Midareteku Butterfly

The final episode! I could cheerfully watch it all over again. I know it wasn't to everyone's taste, whether they were Kame fans or not, but I loved it.

(This will be my last review until the next time Jin and/or Kame acts in a drama, as I don't feel inclined to go back and do old ones.)

Plot: Having beaten professional boxer, host, and all-round jerk Kurenai Ryuusei, our hero is now the Japanese champion! While everybody else (sans Ueda) celebrates back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, Kousaku dons the belt and runs off to the convent to give Sister Angela the good news. It's not much of a celebration because as Ishizaka points out, the main character's not there, and when Katsumi (who is wearing one of my shirts, I see) finally notices that Ueda is conspicuously absent, there's a definite air of 'shall we let the kid know?'. Ishizaka fills him in, breaking Katsumi's heart so badly that he's immune to his mother making another joke about how bad her parenting skills are.

Kousaku, too, gets his heart broken, though in his case it's by Sister Millie, who tells him it's all his fault that Sister Angela has gone to another convent. To be fair, it really is his fault, but that's not what the poor boy wants to hear. There's no point in being a champion if his beloved nun isn't around, so he gives his belt away to some kids who think it looks really cool.

Like Kousaku, Ueda is sitting around feeling sorry for himself. Unlike Kousaku, he's got Sister Angela in his line of sight. The nun is at the bus stop. She tells him he can't quit the gym because everyone will be sad; he tells her she can't leave for another convent. Convincing each other to stay could take some time, so they move the discussion to a manga cafe. While I can't make out the other series on display, I can see a number of volumes of Ranma 1/2 - there they go with their Takahashi Rumiko references again! The conversation goes nowhere, which is what happens when two people who don't really want to leave are waiting for someone to come up with a sufficiently convincing argument against it, and Sister Angela goes to leave anyway. Ueda promptly lies to a nun - shame on you, sir! - and says she has to read at least thirty volumes of manga before she can go.

Back at the gym, the guys are still sitting around with the celebratory banners, but Katsumi's not interested. I actually find it very sweet, the way he touches his hand to the bag and talks to it as though it were Ueda. And he smiles so hopefully when Ueda bursts through the door, interrupting all the conversation about him, in a desperate search for Kousaku. Ueda's explanation is absolutely hopeless, I might add. Sister Angela is happily reading thirty volumes of Inuyasha (Takahashi Rumiko manga again!), and she'll go to a distant place when she finishes those.

The ever-sensible Seiko tells him to stop babbling and go find Kousaku, and she knows exactly where he'll have gone to after striking out at the convent. To bury his sorrows under his favourite meal, of course. Kojima, Horiguchi and Ishizaka retrieve him from the Three Meals Cafeteria, where Nori-chan is looking on proudly as Kousaku devours his sixth bowl. Ishizaka hits him and gets Horiguchi to drag him out.

Meanwhile, Ueda has returned to the manga cafe, where he finds thirty neatly-stacked volumes and a farewell note. Sister Angela, it seems, is a fast reader. I'm really curious as to what's going on at the back of the cafe, because there's a little guy taking embarrassed bows and getting applause from the crowd. Did he just win a speed-reading contest or something?

Upon reading the note, Kousaku demands to know why Ueda only said thirty books, which I think is a little unfair of him given that he had no way of knowing Sister Angela could read that fast. The guys accidentally give away the fact that Ueda is leaving too, and that's just about all Kousaku can take. While Katsumi broods quietly, Kousaku shakes Ueda by the shoulders and yells at him.

There are times when Kousaku seems adult and responsible - usually when he's in the ring, or saying something that actually makes sense to everyone else. But he's still a kid, especially compared to Ueda, and that's readily apparent when Kousaku's curled up in bed, a little tearful, facing away from Ueda and asking him why they both have to leave. Ueda and Sister Angela are both constants in Kousaku's life, and at the moment he's faced with losing them both. He's worked so hard to make things right for Sister Angela so that they can be happy together - someday! - but now she's gone...and Ueda, whose support and friendship is basically taken for granted, is going too. That's a lot for a young man to take. That's a lot for *anyone* to take.

Ueda watches over Kousaku until he falls asleep, but he doesn't leave. He can't leave - not now, not until things are right for Kousaku again.

Which, judging by the way he's lying catatonic in the gym, might be a while. Ishizaka calls Ueda on it, insinuating that he doesn't really want to leave. Well, no one wants to Ueda to leave, and as Ishizaka's not the type to ever say that straight out, he leaves it up to Horiguchi and Kojima to make the advances. Leaving Ueda out of it for the moment, they try to get a response from Kousaku, using food (Kojima), distractions (Horiguchi) and threats of violence (the very blunt Ishizaka).

The response Ishizaka gets isn't the one he wants. Kousaku doesn't want to become the world champion - not without Sister Angela - and he maintains that he wouldn't have become the Japanese champion if she hadn't been there. Apparently, it was a miracle. Ishizaka maintains that it was because he did his best, and since Kousaku clearly doesn't understand the gravity of the situation it will be necessary to confront him with the championship belt.

Which, of course, is no longer there. Kousaku shocks everyone by casually admitting that he gave it away. Now, I'm not quite sure if Ishizaka is being upset in general, or if it's on Ueda's behalf, when he yells at Kousaku that there are lots of people who want to become a champion but can't. Either way, it's Ueda who follows him first when he storms off. (I still find their friendship very interesting.)

Seeing as how Kousaku's too busy feeling sorry for himself to worry about anyone else's angst, it's up to Ueda and co. to take matters into their own hands and go to the convent. Unfortunately, the first person they encounter is Sister Millie. Not a good sign. But you know, she and Ishizaka look a little like they might be related. Appealing to Sister Millie's better nature doesn't help.

Back at the gym, Seiko and Mitaka take a turn at watching Kousaku, who has now moved his catatonia to the ring. Coddling him won't help him keep his title, and as a champion, he must always be able to win against anyone in his weight class. He's carrying the dreams of other boxers, which means he needs to work hard for their sakes too. Purely to get away from the lecture, Kousaku declares that he is going for a run.

Sister Angela has evidently been hanging out with Kousaku too long, because she looks very guilty at being caught with food. (Well, I suppose it might've been for the birds, but she sure tucked it away fast.) Team Ueda spot her on the bench, as she still hasn't been able to leave - because, she says, she had to find out how Inuyasha ended. (Nuns demanding spoilers? What next?) No one believes her, of course, and they end up chasing her all the way back to the convent.

But before that, Sister Millie breaks the news to Mother Superior that Sister Angela never arrived at her new home. Mother Superior thinks she's cracked it, assumes Angela will be at the gym, but no, because Kousaku was by yesterday. There is a situation at the convent: Angela has locked herself in the chapel.

In fact, she hasn't just locked herself in - she's barricaded the door with furniture. Both Sister Angela and Kousaku exhibit some extraordinarily childish behaviour this episode. The difference is, Kousaku has a much cuter pout.

Ueda and co. attempt to negotiate through the door for the safety of the hostages...uh, sorry, to get the Sister out. Sister Millie's not thrilled about having them around, but they're determined to try. Kojima gets straight to the point, asking if she didn't leave because she liked Kousaku, but Ueda thinks a less direct method would be best so he talks about Inuyasha instead. Ishizaka lies about being interested in the Bible, Kojima wonders if perhaps Sister Angela would like to hear stories about his time in gangs, and Horiguchi wants to perform impersonations but can't. Ueda finally hits on the bright idea to fetch Kousaku, and sends Horiguchi to do it.

Kousaku is still lying down, moping, but now he's back at the park where he gave away his belt. So are the kids he gave it away to, and 'Champion Man', the wearer of the belt, is being beaten (gently) by two kids wielding plastic baseball bats. Kousaku borrows the belt and shows 'em how it's done, demonstrating a real 'Champion Punch' which immediately makes the kids fall for him. (We've seen it on CKT too - Kame is just irresistible to small boys. Actually, to anyone.) Seiko's speech about carrying the dreams of other boxers returns to Kousaku over a series of ring flashbacks, and Kousaku humbly asks if he can have the belt back. The kids approve, because the real Champion Man is cool...at least until he starts playing along with a transformation sequence and bragging about how the belt makes him a hundred times stronger. It's a good thing Horiguchi shows up at this point to tell him about Sister Angela, because Kousaku's about to form his own team of miniature superheroes.

Back at the chapel, Sister Millie goes for the commonsense approach and asks Sister Angela why, when it was her idea to leave, is she still there? Millie gets a trifle carried away and it's left to Mother Superior to offer Angela sanctuary. If she leaves the convent, everything will change, no matter what, and that's a scary choice. It's okay if Angela would rather stay where it's safe.

But safe won't get her Kousaku, and that's what she wants, even if she has trouble admitting it. The lad himself turns up and, yelling twice as loud as everyone else did to make themselves heard through the door, he tells Sister Angela that as promised, he has become a champion. It works, of course. She lets him in.

Congratulating Kousaku on becoming the Japanese champion is a much higher than usual class of smalltalk, but it's still smalltalk and the tension in the air is agonising. Neither party knows which way to jump. Angela confesses that she's scared, that if she allows herself to like Kousaku, everything will change and she won't be able to remain the same.

Kousaku...just about breaks my heart, here. He can't stay by Angela's side and protect her for the rest of his days, because he's a champion, he has to carry the burden of everyone's dream etc. See Seiko's earlier speech. He has to commit himself to his career. But...he'll always be waiting for her in the ring. Both of them are close to tears, and they're sitting about a mile apart.

