Huh? Oh.
G-Good morning.
Um, my sister said she's coming today.
I see.
Huh? I was expecting more of a reaction.
Mizushima. Play for yourself first and foremost.
Huh?
Start by winning.
Win and everything will be yours. That's all that matters right now.
Got it.
Episode 17
Lull
National High School Athletic Tournament
Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament
Individual Event Singles
Oh, they're here!
Are you for real?
Huh?
When did you two start dating?
Who confessed their feelings to who?
C'mon, don't be creepy.
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Yusa Kento
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Yokohama Minato High School 3rd Year
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Yokokawa Yusuke
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Yokohama Minato Badminton Team Captain
You guys seem awfully composed.
Huh?
It just means they're distracted. Come on, let's go.
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Mizushima Ryo
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
Glad you made it, Yokohama Minato.
Hojo High.
It's Team Okazaki and Arimura.
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Okazaki Shoji
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Hojo High School 3rd Year
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Arimura Tetsuya
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Hojo High School 3rd Year
You deserve some credit for showing up instead of running away.
What?
Oh, he thinks it sounds cooler if he makes it seem like he's been waiting for you, probably.
I've been waiting for this day, Yusa.
Today's the day I absolutely destroy you.
Destroy me? And who's going to do that, hm?
Yusa's saying, "You'll end up losing partway through the bracket. Who even are you?"
Shut up, showoff.
I'll beat all of you and become the champion!
I'm looking forward to it.
He's encouraging you not to lose until you face each other.
Quit translating everything.
We're done here. Let's go.
See you later.
He sure is fired up.
Well, if he's too much for you to handle...
I'll take him down.
So cool.
Hey, idiot. Don't let him make it to Yusa-san.
Push Forward
Yokohama Minato High School
Parents Association
We're on a different side of the bracket from Yusa-san.
If all goes well, you and I play each other in the semifinals.
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Sakaki Shohei
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Matsuda Koki
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
The winner plays Yusa-san in the final.
But if Matsuda loses at the quarterfinal stage,
Matsuda
Koki
Okazaki
Shuji
Mizushima will face Okazaki-san in the semifinals.
Mizushima
Ryo
You can do it!
Matsuda-kun
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Fujiwara Saori
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Kamishiro Ayumi
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Sakurai Hana
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Yokohama Minato Badminton Team Manager
Huh? Hana, you're not needed?
Right. There's nothing I can do for them.
How's Matsuda-kun doing? He'll win, right?
His next opponent is strong. Some guy called Okazaki.
Aw, boo.
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Nonomura Satoru
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Isshiki Haruto
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
Do you know him?
Oh, he's last year's runner-up.
He's already beaten Yokokawa-san.
Doesn't that mean he's really strong?
He said he was going to beat Yusa-san, so probably.
If Matsuda-kun loses, then...
You can do it!
Matsuda-kun
Stop, you're scaring me.
He'll play Mizushima-kun in the semifinals.
Well, it's time. I'm going.
Oh, me, too.
Hey.
Go out there and win. You too, Matsuda.
Okazaki-san is a tough opponent.
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Higashiyama Taichi
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Higashiyama Yoji
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
Tough how?
Well, like, he'll try to take a bite out of you?
Is he stronger than me?
Based on how you played in last year's newbie tournament, yes.
You'll be the perfect warm-up exercise.
This jerk...
Singles Quarterfinals Match\h\h\h\hGame 1
Okazaki Shuji
Matsuda Koki
Love all. Play.
Crap!
Yeah!
He returned it?
Didn't he realize it was going out?
C'mon, return my shots.
Letting it fall out on the first point wouldn't be any fun.
He did that on purpose?
What kind of stupid playing style is this?
Is he incapable of keeping his eye on the shuttle?
He's returning absolutely everything.
But he still falls for obvious fakes. I don't get it.
Damn it!
Damn smash addict!
I'm not doing things your way.
Did he see through it?
No, he...
He guessed, but...
He can't guess right every time!
First game won by Okazaki-kun of Hojo High School. 21-18.
Matsuda Koki
Yokohama Minato
(Kana- \hgawa)
Hojo
(Kana- gawa)
Okazaki Shuji
How does he know?
It's instinct.
