01x01 - Encountering a Dream

[bunniefuu]

I just wanted to refresh myself

in a hot spring deep in the mountains.

And what do I get?

I should have taken the bus

instead of hiking.

-What am I gonna do?

-Squish, squish

What's that sound?

Squish, squish

A foreign boy in a place like this?

Looks like I have no choice.

Just kidding.

I gotcha!

Yay, I got you! Woo-hoo!

You know, I would like to go to an inn,

but I'm not sure how

since the bridge is gone.

Yeah, the bridge fell

because of the typhoon the other day.

You are a local kid, aren't you?

Oh, yes!

My name is Gawain!

EPISODE 1: ENCOUNTERING A DREAM

Hey. Is this the right direction?

Yeah.

What's your name, miss?

Why should I tell you?

Is your name that embarrassing?

Kiria! I'm Kiria Nishino!

There!

Look! You can see it from here.

Listen, kid.

No one from Tokyo

would call this a road or a bridge!

A decent bridge is eight kilometers away,

but it'll be dark by then.

Better than falling in the river.

Bears often show up around here at night.

See? You should go this way.

It's easy once you get the knack of it.

I don't know of a knack

for fighting bears though.

Wait! It's dangerous!

What?

Phew.

Hey, huh, got it.

There we go!

He crossed this thin log on his tiptoes.

Hey, Miss Kiria, are you still there?

Shut it!

I am doing my best!

Keep going all the way up this path,

and you'll reach the inn!

"This path"? This is an animal trail.

I don't like it.

You're so picky, Miss Kiria.

Because all the trails

you take me to are terrible!

And you have a short temper.

Here, I'll help you with that luggage.

Let's go!

Wait! Don't be so rough with that bag!

What?

What on earth is in this bag?

Earlier he was walking on his tiptoes,

and now this?

His lower body strength is incredible!

I train regularly, too, but this

I can't believe it!

We're finally here.

I have to ask. Are you a monster?

How are you not out of breath after that?

I've been training my ankles every day

to become the world's best.

"The world's best"?

A man should aim to be the world's best

in what he loves.

Oops!

By the way, Miss Kiria, what's in the bag?

Golf clubs.

I hope you didn't break them somewhere.

Golf

Is that like gateball

that elderly people often play?

Don't open it without permission!

You couldn't hit a ball very far

with a skinny stick like this.

Nothing compares

to a home run in baseball after all!

Hey, wait a minute.

Say that again!

You don't know anything about golf!

Even elementary schoolers

are into golf now!

How dare you talk so pompously

about baseball and golf

Sorry.

You don't have a boyfriend, do you?

I feel sorry for you.

My grandpa always says

that people don't like hysteria.

Hey, Gaakou, we've been looking for you!

What are you doing?

Sorry, guys! I'm coming!

I was born in the Year of the Snake.

I'm persistent when I get angry.

I got it!

Wow!

It's exactly 100 meters!

Awesome, Guccho!

I'm the longest hitter

in Yamamori Elementary!

Gaakou, can you beat my record?

Forget about Yamamori Elementary.

No, my goal is

Ready?

There you go!

to be the longest hitter in the world.

Whoa.

-It's a huge home run!

-Wow!

It's at least 120 meters

to the lone ceder tree!

Yay! It's a great new record!

I'm one step closer

to becoming the world's best!

Getting excited over that

You're still a child after all, Gawain.

You mentioned "the world's best."

But of what?

Of ball hitting.

We tried many sports

like dodgeball and soccer.

We found that a baseball home run

could fly the longest.

Home run ba*ls of professional players

can fly about 150 meters!

The best baseball hitter

must be the best hitter in the world.

So, I'm gonna become

a pro baseball player, join the MLB,

and be the world's best!

The longest hitter in the world

Then why don't I show you

the hitting power of a golf player?

-Golf?

-Golf?

Golf is that super boring sport, right?

Yeah, it's similar to gateball.

She looks young.

Why does she play that sport?

Maybe she is older than she looks.

Should we call her "auntie"

instead of "miss"?

Hey, don't call me "auntie"!

Miss Kiria, my grandpa says

losing your temper is not good for health.

Everyone has run away.

Shut up!

Watch this.

Is that the ball?

Looks like it's floating above the ground.

You have to tee it up before you hit it.

Hey, back off. It's dangerous.

Okay.

Can the ball really fly with that thing?

