Hakone
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
The time is 7:59.
The Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race will begin shortly.
Hakone Ekiden
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
Which university will write a new page in history?
Kansei University
Twenty-one runners wearing sashes will wrap themselves in a gust of wind
as they run down Hakoneji Road.
Will that wind be a headwind or a tailwind?
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
Who will be the first to return to Otemachi?
They are starting now towards honor and glory!
Run with the Wind
Section 1
The Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
allows no room for carelessness once again this year.
The runners have maintained a slow pace since the start of the race.
They're averaging 3:07 per kilometer over the first three kilometers.
Broadcast Car
For the past few years, we'd been seeing high-paced starts under three minutes.
What do you think of this?
New Year Sports Special Hakone Ekiden
Everyone's looking for their opportunity.
They rival each other in ability.
Section 1
More than speed, they must be emphasizing strategy.
Come on.
Run where we can see you, Prince.
Wait! He might be doing it on purpose.
A windbreak?
That's right.
Each section of the Hakone Ekiden is long.
The situation changes moment to moment.
To ensure you don't fall behind during the second half,
conserve your stamina during the first.
Use everything you can.
Conserve my stamina, huh?
I hope I'm allowed to do that.
You will. I'm sure you will.
What is he? A prophet?
How is he doing?
He's doing well.
He's coming up on ten kilometers.
It's a truly dry affair.
This is no different than going for a drive.
Got it.
If you see any change in Prince,
Yamanote
could you offer him words of encouragement?
Tell him...
The Moment of Release
Kashiwazaki!
This kilometer's exactly three minutes!
Keep your pace!
Rokugo Bridge
The runners have made it 17 kilometers now.
The incline of Rokugo Bridge lies in their path.
If they exhaust themselves here, they'll pay for it later.
They'll have to stand firm.
They're moving! The runners are on the move!
The quiet journey so far is being disrupted by major change!
Yokohama, Eurasia, Teito, and other universities are increasing their paces!
But I don't like inclines.
Even if the runners around you begin to move, don't panic.
Just keeping up with them until Rokugo Bridge earns full marks from me.
You'll be able to pass the sash to Musa without much of a difference in time.
I see. The real race is Section 2 and onward.
Are you unhappy with that?
Not at all. I'm only an amateur.
I'll finish the race quickly, so I can get back to my comics sooner.
That's all.
Things might have gotten a little easier.
Prince.
Sorry for forcing you to do this.
If I give up, the race is over.
All those who succeed have worked hard.
I am strong!
Tsurumi Relay Station
The air at Tsurumi Relay Station is heating up
as the sashes will be arriving soon.
This year's Section 2 will be a fierce race
featuring athletes running 10,000 meters in 28 minutes.
And we can't discuss Section 2 without mentioning this man:
Iwanki of Kofu Academy.
We're all very excited to see how he'll run in his fourth Hakone Ekiden.
We'll also be watching Kansei University's exchange student, Musa.
Musa is a truly unique runner.
He's a government-sponsored engineering student,
who had no running experience until last spring.
Thank you.
Kansei University is taking on the Hakone Ekiden with only ten runners,
and each runner is exceptionally unique.
I enjoyed the qualifier.
I'm disappointed we won't get to race again.
Don't worry.
He won't let you take it easy.
Not our ace.
Hey, Musa.
I just saw you on TV.
I was surprised.
Did I look weird?
Not at all.
Musa, once this is over, let's go see the snow.
Snow?
Yeah. It really snows in my hometown.
The world becomes white as far as the eye can see.
You've never seen that, have you?
I haven't.
I'll imagine us having a snowball fight while I run.
Sounds nice.
Talk to you later.
Later.
You can't afford to be worrying about the others.
Section 1 20km Point
Prince!
Message for you from Haiji!
“There's something I never got to tell you!”
“Come to Tsurumi even if you have to crawl!” That's all!
That's not what I want to hear.
Joe and Hanamichi, Ippo and Sakamichi.
Sango Jugo, Hinata, and Yawara.
Sena, Goro, Tsubasa, Ryoma.
It's no use. There's no end to them.
I like protagonists, but I also like the people who lead them.
They're all tough, but of course they are.
They don't want to be shown kindness.
An athlete wants to win.
Totai Uni is the 16th to pass their sash.
They're 40 seconds behind first place.
Kansei University!
Behind them are Nihonbashi Tech and Jonan Bunka.
Kansei University to the relay line!
I hate this.
I really hate running.
I got dragged into this
and suffered for it.
But if I hadn't run with them...
If I hadn't made it here...
I...
I would've hated myself more!
Prince!
Prince! I'm here!
Prince!
There's someone waiting for me there.
Just thinking about it makes me so... so...
I...
Prince!
I take back what I said.
Prince.
Thank you.
Non-participants, stay off the course!
I pass.
Yes!
Nice!
Yeah!
Section 2
The pace sudden quickened as soon as we entered Section 2.
I have to keep up.
Prince got the sash this far.
I promise I'll take it to Totsuka.