Back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, Seiko and Mitaka have another one of those 'will they, won't they' moments that inevitably follows on from complaining about Kousaku. Mitaka appears to be about to confess, but...Katsumi gets home from school. This kid has the *worst* timing. The others return moments later, and everyone is surprised but oddly satisfied that Kousaku has broken up with Sister Angela. He's content to wait. For now, there is only boxing.

Kousaku even announces his intention of becoming World Champion! It's a fine moment for the gang, as Ueda declares that he will become a trainer (of champions), and Katsumi says that he will be in Ueda's care too. This earns him many points with his mother. Kojima wants a title too, and Horiguchi will be 'Rookie of the Year'. It's a wonderful scene for everyone, with a Mukoda Gym huddle - Katsumi included. They're all smiling, and enthusiastic, and even optimistic. They're a family again, and I love it.

More training. Even Katsumi's hard at work, much to his mother's approval, though he's such a tiny little thing that he looks like he's just playing around. (Kousaku's a musclebound hulk in comparison!) Having the Japanese champion as a member of the gym has, as predicted, brought in many new (paying) members, and the finances are no longer an issue. Poor Kousaku can't find a moment to eat his forbidden snack, not with new members fanboy-ing all over him!

True to his word, Kousaku trains incredibly hard. He's even able to run past the convent. Seiko congratulates him, the night before his fight, on no longer being a gutless glutton - because he did well without Sister Angela. It's time for Kousaku to defend his title for the first time. The gang leave him alone in the locker room to prepare, but what happens next is something Kousaku couldn't possibly have prepared for.

A nun no longer, Angela stands before him in regular clothing, revealing her hair for the first time in the series. She wanted to see him, and tell him to do his best. Kousaku walks into the light...and into his own wedding ceremony.

It's a strange event, with nuns and kids on one side, boxers on the other, and the photos being an odd mix of the two. Kousaku looks adorable in his white tux, but the shoes really have to go. I don't know what Meisa's heritage is but Kousaku's bride looks quite exotic, and I think the yellow suits her nicely. It's actually really sweet. Both of them in white, and it works well because they're just a couple of innocent kids. They're not perfect, but they're pure of heart.

As the end credits roll, we see what's going on with everyone else. The cafeteria has a new meal, which the nuns are a bit dubious about but Mother Superior really seems to like; Horiguchi becomes Rookie of the Year; Ueda trains Katsumi, who is properly into boxing now and seems to like the attention; Kojima uses his days in the gangs to motivate new gym members; Ishizaka's got a title match lined up in his own weight class (Bantam weight); and Seiko and Mitaka...haven't changed.

See what I mean about innocent kids? The newlyweds have a little apartment of their own, with a cute nameplate on the door, and they're so happy that they just can't stop smiling adorably at each other. Not that Kousaku's new bride will let him get away with sneaking off to eat sweet potatoes - not when he's got a World Championship fight! Marriage hasn't diminished his dorky, try-hard enthusiasm one bit, and he's still the same lovable idiot he always was. Only now, he's got the girl of his dreams (who looks lovely wearing her hair in a ponytail) and with her on his side, he'll definitely win!

Best scene: The episode as a whole was great, but there weren't so many individual scenes that stood out for me this time. I'm going to go with the entire last six minutes or so, with the catch-up on everyone else's lives - I'd love to have seen Ishizaka's title fight - and cute domestic bliss with the Hatanaka couple. Over the course of the series. the story became not just about Kousaku and Sister Angela but about their friends, and even though the cast was pretty big, somehow they all managed to become worth caring about. (Hey, even Sister Millie smiled at the wedding! Though she might just have been amused by the groom's shoes...) So it was nice to see what happened to them. Ueda is one of my favourite characters and it was lovely to see him doing so well in his new role, and seeing Katsumi, through him, finally become one of the family.

Conclusion: What can I say? The series was short, but so was the manga it was based on and at least there was a sweet, conclusive ending. It really is a case of everyone living "happily ever after", and I love that. No ambiguity here. Kousaku got to be the Japanese champion (we assume he'll win the World championship fight as well) and he got to marry the girl he loves. It was a long, hard road for them, and they understand each other much better now than they did at the start of the show.

One Pound Gospel is funny, sweet, heartbreaking and complete and utter crack, depending on which scenes you're watching, and the characters take root in your heart and resist all attempts to tear them out. Gorgeous music - if you're looking for that lovely angsty piece, it's track nine on the OST - and all of it used to great effect.

Okay, so there's no great mystery (other than exactly how Kousaku is able to consume that much food), there's no earth-shattering revelation that'll change your life and it's probably not going to leave you sitting there thinking about how deep and profound it was. So what? It's fun and it's gorgeous and Kame gives the performance of his life.

Plot: Kousaku's match with NumberOneHost!Kurenai is confirmed, which means guess what, more training. As usual, part of this involves chasing after Sister Angela when she's out for a ride, and trying to make her happy - in this case, by lying to her. He tells his beloved nun not to worry, that Kurenai has agreed to waive the entire debt. What he doesn't mention is that this is dependent on Kousaku winning their title match! The two mismatched lovebirds smile cutely at each other for a while (Kousaku's, of course, is the cutest) until Seiko catches up with them. Time to run! This is one match that Kousaku absolutely cannot afford to lose!

Back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, training is tough, but everyone is supportive of Kousaku. Even, surprisingly, Ishizaka, who has one of his lovely 'I do care about you, even if I act mean all the time' moments with Ueda. I like Ishizaka a lot better now. In fact, the only character I can think of that I started out disliking that I still disliked by the end was that annoying little twerp played by Chinen back at the beginning.

What follows is intended to worry us. Kousaku has to keep his weight down, but he's sneaking food even during training. He can't possibly lose to someone who drinks alcohol every night...but we see Kurenai pouring his drinks away, not imbibing at all. Whether this is Kurenai's regular habit or whether he's just taking this match seriously, I don't know, but he's definitely not taking any chances. Though I have to say, if I was surrounded by the women he has to entertain, I'd probably take up drinking.

Speaking of characters I like a lot more now, Katsumi comes home from school to find Ueda all alone in the ring. He's relieved that Ueda isn't quitting, even though fighting the Japanese champion was probably the peak of his boxing career and it's not likely he'll progress any higher. Kousaku could carry Ueda's dream...but Ueda asks Katsumi if he would do it. Katsumi, of course, is not into the whole macho dream fulfilling promise stuff, and pulls a disappearing act to be alone with his teenage angst while Ueda fantasizes about a dramatic boxing rescue. Poor Ueda. No one ever stays to hear the end of his speeches.

Perhaps this is why he happily serves up tiny bowls of rice to the other guys at meal times - they all have to support Kousaku, and the best way to support a glutton is solidarity through dieting! Or something like that.

Later, Ishizaka proves that he is indeed the sneakiest of the bunch (well, it certainly wasn't going to be Kojima!) and eavesdrops on the long-suffering Mitaka, who knows exactly what Ueda's trying to say to him: that he plans to quit boxing. I have no clue why Ishizaka is surprised; while he blinks a bit and looks dazed, Mitaka sympathises with Ueda and compliments him on his world-class right hook. He knows that if Ueda changes his mind, it won't be because someone else asks him to.

Spring has come to the convent, but clearly, Sister Millie has not been taking the same designer drugs that the Mother Superior has. Kurenai, though we know he's sober, emerges from his flashy car as if he's got a hangover, quite shocking the nuns - though not nearly as much as when Sister Angela admits to knowing him. Having done his bad deed for the day, Kurenai then takes off, having left the nuns fully apprised of the situation. Sister Millie somehow manages to look even more disapproving than usual.

A furious Sister Angela storms off to the gym (as much as a nun can storm, anyway) to tell Kousaku that his interference is not appreciated and she can't repay him for his promise. He insists that all he wants is to see her smiling - and since this is Kousaku we're talking about, it's the truth - and when she says she will go talk to Kurenai, Kousaku, and almost everyone else in the gym, follows her, running past the overworked Nori-chan as they go. The guys aren't the only people on their way to Rings - cue Mother Superior on a bike, hurtling full-speed towards the host club. No one expects "a nun gone beserk".

Mitaka, Seiko and Katsumi, left alone, discuss champions, fulfilling dreams, and whether Kousaku can handle the pressure he's put himself under. No one seems particularly optimistic about the match.

Sister Angela arrives at the host club first - she didn't have much of a head start, which means that she must be in incredible shape given that she's being followed by a bunch of athletes and a bicycle. Kousaku bursts through the door just as Kurenai has great fun at Angela's expense by suggesting that she become his girlfriend. You can actually see her struggle with the idea for the moment - Kousaku's bet will be cancelled if she does. Interestingly enough, Kurenai doesn't say at any point that he's joking.

Mother Superior to the rescue with 500,000 yen all neatly bundled up - does she make a lot of pay-offs? It's never explained where she got the money from, since it seems unlikely that the convent has that much lying around spare, but I kind of like to think that maybe she came from money and she was able to draw on that in this time of need. She seems like the sort of person who would do such a thing for others. Unfortunately, Kurenai would rather collect a million from Kousaku than half that amount from the nuns, so he gives it back. He's got his own debt to pay, which he says this time is 300 million...but then he admits he's joking and just wants the one million so he can make Kousaku cry. Sometimes honesty is the best policy, and sometimes it just earns you the enmity of everyone else in the room.

