New volume time! This is Volume 2.
Equation For Victory
An airplane flies by. I guess this reminds Kimura-sensei to say that the Sports Fest is coming up. He draws two female figures on the chalkboard, one with her shirt over her bottoms, and one with the shirt tucked in. This confuses our main characters, at least, until he explains that he feels that the tucked version is better. He's encircled the tucked one. However, when a boy asks the same thing about guys' uniforms, Kimura doesn't see the relevance.
After class, Osaka is extra-excited, because she's never experienced a sports fest in Tokyo before. Yomi asks if there's a difference, Osaka says it's real different. Kaorin asks how, and Osaka says the prize for first place is takoyaki... before saying she lied.
Tomo says the spotlight's going to shine on her. Yomi wonders what for. Tomo aims to take first place in every event. Yomi remarks that aiming to win is easy enough. Kaorin thinks Tomo has no hope, as she'd have to beat Sakaki, who's good at every sport, and who Kaorin believes will be totally cool out there. Tomo thinks she can mitigate that with her cuteness. She thinks that if she appeals to people with that, she'll win. (Good job limiting it to her and Sakaki; if she included the other students in this contest, Chiyo would probably win, hands down, and Osaka and Kaorin, as well as some extras, would also put in a better showing.) Kaorin counters that being cool is way better, but Tomo says it's being cute. They go back and forth about it unto Tomo asks Yomi her opinion; she couldn't care less.
The bell for starting class sounds, and Yukari comes in. She has one word (or two kanji) she wants to say, and that word... is "FIRST PLACE!" She wants them to put their fighting spirit into it, so they'll win, specifically against class 5. Osaka doesn't understand why that class, until Kaorin reminds her that that's Kurosawa-sensei's class. Yukari frees them to use "whatever means necessary". Tomo proposes that if they win, they each get a can of jusu. Yukari considers this: 120 yen/can... means that Yukari still profits if she wins, so she agrees, leading Yomi to wonders how much she bet on it.
As Osaka, Sakaki, and Chiyo walk home, Osaka hopes it'll be clear. Chiyo decides she'll put up a teru-teru-bouzu (which supposedly wards off rain, but which was probably invented by a harried parent of children made antsy by not being able to go outside as a means of keeping them occupied. 
) Osaka figures she'll do something right now: kick off a shoe to predict the weather. (Sakaki wanders off.) She does so. It does not, as you may have seen in animated GIFs, explode, nuclear or otherwise; it merely lands in a truck. No adventure to go get it back, it's just... lost. Sakaki pops in behind them, a gray cat latched onto her fingers. "OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW..."
At school, three fireworks go off. Of course, it's daytime, so it adds three puffs to the sky for a couple of seconds.
Kaorin asks Chihiro what events she's in: she's in the relay and the cavalry battle. Tomo says it's too bad Yomi can't ride; Yomi tells her to shut up. Chiyo notes that it's a clear day. Osaka deduces from this that the shoe landed right side up.
Sakaki of Class 3, Kagura of Class 5
A loudspeaker announces that the sports fest will begin soon, but first, a speech from the Executive Sports Fest Committee Chairman. Kimura walks up onto the platform, goes to the mike, clears his throat, takes a deep breath, and...
"FIRRRRRRRRST PLAAAAAAAAAACE!!!" (feedback)
Then he leaves the platform.
Kaorin and Chihiro set up the First Aid tent. Sakaki stretches, while Chiyo watches her, um, move. Osaka calls Chiyo over. Osaka is seated on the ground, ready to stretch. Chiyo is ready to push her from behind. When she does, however, it's only good for a single degree. They laugh about it, and she tries again, but it's no better that time. Tomo is ready for stretching. She offers to push Yomi from behind; Yomi is dubious about this, but apparently takes her up on it. It apparently hurts this time, though, partly because she didn't spread her legs like in episode 4, and partly because Tomo is using her shoe-clad foot to push.
Yukari declares that her class won't lose to Nyamo's. Nyamo says that she wouldn't be all that sure about it. Yukari points out that she has Sakaki. (Yomi chases Tomo angrily behind them.) Nyamo counterpoints that her own class also has a star athlete. Yukari calls it cheating; Nyamo wants her to explain. (The explanation, like in episode 3, is that the deck is no longer necessarily stacked in her favor.) Yukari goes to ask Kaorin and Chihiro (who are laughing about something) who Nyamo's mystery athlete is. Kaorin identifies her as Kagura, and points her out. (Kagura gets one of those black identification balloons, too.) She also tells of the rumor that she's good at all sports, not just swimming.
Yukari goes over to Kagura to over her a sweet bun. Kagura starts to decline, but Yukari presses her, and she's only saved from it by Nyamo coming over and asking Yukari what she thinks she's doing.
