Episode 002: "Samurai Junior"
summarized by:	Rachel
A man with a camera presents a tennis magazine to Sumire. She tells him he could have just mailed it, but he explains that he needs to keep track of tennis students. Sumire asks him if he is here to spy on her students. He asks her how her students are this year and Sumire doesn't give a straight answer. She's surprised to see an article called "Back to the 80's" The man explains that he personally wrote it. Sumire asks if he doesn't have too much personal interest in the article. The man says that the 80's were a wonderful time for tennis and he personally was a huge fan of Echizen Nanjiroh. He explains how at the time people referred to Echizen as the "Samurai." In flashback, young Nanjiroh wins a tennis match. The reporter is disappointed Echizen retired so young and thinks he could have been the world's number one player if he hadn't retired or at the very least won the "Grand Slam." Sumire looks out the window and says "Echizen Nanjiroh." The cherry blossoms are falling which means it's a new school year. Ryoma is walking through the courtyard of his new Jr. High School. A boy calls out to Ryoma and comes up to him. He asks if Ryoma is trying out for the tennis team (He's carrying around a tennis bag, what does the boy think?!?) and introduces himself as Horio. Horio explains that this Jr. High is famous for its tennis and then brags that he has 2 years of tennis experience as well as having attended a tennis school. He feels assured that he will become a member of the team. Ryoma ignores him and continues on the path. Ryoma nearly bumps into a an upperclassman who is wearing his school uniform partially open. The upperclassman advises Ryoma to watch where he is walking and then notices Ryoma's large bag and smiles. Ryoma just glares in patently Ryoma fashion. The upperclassman thinks the glare is awful rude but says he'll forgive Ryoma this time because he's only a freshman and smiles and jut tells Ryoma to watch where he's going and leaves. Horio wonders who the upperclassman is. Ryoma just watches him go. Horio is very impressed with how nice the tennis facilities at Seigaku (Note: The school is Seishun Gakuen, but the team's name is always shortened to Seigaku. I'm not sure why.) He tells Ryoma they should sign-up for the club. Two boys in shorts and T-shirts inform Horio and Ryoma that it isn't possible sign-up right now because all the "Regulars" (The actual members of the tennis team versus the people who belong to the tennis club.) are away at a game. The two younger boys explain they'd like to play some tennis even though the sign-up isn't until tomorrow. Two upperclassmen appear and ask the first years if they're planning on signing up for the tennis club. The taller of the boys in shorts (buzz-cut) introduces himself as Mizuno Katsuo, his companion (bowl-cut) says his name is Kato Katsuro. Horio Satoshi introduces himself and says he is honored to join the famous Seigaku team and tells everyone he has 2 years of tennis experience. The upperclassmen become a bit perturbed when Ryoma doesn't introduce himself. The one with the freckles starts getting really angry, but his companion with the sweat band calms him down and they ask the first years if they'd like to play a game. The rules are simple one has 10 tries to hit a tennis ball container while serving from the other side of the net. The upperclassmen tell them if they succeed they'll get 10,000 yen. (about $85) They explain that this is an initiation rite and that it costs 200 yen ($1.70) to try. The other three first years want to try and Ryoma just glares at the upperclassmen. The upperclassmen laugh evilly and Ryoma glares some more. (Ryoma likes to glare.) Sakuno is walking with a friend towards the tennis area. Sakuno has suddenly decided she'd like to play tennis. The two girls are stopped by a female reporter who wants to know if they know where the sign-ups are for the tennis team. The two girls looks unsure and the woman introduces herself as Shiba Saori and explains that she is with a tennis magazine. Since Seigaku is famous for its male tennis team, she wants to interview the new players. Unfortunately, she can't find the courts. ^^;; The man from earlier interrupts Shiba and asks what she is doing and whether she's gotten the interview yet. Shiba apologizes to Inoue and explains she can't find the courts. Buzz cut and Bowl cut are unable to knock down the tennis ball can. Horio can't believe how bad they are and the boys explain they're very new to tennis and the container is quite small. Horio assures them with his 2 years of experience he is sure to knock it over. Ryoma continues to watch. Horio keeps missing as well and Ryoma leans against the fence and relaxes. On Horio's last try, he manages to nick the container but it doesn't fall over. (Everyone is quite surprised he hit it.) Each of the boys offers the 200 yen for their failed tries. Freckles explains that the boys are mistaken. Sweatband turns around the container where it reveals that it was 500 yen ($4.20) a try and they each took 10 tries making it a total of 5000 yen ($42.20) each, the 200 yen was a tryout fee, making a total of 5200 yen ($43.90) a boy. The boys say they don't have that sort of money, and the upperclassmen say to blame their poor tennis skills. The upperclassmen insist that Ryoma give it a try as well. Ryoma says all right and takes out his racket. Horio tries to warn Ryoma. Ryoma explains that one can't just hit the can to knock it over because there are rocks in it. The upperclassmen look startled that Ryoma has realized that. Ryoma hits the top of the container knocking it over as well as knocking off the cap and revealing the rocks inside. (The rocks weight it so that it's very hard to knock over.) Horio is really upset that the upperclassmen cheated and they tell Horio to shut-up. Ryoma hits several more balls at the container and wants to know if he hits it 10 times does he get 100,000 yen. Each one hits the container and knocks it into the air. Horio can't believe that Ryoma has such