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{{Short description|Japanese manga series and its adaptations}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| title_name = Bamboo Blade
| name = Bamboo Blade
| image =
| image = Bamboo Blade, Vol 1.jpg
| caption = Cover of ''Bamboo Blade'', volume 1 as published by [[Square Enix]]
| size = 200px
| genre = <!-- Note: Use and cite reliable sources to identify genre/s, not personal interpretation. Please don't include more than three genres (per [[MOS:A&M]]). -->
| caption = image of the series
|ja_name = バンブーブレード
|ja_name_trans = banbū burēdo
| demographic = [[Seinen]]
| genre = [[Humour|Comedy]]
}}
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Manga
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| author = [[Masahiro Totsuka]] (author) <br> [[Aguri Igarashi]] (art)
| author = Masahiro Totsuka
| publisher = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Square Enix]]
| serialized = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Young Gangan]]
| illustrator = [[Aguri Igarashi]]
| first_run = [[December 3]] [[2004]]
| publisher = [[Square Enix]]
| publisher_en = {{English manga publisher|NA=[[Yen Press]]}}
| last_run = ongoing
| demographic = ''[[Seinen manga|Seinen]]''
| num_volumes = 7
| magazine = [[Young Gangan]]
| magazine_en = {{English manga magazine|NA=[[Yen Plus]]}}
| first = December 3, 2004
| last = September 3, 2010
| volumes = 14
| volume_list =
}}
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Anime|
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| director = [[Hisashi Saitou]]
| type = manga
| title = Bamboo Blade B
| studio = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Anime International Company|AIC A.S.T.A]]
| licensor =
| author = Masahiro Totsuka
| illustrator = Neko Sutajio
| network = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[TV Tokyo]]
| first_aired = [[October 2]] [[2007]]
| publisher = [[Square Enix]]
| demographic = ''[[Shōnen manga|Shōnen]]''
| last_aired =
| magazine = [[Monthly Shōnen Gangan]]
| list_episodes=
| first = January 10, 2009
| num_episodes =26
| last = November 12, 2013
| volumes = 12
| volume_list =
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| title = Bamboo Blade C
| author = Masahiro Totsuka
| illustrator = Jingu Takao
| publisher = [[Square Enix]]
| demographic = ''[[Shōnen manga|Shōnen]]''
| magazine = Monthly Big Gangan
| first = May 25, 2013
| last = August 25, 2016
| volumes = 7
| volume_list =
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| title = BB Deformer
| author = Masahiro Totsuka
| illustrator = Saki Azumi
| publisher = [[Square Enix]]
| demographic = ''[[Shōnen manga|Shōnen]]''
| magazine = Monthly Big Gangan
| first = October 25, 2013
| last = August 25, 2016
| volumes = 2
| volume_list =
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type = tv series
| director = Hisashi Saitō
| producer = Tsuneo Takechi<br/>Shigeaki Komatsu<br/>Hiroshi Yoshida<br/>Jiyū Ōgi<br/>Masataka Katagiri
| writer = [[Hideyuki Kurata]]
| music = Kiyohiko Senba
| studio = [[Anime International Company|AIC ASTA]]
| licensee = {{English anime licensee|NA=[[Crunchyroll]]|UK=[[Crunchyroll UK and Ireland|Manga Entertainment]]|AUS=[[Crunchyroll Store Australia|Madman Entertainment]]}}
| network = [[TV Tokyo]]
| network_en = {{English anime network|US=[[Funimation Channel]], [[Crunchyroll Channel]]}}
| first = October 2, 2007
| last = April 2, 2008
| episode_list = #Anime episodes
| episodes = 26
}}
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}
'''''Bamboo Blade''''' is a [[Japan]]ese [[manga]] series written by [[Masahiro Totsuka]], and illustrated by [[Aguri Igarashi]]. The manga started serialization in the Japanese [[seinen]] [[manga magazine]] ''[[Young Gangan]]'' on [[December 3]] [[2004]]. An [[anime]] adaptation by [[Anime International Company|AIC A.S.T.A]] began broadcasting on [[October 2]] [[2007]] on [[TV Tokyo]].


