YAWARA! volume 14

Manga Yawara! volume 14
TV epiodes 75 - 80
  • Summary version 1 by Hitoshi Doi, 1992.04.27
Fujiko and Hanazono-kun were jogging together early in the morning. It was the day before the All Japan Championships and Fujiko was very nervous.

Meanwhile Yawara was at a coffee shop with Kazamatsuri. Yawara was not feeling too happy because she had not received any replies from the companies that interviewed her. Kazamatsuri thought that Yawara was still upset about his situation, being Sayaka's fiance. So Kazamatsuri told Yawara that he refused Sayaka, and he was just working for her father. He said that the reason why he could not see Yawara much in the last six months was because he had many business trips to foreign countries. He said that he had been constantly thinking of Yawara.

While Fujiko and Yawara were practicing with their teammates in the Inokuma doujou, Matsuda tried to sneak inside. But Kazamatsuri caught him and told him that no reporters were allowed. Matsuda said that he was just a fan trying to wish Yawara luck, and ran to take a peek inside. Just when Matsuda arrived at the door, Fujiko unleashed a great move to throw Sayuri. Matsuda was shocked because Fujiko had become so good so soon. He thought that Fujiko also had a chance in the next day's tournament.

On the day of the All Japan Championships, Fujiko was very nervous in the locker room. Yawara wasn't feeling that great either. Hanazono-kun, Kazamatsuri, and their teammates tried to cheer them up.

Coach Yutenji was asking Jigoro about Yawara's job hunting. Jigoro said that he was shutting out all of the phone calls and letters. He also said that there was supposed to be an interview that day. Then Yawara came up from behind him and yelled out. Jigoro said that he refused for Yawara because it was the day of a match. Then Yawara got mad and yelled at Jigoro. When Jigoro said that he did it all for Yawara, Yawara started crying and ran out.

Outside, the president of Tsurugame Travel and a couple of his men were rushing toward the gym. They wanted to see Yawara in action. But the president was a little worried that he would get disliked by Yawara.

Yawara was very mad at Jigoro. She knew that Jigoro was doing all of this so that she would have to go to Saikai University. When Matsuda went up to Yawara before the match and told her that he will write a good article, Yawara yelled at him and said that she wasn't doing judo so he can write his articles. Matsuda was very scared by the look that Yawara gave him.

As the matches were starting, Saitou (who was sitting with the announcer) said that the center of this year's tournament would be Yawara and Fujiko.

Fujiko was cheering loudly for Yawara. Then her parents came up and told her to worry more about herself. They told her that her future was riding on these matches. Then Coach Yutenji came up and told her that she is the future of Japan's women's judo. Fujiko became even more nervous as more pressure was put onto her. Then Jigoro came up and said that Yawara's future was also riding on Fujiko's performance.

Yawara was still very mad as her match started. But Yawara immediately threw her opponent over her shoulder with a fierce throw. Then Yawara hurried off to the locker room.

Ohtaguro, the president of Tsurugame Travel, had missed Yawara's first win because it had happened so quickly. So he was concentrating as Yawara's second match was about to begin. Then he spotted the president of a rival travel agency sitting in the audience. He was getting worried that they were interested in Yawara too. Then the president of Ginza Can Can, a fashionable clothes maker, came up to Ohtaguro. He said that Yawara was interested in his company too. Then he also pointed out another company president that was there for Yawara. Ohtaguro was shocked about the competition, and missed Yawara's second ippon win.

After Yawara won her third match with an ippon, she returned to the locker room and thought to herself that all she had to do was start over. Then she started to go out to cheer for Fujiko. But when she reached the door, she ran into a wall of company presidents.

Fujiko's match was about to begin. She was very nervous because Yawara wasn't there.

All of the presidents introduced themselves and asked Yawara to join their companies. When Yawara said that she was all confused because all four people talked at once, on the the presidents said that she applied to all four companies at once. [In Japan a person usually applies to only one company at a time. - H.Doi] Then they all asked Yawara to choose one company. Yawara couldn't choose because she wasn't prepared for it. Also Yawara remembered that Fujiko's match was going to begin soon.

Meanwhile Fujiko's match began. Fujiko was very nervous and stiff. She was also sweating a lot. Matsuda wondered where Yawara could be.

All of the presidents and Yawara sat down at a table in the locker room. Each president tried to convince Yawara to join their company. Ohtaguro was surprised when he heard that the other companies all had judo clubs. When the president of Superior Travel asked Ohtaguro, he lied and said that he had a judo club too.

Meanwhile Fujiko had gotten a stalling warning. Fujiko had forgotten all of her training, and didn't know what she was supposed to do. Then her opponent took her down for a yuukou. There were only two minutes left, and Matsuda couldn't stand it any more. He went out to look for Yawara.