Wow...
I told him! I know I did!
I told him to restrain himself around the five-kilometer mark!
Yokohama Station
Maybe Musa didn't hear me.
Tell him again at ten kilometers.
He's going too fast.
Got it.
He's averaging 2:48 per kilometer.
He won't last until the end.
He got carried away.
Gontazaka
Why can't I catch up?
My legs won't move.
They won't move.
Musa! Musa! Musa!
You're 18th right now.
There's a cluster of seven up ahead.
People build it up by calling it the Glorious Section 2, the section of aces,
but don't listen to them.
Plenty of schools think other sections decide the race.
Let's think of Section 2's 23 kilometers
as one part of a longer race the ten of us build together.
Okay.
Bravely, calmly, and without fail.
Only you can do it.
18th. In other words, even I could pass two runners.
Bravely, calmly, and without fail.
This is Broadcast Car 2.
Section 2
Iwanki's pace remains constant.
Perhaps he exhausted himself competing against Manaka's Inawa,
who caught up to Rikudo to reach first place,
but he can't catch Tokyo Sport.
The burst of speed at the start of the section
is throwing off even the strongest athletes.
Why aren't they showing Musa?
It can't be helped. The race for first is crazy.
Yeah, but don't you wanna see him?
1 Manaka 2 Rikudo 3 Boso 4 Tokyo Sport 5 Kofu Academy 6 Yokohama 7 Kino 8 Shinsei 9 Kanagawa 10 Nihonbashi Tech 11 Eurasia 12 Do 13 Jonan Bunka 14 Tokyo Academy 15 Ake 16 Kitakan OP Student Association 17 Kansei 18 Yamato 19 Teito 20 Saikyo
King, how's your job hunt coming?
Huh?
I thought I'd relieve the tension.
Then choose your words more carefully.
Okay...
I haven't been doing it.
Huh?
When would I have had the time?
What? Then what are you going to do?
I don't know!
What are my parents going to say?
Then why don't you run next year?
I won't be able to look for a job again!
You're right.
Next year? Are you...
Get ready! They're coming!
Oof.
King, wanna warm up together?
19km Point
I thought I reduced my pace.
Running is strange.
Speed alone isn't enough to win.
You have opponents and teammates.
You're almost there!
You can do it!
Someone's voice gives you strength.
And that's how I run!
Totsuka Relay Point
Kofu Academy's Iwanki leaves four years of passion on Hakoneji Road
as he arrives at the relay line!
He failed to win his section,
but he displayed his usual unchanging running style
in a turbulent Section 2, nonetheless.
Marvelous.
You were extremely fortunate to have been able to run with him.
Yes. His running is the embodiment of strength.
Musa!
Over here!
Thanks, ace.
Musa!
14th. You were 14th.
You passed seven guys.
Whoa! Whoa!
The temperature is currently 5.7 degrees.
The sunlight and sea breeze, together, chip away at the runners' stamina.
Musa was amazing.
It makes me want to do the same thing.
King seems to be taking the race seriously, too.
We even locked eyes.
He practically told me he'd be running next year, too.
Next year, huh?
Sorry, King.
This is probably the end for me.
Joji, my younger brother, is a part of my soul.
We slept together, played together, and went to school together.
No one could tell us apart.
They seemed troubled when we spoke to them,
and we'd do things to distress them further.
But we're two different people.
I'm Jo Taro. He's Jo Jiro.
We have plenty of differences.
Favorite foods, the locations of our moles, the girls we've dated.
Our personalities...
...and our talents.
I'm sure of it. Joji's the better runner.
Even if there's no difference now, Joji will become way faster than me.
He'll see worlds I can't see.
After all, you love to run.
He'd sometimes train by himself before dawn.
How can he run like that?
Bro, can you watch my form?
When we were together, the conversation would always turn to Kakeru.
Joji, you finally found your very own rival.
Your very own goal.
It's time for us to follow different paths.
Go. Follow it far, far away.
It doesn't matter how many years it takes.
Win. Beat Kakeru.
Become a stronger runner than him.
I'll be rooting for you.
It's finally time for me to release that precious part of my soul.
Kansei University first-year and older twin brother, Jo Taro
is running with a light step.
He's re-passed Tokyo Academy, and even passed Shinsei.
Shonan Bridge
He has Jonan Bunka and Nihonbashi Tech in his sights.
Two more. No...
I'm pumped.
Jota!
Hana?
What's she doing here?
Wasn't she watching the starting line at Otemachi?
You can do it!
Could it be?
No, but—
What?
What's he looking at?
Does she like me?
What? Seriously?!
Bro!
Oh, wow!
He's so strong during the actual event.
Kansei's showing a menacing final spurt.
With the explosive sprint of a short-distance runner,
he's climbed two ranks.
Joji!
Hey!
Hana!
Huh?
I think...
...she likes me.
Seriously?!
Congratulations Takashi on Running in the Hakone Ekiden
Next time, “Even If I Break.”
Next time: Even If I Break