Rikudo will win!
At the same time, I will beat myself and beat you, Kurahara.
What will you show me?
Kakeru!
King is...
Tokyo Sport first-year Sakaki Kosuke puts on a tremendous burst of speed.
He's pulling ahead of Kansei, who passed their sash before them at Hiratsuka.
What a striking debut for this rookie.
Damn! Damn, damn!
Damn, damn!
Run with the Wind
Have you been at it?
Looking for a job, I mean.
Does it look like I have been?
What are you gonna do? Join a works team?
Are you staying in school?
Then I'll stay, too.
Let's run the Hakone Ekiden next year, too.
King...
I won't be staying in school,
but I haven't thought about the future, either.
Running at the Hakone Ekiden. It's all I've thought about for a while now.
Of course.
If you told me you had a job lined up,
I'd be pissed.
Section 8 is a hard section.
Even if you're passed, don't let it bother you.
No one's passing me.
The key point is the Yugyoji Temple slope.
Yugyoji Temple
Save as much stamina as you can for there.
Yugyoji, right?
Question for you:
What is Yugyoji Temple's official name?
King.
I'll help you look for a job.
What? How?
There's no way you can.
How are you gonna do that? Tell me.
King.
King!
If you can hear me, give me a sign.
Now breathe deeply and stretch your shoulders.
Haiji called me in a panic because you're going too fast.
I've got a message for you.
“When we meet in Otemachi,
tell me the history of Yugyoji Temple.”
Embrace Your Loneliness
Chikusei-so
The first floor's full.
Take an empty room on the second.
Okay.
We've sure got a lot this year.
Huh?
First-years.
Some creep with glasses and a guy who you can't tell what he's thinking.
Can I use the cooking utensils in the kitchen?
You're here?
You're free to use whatever you want.
Okay.
This is the guy who you can't tell what he's thinking.
This guy wants to move in.
Hello. I'm first-year Kiyose Haiji.
I'm a literature student.
I'm Sakaguchi Yohei, sociology student.
I'm a first-year.
Nice to meet you.
You, too.
I don't know how long we'll be able to live here, but enjoy your stay.
Do you want some tea if I make some?
A cheerful and fun college life.
I simply chose that place because I hoped for something like I'd seen on TV.
But reality was different.
My college life was uneventful.
It seems like I'll graduate having done nothing at all.
If I was wrong about anything, it was me.
I failed to meet my own expectations.
Cowardly and proud, but still wanting others to show consideration for me.
I hated that about myself.
How I acted and how I felt were completely different.
He might...
Haiji might accept me.
I was afraid to think that.
After all,
he doesn't consider me his best friend.
It's no use.
No matter where I go or who I'm with, I always feel like the only one out of place.
I try to be sociable, but I don't feel like I've opened up to anyone.
I try not to show any weakness.
I'm the king. Stay away.
But no one will approach me if I'm like that.
But if I admit I'm lonely, it's over.
It's too late to change myself now.
Sakaguchi!
You're thirty seconds behind Tokyo Sport!
Teito's behind you!
That's a good pace. You re-established your rhythm.
But...
...it's different when I'm running.
We don't have a team if anyone's missing.
I feel like something's expected of me.
We can cast aside our restraint and pride to support one another.
But while I'm running, I'm always alone.
Released from everything else, I can face myself.
When I'm running, I don't need to put on an act.
That's right. I'm nobody.
And that nobody is the real me.
You can go faster, Sakaki!
More, more!
First-year Sakaki swings his arms fervently as he pursues the runner in front of him.
It's the fifteen-kilometer mark. This is it.
I have a second message from Haiji.
“Are you ready to buzz in with your answer?”
Haiji.
Yugyoji Temple Slope
Haiji, Hakone...
...isn't just your dream anymore.
It's our dream.
It's a nice dream.
So nice, I never want to wake up.
Yugyoji Temple Slope Section 8 5.5km Remaining
Totsuka Relay Station
Section 8 > Section 9
Time Behind 1st
Boso Rikudo
Rikudo/Ueda Fourth-Year >>> Fujioka Fourth-Year
What's wrong?
Are you feeling timid?
Not in the slightest.
How are you doing?
Sorry, but I feel great.
In recent history, no runner greater than Fujioka has been seen
in the college long-distance running scene.
By competing against him, you'll become even stronger.
Are you saying I can't beat him yet?
We ran together for a year.
So I can tell you this:
To me, you are the greatest runner.
Become stronger, Kakeru.
Watch me.
Watch what you believed in.
Sakaki!
Tokyo Sport's Sakaki dropped his pace at the end,
Time Behind 1st Boso ------ Rikudo 0:58 Yamato 6:08 Kikui 8:02 Saikyo 8:17 Kitakan 8:30 Manaka 8:41 Do 9:09 Yokohama 9:34 Kofu 10:42 Top 10 Seeded Schools Ake 10:52 Tokyo Sport 10:59
Tokyo Sport/Sakaki First-Year >>> Yasunaga Fourth-Year
but perseveres to pass along his team's sash.
See you somewhere on the course.
I didn't think we'd actually meet.
But I'll never acknowledge it.
Kansei has no future.
I just want to pass on our sash.
