Warning: this review contains spoilers up to the end of this episode.
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Prologue
We left off with Kakeru having just raised his fist to hit Sakaki and the sound of a fist hitting flesh. We’re held all in suspense. Fight’s are not taken lightly in Japan and could result fight could get Kakeru kicked off the team.
This episode starts immediately with a flashback of Kakeru having punched his high school coach. His glasses are sent flying and he whimpers in pain, holding his bleeding nose. He asks in a voice shaking in pain and confused terror, “Kurahara?” Kakeru takes a breath then grabs his jacket, raising his fist once again, and screaming in rage.
-Yikes. I hadn’t expected this at all. Given how angry Sakaki is with Kurahara (and how he said “Are you going to hit me again” I fully thought that he had been the one Kakeru got into trouble with at his old high school. Especially considering Kakeru’s guilty demeanour around him the first time they met.
He actually beat up his coach. This is infinitely worse. Or, from a viewer’s perspective, infinitely better. It’s completely unexpected. And new. I cannot recall an anime where it had been done before (not that I’m a Prince-level otaku, but still.) However, we’re still in suspense as to why his relationship with Sakaki is so strained.
Language note: In the fourth episode, Sakaki asked Kakeru “Are you going to hit me again?” I think this was a mistranslation. I do not mean to throw any shade on the work of the translators. I repeat, I have but a toddler’s understanding of the Japanese language. And I know that Japanese can be frustratingly vague at times. That said, I think Sakaki probably said “Are you going to hit again” but it was translated to “are you going to hit me again.” Again, considering the vagueness in the original language, it’s perfectly understandable.
Act One
After the opening theme song, we go back (err, forward) in time to where we left off with present Kurahara. We’re given a replay of Sakaki jeering at him acidly, “Are you satisfied running with the friends you finally made?” and once again see Kakeru running up to him, grabbing him and raising his fist to punch him.
He’s stopped just in the nick of time by Kiyose “Mr. Teleportation” Haiji, who grabs his arm before it can cause damage. Shindo and Nico also have quick reflexes. Shindo has his arms wrapped around Kakeru’s torso, holding him back, while Nico is grabbing on to his left arm and shoulder. The three drag him back against his will while the twins, Yuki, and King step up to create a protective wall between him and Sakaki.
-It’s ironic how, despite Kakeru being on the attack here, he’s the one being protected, both from Sakaki and from himself.
Said Sakaki doesn’t seem the least bit concerned that he was about to be clobbered. Instead, he smiles in satisfaction. “See? You haven’t changed. You’re always ruining someone else’s efforts. You don’t see your teammates!”
As he speaks, we see Kakeru struggling against his friends’ firm hold. He’s like a wild dog, trying to escape his owner, to attack.
Sakaki doesn’t let up either. He screams, “I don’t know if you’re just naturally talented, but if you think you alone will manage somehow, you’re wrong!”
You get the feeling he has been wanting to say these words for a long, long time.
Kakeru snarls angrily, still trying to get at him. Haiji calls his name gently, twice, but when he doesn’t seem to hear him, he finally yells it, “KAKERU!”
He turns to look at Haiji, even as he continues struggling against him. Haiji tells him firmly, “Don’t forget that we’re here,” keeping his hold on his younger teammate.
At his words, Kakeru gasps, and the fight finally leaves him.
Hanging back a few feet away from the action, the weak Prince asks the meek Musa in his usual barely audible voice “What did he do?”, about Kakeru. Musa shakes his head, meaning he doesn’t know.
The team all stares at the deflated Kakeru in concern until one of the TSU coaches calls his students back, telling them to get their things on the bus. Looks like this was their last day at camp. I’m sure if Haiji had known this he wouldn’t have bothered talking to them.
As the group of troublesome first years pass them, Haiji tells Sakaki, “We’ll show you just how serious we are at the qualifier.” He then intonates with his deceptively innocent lyrical voice, “Oh, right. You first-years will be too busy with chores to watch the race.”
At Sakaki’s glare, he tells him, “Start by becoming regulars on your team. Good luck.” Sakaki stares as if not sure what to make of him, then leaves.
