A new story...
I am alive.
I wanted to believe it more than anything.
Let's go. Riki.
Good morning, people.
Today we will be practicing good teamwork.
What? Why so outta the blue?
Good teamwork?
Yeah.
The basemen must be able to pull off double plays.
The outfielders must also be able to deliver the ball from far out to home.
That sounds...
Kind of hard.
We've only been practicing whatever by ourselves so far.
Like we could just suddenly jump into teamwork!
Don't worry.
The Little Busters should be of one heart and mind by now.
For example, what do you put on your eggs?
Ketchup, I think.
Salt and pepper.
Soy sauce!
Mayonnaise.
Soy sauce and pepper.
Worchestershire.
W-Well?
It's pretty clear that we're not of one mind.
Frankly, I'm surprised too.
But having no repeated answers can also mean that everyone is unified in being different!
Is that how it works?
And so, we're going to start practicing good teamwork.
The most important thing for teamwork is for your feelings to be known to the other.
Worchestershire sauce on your eggs? Seriously?
It's good.
You put mayonnaise on yours, Haru-chan?
Your hearts as one, all as one!
Don't you usually eat eggs with mayonnaise in salad?
To share passion! For all members to be of one heart!
While we're on it, what do you use, Masato-kun?
I don't put anything on them.
No way!
No way from me too!
Yes, this is youth!
That's horrible.
This is what I wanted!
You should put something on them.
Why? I like the original taste of foods!
We're starting practice now!
All right! Food time, food time!
The Little Busters are in perfect condition as usual.
presented by UTW-Mazui!
hitori ga tsurai kara futatsu no te wo tsunaida
It was too hard for one to do, so two of us held hands
hitori ga tsurai kara futatsu no te wo tsunaida
It was too hard for one to do, so two of us held hands
futari ja samishii kara wa ni natte te wo tsunaida
But two would be too lonely, so we all came together in a circle and held hands
futari ja samishii kara wa ni natte te wo tsunaida
But two would be too lonely, so we all came together in a circle and held hands
kitto sore ga ikusen no chikara ni mo nari
I'm sure that will be strength in itself,
kitto sore ga ikusen no chikara ni mo nari
I'm sure that will be strength in itself,
donna yume mo tateru ki ga surunda
Enough to end any dream we have
donna yume mo tateru ki ga surunda
Enough to end any dream we have
takaku tobe takaku sora he
Fly high, high into the sky,
takaku tobe takaku sora he
Fly high, high into the sky,
takaku kere takaku koe wo age
Jump high, and raise your voice high,
takaku kere takaku koe wo age
Jump high, and raise your voice high,
itsuka kujiketa sono hi no mukou made
Until you can move on past the day we'll have died
itsuka kujiketa sono hi no mukou made
Until you can move on past the day we'll have died
kimi no koe wasurenai namida mo wasurenai
I'll never forget your voice, and I'll never forget your tears
kimi no koe wasurenai namida mo wasurenai
I'll never forget your voice, and I'll never forget your tears
kore kara hajimaru kibou to iu na no mirai wo
The future, what we call "hope", begins now
kore kara hajimaru kibou to iu na no mirai wo
The future, what we call "hope", begins now
sono ashi wa arukidasu
Those legs will keep on moving forward,
sono ashi wa arukidasu
Those legs will keep on moving forward,
yagate kuru kakoku mo
Even in the face of the oncoming grief
yagate kuru kakoku mo
Even in the face of the oncoming grief
Okay...
Noumi, you read.
Y-Yes!
U-Um...
The prim minister said...
Noumi, it's "prime," not "prim."
Stop taking the whole language approach.
O-Okay...
U-Um...
Prime minister.
Repeat it again.
U-Um...
The prime minister said in his add...
So cute!
A foreigner who can't speak English!
The—
Okay, stop.
That's all for today.
Noumi, you'd better study some more.
Yes, sir.
Don't worry, Kuu-chan!
Chin up, chin up.
I'm really bad at English.
Can't blame you.
You've traveled the whole world, never staying in one place long enough to study properly.
And if we go just by age, you'd be a year under us.
Huh? Really?
Y-Yes!
I got credits through the correspondence system because I couldn't go to school.
It was so much fun that I kept getting more, and I ended up skipping a grade.
So you're a year younger than us, Kud?
Yes.
That'd put you at a disadvantage for studying.
Everyone, these are from the teacher.
What?!
