You cut yourself? Where?
My knee.
It's bleeding
Eh, a little spit's enough to fix that.
Okay.
Huh? Say what?
Sorry, I can't hear you.
tastes like...
Taste? Like iron?
Are you Japanese?
Yes, sir. I'm Japanese, sir.
Why did you go abroad?
I went to a wedding with some friends.
I was on an aimless journey to find myself.
I wandered far and wide but couldn't find any place where I belonged.
Yes, you're right.
Thank you.
Where will I see this on TV?
It'll air on Friday at 6:30, so tune in then!
Got you. I'll check it out.
They won't use that footage.
I've just remembered what day it is.
It was one year ago today.
I've been all over the place since then.
Interhigh
Kanagawa Preliminaries
Table Tennis
Akikusa Gymnasium
Men's Singles, Men's Team Women's Singles, Women's Team
Maybe I'll check out some table tennis.
Sorry I lost after you came all the way here, Coach.
It's fine... Upsets like this make the sport interesting.
Yes. That bowl-headed boy is the real deal,
and I don't say that just because I lost.
I know.
Heh, guess I don't have time to sit and mope.
Huh?
Ah! He saw me.
You stuck your head out too far, idiot.
Was Wenge crying?
As if.
I have to go teach my lost ducklings how to fly.
Did you hear?
Kong from Tsujidou lost in straight sets!
For real? Who'd he play?
A Katase second-year named Hoshino, apparently.
No way! Everybody says Tsukimoto's the only one there who has game!
They sold us a false story.
This Hoshino's supposedly a powerhouse,
and Coach thinks he might make a go at Kazama in the semifinals.
That's amazing. Kaiou's in trouble.
I think their vice captain, Sanada, is facing Tsukimoto in the third round.
Not good!
It'll be no joke if Kaiou's No. 2 gets eliminated in the third round.
But hey, it'd teach them a good lesson. They're way too full of themselves.
Either way, it'll happen on a whole different planet from ours.
True, that!
Wild lilies!
You'll get pollen on yourself.
Their pollen is greasy, so it's hard to wash off.
Your dad still loves them, though!
Birds sure have it good.
It's so easy for them to get all this way up!
It doesn't matter to them what happens down on the ground.
You figure they've watched our ugly wars and stuff since before there were airplanes?
Father, watch out.
Father!
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 going to do it?
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
Kazama's not here.
Ah, no sir.
Maybe he thinks this match isn't worth watching.
Hey now...
Coach, can I ask you something?
If I win this match, do you figure he'll think a little better of us?
Don't concern yourself with that.
Focus on your match, Sanada.
Yes, sir!
On court nine, the third-round match between Tsukimoto of Katase High School and Sanada of Kaiou Academy.
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Oh yes!
Is Eyebrows there any good?
Sure is, Mother!
He tends to get overshadowed by Kazama,
but he's a monster—semifinalist at last year's Interhigh, and he even made it to the round of 16 at nationals.
A monster, huh?
No problem.
Smile won't lose.
Peco! Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you!
Taking a dump.
Ew!
Congrats.
It was nothing.
Blow him away, Smile!
Get him good!
So how are you feeling?
Think your knee will last?
We're rooting for you!
I'm not blind, boy.
Right.
Thanks, old lady. No need to worry.
Right.
Ah, he looked this way. Over here!
Hey, Smile! Hey!
I've been waiting for the day I'd get to play you.
I'm a happy man today, Tsukimoto
I'm Sanada from Kaiou.
I'm Tsukimoto from Katase High.
Nice to meet you.
Yes!
Eight-one, Sanada!
Yes! Yes!
He has crazy power!
Even Smile can't do anything against that!
Oh? Well, that is a problem.
Yes!
Out!
Nine-one!
Looks like even the "prince" is done for.
Coach and Kazama think so much of him that I was pretty scared,
but in the end, he's...
just a Katase player.
