me as acting dirty,
my dream is to take Fujimi High School to the Nationals!
And it goes without saying...
...with me on the field!
Goal!
Fujimi High School scores a fifth goal!
Sa-ka-i of the world!
D-D-D-Dash! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
That number 3's amazing, too.
I didn't know Fujimi had a forward like him.
Oh, speaking of which, where's that big guy?
Fujimi
Kanehira
More importantly, over here!
Now that we have a buffer...
Kaocchi, I think you can start warming up now.
Sure.
I know that I'm the one true hot guy
Tada Hikaru
[Spot the 5 Differences]
A quiet fool
Satou Kiyoshi
Kaoru, I heard that you weren't in the starting eleven today.
As the eldest son of the Zaizen family, you have to always be at the top.
If you don't make it back into the starting lineup by the next match,
you will give up soccer altogether.
This is bad!
I'm standing on the edge of the abyss. So please!
Teach me how to play soccer!
I'm begging you, Gotou!
Huh?
But... why me?
I mean, Coach is a judo nut. And our captain's like that...
Our pivotal player, Aoyama, isn't really the type to teach anyone anything.
And learning from an underclassman is kinda...
But I'm a first-year, too!
That's why I thought of you and how you played at the training camp.
I will do anything to get better!
So please, Gotou!
S—
"S—"?
Starting lineup or not, it doesn't give your father grounds to make you quit.
I don't know if I can help you,
but making the clubhouse and players shine is all part of the manager's job!
If I'm good enough, I will help.
Is Zaizen going to be okay?
Kaocchi's weakness is that he's absolutely terrible at shooting with his feet.
In order to get back among the starters, he has to stamp out that weakness.
It'll all come down to Kaocchi's efforts.
It's so bright.
Huh? There's so many more lights...
Give it your best, Kaocchi! - Dad
E-Every single goal you've scored has been headed.
I'm confident in my heading ability.
Turn that on its head, and it means every other part of your game is abysmal.
If you focus on improving your strengths, you can wipe out your shortcomings!
That's what my dadd—my father says.
You lost your starting spot! They're clearly not wiped out!
First, let's start with ten shots from here and get you up to a 50 percent hit rate.
Really? 50 percent?
Yes.
You're a tough taskmaster, Gotou.
This is shockingly easy!
Ow!
Sorry!
Two goals from ten shots.
It makes sense that you can't score with your feet in a match.
His form isn't bad, so how can he be this terrible?
Well, then...
Let's call it a day.
Wh-Wh-Why are you heading home already?!
The number of chances you get in life are limited.
Huh?
In order to seize them...
If you don't practice with the mindset that it's the real deal, there's no point!
...is what my dadd—my father says.
I-I see.
See ya.
No, no, no, no, no!
That mindset is what's holding you back!
Huh? I can try again?
Yo, do it already. Until you get up to 50 percent!
Okay! Okay! Okay!
Jeeves.
Yes, Master?
Isn't Kaoru back yet?
I believe he's committed himself to a spot of secret training, sir.
Secret training?
There!
It's no good. He's not getting any better!
Hey, Kaoru.
I've been watching for a while.
You've practiced until this hour, but your shots haven't improved in the slightest.
However! There is no shortcut to success!
Dadd—Father.
Sir!
But on this occasion...
I will get you back in the starting eleven!
Where's the coach?
Daddy!
Daddy...
Kaocchi!
You...
...absolute...
...idiots!
This is exactly why we're in this situation!
Ow.
I see now.
My methods were completely wrong.
K-Kaocchi, who is she?
Gotou.
Back to work.
Y-Yes, miss!
Again.
Um, it's already past dinnertime, so could we maybe call it—
You got half in!
You did it.
Daddy!
Kaocchi!
Daddy!
Kaocchi!
Okay, not yet. Ten more reps.
Sa-ka-i! Sa-ka-i!
Amazing Sakai!
He's on fire again.
I can hear it today, too.
Yes! Amazing!
All right!
How about this?
Huh? What's this?
I can hear it! I can hear it!
The whisper telling me to go score!
I'll show you the fruits of my training!
Oh? You're not Aoyama?
Huh?
I made a mistake. Sorry. Sorry.
Huh?
What?!
It was all a misunderstanding?!
Y-Yeah, just how I planned it.
I can hear the whispers of the God of Soccer!
Sounds like those whispers keep on coming.
I can hear it!
I can hear!
Hm?
What's going on? I can't hear the whispers anymore.
Don't worry, Sakai!
If you can't score, just come back to us!
Hey, hey, come on! Hey, come on!
What?!
This is bad!
Hey, hey, come on! Hey, come on!
S-S-Sakai, come back to us!
The village of rejects is fun.
Hey!
Dammit!
I never want to go back there!
Huh? You changed your hair back?
Why don't you just come back, Sakai?
Hey, hey, come on! Hey, come on!
If I embrace being Aoyama, both physically and mentally, I should awaken again!
Sakai-senpai!
I need to be cool towards my fans, too.
He's just going to ignore them?
That's boring!
The awakened Sakai was fun, but a cool one is boring!
Could you please refrain from pantsing me?
What?!
No, seriously, pull his pants back up!
I have to accelerate my Aoyama-fication.
Aoyama Life
Huh? I... what?
As you can see, I'm trying to become Aoyama right now.
Since you're nothing like him whatsoever, I didn't realize.
What?!
I imitated him and awoke as a goal poacher!
So if I can fully transform into Aoyama, I can once again—
Shut up!
I'm begging you, Gotou-chan!
What do I need to do to get closer to Aoyama?
I want to go back one more time!
To that shining version of myself!
U-Um, Sakai-san...
The new victory dance!
If you're joking, stop right now.
Are you trying to defile Aoyama-kun?!
I can't hear it!
What are you doing, Sakai?
He's not on his game today, either.
Yeah!
Gotou!
Aoyama!
Please! Hear! Hear it!
Gola, golazo!
There!
Vai! Gola, golazo!
Gola, gola, golazo!
Vai! Go, go, go, golazo!
What is he doing? Gross!
That's so lame!
Sakai has reverted to his stooge form, so I guess Kaocchi will be our striker again.
Yes.
Hey.
What's the commotion? Did something happen?
That.
Who are those men talking to Aoyama?
People from the youth division.
Here to scout.
What?
Aoyama might quit the team.
What's that supposed to mean?!
Next Time
The Reason Aoyama-kun Chose