Tumbling (Shintaiso ga, oretachi o otoko ni shita / タンブリング / 新体操が、オレ達をオトコにした)

I'll go. I want to be sure to repay my debt.

Grab your place to belong.

- Yay! - We're advancing to the Kantou Tournament!

There's no way we could win with the same song and choreography.

- We're doing this seriously! - It's enough just to make memories, right?

- Sensei! - Don't make fun of my students' dreams!

Calm down!

Don't make fun of my students!

The Kashiwagi Special. That's the name of that group move.

No matter how accomplished another coach might be, we need you Kashiwagi-sensei.

That's why...

...you should watch us, from right here by our sides.

- Akabane-san. - What do you intend to do?

The plan is already in motion.

Where's Azuma Wataru?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...

Azuma-kun, you're too slow.

What? Shut up.

They're going to put in a new dance for the Kantou Tournament.

Hey, hey, isn't Hino-kun super good?

Men with talent can really do anything, don't you think?

Compared to that...

Azuma-kun, you need to move to the rhythm!

- Okay. 5, 6, 7, 8... - Argh! I told you this was impossible for me!

Besides, we're not dancers!

This is the basics of the basics.

If you can't do this, you can't do anything.

C'mon. Let's do it again.

Fine.

Go on.

Hey, this isn't Bon-odori, you know.

Shut up! I know that much!

I'll now return your mid-term exam results.

- Let's see... Azuma-kun. - Yeah.

Whoa, awesome. Full marks.

Seriously?

If this were rhythmic gymnastics.

That startled me.

20 points, huh?

What do you think you're doing at an important time like this?

What do you mean by that?

Um, this is a little hard to say, but...

Unfortunately, you failed the test, so you'll have to take a make-up exam.

Also, if you don't have enough points to pass the make-up exam...

...you'll be suspended from club activities.

What?

It's a school regulation.

You've gotta be joking. There's only 3 weeks left until the tournament. How can I not train?

There's no helping it. Those are the school rules.

That's right. It's the rule, so there's nothing you can do.

You say that, but are you guys all right?

Who are you?

Excuse me, are you Yashiro Kouichi-kun?

Which one of you is Azuma Wataru?

That'd be me.

I was worried, since you didn't come on time.

Let me introduce him. This is Yashiro Kouichi-kun, our new transfer student.

If you're a newcomer, don't you think you should at least introduce yourself?

Shut up.

- Why, you... - Ryousuke!

I'm the boss of Kara High starting today.

Whatever. Fine.

I'm aiming to be the boss of Rhythmic Gymnastics, anyway.

Rhythmic Gymnastics? What cowardly nonsense are you talking about?

Kou-chan.

Do you remember me?

It's me, Atsushi. We were in the same elementary school class.

You want something?

This really takes me back.

I haven't seen you since we graduated, so it has been 5 years, hasn't it?

This's stupid.

Hey Teach. Here's fine, right?

Yes.

Episode 9

That kid has a lot of guts, being late on his first day.

Apparently, Yashiro-kun was childhood friends with Kaneko-kun.

That's right. Yashiro lived in this town until he graduated elementary school.

That seems like an unlikely friendship.

At his last school, he was suspended once and put on house-suspension three times for fighting.

I hope he doesn't cause any trouble here...

Still, it's kind of shocking that Kaneko would know a guy like that.

Ever since we were put in the same class in 3rd grade...

...until we graduated and Kou-chan moved, we were always together.

And, it's thanks to Kou-chan that I'm doing rhythmic gymnastics now.

Because of Yashiro?

Yeah. Kou-chan was super good at sports...

...he's always been able to do a back flip.

Just give it all you've got.

Wow, you're amazing, Kou-chan.

You try it now, Atsushi. Just like I taught you.

I can't do it.

It's fine. I know you can do it.

C'mon. Try.

I can't.

Atsushi, don't chicken out.

I won't play with you anymore.

Yay. I did it. I did it, Kou-chan!

Here.

Thank you, Kou-chan.

I was so happy. That's how I started liking gymnastics...

In middle school, I joined the gymnastics club...

...and I found rhythmic gymnastics in high school.

So, you feel like you owe that guy a favor.

Yes.

It's a bit unexpected.

No matter how you look at it, you seem like you'd be bullied by him.

Not at all. Kou-chan has a strong sense of justice.

He was the type who'd protect those who were bullied.

I can't imagine the guy I met doing that.

Well, he wasn't like that during elementary school.

Something might have happened to him during middle school.

Now that you mention it, in middle school, Wataru also...

Quit harping on stuff, Potatohead.

Don't call me potato!

Actually, Wataru started his downhill slide in 6th grade.

Downhill slide?

Kaneko, I don't want to say something like this, but...

...don't hang out with Yashiro too much.

There's no need for that. Friends are friends.

Besides, he's the reason he started rhythmic gymnastics.

But the tournament is close, and things would be really bad if he got in trouble.

That's really bad.

The little guy's not the type to cause a problem.

Yeah, but...

Anyway, we have less than 3 weeks until the tournament.

Guys, let's give it our all!

All right!

Yay!

- Don't cheer with us! - Let me play sometimes!

What kind of song do you want for the tournament?

Rock, of course.

It has to be classical.

That's too common.

Then... what about enka?

That was a joke.

How about that Latin stuff?

- No, how about shamisen? - Shamisen?

- That's Aniki for you. Original! - I know!

A collaboration between shamisen and electric guitars.

- Mizusawa... - Mizusawa-senpai!

What're you talking about? Blending Eastern and Western sounds is impossible.

East/West get you?

Speak in Japanese.

I am.

- I said to speak in Japanese! - I said I was!

Japanese!

Be quiet!

Anyway, just give us a song with a good beat.

Understood. We'll give it a shot.

- We'll leave it to you. - Sure. See you.

Thanks.

Kou-chan.

Would you like to join the rhythmic gymnastics club?

You're really athletic, Kou-chan...

Like I'd do something that lame.

But... I'll come watch.

Okay.

You want to join?

- You got a problem with that? - No, well...

Don't worry. He's Kaneko's good friend.

I'll be sure to look after him.

Okay.

By the way, why are you here, Azuma-kun?

Can't you see what I'm doing?

"Suihei riibe boku no fune."

Why did Kaneko invite that guy?

Is it really okay, especially at an important time like this?

Anyway, he's just a provisional member, here to observe.

Let's practice.

Huh? There are more hooligans over there.

What are they thinking?

You shouldn't say things like that.

C'mon, practice, practice.

Listen, tumbling means to somersault.

The stuff they're doing now is tumbling.

It's not "tambourine." Don't ever make that mistake.

To get good at tumbling, your body has to be flexible.

- To get flexible, you have to train everyday... - Be quiet.

What's your problem? I'm trying to teach you!

Hey! Where're you going? What about observing?

I gave it some thought, and...

...it'll be tough to beat Washizu if we don't try a big trick.

Let's do this thing! A huge trick that'll pull Washizu's guts out and tie 'em in a knot!

- Huh? - Wataru...

...you're suspended from club activities right now.

Fine.

Guys, I've thought of something.

First, A lifts B, and B does a closed-leg handstand.

Then, C, D, and E throw F.

F jumps over B doing the handstand.

So, I think F should be Kaneko, who weighs the least.

If Kaneko can't jump, then we'll have to give up on this trick.

Can you do it, Kaneko?

Yes...

Just come out and confess right now!

Who was smoking?

I told you, it wasn't us!

Don't play dumb!

Actually, why do you automatically suspect us of doing it?

Ever since we started rhythmic gymnastics, we decided to quit smoking cold turkey.