Go get him!
Go!
This is trouble.
Just you watch, Kazama.
I'm going to win.
This man you're so crazy about...
I'll beat him!
Out!
Two-nine, Tsukimoto!
Th-This boy...
Ah.
He figured it out.
Sanada can't handle a string of attacks to his middle.
He's brutal and merciless.
Can you tell, Michio?
That's the power of the Smile monster.
He was testing me this whole time?
Is that why he was spraying shots far and wide?
You little brat!
When you take Kaiou lightly, we take you down hard!
Here I come.
Ah!
I can keep slamming them,
but if he keeps making such precise returns, I won't... get anywhere!
Net!
Eleven-nine! Game goes to Tsukimoto!
What a guy.
He actually turned it around.
He took ten points in a row off Sanada.
Seriously? Is Sanada going to lose in the third round of the prelims?
Way to go!
What's going on?
I can't see any openings.
No matter where I hit it, he doesn't falter.
On top of that, this guy...
He's a tough guy.
Out!
Eleven-two! Game goes to Tsukimoto!
I got to hand it to him.
I couldn't do a thing.
He really is strong.
It's no wonder Kazama wants him.
I was dreaming.
You're a big man, Kazama.
Putting table tennis and the team first...
Compared to you, I'm naïve and petty.
With this halfhearted attitude, I could never compete with you.
I get why Yurie fell for you.
But I'm still Sanada of Kaiou!
You'd better collect my ashes, Kazama!
Get a move on, Muuko, or I'll leave you behind!
Hey, Ma.
It looks like there's swimming over there. Come on!
Go swim with them, then.
I'm going in.
Ah, I was only saying!
Come on!
Are you mad?
Ma, come on, I'm talking to you!
Kong Wenge
Hoshino Yutaka
I could cry...
Where are you going, Ma?
They're playing over this way.
Toilet!
It's been a while, Kazama.
It's Sakuma.
Sakuma Manabu.
Hey.
It's been about six months since we last spoke, I think.
Yes.
How have you been, Sakuma?
What?
I've been fine.
Good.
Sanada faces Tsukimoto in the third round, doesn't he?
Yes.
There's no doubt that Sanada's a top player, but it'll be difficult for him to take even one game off that guy.
I'm sure Tsukimoto is the last person Sanada would want to lose to.
If you want to win, you need to put in the effort.
You would say that.
Anyone would tell you the same thing.
Now that I've washed my hands of table tennis...
I think I can finally get why you hole up in the can before your games.
Going to laugh at me?
Who do you play table tennis for?
Myself, of course.
Don't be ridiculous.
If that were true, I wouldn't have...
No, it's not my place to say this stuff.
Sorry, forget I said that.
I'll leave now.
Sakuma.
Do you resent me?
I have only sympathy for you.
Not that you'd understand...
I look forward to your three-peat.
I know you can do it.
Right.
Ma, do you have an upset stomach?
Why would you ask?
You took forever in there!
Stay there. I'll be right back.
What's with you?
I'm going to go cry a bit.
I'm going to Go Cry A Bit
Hey.
Hey, Kazama.
Sanada...
Yes.
It was like a nightmare.
He's not human.
I can't beat him.
Sakuma's here.
Did you meet him?
Yes. We talked a little.
What'd he say?
He said, "Who do you play table tennis for?"
What'd you say?
"For the team, of course."
Sounds like you.
Wow!
Match goes to Kazama!
Yes!
Oh yes!
Kaiou Academy Kazama Ryuuichi Advances to the Semifinals
(Kaiou Academy) Kazama Ryuuichi
Yes!
Match goes to Nekota!
Kaiou Academy Nekota Shuuji Advances to the Semifinals
(Kaiou Academy) Kazama Ryuuichi
(Kaiou Academy) Nekota Shuuji
Katase High School Tsukimoto Makoto Advances to the Semifinals
(Kaiou Academy) Kazama Ryuuichi
(Kaiou Academy) Nekota Shuuji
Tsukimoto Makoto (Katase High School)
Nine-ten, Okano!
