Original subtitles

Are you an idiot?

Badge of honor--

I'm so sorry you had to bring him here!

No worries.

Thank you.

Well, then...

You're not qualified to play against Shoichi Yuuki.

Qualified?

Sit.

Go ahead.

Excuse me.

Reiko, bring us drinks.

Ouch! What was that for?!

Stop bossing me around, freeloader.

To play against Shoichi Yuuki, one must be a kishi.

Then, I'll become a kishi.

It's not that easy.

What?

To be a kishi, you need to train at the Shoreikai.

You must perform to certain standards and climb the ranks.

SHOREIKAI: KISHI TRAINING INSTITUTION

Additionally, only four make it up the ranks to become a kishi each year.

Besides that...

You have to be the very first female kishi ever.

But isn't there a female kishi who's active right now?

Here.

Like her.

Oh, that's Yuna Hayami.

She's not a kishi. She's a joryu kishi.

Aren't they the same?

Joryu kishi, a female pro, and kishi, a male pro, are different.

There has never been a female kishi.

Whoa, isn't that discrimination?

No, there are women in the Shoreikai.

But so far, no woman could become a kishi.

In the 100 years since the shogi association began,

there's been no female kishi.

Plus, they also have an age limit.

What's the cutoff?

Twenty-six.

At twenty-six, you're kicked out of the Shoreikai.

Which means, you're already...

out of time.

Does that mean...

No, there's another way.

As an amateur, you can become a kishi through the kishi admission test.

KISHI ADMISSION TEST

If you rank high in amateur tournaments, you qualify for pro matches.

If you win over ten official pro matches with a rate of 65 percent or higher,

you can take the kishi admission test.

In the test, you'll play five games with kishi.

If you win over three, you become a kishi.

So, I just need to keep winning?

That's right. Just don't lose.

Reiko, hand me that flyer.

Oh, this?

AMATEUR GYOKUSHO MATCH

But you can't go in unprepared.

Play a match with me.

- Whoa! - No, thanks.

Hey, wait! Are you even listening to me?

YUUKI

She told me to quit shogi.

- Your mother. - Oh.

She'd let me marry you on that condition.

Listen to me.

What's the big deal?

Just quit.

What?

I mean, think about it.

It's not easy to keep playing shogi in a world full of men.

Besides, "First-Ever Female Kishi" is just a nice trophy title right?

But that title will stay in history!

Forever.

Hey, your parents might be home any minute...

I...

Yuna, I...

I don't want you to live a hellish life.

AMATEUR GYOKUSHO MATCH TOKYO PRELIMINARY

A woman?

That's rare.

I lost?

Miss, you're not bad for a beginner.

For example, this move--

Oh! Hi, Asuka.

Tell me.

What?

Why did I lose?

Why you lost?

You don't get it, do you?

You thought you were good?

Don't underestimate shogi.

How long since you last played?

Twenty years at least.

And you thought you'd just walk in and win?

But on that day...

ROOK

That was just a fluke.

Don't underestimate shogi or kishi.

Shogi is a way of life for kishi.

It goes beyond the board.

Sit down.

Do you think you can beat me?

I'm not trying to win now.

What?

I lost again!

You're weak. You lack everything.

You could never kill Shoichi Yuuki.

Ever wondered why Shoichi left you and your mother?

Maybe because you were so worthless!

What?!

Hey, Seigo.

What a fraud you are.

Disappeared?

Yeah. Gone.

Asuka Kunimi is gone.

Make yourself at home.

Are you sure?

You have nowhere to go, right?

Well...

One more freeloader won't change a thing.

Thank you so much.

Ever wondered why Shoichi left you and your mother?

Maybe because you were so worthless!

Don't touch my shogi set!

Leave me alone, will you?

I must win.

You should stop playing shogi.

It'll be okay now.

Asuka,

don't be like me.

Be free and live your life.

What's up?

I couldn't sleep.

I see.

Did you come over to help?

Yeah.

Okay, then. Could you clean the tables with this?

Sure.

You've frozen.

Sorry.

Seigo told me about your situation.

I'm so sorry about your mother.

It must've been hard.

No...

Seigo was awful, wasn't he?

You're still processing the loss of your mother.

Revenge and killing?

And calling you weak? You can only handle so much at once.

He really lacks emotional intelligence.

But I think...

he's serious in his own way.

It's been so long since he last brought out the shogi set.

He's been through a lot and couldn't play for a while.

Breakfast! Hey, wake up!

Ouch, it hurts! Don't be so rough!

I said breakfast!

I don't want it. I'm hungover--

I'm a freeloader too.

You still get hungry after a bad loss, huh?

Ouch!

Stop talking.

I'm sorry.

This miso soup is so delicious.

Asuka made it.

What?

My mother taught me when she was still alive.

Oh, okay. I see.

Yeah. It's good.

What?

Mr. Todou, about what you said last night...

I have absolutely no idea.

The reason that man left me and my mother.

I thought about it, over and over.

But it pissed me off.

It pissed me off, so I wanted to kill him.

I see. Good for you.

- What? - What's good about it?

To play shogi, you need an opponent.

You play against a human being. Remember that.

You face them even when you don't want to.

And don't ever run from your own weakness either.

All right. Let's go.

In return for your miso soup.

Thank your mother for teaching you this recipe.

Come on.

What?

Sorry. Thank you for the food.

Hello, there!

Hi!

Oh, you're here.

