Holding hands?!, a cramped room full of boys, training camp, the need for speed, BRAIN HORMONES AND EATING, new manager, more kick-ass Momoe moments, guys’ pillow fight, Tajima forgetting to “stimulate” himself, all that and then some in…

Ookiku Furikabutte 02 – A Catcher’s Role 「キャッチャーの役割」

Working hard on a hot day, Momoe hangs dangerously high up a skyscraper. As she cleans the windows of the building, thoughts of things needed for the club floods her mind. After doing a quick mental calculation, a smile of satisfaction fills her face knowing that the 2 million yen she slaved over last year would be enough for her planned purchases. She is confident that the money will make the team happy. She adds that everything is going great and the team even has a new manager (the cute girl behind the fence from the first episode). Momoe does a little celebration in anticipation to tomorrow’s training camp!

While riding on the bus, a jolt of panic washes over Tajima and he loudly announces that he forgot to “stimulate” himself! The others, alarmed over Tajima’s revelation, quickly subdue him while assuring the new manager that everything is fine and dandy. Hanai is having a hard time believing that a person like Tajima was a strong cleanup hitter. Having confirmed it himself, Abe tells Hanai that he was.

Shiga comes over, interrupts Hanai and Abe’s conversation, and asks Abe to give the ill-looking Ren some tender loving care medicine. As Abe hands the medicine, he tells Ren that he should take some before getting on the bus next time. Ren explains that it would not be a problem normally. The carsickness, he explains, must be because he lacks sleep. Lately, he has been anxiously worried about having to change his personality. Abe’s eyes twitch as Ren starts to sob. However, Ren is Abe’s ideal pitcher, one who has great ball control and who listens to him on the mound. With that in mind, Abe takes a seat back and closes his eyes as he silently decides that it would be best to just overlook Ren’s personality. Realizing that even Abe does not like his personality causes Ren to be more anxious. He needs to change his personality, if he really wants to become the team’s pitcher.

Shortly after arriving at the training site, Momoe starts to shoot off commands. She also mentions that they would have to cook to feed themselves. The guys get cracking and are busy cleaning. Ren seems to be the only person not doing anything. After some time, Shiga tells the players that they should head out to gather vegetables. Momoe tells Ren and Abe that she has something different planned for them.

The three of them go to the baseball field. Momoe points out that starting tomorrow morning they will have to do some work on the forest in exchange for using the field. Momoe lets out a hearty laugh after knowing that Ren’s maximum pitching speed is only 101 km/h (kilometers per hour). Abe quickly defends that what Ren lacks in speed, he makes up for with control. Abe’s words cause Ren to blush.

Momoe invites Ren to do his windup on top of wooden block. As Ren gets ready to pitch, he loses his balance. Momoe reveals that control is in the body, not in the hand and that Ren is able to have “control” only because he does not pitch with his full strength. With Abe in the catcher’s corner and Ren holding a speed meter, Momoe shows Ren how it is done. Ren stammers as he reads out the result—a whooping 122 km/h! Momoe adds that she can probably up the speed a couple of kilometers if she puts her back into it. Ren’s amazement causes him to gasp for breath.

Since their built are not too different, Momoe encourages Ren that he could do something like that too, much to Abe’s dismay. She quickly hands Ren a small barbell and commands him to pitch while holding it. Momoe and Abe get into a little discussion as she deems that they cannot compete with a pitcher who only has good control and change-up. Abe disagrees completely, “Just as long as you are leading him? As a catcher, Abe, you have yet to fully understand your role.” she replies.

Ren, feels the weight of the barbell, but conditions himself to do what he always does. He winds up the pitch, turns and—falls, as his left hand is too heavy! He ends up throwing a wild pitch. Momoe approaches the mound while reading the speed meter. She proudly announces that Ren just pitched 111 km/h, a 10 km/h difference from his last pitch. With practice, she continues, Ren’s pitch speed can go as high as 130 km/h. Abe angrily stresses that there is no way that Ren can obtain that speed and maintain his nine-section strike zone!

After all the dramatics, Momoe excuses herself, but before leaving she reminds Ren to keep practicing his windup using the wooden block and that they will be having a practice game against Mihoshi after the training camp. Ren’s eyes go white with horror. He continues to shiver uncontrollably even after knowing that they will only be competing with Mihoshi’s first years. “You will be competing with those who hated you!” says Momoe tauntingly to Ren, who is now doing a good imitation of a sprinkler. She waves goodbye to them and tells them to work hard until end of practice at 5pm.

