Please do not ask me where you can download this series. I own this series on VCD (hence the low quality shots) and you can get the Cantonese Dub Version on YesAsia.

*I’m not too sure on the names, especially the non-players. I am watching the Cantonese Dub (Hong Kong Version) and I’m trying my best on the Japanese names. If you can direct me to a site that has all the names in Japanese romaji, that’d be GREAT!

Summary
Two years have passed since the elementary school arc and everyone is in their third year of middle school. We are re-introduced to Sanae/Anego and she acts as the narrator and re-introduces a couple of the Nankatsu Soccer Team regulars. The first regular we see is defender, Ishizaki Ryo. It’s the first day of school in the spring of their third and final year of middle school so Ishizaki is not nearly awake. All of a sudden, Ishizaki hears someone calling him from behind only to be smacked in the eye by a soccer ball. The culprit? None other than his best friend and captain of the soccer team, Ozora Tsubasa. We then turn back to Sanae/Anego and she introduces us to Tsubasa. Ishizaki is now wide awake, pissed off for the rude wake up call and chasing after Tsubasa around the sakura trees on school grounds.

The scene switches to English class. Ishizaki and Tsubasa are reading a soccer magazine as Sanae sits in the back and recalls the success of the Nanaktsu Soccer Team winning the National Championship two years in a row. The teacher now sees the two boys not paying attention in class and scolds them. As the scene changes again, we see Ishizaki and Tsubasa serving their punishment in the halls outside the classroom.

School has ended for the day and it’s time for after school clubs and activities. We see the Nankatsu Regulars in their uniforms screening new soccer club applicants. Tsubasa is interupted by Katagiri Munemasa who goes over to the nearby tree to talk to him. Katagiri asks Tsubasa how the team is coming along and see the high number of applicants. This is due to Nankatsu’s success for two consecutive years. Katagiri jokes around with Tsubasa and tells him not to be too strict on the newbies as they will turn tail and make a run for it. The topic then changes to Tsubasa’s plans to leave for Brazil to become a professional soccer player after they make their dream come true by taking one last win in the National Championships for their final year of middle school. Katagiri tells Tsubasa that Wakabayashi Genzo has signed on with a professional team in Germany and is on as a regular keeper. He is beginning to leave as Tsubasa asks him about the whereabouts of Misaki Taro. Katagiri turns around and shakes his head indicating Misaki has not been heard of since his departure from Nankatsu two years prior. Tsubasa is obviously disappointed at the answer, but he strongly believes Misaki is still playing soccer somewhere else in the world and they will meet once again. This scene closes up with Kumi(?) requesting to be the new captain of the cheerleading team/manager of the soccer team.

As the Nankatsu Team walk home after soccer practice, they discuss the conversation Tsubasa had with Katagiri. When Sanae hears Ishizaki comment on how Wakabayashi is now representing Germany, Misaki for France and in the near future, Tsubasa for Brazil, she is yet again reminded that Tsubasa is leaving soon and she doesn’t know whether she should confess her feelings to him or keep quiet. The next day is a friendly practice match between another regional middle school and Nankatsu. Near the corner sidelines by the border of the school grounds, ex-Nankatsu players Nakayama, Urabe, Kishida and Nishio are observing the match along with another unknown player. The scene changes to Nankatsu’s after school soccer practice.

Tsubasa’s going relatively easy on the new first and second-year members during practice. Tsubasa is seen training the first and second-year members while the Nankatsu regulars have their own practice exercises. Their coach calls the entire team in for an annoucement about the prefecture tournament grid-list. The regulars gather around Tsubasa, who has the list, and they find out they are one of the last matches of the prefecture tournament and they’re going up against Otomo Middle School. Ishizaki boasts this will be an easy win, but the coach says otherwise. He states that Otomo has gotten stronger this year with their new freshman ace striker – Nitta Shun.

One day during regular practice, Ishizaki kicked the ball out of bounds and the ball flew towards and soiled a freshly washed towel. Sanae, of course, got mad at Ishizaki while he asked for someone to return the ball to him. The new helper/manager Kumi(?) volunteered to throw the ball back into the field. Ishizaki commented on how nice it was to have a even tempered and cute manager to retrieve balls that were kicked out of bounds. This attitude changes when Kumi(?) throws the ball to Tsubasa who is standing a little ways behind Ishizaki. Skip forward a few days later…

Another after school practice session for the Nankatsu regulars and today, they’re doing shooting practice. The team notices Nakayama, Urabe, Kishida and Nishio observing their practice session again. Tsubasa had said he didn’t care and to continue on with practice. Ishizaki ignores Tsubasa and proceeds to take the next shot (though it’s not his turn). He intentionally aims his shot towards the Otomo group to give himself an excuse to go talk to them. Ishizaki is sent to retrieve the ball and greets Otomo’s leader (Urabe?). They start talking about who’s going to win and why. Urabe(?) then introduces Nitta to Ishizaki and they steal Ishizaki’s ball and proceeds to challenge Tsubasa (all 5 of them). Tsubasa is overtaken by the group and Nitta scores a goal against them using his Eagle Shot. Later in the locker room, everyone comments on how formidable Otomo has gotten. Tsubasa is still in shock that he lost the challenge and decides to pay a visit to his old coach from the Nankatsu Elementary soccer team.

Tsubasa’s former coach (forgot his name) explains Nitta is two years younger than Tsubasa and he also lead a winning team in the National Championship in his final year of elementary school as the captain of the Nankatsu Elementary team. He goes on further to explain Nitta’s abilities. We don’t get to “hear” the rest of the conversation, and we see Sanae sitting in a cafe catching sight of Tsubasa walking on the street outside. She immediately goes out to greet him but she stops when she sees Tsubasa being approached by the Otomo team who are on jogging practice. They exchange a few words and Tsubasa is further angered at the insults Urabe(?) and Nitta threw at him. The episode closes up with Tsubasa showing more determination than before – knowing this year’s matches will be tough. Sanae sees Tsubasa’s expression and does not go near him. Instead, she just stands at the door to the cafe watching him.

Comments
I decided to start blogging the series with this episode as it is the second half of the entire series that spans through their middle school years. Characters are re-introduced and another story begins. Even though the quality isn’t that great, I still enjoy this series as it is one of my childhood favorites. This episode wasn’t too action packed, but we’ll see what happens next episode as Tsubasa gets serious!