01x12 - Wandance

[bunniefuu]

[dance music playing faintly]

It's cool over here.

Congrats on advancing

to the semi-finals, Kabo.

That was a great round.

The other dancer was also very good,

but you hit him back with an even

more passionate round. I was moved!

[stutters] I… I…

[breathes shakily, sighs]

[Kabo] "I was moved by your dance too."

That's what I brought her

here to say. But…

-[Wanda] Ah… [gasps]

-[grunts]

This was a blast.

I'd love to do another battle again.

[Kabo] I dragged her out here

just to not say a word.

Anybody else would find me creepy.

But for some reason, Wanda gets me.

She doesn't wait

or urge me to say something.

That's exactly how I want people

to respond to my stuttering.

[grunts]

Her cap…

Did she wear it specifically

to match my style?

Hmm? Oh…

[chuckling] It was so cute,

I had to grab it.

[gasps]

Why was I so worried?

I kept telling myself I had to outdo her,

but that's not true.

A part of me thought she was perfect.

Superhuman, even.

But she's really just an ordinary girl

who gets nervous like everybody else.

Wanda is always there to help me,

so why don't I try to help her too?

The only thing I can do…

N-Next…

Hmm?

I'm up against Kabe.

…is keep going.

[people chattering]

[exhales sharply]

Phew. I had the time of my life.

[Kabo] This whole time,

Iori has been searching for a dancer

who can compete at his level.

It would have been great

to have someone like Usen or Kabe

at our high school.

But I'm not a replacement

for someone else.

I can only be me!

[scoffs]

INTER-HIGH DANCE BATTLE

[MC] Second match of the semi-finals.

Kabo versus Kabe!

ICHIRIN HIGH SCHOOL

VS. KANEMITSU HIGH SCHOOL

["Body" playing on speakers]

[in English] Yo, deejay! Let's go!

[in Japanese] Even though Kabo

doesn't have much experience

under his belt…

How can he look so comfortable out there?

Besides, why's the other guy's clothes

all ripped?

[Kabe strains]

He won't make the first move?

-[scoffs]

-Ooh.

[music continues]

Uh…

[audience cheering]

[Assay] What sort of battle

will unfold between them?

-[all] Kabe! [cheering]

-[club members gasp]

[spectator] That's wicked cool!

He's dancing an entire round blindfolded!

[MC] Going second.

Ichirin High School, Kabo!

[Iori] It's like he's saying,

"Kabo's round isn't even worth watching."

[Kabe] Kabo isn't someone who should

have made it to the semi-finals.

This track is way

too difficult for beginners.

I can't bear the sight of him making

a fool of himself in the semi-finals.

[audience gasping, clamoring]

That's fly. Amazing!

[Kabe] What?

[audience cheering]

[Kabe] What?

Why's the crowd going this wild?

Did he… do just as well as me?

Kabo, you smashed that round!

Thanks.

In a dance battle, even a single round

can knock the wind out of you.

-[panting]

-[Kabo] But Kabe has been going hard

in every match-up he's had.

He's pulled off the hardest thing

out of anyone today.

[exhales] What's up with him?

What's that face for? What a freak.

["LOOPHORIA" playing]

[MC] Moving on to the second round.

B-BOY from Kanemitsu High School,

Kabe, takes the floor!

[Kabe] This track… Nice pick, deejay.

Then I'll…

[music continues]

He's just walking around all chill.

Why's he not dancing yet?

[Kabe] Give it another four counts

of eight, and…

I'm a little wary

of the two toprockers on today's panel…

But Abi, the other B-BOY,

has been kinda tough on me too.

What are they gonna focus on?

Ah, right now.

[audience cheering]

[spectator 1] He totally gets this track!

[spectator 2] He's picking up

the most intricate beat in a handhop!

Show 'em what you got, Kabe!

[music distorts, fades out]

[Kabe] I know it too well.

No matter how difficult

the power moves I pull off,

or how clever my transitions are,

you can't call it dance

if it's not swag, right?

-[music resumes]

-I think I know…

the perfect set… to use on this track.

[audience cheering]

[gasps]

[Kabe] The rush is unreal!

[Iori] His performance wasn't improvised.

