Friendship
thief
parent and child crooks
Episode 9: Hurry Up and "Switch Sides"
Switch sides?
Episode 9: Hurry Up and "Switch Sides"
What the hell is he saying?!
I-It's got to be a bluff! There's no way he's serious about switching.
I wonder about that.
I tend to think Katagiri Yuichi would be comfortable
doing something like that to achieve his goal.
So, if he honestly does want to switch sides, would you accept it?
Third Game Rules
Can't Do
Violence
Moving the Hider
Can Do
Contact
Food
Surrender (Give Up)
Change Sides (Switch)
Well, of course I would.
If he joins our side, victory is all but inevitable.
That's true, if you think about it... normally.
If this goes the way I think it will, the game will really start to move
depending on if they accept Katagiri Yuichi's switch.
Well? Will you allow me to switch sides or not?
Hmm. What made you want to switch sides now?
It's like I said...
Bad-Mouth
Actually, Sawaragi Shiho has had plastic surgery.
Tenji destroyed our friendships in the second game.
Actually, Sawaragi Shiho has had plastic surgery.
I decided to use the third game to make him suffer
as much as possible, and then switch sides.
Well, I guess that tracks.
Then hurry up and allow it. You remember how to do it, right?
Things You Can Do
Change Sides (Switch)
About switching sides,
I'll always be in the center area where the food is,
so come and make a formal announcement with someone from the other team.
Is it okay if I switch sides?
If at least one person from the other team agrees, it's settled.
Okay with me!!
But be careful, because you can't switch again
Actually, can I come back?
Screw off!
and go back to your original team.
What do you think? I'm okay with letting him in.
Usually, I'd never want a guy like this on our side.
But to help us win? In that case...
M'kay, if there are no objections...
Hold on, please.
Until now, whenever we had a choice to make,
we always asked Captain to decide.
So, why don't we ask him now too, just to be safe?
Aw, it's fine. Why bother?
You asshole!
Captain's decisions are absolute!
He's the reason we've gotten this far!
I can't believe what I almost did!
Okay, fine, I get it.
What? What do you think is so funny?
My bad. I didn't mean it.
It's just...
It's ridiculous that you guys can't make a simple decision like this by yourselves.
You can't seriously have been asking your precious Captain-sama's permission
for every single move up until this point?
"Captain-sama, shall we go left or right?"
"Captain-sama, will we have bread or rice for breakfast?"
"Captain-sama, may I please go pee-pee?"
C'mon, how much of a control freak is your Captain, anyway?
You piece of shit.
Our Captain...
Our Captain... ain't like that at all!
Please don't be violent!
If you attack the other team, we'll immediately lose!
But this asshole...
Hyakutaro, calm down.
We still have plenty of time.
Banri-san... okay.
For now, please stay here with Hyakutaro-senpai so he doesn't do anything rash.
I'll go call him right away.
Hello, is that you, Captain?
Phew, that was close!
We almost lost over a stupid accident.
Was it really an accident?
Huh?
Are you saying he was deliberately provoking him?
Gosh, who knows?
But you might not want to take such a simplistic view of his actions.
Well, either way, once Katagiri Yuichi switches sides, the game is over.
Um, okay. I'll tell you Captain's decision.
"I will not allow that Katagiri Yuichi guy to switch sides."
That's what he said.
W-Why in the world not?!
No, that's probably the correct decision.
"The reason is clear and simple."
"We'll definitely win even without him on our side."
"The strategy I thought up is flawless."
Strategy?
"So don't get distracted. Just trust me and carry out the plan," he said.
"But if Katagiri Yuichi still insists on switching teams,"
"make the girl switch with him."
"If they both switch, Group C will be down to just the one hider."
"They wouldn't be able to pull any tricks, then."
"For example, if Katagiri Yuichi switched and started working with us,"
I'd like to give my regards to your Captain!!
buttering up
"he might trick us into telling him our hiding place."
"Then, he could tell the girl and send her to find him."
I found him.
"Katagiri Yuichi's debt would increase, but despite starting"
Okay!
"with such a huge disadvantage,"
Victory
"they would at least grab victory."
No kidding!
In that case, let's have 'em both switch over.
You've got no reason to refuse, right?
You've got a grudge against Mikasa Tenji. That's why you're switching, right?
My, oh my. The strategy was easier to see through than I thought.
Group K's leader is pretty sharp.
But too bad for them, since that was already part of this guy's plan.
Two Days Ago
Several Hours After the Start of the Third Game
So what are we going to do, Yuichi-san?
Nothing, for at least for the next two full days.
That'll give the impression that I have no intention of fighting them.
Then on the third day, I'll announce I want to switch sides.
Are you planning to betray us?
Of course not. I'm not thinking about anything except winning.
Huh... He's sticking to it, then.
In other words,
I'm ready to do whatever it takes to win.
Wow! He really is something in the flesh!
That villainous look on his face!
If I am able to switch, my plan is to get their hiding spot out of them,
and then tell you where it is.
Oh, I see!
But still, there's about a ten to one chance this plan will fail.
Huh? Why do you think so?
