Don't be fooled by simple spin like that.
Idiot.
Hey, Demon.
Don't hit Smile.
But, Peco... this guy sucks.
Well, if it isn't Peco!
Who are you?
Why'd he make such a poor return?
Match goes to Kong!
Everyone involved in a game like that suffers!
Don't ever do that again!
Please don't hit me when my glasses are on.
Everyone knows better than that.
You're being too hard on Tsukimoto, Coach.
He won two whole games against Kong!
This isn't a sport for those messing around without care if they win!
You want to quit table tennis?
Yes.
Quit, then
Tsukimoto!
Wait!
Leave him.
You're just a softy.
Winning's all that matters.
Hey!
Is he giving you flashbacks to yourself over fifty years ago?
Oh, Tamura.
He's not the type you can slap into submission.
I know that.
He practically never smiles.
That's why they call him Smile.
A new age has dawned, and still I can't make a decision
My path is too straight for my taste, but I'll walk it
I can't choose just yet
I have to think about it
I have no idea what I want to do
I'm going crazy!
Comparing yourself to others just makes you depressed
You're alone in this world
You're always alone here
Still you're gonna do it, right?
Maybe there's nothing that only I can do
But there's no way that I
But there's no way that I won't try to leave my mark
I just want to have my fun, whatever the times
Win the next game and you go to the Interhigh, Wenge.
For all intents and purposes, your match with Kazama is the finals.
You can't beat him with those
sloppy serves you've been making today.
He had total control of the game.
Stop, Wenge. Don't go there.
I think he lost on purpose.
You're wrong.
On Court Six, we'll now begin the quarterfinal match between
Hoshino of Katase High School and Sakuma of Kaiou Academy.
It's been a while since I last played you.
It's been four years and three months.
My record against you is 24 - 92.
Whoa, both sides?
You're the only one who plays single-sided pips-out these days.
Hoho, reverse penhold backhand and long pips?
Times are changing.
You're trying too hard.
You don't know how long I've dreamed of the day I'd play you again.
What an admirable story.
Yes, it is.
Not that you'd understand.
You were always #1.
You were great at everything you did and always the centre of attention.
When you looked to the right, everyone looked to the right.
When you laughed, everyone laughed.
You'd joke around, but you'd always get the job done.
You crushed even older players with ease.
Do you have any idea how I viewed you?
How I felt?
Yes!
Terrible.
Yes!
What's wrong, "Demon"?
You're awfully quiet.
Let's have a top-spin contest, dude!
For old times' sake.
Yes!
Ah!
Take this!
Out! Game goes to Sakuma!
Ah... That's just petty, only using lobs and blocks.
Table tennis is evolving.
Your game might as well be a fossil in a museum.
Let's pick up the pace, Sweet Tooth!
What?
Got to wrap this up, or I'll be late for Kazama's match.
I know you mocked me and called me "Professor Table Tennis."
But you know what? Sometimes effort pays off.
Your rubber and rackets always seemed to shine in my eyes.
I had to watch you show off all those medals you went around winning.
You don't know what it was like for me, seeing them.
But as time goes by, talent and environment stop being the only things that matter.
Eventually hard work has its say!
You're nowhere near as good as Kazama.
Yes!
You've been lazily compromising on your game for years.
What can you do?
Match point, Sakuma!
Curse you, Demon...
Match goes to Sakuma!
Peco, let me give you some advice.
The only way to be sure you won't lose is to not fight.
Quit the sport now if you're just going to coast along, Peco!
Otherwise you're just an eyesore!
Ah!
The only way to be sure you won't lose is to not fight
It's hard to believe I used to play like my life depended on it.
Wearing a "victory" headband and everything.
You were lovely.
And terrifyingly strong at the same time.
Winning was everything back then.
Losers would have their very character rejected.
"The winners write history, and the losers are history."
I've seen that mentality wreck a lot of people.
Not that it's any different now.
He's a strange boy.
He has immense talent, but no interest in winning.
That's how these things go.
Talented people who know exactly who they are don't crave anything.
Those who don't know themselves
are always the ones who struggle hardest to win, because they want to prove a point.
I want to take him there, is all.
Once he gets there, something will change inside him.
You think so?
Being hard on Tsukimoto won't turn back the clock for you.
Well done.
Thank you, sir!
Where's Kazama?
He's in the toilet again
Is he constipated?
No, nothing like that.
He always holes up somewhere before a match.
- Kaiou - Kaiou
It's finally time for a boss fight.
I hear he's on a 68-game winning streak!
He's a monster.
They say Kaiou kicks you off the team if you lose before the fourth round.
Yikes... Seriously?
They stake their lives on table tennis, and in this day and age!
That's scary, man.
Look at Kazama's face. Just look!
He has the eyes of someone who's killed a man!
Shh! He'll hear you, idiot!
That isn't the face of a high school student!
He has to be over thirty!