Things get out of hand, and actually, Kousaku looks like he's about to cry *now*. He gives the money back to Mother Superior and apologises for all the trouble he's caused. It all comes down to money, and frankly, it's easier for Kousaku to reduce it all down and take it on himself. One match: the Sister's debt vs. one million at stake. He will win, and even if Sister Angela doubts him he will win for her sake. I can't help wondering if they deliberately cast someone who was so much taller than Kame for the part of Kurenai because Kousaku's scene here is very manly, very straightforward and full of determination...from someone who is on a completely different level, height-wise, from his opponent. David vs. Goliath, if Goliath wore eyeliner and David ate enough to feed a family of twelve? Kousaku's lack of height reinforces his underdog image, and I can't help feeling that if he'd been anywhere near Kurenai's height, even with their obvious difference in personality types, he'd have come across somewhat differently.

Sister Angela is troubled, and neither God nor Mother Superior have helpful answers for her. Kousaku is also troubled, but trying to talk about girls with Ueda in the middle of the night when you're attempting to date a nun isn't that useful either. Kousaku will just have to win, it's as simple as that, or Angela will hate him. But he also has to win for Ueda, who confesses, in a joking sort of way, that he wants to be a champion. It's an awkward moment, and Kousaku, on hearing Ueda tell him to become a champion, gives Ueda this sort of acknowledging glance and an embarrassed smile before he ducks under the covers. Ueda watches him, sad. If Kousaku wins, he'll be happy for him, and he does believe that Kousaku is capable of it. But at the same time, he's sad because it's something he'll never be able to do himself.

Kousaku obviously hasn't caught on to the 'save water' initiative, because the next day, he's sitting outside, watching a water fountain run rather than running himself. He muses on his reasons for fighting...but staring at the water is no help. He doesn't even notice Sister Angela watching him, but he does snap back to reality when Seiko yells at him. The Sister assures the chairman that Kousaku didn't drink at all, and they have one of their awkward, semi-girly discussions about him when he can't hear them.

And now for the most awkward press conference in the world, during which Kurenai looks absolutely atrocious and manages to come across as a complete sleazeball when asked about the effect he's had on female boxing fans. Kousaku gets to answer one question when Seiko urges the reporters to pay some attention to him, and I suspect he confuses them all when he says he'll win for Sister Angela, who is to be his future wife. The reporters get a good laugh out of that one.

After the press conference, Kurenai ambushes Kousaku in a deserted locker room. No, not for the usual BL manga reasons. He makes a point that Kousaku, fighting for the sake of his friends and the woman he loves, has a lot more leeway in terms of the outcome of their title match. Sure, if he loses he'll end up in debt to the tune of one million yen, but that's nothing compared to Kurenai's debt. Kousaku asks him, quite suspiciously, if that 300 million debt was a lie and Kurenai says actually, it's 700 million. So with a burden like that, Kurenai can't possibly lose to someone like Kousaku.

Well, Kousaku looks a little scared by the amount of money mentioned, which is more than he could ever hope to see in his life, but he's obviously not sure whether to believe Kurenai, which is perfectly understandable. Kurenai must be one hell of a host, though, because he says that if he'd just focused on being a host, he could have made the money up ages ago. But - and this is probably the most interesting scene he's ever had - he says there's not much money in boxing. He's turned away from Kousaku, not speaking with his usual sleazy tones, and actually sounds...human. Kousaku asks him why, in that case, is he boxing? Even Kurenai doesn't know. When Kousaku, seeming relieved, says that it's the same for him, Kurenai seems to snap out of it, reverting to host-mode and complaining about how talking to Kousaku is a waste of his precious time. It's a great scene, I think. Whether Kurenai's telling the truth about the amount of his debt, I don't know, but it's fairly clear that there *is* a debt, and one that he could be paying off a lot faster if he forgot about boxing. So why box? Kurenai isn't clear about his reasons, and that strikes a familiar chord with Kousaku. The winner will be the one who knows what he's fighting for.

Many, many gratuitous training shots in which we get to admire Kame's muscles. The boy is not only incredibly pretty but he's damned hot as well. *fans self* All right, I'm done being shallow. Possibly.

Sister Angela has been praying for a way to help Kousaku, but all she's come up with so far is to go to the weigh-in and speak words of encouragement. She wants to say more, but she can't. He wants her to say more, but she can't. Poor Kousaku is left standing alone in the corridor next to a poster of himself, feeling lost and bewildered. His reason for fighting doesn't seem to understand why he's doing this, and it makes him question himself.

The rest of the gang from the gym find him in this state and drag him off to preview the location for the match. Despite his impending title fight and the impressive hall where it will be held, Kousaku can't work up any excitement for the next day. Ueda, the dependable moodmaker, suggests a rehearsal. He climbs into the ring and announces the challenger, Hatanaka Kousaku, and before Kousaku knows it he's standing in the blue corner. Horiguchi and Kojima get into it, cheering him on; they get a faint smile and a few half-hearted punches in response. You can tell Kousaku just wants to be left alone, that being dragged out in the bright light and being forced to put on a smile for people is upsetting him, but he's too nice to protest when everyone's trying so hard to help him.

Even Ishizaka gets in on it, finding himself playing Kurenai. Horiguchi helpfully provides a few fangirl squeals, just for authenticity. The "fight" starts, with "Kurenai" smoothing his hair and making a few smooth cracks about Kousaku. Cue more fangirl squeals from Horiguchi. I give Ishizaka props for throwing himself into the play fight with vim and vigor. Ueda continues to play commentator, and when Kousaku is backed into a corner, Ueda signals for the Sister's voice to be heard. Seiko's too macho to do it, and elbows Mitaka, who does his best Sister Angela impression to encourage Kousaku. Hearing this, Kousaku knocks "Kurenai" out, and it's all over!

Kousaku's smiling a little, but he's still down, and when Ueda pretends to interview the new "champion", he seems on the verge of tears. Bless him, Ishizaka intervenes, messing around with Ueda so Kousaku can have some breathing space. It's a lovely moment, everyone from the gym (bar Katsumi) together and trying to cheer Kousaku up, but Kousaku still can't bring himself to be happy.

To make matters worse, unbeknownst to anyone outside the convent, Sister Angela has just asked to be transferred to another convent - one very, very far away...

It's time for the title match, but Sister Angela's not the only one who isn't attending. Ueda's not there either, because he's running away. Ishizaka refuses to forgive him for this. He tries to goad Ueda into staying, while Kojima tries to be optimistic and says that there are still many chances for him to succeed. Ueda doesn't care about chances, but he knows if he watches Kousaku fight, he might change his mind.

At the hall, Kurenai's fans are predominantly female, which leads me to suspect that all of them have terrible taste. (Kousaku's much more adorable.) Kojima and Ishizaka make it in time, as does Katsumi, but Kousaku only has eyes for the (absent) Sister. She's too busy leaving the convent, with an ill-spirited goodbye from Sister Millie.

The fight begins. Kousaku does badly, but his voiceover tells us he's thought about his reasons for this fight. He wants to fulfil the chairman's dream, to avenge Ueda, and live up to the expectations everyone has of him - but in the end, he fights for the sake of Sister Angela. Which, because he loves her, is tantamount to fighting for his own sake. Kousaku drags himself up from the floor time and time again, despite Kurenai's taunts. Kurenai thinks it's all about money, but Kousaku knows it's about love, and *that* is what KOs Kurenai.

Like that, Kousaku is the new Japanese champion. Group hug! Kousaku holds the championship belt over his head, finally allowing himself to feel the excitement as his friends crowd round to congratulate him.

Sister Angela isn't with them.

Obligatory Kame commentary: Can we go with being shallow again? It always surprises me when people are amazed at Kame's strength, or characterise him as weak and frail. (Let's not talk about those Nobuta days of 40kg, shall we?) Because, look at those muscles. Think about what the boy does for a living, about the stunts he does in Dream Boys and the effort he put into training himself up for the part of Kousaku, and then tell me he's a weakling. He spends a lot of time in this series with his arms (and more) bared, and the evidence of his hard work is right there on the screen. I'm not the sort of person who takes much interest in people's bodies - I look at the hair, look at the face, and don't really care about the rest - but even I will admit that Kame looks absolutely fantastic during all those workout scenes, throwing himself into them with everything he's got. Who says idols don't sweat?

Best scene: I probably did it to death already, but the locker room scene between Kousaku and Kurenai was my favourite from this episode. In second place is the mock-fight, when everyone tries to make Kousaku happy. It was funny (love the fangirly screams, Horiguchi), it was sweet (they all care so much about their troublesome gluttonous lunatic), and it was emotional as hell.

Conclusion: Only one more episode left to review, and I'm already sad about reaching the end. Kousaku's now the Japanese champion, but it won't be long before he discovers that his reason for fighting is leaving him forever. He spent most of the episode confused and uncertain, poor boy, and even though everyone rallied round him he was very clearly alone. The inside of Kousaku's head is a lonely place to be, and that made this a very bittersweet episode.

Plot: More food than even Kousaku can cram into his mouth at one time shows up at the Mukoda Boxing Club, along with some alcohol that Seiko only refuses for show, courtesy of Ueda's father, who has come to drag not-so-young Masashi home on the grounds that he promised that if he wasn't a champion by the age of thirty, he'd come home and take over the family fishing business. Family relations with the Uedas run just as smoothly as those of the Mukodas, only with added violence and name-calling.

