Cue!

Hana Ranman! Bloom Ball

Audition Site

Some World in the Distant Future

A Story of Girls

Who Bet Their Entire Youth on a Single Ball

Surge forth!

Full Bloom Shot!!

Just scatter and fall, for all eternity!

Hana Ranman! Bloom Ball

Anime adaptation confirmed!!

Wow... So this is the project we're auditioning for?

Their Respective Colors

It's been three days.

But auditioning over a hundred people does wear you out.

This is the last one, Director.

Where are they from?

They're all from AiRBLUE.

AiRBLUE?

Never heard of it.

It's a new agency.

Remember, Otori Masaki went independent.

Hana Ranman! Bloom Ball is a super popular manga in the monthly magazine Elephant.

Its creator is Muryozaka Keiko-sensei.

It's about a group of high school girls in the not-so-distant future

who bet their youth on a dodgeball-esque game called Bloom Ball.

Here are the original comics.

And here are the materials for the audition.

It has a lot of volumes.

You mean you don't know this work?

Well, I've heard the name before...

It's really famous.

And it's about sports, so I'm a big fan!

Really?

What about you, Maika-chan?

Of course!

It's getting a game adaptation, too.

May I?

This is a rare opportunity for new talent like you to all audition together.

Really?

That's right.

Everyone, look over those documents you just got.

It's a list of all the characters in today's audition.

Each team has four players, so with six schools, that's 24 characters.

It's very rare to have an audition for that many people at once.

They said the creator absolutely insisted they do this.

Thanks to that, all fifteen of you from AiRBLUE get to audition.

But only Masaki-san's last-minute negotiations secured our chance.

So that's why we had to do that thing out of the blue.

In today's audition, each person can only try out for one part.

Read the audition materials and the manga,

and pick the character you want to play.

Yes, ma'am.

Excuse me... I'm not really familiar with this manga.

I'm not, either.

Nor am I familiar.

But as far as picking a character is concerned,

all I need to do is open my third eye and—

Rie, this one's you, right? I'll pick this one.

Oh, really?

W-Well, if you say so...

I mean, my third eye had actually chosen that one, as well.

If you don't know it well enough, you'll audition toward the end.

For now, just try to get acquainted with the manga as much as possible.

Is there enough time?

If not, you can still do it without full knowledge of the material.

Simply act out your part without any preconceived ideas,

and play the character you feel the most, the way they feel to you.

Huh...

Excuse me, but is a random read like that really a good idea?

It wouldn't be good to do that all the time.

But when you have to do it, it can really bring out the actress in you.

Just like our lesson earlier.

Kirika-sensei's lesson earlier...

At the time, I didn't understand what kind of piece Hamlet was,

or what kind of characters they were,

but I feel like I was able to put myself into the part.

Just play the character you feel the most, the way they feel to you...

Midarezaki Hibana

Captain.

A hot-blooded

high school girl who

hates to lose.

Maybe this one?

What about, um... Ransaku Hibana?

Midarezaki Hibana. She's the main character.

What? She's the main character?

She was in the trailer we just saw, remember?

That's right.

She's the most popular and gets the most screen time.

That goes for people trying out for her, too.

What?!

A bold decision.

B-But I did choose her myself, so I'll make this...

Midarezaki Hibana

Ultra-hot High School

Of course I'll be voicing the lead.

Huh?

If she's lively, I'm the perfect fit!

Huh?

I always liked this girl.

Huh?!

I don't know the series. Might as well go for the lead.

So Hibana's the main role, huh?

That's worthy of me.

Right.

Huh?!

So many rivals...

So you're going to give up because there's competition?

Maika-chan?

I decided I want this character.

Higuruma Tsubaki?

She's Hibana's teammate.

I've always liked this character.

Higuruma Style: Peerless Patriot Shot!

I always wanted to say her special move with my own voice.

Maika-chan...

What are you going to do?

Kogashiwa Nadeshiko Ultra-hot High School

Ashiha Kanna Ultra-hot High School

Rindo Amagi Holy Sky Blue Academy

Shobu Ayame Holy Sky Blue Academy

Yukihara Rikka Holy Sky Blue Academy

Wh-What should I do?

Auditions are now open.

Thank you!

First up is...

Me!

Maika-chan, okay.

Listen up, everyone.

When you step up to the mic, introduce yourself first.

After that, they'll start recording, so start off by stating the agency's name,

your name, and the name of the character you'll be voicing.

Then you can start to read.

Everyone got that?

Yes!

Thank you for having me.

What? None of them have any experience?

That's right. They're all just starting out.

Is this going to work?

Kei-chan, the last group is up.

I fell asleep.

Sorry, Saki-san.

No need to apologize.

You pulled an all-nighter.

Would you like to keep sleeping?

No, we're almost done.

Please state your name and your character's name.

Right!

I'm from AiRBLUE, and my name is Takatori Maika.

I'm from AiRBLUE, and my name is Takatori Maika.

I'll be reading the part of Higuruma Tsubaki.

Mei, you're auditioning for this role, too.

Guess our characters are rivals.

Yes.

Delicious!

My name is Higuruma Tsubaki. I just joined the club!

I'm glad to meet... oh...

Maika-chan...

Come on... Come on!

I'm sorry!

That's fine. Keep going.

O-Okay!

Calm down. Calm down.

My name is Higuruma Tsubaki. I just joined the club!

I'm glad to meet you!

What's going on in your head, Hibana-san?

Every play in Bloom Ball can be explained by Dr. Soryu's unified theory!

How?!

How can the unified theory not work?!

Here we go!

Higuruma Style: Peerless Patriot Shot!

Higuruma Tsubaki

Successor of the Higuruma Style

Bloom Ball techniques.

A serious, model

student type.

That's quite a lively Tsubaki.

This is unusual.

Thank you, that's enough.

Thank you very much!

She was really nervous.

Let's meet in the finals. If you make it, that is.

Next up is... Mahoro-chan?

Yes?

To the booth you go.

On my way.

Good job, Maika-chan!

Th-Thanks, Haruna.

I messed that up...

Don't worry about that.

You didn't mess up at all.

Just scatter and fall, for all eternity!

I-I can't even remember how I did.

Maika-chan...

Was I really bad?

No, not at all!

You stopped because of that noise, but I think your acting was good after that.

Excellent! It was spot on!

Really? Really?

I guess even Maika-chan gets that nervous.