Hmm? The direction we're heading in is...
Yeah, Koyo Gakuen.
I take it Tsukioka is on your mind?
I'm curious to see how much he's improved since leaving for Spain.
Hmm?
That's...
Gyokuran's ball! Sixteen seconds!
Ten seconds left!
Shit! There's not enough time!
Nagumo!
Yeah! Shoot!
I'll be taking that.
Rising... Ninety!
Game over! Scoring 4 to 3, Koyo beats Gyokuran!
That was amazing, Haru! What was that move?!
It went in...
Eh?
Woo-hoo! It went in! It went in!
Did you see that?! Aren't I awesome?!
Uh, I guess.
Ow, ow, ow!
What's wrong?
You kicked me in the leg! That's a foul, so it doesn't count!
Give it a rest already--
Ow, ow, ow!
That was a flawless shot.
"Episode 02: Play-Caller Sakaki?"
Isn't that the U-18 player Louis Kashiragi?!
Hey! Don't just barge in here and--
G-Gondo! Let's leave.
Eh?
That school is famous for having the kids of politicians, businessmen, and police.
Geh! You're saying those guys go to Adalbert Gakuin?!
--I'm gonna go tell Tooru! --Dammit, I'll remember this! --You just wait!
Kashiragi, it's been a while. How've you been?
What a disgrace. How do you explain this score?
What were you doing in Spain?
Give us a break! They kept fouling over and over!
Koyo will play in the Fresh Cup, right? I look forward to facing you.
He certainly says what's on his mind.
I couldn't agree more.
Um, what's the Fresh Cup?
It's the national futsal tournament for high school teams that starts next month.
Teams compete for the honor of calling themselves the best in the nation.
Of course, Koyo plans to compete as well.
For real? That sounds awesome!
Gah! I can't wait to play!
You'll only get in the way.
Eh, Sakaki? I heard that!
I'll get better by the tournament!
You did a great job today, guys. Now head home and get some rest.
Right.
Huh? That's it? I wanna practice and kick the ball around some more!
Resting your body is part of training, understand?
Aww!
But starting tomorrow, we'll work you hard. I hope you're ready.
That's exactly what we're hoping for. Right, Haru?
Yeah!
Welcome to the Koyo Futsal Club!
Can't wait to practice!
Yeah!
I'll become the world's best futsal player!
And I'll become a man among men!
I wonder how Tsukioka's team will turn out.
They don't seem like a threat, but it's Tsukioka we're talking about.
Looking forward to it, huh?
Oops! Ugh... I did it again.
"Futsal Magazine" "Tokinari Tennoji"
Oops! Ugh... I did it again.
Haru, are you up? Breakfast is ready!
Coming!
Lucky!
Whoa!
Oh, Sakaki!
Morning, Sakaki!
Awesome! Can you do that again?!
Here for morning practice?
And if I am?
Then we've got the same mindset-- to practice till we're good!
You're good already, though.
Whoa, you're incredible! You scored all those points yesterday, too!
That match sure was fun! I can't wait to play more!
Don't play the game just for fun. Nothing matters unless you win.
That's true, but it's good to have fun!
This is why I hate beginners.
Everyone starts as a beginner. Or were you good since birth?
What the heck?
I see. By training his lower body, he overcame his weak spot.
Jeez, man.
S-Sorry.
Yamato.
That would be considered tripping, so be careful.
Tripping?
Um, could I practice with someone else? This isn't helping me.
Say what?!
Yamato, do you even know futsal's rules to begin with?
Kick the ball. Shoot. Goal!
Yamato...
Could you come with me for a sec?
"Futsal Primer" "The Sport of Futsal" "The Secrets of Futsal" "Beginner's Futsal"
Well, shall we begin?
U-Um, this is...?
We've gotta drill the rules into you, okay?
Yamato and Yukinaga are taking a while.
Guys! We're back!
You killed him.
I'm awful at studying and stuff.
Yeah, you seem like you would be.
Ah, they're practicing!
--Hmm? --I knew it!
Tsukioka-senpai! Been a while!
We've been waiting.
Long time no see.
After you left for Spain, we kinda lost interest.
But now that you're back, we thought we'd join again, right?
Yeah. Futsal's no fun unless it's with you.
That's kind of you to say.
See?
But...
Sorry, but no thanks.
Eh?
If you quit just because I left, you'll never be able to keep up.
Huh? But...
I'm taking Koyo to Nationals this year. Do you have it in you?
Tsk!
Toi? Um...
Hmm?
Was that a good idea?
What?
Sending the former members away.
Do you remember what I said to you before I left for Spain?
