The rip entry.
An entry into the water with no splash.
This is a key diving technique, required to score points in diving competitions.
However, while we were on the poolside,
we were suddenly showered with an unbelievable statement.
If none of you make it into the Olympics, then the club will be shut down.
Do you think you boys are up for it?
You wanna make it to the Tokyo Olympics?
I do.
The Tokyo Olympics.
That was something far off in the distance,
almost out of reach for me.
But strangely,
I felt really excited.
Just like a flying bird spreading its wings Over the blue ocean
Searching for a dream I've yet to have Fly about through trial and error
The sun rises and falls again
I want to change that mundane reality
The smell of boundless summer Even in my hands
I'm sad without you here
And the sun is lonely too Being in the middle of you
Having learned the sad lie
A map of the future appearing in the sky A future that changes without you
I tried to forget you by hiding behind my laughter
A view that cannot be seen from here A view that can only be seen from here
Open up the canvas of my heart
And paint with the true colors only you can see
Okay, let's first get you each to dive for me.
Okay, I got it, that's enough. You can come down.
There's no need to see you dive. Just walk down the stairs.
What the heck?
Okay, that's enough. Come back down.
I want to dive...
Okay, okay. You're done. Get back down here.
A diver who can't even stand in proper form can't hope to execute a proper dive.
Your neck is too tense.
Bring your butt in more. Keep your arms straight.
But keep them loose.
Hold your fingers together, but don't tense them up.
Relax your upper body,
and keep your bottom half tight.
Focus all your strength in the center of your abdomen.
How long have you been diving that you still don't know how to align your bodies?
Body alignment is the proper posture when diving.
For example, if you drop grapes from the diving platform,
the center of gravity shifts all over the place, and it'll fall to the water unbalanced.
But a cucumber will fall in a straight line,
and cut through the water on entry.
Instead of dispersing your power throughout your body,
you pull your body in like a cucumber for your performance.
Those are the basics for a beautiful midair performance.
But that's not a good reason to keep us standing here for one hour.
Okay, that's all for the first half.
We'll pick things back up here after a ten-minute break.
That lady is crazy.
I know body alignment is important,
but what idiot does it for one or two hours straight?
I think it could be a plan.
I think she's being difficult on purpose, because the beginning is so important.
Yeah, there are people like that.
It's always the unconfident ones that use these unnecessary tricks.
Yeah, there are people like that.
Yoichi.
I've met coaches like that too.
A male coach from America taught me in the same way that woman does.
The first day was hammering in body alignment.
The second day was dry practice.
The third day was practicing the approach and footwork.
And in the end, he didn't teach us anything about actual diving.
Everyone complained and complained.
I bet.
But after that coach went back to America,
we could finally see how much our diving improved.
The Japanese coaches were shocked.
Also, this was something we found out later,
but that man coached a diver who went on to win Olympic gold for America.
I see.
Wait, Yoichi.
Does that American coach have something to do with her?
No, not really.
They just have similar coaching styles, that's all.
Well, I'll say that it seems there is more to that woman too.
How can you tell?
They say you can spot a great diver by the way they stand on the platform.
It's the same way with coaches,
you can just tell by looking at them on the poolside.
She's got a nice butt, doesn't she?
Not bad, I guess.
There are a lot of Japanese divers who shy away
from dives that require doing handstands on the platform.
The reason is plainly a lack of practice.
Listen up. The muscles you need for handstands
can only be worked by actually doing handstands.
So I want you doing handstands every day.
Whenever you're free, I want you in a handstand.
Diving is a mental competition.
If you get confident doing something everyone hates to do,
then that will always give you an edge during a competition.
Okay, that's all for today.
I thought I was going to throw up.
I thought my brains were going to leak from my ears.
There's something I want to give you, so wait for me in the lobby after you get changed.
Okay, okay.
Tomoki Sakai, was it? You have a minute?
How many years since you started diving?
A little over five years.
Has anybody said you were double-jointed?
What's that?
It means you're more flexible than average.
It's a body type that's suited for diving.
I'll put it plainly.
There is no doubt you will improve.
So aim for the top.
