Anime
Ookiku Furikabutte – 12
Getting ready for the Summer Tournament, more tips on relaxing, Mihashi’s dream, “runner on third”, Gishigishisou, first glove, sighing, duties of a cheerleader, and discover the power of rice balls in…
Ookiku Furikabutte 12 – Cheering Squad 「応援団」
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Mihashi wakes up from his dream. He dreamt of when he was in grade school and Hama-chan, one of his few friends in Gishigishisou, who gave him his first glove. Now, Hama-chan has come back to his life, because Hama-chan is Hamada.
Upon Shiga’s request, Hamada joins Nishiura’s practice. After stepping into the grounds, he decides to go out again to greet Tajima and Sakaeguchi with the same enthusiasm they greeted him. Hanai comes to greet him too and is surprised that Hamada already knows him and all the other Nishiura players’ names. Meanwhile, Mihashi anxiously listens to their conversation from the side, stealing glances of Hamada.
Noticing that Mihashi wants to talk to Hamada, Abe drags him out and pushes him. Mihashi bumps into Hamada and calls him Hamada. Nostalgia takes over when Hamada tells Mihashi to call him Hama-chan, just like he used to. Mihashi never expected that he would be in the same class as Hamada, since Hamada is older. Hamada reveals that he flunked, not because of injury or sickness, but because of sheer stupidity. Mihashi shares that he had fun playing with Hamada back when they lived at Gishigishisou. However, when he transferred to a new school, he did not have any friends to play baseball with and ended up playing by himself.
Shiga breaks up the chitchat and starts the morning off with a dose of talk on meditation and relaxing. Usually, they would need 5 minutes to meditate to relax themselves. During the actual games though, they may not be able to afford that kind of time. Since relaxing during tensed situations goes against a person’s instincts, they need something to trigger it. Something tangible and something present during intense times of a game. The team agree that a runner on third, be it them or the enemy, is frightening and stressful. Thus, they decide that “runner on third” will be their trigger.
The boys join hands and engage in a short meditation. Shiga tells them to put themselves in Momoe’s shoes, who is playing the “runner at third”. They are to imprint that image and connect it with relaxing. Shortly after, Shiga announces that their meditation exercise ends there. The team starts practice and Momoe goes to Hamada to exchange introductions, as this is the first time they have met.
Momoe reiterates what Shiga told Hamada before of how important the cheering squad is. Supporters and cheerers have the power to encourage and, more importantly, to discourage a player. Hamada reassures that he would never discourage the team. However, Momoe was not referring to him, but was referring to the players’ parents. A parent’s sigh is more powerful than the cheering or jeering of the opponent’s supporters. Since the parents are the most ardent of cheerers, seeing them sigh, because of disappointment, will certainly chip away a player’s confidence. She continues that it is Hamada’s duty to bust the lights out of anyone who sighs. She immediately tells him that it was only a joke.
Momoe takes Hamada’s hands and sincerely asks him to give the players the support they need and stir the interests of the spectators. At this moment, Hamada is taken aback by Momoe’s determination to win against last year’s champions. He then promises to give his best.
The team train intensively to prepare them for their first round match-up with Tosei. Rain or shine, they go at it religiously and relentlessly. Hamada even joins them in their practices. At the end of the day, their hard work is rewarded with some snacks, which they devour happily.
One day at school during their break time, Izumi and Tajima talk about how much they look forward to practicing everyday, while Hamada continues to sew something. Moments later, with the help of Tajima, Hamada shows off the newly finished banner he has been working on.
Thoughts
This was a feel-good Oofuri episode. You know those segments in the story when the protagonists start training, investing everything they have, giving their best in the hopes of making something happen. This was such an episode. I really enjoy these parts of the story. I like the idea of being part of something that has the potential to be something memorable. Again, I start to reminisce about those times that I was in a similar situation. Ahh… memories.
I am really excited to see the game now. All the excitement may get to me and I may just have to peek at the next few volumes just to find out who wins. The Tosei arc is going to be a long one and will definitely cover around 3 to 5 episodes. Maybe, they will end the series with this arc. Does anybody know how many episodes A-1 plans to make for Oofuri?
