[REVIEW] One Pound Gospel - Round Eight
I know I'm running rather late with these reviews, but I'm almost there!
One Pound Gospel - Round Eight
Plot: Kousaku's match with NumberOneHost!Kurenai is confirmed, which means guess what, more training. As usual, part of this involves chasing after Sister Angela when she's out for a ride, and trying to make her happy - in this case, by lying to her. He tells his beloved nun not to worry, that Kurenai has agreed to waive the entire debt. What he doesn't mention is that this is dependent on Kousaku winning their title match! The two mismatched lovebirds smile cutely at each other for a while (Kousaku's, of course, is the cutest) until Seiko catches up with them. Time to run! This is one match that Kousaku absolutely cannot afford to lose!
Back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, training is tough, but everyone is supportive of Kousaku. Even, surprisingly, Ishizaka, who has one of his lovely 'I do care about you, even if I act mean all the time' moments with Ueda. I like Ishizaka a lot better now. In fact, the only character I can think of that I started out disliking that I still disliked by the end was that annoying little twerp played by Chinen back at the beginning.
What follows is intended to worry us. Kousaku has to keep his weight down, but he's sneaking food even during training. He can't possibly lose to someone who drinks alcohol every night...but we see Kurenai pouring his drinks away, not imbibing at all. Whether this is Kurenai's regular habit or whether he's just taking this match seriously, I don't know, but he's definitely not taking any chances. Though I have to say, if I was surrounded by the women he has to entertain, I'd probably take up drinking.
Speaking of characters I like a lot more now, Katsumi comes home from school to find Ueda all alone in the ring. He's relieved that Ueda isn't quitting, even though fighting the Japanese champion was probably the peak of his boxing career and it's not likely he'll progress any higher. Kousaku could carry Ueda's dream...but Ueda asks Katsumi if he would do it. Katsumi, of course, is not into the whole macho dream fulfilling promise stuff, and pulls a disappearing act to be alone with his teenage angst while Ueda fantasizes about a dramatic boxing rescue. Poor Ueda. No one ever stays to hear the end of his speeches.
Perhaps this is why he happily serves up tiny bowls of rice to the other guys at meal times - they all have to support Kousaku, and the best way to support a glutton is solidarity through dieting! Or something like that.
Later, Ishizaka proves that he is indeed the sneakiest of the bunch (well, it certainly wasn't going to be Kojima!) and eavesdrops on the long-suffering Mitaka, who knows exactly what Ueda's trying to say to him: that he plans to quit boxing. I have no clue why Ishizaka is surprised; while he blinks a bit and looks dazed, Mitaka sympathises with Ueda and compliments him on his world-class right hook. He knows that if Ueda changes his mind, it won't be because someone else asks him to.
Spring has come to the convent, but clearly, Sister Millie has not been taking the same designer drugs that the Mother Superior has. Kurenai, though we know he's sober, emerges from his flashy car as if he's got a hangover, quite shocking the nuns - though not nearly as much as when Sister Angela admits to knowing him. Having done his bad deed for the day, Kurenai then takes off, having left the nuns fully apprised of the situation. Sister Millie somehow manages to look even more disapproving than usual.
A furious Sister Angela storms off to the gym (as much as a nun can storm, anyway) to tell Kousaku that his interference is not appreciated and she can't repay him for his promise. He insists that all he wants is to see her smiling - and since this is Kousaku we're talking about, it's the truth - and when she says she will go talk to Kurenai, Kousaku, and almost everyone else in the gym, follows her, running past the overworked Nori-chan as they go. The guys aren't the only people on their way to Rings - cue Mother Superior on a bike, hurtling full-speed towards the host club. No one expects "a nun gone beserk".
Mitaka, Seiko and Katsumi, left alone, discuss champions, fulfilling dreams, and whether Kousaku can handle the pressure he's put himself under. No one seems particularly optimistic about the match.
