Whoa, nice attack!
He didn't stand a chance!
He broke his guard with an overhead attack!
Yes! Now!
All right!
You're still the best, Mikoshiba.
Better believe it!
Swimming and fighting games are the two things I live for!
Oh-ho? Who do we have now?
Mikoshiba Isuzu will take good care of you.
A foreigner?
He's been playing the racing games like a pro lately.
Don't get too careless, Mikoshiba.
Did you forget how much of my pocket change I've sunk into this game?
Don't underestimate me!
Here we go, partner!
He's blocking all your hits!
That's nice maneuvering...
He's just darting all over the place!
Well, then, I'll just have to finish this quick!
No way!
I-I'm just getting started!
Al, we gotta go.
Aw, man. It was just getting interesting.
Hey, wait!
I think...
I've seen him somewhere before...
Episode 9: Interval in the Evening Calm!
Yeah, I just got to the airport.
Let Mom know for me.
Okay. Later.
I'm back, Haru.
The 40th Annual Kanto Regional Swimming Tournament
Hey!
Ikuya!
Asahi, Makoto. Mor—
Good morning!
Geh! You're here, too?
Did you really think I wouldn't be?
Are you racing today, too?
No, I'm just here to cheer on Ikuya today.
Ah, okay.
So what races are you gonna be in, Ikuya?
The 100m free and 100m breast.
He already beat the base time in the IM last time.
I'm going for free today, too!
I beat the 50m base time, so now I'm gonna clear 100m, too!
Well, good luck with that.
You'll probably just end up making Ikuya look better.
Huh? What's that supposed to mean?
We're in the same heat in the 100m free, Asahi.
What?!
Oh, so you are.
Looks like I'll be able to repay my debt for the freestyle relay already.
Okay, then...
If I win, you have to buy me something.
Pistachio drinks are Ikuya's favorite.
Well, aren't we confident?
Okay, if I win, you have to get me a banana shake... in a barrel!
What the heck?
Anyway, didn't Haru start his training camp today?
Yeah. He was invited to a special strength training camp just for the All-Japan athletes.
He's probably feeling pretty lonely without us right about now.
Haru will have to wait. We need to start getting ready.
Let's go.
Sure.
We're off, then.
Good luck, both of you!
Thanks!
You don't want to go see him?
The next time I see Ikuya will be in the All-Japan Invitational finals.
Gotcha.
I'm surprised you entered the IM at the last minute, though.
You sure you can do this?
Of course I can.
My new dream is already set in motion.
Yeah, okay.
There sure are a lot of strong first-years this year, though.
Kinjou from Suda Higashi High School
is Naribusawa University's top ace now, I hear.
Yeah. They say he's the one closest to beating Japan's freestyle record.
He may face Ikuya and Haruka someday, too.
The All-Japan Invitational should be a good one.
Comprehensive Sports Center
That's him, right? The first-year from Taka U.
Yeah. Nanase Haruka, freestyle swimmer.
I see you're focusing on freestyle in today's practice.
Not doing the IM anymore?
That's right. Free makes me feel closest to the water.
I should've known you'd stick to free!
That's typical you.
Mikoshiba, Nanase! Got a minute?
This is the Taka U High School swim team.
Their captain wants to meet you.
Good morning!
I'm the captain of the Hidaka University High School swim team,
Mikoshiba Isuzu.
Mikoshiba?
She's my sister.
We're here to observe your practice and learn from you.
Thanks for having us!
So his sister swims, too?
Yeah...
Nanase Haruka-san!
I saw you swim in the college championships.
Your swimming is amazing, and so are your triceps!
I aspire to swim just like you do!
Please have a freestyle race with me!
Come on, Nanase. Race her.
I've never heard of a girl challenging a guy, but still...
Sex makes no difference in a competition!
I can even beat the guys in my own club!
So Nanase-san, please have a freestyle race with me right n—
If you want a race that badly, I'll race you.
Huh?!
How about 1500m freestyle? It'll be fun!
Ugh, Nii-chan, you jerk!
Nanase-san! Please race me someday, okay?!
She's an interesting kid...
All right, we'll break for lunch now.
Meet back here by 2:30.
Yes, sir!
Hmm...
What's up?
How do you buy this?