Because Group K has probably already figured out the strategy for this game.
The only sure and simple way to find the other hider in Friendly Hide-and-Seek
Food
is to tail the other team when they deliver food.
So, he has already figured it out.
That might be true,
but what makes you think our opponents are already aware of that strategy?
If this was normal hide-and-seek,
who would you pick in Group K to be the hider?
I'd want to reduce the chances of being found as much as possible,
so the smallest...
Ah!
Right. They should have picked the smallest guy on the team to hide.
But instead, of all people, they picked the one who's by far the biggest.
That proves they've already realized it's not the same as regular hide-and-seek.
They picked the guy who would be the most patient over a long fight.
So if your plan to switch sides fails, what will you do next?
Before I tell you that,
I need to make sure of one thing.
What is it?
I told you I'd do whatever it takes to win, right?
Will you go along with that?
To get straight to the point,
will you swear your absolute obedience to me?
Does this guy think he's threatening me?
But hey, at least it's getting interesting!
S-Sure, I will. As long as we win the game.
Of course. If you follow my lead, we'll definitely win.
Wow, he's so confident!
Okay, I'll tell you.
Oh, so that's why he asked if I was a girl earlier.
Even so, this guy, Katagiri Yuichi,
is even more of a crazy asshole than I thought!
Well, what's the matter? Hurry up and switch.
I don't have enough scenes in the third game...
Nah, I changed my mind about switching.
Huh?!
Aw, why not?
Was Captain spot-on about your strategy after all?
No, no, that isn't it.
After watching you guys, I think it'll be an easy win.
I figure we'll clean up here pretty quick.
Give it your best shot.
Back off, Hyakutaro.
Shut it!
Listen up. Here's the plan if I can't switch sides.
I said I wouldn't do anything for the first two days, but that wasn't exactly true.
I'll make small talk with the other team
You son of a...
and try to provoke them sometimes while I look for something.
Bye-bye!
Something?
Once I find that thing, I'll move to the next step.
Once he finds it, it's fine,
but Tenji-kun's gotta be at his breaking point about now.
Third Game: Day 4
Early Morning
We're going to bring Captain his breakfast,
so please take over the watch, guys.
Sure.
I say that, but they're both still dead asleep this morning, too.
Hyakutaro.
You sure aren't a morning person.
Here. With plenty of sugar and milk.
Oh!
This reminds me of our morning routine.
Sure does.
That's right, you guys said you were in the basketball club.
What the hell... You were awake?
Sorry. I guess it looks like I was eavesdropping.
Hyakutaro, I'll keep an eye on the girl.
Yeah, I got this.
Have you been in basketball a while, Hyakutaro-kun?
Uh, yeah...
Hey, why you talkin' to me?
I can see how well you work together. You must be a really strong team.
W-Well yeah, I guess!
We were totally headed for nationals this year.
And that captain of yours is great! He's super sharp, but he's also huge!
What, so you do get it?!
Yeah, he's a really awesome guy!
But, y'know...
I kept making crappy shots and got Captain injured.
So I trained my ass off to help him shine one last time.
Huh. You really are just a wholesome, honest young man.
But then, why'd you get stuck playing the Tomodachi Game?
Which one of you five is in debt?
I-It's...
It's?
That's enough.
Chisato!
Hyakutaro, let's trade spots before you say too much.
S-Sorry.
Phew. Back to the girl. Is—
Huh?
She was just sleeping here, right?
Oh, shit!
Damn it! She ran away!
Zing!
Ah! I-I'm, uh, n-not... Th-This isn't...
I wasn't trying to...
Hyakutaro!
N-No...!
I-I-I didn't mean it!
What the hell are you doing?! Keep your eyes on her!
No! I mean, this is just, that...
Fine, then I'll go!
No, you can't, Chisato! Idiot! Perv!
I found it! Maria!
Oh, no!
Go after Yuichi! I'll follow Maria!
G-Got it!
You ain't gettin' away!
Gotcha!
There they are!
This way!
Huh? Uh, okay!
Hyakutaro!
Yeah!
What he thought he "found" was a chance to split us up and then lose us.
But we caught up anyway.
Not a bad idea, but he was just out of luck.
No, this is exactly what I planned.
The thing I found is something else.
Oops! My hand slipped!
Huh?!
What?
Mikasa Tenji
I'm done for.
At this rate, I'll...
I've held on long enough, right?
But what would change if I pushed it?
Even if I escape this pain, I only have that empty life to return to.
I said it, didn't I?
I will trust Yuichi no matter what happens.
Fine.
I'll keep waiting like this...
and bet on Yuichi... on my last hope... with my life.
I'm sorry, Dad, that I couldn't avenge you.
I'm sorry, guys... that I couldn't... apologize directly.
But at least I didn't betray anyone else at the end.
I'm glad.
Wh... What?
Tenji! Hold on, Tenji!
Yu...ichi...
Yuichi?!
Tenji!
Yuichi! Yuichi!
Sorry to keep you waiting, Tenji.
I'm back now.
Tomodachi Game
Calorie Bar
So that's what happened.
They would have tailed you if you brought food,
so you couldn't get back sooner.