Tomo calls her team to gather around, then asks Chiyo to offer a word of encouragement. They all think that sounds good... except Chiyo, who's too worried about being the one whose efforts everyone else has to make up for to be much encouragement. Yomi tries to calm her by downplaying the importance of the Sports Fest, but Yukari comes up right after and essentially contradicts this. (She still has the sweet bun.) She calls for some spirit, and gets... not as much from Chiyo as she wants, so calls for it again.
The loudspeaker announces the soon-to-start 400m race, and calls for entrants to assemble.
Chiyo is still worried about her performance, but Sakaki puts a hand on her head and tells her not to worry, and to leave it to her. She walks off, Chiyo looking after her in awe. Kaorin is suddenly standing beside her, emitting an adoring "Wo-o-o-o-o-ow!" This scares — well, startles — Chiyo.
Kaorin says Sakaki is just so cool.
The divider features Osaka, then Kagura.
Runaway Victory
The loudspeaker announces the 400m race. Kagura's there, rubbing one fist into the palm of her hand. An extra with a light-blue-ribboned ponytail is making the V-Sign. Another extra is holding her left arm up over her head and holding the elbow of that arm with her hand, and twisting her torso. Sakaki is doing the same thing, but with the other arm. From the sidelines, Osaka is clapping. Kaorin yells a good luck wish, and Tomo shouts "Go!"
"ON YOUR MARK..."
Yukari gulps. Now we see some of the runners.
"GET SET..."
BANG!
The runners start. The other students starts cheering. One thing I notice is that while the other runners hold their hands in fists, Sakaki holds her hands out. Tomo notices her speed. Chiyo agrees. Kaorin isn't surprised; after all, it's Sakaki-san! The runners round the turn. Nyamo cheers on Kagura, who passes them, and who knows what Yukari is saying. Sakaki, too, passes them, and is almost caught up...she gets ahead. Yukari tells Sakaki to run to the finish line. (You know, because she might start running back to the starting gate at any moment.) Nyamo tells her to catch up even if it kills her. (Kinda drastic; I don't think she would actually want to risk Kagura's well-being for the sake of the win. I know, I know, hyperbole...) Though Kagura strains, Sakaki pulls away, the finish ribbon laying neatly on her "shelf". The other students cheer, and Tomo remarks that it's a runaway victory. Chiyo recalls that she was first in 100m, as well. Kaorin says she's like the best ever.
"Don't be so hasty."
It's Kimura-sensei.
"Huh?"
He's referring to dressing sloppily. They all experience temporary Color Failure. He tells them to tuck in their shirts. They run for it, Tomo telling him to shut up about it.
The loudspeaker announces the three-legged race.
("Camptown Races")
(Are songs by Sutiven Fasuteru
a popular choice for such events?)
Cute lineup! Girl with ponytail/girl with pigtail held with a band adorns with yellow balls. Girl with short hair/girl with a little bit longer hair.
Osaka and Chiyo. Though with Chiyo, you can only see the top of her head, until they pull out and down. "Let's do it!"
"Ready?" BANG!
The other racers take off, but Osaka and Chiyo fall on their faces. Chiyo suggests that they take their time and count their steps. They get up to 1 before falling again. The other racers run by the portion of the students that includes the other mains, who seem unimpressed. They try again, to the same result. The loudspeaker announces the tug-of-war, instructing participants to gather in front of the central gate. Yomi gives a flat "Shall we?" and the other mains and two supporting characters agree.
The loudspeaker announces the tug-of-war: Year 1 Class 3 vs. Year 1 Class 5.
Tomo decides to take encouragement duties into her own hands this time. The others (unnamed braid girl, Osaka, Chiyo, Sakaki, Yomi, Kaorin, unnamed long-haired girl, Chihiro, and unnamed short-haired girl) cheer, and head for the central gate. Nyamo calls it a "direct competition". (Does that mean they seem evenly matched, or that they're not messing around with competing with other classes at the same time and just trying to beat each other?) Yukari figures they're taking this one, but Nyamo tells her to just watch. As they talk, the class 3 participants pass: Tomo, Sakaki, Yomi, Kaorin, Chihiro, braid girl, unnamed short-haired girl, Chiyo, and Osaka.
The dude with the red flag waves it, and they start pulling, and chanting: "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!" (Or "O-S! O-S!", which I've read is thanks to French.)