amazing control. The two upperclassmen get really angry and Ryoma tells them they shouldn't cheat just because they are older. Someone is watching the argument, he hits a ball and not only hits the container but dents it and sends it flying into the wall. A voice calls out that he got it so he must be very lucky. Horio is shocked as it is the upperclassman Ryoma nearly walked into earlier in the episode. He comes up behind Ryoma (who's now looking down) and tells Arai not to bully the cute first years just because the Regulars aren't around. Arai looks very chastened and he and his friend tell Momo they have something to do and leave. Ryoma starts to leave too, but Momo tells him to stay. Sakuno, her friend, Inoue and Shiba arrive at the courts to see Momo standing with Ryoma. Sakuno is surprised to see Ryoma and her friend wants to know if she knows him. Sakuno's friend wants to be introduced. Sakuno says his name is "Echizen Ryoma" and Inoue seems interested in this. Momo says that Ryoma is shorter than he expected *snerk* Momo introduces himself as Momoshiro Takeshi, a sophomore and says he heard from the "Old Lady" coach that Ryoma can do a "Twist Serve." Horio is impressed and the the other two first years don't know what it is. Ryoma looks back at Momo and smirkingly asks what if he can. Momo promises to crush Ryoma. Everyone is staring in shock and Ryoma does his pissy look. Ryoma changes into tennis clothes and Momo and Ryoma get ready to being their match and Ryoma picks "smooth". The two frosh are confused and Horio teaches them what smooth means in tennis terminology. (It seems that rather than flipping a coin, the racket is spun and dropped. If the grip side comes up, it's smooth, if not it's rough. And yes one can have a lot of fun reading into that.) Momo wins, but says Ryoma can serve first. Horio can't believe Momo is letting Ryoma serve first, and Momo explains he really wants to see the "Twist Serve" This really impresses Horio. Momo tells them to call him Momo-chan *SNERK* but Horio thinks this is too disrespectful and asks to be umpire. Momo-chan says he can be. Horio gets all formal and announces the game. The two first years think Horio is awful pretentious and full of himself. (It took them this long to realize this o_O) Sakuno, her friend, and the reporters all watch. Ryoma's first serve is out. Momo-chan tells Ryoma he wants a "Twist Serve" not a "Slice Serve" but Ryoma tells him he has to wait. Momo-chan thinks Ryoma is arrogant. Ryoma serves and knocks Momo-chan's racket from his hand. Inoue can't believe Ryoma's "twist serve". Sakuno's friend asks what a "Twist Serve" is and Inoue explains it to her and says it is very hard to hit. (Inoue says a regular serve comes in with a left spin, but a "Twist Serve" turns in the opposite direction and comes in with a topspin.) Sakuno's friend is really impressed with Ryoma now and starts squealing. Momo-chan says this is his first time encountering a a "Twist serve." Momo-chan says he was surprised. Ryoma asks if Momo-chan is all right, because he's sweating. Ryoma smiles and Momo-chan smiles back. (And it's the start of a beautiful friendship XD) Momo-chan is impressed with Ryoma's skills. Momo-chan runs forward and hits the ball, but it hits the net. He lifts his hands to smooth his hair (The patented Momo-chan move) and realizes it's more than timing if he wants to hit Ryoma's "Twist serve." Inoue can't believe Momo-chan who is a "Regular" is losing to Ryoma. Momo-chan hits the next serve and it hits the net and barely goes over. Momo-chan smiles and says he is "Lucky." Everyone is now impressed with Momo-chan. Momo-chan and Ryoma volley the ball between them until Ryoma does one of his light shots just barely knocking the ball over the net. Momo-chan moves towards it but gives up and sits down. He is surprised Ryoma can do a "Drop Volley" as well. Inoue starts snapping pictures of Ryoma and superimposes a picture of Nanjiroh from the 1980's onto Ryoma and realizes they have the same eyes. Inoue finally realizes that Echizen Ryoma must be Echizen Nanjiroh's son. Nanjiroh carries a tennis racket and walks under the falling cherry petals. He sneezes and looks at the empty tennis court in his yard and sees that he has no opponent. He lays down on a bench to take a nap but pulls out a magazine to flip through until he falls asleep. Ryoma and Momo-chan's match is almost over and Momo-chan knows things aren't going well for him. Ryoma smirks, switches his racket to his left hand and says "Mada Mada Dane" Sakuno then remembers Ryoma is left-handed. Momo-chan calls for a time out and says they don't need to continue the game because he's forgiven Ryoma. Everyone looks shocked (Well except Ryoma and Momo-chan.) Ryoma says it doesn't matter and gets ready to leave. The other first years are very impressed with him. They ask where he usually plays and he says "The temple." Sakuno Ryuzaki and her friend come up to Ryoma and the friend introduces herself as Osakado Tomoka. Sakuno says she's sorry about last time and Ryoma wonders who she is. Sakuno gets really upset by this. *snerk* Sumire asks Momo-chan if it's all right that he stopped the game and was losing to Ryoma. Momo-chan says it's all right and Sumire says that he ought to have let people know he was playing at a disadvantage because his right foot is sprained. (Which is why he isn't at the game with the other Regulars.) Momo-chan says it's all right because Ryoma knew, that's why Ryoma was serving with the other hand from the beginning. Momo-chan says again that Ryoma is scary ( in a mock-serious voice like last time) and heads to the locker room. Sumire laughs. Ryoma heads for home. Shiba wonders who Ryoma Echizen is and Inoue says he must be "Samurai Junior." Nanjiroh rings the bell at the Buddhist temple while looking at a magazine. He wonders where his stupid son is and wonders if Ryoma has gotten a girlfriend. Finally on the way home, Ryoma remembers that yes he did meet Sakuno before. MomoRyo 3 1/2 hearts. Meeting under the sakura and Ryoma is late because of a "girl"friend *snerk*