On Court Eight, we'll now begin the quarterfinal match between Kong of Tsujidou High School
and Kazama of Kaiou Academy!
Go Kazama!
Win it!
Be my lover!
Crush him, Kazama!
Ah, so he's the hero of this little island country.
Look at his muscles.
He has power, but I doubt he's light on his feet.
Make a good serve and go for a third ball attack.
Take an early lead and keep it.
Easier said than done.
Believe in yourself. You're better than he is.
Kazama!
You can do it!
Heh, lively crowd
First game: Kong to serve!
Love all!
Yes!
So fast!
He's good.
I can't believe how fast his reaction time is.
A monster, huh?
He must have an opening somewhere...
Where is it?
He's reading me. He's predicting my moves!
Show me your weakness.
I can't afford to let it end here!
Not here!
My drive... With my drive!
Match goes to Kazama!
Semifinal A
Kaiou
Sanada
Sakuma
Kaiou
Sanada
Semifinal B
Kaiou
Uesugi
Kazama
Kaiou
Kazama
Kaiou
Finals
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Kazama
Kaiou
Sanada
Winner
Kazama
Kaiou
Interhigh Participants
Kazama Ryuuichi
Kaiou
Sanada Yoshiyuki
Kaiou
Uesugi Kenji
Kaiou
Sakuma Manabu
Kaiou
Your girlfriend?
No, my mother. She made me carry it
She's the stereotypical country parent...
How long have you been living away from her?
Since I was eight.
That's when I joined the provincial team
From then on, she brought me things once a week...
She worked in a candy factory, and she'd bring piles of their candy.
Did you have any favourites?
Well...
Her homemade wontons were good
I used to always dream about losing my key...
It'll be a relief not to have any more dreams where I'm
the only one without a ticket.
Wenge...
Your life has just begun. You've only just reached the starting line.
I'm done for
I don't mean table tennis. I'm talking about life.
And this isn't your coach talking.
This is the opinion of a friend who knows you well.
Heh.
Your words give me hope.
Tsukimoto.
Do you have a minute?
Are you going back to school?
Yes. Back for more practice
That's hard-core.
They're all dimwitted and useless.
And they don't realise it, which makes it even worse.
You understand, don't you?
What?
I'll make a comfortable place for you at Kaiou
As you know, Kaiou was founded by a former table tennis pro,
and it's passionate about the sport.
We have a dedicated practice hall that's available 24/7,
and coaches from all over the world helping us every day.
All our practices are filmed in HD and analyzed.
We have machines that can fire almost any type of shot,
and ball collection machines.
Equipment is provided free of charge.
They're all top quality products, and you can use them all you want.
We don't do rubber care.
Every three to four days,
you can select a few of the best rubbers from a mountain of choices.
And of course, the school will also help you develop custom-made equipment.
For strength training, we have a gym.
Our trainers follow the latest sports science to understand our bodies
and keep them in top shape.
Nutritionists manage our meals.
With their eyes fixed on our distant futures at all times,
they even give us the chance to go on overseas tours.
We have a comprehensive library of all the major foreign tournaments.
If you ask, someone will go record any match you want, anywhere in the world.
You can't get to nationals or onto the world stage all by yourself.
But you have talent.
Katase isn't worthy of you.
You belong at Kaiou.
I'll come to pick you up one day.
Count on it.
Do your best at the Interhigh.
Kazama's late.
He takes forever in the toilet
All your play was sloppy!
You dunces think you're so good you can pull your punches against weaker players?
Don't get cocky! Or else you won't stand a chance against the very best!
Yes, sir!
Everyone meet in the gym when we get back!
Got it? Answer me!
Yes, sir!
Dismissed!
Yurie.
Did you just get here?
Okay, you go back in Yurie's car, Ryuuichi.
Yes, sir.
Is that the coach's daughter?
She's cute.
Yes, she's in TV commercials.
Kazama, you lucky dog.
I hear he's living with her at the chairman's house.
They're living together, huh?
How dare he have a life.
Ryuuichi and Yurie are cousins. Their relationship is pure.
Liar.
I don't believe it.
Fathers are blind.
You'll pay for that later! Get on the bus!
Yes, sir!
Attention, ladies and gentlemen.
All games scheduled for the day have ended.
We ask that you vacate the arena in a timely manner.
The arena will close at 6:00. We regret any inconvenience.
A red sun stares at me
The world goes blurry when I yawn
My wishes fluctuate like a metronome
Everything tells me this is the end
I do have some dreams, you know
Sometimes we breathe
and just seem to inhale the smoke of someone
somewhere out of sight
Then all our great energy just seems to melt away
I don't understand this wonderland
I won't get wet even if it rains
This is a wonderland
Once I've made it through this long tunnel
I'm sure that someone will kiss me
Oh dear.
Come on, Demon.
Have your eyes gotten that bad?
You're targeting the wrong guy.
This isn't Kaiou Academy, you know.
Begone!
Where Did It All Go Wrong?