Abe tries to convince Ren that he does not need speed and that he is fine as he is. Ren, however, wishes to be able to throw fastballs. Frustrated that Ren is not listening to him, Abe walks away from the mound angrily.

Night has fallen and the team is back at the house preparing dinner. After foiling Tajima’s attempt to steal a snack, Shiga proceeds to share what he believes to be the three most important brain hormones used in sports. The first hormone is for focusing on future goals, like trying to challenge one’s own self. Second is for one’s focus on the present situation. Then finally, the third is for contemplating on the past, such as looking back for a job well done. Because the team is having a hard time trying to digest what Shiga is saying, he shares that it can applied easily with regards to a certain thing—eating. Before a meal, think of how good it would taste, during, relish at how good it truly is and finally, when you are full and satisfied, think of how much of a good meal that was!

Thus, at meal time, the boys apply their newly acquired knowledge on brain hormones. They eye their food intently as their desire to consume it builds up. As soon as Momoe gives the go signal, the boys wolf down their food happily, all the while saying how scrumptious the food is. After eating, they satisfyingly rub their bellies.

As the guys are preparing to go to sleep, they discuss about how Momoe and Shiga, both of whom are responsible for reviving the baseball club, are quite the odd pair. Momoe worked part-time jobs to earn money for the team and Shiga, a Math teacher, seems to know a lot as he studied in different schools and attended lectures and seminars. Their moods quickly change when Hanai suggests that perhaps Momoe and Shiga “like” each other. Shortly, Shiga barges into the room, disrupting their talk. As Shiga starts to tuck himself into bed, one of the boys tells him that the room is too small for all their sleeping bags to fit. He explains that small rooms help in forming stronger bonds between them and that they should sleep with different people every nigh—a pillow hits Shiga’s face before he could finish his sentence. Shiga retaliates and sends one flying to Hanai’s face—a pillow fight ensues.

Shiga notices a gloomy Ren sitting outside the room. He asks why Ren looks tired and tells him to get a goodnight’s sleep. Ren did not answer, fearing that he will be scolded if he tells him the truth.

Outside the house, Momoe asks Abe how Ren did during practice. Abe reports that Ren did as she had told him. Momoe finds it quite strange that right after forming a team, they already have two good players, Tajima and Hanai, and if Abe would become the third—“I think that is impossible”, he replies. “Didn’t you say it yourself? That I do not know what it means to be a catcher?” he asks. Momoe assures him that he will understand what it means eventually. Abe insists that they both want different types of catchers and demands that she explains what she said because he does not get it at all! Without warning Momoe clasps Abe’s hand, leaving him too shocked to say anything. She looks him straight in the eye and with all sincerity tells him that she understands. Steam starts to come off as Momoe continues to hold Abe’s hand. He looks away as he asks what he should do. “Do to Mihashi as what I did to you” she answers.

Inside the cramped room, all the guys are sleeping soundly except for Ren. He silently thinks that he still needs to wake up early tomorrow, but he just cannot sleep.

Thoughts

Was Momoe suggesting that Abe should hold hands with Ren too!? Woooooo ~

That part where she held Abe’s hand was priceless. Abe folded easily to her whims, muhahahahahahaha. I am beginning to be a big fan of Momoe. She is awesome (and evil) and knows many tricks. She is pretty skilled at baseball herself and is quite the Amazon (GO GIRL POWAH!). My only complaint with Momoe is that her boobs are just WAY TOO BIG, but maybe that is where she gets her power.

What-the-crap moments

• Guys, enlighten me please… When Tajima said that he forgot to “stimulate” himself, is it that big of a problem?
• WHAT WAS ALL THAT TALK ABOUT BRAIN HORMONES?!? Seriously, that was really weird and Shiga even connected it with eating. I have been reading on Entropy’s scanlations and it was noted there that one of the three hormones mentioned does not even exist.

BL moments

• When Abe gave Ren some TLC at the bus!
• When Abe was defending Ren’s slow pitch speed to Momoe!
• Abe got pissed when Momoe tried to lure his little puppy Ren away, didn’t he? Did you guys see the look on his face when Ren wouldn’t listen to him? Aww… poor Abe.

Overall, that was an enjoyable episode, if you guys are stumped about why Momoe held Abe’s hand, I was too. I could not stand it so I scanned through the manga and found out what is going to happen later on. The handholding thing will be much clearer next episode. Guess who will be doing the handholding… ~kyaaaaaaaa!

Stay tuned!

Episode 03 – Practice Match 「練習試合」

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