Miso-Braised Mackerel Set
Thanks!
Do you know how to order?
Miso-Braised Mackerel Set
All right.
Two miso-braised mackerel sets for you?
Coming right up.
She tore it...
Just wait. We'll get it.
Here you go.
Enjoy.
I see.
Let's eat.
One sec.
Impressive...
This is good!
Glad to hear it.
Albert...
Ralph, what's wrong?
What do you mean?
You always disappear on me.
Let's go.
Thanks. See ya later.
Sure.
Nii-chan's training just about killed me!
Huh?
The guy from the arcade!
What's he doing here?
Now I remember!
He was the guy from...
Offerings
So, the regional tournament finally starts tomorrow.
Yeah! And we all get to do the medley relay together!
I'm really psyched!
Yeah! I am, too.
Your exchanges have improved, Romio.
All thanks to Captain Rei!
No, you have your own strength to thank.
Besides, the reason Nagisa-kun and I won in our individual events
was because we had you, Romio-kun, Shizuru-kun, and of course, Nagisa-kun...
And Gou-san and Ayumu-san, too.
It's because we all worked hard together
that the Iwatobi High School Swim Club made it this far.
And for the two of us, this is our last summer here.
The time that's passed since you invited me to join the Swim Club
really flew by in a heartbeat.
Yeah.
But it's not over yet!
We have to go to the nationals!
To Tokyo, where Haruka-senpai and the rest are!
The regionals are just a checkpoint for us.
What we're aiming for is beyond that!
Haruka-senpai and the other guys are aiming even higher in the world, after all!
The world...
That's right!
Our bodies and minds are still evolving.
We can still aim higher, for the nationals, and even for the world!
And you were the one who said, "Humans evolved to live on land."
You've evolved more than anyone, Rei-kun.
Um, I also
want to go to the nationals.
I want to be in a tournament
in Tokyo, my second home, now that I've grown and improved!
I want to eat Tokyo seafood.
Authentic local tsukudani, too.
That sounds delicious.
There are lots of things I want to eat, too!
Like a concrete jungle parfait!
Or a chocolate fatty tuna parfait.
Dreams...
I'm not sure I'd want that...
I wonder where I'll be next year, and what I'll be doing...
It would definitely be very fatty.
Hey, we're not going there to play around, you know.
He's cute.
I was the youngest in my family, so I always wanted a little brother.
Oh, you're welcome to take my little brother, then.
Why're you making that face?!
No reason.
Great job at the tournament today!
This looks so good!
Well, once again...
Congratulations, Ikuya, on beating the base time in the 100m free and 100m breast!
Cheers!
Thanks, guys.
You did great too, Asahi.
It sucks that I lost,
but more than that, I'm happy that you got to swim freestyle in your own way.
Yeah...
But you know what?
I'm gonna win next time, so be ready!
You said that a lot in seventh grade, too.
Shut up!
You did beat the base time in the 200m butterfly.
That's amazing, too.
Well, the butterfly and I are synonymous.
I guess Natsuya-senpai swam too, didn't he? In the IM.
Yeah...
I heard from Natsuya-kun that he beat the base time.
Wow...
He'll be my rival now.
Brother against brother in the IM, huh? That's awesome!
Sorry I'm late.
How was the race, Asahi?
Ikuya kicked his butt in freestyle.
Don't be so emphatic on that part!
So the ones going to the All-Japan for freestyle
will be Asahi and Toono-kun in the 50m, Ikuya in the 100m,
and Haru in the 100m and 200m?
Makoto, do you know how Rin did?
He messaged me the other day.
He beat the base time in the 100m butterfly and the 100m freestyle.
Wow, the 100m freestyle's gonna be quite a battle, huh?
Rin... Is that the guy you and Haru swam with at Iwatobi Elementary?
Matsuoka Rin, was it?
Yeah.
He swam with me, Haru, and Nagisa in our first medley relay.
Matsuoka Rin...
He went to high school at Samezuka Academy, didn't he?
Yeah.
Now he's going to school in Australia
and swimming with a club team in Sydney.
Rin and Haru are good rivals, huh?
Aren't they having friendly races today at Haru's training camp?
You gonna go cheer him on, Makoto?
Yep, as soon as I'm off work tonight.
Sure you can get there in time?