After the episode title, And Then Start Running we are taken back in time to Sendai Josei High School. We can tell immediately because we see a younger Kakeru running in that school’s green uniform. He has just finished his course when he hears his coach yelling at a fellow student, telling him that his speed hasn’t yet improved by 10 seconds. The boy apologizes.
The coach tells him, “Aren’t you a scholarship student? Your only option is to do well at running.” He then orders him to run an extra 10 kilometers. The boy obeys swiftly with a quick, “Yes!” As he leaves we see Kakeru looking at him with a sad look on his face.
The coach goes on to say, “The same goes for the rest of you. Results are everything for runners. I won’t allow any weakness!”
As he speaks you start hearing static, as if from an old radio frequency in period war films. When the rest of the team also responds with a firm “Yes,” you get the feeling that they are being compared to mindless soldiers.
Now I see why one of Prince’s friends was wearing a Communism shirt. It’s a reference to this coach and his methods. He was also on the heavier side, and wore glasses.
Cultural Note:
Like all countries, Japan has both private and public schools. High school isn’t actually mandatory. Some students opt out for special circumstances (bad finances, needing to help with the family business, etc.). Those who do go to high school usually have to pass extremely difficult entrance exams if they want to get into a good school. This is part of the reason why the suicide rate in Japan was amongst the highest. It’s intensely competitive and the pressure placed on these children to do well was insane. (BTW this information is at least a decade old. I understand much effort has been made to rectify this). Anyway, some schools give scholarships to students with high athletic ability. The coach here seems to be implying that if they student can’t run well, he will lose his scholarship. I don’t know if this is true, or if it just a threat, however.
Just when I’m wondering if we’ll be getting a flashback episode, we are thrown back in the present where the Kansei boys are running up a track on a steep slope. The twins are in the lead, followed by Musa, Shindo, Yuki, Musa, Kakeru, Haiji and Prince. Shindo, however, overtakes them all.
-Aww, so Prince is still being looked after by Haiji. I would say by Kakeru as well, except I don’t think his hanging back is intentional. Rather, he seems to be lost in thought as he runs.
We find exactly what he’s thinking about. We hear his old coach call out, “Hey, Kurahara,” taking us back to his past, within his mind.
He introduces Kakeru, who has a gold medal hanging from his neck, to prefectural officials. They praise Kakeru saying “You won with a huge lead.”
-I think this is the same race Sakaki was in, which we saw again via flashback in episode four.
Kakeru thanks them politiely, albeit, robotically. They tell him, “You must be a top runner nationally, as well,” before telling his coach, “You can really see the results of your coaching.”
The puffed-up man feigns humbleness, “I’m just blessed with talented runners.”
They then add, “We’re looking forward to this year’s prefectural and national races.”
Walking back, the coach tells Kakeru happily, “Apparently, they want me to speak at a party about fostering athletes,” then adds, “I’ve asked the coaches to manage your training schedule, so don’t worry.”
Kkaeru answers in the same monotone with a “Yes.” His coach then tells him, “It’s all thanks to what you’ve achieved,” before walking off to yell at the other track members,,”Hey, you! Don’t walk so slowly! Look sharp! Don’t damage Sendai Josei High School’s dignity!”
Ew. He’s that sort of person. The type of coach who can’t believe he got lucky enough to get a talented student and feels like he’s the one responsible for his success. Don’t be fooled by his false modesty, the way he berates the other students shows just how puffed up he is with misplaced pride.
Once again the sound of static, alerts us to the end of this grim scene from memory lane.
In the present, bird song, blue skies and white clouds are a vast difference from the grey of Kakeru’s mind. Haiji tells them “We’ll be doing high-altitude training” and that they can enjoy the scenery. Most of the team members are wearing different shirts so whereas their previous run was in the morning (the one immediately following the altercation with Sakaki), this must be closer to noon based on how high the sun is.
Kakeru is roused from his thoughts by Prince who tells him, “Seems gentle.” When he doesn’t answer, he calls out to him again, “Right? The ground seems like it will be gentle to our knees,” touching the wood chips that cover the running path.