Cutlet bowl?!
You woke up?!
They're forms for a proficiency test.
Those willing to participate should fill them out to apply.
Oh, that's all?
And back to sleep?!
He's an idiot.
A proficiency test?
It's your first time, right, Kuu-chan?
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
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Proficiency Test Application Form
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Proficiency Test Application Form
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Proficiency Test Application Form
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Proficiency Test Application Form
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If you want to take it, you apply.
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I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Proficiency Test Application Form
I intend to take this test.
Are you taking it?
I've already filled out the form.
I'm thinking of taking it too.
I took it last year, so...
No thanks.
Not worth my time.
What? Come on!
You were in the top ten nationwide last year!
Top ten for English?!
You're amazing! I'm jealous!
Kurugaya-san, you're a genius,
and your boobs are like, boom!
Compared to you, I'm...
Yui-chan's invincible. No one can beat her.
I told you, don't call me "Yui-chan."
What about you, Kengo?
I've got a prefectural kendo tournament coming up.
I don't have time.
Rin-chan, what's wrong?
I think she's embarrassed that we saw her debating whether or not to take it.
A-Are you taking it, Kud?
Should I?
I don't think I'll do well...
Oh, I know!
Why don't we each help Kuu-chan with our best subjects?
I see. We coach her in our best subjects.
You're good at English, right, Komari-san?
Math and physics are Miss Nishizono's strengths.
I can do that.
If you need my help, I'll do anything in my power.
You're good at a lot of stuff, aren't you, Riki-kun?
There isn't anything I'm bad at,
but there isn't anything I'm good at either.
Um...
I hope it's not too much trouble...
It's okay!
You teach yourself when you teach others.
Feel free to ask me if you need any help.
Okay, then! Thank you!
Thank you too, Riki!
Suddenly, it's just "Riki."
Komari-chan...
Yes, Rin-chan?
Can you teach me too?
Yup! You too!
Let's all get rid of our weak subjects!
Now for Operation Help Kuu-chan with Her Tests!
We'll start with English!
This is exciting!
Before you start using your head,
you need to eat something sweet.
The raisin cheesecake is really good today!
Th-That's what you start with?
And you eat the plain muffins with some apricot jam.
That really hit the spot!
Wafu!
Burp.
It's about time we started now.
Start what?
Oh, right!
English!
Let's start with syntax.
"I wish that it was the peaceful world tomorrow."
Try translating it!
Okay!
"I wished that it war peacefull world tomollow."
I washed the world tomorrow in that it was doing peace!
It was doing peace?
What's "it"?
You're washing the world tomorrow?
Wafu!
D-Did I get it wrong?
It wasn't "wash," it was "wish."
It might be better if we started with vocabulary.
Let's make a vocab word list with Rin-chan!
I'm sorry.
Math and physics! Thank you very much!
You're always among the top-ranked students, Nishizono-san.
You're good at every subject.
Is there a trick to it?
Not really.
You just need to listen to the teacher in class.
And always remember to review.
But if you didn't do that...
What should we do?
Yoohoo!
The star always arrives late!
Hey, Kud-o!
You're in bear hands now that I'm here!
Bear hands?!
You're gonna get eaten.
When you're short on time, you gotta guess and cram!
If you're a woman, you gotta guess and cram!
Shouldn't it be "act cute"?
So what do you guess we cram?
Tell us, Mio-chin!
She's not guessing it?!
Don't look at me like that!
Well, guess there's nothing I cram do!
Get it?!
It was so good that you're completely speechless!
Say something, please.
Open your books to page 67.
A-Amazing! She just ignored the whole thing!
I died.
Wafu?
Oh? So Nishizono's teaching you math and physics, Kud-o?
Nishizono-san was really good at teaching!
We learned a lot too.
Then I'll give you this, Kud-o!
I highlighted everything that's important.
Every word in here is highlighted...
Wafu!
I see, Inohara-san! You're telling me everything in here is important!
Oh wow, this is great, Kud-o!
Red braised seaweed?
We're going to be working all night, so I put a lot of work into our snacks.
Freeze-dried tofu and rolled omelettes?
You're from out of the country, but you're good at making Japanese food.
My grandpa loves Japan very much.
He taught me all about Japan.
There she is!
She's that funny little quarter-Japanese.
Wow! She's eating with chopsticks!
And it's seaweed too!
Hey, say something!
I hear you're really cute when reading aloud!