Sister Angela arrives at the host club first - she didn't have much of a head start, which means that she must be in incredible shape given that she's being followed by a bunch of athletes and a bicycle. Kousaku bursts through the door just as Kurenai has great fun at Angela's expense by suggesting that she become his girlfriend. You can actually see her struggle with the idea for the moment - Kousaku's bet will be cancelled if she does. Interestingly enough, Kurenai doesn't say at any point that he's joking.
Mother Superior to the rescue with 500,000 yen all neatly bundled up - does she make a lot of pay-offs? It's never explained where she got the money from, since it seems unlikely that the convent has that much lying around spare, but I kind of like to think that maybe she came from money and she was able to draw on that in this time of need. She seems like the sort of person who would do such a thing for others. Unfortunately, Kurenai would rather collect a million from Kousaku than half that amount from the nuns, so he gives it back. He's got his own debt to pay, which he says this time is 300 million...but then he admits he's joking and just wants the one million so he can make Kousaku cry. Sometimes honesty is the best policy, and sometimes it just earns you the enmity of everyone else in the room.
Things get out of hand, and actually, Kousaku looks like he's about to cry *now*. He gives the money back to Mother Superior and apologises for all the trouble he's caused. It all comes down to money, and frankly, it's easier for Kousaku to reduce it all down and take it on himself. One match: the Sister's debt vs. one million at stake. He will win, and even if Sister Angela doubts him he will win for her sake. I can't help wondering if they deliberately cast someone who was so much taller than Kame for the part of Kurenai because Kousaku's scene here is very manly, very straightforward and full of determination...from someone who is on a completely different level, height-wise, from his opponent. David vs. Goliath, if Goliath wore eyeliner and David ate enough to feed a family of twelve? Kousaku's lack of height reinforces his underdog image, and I can't help feeling that if he'd been anywhere near Kurenai's height, even with their obvious difference in personality types, he'd have come across somewhat differently.
Sister Angela is troubled, and neither God nor Mother Superior have helpful answers for her. Kousaku is also troubled, but trying to talk about girls with Ueda in the middle of the night when you're attempting to date a nun isn't that useful either. Kousaku will just have to win, it's as simple as that, or Angela will hate him. But he also has to win for Ueda, who confesses, in a joking sort of way, that he wants to be a champion. It's an awkward moment, and Kousaku, on hearing Ueda tell him to become a champion, gives Ueda this sort of acknowledging glance and an embarrassed smile before he ducks under the covers. Ueda watches him, sad. If Kousaku wins, he'll be happy for him, and he does believe that Kousaku is capable of it. But at the same time, he's sad because it's something he'll never be able to do himself.
Kousaku obviously hasn't caught on to the 'save water' initiative, because the next day, he's sitting outside, watching a water fountain run rather than running himself. He muses on his reasons for fighting...but staring at the water is no help. He doesn't even notice Sister Angela watching him, but he does snap back to reality when Seiko yells at him. The Sister assures the chairman that Kousaku didn't drink at all, and they have one of their awkward, semi-girly discussions about him when he can't hear them.
And now for the most awkward press conference in the world, during which Kurenai looks absolutely atrocious and manages to come across as a complete sleazeball when asked about the effect he's had on female boxing fans. Kousaku gets to answer one question when Seiko urges the reporters to pay some attention to him, and I suspect he confuses them all when he says he'll win for Sister Angela, who is to be his future wife. The reporters get a good laugh out of that one.
After the press conference, Kurenai ambushes Kousaku in a deserted locker room. No, not for the usual BL manga reasons. He makes a point that Kousaku, fighting for the sake of his friends and the woman he loves, has a lot more leeway in terms of the outcome of their title match. Sure, if he loses he'll end up in debt to the tune of one million yen, but that's nothing compared to Kurenai's debt. Kousaku asks him, quite suspiciously, if that 300 million debt was a lie and Kurenai says actually, it's 700 million. So with a burden like that, Kurenai can't possibly lose to someone like Kousaku.