-Oh, Prince, you’re the gentle one. This scene recalls the last time Kakeru was lost in dark memories, and how Prince, who saw him at the university, invited him to lunch with his friends. Here, too, Prince is trying to help. Seeing him in his red shorts and shoes I’m reminded of how he was wearing red that day, too, and how his given name “Akane” has “Aka” in it which means red (though I have to check the spelling to be sure). His voice and personality aren’t the most vibrant (unless manga is involved), but his compassion certainly is.
The group runs, and this time it is Musa who quickly overtakes everyone, much to the twins’ annoyance. Again, Kakeru seems to be running mindlessly, plagued by endless static.
This time, we see the same student whom the coach was picking on with tape on his knee and leg. The coach mocks him for saying that his leg hurts and tells him “Everyone has an injury or two they’re working through. Runners improve their times despite them. Run!” The poor boy obeys.
The coach then threatens, “I’ll be cutting everyone who doesn’t do well. Prepare yourselves!”
We hear Sakaki and another runner talk about the bullied student, “He doesn’t get it.” Sakaki replies, “It can’t be helped. He’s a first-year.” Kakeru, stretching nearby, hears his fellow teammate tell Sakaki, “Tell him he only needs to try when he (the coach) is watching.” Sakaki replies, “You tell him,” to which the other kid says, “He won’t listen to me. After all, he’s a scholarship student.”
Hearing this, Kakeru later approaches the injured first year. “If you can’t do it, I don’t think you have to run,” obviously trying to be helpful. The younger kid wipes his eyes furtively and asks, “Senpai, have you ever suffered and injury?” Kakeru is taken aback at the question.
“Didn’t think so,” the scholarship student continues, then looks at KK with what seems to be…hate? Anger? Derision? I don’t know but it’s obvious that Kakeru’s attempt at being nice/helpful backfired.
Back in the present, it is almost dark. The team is running back to the cabin. For once, this day, Kakeru is in the lead which could mean he wants to hurry home to be alone with his thoughts.
Hana’s voice calls out to them, waving in greeting next to a pick up truck where her father is unloading something form inside.
-Like in episode four, first Prince, then Hanako, break Kakeru out of his thoughts.
Her father then holds up two huge bags of groceries. Musa immediately says that he spots meat in them.
Hana happily calls out, “I’ll cook dinner tonight!” At this threat (er, offer) Musa, Shindo, Twins, Nico, and King all put in a massive burst of speed and tell her, “No, wait!” no doubt wanting to save the precious meat from her godawful cooking, and to beg her really, that there’s really no need to trouble herself.
-This was absolutely hilarious and necessary to lift up this dark episode. Only Kakeru, Yuki, Haiji and Prince remain on the track. Yuki slaps Kakeru from behind to get his attention.
He then runs after his teammates.
-Brash Yuki’s a gentleman. The gap between the way he treats Hana and the boys is funny. -Kudos to his Seiyuu (voice actor). An angry Yuki makes laugh every time.
His words seem to confuse Kakeru a bit as he stops in his tracks, staring at the group in front of him.
Prince, who seems to be reaching out for an invisible butterfly, passes Kakeru. Haiji jogs in place for a bit next to Kakeru.
Haiji then follows after his weak charge. Kakeru remains rooted in place.
Back at the cabin, the boys have changed and are about to dig into the marvelous spread that (thankfully) Hana’s father cooked for them, with plenty of meat everywhere.
The jolly man tells them “There’s plenty more! My special crunchy liver and leek stir fry contains tons of vegetables!” The grateful team happily digs into his cuisine, to his delight.
Only Kakeru’s chopsticks remain still, hovering over his bowl of rice.
We hear his high school coach’s words in his head, “Do you want to quit the team?” and are taken back, this time, to the track club room, where the coach is berating a group of students, including the injured first year. “Look at all of you. If you can’ t be useful here, you won’t be useful anywhere. Your life will be decided here. Do you understand that? Do you?”
