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—
Does she like me?
What? Seriously?!
Run with the Wind
Bro!
Oh, wow!
He's so strong during the actual event.
Joji!
Hey!
Hana!
Huh?
I think...
...she likes me.
Seriously?!
What? But Hana—
Seriously?!
Come here, you idiot!
Even If I Break
Section 4
Kansei is still catching up.
Since finishing last in Section 1,
their position has steadily climbed to their current 10th place.
At this rate, they might even catch Tokyo Sport in 9th.
I see.
Seriously? I see.
Did Hana herself say that she likes Jota?
No, it's not like that.
I simply thought she liked one of the twins.
Well, he's suddenly assuming she does.
He even told Joji.
Why would that idiot agitate his brother like that?
Hana's on her way to Odawara.
Who is she? Godzilla?
Should we have the coach tell him Jota's confused about Hana?
I've never heard of that kind of instruction being given before.
I'll make the decision.
Not that I'm happy with it.
Section 4
Run, you idiot!
It doesn't make sense that she likes him, though.
She was always with the two of us.
When did she develop feelings for him?
Maybe he meant as a friend.
In that case...
No, in that case, I like Hana as a friend, too.
Just as a friend.
Yeah, a friend...
Want some help?
Thanks. Joji, could you take out that garbage?
Okay.
Hey, Hana...
How can you tell us apart?
What?
You didn't have think when you used my name.
Oh. No one at Aotake gets you mixed up.
Well, yeah.
I've never thought about trying to tell you apart.
Since the day I met you, you were you, and Jota was Jota.
You're brothers and best friends and always together,
but what I like about each of you is...
Never mind.
Hey!
We're gonna start lighting fireworks!
No way! I'm coming!
Hey, Joji!
Are you listening? Answer me!
He's really mad.
How much did I miss?
Jeez.
I'm not sure what it means, but you have a message from Kurahara.
Just listen.
From Kakeru?
“If you like her, run.”
That's all.
It's what I was told to say.
Who does he think he is?
But...
Odahara Relay Station
He handed me the phone. It's me.
Sounds pretty noisy over there.
Yes. We're all anxious to start.
Shindo.
What'd he say?
That I'd better hydrate.
It's the same for everyone.
There's nothing left to say.
Congratulations Takashi on Running in the Hakone Ekiden
Certain Victory
They're almost at Section 5!
He's gonna run!
It might not be colder than over there. Is everyone there?
Yeah, everyone's already in front of the TV. Our uncle from Tsuruoka just arrived!
Kansei University is amazing! Yu said he's rooting for you. I'm starting to feel nervous.
I'll do my best.
First place, brother!
Section 4
Rikudo was too slow.
The champions are slowly falling behind.
Currently in first place is Boso's Saito.
Rikudo is also within range of Daiwa in third.
Saikyo is coming! Saikyo!
I'd better go.
Tokyo Sport is next!
Tokyo Sport to the relay line!
But it's Section 5.
Actually, no matter the section—
Kansei, Kikui! Get ready!
They're coming at the same time!
It's okay.
I promise I'll make it there.
No matter what.
Damn it!
Joji?
Damn it. What did I do?
Why couldn't I go faster?
He was hot.
Hotter than me, and I'd just run Section 4.
I knew.
I knew I had to get us as much time as possible,
but I...
Raise your head.
He's already running.
This is Car 3.
Kansei's Sugiyama's pace is remaining constant.
Kikui's Inagaki is already 500 meters ahead.
Kansei has suddenly hit the brakes.
Brother?
Yokohama and Jonan Bunka are catching up from behind.
Will he be able to stay ahead of them?
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
No, it's just a matter of time.
Section 5
He seems to be having some kind of problem.
Kansei, you can do it!
It wouldn't surprise us if he stopped anytime.
You can do it!
Will he be able to make it over the mountains of Hakone?
Shindo, go is a challenging game.
The stronger you are, the more you value the way you lose.
How you recognize your loss and resign is key.
No one blames the challenger for resigning or mocks him for running away.
If anything, they praise him for securing an escape route.
It's because everyone knows that man was fighting to win
until the very end.
Shindo, raise your hand if you can't keep going.
I'll stop you immediately.
The lead runners are approaching the finish line at Lake Ashi.
Their first first-half victory in four years is right before their eyes.
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
A new god has descended upon Hakone!
Boso second-year Yanase Wataru finishes in a new section record!
Boso wins the first half!
I'm here with Kansei.
Kansei's Coach Tazaki has gotten out of the car.
Will he stop Sugiyama and forfeit the race?
Oh, no!
He's stopped! Sugiyama has finally stopped!
That's enough. You did well.
No!
Hey.
Waiting...
They're all waiting for me...
Why are we so desperate to keep running?
Why can't we stop doing something so painful and difficult?
For our friends. For our goals. For ourselves.
Stubbornness and pride.
I don't know. I doubt anyone knows.
That's why we can't look away.
That's why it sticks in our hearts.
Shindo!
Ashihara Inn
Kansei's Sugiyama Takashi is experiencing difficulties in Section 5.
Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race
Hakone – Lake Ashi
While periodically stopping, he brushes off his coach's attempts to stop him
and finishes all 20.7 kilometers of Section 5.
Sugiyama is greeted by a continuous wave of cheers
First Half 20th – Kansei University
after demonstrating that he has the strongest will in the country.
We've already called your family.
They said they'd come take care of you, but we politely declined their offer.
Shindo finished his section, but tomorrow will be a difficult battle.
It won't be!
Because you'll run?
I'm glad you're confident, but sometimes making it to the end isn't good enough.
Tomorrow, I won't let you boys expose yourselves to the same kind of danger.
We'll be fully prepared for tomorrow.
Switching our focus to that comes first.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.
Once you've prepared for tomorrow, call the others.
You haven't yet, right?
They must be anxious.
Go ahead.
Nice work.
Shindo!
Musa, there's no point in getting any closer!
You'll be fine as long as you're not dead, Shindo!
Guys.
You worked hard today.
We'll have more chances tomorrow!
Yeah!
Who was that?
Probably King.
What does that mean?
Shut up. Be quiet.
If you're running tomorrow, stay warm while you sleep and don't overeat.
That's all.
That's all?!
Don't you have any more helpful advice?
No.
Hey!
It'll be over after tomorrow.
All we can do is focus, so we can give everything we've got.
Excuse me. Why don't we do that?
The mountains of Hakone are?
I'm sure yours will feel the most authentic.
Let's do it.
The mountains of Hakone are?
The steepest in the world!
It might snow tomorrow.
Kakeru.
Was that your parents' idea?
You mean my name? Yes.
My father ran track.
Did your father push you towards running, too?
No. Our communication was never...
Wait! Why do you ask?
My father is a high school track coach.
I was one of his runners.
He's not a bad person. He just loves track to a fault.
I didn't have time to think while under his total supervision,
and I ran every day.
Eventually, I broke.
But...
Unable to run for the first time, I genuinely wanted to run.
Chikusei-so
This time, I'll share a dream with teammates who earnestly want to run.
Whether they're weak or amateurs,
as long as they've got talent and passion, I'm sure they can run.
For that, I bent everyone to my will.
We knew there was only ten of us.
But we're more than ten.
The shopping center vendors, the university, and the people far away from us
are all part of the team.
No one thinks you forced them to do anything.
Even if you did, don't forget that I'm grateful for that.
Let's run.
We're going to run the best we ever have.
Next time: Goodbye, Beautiful World
Next time, “Goodbye, Beautiful World.”