What?!

It went beyond

the lone cedar tree so easily.

Amazing!

I only heard a light noise!

How far did it fly?

I'd say 200 meters at most.

Did you just say 200 meters "at most"?

How come?! Why?!

It may come as a surprise,

but I'm a professional golfer.

Ranked tenth for prize money.

I'm known as a long-hitter

among female pros.

I can hit a ball 260 meters

when I'm in good shape.

Two hundred

Of course, when it comes

to male players worldwide,

there are folks

who can hit over 300 meters.

Three hundred meters?!

Gawain, you made fun of golf earlier,

but golf is where you can hit a ball

the farthest among all sports.

I can hit a ball the farthest

Miss Kiria.

Can I try hitting it?

Well, I don't know.

Who was making fun of golf

for being boring?

No, absolutely not!

Golf is awesome! The best in the world!

Who called me

"auntie without a boyfriend"?

Miss Kiria, you are super gorgeous!

Even your angry face is stunning!

So please?

If you say so.

Okay, let's do this!

It's a baseball batting stance.

The so-called one-legged stance?

Whack!

How far did it go?

Look at your step.

What?

I missed.

But next time I will

Whack!

Ouch

Darn it.

Whack! Oops.

Whack!

Whack! Whoa!

Whack! Squish.

Whack! Ow.

Why?

Why can't I hit a stationary ball?

My first piece advice.

Until the club hits the ball,

keep your eyes on the ball.

Second piece of advice.

To prevent your swing from bouncing,

maintain a steady knee height.

"Keep my eyes on the ball."

My eyes

Look at the ball with full focus!

Maintain a steady knee height.

This is the same posture as

Well, it's easier said than done.

Whoa, oh!

What was the feeling?

It was so light

that I almost didn't feel the hit.

What a clear sound.

It's not an impact sound

a child can make.

The ball went farther than yours!

He had the ideal form

and body stability to support it.

I see!

This child's strong lower body

created stability.

But where did the form come from?

I thought he'd never played golf before.

-I knew golf is the same as that one.

-"That one"?

What is it? Tell me!

Gosh!

This is the secret to his form?

He twists his upper body

and stretches his arms as he grips.

Also, since his eyes

are focused on the cut,

his head stays down

and his shoulders don't open up.

Did you learn how to chop trees

by yourself?

Yeah.

Since we burn wood for baths and meals,

I learned it by doing it every day

in a way that was easy for me.

Every day?

I understand now.

Hey, it's enough, right?

What?

I told you my secrets. Let me play again!

Please?

Hurry up! Come on, this way.

Wait a minute!

What is this place?

What amazing rocky mountains.

It's my secret training field.

Mount Chubby is in front,

and Mount Beanpole is the back.

I've hit so many ba*ls to Mount Chubby

but have yet to reach Mount Beanpole.

No wonder.

It looks to be about 190 meters

from here to Mount Beanpole

and 250 meters to its top.

How do you know that?

Golfers need to have an eye

for estimating distance.

Miss Kiria, you told me, right?

Golf is the sport

where you can hit a ball the farthest.

That's why

I want to give it a try!

I see.

In that case,

plant your feet firmly

and swing as hard as you can.

An axe swing stops when it hits the tree.

That's why he couldn't follow through

with his swing before.

But if he really swings the club through,

it'll become clear

whether the impact he made earlier

was genuine or a fluke.

Keep my eyes on the ball.

I don't see the ball.

What a perfect impact.

It must have flown nearly 300 meters.

This boy is the real deal!

I'm

I'm glad that I met you.

Because thanks to that,

I got to learn about golf!

I want to play golf!

Sounds good to me.

And I want to hit a ton of ba*ls

and become

the longest hitter in the world!

Seriously?

Are you sure I can have this?

It was my practice club.

Now you have to practice

your swing every day.

Of course I will!

And since I have school tomorrow,

teach me everything about golf

after school!

That's impossible.

Why?

I'm going back to Tokyo tomorrow morning.

What?! I can't believe it!

I thought you could teach me

every day from now on!

I have my own training and tournaments.

I can't stay here forever.

But I wanna play more golf!

Don't forget your goal,

and you'll be fine.

When you get a little older,

you can come to my place.

Really?

I can come to your place

when I get a bit older?

Yes, you can.

If you keep playing golf until then.

I'll come to see you, for sure!