-Seriously, what a loser. Nothing he says is actually true. Plenty of students who don’t do well as teens excel as adults.
But the indoctrined students reply, “Yes, sir!” as if it is all they know, or can, say.
The insufferable adult goes on to say, “I don’t know how fast you were in the boonies, but here we coach based on years of theory.”
Kakeru, also in the club room, glances at the spectacle, but does a double take when he sees that the student, he tried advising has even more bandages wrapped around him, not just on his knee, but also his ankle now.
His face is expressionless, but his concern is obvious. Past and present overlap as we see the Kansei boys happily reaching and eating their dinner, but Kakeru only hears his coach. “Listen up. Imagine you’re racing for your life! Don’t forget that you’re representing a prestigious school! Leave behind those who can’t run! We don’t have time for them!”
-After each statement, you hear the runners in green reply with a mindless “Yes!” We now know exactly what environment Kakeru was subjected to in his old school. It explains (and excuses) his entire behavior up to episode Our Speed. Before Haiji, he never knew anything else besides what he was taught by his old coach.
His current team is too engrossed in their meal to notice his inner turmoil. But one other pair of chopsticks is as still as Kakeru’s: Haiji’s, whose eyes bore into him; though the traumatised teen is too distracted to realise it.
We’re taken once again into his mind, this time overcast even more in grey, almost like a black and white film, where the injured scholarship student has given the coach a notice from a doctor. This time, his leg is wrapped professionally. “You can’t handle it?” the coach asks with disgust the injured student, who is being supported by a fellow runner. “This year…this time, I don’t think I’ll be able to. But by next year…” he desperately says, before getting interrupted by the detestable coach: “You can’t close the gap that quickly. Everyone’s pouring their blood, sear and tears into practice every day while you’re resting.” He then tells him not to worry, and that the team will do fine without him.
He then adds, “Get yourself healed up and find a new path.” The scholarship student’s panics, and falls into a dogeza in front of his coach.
-We have seen this seen before through a flashback Kakeru had gotten, back in episode two when Haiji tells him, “You can run. No one will criticize you.” Now we know the context behind it.
He begs him. “Please! I’m here on a track scholarship! If I quit the team, I won’t have anything!” He entreats the coach to let him run. “Please!” he repeats, over and over.
-Now that we can hear the dialogue, its more heartbreaking than the first time we saw it.
Kakeru watches this with sad eyes and furrowed brows. The coach tells the others, “It’s time. Let’s get started.
A student, (the captain, presumably) answers, “Yes, sir.” And orders the others to the track. Sakaki pauses on the way when he notices that Kakeru hadn’t moved, and continues watching with a dark expression as the first year beg the coach, “I’m sorry I got injured! Please!”
The coach kneels next to him, and just when the freshman (and we) think he’s going to give him a chance, or options, he tells him, “I only have time for students who can run.”
The boy’s face falls in despair, as the demon coach (the real demon coach, not our lovable Haiji) tells him, “Good luck. You have my support.”
-Umm, really? REALLY. What a self-absorbed piece of faeces.
Kakeru, who must have been waiting to see what would happen, loses it.
He takes wide, deliberate steps to the coach, who seems to have been about to say something to him, and punches him.
The moment Kakeru does so, colors return to the screen as if Kakeru had been dead this whole time and only came to life when he punched his coach.
Everyone student is horrified, including his injured teammate and Sakaki.
We’ve now caught up to the scene that started the episode, where the coach is holding his bleeding nose in shock and his glasses have flown off. With tears in his eyes, he watches Kakeru with fear as he heaves in rage.
Kakeru grab him once again, enraged, his bruised fist bursts forth to land another blow. But the flashback is interrupted by Haiji’s voice, repeatedly calling Kakeru’s name and bringing him back to the present.
Disoriented, he looks up to see that the table had been cleared from dinner, and all his teammates now have papers in front of them, probably the next day’s training menu. They’re also wearing similarly worried expressions on their faces.
-This is the second time. How long had he been zoned out for? PTSD is scary. Kakeru utters a confused, “Um…” when Jouji tells him, “He asked you to lead Group B, since we’re splitting into two groups.” Jouta then adds, in a lighthearted tone, “Quit spacing out.”