'''''Bamboo Blade''''' (stylized as '''''BAMBOO BLADE''''') is a Japanese [[manga]] series written by Masahiro Totsuka and illustrated by [[Aguri Igarashi]]. It was serialized in [[Square Enix]]'s ''[[Young Gangan]]'' magazine from December 2004 to September 2010.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207064518/http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/lineup/index.html|url=http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/lineup/index.html|script-title=ja:2004年12月3日創刊号発売|publisher=[[Square Enix]]|archive-date=December 7, 2004 |access-date=July 25, 2014|language=ja}}</ref> The series tells the story of Toraji Ishida, a luckless high school [[Kendo]] instructor, who is challenged by his former upperclassman, also a kendo instructor, to a competition between their female students. The bet inspires Toraji to gather and train a team of five girls, where he meets Tamaki Kawazoe, a gifted young female kendo practitioner.
==Characters==
:''Most characters' surnames are from [[:ja:全日本剣道選手権大会|winners at the All Japan Kendo Championships]].''


An [[anime]] adaptation by [[Anime International Company|AIC A.S.T.A]] was broadcast in Japan between October 2007 and April 2008 on [[TV Tokyo]]. The ''Bamboo Blade'' manga has been licensed for distribution in [[North America]] by [[Yen Press]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-04-19/yen-announces-titles-to-run-in-anthology-magazine|title=Yen Press Announces Titles to Run in Anthology Mag|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]|date=April 19, 2008|access-date=2008-04-19| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080421002733/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-04-19/yen-announces-titles-to-run-in-anthology-magazine| archive-date= 21 April 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> The anime has been licensed for distribution in North America by [[Funimation]] and began airing on their [[Funimation Channel]] on October 25, 2010.<ref>Funimation Channel Schedule, October 2010</ref><!-- http://www.funimationchannel.com/schedule/2_e044.htm -->
===Muroe High School===
;{{Nihongo|Toraji Ishida|石田 虎侍|Ishida Toraji}}
:{{anime voices|Katsuyuki Konishi}}
:Otherwise known as "Kojirō", Toraji Ishida is a politics and economics teacher, and also the [[Kendo]] Club instructor of Muroe High School. He is perpetually broke and lives from paycheck to paycheck. He often does not have enough left over for food after paying bills and debts, so he ends up taking handouts from his students. At the beginning of the series, he is offered the chance of a lifetime from an old [[senpai]], who wagers a year's worth of [[sushi]] if Kojirō can form a female kendo team to beat his senpai's team. Because of this, Kojirō starts putting in more effort in training his team, much to Kirino Chiba's delight. The only person who know the real reason for Kojirō's new devotion to training the team is Yūji Nakata, who calls Kojirō "pathetic". His parents own a convenience store, but it is revealed in one episode of the anime that they used to run a store that sold sake. Although he calls them them old, Kojirō's parents look younger than their age (and in his mother's case, act younger than their age, considering the fact that Kojirō's mother collects cute things). Despite the fact that Kojirō is broke, he somehow still manages to own a car. He was a kendo club member of his high school. In his high school years he beat his senpai, Kenzaburō, at a kendo meet and won a trophy for it (although he doesn't actually want the trophy). Kojirō told Kenzaburō that his winning the kendo meet was due to luck, but eventually came to believe the win was because he was stronger than his senpai.


==Characters==
;{{Nihongo|Tamaki Kawazoe|川添 珠姫|Kawazoe Tamaki}}
{{main|List of Bamboo Blade characters}}
:{{anime voices|Ryō Hirohashi}}
:Tamaki Kawazoe is a [[first year]] high school student who is nicknamed "Tama-chan" for short. Despite being a kendo prodigy, she does not see it as a hobby, but rather just as a household chore honed at her home, which happens to be a kendo [[dojo]] led by her father. She refuses to join the school's Kendo Club because she thinks it is unnecessary, but temporarily becomes a member in order to fight off a bully. She despises injustice due to her overdeveloped sense of righteousness and fair play inspired from watching [[tokusatsu]] (Blade Braver) as a child. She remains a big anime and tokusatsu fan despite her age. At first she is very shy and unsociable, but after holding a part-time job at Miyako's acquaintance's store she begins to overcome her shyness and open up to her teammates more often. Kirino and Sayako find her very cute, often putting Tamaki's hair up in ponytails or making her fight in kendo matches just because they want to see her fight. She knows Yūji before the series's beginning, and has been called "Tama-chan" by him since their childhood (although she does not like the nickname very much, since it makes her seem childish).
:She plays the position of General (taisho) in the competition.