Well, Kousaku looks a little scared by the amount of money mentioned, which is more than he could ever hope to see in his life, but he's obviously not sure whether to believe Kurenai, which is perfectly understandable. Kurenai must be one hell of a host, though, because he says that if he'd just focused on being a host, he could have made the money up ages ago. But - and this is probably the most interesting scene he's ever had - he says there's not much money in boxing. He's turned away from Kousaku, not speaking with his usual sleazy tones, and actually sounds...human. Kousaku asks him why, in that case, is he boxing? Even Kurenai doesn't know. When Kousaku, seeming relieved, says that it's the same for him, Kurenai seems to snap out of it, reverting to host-mode and complaining about how talking to Kousaku is a waste of his precious time. It's a great scene, I think. Whether Kurenai's telling the truth about the amount of his debt, I don't know, but it's fairly clear that there *is* a debt, and one that he could be paying off a lot faster if he forgot about boxing. So why box? Kurenai isn't clear about his reasons, and that strikes a familiar chord with Kousaku. The winner will be the one who knows what he's fighting for.
Many, many gratuitous training shots in which we get to admire Kame's muscles. The boy is not only incredibly pretty but he's damned hot as well. *fans self* All right, I'm done being shallow. Possibly.
Sister Angela has been praying for a way to help Kousaku, but all she's come up with so far is to go to the weigh-in and speak words of encouragement. She wants to say more, but she can't. He wants her to say more, but she can't. Poor Kousaku is left standing alone in the corridor next to a poster of himself, feeling lost and bewildered. His reason for fighting doesn't seem to understand why he's doing this, and it makes him question himself.
The rest of the gang from the gym find him in this state and drag him off to preview the location for the match. Despite his impending title fight and the impressive hall where it will be held, Kousaku can't work up any excitement for the next day. Ueda, the dependable moodmaker, suggests a rehearsal. He climbs into the ring and announces the challenger, Hatanaka Kousaku, and before Kousaku knows it he's standing in the blue corner. Horiguchi and Kojima get into it, cheering him on; they get a faint smile and a few half-hearted punches in response. You can tell Kousaku just wants to be left alone, that being dragged out in the bright light and being forced to put on a smile for people is upsetting him, but he's too nice to protest when everyone's trying so hard to help him.
Even Ishizaka gets in on it, finding himself playing Kurenai. Horiguchi helpfully provides a few fangirl squeals, just for authenticity. The "fight" starts, with "Kurenai" smoothing his hair and making a few smooth cracks about Kousaku. Cue more fangirl squeals from Horiguchi. I give Ishizaka props for throwing himself into the play fight with vim and vigor. Ueda continues to play commentator, and when Kousaku is backed into a corner, Ueda signals for the Sister's voice to be heard. Seiko's too macho to do it, and elbows Mitaka, who does his best Sister Angela impression to encourage Kousaku. Hearing this, Kousaku knocks "Kurenai" out, and it's all over!
Kousaku's smiling a little, but he's still down, and when Ueda pretends to interview the new "champion", he seems on the verge of tears. Bless him, Ishizaka intervenes, messing around with Ueda so Kousaku can have some breathing space. It's a lovely moment, everyone from the gym (bar Katsumi) together and trying to cheer Kousaku up, but Kousaku still can't bring himself to be happy.
To make matters worse, unbeknownst to anyone outside the convent, Sister Angela has just asked to be transferred to another convent - one very, very far away...
It's time for the title match, but Sister Angela's not the only one who isn't attending. Ueda's not there either, because he's running away. Ishizaka refuses to forgive him for this. He tries to goad Ueda into staying, while Kojima tries to be optimistic and says that there are still many chances for him to succeed. Ueda doesn't care about chances, but he knows if he watches Kousaku fight, he might change his mind.
At the hall, Kurenai's fans are predominantly female, which leads me to suspect that all of them have terrible taste. (Kousaku's much more adorable.) Kojima and Ishizaka make it in time, as does Katsumi, but Kousaku only has eyes for the (absent) Sister. She's too busy leaving the convent, with an ill-spirited goodbye from Sister Millie.