Jhiday: The actual French phrase is "Oh ! Hisse !", where the second word is the imperative form of a verb that basically means "to pull on a rope".The first shot has UBHG, Kaorin, Sakaki, and UBG; the next shot has Kagura pulling with one of her classmates. The teachers cheer them on. Next, we see Tomo and Yomi. Then, Osaka. She stops chanting, and wonders what they're chanting for (or what "O-S" is). She asks Tomo if she's ever wondered about it; she hasn't, but wants her to shut up and pull. This is good advice, as they're losing ground as is. We see Chihiro, and Chiyo on the end, sliding steadily forward. Chiyo's at the end of their rope. Finally, the pull from the other side is too strong, and she's dragged on the ground across the line. Class 5's win is announced. Nyamo applauds, then turns around and quietly shows the V-Sign to Yukari, annoying her.
The loudpeaker announces the boys' team gymnastics. A whistle is blown, and a pair of boys do handstands, each with a separate boy supporting him. Most of the student spectators applaud. Tomo thinks it looks like fun. Chiyo says they're amazing. Tomo decides to have her do a handstand, saying she'll support her. They get into position. Tomo tweets like a whistle, and Chiyo does the handstand... only for someone (Yomi?) to call Tomo, making her miss supporting Chiyo. Ow.
The current score chart is displayed in bar graph form. Classes 2 and 4 are doing the worst at 52 and 68 points, respectively; Class 1 is faring closer to the others at 109. Class 3, Yukari's class, is at 123, while Class 5, Nyamo's class, is at 136.
Yay (Wa~i)
Yomi's notes that their score isn't that bad. In fact, Chiyo says they're in the running to win. Tomo points out Nyamo's score. Yomi notices it. Chiyo thinks it's because she's a burden. Yomi tries to reassure her that it's not the case, but Chiyo counters that she hasn't had any useful impact on their outcome.
Analysis:
- Three-legged race
- They never got a significant amount past the starting line.
- How much of this is because of Chiyo and how much is because of Osaka is unclear, but some blame has to go to the person who decided to have it be run by the 10-year-old and the first person to lose to her.
- They never got a significant amount past the starting line.
- Tug-of-war
- After a decent struggle, they lost.
- I'm definitely not sure how much of this loss is due to her being in there, and Ringelmann isn't helping me figure it out much.
- After a decent struggle, they lost.
Anyway, Tomo agrees that she hasn't been any use, but asks who cares. Chihiro comes up to tell Chiyo it's time, but finds her frozen in place with Blank White Eyes and an agape (English, not Greek) mouth. Chihiro asks if something happened; Yomi just says, "Well, this and that..."
The loudspeaker announces the cheering contest.
Class 5's cheerleaders, in light blue tops and dark blue skirts, chant "Let's go, Class 5, let's go!" (Or "Class 5, Class 5, let's go!") The spectators watch their routine with cameras both still and video. Then one notices the other cheerleaders. It's Chihiro, Chiyo, and some other girl.
Their chant is "Class 3, all right, stand up and fight!" (For the sub, take out "all right, stand up and".) The woman wonders who she is, finding her so cute. Everybody's looking the same way she is, and when that cheering team jumps, whoa, the flashbulbs go off like a strobe light. Nyamo notices that they're a big hit, but Yukari doesn't care, as it's not a scored event.
The loudspeaker announces the scavenger race. Chihiro yells a good luck wish to Osaka. (Kaorin's absorbed in standing next to Sakaki.)
BANG!
The racers go up to the tables to grab their papers, each with an item. Osaka's item? Glasses! Hey, she knows somebody with glasses! She requests Yomi's pair. (Poor Kagura's stuck looking for a school swimsuit.) Yomi lends them to the cause... and Osaka puts them on and tries to walk back. She has difficulty maintaining her balance with the disparity between sight and spatial sense. Yomi tells her nobody required her to wear them.
The loudspeaker announces the last competition: the class vs. class relay.
Chiyo says a win here will put them in first. The race is ready to start. The first one in the race: Chihiro. Nyamo guesses this is it. Yukari says "Win" repeatedly.
BANG!
Chiyo cheers on Chihiro. She's in last. Nyamo warns them to be careful when they pass the baton. Chihiro passes to Tomo. Tomo yells as she runs for it. Chiyo notices that she's getting into it. Kaorin points out that she isn't getting closer to winning. Osaka finds her falling behind. Tomo passes to Yomi, who really puts some speed into it, actually closing in on the next runner. Yukari, who had been despairing, sees hope. Nyamo tells her runner to get it to Kagura. Yukari calls on Yomi to get hers to Sakaki and warns her not to drop the baton. Yomi passes another runner. Kagura gets her class's baton, another runner gets hers, and Yomi passes her baton. Sakaki has passed the other girl, and, after Yukari tells her to come from behind and Nyamo tells Kagura not to lose it now, catches up to Kagura and passes her. Then Kagura repasses her. Yukari squeezes her own face from the sides, making it taller. Nyamo tells Kagura to leave Sakaki in the dust. Yukari objects to that, but Nyamo asks what's wrong with cheering on her own class. Yukari says, "Nothing! Nothing at all!" Sakaki and Kagura pass each other as they approach the finish line... but ultimately, the finish ribbon ends up back on her shelf.