In fact, the father-son fighting is so bad that it's enough to tear Kousaku away from staring hungrily at the fish - he thinks it's a crime not to eat them when they're all fresh and, you know, *there*. No one wants Ueda to have to give up his dreams and leave, least of all Ueda, so he does something very stupid (but completely understandable). He tells his father that he'll have a title fight soon, and when (if) he wins, he'll be a champion. There are only two people in the gym who believe this. Ueda's old man, because he's desperate for it to be true, and Kousaku, who's too dense to notice that Ueda is obviously lying. Kousaku's cheerful enthusiasm convinces Ueda-papa, who runs off joyfully to prepare even more fish as a thank-you to Seiko.

Out on the streets, the nuns are cleaning up. Rubbish, that is. Sister Angela, ever the innocent, is tricked into going to a bar when the sleazy guy who approaches her tells her that they're having difficulties. Little does Angela realise that she's descending in to a host club, and not a nice, sparkly one run by a lovable twit named Tamaki, either. This place is 'Rings Host Club' (appropriate for a boxing drama, but it makes me think of rings of power and long-lost kings lounging around unshaven and in armour), and the number one host is...kind of weird, actually.

Meanwhile, the celebration for Ueda's impending title match has moved to a restaurant, where Kousaku keeps ordering more food (Ishizaka keeps trying to leave and insisting he doesn't want any, but as Kousaku only calls out for five portions he's obviously not including him anyway!). Everyone bar Kousaku thinks Ueda should tell his dad the truth, but Ueda's not in any hurry to cut his career short.

So, the strange-looking number one host turns out to be a guy named Kurenai Ryuusei, a smooth-talking con artist with interesting taste in eye make-up and a face that sometimes looks disagreeable and sometimes pitiable. It's hard for me to tell what to make of him. At various points in the episode, like here when he tells the Sister why he became a host, he talks about working to pay off a debt that's always in the millions. There's only one occasion where I feel inclined to believe him, and that's in the next episode so I won't talk about it now.

Kurenai's plight touches Sister Angela, and before she knows it, she's run up a bill of 400,000 yen and getting ushered out into the snowy night...just in time to be spotted by Kousaku on his way to yet another restaurant. Despite the inclement weather and the lateness of the hour, Kousaku's Nun-Vision is excellent and he has no trouble spotting his beloved leaving a host club. He just can't believe it. I wouldn't, either. Given the choice between a lovable lunatic like Kousaku, with an enormous heart that he wears on his sleeve, and a bunch of slick-suited sycophants getting paid to make me happy, I know who I'd choose and it wouldn't be the guys with the expensive wardrobes.

Kousaku goes to ask Sister Angela about it, hiding himself (badly) by the convent gate so he can ambush her when she's sweeping. He throws a tantrum worthy of a three-year old, jumping up and down (in a desperate attempt to be taller than his girlfriend), but being a kind, simple soul, he believes her when she denies it - after all, why would a nun go to a host club? Sadly, Kousaku's 1000% happiness is ruined when Kurenai shows up to present a corrected invoice for 500,000 yen, and he's heartbroken to think that Sister Angela might like Kurenai better than him.

But Sister Angela doesn't like him, and neither does Sister Millie when she catches a glimpse of the flashy car. She makes a politely-worded threat, as befitting a nun, that if Kousaku causes any more trouble... Shame, when he's helping out with the sweeping too. Aww. The binge-eating boxer and his beloved wonder what they should do.

Back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, Ueda-papa is telling everyone he can think of about his son's upcoming title fight. Ishizaka is all in favour of telling him the truth, but Ueda reckons his dad will go home eventually so it's better to play along for now. Ueda-papa wants to see his son victorious, leading to a painful sparring bout with Ishizaka, the sacrificial lamb. It's not until this point that they realise that Kousaku never came back from his morning run.

This is because he and Sister Angela have gone to the fountain to ponder the situation. Kousaku generously offers her all the money he has on him - looks to be about 237 yen - and offers to help with her dizzying debt of 500,000, which she rejects. He has quite a smart moment, though, and points out that if that number one host comes back to the convent, the other nuns will find out. I appreciate Kousaku's honesty here when he says that it's actually better for him if Sister Angela gets kicked out from the convent...but he doesn't want to see her worried face. He's grown a lot since the first episode, thinking about what's best for her rather than himself. As she rides off, he determines to do something about the debt himself.

Kousaku's plan, such as it is, involves his other major talent in life - eating, not boxing - and he begins devouring jumbo bowls of ramen (and delicious-looking desserts) to win money. On a side note, the sight of Kame scarfing food like there's no tomorrow and ending up with cream on his nose entertains me greatly. The cuteness of this series is slaying me, I swear.

Unfortunately for Kousaku, he makes the mistake of going to Kurenai to make the first payment and declaring that he will be the one to pay Sister Angela's debt. Kurenai, amazed that anyone would do such a thing simply because they like someone, suggests, from his much greater height, that Kousaku could pay off the debt quicker...with his body. You can imagine where my mind went.

But no, Kurenai was merely suggesting that Kousaku try his hand at being a host, complete with oddly-styled hair, painted nails, and a ton of rings. Kousaku ends up failing horribly at domestic duties and stumbling home next morning with enough alcohol inside him to sink a battleship - not a good idea for a boxer.

Meanwhile, Sister Angela plucks up the courage to ask Mother Superior for 500,000 yen. She receives 500 yen. Sure, it's a start...

En route to school, Katsumi witnesses Kousaku's less-than-steady return home, babbling about money. Seiko vows to beat him up for skipping training to drink, but Mitaka steps in to save poor Kousaku, who looks like he needs to lie down in a dark room somewhere.

Once he sobers up, he and Sister Angela (separately) attempt to get money, she through a loan, he through an advance at work. Both fail miserably, and Sister Angela is taking notes on a job available at Mos Burger when Katsumi sees her and comments how everyone's talking about money - including Kousaku.

Back at the boxing club, Ueda's championship banners are piling up and his dad wants him to point out the champion he's going to beat. Coincidentally, he happens to pick out the Japanese champion: Kurenai Ryuusei.

Sister Angela tells a curious Seiko about the host club, and confesses that she's worried about Kousaku getting involved. Seiko puts two and two together, figures out why Kousaku was out drinking, and the two women take off for Rings Host Club. Kousaku's appetite and youthful enthusiasm has made him a hit with some of the women, who enjoy feeding him and watching his adorable reactions, but just as he's about to gorge himself, Seiko catches him. She drags him off by his scarf, but...

Kousaku has no clue who Kurenai is, as a boxer, but Seiko does. Kurenai is amazed to find out that Kousaku is a boxer, that his gym has a female chairman, and that Kousaku doesn't know who the Japanese champion is. Kousaku's surprised to learn Kurenai's identity - and even more surprised when Kurenai says that he might be better off as a host than a boxer. Kousaku is unreasonably happy about this, figuring he can pay the debt off sooner, but Sister Angela angrily points out that his dream is to be a champion - not a host! - and he shouldn't talk like that.

Next morning, a lacklustre Kousaku is confronted during practice by Kurenai, who's dressed...like Jin, actually. I'm sure I've seen pics of him in that outfit. It's never good news when Kurenai shows up, and this time he's got an invoice for Kousaku - the debt's gone back up to 500,000 as a penalty for his leaving early the previous night.

And it's not just Kousaku for whom Kurenai spells disaster, as he catches sight of the Ueda vs. Kurenai banners all over the place, none of which are flattering. The game is up, as Kurenai takes great pleasure in revealing to Ueda-papa that his son lied. He does his best to rile up Seiko, earning himself a sort-of threat from Mitaka, and even though Kurenai's much taller than Seiko and a champion to boot, he turns away first when they get into a staring match. Being a short woman myself, I always enjoy watching them intimidate tall men.

Kurenai sweeps out of the gym, leaving Ueda to make a heartfelt apology to his father and sum up his less-than-glorious boxing career. Not unexpectedly, he gets decked for it, and his father takes off with a broken heart. I feel so sorry for Ueda. He's a great guy, and he tries to do his best for everyone, but when he gets undermined like that he doesn't even have confidence in his friends. It's very sad.

The guys at the gym think so too, and they all gather in Ueda + Kousaku's room, even Katsumi and Mitaka, to drink and talk. Mitaka says what we're all thinking, that the champion really annoys him, and tells Ueda to take back what he'd said in front of Kurenai, that he wasn't endeared to the others at the gym. He points out that it must be false, or they wouldn't have indulged him in his lie for so long - all except Kousaku, who cheerfully admits that he hadn't noticed he was being lied to.

I have to say that these last few episodes paint Ueda and Ishizaka as being much better friends than I'd realised - not demonstrative, because Ishizaka favours the 'lurking in corners, making sly comments and looking away' approach and Ueda's the total opposite, but it's quite clear that Ishizaka likes Ueda a lot more than he likes anyone else there, and that he tries to support him in his own way.

Mitaka tells the tale of how he started boxing (he'd had enough of Seiko beating up his bullies for him). He was an ordinary guy, with no special talents, and even once he took up boxing, he proved to be no great shakes. But he kept going because he felt that one day, something big would happen. Ueda understands this, and even Katsumi gets caught up in the excitement as the guys talk about big events. For Kousaku, of course, it's Sister Angela, which is a lot better than Ishizaka getting dumped by a woman!

Brief interlude by the ring, during which Katsumi tries to be a good son and Seiko tries to be a good mother, and neither really succeeds. Mitaka wouldn't say what the big thing that happened to him was, but it's pretty clear it's Seiko. I'm really curious what happened with her husband, and how she and Mitaka, two childhood friends, ended up working together. Does Katsumi ever see his father?