Climb to the highest peak you can.
Does that mean winning a spot on the Japanese Olympic team?
You dream small, kid.
I told you.
We've got our sights on the Olympics.
You said you wanted to go too, didn't you?
I was just caught up in the moment.
Well, if you've got the will, then continue to climb to the top.
There is a view only you can see.
A view only I can see?
If that is something I'll get to see,
then I want to go to the Olympics.
This time I'm serious.
I'm serious too.
What did she want?
Oh, she mentioned something about being double-jointed.
What's that?
Thanks for waiting.
What is it that you wanted to give us?
This.
-What is this? -It's your daily independent training regimen.
Independent training? Isn't that voluntary?
But you Japanese kids won't do it unless you're told to.
We do sometimes.
Everybody does it sometimes.
Even the most mediocre of athletes.
Anyway, I'm sorry to do this after just starting here,
but I'll be away on business all next week.
So make sure you do your training while I'm gone.
What's that about?
Come in.
What is it?
Our new coach, Coach Asaki, will be focusing
-on the elementary and junior high students. -Okay.
Are you sure you're fine with me continuing to coach you?
I am fine with how things are. It's just...
I will do my dry practice with them.
-Okay, understood. -Okay.
Bye, then.
Let's go, Chikuwa.
This is for your own good.
Follow my instructions exactly, as if your life depended on it.
First, you need to jog every morning.
If you've got a dog, run with them for at least an hour.
You, of course, don't wear socks indoors, do you?
Diving is a sport done barefoot.
So why wouldn't you spend every moment getting used to it?
You need to work on your endurance.
In order to ensure a sharp performance throughout a long competition,
you need muscles, concentration, and mental fortitude.
Basic endurance is the foundation for all of that.
And I'll keep repeating this: You have to master body alignment.
Check your posture every night in front of the mirror.
Is your shoulder tense? Is your stomach sticking out?
Is your butt tight?
Tighten it up, huh?
-Hey, Tomo. -What?
Your phone's ringing.
Hello, did you call me?
Oh, yeah.
You free today? We're all talking about hanging out somewhere since we have the day off.
I bought a new game.
Sorry, I can't make it.
Diving again? All right, it's fine. I'll just invite someone else.
Maybe some other--
There he is.
There's no mistake.
This is the one.
In other words, you're scared.
Of what?
You're scared of parting with the ocean.
You're scared of stepping into a new world.
And you're scared of ruining what your grandfather has built.
What does that mean?
Shibuki Okitsu, the grandson of the legendary diving genius Shiraha Okitsu.
You only dive in the ocean.
I'll admit that's cool.
There's no reason to risk moving to the pool, like your grandfather.
Gramps didn't go to Tokyo to risk danger.
He went hoping for something amazing.
But there was nothing.
Gramps had nothing left, and nothing to leave behind.
He did.
Don't tell me he survives in people's memories or something.
It doesn't matter, if there's nothing to show for it.
You lose if there aren't results you can see.
Then I'll show you.
I'll show you what your grandfather left behind.
But that's only if you can fulfill my grandfather's final wish.
What? Coach Asaki is?
Yeah. She's the granddaughter of MDC's late founder, Chairman Mizuki.
And that's not all. Coach Asaki is a former diver,
and she apparently did quite well in her junior competitions.
Let's see, she lived in New York for eight years, between the ages of 6 and 14,
which makes her a returnee.
That's right, New York! We're talking New York!
That's not New York.
She started diving when she was 8.
She took a break after returning to Japan,
but after graduating high school,
she headed back to America alone
to take up diving once again.
But this time, it wouldn't be as an athlete.
She would be studying coaching instead.
Why do you think she did that?
No idea.
I don't know, why?
So she could coach the MDC,
founded by her grandfather, Chairman Mizuki.
She did it just for that?
-And also... -What?
She is planning to send one of us to the Olympics
to stop them from shutting MDC down.
She's serious?
We've got our sights on the Olympics.
Does that mean we're trying for the Olympics?
-That's impossible. -Right?
What's with the negative attitude?
Is it really impossible?
It isn't.
There's still 18 months until the Olympics.