'She even remembers to give the audience Fanservice."
She classmates rush over to her.
Yukari realizes they won. Nyamo takes it with dignity.
Tomo comes up behind and puts a hand on her shoulder and holds her inside elbow. (Kaorin doesn't seem to mind this... or maybe she doesn't notice.)
Chiyo tells Sakaki she's awesome, and that they're the winners in their year. Kimura appears out of nowhere, popping up with a big "HOORAY!" and knocking Chiyo away. Yomi says it has nothing to do with him.
Dancing the Grand Finale
The loudspeaker thanks everyone for their hard work, and announces that the conclusion will be with a folkdance. All participants are to gather on the grounds. Tomo runs to the grounds to participate. Chiyo pulls Osaka. Chihiro pushes a blushing Kaorin. (It's kind of a scribble blush.) Yomi's right with them, and Sakaki brings up the rear.
("Turkey in the Straw")
...What? I'm serious! Go look up this sequence!
Anyway, we first see Chihiro, and Chiyo. (Say, isn't that the guy who said he thought Yukari was cooler so he wouldn't get thwacked?)
Yukari finds it bringing back memories. She asks Nyamo if she isn't going to join in... before noticing that she's not there. She runs off to find her.
Now we see Tomo and Yomi... and Kaorin. We come the point in the dance where the outer circle rotates clockwise and the inner circle rotates counterclockwise. This rotation brings Kaorin up with... SAKAKI! Kaorin is surprised, but Sakaki explains that they put her on the boys' side to make it even.
In Kaorin's mind, she's surrounded by yellow roses as a bell tower rises in the background, ringing its bell as jets fly overhead, making rainbow contrails which aren't like, significant or anything. She hopes they're good partners!
Pink and flowers play across the yellow background of Kaorin's mind's eye as she repeats Sakaki's name.
The yellow background is now blue as she repeats "our hands".
The next background is pink as Kaorin says she's in Heaven (of the Raspberry variety?) over and over.
Now it's orange with bubbles and red flowers, and a ton of her, waving her arms and legs as though swimming, thinking that if they could just stay like that... she could die. Happy, I presume she means.
Then it becomes time to switch. She apologizes. She's so glad she participated... until she sees her next dance partner...
"HEY, BABY! LET'S TANGO!" (Or "Welcome! I'm next!")
Now here's the deal: the next boy in the rotation was not Kimura-sensei. It was just some random male student. What happened to him?
She screams. Instead of a bell tower, there's this big stone bell-like thing that's rung with a wooden log. The bell breaks and crumbles to the ground. (What is that? I'm sure it has some cultural significance, but I've never seen it explained...)
Black birds fly against a black background as Kimura laughs.
The background switches to blues and grays as Kaorin says with loathing that he's touching her hands.
It changes to greens as Kaorin wishes she were dead.
It switches to some kind of weird white, gray, and black background, and Kimura asks if Kaorin's having fun yet. She says only her friends can call her that. (Remember, the "n" ending on given names is not actually part of the name. It's supposed to be an ending friends can use, like when Konata calls Kagami 'Kagamin'. That's really a closer relationship than Kaorin wants with Kimura. I suppose he should really call her by her surname followed by "-san", but we never learn her surname. "Kaori-san" might be acceptable; I couldn't say.)
The mood on Class 5's team is down. Nyamo tells them that even though they didn't win, they all did well, and encourages them to work at it next year. They give a "Yes, ma'am..." Kagura, sensitive soul that she is, is actually crying over it. Nyamo gently tells her there's nothing to cry about.
Yukari calls Nyamo over to collect. Kagura wonders what Nyamo promised, but she says it's nothing in a way that let's you know it's something. She goes over to Yukari and tells her that's why she didn't want to do it. Yukari urges her to hurry up. Nyamo gets out 10,000 yen and gives it to Yukari... only to take it back as payment for an outstanding debt. Yukari is stunned, staring at the empty space between her fingers.
Nyamo goes back to her team, saying it's time to go home. Kagura asks what the money's for. Nyamo gives a "nothing" answer, but then gets the idea to treat her team to "jusu" with it. This lifts their mood considerably. They head off.
Meanwhile, Class 3 approaches Yukari. (Notably, Tomo calls her "Yukari-chan" in the sub and probably the original.) Tomo reminds her of her promise. She repeats it, and they all nod. She points, and when they turn around, she runs off. They realize she's not going to make good on her promise. Yomi points out her speed. Osaka thinks she should've been in the sports fest. (Will she still think that after the third year?)
Next time: Episode 7!