You've let me get the upper hand, mentally.
You can't beat me anymore.
You don't know what you're talking about.
You can do it!
Matsuda-kun
You're kidding. He lost the first game?
He'll win the next one, right?
Yeah, but he seems to be struggling.
Matsuda-kun's the better player, but he's on the back foot.
Is that possible?
Sometimes, players lose in weird and confusing ways.
I'm going to check on Mizushima-kun.
Matsuda-kun, you've got this!
He's a very active player. I should be able to wear him out by making him run.
Mizushima-kun...
Match won by Mizushima-kun of Yokohama Minato High School.
Good work. You crushed him.
Nah, he seemed off his game.
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Uchida Akira
Well, aren't you a cool guy?
Yeah!
Victory!
Nice work!
Yeah!
Hi!
How's Matsuda doing?
What?
Matsuda Koki
Yokohama Minato
(Kana- \hgawa)
Hojo
(Kana- gawa)
Okazaki Shuji
If you want to brawl...
I'll play along!
That's not how Matsuda fights.
Matsuda has turned into Okazaki-san.
But can you handle this?!
Match won by Okazaki-kun of Hojo High School. 21-18, 23-21.
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Ebihara Jin
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Yokohama Minato Badminton Team Coach
Good work.
Mizushima.
It's not what I wanted, but now it's up to you to stop that beast.
Beast?
No, he's a monster.
What happened?
He's like a sloppy combination of you and Sakaki.
But even so, he's strong.
Did he just low-key insult us?
He came in right for the kill.
I'd lost the mental game from the start.
Damn it. He has the exact thing I'm lacking.
I'll become stronger.
He won his first match, right?
It's your fault for taking so long to get ready.
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Mizushima Rika
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Ryo's Sister
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Mizushima Kazuma
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Ryo's Dad
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Mizushima Asako
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Ryo's Mom
You want to watch him play, but you're also afraid to, right, Dad?
Rika, don't talk to your father like that.
Okay, Mom.
Time for the semifinals, Yusa, Mizushima.
Yusa-san.
Focus only on yourself.
Focus.
I'm one step away from facing Yusa.
This year's my last chance.
Once I've beaten one more of his henchmen, Yusa will be within my grasp.
Henchmen?
If it wasn't for him, I would've been number one every year.
But I'm glad he was around.
Nothing's better than having an opponent you want to beat.
I'm working to beat Yusa-san, too!
Huh? Is that right?
You can do it!
Matsuda-kun
Matsuda-kun...
Come on now, calm down.
Matsuda-kun said he'd get stronger.
Yeah.
It's okay. Mizushima-kun will avenge him.
Singles Semifinals Match\h\h\hGame 1
Okazaki Shuji
Mizushima Ryo
Instructions from the coach. Don't take the bait set by your opponent.
Make it a battle of endurance. Don't get swept up in his pace.
Couldn't you have told me sooner?
He reacts incredibly quickly, so I'll...
Out.
Mizushima-kun, don't get swept up in his pace!
That's right. I'll play my own way.
He's tired from playing against Matsuda.
I'll make him run and wear him out.
Game point.
Mizushima Ryo
Yokohama Minato
(Kana- \hgawa)
Hojo
(Kana- gawa)
Okazaki Shuji
First game won by Mizushima-kun of Yokohama Minato High School. 21-17.
Yes!
It looks promising, huh?
How are you doing?
The start was a little shaky, but overall, he got the better of his opponent.
I see. Keep it up.
Yes, sir.
You may want to avoid looking at your opponent.
What? Why?
Mizushima-kun, you're doing it.
Second game. Love all. Play.
Singles Semifinals Match
Game 2
Don't look at my opponent? What does that mean?
What was that?
He overwhelmed me mentally.
Calm down. Run him around the court.
I was arrogant to think I was a tenacious player.
He sticks to the shuttle so powerfully.
On top of that, he aims at where I'm weakest.
This guy...
...is terrifying.
Mizushima-kun seems like the more skilled player, so why?
Sometimes, the winner is determined by something other than skill.
Do you understand?
Something other than skill?
As in, "Where there's a will, there's a way?"
That's right. The emotional strength that comes from thinking you'll die
if you lose the match.
Rika, is Ryo going to be okay?