Rather, it's a meticulously

calculated set meant to go with any track.

[Abi] His provocative B-BOY stance…

I'm a fan.

[Kabe] Now… show me, Kabo.

What have you got?

[audience chuckling] Yeah!

[Kabe] Don't tell me, this guy…

[Usen laughs]

[Ogino] Kabo is firing back by riffing

on Kabe. That's the way to do it!

[whoops] The nerve of this kid!

[music continues]

[audience cheering]

[Kabe] Why's the audience

making noise over this easy move?

[Assay] That bounce and groove…

That's exactly what makes Hip-Hop cool.

The fluid motion that snaps.

-[music distorts, fades out]

-[Kabo] Now I understand

why Iori isn't big on pre-planned sets.

My dance has to flow out of the music.

The drums in this track…

-I'd hit it… like this.

-[drum booms]

[drum booms]

Kabe is a good person.

He doesn't show any mercy against me.

He's saying,

"Go ahead, you can hit me

with everything you've got."

[music resumes]

That means the world to me.

[music intensifies]

[strains, hisses]

This guy's huge…

[audience cheers]

[gulps]

[teeth click]

[gasps]

[Kabe] Getting hurt is a normal part

of breaking.

The joy is in the skills

you can learn beyond the injuries.

No one can say otherwise.

[music fades out]

-["DIVE" playing]

-[MC, in English] Last move, B-BOY Kabe.

Let's go!

[grunts, gasps]

Whoa! Kabe went with uprock!

[Monme] K-Kabo, why are you dancing too?

Uprock is kind of an exception

to the rule. Even so…

[Kabo] Drat. I was mirroring him

before I knew it…

[Iori] When we're forced

to compare them side-by-side like this,

Kabo's lack of experience

in breaking is painfully obvious.

Did Kabo get baited into this?

[chuckles]

[audience cheers]

[spectator] Man, he's built different!

[Iori] That's Kabe's special move.

His sequence of sudden transitions

takes you by surprise,

-so you can't help but react.

-[audience cheering]

Nailed it!

Hey, On. Who do you think

is in the lead right now?

-[On gasps]

-[Wanda inhales sharply]

[On] To be honest,

until the second round,

they were about even.

But…

I'd have to say Kabe will come out on top.

The third round is him sealing the deal.

[sighs]

[On] Even so,

Kabo surpasses Kabe in one way.

And Assay must be able to see it too.

What about you, Hikari Wanda?

Who do you think is in the lead?

[Wanda] Can't say

until I watch the whole match.

-Wanda…

-[Iori] Huh.

[MC] This is the last round.

Go, Ichirin High School, Kabo!

[Kabo grunts]

[chuckles] I'm wiped.

I'm all out of strength…

-[music fades out]

-Out of strength?

Your hands and feet

are the body's endpoints,

and the energy only really reaches

those points in the last moment.

The first thing that moves is the trunk.

[Kabo] Oh! [gasps]

You want to stay relaxed except

for the moments when you're making moves.

This way, you don't get too tired.

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

Like you're bouncing around.

[gasps]

The things those two have said…

Are they connected?

I'll give it a try.

It's time for me…

to take a chance.

[music resumes]

[Iori] I didn't expect him to go

with house now, of all times.

Got what it takes to pull it off, Kabo?

[Kabo] Imagine myself

as nothing but a living trunk.

My arms and legs simply follow along.

Stomp to this beat…

and snap for this one.

[grunts] Is the floor moving?

No, the one moving is me!

I can dance!

[Assay] He's channeling that looseness

for the rolling and falling motions.

It's a carefree yet dynamic house dance!

[sighs]

You've got the hang of it, Kabo!

[On] He's got a good ear.

A very good ear.

[Wanda] I can see the music

in Kabo's dance!

[cheering]

[Kabe] Darn it…

He's good at switching up to the tune.

This is so unfair.

[MC] Finished!

Nicely done!

You got this match in the bag!

-You did great.

-Look at you. You were fantastic!

Kabo!

[cheering fades]

[spectator 1] Who will the judges choose?

[spectator 2] They're gonna be split.

[MC] Let's ask the judges

for their votes. Judges!