It's too early to give up.
You're right.
I'm not sure about that.
There might be a possibility for you, Yoichi, but...
You're right, it might have been impossible, if this were any other sport.
But diving is a shallow field.
There are three individual men's divers.
You could say that Hyogo's Kenichiro Teramoto is guaranteed at this point.
But the rest are a toss-up.
Yeah, well, we're not even in the mix with them, right?
Yeah.
You guys are way too pessimistic.
You're the one that needs to look at reality the most.
About that reality,
if none of us make it to the Olympics,
then this club is going to be shut down.
Oh, Yoichi, you actually said it.
But MDC has that new coach.
It'll be fine. There won't be a problem, if Yoichi makes it to the Olympics.
You're just leaving things to others.
That's just being realistic.
Is the possibility really zero?
For what?
For us to go to the Olympics.
It's not zero.
It's more like a negative chance.
Hey, anyway, you guys want to grab some food on our way home?
-Sounds good. -I'll go too.
-Elementary school kids can't come. -Why not?
What about our individual training?
Individual training. Wait, don't tell me, Tomo.
You're actually doing it?
-Every day? -Yeah.
Doesn't that basically eat up all your free time?
Yeah, it's been tough.
Well, then let's stop by the convenience store. We'll sprint.
What, we're running?
It's for our training.
That's a great idea.
-What, you're running again today? -Yeah.
What's the point of getting all buff?
I mean, why is Miyu dating such a dumb jock?
She'd be better off dating me over you.
Tell Miyu that.
I did already.
Coach Asaki is back!
And she's brought a man!
It could be her lover.
All right, everyone, listen up.
I've got someone I want to introduce.
L-- L-- L--
-Here's my lover. -This is Okitsu.
This is Shibuki Okitsu, MDC's newest member.
He's just moved to Tokyo from Aomori yesterday.
Come on, say hello.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
All right, go back to your stretches.
Did you do your individual training?
Yes.
-I guess so. -Yes.
It's fine, I'll be able to tell by looking.
According to Coach Oshima,
he's the grandson of Shiraha Okitsu,
who was once considered a diving genius.
They said he only dove in the ocean.
He doesn't talk much.
Totally like a man of the sea.
Like he only opens up to fish?
More importantly, Sacchin, is it true he's never dove in a pool before?
I think that's probably true.
Although, I'm pretty sure him getting eaten by a whale is made up.
In that case, what made him want to dive in a pool now?
Everyone is curious about you.
I bet you've never had that with the ocean.
People looking forward to your diving.
How does it feel? Doesn't it give you butterflies?
Butterflies?
Yes, your blood vessels become like the tide, and your blood starts going crazy.
You get filled with a feeling of power, that makes you believe that you can do anything.
It's not bad, is it?
I feel more annoyed than excited when I'm around you.
So, what are you going to do?
I'm going home.
To where? Tsugaru?
What about your promise?
It wasn't a promise, it was a contract.
If you want me to honor my end of our contract,
then you need to dive from there first.
-Go dive. -Who the hell are you?
Yoichi Fujitani.
If someone in the diving world doesn't know me, then they've had their heads buried in the sand.
Sorry, I guess I'm one of them.
You've been diving in the ocean waters of Tsugaru, right?
Get on the platform. I want to see you dive.
What the heck? He's not diving at all.
It can't be that he's scared, right?
He's not used to it yet.
Not the flat platform,
or the feel of the concrete.
Or even having an audience.
That's so high.
Whoa!
Zero points for the entry, though.
We'd never seen a dive so wild before.
The man who entered our lives with such a large splash.
What was he about to bring to my world, and to MDC?
Searching for a small light
Wanting to touch tomorrow's warmth
Because I chose not to shed any tears Because that is what I vowed
Even if I hit an invisible wall
Or get lost in days without answers
Let's walk forward with confidence
Because we're still unfinished
Inside the hands reaching up to the sky
There is a faint sign of hope
The tomorrow that was fading away
We will change into certainty
So run, cut through the wind
Shout out, as long as your voice rings true
One day I'm sure we'll be able
to reach a new world