;{{Nihongo|Kirino Chiba|千葉 紀梨乃|Chiba Kirino}}
:{{anime voices|Megumi Toyoguchi}}
:Kirino Chiba is a second year high school student, and the captain of the kendo club. Energetic and enthusiastic, she dreams of leading the team to the nationals. Her family owns a deli named "Chiba Deli". Kirino is very happy that Kojirō has finally begun to put more effort into training his kendo team, but she is oblivious to the real reason why her teacher has suddenly begun to train the team so enthusiastically. She is proud that she is the captain of the kendo club and is more responsible than she appears (i.e., picking up the [[shinai]] when the other members leave them lying around on the floor, chiding the other members for not picking up after themselves, etc.). Kirino seems to find Tamaki quite adorable, as she and Sayako will often treat Tamaki as a "little sister" type (i.e., playing with Tamaki's hair, not listening to her kendo lectures, making Tamaki fight merely because she wants to see her fight, etc.). Despite that, however, she has great confidence in Tamaki.
:She plays the position of Second-in-Command (fukusho) in the competition.

;{{Nihongo|Miyako Miyazaki|宮崎 都|Miyazaki Miyako}}
:{{anime voices|Houko Kuwashima}}
:Miyako Miyazaki is a first year high school student nicknamed "Miya-Miya". She is introduced as a very pretty and friendly girl, and to the surprise of many, the girlfriend of Danjūrō. However, in reality, she possesses a very dark and sadistic personality, but hides it in order to be together with Danjūrō. (In the manga she also smokes in school and hangs out with two girls that are possibly delinquents, but in the anime she is not shown smoking or hanging out with those two girls.) When Miyako shows her more sadistic side she is surrounded by a black aura and acts in a rather eerie and cruel manner, but she instantly switches back to her friendly façade when others are approaching or calling her name. Having only joined the Kendo Club because Danjūrō was in it, she initially finds it boring, but would later enjoy it after realizing she likes to hit people. She has rather quick and powerful strikes, but in the beginning of the series she does not use any other moves other than attempting to strike her opponents in the head (that is, in the anime). In one episode of the anime, however, Miyako was shown to strike at the other areas on her opponent, although none of the strikes counted due to incorrect posture. She is very afraid of her middle school classmate, Reimi Odajima, due to a love relationship incident which got Reimi stalking her ever since.
:She plays the position of Center (chûken) in the competition.

;{{Nihongo|Sayako Kuwahara|桑原 鞘子|Kuwahara Sayako}}
:{{anime voices|Sachiko Kojima}}
:Sayako Kuwahara is a second year high school student who is described as being random and spontaneous, often changing her interests and goals. During her first year, she joins the Kendo Club, but would sometimes disappear for short periods of time, claiming to quit. She and Kirino have known each other since elementary school, and Kirino often calls her "Saya". She is one of the tallest members on the team, which others poke fun at by "mistakenly" calling her a boy. In the storyline, she was seen to improve her footwork tremendously after a brief teaching session from Tamaki. Sayako, like Kirino, thinks that Tamaki is cute, as she and Kirino will sometimes do silly things to Tamaki (i.e., playing with Tamaki's hair, not listening to her kendo lectures, making Tamaki fight merely because she wants to see her fight, etc.). She is rather pessimistic, and always claims to pursue death the moment she fails at something. In the anime, her writer's hobby is seen when telling stories, like explaining why Asuma quit kendo in a dramatic fashion (although her friends gave her three points since they found her "story" uninteresting).
:She plays the position of Second-Vanguard (jihô) in the competition.

