Bamboo Blade episode 5

The kendo club has really become the talk of the school as the episode begins. Kojiro’s senpai tells him via the cell phone that the practice match will be moved up to next week. Nakata and Dan overhear and misunderstand the conversation as a financial problem. He informs everyone that the practice match has been moved to next week despite the fact that they are short one member, but he has a trick or two up his sleeve.

The club gets back to practicing, and Sayako volunteers to spar with Tamaki. Saya tells Tama to give it her all. Tama obliges with the request and easily defeats Saya with a headshot and sends her senpai into despair. Kojiro and his senpai simultaneously write down their respective match order rosters for the sake of plot convenience. We are introduced to Machido High’s girls that have clashing personalities with the Muroe High girls. They have the meganekko team-captain Harada, the slacker Asakawa, the cowardly Nishiyama, the underhanded Miya-like Ando, and the tomboyish Yoko.

Both Kojiro and his senpai try to comprehend the other’s strategy as they decide on their match positions. Muroe’s lineup consists of Tama, Miya, Saya, and Kirino. When the team resumes their practice again, Kojiro spars with Tama and tells her that the club has a secret member that will come when the club is in trouble. He tells her that the final member in the lineup will be the hero of justice, Blade Braver.

Kojiro’s senpai still ruminates about his defeat at their High School tournament and the coveted trophy. His daydream is interrupted by Machido’s kendo captain, Harada, and they wrangle up their kendo girls for the match. The senpai tells Kojiro on the phone that he and his team will be late. Kojiro takes a catnap and tells Tama to practice with everyone in the meantime. Tama gives everyone (mostly for the viewers’ sake) a comprehensive lesson on the basic footwork involved in a kendo match. The Machido team finally arrive a few hours late after a food fuel up and getting lost along the way. At long last the match begins as Tama and Harada square off against each other.

Maybe it’s just me, but there was way too much filler taking up time to delay the match to the next episode. I like how Kojiro will probably sneak Tamaki into both the fifth and first matches for an unfair advantage. Next episode, Tama and Harada!

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