The fight begins. Kousaku does badly, but his voiceover tells us he's thought about his reasons for this fight. He wants to fulfil the chairman's dream, to avenge Ueda, and live up to the expectations everyone has of him - but in the end, he fights for the sake of Sister Angela. Which, because he loves her, is tantamount to fighting for his own sake. Kousaku drags himself up from the floor time and time again, despite Kurenai's taunts. Kurenai thinks it's all about money, but Kousaku knows it's about love, and *that* is what KOs Kurenai.
Like that, Kousaku is the new Japanese champion. Group hug! Kousaku holds the championship belt over his head, finally allowing himself to feel the excitement as his friends crowd round to congratulate him.
Sister Angela isn't with them.
Obligatory Kame commentary: Can we go with being shallow again? It always surprises me when people are amazed at Kame's strength, or characterise him as weak and frail. (Let's not talk about those Nobuta days of 40kg, shall we?) Because, look at those muscles. Think about what the boy does for a living, about the stunts he does in Dream Boys and the effort he put into training himself up for the part of Kousaku, and then tell me he's a weakling. He spends a lot of time in this series with his arms (and more) bared, and the evidence of his hard work is right there on the screen. I'm not the sort of person who takes much interest in people's bodies - I look at the hair, look at the face, and don't really care about the rest - but even I will admit that Kame looks absolutely fantastic during all those workout scenes, throwing himself into them with everything he's got. Who says idols don't sweat?
Best scene: I probably did it to death already, but the locker room scene between Kousaku and Kurenai was my favourite from this episode. In second place is the mock-fight, when everyone tries to make Kousaku happy. It was funny (love the fangirly screams, Horiguchi), it was sweet (they all care so much about their troublesome gluttonous lunatic), and it was emotional as hell.
Conclusion: Only one more episode left to review, and I'm already sad about reaching the end. Kousaku's now the Japanese champion, but it won't be long before he discovers that his reason for fighting is leaving him forever. He spent most of the episode confused and uncertain, poor boy, and even though everyone rallied round him he was very clearly alone. The inside of Kousaku's head is a lonely place to be, and that made this a very bittersweet episode.
One Pound Gospel - Round Eight
Plot: Kousaku's match with NumberOneHost!Kurenai is confirmed, which means guess what, more training. As usual, part of this involves chasing after Sister Angela when she's out for a ride, and trying to make her happy - in this case, by lying to her. He tells his beloved nun not to worry, that Kurenai has agreed to waive the entire debt. What he doesn't mention is that this is dependent on Kousaku winning their title match! The two mismatched lovebirds smile cutely at each other for a while (Kousaku's, of course, is the cutest) until Seiko catches up with them. Time to run! This is one match that Kousaku absolutely cannot afford to lose!
Back at the Mukoda Boxing Club, training is tough, but everyone is supportive of Kousaku. Even, surprisingly, Ishizaka, who has one of his lovely 'I do care about you, even if I act mean all the time' moments with Ueda. I like Ishizaka a lot better now. In fact, the only character I can think of that I started out disliking that I still disliked by the end was that annoying little twerp played by Chinen back at the beginning.
What follows is intended to worry us. Kousaku has to keep his weight down, but he's sneaking food even during training. He can't possibly lose to someone who drinks alcohol every night...but we see Kurenai pouring his drinks away, not imbibing at all. Whether this is Kurenai's regular habit or whether he's just taking this match seriously, I don't know, but he's definitely not taking any chances. Though I have to say, if I was surrounded by the women he has to entertain, I'd probably take up drinking.
Speaking of characters I like a lot more now, Katsumi comes home from school to find Ueda all alone in the ring. He's relieved that Ueda isn't quitting, even though fighting the Japanese champion was probably the peak of his boxing career and it's not likely he'll progress any higher. Kousaku could carry Ueda's dream...but Ueda asks Katsumi if he would do it. Katsumi, of course, is not into the whole macho dream fulfilling promise stuff, and pulls a disappearing act to be alone with his teenage angst while Ueda fantasizes about a dramatic boxing rescue. Poor Ueda. No one ever stays to hear the end of his speeches.