Kousaku, now in possession of the knowledge that his host club enemy is also a boxer, does the only thing left to him and goes to challenge Kurenai to a fight - not because he wants to defeat the champion, but because he wants Kurenai to waive the debt when Kousaku wins. Kurenai is now firmly convinced that Kousaku is an idiot, going so far for a woman he can't even date, and Kousaku admits that yes, he's an idiot. But nonetheless, he is sincere - so sincere that it makes Kurenai feel ill. Nobody's that nice in *his* world. Interestingly, just after we see Sister Angela praying to her personal agony uncle for a solution, we get a short scene with Kurenai and his trainer...and Kurenai mentions his debt again, but when there's no one around to con. Does he really have a debt? Something bigger than a credit card bill? Is anything he says true? Who knows.

Kurenai shows up at the Mukoda Boxing Club again - to relieve his stress, he says - and Kousaku challenges him to a sparring match. Ueda asks that he be allowed to do it - and Mukoda Seiko, a proud woman, bows her head to a man who doesn't deserve it to grant Ueda his wish. It's a touching moment, and even Kurenai can't say no after that.

Everyone in the gym watches the match, calling out advice to Ueda, but none of it helps. He's badly overmatched, tiring himself out without ever landing a punch, and he goes down several times. One thing prevents it from being a total disaster, however. Ueda catches sight of one of his banners, and tells himself that *this* is his title match. Right now. He has to pull himself up and keep going...and bless him, he does actually manage to connect, hitting Kurenai right in the face. Of course, this has the unfortunate effect of making Kurenai take the fight seriously, and it's a loss for Ueda.

Kurenai fumes in the corner while everyone else gathers round the fallen Ueda, and Katsumi, in particular, hastens to assure Ueda that he did well. Ueda Masashi will never be a champion...but he can land a punch on one, and that's a big thing for him. Kurenai's so annoyed that he agrees to Kousaku's request for a title match, but there's a catch. If Kousaku wins, he'll cancel Sister Angela's debt...but if Kousaku loses, he'll owe Kurenai double the amount, a full million yen. Kousaku mulls it over for all of five seconds before agreeing. He can't allow himself to think about the possibility of losing, not when the Sister's happiness is on the line.

Obligatory Kame commentary: I can't say I was mad about the hairstyle but Kame did make an entertaining host, all glammed up and cutely clutzy. It was an amusing look at what happens if you throw Kousaku into a completely different world and make him associate with non-boxing types, and I love that he didn't become all suave and smooth like the others. I'd like to see Kame be a host in a skit or something, sometime, and just be himself, because he's absolutely adorable.

Best scene: Oh, lots of good candidates. There's Ueda's punch landing on Kurenai's face, the touching moment with Katsumi trying to console Ueda, or Kousaku's lovely expression when he admitted he had no idea Ueda was lying...but actually, I'm going to go with Kousaku sweeping the front of the convent when Sister Millie accosts them. Sister Angela had been sweeping previously, of course, and to me it looks like a sign of togetherness that he then does it so casually. (But then, what do I know? I'm an Akame fangirl. My fandom thinks facial hair might be a sign of everlasting love.)

Conclusion: I saw episode 8 raw while in Japan but hadn't seen 7 beforehand, so it was nice to finally know why Sister Angela was in debt for half a million and what was going on with Ueda! This is very much a 'final arc' first episode, setting us up for the end, which makes me tear up a little because I've loved watching the series so much. We've got our villain, some very high financial stakes, and a lot of heartbreaks and burdens to bear, so it's almost difficult to watch, knowing that the characters are in for a rough time.

For all that he can throw a jealous tantrum like a three year-old (been taking lessons from Jin?) Kousaku's grown up a lot since the first episode, taking on greater responsibility for Sister Angela's happiness. Faced with a 500,000 yen debt (and then the possibility of a million), a lot of men would simply walk away, leave the girl to deal with her own mess. But Kousaku never considers doing that. It's not an option for him - they will simply have to find a way to deal with it, so that she can be happy. That's love, right there, and it's not very practical.

But if someone like Ishizaka, a realist who always points out the negatives, can choose a career as unstable as boxing over a safe, well-ordered life as a salaryman with a woman he cares about, we can't expect Kousaku to do any less. He'll do what makes him happy - and what makes Kousaku happy is to see Sister Angela's smiling face.

My final showing of Dream Boys for the year! I am so sad now. I could easily go for each and every performance, I love it so much. The show is absolutely crack, and once you get addicted, you just have to keep going.

They didn't search our bags this time - I guess they've given up on camera-hunting now that the first week is over. Anyway, these were probably the best seats I've had - just off to the right of the centre, good view of the stage and a perfect view of the aerial acrobatics, and of course, things happening in our aisle! I should've known it wasa sign when the clowns came and messed around next to us for ages - we were visible on the screen for a bit. The kids in the corner from the other night were getting attention again - now I know they were juniors.

Koki still didn't get to do his breakdancing in the skipping ropes! Did I see the only successful performance of that? Because this time the rope got caught and went flying across the floor.

No Kame skipping either - the whole training scene, along with the baseball/top hat/NYC scene, was absent again. (Did they do that at all after opening night?) What we did have in the park this time was a surprise appearance from the rest of Hey!Say!JUMP! Kame went and stood between Yamada and another short one (not Chinen) so he could finally feel tall - earlier, he'd been drawing attention (again) to the fact that Yabu is taller than him. Poor Kame. He's tiny! And he looks like he's dropped weight again. He'll be a stick insect by the end of Dream Boys!

Yamada wasn't speaking into the mic at first - he got all cutely embarrassed about it. One of the kids said hello in Chinese. They all talked for ages - so long, in fact, that someone had to come out from backstage and tell them they were running over! H!S!J all talked, promoting dramas (like Gokusen 3), talking about who'd worked with Kame before, and they were promoting...I don't know, 'Sensei wa Erai' or something. (Impressive Teacher, or something along those lines.) Kame did this the other night too, actually - he kept changing it to 'Sensei wa Eroi'. Oh Kame. One-track mind. And the kiddies are underage too!

When the H!S!Chibis went off, Kame was still there with the juniors and one of them wanted to talk but didn't have a microphone. So Kame and Yabu put their faces next to his (it looked like they were about to smother him with kisses) so he could use theirs. Kame then picked the kid up with one arm, no problem. He's a lot stronger than he looks, and watching him in Dream Boys, it's very obvious.

There were no half-naked juniors running down the aisle during the filming of the movie this time. When Koki smashed the set up, Kame went to help one fallen tech and ended up having his hair fixed by one of the extras.

When Kame was on the bench doing his version of Next Dream, he sang the "massugu mae wo" bit okay but then Yuki interrupted, and he sung the "mitsumetegoran" bit in a sort of "running out of batteries" voice. He and Yuki were talking about good things, including "ii kanji" (good feelings), and Kame kind of leered at him. Yuki was all "I had no idea Kazuya was that kind of person!" When Kame was talking about his mother, he said the "kawaii" bit in this cute, high-pitched voice.

When Yabu came up in the boat to the bridge, we couldn't see him at first - he was napping under a blanket. He had to leap up and go "Hi, Kazuya!" before I knew he was there! They talked about pirates again - evidently, the violinist was quite a kind pirate? Who knows?

I've had Koki over my head and Kame walk next to me a lot, but I've never had Koki walk past me for the fight before! Because we were slightly to the right, Koki walked up a couple of rows behind us, then turned and walked past us down to the stage! Looking good, Koki!

There were disadvantages to being in the aisle, though. During the pierrot bit with the multicoloured banners, one guy stood next to us with a big orange one and kept waving it, blocking our view of the aerial acrobatics temporarily so I couldn't see Kame's mask falling off very well.

But the flying! Kame looked so terrified up there! Not during the straight stuff - he was perfectly happy going round in a big circle at the end - but the acrobatics posed a problem for him. He was very professional, of course, but I have never seen him so nervous. Before he started (this was the bit in black and green, just before Will be All Right), he was checking the harness a lot - something wouldn't attach properly, I think - and when he was upside down, just before the somersault, he almost fell! He managed to get back up but you could see from his face that he was struggling like crazy. Kame's incredibly brave, I think, and I love watching him perform, but sometimes I wish he'd chosen a safer profession! When he landed on the chandelier he looked relieved again but he was actually shaking, and he was clinging onto the pole for dear life.

During the "between worlds" scene, Koki caught Kame's wrists from behind to pull him up to to the stage. Kame did impersonations again - finding his "Catherine" and running off with her several times like a pair of naughty schoolkids, leaving Koki alone on the stage - so he did a backflip! I don't know but I think Kame was also impersonating someone when he was gathering up all the money from the floor?

Anyway, Kame stood next to the angels, who were all waving their arms and fawning over Koki as he gave them money. Kame then started impersonating the angels, and Koki said something about the prettiest angel (I don't know if he was indicating Kame or querying because I didn't catch the first word) and Kame stopped, then started again. I think he was after the money!

During 'The Wall' we had guys randomly running down our aisle and getting into fights, which is always fun.

When Kis-My-FtII were searching for Kame at the end, Fujigaya ran down our aisle, shortly followed by...Kame! He ran right past us again. I've had some unbelievable luck with tickets sometimes.

A couple of things I keep forgetting to mention in my reports: during Andalucia ni Akogarete, there's a part where Kame and all the other dancers take off their coats and twirl them around. They then throw them on the floor, throw themselves face down after them and pick the coats up with their teeth!

Because of the messy, fluffy hair, Kame seriously looks like Jin at some points during the show. Expecially during Will Be All Right, which kind of makes me want to see Jin poledance. Kame's hair is definitely lighter than it was for 1PG, and it's got light brown (?) streaks in it.