;{{Nihongo|Satori Azuma|東 聡莉|Azuma Satori}}
:{{anime voices|Rina Satō}}
:Satori Azuma, a first-year high school student (that is, in the anime), is the fifth and the last person to join the Kendo Club. She is very talented in kendo. In fact, Satori is the second strongest in the club, with Tamaki being the strongest. However, she is very bad with her studies despite her diligence, which is why she decided to quit kendo after middle school--in order to concentrate on her studies. It is revealed her glasses are fake; she thought she would get smarter by wearing them. Due to the fact that she is rather naïve, she is tricked by Miyako Miyazaki into joining the club, thinking that Kendo will help her improve her studies. Satori is comically clumsy, as demonstrated in the ending sequences and some of the previews in the anime.
:She plays the position of Vanguard (senpo) in the competition.

;{{Nihongo|Yūji Nakata|中田 勇次|Nakata Yūji}}
:{{anime voices|Daisuke Sakaguchi}}
:Yūji Nakata is a kind, cheerful, and helpful first year student who joins the Kendo Club. He was a member of his [[Middle school|junior high]] school's kendo club and had also attended the Kawazoe Dojo. He had reached the top eight in the prefectural games during junior high. In the Q&A of the manga, Tamaki asserts that he is stronger than Toyama. He is almost on par with Tamaki in skill, and he has defeated Satori Azuma once. Yūji has used kendo to scare away some gangsters, although he panicked after the gangsters had run off. He is also the only person who knows of Kojirō's true reason for training his kendo team with more gusto than before.

;{{Nihongo|Danjūrō Eiga|栄花 段十朗|Eiga Danjūrō}}
:{{anime voices|Akira Ishida}}
:Also known as Dan-kun, Danjūrō Eiga is a round and plain-faced first year who joins the Kendo Club with Yūji. He originally wanted to join the [[Table tennis|Ping Pong]] Club, but there was no such club in the school. He shocks Yūji and Kojirō when he brings his pretty girlfriend Miyako to join the club. While he finds the basic training to be "boring" (possibly because he wants to impress Miyako), he is rather proficient in scorekeeping, as shown in one episode of the anime. While he generally comes off as rather dim-witted, it appears he is perceptive to the character Miyako doesn't want him to see. In Episode 11, he was hinted to also have his own "dark side" during a staring contest he had with Kojirō, although his "black mode" was subtler than Miyako's "black mode" and his aura only showed in his eyes. He has no past experience with Kendo but is improving very quickly, even to the point where Yūji thinks Danjuro might surpass him before they graduate. Yūji has even remarked (in one episode of the anime) that Danjūrō was "made for kendo".

;{{Nihongo|Toyama|外山}}
:{{anime voices|Atsushi Imaruoka}}
:Toyama is the school bully and formerly a member of the Kendo Club. He often ditches kendo practice, and had caused all the previous club members to quit (with the exception of Kirino and Sayako) by pretending to "teach" them techniques, which was just him constantly hitting them with his [[shinai]]. Miyako attempts to teach him and Iwasa a lesson one time, but fails to do so when Sayako crashes into her. It appears that neither Toyama nor Iwasa come to kendo anymore.

;{{Nihongo|Iwasa|岩佐}}
:{{anime voices|Yūichi Ishigami}}
:Iwasa is Toyama's friend and fellow Kendo Club member, who also ditches practice. Nothing much is known about this character, and he has not been seen with a [[shinai]] before in the anime. In the anime it appears that both he and Toyama have dropped kendo, as they no longer come by.

===Machido High School===

;{{Nihongo|Kenzaburō Ishibashi|石橋 賢三郎|Ishibashi Kenzaburō}}
:{{anime voices|Tetsu Inada}}
Kenzaburō Ishibashi is Kojirō's old senpai and the kendo coach from Machido High School. He was beaten by Kojirō during a kendo meet long ago in their high school years and seems to hold a grudge against him for that, even if it does not seem apparent. Kenzaburō is also jealous of Kojirō's team, particularly because he has Tamaki Kawazoe, a freshman of Muroe High who beat two of his kendo team members in a practice duel one time. Kenzaburō is a more dedicated teacher than Kojirō, but like his [[senpai|kohai]] he trains his kendo team only for his own personal gain.