- Hello. - Hi!

Hi, Mr. Todou! Good time yesterday.

Hi, Mr. Sankichi. She's the one I told you about yesterday.

The lion cub.

Oh, really. She's the one. I see.

BEGINNER FRIENDLY ICHIGEKI SHOGI CLUB

This bishop is mine!

I win, don't I?

You lost.

Miss, you handle your pieces pretty rough, don't you?

At the end of a shogi game, you have a post-game analysis,

where you review and evaluate each other's moves.

Don't run away.

Come to this pit everyday and play shogi to death.

Well, Mr. Sankichi. Take care of her.

I sure will.

Yesterday, the association reached out.

They want you to be the next chairman.

Of course, I'll handle the practical matters.

All you need to do is sit in the chair.

I know you've always dreamed of us standing at the top of the shogi world.

That's right.

But as things stand now, that may quickly end with Shoichi's generation.

Here's your drink. Enjoy.

Asuka, you're home!

I'm home.

So, how many wins?

Two.

Wow, Asuka! That's amazing.

And how many losses?

Thirty-nine.

What?

We have the Amateur Meioh Match next week.

If you lose here, give up on your revenge.

Next week? That's impossible.

Shut up, Reiko!

We're going for the impossible here.

I resign.

It was this move here...

I resign.

Ah.

Nice.

I resign.

- That was close. - Very close.

I really thought you might win until the mid-game.

Right?

You need to know when to attack and when to hold back.

Your judgment was a bit off, you know?

- That's true. - Patience is crucial.

- That's right. - She did well.

You've gotten much better.

- Yeah. - I agree.

AMATEUR MEIOH MATCH

Sorry!

Took you long enough!

I said sorry!

What's with that outfit?

Ms. Reiko suggested I change.

What can I say?

I felt bad watching her hunched over the board like a rag every day.

Can't she look decent for a match at least?

Stop pitying her.

Attention everyone, the opening ceremony is about to begin.

Okay!

As we open the tournament today, I'd like to welcome a wonderful guest.

Yuna Hayami, joryu 3-dan!

Yuna!

THE 32ND AMATEUR MEIOH MATCH TOKYO

Hello, everyone. I'm Yuna Hayami.

- Wow. - Yuna!

You're still popular as ever!

What is she, an idol?

Well, Hayami joryu 3-dan, may we ask you to officially open the tournament.

Certainly! I hereby declare the opening of Amateur Meioh Match!

Oh, it's you again.

Too bad for you. I'll beat you again.

FIRST ROUND

No way...

I resign.

You jumped your knight here.

But you could've defended the third file with the rook.

Hey, how did she get so good all of a sudden?

Staying out late? You have a big tournament tomorrow.

When I said today might be my last day,

the grandpas decided to throw a farewell party.

They asked me to visit and shook my hands.

I see. That's nice.

So, did you figure out your weakness?

Yes.

You tend to rush to win.

On the contrary, many strategies aim for not losing.

That's what opening theory is for.

A player like you, who goes straight for the king,

can be vulnerable against that.

Like I said, shogi is a way of life. I'm saying--

Is this going to take a while?

What?

I want you to apologize first.

Even though my mother and I did nothing wrong,

you forced me to understand why that man left us.

That was awful.

Well, how many games today?

Forty-two.

How was it?

I don't think I have...

anything left to learn there.

I see.

You can only go so far with talent alone, huh?

So,

did you apologize?

That helped her! It's harsh medicine.

You're awful.

SECOND ROUND

I resign.

AMATEUR MEIOH MATCH A-CLASS

THIRD ROUND

SEMIFINAL

I resign.

Still haven't found her?

The landlord and realtor don't know her new address.

Hurry and find her.

Thank you for the match.

Thank you.

What a surprise.

I didn't expect to find such a talented woman here.

But promoting the bishop here,

if he'd moved silver to the third, you would've been in trouble.

It might've been better to go with the gold.

But in that case...

Gold...

Silver. I'm blocked. Couldn't checkmate.

Ms. Kunimi.

Will you have a match with me sometime?

What?

Sure.

Sorry, Yuna.

Tatsuya, I found someone interesting.

What? Do you know her?

I assumed you hated shogi.

You're even dressed for the occasion?

What's gotten into you?

None of your business.

It totally is.

Have you forgotten about the oath?

You must refrain from any action that would cause possible harm to us.

So shogi is unacceptable--

What?

What?!

Tastes like crap. What a waste of time.

Were you still hanging onto shogi, Master Todou?

Spoiled boy stuck in C-Class talking big, huh?

That's not your business.

It totally is. Want to mess with her? You go through me first.

She is my...

What are you?

Whatever.

Just go away, C-Class boy!

Go. Go away. Now. Beat it!

Hey!

Good luck with the finals.

FINAL

Let's have a good game.

Likewise.

Hey, is she smiling?

I've never seen her look like that.

So, how is she doing?

It's very close. This is the crucial point.

ROOK

Stop...

Stop playing shogi...

Stop it.

What's wrong?

Stop playing...

Stop playing shogi...

When I play shogi, everyone ends up miserable.

Cut that crap. Try making me any more miserable.

He punched Shoichi Yuuki.

I'm quitting shogi.

You talked Asuka into it.

Weren't you going to team up and kill Shoichi Yuuki with shogi?

Why did you attack Shoichi Yuuki?

My dad died.

Subtitle translation by: Kana S.