Yes!
Your shots are all over the place, Peco!
You only need one more point! One!
He doesn't drag things out for the fun of it, Michio.
If everything were right with him, a few matches in a row wouldn't tire him out.
He's blown his knee out.
Yes.
He's off-balance because he's favouring it.
That's the cost of over-training.
Out!
Match goes to Hoshino!
Peco...
It'll be dangerous for him to keep playing.
Katase High School Hoshino Yutaka Advances to the Semifinals
(Kaiou Academy) Kazama Ryuuichi
(Kaiou Academy) Nekota Shuuji
Tsukimoto Makoto (Katase High School)
Hoshino Yutaka (Katase High School)
Tsukimoto Nekota
Net!
Ten-two, Tsukimoto!
He doesn't make even the tiniest mistake. The mistakes are always mine.
He never loses his cool, never gets tired.
He has perfectly calculated, flawless technique...
May I serve now?
He's just like a robot.
Sure.
Is there even blood running through his veins?
Match goes to Tsukimoto!
It makes me want to cry.
(Kaiou Academy) Nekota Shuuji
Tsukimoto Makoto (Katase High School)
(Kaiou Academy) Kazama Ryuuichi
Hoshino Yutaka (Katase High School)
Tsukimoto Makoto (Katase High School)
Great work, Tsukimoto!
Nice fight!
Thanks.
You were amazing! I was very impressed!
What about Hoshino?
He hasn't played yet.
The doctor says his knee is in bad shape.
Is it?
Yes.
What's your problem?
You're not going to cheer for Hoshino?
Hey, you! What's going on?
Where's our opponent?
Our player's warmed up, and now his muscles will get cold!
How long do we have to wait?
I'm sorry! I'll get him now!
What now? Do you want to practise a little?
No, I'm fine.
I guess so.
This match will be called off.
I'm fine, Michio.
They shot me up with painkillers.
You don't know how much trouble knee injuries can be!
You made it to the semis, so you can quit now and still play at nationals!
I'll play.
Hey!
Er, Kaiou is saying...
It's too dangerous!
Be right there.
Um...
You just wait a second, boy.
Huh?
Listen to me, Peco
Players your age need to be rash and reckless sometimes.
But if you want to be world champ,
you also need the courage to raise the white flag.
I've been playing since I still had Mongolian spots.
I've seen lots of guys before me cry after wrecking their knees.
And I know you quit because you wrecked yours, old lady.
Then why?
Smile's calling me.
He never smiled, so people gave him stupid nicknames like "Robot" or "Golgo."
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Walking
Robot
Automatic Vacuum
He got picked on a ton.
He always just sat by himself and played games his dad bought him.
But when I taught him to play table tennis, he smiled a ton.
Think I can be like you, Peco?
I want to be like you.
Like you!
But I'd totally forgotten until I saw that photo at Tamura.
It's not that he's "Smile" because he doesn't smile—
I called him that because he smiled when he played table tennis.
Call me when you're in a pinch!
If you do that, I'll come to you!
He's been waiting for me for a long time now.
He's believed in me for a long time.
The reason he stopped smiling is because my playing turned poor.
I knew, but I pretended not to notice.
I was scared, so I plugged my ears for all I was worth.
But it's time for me to go to him.
Michio, gimme my racket.
Before I do that, I got to take down one more giant monster!
Peco. Are you playing for Smile?
No way!
I'm doing it 'cause I'm the hero, duh!
And don't you forget it!
I love you, Peco
Chant this three times in your mind!
Enter the hero!
If you do that, I'll come to you!
Let us through!
Player coming through!
I'll come from Planet Ping Pong!
Yes!
Semifinal Match
Kazama
vs
Hoshino
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 we are pure determination
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