Wait a minute.

I'll write my address down.

If that kid

really gets serious about golf,

he may beat world-class players.

But the problem is

All right, then.

Please at least stay at my place tonight!

Wait. What's this all of a sudden?

I have a reservation at this inn.

It's okay. Forget it. Please!

Nice to meet you.

My name is Kiria Nishino.

Well, look who he brought in.

Are you his new teacher?

Not really. It's hard to explain.

Miss Kiria taught me golf!

I've decided!

I'm aiming to be the world's best in golf!

Golf?

You're a professional golfer.

Oh my, that's wonderful.

No, I'm not good enough.

But Gawain,

you said you were going to be

a professional baseball player.

I thought your best trait was

you never give up

once you've made a decision.

I haven't given up.

Because my goal is to be

the longest hitter in the world.

Hitter?

Golf is the sport where you

send the ball flying the farthest!

Hey, look at this.

Miss Kiria gave it to me.

Isn't it cool?

I'm gonna practice golf every day with it.

Miss Kiria not only has big boobs

but big generosity.

Can't you compliment me some other way?

Ouch, my back is cracking.

That feeling when I hit the ball

I can't forget it.

I'm gonna practice every day

to become a professional golfer

as soon as possible

and keep hitting the world's longest ball.

What do you think?

From a professional's viewpoint,

does my grandson have any talent?

Gawain had never even touched a golf club.

But he hit a ball

that even I, a pro, couldn't hit.

I think he has

an incredible talent hidden inside.

I see.

But unfortunately,

here, there is no one to teach him,

no store selling golf clubs,

and not even

a well-equipped practice range.

I told him

to try to practice swings every day,

but golf isn't so easy

that he can improve just with that.

If he is really serious

about becoming a professional player,

he should start learning

under a reasonable coach.

Well,

I know it's sudden

and forward of me to ask,

but could you let him go to my

Miss Kiria!

The wood-fired bath is ready!

Thank you! I'll be there soon!

Come on! Hurry up!

Yeah, okay.

Hey, can I take a bath with you?

-No.

-Why?

Because I said no.

Hey, Miss Kiria!

You're annoying.

Can I come to your place

when I get a bit older?

I'm a growing boy.

I'll become big before you know it.

What grade are you in?

Third grade.

I will be in fourth grade next April.

You should sleep 1,000 more nights.

What? Then I'll be in junior high.

Nothing we can do.

I'd love to teach you golf, but

Can you, a grade-schooler,

leave your grandpa

and head to Tokyo on your own?

Okay.

I understand.

See you, Gawain.

I'll be waiting.

See you,

Miss Kiria!

Gawain

and golf?

ONE MONTH LATER

Good afternoon.

Mr. Hoshi,

did Gawain do something wrong again?

No, quite the opposite.

Recently, he seems to go somewhere

without playing with his classmates.

I have no idea what happened to him.

And I can't explain it,

but he carries a golf club

with him every day.

Six hundred ninety-seven!

Six hundred ninety-eight!

Six hundred ninety-nine!

Seven hundred!

Seven hundred one!

Seven hundred

Gawain!

Grandpa?

You've been doing this every day?

Show me your hand.

All the blisters on my hand burst.

I didn't notice it at all.

You stopped playing with friends

and kept going off instead.

So this was the reason?

Yeah, I'm sorry to them,

but I made a promise to Miss Kiria

to not skip a single day of practice.

I really wanna be the longest hitter

in the world as soon as possible.

Hey, Grandpa.

You know what?

A little while later,

when I become a junior high student

No, never mind. Maybe next time.

You should go.

Don't say,

"When I become a junior high student."

Just go right away.

I'll contact Ms. Kiria myself.

But if I leave to Tokyo,

you will be here all alone.

I'm not so senile

that you have to worry about me.

And we're both still in Japan.

We can meet anytime.

It's the path you've chosen.

There's no need to hesitate.

Thank you, Grandpa.

Go and learn a lot from Ms. Kiria

and become the longest hitter

in the world.

Yes!

Grandpa, you may feel lonely

after I leave, but

Don't be silly.

I'm glad I don't have to take care

of my troublesome grandson.

Grandpa.

I'm gonna become number one

in the world for sure!

What?

According to Miss Kiria's note,

her address is around here.

Where is her house?

She could've at least written

her phone number.

Maybe I should ask

a police officer for help.