They're all waiting.
Sakaki, you did it!
You placed fifth in your section! Fifth!
To the line, Kansei!
Get to the relay line!
You did it!
Joji.
What does it feel like to fall in love?
What?
It's nice, isn't it?
I'm in love, too.
What? With who?
King!
We're counting on you.
I know.
Kansei University
Hey, who is it?
Who?!
Section 9
Car 2
Rikudo/Fujioka Kazuma Fourth-Year
Rikudo's Fujioka completes his first kilometer in 2:48.
Section 9
Car 1
Boso/Sawachi Kosuke Third-Year
Boso's Sawachi runs a 2:46.
Sawachi is speeding ahead. He's running.
They'll be crossing the five- kilometer mark shortly.
Section 9
Car 2
Kita Kanto/Higure Daiki Third-Year
Kita Kanto's Higure sprints to finish his first kilometer in 2:45.
He's closing in on Saikyo and Kikui.
Section 9
Car 3
Dochido/Takizawa Tomonori Fourth-Year
Dochido, Yokohama, and Tokyo Sport,
which climbed the rankings during Section 8,
are racing for a seeded spot next year.
Let's check in on the motorcycle cam next.
Kansei University
You can do it!
It's snowing...
You can do it!
I don't feel anything.
Am I slow?
All those people...
Thank you.
Am I being filmed?
Does that mean I'm running at a good pace?
I'm running on the ground, right?
Running Towards Tomorrow
What incredible speed!
Currently running in 13th place is Kansei's Kurahara Kakeru.
Section 9
Car 4
Kansei/Kurahara Kakeru First-Year
His first kilometer time is an unbelievable 2:42.
The first three kilometers are all downhill.
It's easy to go fast.
Section 9
Car 4
Kansei/Kurahara Kakeru First-Year
I'm worried he'll throw off his own rhythm by running too fast.
It's beautiful.
Seeing this makes me hate running.
My efforts feel futile.
Arrogance is thinking hard work can solve everything.
But there's more than one goal to aim for.
Section 9
Car 4
Kansei/Kurahara Kakeru First-Year
Everyone is equal here. We're all even.
We all run the same path, but we arrive at different finish lines.
I hope you're right.
He's almost at five kilometers.
Any message?
Should I tell him anything?
I have nothing to tell him.
It's as if he's trying to reach another dimension by running.
I can't interfere with that.
No one must touch Kakeru.
Tokaido Line
He ran Gontazaka in 2:50.
He's a monster.
I know because I ran it.
No one can keep that up until the end.
He's still got more than 15 kilometers to go.
Can he not hear the landlord?
I think Haiji's letting him do it.
Hurry, King!
Kansei University
Kakeru's so fast, we're not gonna make it!
Section 9
Car 4
Kansei/Kurahara Kakeru First-Year
Show some consideration for your seniors!
I love these sights.
You Can Do It
It feels like Hakone.
Is the wind keeping the snow from piling up?
Right.
I have to stay calm today.
I feel light.
I need to go faster.
There they are.
They're right there.
Section 9
Car 4
Kansei's Kurahara instantly passes Akebono and Kofu Academy.
He just pulled ahead of Tokyo Sport. He's pulled ahead.
He's overtaking everyone.
That probably puts me in tenth.
I've got about 13 kilometers left.
Since Section 10 is 23 kilometers, that's 36 all together.
It's too short.
I could pass everyone if I kept running like this.
Keep running?
Alone, forever?
What will you show me?
Section 9
Car 2
Rikudo/Fujioka Kazuma Fourth-Year
Rikudo's Fujioka has finally caught up to Boso's Sawachi.
Section 9
Car 1
He passed him. He passed him instantly.
1st Boso/Sawachi Kosuke Fourth-Year 2nd Rikudo/Fujioka Kazuma Fourth-Year
Reigning champions Rikudo finally make their comeback in Section 9.
No watching the Hakone Ekiden from the pedestrian bridge
Section 10 Expected Time 12:17
Kakeru's crazy, but so is he.
They could do it because they're Rikudo.
Each man passed along the sash
Section 9
Car 1
and trusted Fujioka to make a comeback.
It's not something he could've done alone.
But when I think of the guys riding on Fujioka's shoulders, it makes me tremble.
They must've been under incredible pressure.
Boso's Sawachi is falling behind.
Section 9
Car 1
He can't keep up with Fujioka.
He's trying to break the section record.
Of course he is.
Helping his team win isn't enough to satisfy him.
The man who wants to pile victory upon victory.
In all respects, he is undoubtedly the current champion.
Current?
That's what you said.
I can't ignore that.
I can catch up.
No, I'll pass them.
I'm already ahead of them.
The real me.
Kurahara! Kurahara!
Rikudo's Fujioka might break the section record!
He could break the section record!
I'm sure he will.
He's inhuman.
I don't care about my apparent position.
The real problem is my time.
What's happening?
My field of vision is too broad.
I can't focus.
I feel like I've slowed down again.
How are my legs?
My body? My heart? My lungs?
I can go faster.
I can keep going.
I can keep running.
Accelerate.
You won't beat me!
Final episode: In The Wind
Final episode, “In The Wind.”