During LIPS, Kame and Koki both started off sitting down on platforms, grinning at each other. Kame did Nakamaru's beat-boxing bit again and had so much fun that he missed his cue for the next line! He and Koki high-fived each other during the song - it may not have sounded that great (Kame was fine but Koki kind of butchered it) but they were clearly having a lot of fun. Which is good, 'cause poor Kame deserved it! I hope someone gave him a big hug backstage after he got down from the pole, because he looked in sore need of one!

When Kame was talking with the juniors in the park, he kept trying to say his final speech but the kids were interrupting before he could get out more than two words. He got applause when he finally managed to say it all!

When Koki went to give his speech at the end, he turned away again, so Kame kicked him in the rear again. Koki's adorable (even if he does kill Jin's lines in LIPS) and when he says that his most important person is himself, he hams it up so much. He was just really funny to watch, and such a good dancer.

Kame, of course, was an excellent dancer too, and I love the little twirls and flourishes he adds in. He knows his fanservice, that boy, and I cannot wait for the DVD to come out so I can watch him dance to Hanasanaide Ai, because that was just so...incredibly hot.

One last thing. There was a part with random English, but I can't remember when it was. Kame said "take care" in English, and then I think it was Koki (so probably during the "between worlds" scene) who said "ki o tsukete" - the Japanese equivalent. There was more than that, but it's all I remember!

-----

I did some research when I got back to England, based on the lyrics I could remember...

I still have no clue what Koki's solo during Dream Boys Showtime was, but Yabu was singing 'Ikujinashi', which is apparently a Ya-Ya-Yah song. And you know what? He didn't sound bad doing it, either. But his voice is really too high for my liking, especially when you have him talking on the stage with juniors who have deeper voices than him. (Kawai Fumito, I'm thinking of you.)

Right, I now know what A.B.C. performed during Showtime - it was 'Sayonara Box' - and the Kis-My-Ft2 one was, I think, 'Brand New Season'. They did one together as well - 'Real DX'?

As I gave a pretty full report on opening night, I'll just talk about the differences/anything else I noticed this time round - I had opera glasses for the whole thing, which was fairly enlightening. Mostly I watched Kame, but sometimes Koki...and a lot of Kawai!

There were a few other foreigners in the crowd this time - when the camera was roaming over the audience at the beginning, it lingered on them for ages! It showed us briefly, so I waved. Also on a group of small pretty boys in the back right hand corner, who were clowning around. Tia speculates that they were members of Hey!Say!JUMP.

Some of the clowns were girls this time! Or small boys who aspire to have Yamapi's chest.

Things changed since opening night. I don't know if it was cut for time or what, but they didn't have the baseball/NYC/top hat and cane dance number, or the training with Kame skipping - just vanished! Possibly because the scene with the two-dozen juniors in the park was so long. More of the same - Kousaku impersonations (including "Champion Punch!") and Kame spoiled 1PG's final episode for me by saying that Sister Angela was no longer a sister. Cheers, Kame. I haven't seen it yet! Talk about Tatta Hitotsu no Koi and his "cool" character in that, but the juniors weren't interested. More accusations of Kame being KY, to which he responded that no, he was AKY. I love the way the kids' minds immediately leapt to Akanishi, Kamenashi...

When Koki was going to do his breakdancing between the two skipping ropes, it got messed up and he got hit in the head by the ropes instead! Naturally he looked pretty annoyed by that!

When Kame was up in the air, just after the tightrope bit, I was watching his face very closely. He looked uncomfortable again, didn't smile at all till he landed by the pole. He mouthed this cute little "Yosh!" just before he threw himself into a somersault, and looked a lot happier later, when all three of them were just flying round in a big circle. Smiling and laughing were no problem then. Straight-up flying is okay, acrobatics are a bit dicey. When he first came on in that big purple robe and seriously shiny shorts, he just looked a bit bored in the air. Same old routine, I guess. (Tia: He's taken a leaf out of Jin's book!)

I could finally see who was singing that song that begins "When I was seventeen..." on the stairs - turns out to be a junior. Casey Anderson, I think? Same one speaking random English later, and he was the adorable one with the letter on Shounen Club the other week. Lovely voice.

On the bridge, Kame was singing snatches of something by a female singer in the audience, I think. He was so cute!

At the talk at the end, when it was Koki's turn to talk, Kame turned to face him - and Koki turned too so he was facing away! Kame went up to him and hit him lightly in the rear with his knee. Koki talked about his "ai suru partner Kame-chan". Aww. I may have missed out a particle in there but you get the idea. Kame began his bit by thanking his parents? They made the Tatta Hitotsu no Koi Koki hairstyle joke again - Dream Bouzu - and I have to say, I quite liked Koki's hair then.

In the "between worlds" scene, Kame ran off with a girl several times. Koki made a half-hearted attempt to chase but was left alone on the stage. When they were talking about the location again, Japan was above them and Brazil was below. Why is it always Brazil?

Watching the dancing through opera glasses was quite entertaining. Yabu kept almost punching Kame at the beginning, and if anyone got hit randomly, it was usually Kawai. I have no idea why this is, But even up close, Yabu still hasn't grown on me. He just looks and sounds far too young to be there. Bring back Yara, please.

I don't know why I thought they started with LIPS last time because of course they had to do the juniors first to allow Kame time to change. Koki sang Jin's lines (badly) but he looked great in costume, and Kame did Nakamaru's beatboxing bit! We all cracked up at that.

Thanks to the glasses, I could finally see the coffin scene properly, so I watched people sneaking up and down the staircase underneath it. I have no clue who they had dressed up as Kame to be dunked in the tank, but it definitely wasn't *his* face up there.

The concert was absolutely amazing! I shall feel so let down now if I go see groups who don't play their own instruments and sing live! Sorry for the number of songs I don't know - I'm sure someone who knows the group's back catalogue better will be able to fill in the blanks.

Anyway, we got there easily enough and joined the incredibly long line for goods - much to the surprise of everyone else in the queue, as we appeared to be the only westerners going. It moved relatively quickly, so before long we were at the goods tent (and freezing our tails off). Tia and I both got a pamphlet (and I got something else for someone else) but there was quite a selection - the usual posters, photos, uchiwa etc. but a couple of types of bag as well. Then it was upstairs, because our seats were on the second floor, and as I forgot to look at the block kanji on the tickets I ended up having to ask the staff which way to our seats. We hadn't had any trouble getting in - we all had our bags searched, but again, nobody cared whose names were on the tickets so long as we weren't packing Polaroids. When we got to our seats (South block, row C) we discovered just how good they were. We were on the second floor (in tiered seating), in the third row, and positioned almost directly opposite the stage! Our view was perfect!

There were lots of cameras down in front of the stage, and they had a tough time keeping up with Nagase all night. It was a high-energy show and no mistake!

They started with a bang at 18:30, with Nagase singing the first few lines of Sorafune in the dark before everything exploded. The whole evening was full of coloured lasers, explosions and bursts of actual fire. There were display strips running along the side and over the top of the stage, and the pictures changed depending on the song. Spirals, flowers, train tracks, fire etc.

Nagase was all smartly done up to start with, peering out from under his hat. Next up was Seisyun, and I can't remember if it was before or after this that Nagase did introductions. If I recall correctly, he introduced Leader as "today's part-time (worker)...". Aww...

They had a string quartet on the left, over by Taichi, and a brass one over on the right. The guys on the horns kept getting out of position and messing round on the stage.

Then we had Ambitious Japan, so of course the displays round the edges showed train tracks! Next up: do!do!do!, with lots of audience participation. Tia was getting in to it all, doing hand dances and everything (along with the mad fangirl next to us) but I think I just did some clapping and dancing. We'd all stood up as soon as the music started, of course.

It all looked so impressive! It's an indoor venue, but because of the blue/purple/green lighting, and all the glowsticks being wielded by fans, it was like we were sitting outside looking up at this night sky of multicoloured stars.

Then came something I didn't know, followed by a drum/bass solo from Mabo and Yamaguchi while everyone else got changed. They sounded so good, I could've sat through a concert of that alone. Everyone else returned for ALIVE-LIFE. Nagase had traded in his hat for a headband, Leader was looking all shiny, and Taichi was absolutely adorable, jumping up and down to show us how to clap.

Two songs I don't know, the second of which Yamaguchi took the lead for, and then an oddly psychedelic Taichi solo that turned into Hikari no Machi. We had Nagase out on stage in jeans, T-shirt and headband, on an acoustic guitar, and it was amazing. Mabo and Yamaguchi changed during the solo, I think, because I remember Yamaguchi looking terribly cute but a little off in shiny blue shorts and knee-high boots! They were showing the lyrics on the big screen behind them, but during Hikari no Machi, they were actually showing the wrong lyrics at one point. (Or everyone was singing the wrong lyrics - I don't know well enough to gauge!)

The MC segment was next, and I didn't follow much of this. They mentioned Hey!Say!JUMP (oh, the lengths Johhny will go to to promote those kids!), the guys clowned around, Mabo did interesting swirly things with his coat, Leader did some posing and got his muscles felt up, and I think they were trying to find him a date. (With an eighty year-old Johnny's fan? I have no idea. There were probably some there - the audience was an incredible gender/age mix. So much variety!) Mabo was hitting Taichi over the head, and...Yamaguchi announced that he got married! (And they have a baby on the way?) He looked so cute and happy, though a little embarrassed, and everyone yelled "Omedetou!" I loved that they were all so happy for him. There was some making fun of the others (for single status?), with Nagase protesting that he's not thirty yet, which made Leader a bit upset because obviously he's closer to forty!