Perhaps this is why he happily serves up tiny bowls of rice to the other guys at meal times - they all have to support Kousaku, and the best way to support a glutton is solidarity through dieting! Or something like that.
Later, Ishizaka proves that he is indeed the sneakiest of the bunch (well, it certainly wasn't going to be Kojima!) and eavesdrops on the long-suffering Mitaka, who knows exactly what Ueda's trying to say to him: that he plans to quit boxing. I have no clue why Ishizaka is surprised; while he blinks a bit and looks dazed, Mitaka sympathises with Ueda and compliments him on his world-class right hook. He knows that if Ueda changes his mind, it won't be because someone else asks him to.
Spring has come to the convent, but clearly, Sister Millie has not been taking the same designer drugs that the Mother Superior has. Kurenai, though we know he's sober, emerges from his flashy car as if he's got a hangover, quite shocking the nuns - though not nearly as much as when Sister Angela admits to knowing him. Having done his bad deed for the day, Kurenai then takes off, having left the nuns fully apprised of the situation. Sister Millie somehow manages to look even more disapproving than usual.
A furious Sister Angela storms off to the gym (as much as a nun can storm, anyway) to tell Kousaku that his interference is not appreciated and she can't repay him for his promise. He insists that all he wants is to see her smiling - and since this is Kousaku we're talking about, it's the truth - and when she says she will go talk to Kurenai, Kousaku, and almost everyone else in the gym, follows her, running past the overworked Nori-chan as they go. The guys aren't the only people on their way to Rings - cue Mother Superior on a bike, hurtling full-speed towards the host club. No one expects "a nun gone beserk".
Mitaka, Seiko and Katsumi, left alone, discuss champions, fulfilling dreams, and whether Kousaku can handle the pressure he's put himself under. No one seems particularly optimistic about the match.
Sister Angela arrives at the host club first - she didn't have much of a head start, which means that she must be in incredible shape given that she's being followed by a bunch of athletes and a bicycle. Kousaku bursts through the door just as Kurenai has great fun at Angela's expense by suggesting that she become his girlfriend. You can actually see her struggle with the idea for the moment - Kousaku's bet will be cancelled if she does. Interestingly enough, Kurenai doesn't say at any point that he's joking.
Mother Superior to the rescue with 500,000 yen all neatly bundled up - does she make a lot of pay-offs? It's never explained where she got the money from, since it seems unlikely that the convent has that much lying around spare, but I kind of like to think that maybe she came from money and she was able to draw on that in this time of need. She seems like the sort of person who would do such a thing for others. Unfortunately, Kurenai would rather collect a million from Kousaku than half that amount from the nuns, so he gives it back. He's got his own debt to pay, which he says this time is 300 million...but then he admits he's joking and just wants the one million so he can make Kousaku cry. Sometimes honesty is the best policy, and sometimes it just earns you the enmity of everyone else in the room.
Things get out of hand, and actually, Kousaku looks like he's about to cry *now*. He gives the money back to Mother Superior and apologises for all the trouble he's caused. It all comes down to money, and frankly, it's easier for Kousaku to reduce it all down and take it on himself. One match: the Sister's debt vs. one million at stake. He will win, and even if Sister Angela doubts him he will win for her sake. I can't help wondering if they deliberately cast someone who was so much taller than Kame for the part of Kurenai because Kousaku's scene here is very manly, very straightforward and full of determination...from someone who is on a completely different level, height-wise, from his opponent. David vs. Goliath, if Goliath wore eyeliner and David ate enough to feed a family of twelve? Kousaku's lack of height reinforces his underdog image, and I can't help feeling that if he'd been anywhere near Kurenai's height, even with their obvious difference in personality types, he'd have come across somewhat differently.