In the locker room, the president of Superior Travel came up with an idea. He wanted each company to give their sales talk to Yawara in less than 5 minutes. Just then Matsuda came running into the room. He told Yawara that Fujiko was going to lose. Then Matsuda grabbed Yawara and told her to run to the gym. When the company presidents complained, Matsuda yelled at them.

Fujiko got thrown for a wazaari just when Yawara and Matsuda arrived in the gym. There were only 30 seconds left in the match. Then Yawara yelled out loud. Fujiko felt a little relieved after hearing Yawara's voice, but she still didn't have confidence in herself. Yawara saw that Fujiko's moves were not as sharp as always. Hanazono-kun said that her opponent had been researching Fujiko's oouchigari, so Fujiko couldn't throw her best move. Yawara said that she should use her kurumiwari ningyou move. But Kazamatsuri said that Fujiko wasn't ready to use a new move in such a big tournament. Yawara said that Fujiko can do it, and yelled out loud, "Un, deux, trois Fujiko! Kurumiwari ningyou! You can do it! Let's go to Yugoslavia together!"

[oouchigari = judo move to sweep the opponent's leg behind the knee from the inside, between the legs.]
[kurumiwari ningyou = nut-cracker doll (maybe a ballet move?). this was what Yawara called Fujiko's move when she kicked her leg high in the air to throw her opponent.]

Hanazono-kun and Matsuda were getting worried because there were only 10 seconds left in the match. But Jigoro smiled because he had heard what Yawara said about going to Yugoslavia together.

There were less than 10 seconds left in the match. Fujiko's parents were watching and thinking that judo was too difficult for Fujiko. Fujiko's teammates were very disappointed by Fujiko's performance. Coach Yutenji was thinking that Fujiko would not be able to enter his university with this kind of performance. But Jigoro was very happy because of what Yawara had said.

Yawara yelled out once again. "Kurumiwari ningyou!" There were only 5 seconds left and Fujiko started to think about going to Yugoslavia with Yawara. Then Yawara yelled again. Fujiko yelled out, "Inokuma-san! Let's go to Yugoslavia together! Sakai University!" Then Fujiko unleashed her kurumiwari ningyou. Fujiko's opponent thought that the oouchigari was coming. So the kurumiwari ningyou caught her by surprise, and Fujiko got an ippon with just one second left.

When Fujiko came off the mat, Yawara apologized to her. But Fujiko was very happy and said, "It's because you said let's go to Yugoslavia together.. Let's really go! The World Championships in Yugoslavia!" Then Yawara agreed. Yutenji overheard the conversation and was very happy. He was thinking that with this win Fujiko would be able to enter his university without any problems.

Jigoro went to the announcers booth and declared that both Yawara and Fujiko would win and get a ticket to the World Championships.

Yawara was worried that she had made the presidents of the companies upset by running out on them. When Matsuda questioned Yawara about what she was going to do, Kazamatsuri stepped in and told Matsuda to quit bothering her. He said that they should let Yawara choose her own future.

Fujiko was still nervous, but she won her second round match with an oouchigari very quickly. Then Coach Yutenji said that Fujiko would be accepted into his university for sure with this win. Fujiko's parents were very happy, along with Fujiko. Fujiko was thinking that all she had to do was to win two more matches, and she could go to Yugoslavia with Yawara. But Jigoro was a little upset. He had expected Fujiko's match to last about three minutes. He didn't like the way Fujiko had won. He felt that something bad was going to happen in the next match.

Fujiko was very happy and dancing in front of her friends. Everyone congratulated her. Yawara tried to give some advice to her, but her parents came and congratulated Fujiko. Then Hanazono-kun came and said that he would give Fujiko a massage before her next match. Yawara was a little worried about the way Fujiko had won too.

Fujiko went out to her semi-final match full of confidence. She told Yawara that she would win. Yawara was worried about Fujiko. Then Jigoro came and said that Fujiko had too much confidence for her skill level. He said that she should lose, and that he would train her all over again at Saikai University with Yawara. Then Fujiko's match began.

Fujiko went after her opponent. Then Fujiko unleashed her kurumiwari ningyou move. Everyone thought that Fujiko was going to win, but Yawara shouted, "No!" Then Fujiko's opponent grabbed Fujiko and threw her down for a wazaari. Fujiko got up and noticed that she had too much confidence when she was really not so strong. Fujiko returned to her old self and fought cautiously. Jigoro commented that it was too late. Then Fujiko's opponent kicked her down for a yuukou.

Fujiko and her opponent fought on the mat as they tried to cover each other. But Jigoro said that Fujiko's mat moves were very lousy, because he had never taught her any. He said that Fujiko would lose. But Yawara encouraged Fujiko and Fujiko locked her legs around her opponent's arm. Fujiko was still thinking about going to Yugoslavia, as she grabbed her opponent's other arm and got her in a hold. But the hold was a very sloppy hold, and Yawara was worried that Fujiko's opponent would get of it. Then the opponent's arm started to slip out. When Yawara yelled, Fujiko tightened her legs around the arm. Then the time ran out. But since Fujiko still had her opponent in a hold, the match continued. Fujiko was 15 seconds into the hold, so she had to hold on for another 15 seconds.