They introduced the strings and brass, then we had Leader looking snazzy in sunglasses for Doitsumo Koitsumo. One I don't know, then Honjitsu, Mijukumono, during which there was lots of fire on the stage and little flames on the screens at the side. (Should TOKIO be trusted with real fire? I don't know.) Incidentally, one of the unknowns was Get Your Dream, and I'm sure one of them must have been Over Drive.

Next up: Run Free, which was quite moving. Ten years ago we'd all have gotten lighters out and waved them. This was followed by another unknown, during which we had Leader in a cowboy hat running over to the left, Yamaguchi in his little shorts over on the right. During Ashita wo Mezashite, Nagase, who'd hung up his guitar, was running and jumping all over the place, going to see everyone he could get to. Another unknown, and then...Jumbo? I don't know, but it involved a lot of jumping up and down and screaming, and all the audience members with SUGAR balloons released them during the song. It was seriously impressive.

Final song was Sugar - I can't recall but I think Nagase was trying (and failing) to explain the meaning behind the album. While they played, they showed footage from the recording of the album. They all looked so tired in the video footage!

After giving the crowd a couple of minutes to sit down, catch their breath and clap for more, TOKIO came back for an encore. I'm sorry to say I do not know either song, but for the second, they were showing products for each member on the screen behind - I don't know, stuff they'd advertised? Like Pretz? Anyway, we joined in, shouting out "Tat-chan!", "Leader!" etc. at the appropriate points as Nagase sang about them. More talk after that, and of course everyone congratulating Yamaguchi again. He was so sweet! Nagase went over to sing with him earlier, kind of draped himself all over him, and because of the height difference Yamaguchi almost disappeared!

Well, what can I say? It was amazing! I've heard more fantastic guitar solos than I've heard since I last went to a Bon Jovi concert, and everybody was wonderful! Taichi got out one of those keyboard guitars at one point so he could go running around to see the audience too, and he was just jumping and clapping the whole time (in his cute hat collection). The guys were all funny, comfortable with each other, and very, very good at what they were doing. I loved every second and I'm so glad I went! (Even if it did take forever to fight out way back to the subway station afterwards!)

Those of you who follow my Livejournal will know that I'm just back from two weeks in Tokyo, having seen TOKIO in concert (once) and Dream Boys (three times). It was an amazing trip! I'm still catching up with dramas and the like, so no more One Pound Gospel reviews just yet, but have some reports instead!

It was quite strange going on opening night! Last year we were all in short sleeves and sandals; this year we were all in coats and gloves -not so many interesting Japanese fashions on display this time. They let us in around 5, and actually searched our bags this year. Not very thoroughly, and they asked if we had any cameras. Not that I'd admit to it if I had! Once again they paid no attention to the name on the ticket - they didn't care who I was, so long as I wasn't packing a camera.

Still haven't explored the upstairs of the theatre so I can't say what was up there - I got my goods downstairs. Tote bag (Kame), Kame poster and of course, pamphlet. I liked last year's colour scheme better, actually. All dark and slightly seedy, as opposed to this year's red, white and black melted metal look. I think the English in the pamphlet was a lot better than last year's, and the pics are quite nice.

When I was taking notes in the foyer, I was standing over by a bunch of cameramen who were taking up all the seats! Reporters, I guess? DB was on the news the morning after, so...

They let us in to sit down at about 5:30, and I discovered that Row R actually begins at seat 2 - I was on the aisle again, but the wrong aisle, this time! Or so I thought. There was a door right next to me, through which I could see the ridiculously long queue for the ladies' room. Behind me, all the cameramen set up (there were more elsewhere) and when they were done they blocked the back left door that Kame would normally walk through for the fight...

On the stage there was an enormous clock with 1998 on it, and on either side was a giant green tree backdrop. In the centre, a big red curtain parted on a picture of...a big red curtain, which parted on a view of the audience. The cameras were filming the theatre filling up - some people noticed and waved.

Clowns in masks, wigs and hats started running round the audience - I didn't notice them until one of them was being carried in by a couple of the others! They were generally messing around and handing out flyers. (Nonsensical flyers inviting us in English to enjoy the circus.) The blue-hatted clown nearest me stopped a little way in front, so I went up and asked him for a flyer. (Well, the Japanese fangirls were doing it...) He obliged me.

The cameras filming the audience located a couple of notables hiding behind uchiwa. Unfortunately, the screen was a bit blurry for me to make them out. I didn't see the one on the left at all - if he revealed his face, I missed it - but the one on the right kept playing peekaboo and I think it might have been Yamapi? Don't quote me on that.

The clowns started messing around on stage, having reminded people to switch off their phones, and were revealed to by members of KisMyFt-2. Unfortunately, my clown never unmasked, so I don't know who he was! I can only rule out Kitayama and Fujigaya. So that's my random unknown JE boy close encounter story. While the clowns were doing lovely, psychedelic acrobatics as a distraction, some more people sneaked in to the bext block along. There were whispers of 'Akanishi' from the people around me - and from that distance and angle, I couldn't tell. It looks like it was actually a few guys from Hey!Say!JUMP.

The plot was basically the same as last year, but without the random combat leader scene, so I won't go into that. Here's what I remember, in no particular order:

Because the door at the back was blocked by cameras, Kame emerged from the door right next to me to go down to the stage for the fight! (Then walked 2 rows behind me to get there!) This is my second year for close encounters of the Kame kind. Next year (if there is one) I'll just say "the hell with it" and break into his dressing room. It'll save time.

He looked really good during the fight - he guarded better, and his movements were more comfortable. Thank you, 1PG. And yes, there were more muscles...

Loved the bench scene. Kame alone on a bench, whistling Next Dream, and just as he was about to burst into song Yuki interrupted him. (I'm impressed that some of the fake cars behind him actually moved!) They had their heart to heart, and when Yuki asked about Kame's mother, Kame made as if to walk off, then said she was a "Kowai..." (scary) something, but changed it to "Kawaii..." (cute) and got off the subject.

In the park we had an entire baseball team! Kame was running round in shorts (and other things, obviously) and a catcher's mitt, having great fun! They played video footage of NYC in the background. They didn't let me down - did the top hat and cane dance routine. Kame stole a hat from a junior, wore it for a bit then gave it to Yuki. Long scene with the juniors followed - one spoke to Kame in English, but he responded in Japanese. They fanboy-ed himm doing impressions of Kousaku, talking about how cool Kame was in 1PG. They also accused him of being KY (a person who can't read the atmosphere). Yabu decided that KY stood for 'Kamenashi x Yabu'. He also made a couple of references to the H!S!J guys in the audience, who stood up and bowed.

Oh, at the beginning, Koki came down from the ceiling and sang, suspended quite near me for a while. He was pulling funny faces at the audience. (When Kame was in the air, while he was quite far forward I could only see him in profile.) Koki did some breakdancing in between two skipping ropes at the gym, and Kame, when training, did some of the rope things we've all seen in 1PG.

During the bridge scene, the bridge came out in my direction. Kame seemed a bit worn out? He didn't hold the notes for as long as usual in Hoshi no Hikaru Sora. Still sounded beautiful, though. Yabu approached in a boat, accompanied by a violinist. He climbed up the ladder, asked for Kame's help to get up and Kame refused because Yabu was basically at the top already! The violinist was left behind, and as the boat returned to the wings, either Kame or Yabu (probably Kame but couldn't tell) said "Jack Sparrow". I don't think the violinist was a pirate, but you never know...

Random moment of love for Kawai Fumito of A.B.C., who seemed to have been elected Kame's official jacket catcher. He air-guitared during the Rhythprotion version of Next Dream, earning him my eternal love. (I ended up watching him a lot in the second half, when I had opera glasses, because he was always near Kame!)

The opera glasses also meant I got a good view of the A.B.C/Kisumai guys manhandling Kame all over the place to get hooks on/off him. The poor boy must be used to getting groped everywhere by now. It took three of them to catch him, once!

During the song about Yuki at the end (Chousenja? Can't remember.) the video footage was from last year's show! You could tell by Kame's hair!

Koki looked quite annoyed to have been woken up by Yabu in hospital. Well, I would be too...

During the heaven scene, Koki caught Kame's hips as he descended to pull him onto the stage, then let go so Kame could unhook himself. Koki was wearing this massive fur coat, which Kame kept running his hands down (along the back) until Koki eventually took it off. He had the sunglasses, chicks, wads of cash etc. More money descended from on high and Kame looked so cute jumping around to catch it! They threw a load of money down from the stage and speculated where it might land on Earth. Brazil, according to Koki. Kame then said something about magma? I didn't get the joke he made, as I have no idea who Chappy is, but he had one of those full-body falling-to-the-floor moments over it.

During Showtime, they kicked off with LIPS! The PV played in the background, and Kame and Koki were both singing. Kame! Hat! Eyeliner! Not much, though. Looked fabulous and sounded great! Koki did one I don't know, as did Yabu and the two junior groups. The women did Andalucia ni Akogarete, and then everyone else joined in. I vote we give Kame castanets and something twirly and see what he does with them. He dances really well!

Kame did Hanasenaide Ai, wearing the costume I think he wore in CKT II You for Jumpin' Up, and he looked seriously seductive. Lots of touching himself in inappropriate places. He started I'll Be With You, and screwed up the lyrics, singing 'oroi' instead of 'omoi'. The audience laughed gently and he gave a kind of cute, embarrassed grin.