Sister Angela is troubled, and neither God nor Mother Superior have helpful answers for her. Kousaku is also troubled, but trying to talk about girls with Ueda in the middle of the night when you're attempting to date a nun isn't that useful either. Kousaku will just have to win, it's as simple as that, or Angela will hate him. But he also has to win for Ueda, who confesses, in a joking sort of way, that he wants to be a champion. It's an awkward moment, and Kousaku, on hearing Ueda tell him to become a champion, gives Ueda this sort of acknowledging glance and an embarrassed smile before he ducks under the covers. Ueda watches him, sad. If Kousaku wins, he'll be happy for him, and he does believe that Kousaku is capable of it. But at the same time, he's sad because it's something he'll never be able to do himself.
Kousaku obviously hasn't caught on to the 'save water' initiative, because the next day, he's sitting outside, watching a water fountain run rather than running himself. He muses on his reasons for fighting...but staring at the water is no help. He doesn't even notice Sister Angela watching him, but he does snap back to reality when Seiko yells at him. The Sister assures the chairman that Kousaku didn't drink at all, and they have one of their awkward, semi-girly discussions about him when he can't hear them.
And now for the most awkward press conference in the world, during which Kurenai looks absolutely atrocious and manages to come across as a complete sleazeball when asked about the effect he's had on female boxing fans. Kousaku gets to answer one question when Seiko urges the reporters to pay some attention to him, and I suspect he confuses them all when he says he'll win for Sister Angela, who is to be his future wife. The reporters get a good laugh out of that one.
After the press conference, Kurenai ambushes Kousaku in a deserted locker room. No, not for the usual BL manga reasons. He makes a point that Kousaku, fighting for the sake of his friends and the woman he loves, has a lot more leeway in terms of the outcome of their title match. Sure, if he loses he'll end up in debt to the tune of one million yen, but that's nothing compared to Kurenai's debt. Kousaku asks him, quite suspiciously, if that 300 million debt was a lie and Kurenai says actually, it's 700 million. So with a burden like that, Kurenai can't possibly lose to someone like Kousaku.
Well, Kousaku looks a little scared by the amount of money mentioned, which is more than he could ever hope to see in his life, but he's obviously not sure whether to believe Kurenai, which is perfectly understandable. Kurenai must be one hell of a host, though, because he says that if he'd just focused on being a host, he could have made the money up ages ago. But - and this is probably the most interesting scene he's ever had - he says there's not much money in boxing. He's turned away from Kousaku, not speaking with his usual sleazy tones, and actually sounds...human. Kousaku asks him why, in that case, is he boxing? Even Kurenai doesn't know. When Kousaku, seeming relieved, says that it's the same for him, Kurenai seems to snap out of it, reverting to host-mode and complaining about how talking to Kousaku is a waste of his precious time. It's a great scene, I think. Whether Kurenai's telling the truth about the amount of his debt, I don't know, but it's fairly clear that there *is* a debt, and one that he could be paying off a lot faster if he forgot about boxing. So why box? Kurenai isn't clear about his reasons, and that strikes a familiar chord with Kousaku. The winner will be the one who knows what he's fighting for.
Many, many gratuitous training shots in which we get to admire Kame's muscles. The boy is not only incredibly pretty but he's damned hot as well. *fans self* All right, I'm done being shallow. Possibly.
Sister Angela has been praying for a way to help Kousaku, but all she's come up with so far is to go to the weigh-in and speak words of encouragement. She wants to say more, but she can't. He wants her to say more, but she can't. Poor Kousaku is left standing alone in the corridor next to a poster of himself, feeling lost and bewildered. His reason for fighting doesn't seem to understand why he's doing this, and it makes him question himself.
The rest of the gang from the gym find him in this state and drag him off to preview the location for the match. Despite his impending title fight and the impressive hall where it will be held, Kousaku can't work up any excitement for the next day. Ueda, the dependable moodmaker, suggests a rehearsal. He climbs into the ring and announces the challenger, Hatanaka Kousaku, and before Kousaku knows it he's standing in the blue corner. Horiguchi and Kojima get into it, cheering him on; they get a faint smile and a few half-hearted punches in response. You can tell Kousaku just wants to be left alone, that being dragged out in the bright light and being forced to put on a smile for people is upsetting him, but he's too nice to protest when everyone's trying so hard to help him.