Kakeru replies, “Sorry.”
-How much more awesome can these guys be? They know why he’s upset. They were all there during his and Sakaki’s standoff. But they’re giving him space and acting like it never happened. I think they’re taking a page out of Haiji’s book as this is how he’s been handling Kakeru’s outbursts from the moment he joined the Aotake building.
But this time Haiji looks extremely thoughtful, as if he knows Kakeru’s losing himself to something he might be powerless against, and that he may not be able to return from.
Advanced Writing techniques: The first half of this episode was a screenwriter’s dream. It depicted Kakeru’s psychological turmoil perfectly. First, his run in with Sakaki was a stressor for his PTSD. Then he was plagued with intrusive flashbacks causing him disassociation from what was happening around him, so much so that he lost the time from when he was eating dinner to the team meeting. This was a fantastic creative decision and much more interesting and effective than just writing a flashback episode. Here, we are taken directly into his mind and experience his trauma with him.
Art and direction: The first of Kakeru’s memories was in full color, then the memories gradually get more gray, and more dark the closer we get to the traumatic event, until everything bursts back into full color.
Act Two
After the mid episode break we see Hana relaxing in the bath. All the males in the cabin, including her father, are sleeping together in one room.
Upon close inspection, you see that two of the futons are empty. The one nearest to the screen has Kakeru’s yellow sports bag on it, with the blankets folded neatly so he hasn’t yet turned in. There also seems to be another empty one next to Yuki (Haiji’s?) but I can’t tell if the bedding has been slept in yet or not. Nira is sleeping next to King and on top of the man’s bedding.
-Lol. First he takes his seat in the car, now he’s taken over his bed ^_^;
Kakeru is standing outside in the cabin’s balcony, a light wind blowing through his hair when the door opens and reveals Haiji. “You must be cold,” he tells him and offers him a mug of warm milk.
Seriously, how much more of a parent can he be.
Haiji stands next to Kakeru at the balcony and makes small talk on how clear the sky is, and that it would be a waste not to see the stars.
-You know he’s just there to give KK a chance to talk about what happened with Sakaki, or anything else that is bothering him. It doesn’t take long. After a few moments of silence Kakeru asks him, “How much do you know. About me?”
Kakeru reminds him, “You knew the morning after I first stayed at Aotake that I was from Sendai Josei High School.”
Haiji confirms this. Worried, Kakeru starts, “Which means…” but he is interrupted by Haiji who tells him, “A quick search online revealed just how good a runner you were. That you were a nationally top-ranked runner by your second year, and that your records suddenly stopped the spring of you third year.”
Cultural note: FYI Japanese school have a 6-3-3 system, high school is just three years, so KK’s incident happened first semester of his last year.
At that last statement, Kakeru quickly turns away, as if in shame.
Haiji is quick to assure him, “But that’s all I know. There was no need for me to investigate any further.”
-Ok. I am %100 sure Haiji is lying. No way he wouldn’t have found out all he can about Kakeru. I’m sure he knows damn near everything about all his runners. But I don’t blame him. Parents will lie if it’s in the child’s best interest. And Kakeru here needs to feel in control of his situation, so Haiji wants to give him the choice of whether to share his past, or not.
Kakeru then tells him what must have been plaguing him all day: “I can’t cause the team any more trouble than I have already.”
I don’t know what Haiji expected, but it was definitely not that. Kakeru admits that he can’t control his emotions. “When that reporter spoke to me, I felt like I had woken up from a dream.”
-That’s nice. Kakeru had been so happy at Aotake, he compares it to being in a dream. Then creepy reporter (who obviously knows him but is pretending he doesn’t) reminded him of everything he had wanted to forget.
He then turns to Haiji with a determined look on his face, but Haji interrupts him.
“Kakeru. If you’re going to talk, why not tell everyone? It’s okay. No matter what happens, we’re still us.”
-Haiji here uses Kakeru’s own words, but as a way to assure him. Like he’s saying being himself isn’t a bad thing, and that’s true for the whole team.