But you knew about that strategy from the start, right—
Well, yeah.
If you told me that on the first day, I wouldn't have had to suffer so much.
Sorry. I did that on purpose, to test you.
To see if you'd push the give-up button when you were in real trouble.
If you pushed it, the game would end. We'd lose everything.
But if you didn't, I decided I'd start to trust you again.
Yuichi, you're an idiot.
If I had no self-control and pushed the button...
If I started to resent you and simply pushed the button,
what were you going to do?!
You didn't push it, though.
You risked your life to keep your promise, and didn't push the button.
Honestly, that makes me happy.
The Tenji I knew in school wasn't a complete lie.
Thanks, Tenji, for trusting me.
From now on I'll really trust you, too.
Mackerel
Yuichi...
After you've lost something, it's so hard to get it back.
I know it is.
But trusting you doesn't necessarily mean I distrust Sawaragi 100 percent.
Once we get back, we've got to get to the bottom of it all.
That's good enough for me.
So, what's going on?
Does it look like we can win?
We're in good shape.
The fact that I made it back here means the plan is already halfway to success.
How did you lose the Group K guys, anyway?
Yeah... by now,
they're probably saying all sorts of crap about me.
God damn that asshole!
Seriously, what's wrong with him?
Hey, you okay?
Huh? Uh, yes, I'm all right.
Ooh, that was terrifying.
He did say he was going to use me as a distraction somehow.
What the...
Is this what he... meant as a...
distraction?!
I'm going after him!
No way! I can't pull her up by myself!
Don't be stupid!
If she falls from that height, she won't be that hurt—
The hell she won't! Are you just gonna let a girl get hurt?
You're always chasin' girls, but you won't help one that's right in front of you?!
Fine! I'll help!
Wow!
Yeah, the Chisato I know wouldn't leave a girl hanging.
The method wasn't the best, but he really did slow them both down!
Shut up and help pull!
That's awful.
Yeah, I guess so.
It was a really risky gamble to try that.
It wasn't a gamble at all.
I knew I just needed to slow one of them down.
If one stopped, it was highly likely the other would, too.
What do you mean? What made you think that?
I didn't just use my time these three days trying to wear you down.
I was also observing the personalities and relationships in Group K.
Sometimes I spilled a little info to get them talking,
other times I'd step up and provoke them.
Eventually, I was able to find the thing—
or rather, the person I was searching for.
It was Onigawara Hyakutaro.
At first, he seems like a short-tempered and impulsive jerk,
but he's more compassionate than the others,
and is really self-conscious about past mistakes.
On top of that, he's weirdly naïve and kind to girls.
Yeah, the thing I was searching for was the kindest person in the group.
He does sound like the type to try to save her,
but wasn't one other guy chasing, too?
The other guy, Hashiratani Chisato, was always paying attention to Hyakutaro.
Huh?
He reacted to almost everything Hyakutaro did and said.
Chisato's kind of personality is what you'd call, in a word, a dilettante.
Bye-bye!
You know, a jack of all trades, but master of none.
When that type of person meets someone who's really sincere,
he might mouth off a lot, but deep inside, he's actually really jealous.
I think I know what he means.
So when Hyakutaro seriously asks for help, it's hard for Chisato to turn him down.
People who put so much effort into crafting a fake personality
can't stand it when more authentic people tell it like it is.
What incredible analytical skills!
But he's almost too good at seeing through other people's personality flaws...
Still, how is that helping us win?
It doesn't sound like we're halfway there to me.
We are, and what's coming up is actually my specialty.
Your specialty?
Kadokura Juzo
Onigawara Hyakutaro
Shinomiya Kei
Niwa Banri
Hashiratani Chisato
-The team leader -Psychological pillar -Considerate of his friends -Self-sacrificing -Strong sense of responsibility
-Impulsive -Strong sense of duty -Acts tough but weak for the ladies -Kindest of the bunch -An idiot
-The youngest -Small and weaker than the rest -Cocky -In charge of contacting Captain -Debt holder?
-Silent type -Bland -Barely noticeable -Steady-handed -Manga otaku?
-Calm and composed -Prudent -Looks like a flirt but distrusts women -Dilettante -Probably really gloomy
The biggest hurdle was figuring out if my relationship analysis was accurate.
That was already proven correct this time.
Now that I was able to bring you food, we have a little more time.
We only have to do one more thing to win...
Totally destroy all the relationships in Group K.
Totally destroy them
Over the last three days, I've already planted all sorts of traps.
The first one will be set in motion any minute now.
U-Um, thank you so much.
You saved my life.
H-Huh? I did?
Ooh, this is getting interesting!
Yuichi went back to Group K's camp.
I can't begin to imagine what he's done since then.
Wait a second! What are you thinking?
Shut up! I made up my mind!
Just calm down!
What are you guys doing? Did you eat something funny?
Let go of me!
Don't do it, Hyakutaro!
I know you don't give a damn about how I feel!
Manabu!
Huh?
I'm switchin' to Group C!
The bonds holding Group K together crumbled in just one day.
NEXT: The Third Game Is Over!