"The choice is yours.
Don't carry on the club just for my sake."
But...
Well, I'm gonna go.
Toi.
I wanna play again with you someday.
Until then, you can leave the club to me.
So don't say stuff like, "Don't carry on the club."
I'll be waiting for you to come home, even stronger than before.
Right.
We'll never be the best in Japan with a team that half-asses it.
Besides, if I let them join,
I couldn't face you and Usami, who stuck with it for a whole year.
Toi...
Sorry, Toi. The guys left 'cuz I wasn't good enough.
It's not your fault.
You kept the team alive, and now we've got new first years.
We'll make a good team.
Sakaki! Over here!
So fast! Have you ever seen anyone move like that?
Now I get why they call him a futsal prodigy.
Hey! Pass the ball to me for once!
Yeah! Sure, you can do a lot on your own, but that's hardly practice.
I'll just improve by myself.
Huh?! Who do you think you--?!
Okay, okay. Enough. Let's not fight.
Sakaki, it's true that you're a high-level player.
However, what was it you said?
Is scoring all that matters to you?
I could say that to you, too.
Futsal is a team sport.
I'll be right back.
Oy! I thought this might happen.
Meaning what?
Is something wrong?
He had problems with his team in middle school.
Huh?
He wouldn't pass to anyone, just like now.
The last half of his third year, they wouldn't let him play in tourneys.
You don't know how to cooperate!
We're sick of your one-man team mentality!
I see.
Well, that's what happens when you're as conceited as him.
Conceited...
But was he always like this?
Would someone play a team sport if they wanted to play alone?
Especially one so centered around cooperation.
That's a good point.
Hey, Sakaki!
Why don't you pass the ball?
Answer me! This isn't helping!
'Cause I can score more alone.
You're not alone!
I...
I don't think of you as a teammate.
People who can't keep up with my passes aren't teammates.
Then I'll show you that I can!
I'll keep up with your passes!
And once I do, you'll have to acknowledge me!
I'll keep up with your passes!
Good work, Toi.
You, too.
Toi? What are you writing?
My thoughts after watching them practice for a week.
I see. Think you can build the team you're hoping for?
"Rise To The Top"
I see. Think you can build the team you're hoping for?
Toi, that's seriously your plan?
I foresee lots of problems, but I believe we can build an ideal team.
This might be the spark he needs to lift up and lead the Koyo team.
I wanna talk about positions today.
Are you changing our positions or something?
As a result of seeing the Gyokuran game and your practice.
Nagumo, you can stay as pivo.
'Kay!
Yamato.
Yeah?
You played ala/fixo against Gyokuran, but I want you to play pivo, too. Okay?
Sure!
Sakaki.
Yeah?
You've been pivo, but I want you to play ala.
I don't get it. Why would you make him pivo and me ala?
Yeah, I wanna know, too.
The reason I'm making you ala, Sakaki,
is because I want you to be Koyo's play-caller.
Play-caller? Good for you! What's a play-caller?
Simply put, they're the offensive cornerstone that ensures the team works well.
They need to predict where their teammates will go.
Good spatial perception is key, so it's done by high-level players.
Is that different from a captain?
Captains bring the team together and decide its direction.
The role overlaps with a play-caller, but not always.
You might feel overwhelmed since it's new to you,
but you being play-caller is for the best of our team.
As play-caller, he'll have no choice but to involve others.
To have Sakaki do that, when he's only cared about himself...
Tsukioka made a bold move.
C'mon, time for drills! Let's use our time wisely!
Right!
Play-caller...
Can I really do it?
Our first Fresh Cup match was decided. Are you glad you got what you wanted?
Yeah.
I can't wait to see what they've got.
Guys!
We know who our first opponent is.
Woo-hoo!
So? Who do we play?
Well...
What's up?
The first team we play is Adalbert.
--Huh? --These guys.
Oh! Are they any good?
It's been a while since you played Kashiragi, right?
I bet it's nerve-wracking playing against your former teammate.
Tsukioka-senpai, Adalbert Gakuin's Louis Kashiragi,
and Okazan Gakuen's Tennoji were all teammates on the Under-18 team!
They were called the "Golden Triangle," with Tennoji on top.
Yeah?
They were always in magazines and stuff.
So that guy played with Tennoji, too? Awesome!
Adalbert will be tough. To think we'd play them so soon...
Toi...
Yeah? Lucky us!
We'd play 'em eventually!
That's true.
All right! It's time to tackle some of our personal goals! Got it?!
Right!
"Episode 03: First Match! Adalbert"
"Till next week!"