BL moments
- Mihashi dreaming about Hama-chan
- Mihashi’s first gLOVE (sorry for the pun, I couldn’t help myself)
- Abe getting annoyed over Mihashi looking at Hamada
- All the Mihashi x Hamada fluff
Episode 13 – Summer’s Big Start 「夏大開始」
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filed under: Discussion
8 comments for “Ookiku Furikabutte – 12”
The Rotating Blogroll
I like this episode too.
Espectially Chibi Mihashi & Chibi Hamada
I don’t recall A-1 saying anything. My guess is 26 episodes. This is based on the R2J DVD release. Nowadays, the R2J DVD release for 26 episodes which is most prevalent is the 9-volume release, i.e. 2-episodes for the 1st volume and 3-episodes for the next 8 volumes (2|3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3), which the Oofuri R2J DVD release is shaping up to be.
The Nishiura v Tosei arc is going to be at least 10 episodes. Why? Because the match in the manga takes up nearly as many chapters (3 manga volumes and a bit more) as it took to get from the start to the Tosei match. Just watched Episode 13 a couple of days back. The match starts in Episode 14.
If it is going to be a 26-episode season, the series season will end shortly after the match against Tosei. Hopefully that there is sufficient interest for them to consider continuing with another season. Where the manga is right now (Chapter 46), there is more than sufficient material for another 13 episodes over a standard 26-episode season. Taking time into account as the manga develops while the anime is being shown, there should be enough material for a total of 52 episodes (2 full seasons) by the time the anime catches up with the manga, that is if they decide to let the anime continue weekly after the Tosei match.
Just checked the A-1 Pictures Oofuri production blog (http://a1p.jp/blog/oofuri/).
Look at the 23 June 2007 entry (second most recent entry, i.e. after the nice blog on how the first press edition of Volume 1 looks like – and yes, that’s actually how it looks) – the interview with the director, Mizushima and the response to the first query with my rudimentary translation in brackets:
?????????????????????????
(Roughly, where has the production reached?)
??????19??????????????????????????????????7????????????????????????????
(The work is done up until episode 19. This is roughly in the middle of Nishiura’s first round match. July is going to be a serious month as the match progresses.)
Up until 23 June 2007 (a fortnight back), the production has reached Episode 19. 26 episodes is looking very likely.
Only peek into the further volumes if you have time to actually read them or you won’t be able to appreciate the ending. That’s what happened to me at the first attempt; I’d skipped too much text and FAILED at receiving the most important concluding scene. Use of caps justified.
I really liked how the second part of the episode focused on the training, too. Not that it hadn’t appeared in the manga, but the anime gave a clearer picture on the extent of effort the team put into preparing to face Tosei.Show ▼
I hope Oofuri lasts longer than 26 eps… X(
Show ▼
Or make Shiga TALK.
(Now who would drop the show if they did that? *raises hand*)
I agree with leongsh about the estimated number of episodes. The season is most likely to end at the same point where vol.8 did (and I think it would actually be a very good closing scene, too). Even if one simply counted the books, the conclusion is clearly 26 episodes.
If we assume that the anime will continue beyond the Tosei arc, there’s always a possibility the second season will not start directly after the first one. Instead, one season of a different show would air before Oofuri S2 takes off. This would give the animators +one volume worth of material.
@everyone I apologize for my absence and my lack of updates in Oofuri. I’ve been busy with work the past month and I recently took a week-off from work to rest and celebrate my birthday lol. Anyway, I am back and will continue writing my summaries for Oofuri. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
@Gato Yeah, I am so weak against chibis DX
@leongsh Thanks again for the informative and detailed answer on my question. ^^
@iciak I haven’t gotten around to peeking at the manga, because of the reasons stated above. I’m going to do a lot of catching up, so I do not think I’ll have enough time to browse through the manga. ^^;;; taihen
@p-kun If they do cap it at 26 episodes, I hope that the 2nd season won’t be too far off after airing the 1st one.