Look here...
I'm going to get some soy sauce.
Hey, she's taking the proficiency test, right?
How's it looking?
We're taking bets on how bad she's gonna do!
The odds are 8 to 2 for her failing right now.
It's just too much fun watching her.
It'll be boring if she gets a good score!
She's cuter when she's her foolish self!
Kud...
Listen, you!
Move.
You're blocking the aisle.
Good grief.
Disgusting pigs.
They didn't mean anything bad.
Anyone would talk about something exotic or foolish that they found.
That's just how it is.
Don't trouble yourself over it, Noumi.
I'm fine. I was just a little disappointed.
Just a little.
About this much.
You're all helping me so much! I'm actually fired up!
Fired up like a rocket!
We're pulling an all-nighter tonight!
The climate in the tundra is...
Oh, right. Wasn't your grandpa Russian?
Yes. Grandpa was born here.
The shores of the Baltic?
My parents were always busy, so it was my grandpa who raised me.
Grandpa worked with an old friend of his from Glavcosmos.
Glavcosmos?
The space agency of the Former Soviet Union.
Right. So I went all around the world for his work.
France, England, Italy, Germany, Sweden!
That's pretty much most of Europe.
Yes.
India, Sri Lanka, America, Canada...
But I think only Brazil in South America.
You've been everywhere!
I only spent six months to a couple years in any one place though.
Where did you stay the longest?
Tevua, I think.
Tevua? Where's that?
A small island nation right below the equator.
It's not on most maps.
The Republic of Tevua.
As part of the Former Soviet Union,
there's a lot of tension between the natives and the immigrants that moved there post-19th century.
The sky and the seas around there are beautiful.
My whole family has dual citizenships.
I was born on Tevua, so I have dual citizenship in Tevua and Japan.
Dual citizenship?
So you're a citizen of both nations?
Sounds like the circumstances surrounding you are quite complicated.
Kudryavka?
What luck. Here's the book I borrowed from you.
Kanata-san!
It looks like a really difficult book.
It's Dewitt and Everett.
What? Deviling Tablet?
I think you heard that wrong...
Dewitt and Everett are famous researchers in quantum mechanics for proposing the "many-worlds" theory.
Many-worlds theory?
You and Futaki-san can read books that advanced?
It's really interesting!
I stay up all night whenever I start reading!
But you might want to stop writing notes in the margins.
Chapter 2
Quantum States
and Everett's
Many-Worlds
Interpretation
What's that?
It's Russian.
New Sputnik Project?
I was reminded of it, so I wrote it down.
Come now.
This is ammonium perchlorate and hydrazine.
Hazardous corrosive substances used in rocket fuels.
Why would you think of something so dangerous?
I remembered taking the hazardous materials handling exam.
Hazardous materials handling exam?
Isn't that an international exam?
It's what I do in my spare time.
I read through prep books for international exams.
I guess gaining more knowledge is a hobby of mine.
It's like learning new recipes.
Is it weird?
Well, I guess people have different hobbies.
Yeah, I had so much fun talking to Kanata-san last night
about the many-worlds interpretation and the role of geometry in the movements of the planets!
Wafu!
It was a lot of fun, but...
It isn't very useful on a test.
I'm really bad at filling in those bubbles.
You mean on the answer sheets?
When I think about the time limit, I get nervous,
and then I make mistakes.
Even though it's nothing compared to the many-worlds interpretation.
You're so weird. Completely unbalanced.
Yoohoo! Sorry I'm late!
Onee-chan said she'd help me study, so...
I've been waiting for you.
You're always late.
Hey, hey, don't get mad.
Oh, and Kudryavka,
make sure you don't fill in your answers in the wrong rows in the coming test.
Filling in answers in the wrong rows?
Kanata-san gave me some sample tests the other day.
And every time...
It seems getting easily distracted is a problem for you, Kudryavka-kun.
I hope you do well.
Kud's never gone to school before.
So simple things like time limits and answer sheets are completely foreign to her.
On the other hand, it's shocking how much she knows about things she's interested in.
Earth, Stars, and Planets Observations and Investigations of Space
She can write pages on essay questions about them.
She just gets nervous extremely easily.
She's actually really smart.
There, there.
Hey, Kud.
Yes?
You were raised outside Japan, but you're good at cooking Japanese food.
You can do difficult things, but you can't do simple things.
I think that gap is what makes you who you are.
You think so?
You don't like that?