;{{Nihongo|Konatsu Harada|原田 小夏|Harada Konatsu}}
:{{anime voices|Kei Shindō}}
Konatsu Harada, the first third-year student on the team, is the shortest of the five members of the team Kenzaburo chose, and also the shyest. She is rather skilled in kendo as Kenzaburo once remarks that she has a 2-dan rank, is "self-motivated", and comes to practice every day. She is very quiet and can be flustered by some of the things her team, particularly her teacher, does (as shown in one episode of the anime). Konatsu is one of the strongest members on the team, second only to Karen Nishiyama. During a practice match with Muroe High Konatsu was beaten by Tamaki Kawazoe.

;{{Nihongo|Maya Yokoo|横尾 摩耶|Yokoo Maya}}
:{{anime voices|Kiyomi Yazawa}}
Maya Yokoo, the second third-year student on the team, is a competitive and tall girl with more team spirit than anyone else in her team. Maya is a bit of a [[tomboy]] and tends to speak in a rather aggressive and foul-mouthed manner, calling her teammates "twits" and "dumbasses" when they do not take kendo seriously. However, she will stick up for her teammates when Yūri says cruel things about them (or rather, Akemi), as shown in two episodes of the anime. Apparently she also seems to have a rather large appetite that causes her to eat so much that she ends up with a severe stomachache later on. Tamaki beat Maya during the last round of the practice match with Muroe High, much to the latter's displeasure and shock.

;{{Nihongo|Yūri Andō|安藤 優梨|Andō Yūri}}
:{{anime voices|Mayuko Omimura}}
Yūri Andō, the first second-year student on the team, is a girl who seems to zone out most of the time and seems not to care much about winning, but her looks can deceive others greatly. She is rather skilled at kendo and is quite sadistic, like Miyako Miyazaki of Muroe High. Another trait of hers that resembles Miyako's is Yūri's tendency to turn "black" and let some of her true nature show through, which always manages to induce fear in everyone, including her own teammates. (Unlike Miyako, however, Yūri also tends to openly badmouth her teammates, particularly Akemi Asakawa, when they do something that displeases her.) When Yūri is showing her crueler side she is surrounded by a rather eerie black aura that looks rather similar to, if not exactly like, Miyako's "black" aura. Yūri also tends to resort to using nasty methods to win (such as tripping people with her foot, stepping on her opponents' feet, and "harassing" her opponent by showing her "black" aura) and then deny that she has cheated in a falsely sweet manner, much to the chagrin of the other members of her kendo team, who are already rather frustrated with her apparent lack of team spirit. Apparently Yūri has a bit of a sweet tooth, as she once cost her team precious time at a practice match with Muroe High by making them stop at a café so she could "charge" her brain with sugar. She apparently does not function well in the morning. Occasionally she is seen reading a book during important moments (such as kendo matches or team member assignments), a habit that only emphasizes her complete lack of desire to win.

;{{Nihongo|Karen Nishiyama|西山 佳恋|Nishiyama Karen}}
:{{anime voices|Natsuki Mori}}
Karen Nishiyama, the third third-year student on the team, is incredibly skilled at kendo, but tends to shake when nervous. When she is cornered in a kendo match she instinctively switches to the offensive, thus effectively beating her opponent. Because of her instinct of going on offense when in trouble Karen is the strongest on her kendo team. Even though she is extremely skilled at kendo, she does not like the idea of fighting an opponent that she does not know in real life, and she will attempt to run away when she is nervous.