Before Kame came back for the encore, he appeared to have dunked his head under the cold tap for a bit - I imagine he needed it by then! He looked amazingly like Nakamaru while wet...

When KKY came back on stage, they did the first few bars of Next Dream, then stopped just before the lyrics!

During the encore, Kame had to remind Yabu to face the audience! Yabu spoke first, talked about how he remembered the first DB with Tackey. Koki went next, then Kame. They kidded that it was past Yabu's bedtime, and they remember him when he was *this* tall.

Kame looked great pole-dancing during 'Will be All Right' but he really can't sing that line. Can we get Jin in to do it, please?

During the always-impressive rooftop chase scene, two of the guys ran out the door next to me!

At one point Kame was doing acrobatics while suspended inside a giant cube frame. Then Goseki and Tsukada started twirling large cubs, followed by Kawai and Totsuka. Kame then stood in the middle with another cube, small enough to do tricks with, twirling it under his leg and so on. It all looked really impressive!

Koki's hair was blond, shortish and spiky -no perm! Kame's looked a little lighter? Messier than last year. He looked more mature then - but he looked older last night? Tired, maybe.

Yabu kind of sleepwalked through it. I mean, he was okay but he didn't have Yara's energy or grace, and his voice is a little on the reedy side for my liking. I think he'll be all right, he's just not who I'd have wanted for the third man.

I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to go again - especially for opening night!

Plot: Still high from hearing Sister Angela confess that she likes him, Kousaku acts out the tender scene for the guys at the gym. They're a little sceptical, understandably, but enthusiastic for the most part - although Ishizaka's support naturally comes with a practical reminder of how troublesome dating a nun is going to be. At least he understands this concept, which is more than anyone else in the series has managed! Kousaku decides that he's going to become Sister Angela's dream by becoming a champion - hang on a sec, isn't that more like Seiko's dream? Well, Seiko and Mitaka think it's a good thing that the boy's so enthusiastic, but worry that he'll crash at some point. So long as the sandbag holds out, he should be fine - there is nothing cuter than the sight of Kousaku clinging to it with lovestruck fervour.

Back at the convent, Sister Angela just can't take her mind off Kousaku, not even to play with the kiddies. Confessing you like someone is a big deal - even if you're not a nun! - and she's not sure if she really meant it. Sadly for the Sister, talking to herself doesn't solve any problems.

Kousaku doesn't think he's got any problems until he has to scout out his next opponent, Tiger Panya Ku from Thailand, a cheerful but insanely strong chap who's never lost in his native country but has no record in Japan. At the Noguchi Boxing Gym, which appears to have far more street cred than the Mukoda Boxing Club, Kousaku slips out from under the ring just in time to watch Tiger's sparring partner get KO'ed - Tiger was so quick that Kousaku missed the entire fight. He hits hard, but at least he apologises afterwards. Shame he doesn't look like he means it. Kousaku is stunned by this. We can tell because he's doing the blinking thing again. He's even more impressed when, using the stalking technique he perfected on Sister Angela, he witnesses Tiger crushing an apple - though he's less bothered about the guy's fist than the fact that he's just wasted an apple.

Out and about, Sister Angela has progressed from talking to herself to full-blown hallucinations as she is now seeing Kosaku everywhere, including one memorable moment with four Kousakus in school uniform. (Multiple Kame-chans! I wonder how Sister Angela feels about doujinshi?) Just when she thinks she's got it under control, the real Kousaku bounces up, toothpaste-advert style, and gives her a grin so dazzling that there's no way she can duck out of going to a restaurant with him.

Kousaku's not supposed to be eating, of course, but in addition to sneaking unauthorised food and having a date with the Sister, he has another good reason for eating in this particular venue. Tiger works there, and he demonstrates, in true Ranma 1/2 style, that cooking and martial arts are better connected than most people think. Despite Kousaku's best efforts to make it look like he and Sister Angela are just a normal couple (with her dressed like *that*?), Tiger knows exactly who he is and wishes him well. I'm still waiting for Kousaku to fight an actual mean guy.

Sister Angela's not wild about Kousaku eating, but that's not what she's so mad about. When he tells her he plans to become her dream, she gets confused and storms back to the convent to put herself under house arrest. Mother Superior finds this all most amusing.

Katsumi's also not a happy bunny. He's off for a run, which Ueda hopes means that he might be considering boxing, but it's actually just for a marathon. (What *is* it with Japanese schools? I had to do one a year for my first two years of high school, and only because we had a lake nearby.) Ueda offers to play bodyguard, but the kid's not interested. He also maintains that he has no interest in taking up boxing, no matter how happy it would make his mother, but when Ueda tries to talk him into just one punch, he's all prepared to do it...until Kousaku runs in complaining about his love life. The Sister can't go outside, which means he can't see her. Aww.

The best person to help Sister Angela put Kousaku out of her mind is the man-hating Sister Millie, who would be quite happy to smite him with a thunderbolt if she could. She does her best to help, but Angela's heart's not in it - it's back at the gym, somewhere.

And pretty soon she follows it, showing up during practice and taking everyone by surprise. She wants to become stronger as she feels that she is weak-willed, and training as a boxer would help her develop her mental strength. (Meanwhile, the nuns have a crisis as Sister Angela sneaked out without telling anyone.)

Everyone is taken aback as Sister Angela turns out to be pretty good! She says she's just imitating what she's seen, which means she's been hanging out at the gym far too much. Love the shiny white boxing gloves. Go, Sister Angela, Go!

Kousaku is absolutely thrilled that his girlfriend is now working out alongside him, and thus is even chirpier than usual. Unfortunately for Nori-chan and her father down at the cafeteria, he explains that this is because he's happy being with someone he loves all the time, causing Nori-chan to get completely the wrong idea again... Kousaku's smiles are so big and bright this episode that I just want to screencap them and pin them up on my wall to keep me happy on gloomy days.

The Sister and Seiko have a little heart-to-heart in the kitchen, where Sister Angela has taken up cleaning duties. Seiko's happy for her to stay - at least it means Kousaku's working hard, and not comfort-eating himself into a higher weight class!

Brief interlude in Hell, a.k.a. Katsumi's Junior High School, where he's just had the pages of one of his books glued together by the same gang of bullies as usual. How they got hold of it in the first place is anyone's guess, but all the poor boy can do is glower mutely at them as they walk smugly away down the corridor. Thoroughly disheartened, Katsumi attempts to speak to his mother when he gets back to the gym and gets told not to talk to her during practice.

Luckily, distraction comes in the form of Sister Angela. Katsumi is, understandably, a bit surprised to see a nun in boxing gloves, and even more so that she needs to get stronger.

That night, Sister Millie's all in a tizzy, but the Mother Superior thinks it's okay and that Sister Angela will come back when she's ready. Sister Millie, it seems, joined the convent after having some bad luck with a man, which would explain a lot.

Ueda and Kousaku have been kicked out of their room so that Sister Angela can sleep there, but she's too busy gazing at pictures of Kousaku then telling herself off for doing so. They can't sleep properly in the ring because they feel they should be standing up, and Kousaku probably wakes everyone in the neighbourhood when he yells goodnight to his beloved.

Next morning, and Sister Angela is all smiles in the kitchen, making a lovely breakfast for everyone at the Mukoda Boxing Club. Everyone except Kousaku, that is, who gets stuck with Mitaka's cooking. Tiny portion = unhappy Kousaku. He cheers up during practice, though, when Sister Angela goes round and hands out towels.

The young not-quite-couple go for a walk (training! training!), and I don't know why Sister Angela isn't freezing. Kousaku's wearing a couple of layers, a coat and gloves, as are the people walking past, and Sister Angela's not even wearing a coat. They go to a park, where Kousaku proudly shows his beloved all the best places to hide to avoid being seen while eating clandestine snacks. He's so proud of himself, bless him, having perfected these techniques for skipping practice over quite some time. To his dismay, Sister Angela, being the conscientious, hard-working sort, does not approve of his attitude.

They see Tiger out training, and he happily explains his motivation to them. There are twenty people in his family, all very poor, and he has to become a champion to improve their lives. (I'm having Yamada Tarou flashbacks.) It's a heartwarming reason, to fight for the sake of one's family, but Sister Angela doesn't have a family. Kousaku doesn't quite come right out and propose marriage, but he does point out that if they were to get married, he'd become her family - and this is what he would like very much. Unsure how to deal with Kousaku's sudden serious honesty, Sister Angela does her usual and runs away - well, rides away. Good thing she's always got her bicycle handy, because Kousaku runs *fast*. Just not right now, because his face sort of crumples in anguished confusion as he watches her leave. Poor Kousaku has no idea what he's doing, so he tries to do his best, but he doesn't have a clue how to go about romancing a nun. (Really, who does?)

Back in the office at the Mukoda Boxing Club, Seiko, who admits that she's a lousy mother, finally learns that Katsumi's being bullied. Not that he tells her, of course. She discovers by looking through his conveniently-left backpack. She confronts her son, chases him down the stairs and proceeds to yell at him in front of everyone in the gym that she didn't raise him to be weak and let himself get bullied. Ueda tries to intervene, to point out that Seiko's suggestion that Katsumi simply beats up his persecutors is not going to work, but Seiko's embarrassed to have a son like that.

Well, Katsumi's not too thrilled about the family he's been born into either, and he takes off, with Sister Angela and Kousaku in hot pursuit. While they track him down to the park from earlier, Seiko enlightens us as to the whereabouts of Katsumi's dad (he walked out) and says she can't understand Katsumi's s