I can't stay like this forever.
With anything that I do, it always feels like I'm not quite there...
If you stay calm on the test tomorrow, you'll do fine.
You all helped me so much!
I won't let your efforts turn into a water bubble!
Water bubble?
She means "pop like a bubble."
I want to do well.
And so,
National Proficiency Test
the day of the test was upon us.
My head is hot from the anxiety!
My brain, overheating!
Hang in there, Kud.
You may begin!
Okay, collect the answer sheets from the back.
You'll be getting your results and national ranking back in a month.
But you'll forget what you did wrong by then, so I'll hand out the answers now.
Calculate your own score. Anyone who failed will have remedial after school.
What?!
Remedial?!
Today?!
I'm so tired...
How'd you do, Rin-chan?
I managed to avoid failing anything, at least.
Hey, hey, girls!
Haru-chin just won!
It's a miracle! This pencil got me the correct answer 85% of the time!
85%?
Something impossible happened!
Of course it's impossible!
Stop making stuff up.
I wonder how Kud did.
Hey, Kuu-chan!
Huh?
Kud?
After the test was over, I realized I filled in my answers in the wrong rows.
I really am a foolish little quarter-Japanese.
A worthless little puppy with a flat chest...
Even though everyone helped me so much...
I'm sorry!
Oh, so Kud-o's going to remedial?
Well, I have to go too.
Don't worry! Kud-o's not going to be the only girl!
Haru-chin's got remedial too!
See you!
Hm?
Haruka-kun didn't fail.
It seems that her pencil did in fact give her a miraculous result.
But...
What does that mean?
Saigusa-san lied so she wouldn't leave Kud alone?
That's Haru-chan for you.
So, what should we do?
Remedial
Hey, Noumi.
Yay! Time for some happy, fun remedial!
This idiot said he wanted in too.
You're the idiot.
And why are you here, Kyousuke?
Watching the team improve their teamwork is my job.
Don't get discouraged.
You can just be yourself.
Come on, Kuu-chan!
Thank you...
so much...
I can definitely always work hard!
Episode 19
I Can Definitely Always Work Hard!
akaneiro no kumo
The clouds, lit bright orange,
akaneiro no kumo
The clouds, lit bright orange,
omoide mo futatsu
And two of our memories
omoide mo futatsu
And two of our memories
tooku nagareteyuku yo
Floating far into the distance
tooku nagareteyuku yo
Floating far into the distance
hibiku kane no oto
The sound of the bell echoing,
hibiku kane no oto
The sound of the bell echoing,
kakera kimi to hitotsuzutsu
Those pieces we shared, one each
kakera kimi to hitotsuzutsu
Those pieces we shared, one each
ashita wa tenki ni nare
I hope tomorrow will be sunny
ashita wa tenki ni nare
I hope tomorrow will be sunny
hoshi no mukou ikeru kana
Can we go beyond the stars?
hoshi no mukou ikeru kana
Can we go beyond the stars?
sora mitsumete aruku hitohikari
Walking, looking at the sky, a single light
sora mitsumete aruku hitohikari
Walking, looking at the sky, a single light
tsuki no ue hitori demo
Even alone, on the face of the moon,
tsuki no ue hitori demo
Even alone, on the face of the moon,
rasen no hate he kaketeyuku yo
Run right past the end of the circle
rasen no hate he kaketeyuku yo
Run right past the end of the circle
kimi wa naita ato waraeru
You'll be able to smile after you cry,
kimi wa naita ato waraeru
You'll be able to smile after you cry,
hazu dakara tte ittan da
I said that because I know you can
hazu dakara tte ittan da
I said that because I know you can
bokura no tabi wasuretari shinai yo
You'll never forget our journey, even for a moment
bokura no tabi wasuretari shinai yo
You'll never forget our journey, even for a moment
nakusanai you ni mahou kakete
I'll cast a little magic so you never lose it,
nakusanai you ni mahou kakete
I'll cast a little magic so you never lose it,
sayonara wo tsutaenai
And I won't say good-bye
sayonara wo tsutaenai
And I won't say good-bye
arukidasu yo mata itsuka
You'll start walking again one day
arukidasu yo mata itsuka
You'll start walking again one day
Hey, Riki.
Someone's in love.
Love?!
Who's in love?!
Sasasasasa Sasasa.
Sasasegawa Sasami-san?
Yeah!
What do you mean?
Anyway, mission, start!