;{{Nihongo|Akemi Asakawa|浅川 明美|Asakawa Akemi}}
:{{anime voices|Saki Kondō}}
Akemi Asakawa, the second second-year student on the team, is probably the most undedicated out of all the members of her team, as she seems only to care about her boyfriend to the point where she will ditch kendo club over her boyfriend. When she encounters a problem with her boyfriend she will not do her best and will only go on the defense; however, when her boyfriend makes up with her she will immediately start pouring out all of her effort, making her a rather formidable opponent. Apparently none of her teammates save for Kenzaburō have any real concern for her, as they simply let her constant ditchings slide (even if she is ditching from a kendo match). Kenzaburō, however, is appalled with her habit of constantly ditching kendo just to meet up with her boyfriend and her lack of effort when she is upset. It is revealed in one episode of the anime that Akemi possesses "excellent footwork".

===Seimei High School===

===Others===
;Sakaguchi
:{{anime voices|Takashi Nagasako}}
Sakaguchi is the owner of the kendo equipment shop that Kojirō takes his kendo team to for purchasing equipment. While Sakaguchi's kendo skills are only seen in a series of flashbacks in the anime, it is apparent that he is incredibly skilled at kendo, strong enough to make all of the members of Kojirō's team complain about him. He has a fondness for [[mochi]], although Kojirō's kendo team ate all of Sakaguchi's mochi during their visit to his shop. He is also, as Kojirō puts it, "very competitive".


Some of the character's names are based on real professional kendo practitioners. Ishida Toraji is based on the famous kendoka Toshiya Ishida. Miyako Miyazaki is based on Masahiro Miyazaki, and Danjuro Eiga is based on [[Naoki Eiga]], Kirino Chiba is based on Masashi Chiba etc., even though there are not any relations between the ''Bamboo Blade'' characters in regards to the real kendoka. Eiga Dan is the only exception, as he seems to be designed to represent [[Naoki Eiga]], who also is not very tall, just like Eiga.
;Tamaki's father
:{{anime voices|Katsumi Chō}}
Tamaki's unnamed father is the head of the Kawazoe dojo. He encouraged Tamaki to take up kendo at a very young age, and is therefore responsible for her amazing skill in kendo. Tamaki's father is possibly in his mid-50's as he keeps saying "I'm at an age where I can't even understand Tama-chan anymore" in one episode of the anime.