[gasps]

[grunts] What?

-[audience muttering]

-[MC] Winner…

Kabe!

[person clapping]

[audience gasping, whispering]

[cheering]

[Iori] I'm proud of you.

That was your best yet.

Man, you really outdid yourself, Kabe!

Thanks.

[Two-block] Here's your phone back.

[Kabe] Thanks. You recorded it?

-The whole shebang!

-[chuckles]

But the middle bit might be blurry.

You know, from the hype.

-[ominous music playing]

-But it was such an amazing battle.

For sure.

-Thanks for winning one for the team.

-[Two-block chuckles]

[music continues]

You can let anything break during battle…

just not your spirit.

I got off the hook

because that was the final round.

If there was another round left,

I really may have fumbled the match.

Well, lesson learned.

I need to visualize myself winning.

-[gasps]

-[Kabe] Ah.

-[music ends]

-[Wanda] Long time no see.

[Kabe] Yeah.

That really was an incredible match.

You liked my rounds?

Yes! You know,

I think breaking is such an amazing style.

[Kabe grunts] Right? You get it then.

-But Kabo's something else, huh?

-Huh?

I blindfolded myself like this

and didn't even watch his round,

but he didn't seem fazed at all.

[Wanda] Hmm.

Oh, that's what that was?

I thought you were trying

to concentrate on hearing the music.

Huh? Ah, you know,

there's battle culture and all.

Breaking is all about playing mind games.

We try to get under each other's skin

and tilt the other guy.

Didn't you notice Kabo dissing me?

Huh? Was he doing that?

[Kabe] Huh?

You know, he was showing off his build

'cause I'm short. He was making digs.

To me, it looked like Kabo was dancing

with a lot of respect for you.

[exhales]

[hip-hop music playing inside]

[Kabo breathes shakily]

[crying softly]

I don't understand.

I had so much fun while I was dancing.

I thought it'd be fine

if I ended up losing.

So why am I so frustrated?

-[door opens, closes]

-[inhales]

Hello, Mr. Assay. Good morning.

Hey, Iori. Morning.

Abi and Banri are messing around

on the floor.

Not gonna join in on the fun?

Nah, I'm good right now.

I thought you were still a high schooler.

What are you doing here?

[Iori] One won't hurt.

[Assay] Hey…

[laughs]

In the last battle, why did you…

vote for Kabo?

The reason I voted for him?

Hmm… There were a couple of reasons.

But simply put,

in the final round, Kabe looked like

he was ready to admit defeat.

That's why.

[grunts, chuckles]

[Assay] You're up against Kabe in

the finals. How do you feel about that?

[Iori] You see,

there's a bit of a history between us…

-Kabo respects me?

-[faucet closes]

There's no way.

Actually, there was something

different about him.

That expression, I can see how that's…

a look of respect.

[both grunt]

[gasps]

[stutters] Y-You were incredible, Kabe.

[Kabe] Gosh, they're so alike.

[stuttering] E-Earlier, I, um…

[Kabe] What's his problem?

[sighs]

-You did good.

-[gasps]

[MC] The Final Round is about to begin.

Please welcome our final contestants

with a big round of applause!

[audience cheering]

[gasps]

[inhales sharply, grunts]

[stuttering] I, um…

[grunts, sighs]

I want to say I lost…

but would it make me look lame?

Maybe it's a good thing I didn't.

-[contemplative pop music playing]

-There's something I've kept to myself.

I remember the day the words

started to get caught in my throat.

I became terrified

that I'd never be able to do a normal job

like customer service

or teaching something.

But when I saw Wanda

dance for the first time,

I thought, "this might be my ticket."

Better luck next time.

Don't you think we can achieve

something amazing right now?

-[gasps]

-[music fades out]

Whoa, Wanda is miles ahead of me…

No, I just have to catch up to her.

-Huh? [munches]

-[upbeat electronic music plays]

Wha… Ouch. Whoa, it's sweet.

[Iori] Well, leave the rest to me.

I'll win for the both of us.

[both chuckle softly]

This is the final match.

Kanemitsu High School Kabe

versus Ichirin High School, Iori!

[in English] Yo, deejay, let's go!

[audience cheering]