Fujiko's opponent struggled and started to slip out of Fujiko's hold. Jigoro said that Fujiko might have a chance if she could change her hold to a different hold. But he said that Fujiko couldn't do it. Then Yawara yelled out the instructions to Fujiko. Fujiko didn't understand very well, but she used her flexibility to switch her hold. It wasn't a perfect hold, and her opponent started to fight out of it. There were 5 seconds left, and all of Fujiko's fans told her to hold on. Just as Fujiko's opponent used the last of her energy to push Fujiko off, the time ran out and Fujiko won with an ippon.

Fujiko was very worn out as she came off the mat and fell into Yawara's arms. Fujiko said that she was very embarrassed for what she did. Then she said that she will try her best in the final match.

Matsuda was wondering what Yawara was going to do after she graduates from Mitsuba Junior College. Matsuda went to interview the presidents of Superior Travel, Ginza Can Can, and Miny House. All of the presidents said that they were going to get Yawara. They all said that they wanted Yawara to get the gold medal for them and they planned to use her to improve their businesses.

During the lunch break, Fujiko brought her lunch box and was looking for Yawara outside. Fujiko found Yawara, but Yawara was sitting with Matsuda. Matsuda was telling Yawara that if she worked for those companies, they would just use her judo as advertisement. Yawara said that she just wanted to work like any normal girl. But Matsuda said that she couldn't. "You're not a normal girl any more. You can go work or you can go to Saikai University. Either way you can't get away from judo."

Just before the afternoon session was going to begin, the Tsurugame Travel group went up to Jigoro and asked him to let Yawara go to their company. But Jigoro told them that Yawara's future had already been decided. She was going to Saikai university.

Yawara was feeling depressed because of what Matsuda had said. Ohtaguro was feeling depressed too because of what Jigoro had said. Then Ohtaguro spotted Yawara. He went up to her and thanked her for having considered Tsurugame Travel. Then he apologized for lying about their judo club. He told her that they didn't have any judo facilities, and that he just wanted Yawara to sit at the counter and work for them so that they will get more customers. Then the Tsurugame Travel group left.

The time for Yawara's match came, but she was just thinking about what Ohtaguro had said. Matsuda saw that Yawara was worried, so he told her to forget about everything and just concentrate on the match. Then Yawara turned around, smiled, and said, "Ok!" Matsuda was surprised and wondered why Yawara had become so happy. Then Yawara went out for her championship match.

Yawara's opponent was Oogaki from Tsukushi University. The Tsukushi coach said that they had studied Yawara's moves and that they were ready to defeat her. The Mitsuba team spotted the Tsukushi coach and teased him, saying that they would lose again. Then Matsuda shouted out. He spotted something in Yawara's eyes that made him think that Yawara was going to lose on purpose, just like in her very first match. Matsuda yelled out and said, "Don't do anything stupid! I'm sorry about what I said! Don't think about quitting judo!" But Yawara quickly threw Oogaki with a brilliant over the shoulder throw.

After she bowed, Yawara ran out to look for the Tsurugame Travel group. Matsuda didn't understand what was going on. Yawara ran outside, but she couldn't find Ohtaguro. Matsuda followed Yawara and asked her what she was doing. Then Yawara smiled and said that they had to get back for Fujiko's match. Just as Yawara ran back into the gym, Jigoro came up to Matsuda. Jigoro said that Yawara's performance in the match showed that she had decided to go to Saikai University.

The time came for Fujiko's match. Fujiko said that she would follow Yawara and that they would go to the World Championships. Fujiko walked out to the match very nervous and stiff. Just as the match began, Fujiko tried to grab Ohbayashi, her opponent, but couldn't. She was thinking about how to tie up with her, when Ohbayashi kicked Fujiko down. But they were off the mat. Yawara yelled to Fujiko and told her to relax. The match started again but Fujiko was still having trouble. Fujiko was beginning to think that she had completely forgotten her judo.

Then Jigoro and Yawara both shouted out loud in surprise. They noticed that Ohbayashi was a lefty. Fujiko had never fought against a lefty before. Yawara yelled out to Fujiko to tie up in her usual manner, with her right hand. Fujiko tried, but Ohbayashi didn't let her. Then Ohbayashi got into position to throw Fujiko. Fujiko locked her legs around Ohbayashi's legs and avoided being thrown. But Ohbayashi still got a yuukou.