Just then, Hanako joins them, noticing that they’re still awake. Haiji apologizes that she had to bathe last, and wonders if the bath was dirty. Hanako say, “Not at all.” And guesses that Kakeru cleaned it again for her.
-Meaning, after the boys had their baths, Kakeru emptied the tub, washed it again, then filled it up with fresh water for her.
At KK’s quiet affirmative, Haiji asks, “Really? You’re that considerate?”
Kakeru blushes a bit and admits that Yuki gave him a hint and told him to use his head.
-Oh! So that’s what he meant. Well, done, Lawyer-san. That’s remarkably astute from a guy living in an all-male dorm, though perhaps not strange given he seems to know a thing or two about women.
Haji points out, “Your seniors can teach you all kinds of things.”
He then teleports to where Kakeru is standing, and, before the younger student can comprehend what is happening, puts a hand on his shoulder.
Kakeru starts violently, mortified. “What?” Hanako is gleefully intrigued.
Keeping his eyes firmly on Haiji, Kakeru blinks as he stammers, “Of course I don’t.”
Haiji replies, “Well, the night sky is just so pretty,” looking at said sky.
Hana squeals excitedly, “What does that mean?!”
Kakeru is confused as well, not recognising wing-man Haiji’s intent, even when he’s very obviously being pointed out as an eligible bachelor to Hanako. But that’s fine, Hana, the object of Haiji’s little project is just as oblivious. “The stars are mad pretty!” she agrees in her adorably high-pitched voice. “Right?” Haiji tells her. “Yeah!” she squeals again.
Kakeru, embarrassed and annoyed, tells them “You’ll wake the others.” Haiji points out a shooting start to Hanako.
-Ok, that was ridiculously cute. I think Haiji just wanted to distract Kakeru from his doom and gloom. And he has no problem using Hana to do it. But I also think he actually wants to see these to end up together. We know he’s known her for at least four years, so he probably sees her as a younger sister. And Kakeru is just so a-dork-ably awkward. He’s slow (at everything except running). It’s obvious that Haiji cares for him deeply and wants to see him happy. I think he also suspects that Kakeru is intrigued by Hana. I said it before, but I actually think they’d be good together. Her cheerfulness would certainly help balance out his moroseness.
The next day, it is predawn when we see that breakfast is ready and covered with mesh to keep out the bugs. Hana comes down and finds her dad at the cabin balcony, looking at where the team seems to be having a meeting nearby.
Like Haiji advised him, Kakeru is telling the Kansei team what happened at his old school. He says that he hated it and his coach’s methods. He tells them how he lost his college recommendation after he broke the coach’s nose, and that he had quit the club afterwards.
-Wow. Quit, not kicked out? How much of star was he? Anyway, that explains why his records stopped. And why Sakaki is insanely jealous of him.
Kakeru goes on to say that since the school wanted to keep the incident quiet, they wouldn’t let his fellow third years participate in any meets. He adds that because of a moments decision he wasted three years of his teammates’ efforts.
That explains why Sakaki is holding a grudge. He must have felt robbed of what should have been the best year of his athletic life.
KK then says, “Looking back what happened to that first-year was just an opportunity for me to release all my pent-up anger and achieve some self-satisfaction.
-This is remarkably insightful and true. Seeing as how his coach practically worshipped Kakeru as his star student, Kakeru could have used that to intervene on behalf of that poor boy before his injury got so bad. I doubt it ever crossed his mind as he’s neither calculating nor experienced. He also obviously never gave much thought to the effect his achievements have on other people despite having it shoved down his throat, which he hates.
KK goes on to admit that he was unable to see anything but himself. And that he’s afraid he might do something similar again; that in fact he had been about to the previous day, when he almost hit Sakaki.
Nico remarks “You’ve been hesitant about running because you were worried about that?”
-Nice continuity. Now we know what he was so afraid of, why he hadn’t wanted to join the team.
Prince adds, “But you had a reason, right? A reason you had to do it.” He means hitting the coach. Obviously, at the time, Kakeru’s anger and sympathy were what drove him. Prince doesn’t completely let him off he hook though, and adds, “It’s not good to use violence against another person, though.”