It'll be close.
Either way, I know Haru will do just fine.
Go on and find happiness with someone much better than me!
That's what you need to do. It's fate!
Why do they have to break up?
Women are such fickle creatures...
This is how it has to be!
That's so cliché.
I bet if Rin-senpai were here, he'd be bawli—
Like hell.
'Sup, guys?
Rin-senpai!
Hey!
Hey. How've you guys been?
I thought you were in Sydney!
My plans got bumped up a bit.
You're going to be in the All-Japan Invitational, right?
My uncle told me!
Your uncle?
Yeah. Uncle Mikhail.
Huh?
Mikhail Makarovich-Nitori.
What?! Are you serious?!
You're Russian, Nitori?!
No, he's just a relative of my mom's.
You're amazing, Ai-senpai! So global!
Never saw that coming...
Well, Mikhail's coaching me now.
I know!
He emailed me saying your muscles are the kind he only sees
once in thirty years! He was so happy!
He's a great coach, but then there's that...
Hey, Rin-senpai!
We're gonna be in the regionals for the medley relay!
Hey, that's awesome. Congrats.
We wanted to let you know in person instead of in a message!
The way you guys are now, you could make it to the nationals for sure.
Keep working hard and don't slack off.
Right!
Um, Rin-senpai...
Can we talk for a minute?
It's about Sousuke-senpai.
We heard he's in Tokyo right now,
and we wondered if it might be to have surgery on his shoulder...
Just thinking about it worries me.
What do you think, Rin-senpai?
Well...
He's walking the path he feels is right for him.
I know he'll be fine.
So you guys don't need to worry.
Just focus on your own competition.
Okay!
I'm home.
Welcome back, Rin!
Onii-chan!
Welcome back!
Thanks.
Wow, check this out!
I might have made a bit too much.
It'll be ready soon.
Okay, thanks.
Hey, Steve! How've you been?
The swimmer I remember most from that time is Mikhail Makarovich.
His swimming was really powerful.
Mikhail?
Rin-kun, we won't be apart for too long.
I'll be in Japan by the time of the All-Japan Invitational, too.
Get over there and hustle with the locals until then.
Okay, I will. Take care, Coach.
No worries there. One bit of information for you, though...
Information?
Apparently Albert Wåhlander is in Japan right now.
Albert? That Albert?
Yep. You should be careful of him.
What do you mean by that?
His swimming is...
not of this world.
And of course, the powerhouse swimmer who was active in Mikhail's time
was "Fully Built Ryuuji," Azuma Ryuuji.
Take a look at his individual medley!
He certainly is fully built!
PMH Azuma!
PMH?
I know those muscles! That's him!
The Perfectly Muscled Handsome Azuma-san!
PMH for short!
He used to be in the Iwatobi High School Swim Club!
Mikhail and Azuma ruled the swimming world together fifteen years ago.
Each of them saw the other as his strongest rival.
Rival...
It's fun!
The water favors you.
I can tell.
Nii-chan!
The foreign swimmer who was invited to today's friendly race
was Albert, right?
Albert? You mean...
That's right.
The current world record holder in the 100m and 200m freestyle.
Albert Wåhlander of Sweden.
Thanks, Coach!
Yep. See you tomorrow.
Misaki-kun!
You're burning up.
I'm fine.
I just got a little dizzy.
You need to take it easy.
I'll get you home.
Next up is the 200m freestyle.
Participants, please get ready.
Let's do this.
You know you shouldn't come to practice when you're sick.
I'm sorry.
Is there some reason why you came?
The junior swim meet is coming up,
and I don't want to lose to him.
I want to race against him again, and win!
We made a promise to meet again at a swim meet!
His name's Natsume Kaoru.
He's usually quiet, but in the water, it's like he's on fire.
And he was really fast at freestyle...
I was never able to beat him once,
so I want to win next time.
I get it.
But you shouldn't overdo it.
You need to look after your health first.
I'll help you out from there.
Okay?
Yeah.
Thanks, Coach Tachibana.
Set!
Can I still make it?
Nanase-san...
Haru...
lost?
They all strive for their own dreams, in their own places...
And they'll all do it their own way.
Next time: "The Grab Start of Hope!"
Episode 10: The Grab Start of Hope!
Take your marks!