Ah, he might be screwed.
How can you act so unconcerned?
I don't really get badminton, but it feels like he's not moving like he could be.
He's been caught in a storm.
Call the wind to you, Mizushima-kun!
Mizushima-kun!
Huh? That girl...
Second game won by Okazaki-kun of Hojo High School.
You'll be fine if you pay less attention to him and play tenaciously like always.
You can win the next one.
Huh?
Will he be okay?
Yes, though he'll still have a major problem to tackle.
Singles Semifinals Match
Final Game
Coach was right.
Okazaki-san had used up all his strength playing Matsuda,
and didn't make it through the final game.
Game and match won by Mizushima-kun of Yokohama Minato High School.
Yeah!
That was amazing!
Um...
Let me get a word in, damn it.
I'm not scared of you, got it?
I won't be scared at all if I have to face you again.
You and Yusa are nothing alike.
You're a stranger to the world of competition.
But I won today.
Shut up, idiot!
Damn it!
Why do I feel like I have a cloud over me?
No, don't think about that now.
I get to face Yusa-san in an actual match.
Singles Final
Yusa Kento
Mizushima Ryo
I'm glad I get to play you in an official match.
I want to see how well I can hold my own against you.
What are you, my henchman or something?
Yusa-san?
What is this?
He's a monster.
Second game and match won by Yusa-kun of Yokohama Minato High School.
I was too scared to move.
I'm disappointed.
Okazaki would've made a better opponent.
You don't understand what it means to compete.
But you were the runner-up, right?
That's really good.
Yeah. Sorry, Mom, but I'm full.
Dad, you can't make next week's doubles event because you're busy with work, right?
Y-Yeah.
I felt like Yusa-san had told me I didn't deserve to make it to the top.
National High School Athletic Tournament
Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament
Individual Event Doubles
Okazaki-san had something I didn't.
Yusa Kento – Yokokawa Yusuke (Yokohama Minato)
Shimura Taro – Yamada Kyohei (Ofuna Higashi)
Oda Tsukasa – Honbashi Satoshi (Yamato Kita)
Aso Koki – Tomatsu Sota (Oimachi)
Konno Haruki – Yanagida Shunji (Motoishihara)
Sugano Takuma – Tokuda Keita (Shinzushi)
Mizushima Ryo – Sakaki Shohei (Yokohama Minato)
Sano Keigo – Nakata Hiroya (Shinzushi)
Yusa Kento – Yokokawa Yusuke (Yokohama Minato)
Aso Koki – Tomatsu Sota (Oimachi)
Konno Haruki – Yanagida Shunji (Motoishihara)
Mizushima Ryo – Sakaki Shohei (Yokohama Minato)
Yusa Kento – Yokokawa Yusuke (Yokohama Minato)
Mizushima Ryo – Sakaki Shohei (Yokohama Minato)
I sort of knew that, but I also didn't really understand what it was.
Semifinals
Yusa – Yokokawa
Mizushima – Sakaki
Hey.
Sakaki, what does it mean to compete?
What? It's about winning or losing, right?
How can I become like them?
Mizushima-kun...
Yusa Kento – Yokokawa Yusuke (Yokohama Minato)
Mizushima Ryo – Sakaki Shohei (Yokohama Minato)
Match won by Team Yusa and Yokokawa of Yokohama Minato High School.
Yusa Kento – Yokokawa Yusuke (Yokohama Minato)
Oh well. We'll just have to try again next year.
Sakaki, did it seem like I was spinning my wheels?
Yeah, ya gotta work on that.
Sorry.
It's fine. More importantly, you'd better not lose at the Inter-High.
I'll help get ya into shape.
Sorry, Sakaki.
I... I...
You'll get cold.
Sakurai-san, I'm sorry, but...
The wind has stopped.
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Next Time
It's finally here! Our doubles final has arrived.
Naturally, our opponents are none other than Yusa and Yokokawa.
Yoji, let's win this match.
Let's win like crazy and make sure everyone knows our names!
Come on, look at how much everyone's cheering for us.
Wait, what?
Episode 18
How the Wind Blows
Next time on LOVE ALL PLAY Episode 18: "How the Wind Blows."
What's wrong with you, Mizushima? Can't you cheer for us?