Kakeru quickly agrees. “Yes, that’s why…”, when Yuki, seemingly knowing where he’s going with this, interrupts, “That’s why?” Kakeru clasps his hands together, as if forcing himself to speak, “Before I cause any more trouble for you guys…before that I …”
He seems to be in a lot of emotional pain, but is trying to force himself to say that he should quit even though he obviously doesn’t want to. Yuki realizes where he’s going and interrupts him once again. “Hey,” he says, standing up, “we’ve already started running,” rubbing the back of his neck the way he always does when he’s being kind, but cool about it.
One by one the others all stand, as if to underscore their statements. Nico-chan tells him, “We won’t let you bail on us now.”
Shindo agrees and says him, “If anything, I’m glad to know” and thanks Kakeru for telling them.
-Here, Shindo is reassuring KK by hinting that he didn’t actually have to, and that they feel privileged that he did.
King adds, “We more or less already knew that you tend to act before you speak.”
-This is actually part of what Kakeru is worried about, but is still assuring. They know, and they don’t care.
Prince elaborates, “If anything, I can’t believe you were worried about that.”
-Coming from someone who recently spewed vomit on his friends, Prince knows first-hand how accepting this group is. The twins agree. Honestly, the love freely given between these individuals is incredibly wholesome. And heartwarming.
Musa is even more up front about his emotions: “Kakeru, I really like you. Don’t the rest of you?”
The unreserved twins are the first to agree. Prince and Shindo smile, while King shyly says, “It’s hard to say yes you’re asked face-to-face.” Nico and Yuki chuckle in agreement.
Haiji finally speaks. Standing up, he tells KK that he was captivated by the way he ran when they first met. We get a flashback of Haiji, the first time he saw Kakeru. “I was moved. I couldn’t believe someone could have such a pure running form. I thought you might already know the answer I was seeking.” He looks at Kakeru meaningfully. “What it means to run. The answer to that question.”
Kakeru stares at him, open mouthed and wide-eyed.
-I think he’s floored by the knowledge that his running had made such an impression on Haiji. Especially considering his general lack of self-esteem. And, coming from Haiji, whom we know Kakeru looks up to and venerates perhaps more than any one, makes the words have that much more of an effect on him.
-It’s interesting to me that Haiji thought KK might have the answer he seeks. It makes sense considering how much we know Haiji, as a runner, thinks about the philosophy of running. But we know KK’s speed is based on talent and instinct, not on theory.
Haiji admits as much. Addressing the entire team, “I still haven’t found the answer. The more I run the more difficult I realize it is. Don’t you feel the same way?” he asks them. No one answers, as this is probably the first time they’ve pondered the question. It looks like this is too much theory for the twins, as they start competing over who has more fun running with Kakeru.
Yuki complains that they’re ruining the moment when Haiji surprises them all by interjecting with, “Me too. I enjoy running with you guys, from the bottom of my heart.”
He goes on to tell the overwhelmed Kakeru that they haven’t reached their goal yet. “Let’s go there together.” Gazing into the sincerely affectionate faces of his teammates, Kakeru finally stands up.
Seeing that they seemed finished, Yaokatsu calls them, telling them that breakfast is getting cold. Haiji says that they’ll be right there. Yuki adjourns the meeting and as they head back Kakeru apologizes to Haiji. Haiji tells him that there is no need to apologize.
Kakeru then thanks him instead, “Thank you for believing in me.” Haiji seems shocked, and touched, at Kakeru’s sincere effort to express his gratitude. He tells him “You’re welcome,” and turns to leave.
Overcome with emotion, Kakeru cries out “I want to run. In the Hakone Ekiden, with this team of ten!”
Haiji remembers how he first pitched the idea to the guys, the first night Kakeru spent at Aotake. His eyes widen in recognition as he realizes that KK used the same wording he first did, back then.