Yawara told Fujiko not to worry about Ohbayashi being a lefty. Yawara said that Fujiko just had to get into the righty hold before Ohbayashi could tie up lefty. Fujiko tried, but Ohbayashi was too experienced. There were two minutes left in the match when Fujiko's parents started to give up on her. They said that Fujiko had never gotten first place in anything. Then they recalled all of the times when Fujiko was a child that she had "fallen" from the spotlight. Everyone was starting to fell depressed over Fujiko's unfortunate luck when Yawara yelled out, "It isn't so!"

Then Fujiko finally grabbed Ohbayashi's collar with her right hand. Fujiko was very happy and she started to get her "un, deux, trois" timing. Then Fujiko unleashed her kurumiwari ningyou move. Fujiko threw Ohbayashi and landed on top of her. The referee started to raise his hand to signal the ippon. But the line judge said that they were off the mat.

Fujiko got up and was very tired. But she was still thinking about going to Yugoslavia with Yawara. The match resumed and Fujiko kept trying to use her right hand to grab Ohbayashi's collar. But Ohbayashi kept avoiding it. Then with less than ten seconds left, Ohbayashi kicked Fujiko. Fujiko lost her balance, but didn't go down. Then Fujiko dove at Ohbayashi's legs in a last minute desperation move. Fujiko took Ohbayashi down and the referee gave her a yuukou, just as time ran out. So the decision was up to the judges. When the referee asked for the judges' decision, one raised the white flag and one raised the red flag. Then the referee raised his hand in Ohbayashi's direction, giving her the win.

That night they had a victory party for Yawara and Fujiko at a yakiniku restaurant. They tried not to make Fujiko feel sad about her loss. But Hanazono-kun said that Fujiko should have gotten that decision. Then everyone became silent. Fujiko broke the silence by saying that she will go to Saikai University and get even stronger. She also said that she shouldn't have hoped to go to Yugoslavia for free in the first place. Then Jigoro said that Fujiko will have many trips to foreign countries later, whether she likes it or not. He said that all she had to do was to train hard at Saikai University with Yawara. Yawara tried to say that she was not going to go to Saikai, but everyone started to get lively.

Matsuda was working late for the headline of the next day's newspaper. Although some companies held press conferences to say that Yawara was going to join their companies, Matsuda was working on an article saying that Yawara and Fujiko will go to Saikai University. When his boss asked him about the information, Matsuda said that it was his hunch.

After the party, Hanazono-kun was very drunk and yelling loudly that Fujiko should have won that match. Kazamatsuri said that he would take Hanazono-kun home. Yawara asked Fujiko is she could stay over at her apartment. But Fujiko said that Yawara didn't have to worry about her. Then she went home by herself.

Later when Fujiko got home, she took out her judo uniform and started to feel sad. Yawara had gone to Fujiko's apartment by herself and was standing outside the door. Just when Yawara was going to knock on the door, she heard a very loud scream from inside. Fujiko had started crying out loud.

The next morning a crowd of reporters had gathered outside of Yawara's house. Jigoro greeted them and the reporters felt a little disappointed because they couldn't talk to Yawara in person. But Jigoro told them that he will answer all questions. The reporters asked which company Yawara was going to work for. Then Jigoro said that Yawara was going to transfer to Saikai University. When the reporters asked to see Yawara, Jigoro said that she had gone out after her morning practice. Then the reporters hurried to Saikai University and Mitsuba Junior College.

Yawara went to Fujiko's apartment after school. But Fujiko wasn't there. Fujiko had been absent from school that day also. When Yawara started to think that Fujiko had committed suicide, Fujiko's neighbor came out and said that Fujiko had left a short while ago.

At Tsurugame Travel Ohtaguro and his men were feeling a little sad after giving up on Yawara. Then they received a phone call from Yawara telling them that she would visit their office soon. Ohtaguro became worried. He thought that Yawara was mad at them.

When the meeting began, everyone was feeling nervous. The Tsurugame men congratulated Yawara on her victory. Then Yawara and the Tsurugame men apologized at the same time. They were both surprised. Then Yawara asked if it was not too late for her to apply to work at their company. The Tsurugame men were shocked. Then Ohtaguro said that he would gladly accept her. When one of his men said that they didn't have a judo club, Yawara said that that was the reason why she choose Tsurugame. The Tsurugame men were surprised again. Then they asked about her transfer to Saikai University. Yawara said that she had never intended to go. She also said that she would convince her grandfather on way or another.

After Yawara left Tsurugame Travel she called Fujiko again. But Fujiko was still not home. Yawara knew that Fujiko was feeling very depressed. She thought that all of the trouble had been caused by judo. When Yawara got home, to her surprise, she saw Fujiko practicing with Jigoro in the doujou. Fujiko wasn't sad at all. Fujiko looked very happy. When Yawara walked into the doujou, Fujiko said that she had great news. Fujiko said that their transfer to Saikai University had been approved by the Saikai directors.


[Yawara!]

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