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| Tezuka is talking to Ryuzaki-sensei about the team when Sakuno suddenly rushes in looking for Ryoma. Ryuzaki-sensei tells her that Ryoma's probably practicing tennis somewhere, even when there are no matches today. Meanwhile Inuoe and Shiba head over to find Nanjiroh. They arrive and find a monk striking a bell and looking at magazines. At first Nanjiroh denies his identity until Nanako comes and tells him to reply honestly. Nanjiroh built a court in the temple. He asks Inoue for a match, who feels extremely honoured. Nanjiroh tells Inoue that he'll answer any question if Inoue can score a point in the game. But, this is impossible for Inoue. Not only has he not scored a single point, but Nanjiroh hasn't taken a step away from where he was standing, using his left leg as a pivot. Nanjiroh even closes both eyes and Inoue still can't land a shot. Ultimately, Nanjiroh wins, but also comments that playing Ryoma is 100 times more enjoyable than his career. Also, Ryoma's playing style is only a copy of Nanjiroh's right now. There is something he must do, although Nanjiroh doesn't tell Inoue since he lost the match. At that time, Sakuno finds Ryoma practicing by himself in another tennis court and watches him. She also asks Ryoma questions about why he started tennis on their way home. Ryoma replies that he wants to defeat someone. |
Episode 7: Two Ryoma's
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| The Ranking Tournament matches continue. A large crowd has gathered to watch the game between captain (Tezuka) and vice captain (Oishi). Ryoma is getting ready for his upcoming match with Inui. Momoshiro also has a match with Kikumaru. Ryoma's match begins, Inui gets first service and also gets the first point. Sakuno and Tomoka also rush in to watch the match. As the match continues the first years observe that Inui seems to know where Ryoma's returns will go and is always ready for it. Fuji tells the first years that this is not a coincidence. Inui takes the first game. As they pass each other while changing courts later on, Inui tells him all the data he has collected by watching him play in matches. We briefly get a look inside one of Inui's notebooks and it's got all his calculations inside. Ryuzaki-sensei, who is watching from her classroom, comments that Ryoma is playing against "himself" at the moment. If he is unable to surpass himself then he will not be able to defeat Inui and at the time, loses another game to Inui. Game count sits at 3-1. In another court, Tezuka won his match against Oishi 6-1. |
Episode 8: Split Step
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| Echizen is determined to make a comeback and starts using Split Step, which Fuji explains as the expansion and contraction of muscles to explode into a dash, causing a faster reaction time. Echizen even starts telling Inui where he's going to hit the ball so he doesn't have to guess. The game goes exactly as Inui had predicted but now, Echizen is able to return Inui's smash, even if it goes out of bounds. This was not in Inui's caluculations. Echizen is catching up. Fuji makes another observation about Echizen's step. If both feet land at the same time, then it's a normal split step, but Echizen only lands on one foot. He is probably a step and a half faster than usual instead of just half. The game continues and suddenly, Inui is unable to return the ball (misses on his swing). Echizen continues to catch up, now winning 5 games against Inui's 4 games. When Echizen serves, he switches to his right hand and uses a Twist Serve, which Inui is unable to return. |
Episode 9: The Hard Day
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| Inui acknowledges Echizen's talent, being able to hit a shot like that with his right hand. But, Inui thinks of a way to return this serve in his head and puts his simulation into action. However, the racket gets knocked out of his hand when he hits the ball. Echizen wins the match 6-4. Inui doesn't seem disappointed at all. As a matter of fact he treated it as another data collecting session and goes off mumbling to himself. Echizen wins all of his remaining matches in the tournament and becomes a regular member. There is one more spot for the regulars in block D in which Inui and Kaidoh are fighting for. Unfortunately Inui loses again, meaning that he is dropped from the regulars and Kaidoh remains. So the 8 regular members have been decided: Tezuka Kunimitsu, Oishi Syuichiroh, Fuji Syusuke, Kawamura Takashi, Kikumaru Eiji, Momoshiro Takeshi, Kaidoh Kaoru, and Echizen Ryoma. Although Inui lost his spot as a regular, he is now in charge of the training menu for them instead. He adds weights to the regular's ankles and makes them return balls of a specific colour back to their respective coloured cones. At first they all think it's easy but the weights soon take effect and they falter. As punishment, they are forced Inui's "special vegetable juice". Everyone who drank it makes a run for the washroom with the exception of Fuji, who actually liked how it tasted (^^;) and Tezuka, who didn't make a mistake. At the end Inui gives them all advice to improve on and Echizen must drink 2 glasses a milk a day so he'll grow XD At the end of the day, Echizen goes to a shop to pick up his jersey. |
Episode 10: Counter Attack! Sasabe Once Again
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| Kachiro's father works at the Seishundai Tennis Club as an instructor. Horio, Katsuo, Echizen, Sakuno and Tomoka get together there to play some tennis. Kachiro tells the others that Momoshiro is on his way to the courts as well. Shortly Kachiro's father shows them to their courts, but realize that a arrogant, rude man called Sasabe wants to use it. The first years don't really mind and move themselves to another court. Meanshile Nanako tells Nanjiroh to go and deliver Echizen's lunch, threatening that his wife will throw away all his magazines if he doesn't do so by noon. He's riding his bike in a hurry and bumps into Momoshiro's bike. The two start up a heated argument and completely forget where they were supposed to go. Shiba later passes by and gets sucked into the argument too. At the tennis courts, the boys are playing matches when they suddenly hear Sasabe shouting at Kachiro's father. Sasabe and his buddies don't want to do the warm up exercises that Kachiro's father (their instructor) is suggesting. Then Sasabe's son drops by. His son is also the high school boy who Echizen beat in episode 1. Echizen hates to see bullying and goes teach that Sasabe a lesson. Echizen starts off with some pretty basic moves and works up a sweat. The first years are worried about him but Kachiro's dad knows that Echizen is doing this to warm up. Sasabe, known as Meguro's Golden Retriever, likes to stay at the baseline. But Echizen forces him to run up to the net. In the process he pulls a muscle and cries out in pain. Echizen cooly walks over and tells him: that's why you do warm up exercises! |