But when KK goes on to say that he’s serious, that starting now he’s really serious, Haiji bursts out laughing. At Kakeru’s in bewilderment, Haiji tells him, “I can’t help it,” instead of explaining to Kakeru what he found so funny, he shows him. By exposing him to the others.
“Hey guys, Kakeru’s finally ready to take things seriously. He said he’s serious about running at Hakone starting now.”
The reactions are priceless.
Nico, Shindo and Musa smile knowing affectionate smiles, Yuki holds his head like he’d forgotten how big of a dunce Kakeru is, Prince’s trademark deadpan shifts a bit, while the twins react in annoyed disbelief.
Jouji: “Wha? Seriously? I thought we already were.”
Jouta: “Then what have we been doing until now?”
Seeing their dismay alerts Kakeru to his slip up. Before he can make excuses, a wind blows strongly against him. It’s just as well. No more words are necessary.
Haiji calls out to him, “Let’s go, Kakeru.” Kakeru responds with an eager, “Yes.”
Conclusion:
-Genius. Pure genius. Haiji could have just allowed KK to vent to him the night before, but he knows that’s not what Kakeru needs. What Kakeru needs is acceptance and assurance and unless it had come from the whole team, it won’t be as effective. By delaying the talk, he makes sure the boys hear it first from Kakeru’s mouth, giving him their true feelings, unbiased, and unscripted.
-This is also why he remained quiet until after everyone else had voiced their thoughts, so that Kakeru knows they aren’t in any way being influenced by Haiji.
-For the record, I think Haiji’s teasing at the end was partly him covering up for his excitement at Kakeru’s new resolve. That laughter wasn’t just affectionate, it was also happy.
-Knowing the environment KK came from explains so much of his past behavior. When he first joined Aotake, he was never serious about running, was afraid to be serious about it because all he ever had were bad experience. He was running from the Aotake members. Then, when Prince confronted Sakaki, he discovered that there was a whole different way of doing things, that running doesn’t necessarily have to be about winning and losing and he started to enjoy running with them. After the meet, his competitiveness is awakened, and he’s frustrated at the lack of talent on his team. He tried to lead them, reverting to his old coach’s ideology because that’s all he ever knew. He was then running ahead of them, leaving them behind. After Haiji’s collapse which got him closer to Prince and served as a proverbial wake up call, KK finally started running with the team. But he was still running from himself, from the shame of being unable to properly regulate himself and his emotions, exasperated intentionally by Sakaki. This forced him to confront his problem instead of running from it. Haiji and the team’s support should do wonders, not just for his self esteem, but in helping him overcome his problems. After all, one of the reasons people resort to violence is when they are otherwise incapable of finding better ways of expression, or other solutions to their issues. Living at Aotake will surely save Kakeru. He has so many good role models, people who care about him and will set him straight when he goes awry, like Haiji did before.
Speaking of Haiji, Hemlock said something interesting when Haiji was recruiting the team, how he was indoctrinating them. But the only justification you need to make for Haiji’s methods is the results of his training, rather, the results of his rearing, versus the results of KK’s old coach. Haiji builds up, rather than breaks. He pushes the members forward to improve, rather than leave them behind. He brings them together instead of breaking them apart. Above all else, this team is happy. They’re cohesive. When Kakeru was putting everyone down Haiji wouldn’t stand for it. He gave him a gentle slap on the wrist “No one here is running half-assed” kept him from running in a meet (which KK at the time understood as a punishment) but it was actually Haiji being a teacher, wanting him to see his teammates efforts. He doesn’t spoil Kakeru, nor treat him better than the others. Neither does he single him out when he does something wrong. Rather, he allows him to form healthy friendships.
While one is a true demon, Haiji is your cute, friendly neighborhood Ogre, a magical creature working to achieve something truly amazing. Now that Kakeru has been unburdened, we can look forward to the new dynamic in this family.
Recurrent themes: Isolation, light, loneliness, PTSTD,what it means to run, family, friendship, influence…pretty sure I’m forgetting a few. but I’m too lazy to look them up in the past reviews ^_^;
Music: The gorgeously uplifting ending track is “We Must Go”, the first track in the OST.
Grade: 10/10
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