Even Ishizaka gets in on it, finding himself playing Kurenai. Horiguchi helpfully provides a few fangirl squeals, just for authenticity. The "fight" starts, with "Kurenai" smoothing his hair and making a few smooth cracks about Kousaku. Cue more fangirl squeals from Horiguchi. I give Ishizaka props for throwing himself into the play fight with vim and vigor. Ueda continues to play commentator, and when Kousaku is backed into a corner, Ueda signals for the Sister's voice to be heard. Seiko's too macho to do it, and elbows Mitaka, who does his best Sister Angela impression to encourage Kousaku. Hearing this, Kousaku knocks "Kurenai" out, and it's all over!
Kousaku's smiling a little, but he's still down, and when Ueda pretends to interview the new "champion", he seems on the verge of tears. Bless him, Ishizaka intervenes, messing around with Ueda so Kousaku can have some breathing space. It's a lovely moment, everyone from the gym (bar Katsumi) together and trying to cheer Kousaku up, but Kousaku still can't bring himself to be happy.
To make matters worse, unbeknownst to anyone outside the convent, Sister Angela has just asked to be transferred to another convent - one very, very far away...
It's time for the title match, but Sister Angela's not the only one who isn't attending. Ueda's not there either, because he's running away. Ishizaka refuses to forgive him for this. He tries to goad Ueda into staying, while Kojima tries to be optimistic and says that there are still many chances for him to succeed. Ueda doesn't care about chances, but he knows if he watches Kousaku fight, he might change his mind.
At the hall, Kurenai's fans are predominantly female, which leads me to suspect that all of them have terrible taste. (Kousaku's much more adorable.) Kojima and Ishizaka make it in time, as does Katsumi, but Kousaku only has eyes for the (absent) Sister. She's too busy leaving the convent, with an ill-spirited goodbye from Sister Millie.
The fight begins. Kousaku does badly, but his voiceover tells us he's thought about his reasons for this fight. He wants to fulfil the chairman's dream, to avenge Ueda, and live up to the expectations everyone has of him - but in the end, he fights for the sake of Sister Angela. Which, because he loves her, is tantamount to fighting for his own sake. Kousaku drags himself up from the floor time and time again, despite Kurenai's taunts. Kurenai thinks it's all about money, but Kousaku knows it's about love, and *that* is what KOs Kurenai.
Like that, Kousaku is the new Japanese champion. Group hug! Kousaku holds the championship belt over his head, finally allowing himself to feel the excitement as his friends crowd round to congratulate him.
Sister Angela isn't with them.
Obligatory Kame commentary: Can we go with being shallow again? It always surprises me when people are amazed at Kame's strength, or characterise him as weak and frail. (Let's not talk about those Nobuta days of 40kg, shall we?) Because, look at those muscles. Think about what the boy does for a living, about the stunts he does in Dream Boys and the effort he put into training himself up for the part of Kousaku, and then tell me he's a weakling. He spends a lot of time in this series with his arms (and more) bared, and the evidence of his hard work is right there on the screen. I'm not the sort of person who takes much interest in people's bodies - I look at the hair, look at the face, and don't really care about the rest - but even I will admit that Kame looks absolutely fantastic during all those workout scenes, throwing himself into them with everything he's got. Who says idols don't sweat?
Best scene: I probably did it to death already, but the locker room scene between Kousaku and Kurenai was my favourite from this episode. In second place is the mock-fight, when everyone tries to make Kousaku happy. It was funny (love the fangirly screams, Horiguchi), it was sweet (they all care so much about their troublesome gluttonous lunatic), and it was emotional as hell.
Conclusion: Only one more episode left to review, and I'm already sad about reaching the end. Kousaku's now the Japanese champion, but it won't be long before he discovers that his reason for fighting is leaving him forever. He spent most of the episode confused and uncertain, poor boy, and even though everyone rallied round him he was very clearly alone. The inside of Kousaku's head is a lonely place to be, and that made this a very bittersweet episode.