==Anime episodes==
==Anime episodes==
{{Episode table |background=CCF |overall= |title= |titleT=Official English title<br/>Original Japanese title |airdate= |airdateR=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mediaarts-db.jp/an/anime_series/10155|title=検索結果 / アニメ / メディア芸術データベース &ndash; 作品情報（シリーズ）|work=mediaarts-db.jp|access-date=30 April 2015|language=ja}}</ref> |total_width=auto |episodes=
{|class="wikitable" width="98%"
{{Episode list
|-
| EpisodeNumber = 1
! # !! Title !! Original air date
| Title = A Bamboo Broom and a Champion of Justice
|-
| AltTitle = Takebōki to Seigi no Mikata
| colspan="150" bgcolor="#CCCCFF"|
| NativeTitle = 竹ぼうきと正義の味方
|-
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
{{Japanese episode list
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|10|2}}
|EpisodeNumber=01
| ShortSummary = Toraji "Kojirō" Ishida, the coach of the Muroe High kendo club, makes a bet with his senpai, Kenzaburō Ishibashi, the coach of the Machido High kendo club, on a practice match between both schools, but the fighters must be five girls, no boys. Toraji's victory would mean he could eat all he wants at Ishibashi's father's sushi restaurant for a full year. Toraji desperately needs to find more talented female kendo students because he only has the team captain in his club, Kirino Chiba. With only a month remaining before his team's match with Ishibashi's team, he meets an extremely talented freshman, Tamaki Kawazoe.
|JapaneseTitle=Takebōki to Seigi no Mikata
|KanjiTitle=竹ぼうきと正義の味方
|EnglishTitle=The Bamboo Broom and The Comrade of Justice
|OriginalAirDate=[[October 2]] [[2007]]
|ShortSummary= Koujiro, the kendo club coach at Muroe High, makes a bet with his senpai, Kenzaburo, about a Kendo practice match between both schools, but the fighters must be 5 girls, no boys. If Koujiro wins he would eat all what he wants at Kenzaburo's father's restaurant for one year. Koujiro, desperate because he only has 2 girls in his club, needs to get other 3 before the day of the match taking place in a month, and then, he sees talent on a freshman called Kawazoe Tamaki.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=02
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = The Blade Bravers and Boxed Lunch
|JapaneseTitle=Burēdo Bureibā to Obentō
| AltTitle = Burēdo Bureibā to Obentō
|KanjiTitle=ブレードブレイバーとお弁当
| NativeTitle = ブレードブレイバーとお弁当
|EnglishTitle=Blade Braver and Bento
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[October 9]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|10|9}}
|ShortSummary= Tamaki's motivation is presented in the form of her favorite tokusatsu, Blade Braver, and feels happy when toraji nicknames her "Red", the leader of the Club's female team. Her relationship with the other club members develop when they start having lunch together and sharing their [[bento]], her everyday bento, however, consisted of a single [[umeboshi]] and rice, which she constantly made in honor of her parents, and couldn't share with the others. She start making "shareable" bento at the end of the episode, even though she fells she's disrespecting her parents a little.
| ShortSummary = Tamaki's motivation is presented in the form of her TV superhero, Blade Braver. Miyako Miyazaki, Yūji Nakata, Danjūrō Eiga join the club. Tamaki's relationship with the other club members develop when they start having lunch together and sharing their [[bento|boxed lunches]]. Her everyday boxed lunch, however, consisted of a single [[umeboshi]] and rice, which she constantly made in honor of her parents, and couldn't share with the others. She start making "shareable" boxed lunches at the end of the episode, even though she feels she's disrespecting her parents a little.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=03
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Black and Blue
|JapaneseTitle=Burakku to Burū
| AltTitle = Burakku to Burū
|KanjiTitle=ブラックとブルー
| NativeTitle = ブラックとブルー
|EnglishTitle=Black and Blue
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[October 16]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|10|16}}
|ShortSummary= The 4th female member of the Kendo Club, Sayako Kuwahara, nicknamed by Toraji as the team's "Blue", is revealed, and has a painful first encounter with Miyako's "Black" personality.
| ShortSummary = The club members go shopping for protective gear. After trying on their protective gear, Kojirō nicknames Tamaki "Red", the leader of the kendo club's female team, Kirino is nicknamed "Yellow", and Miyako is nicknamed "Pink". The fourth female member of the kendo club, Sayako Kuwahara nicknamed "Blue", is revealed, and has a painful first encounter with Miyako's "Black" personality. Kojirō will nickname the last female club member "Green".
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=04
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = Pink and Blue
|JapaneseTitle=Pinku to Burū
| AltTitle = Pinku to Burū
|KanjiTitle=ピンクとブルー
| NativeTitle = ピンクとブルー
|EnglishTitle=Pink and Blue
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[October 23]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|10|23}}
|ShortSummary= Miyako learns that the girl she had thrown in the lake the previous day was actually her senpai in the club, this leads her, in her "Pink" personality, to awkwardly try to hide her identity from Sayako to avoid any confrontations. She starts to enjoy more of the club's activities, even though being forced to train from early in the morning, because of the opportunities kendo give to harm others legally. She is eventually convinced by Toraji to apologize and befriends Sayako.
| ShortSummary = Miyako learns that the girl she had thrown in the lake the previous day was actually her senpai in the club, this leads her, in her "Pink" personality (different from her "Black" personality), to awkwardly try to hide her identity from Sayako to avoid any confrontations. She starts to enjoy more of the club's activities, even though being forced to train from early in the morning, because of the opportunities kendo give to harm others legally. She is eventually convinced by Toraji to apologize and befriends Sayako.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=05
| EpisodeNumber = 5
|JapaneseTitle=Muroe Kō to Machido Kō
| Title = Muroe High and Machido High
| AltTitle = Muroe Kō to Machido Kō
|KanjiTitle=室江高と町戸高
| NativeTitle = 室江高と町戸高
|EnglishTitle=Muroe High and Machido High
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[October 30]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|10|30}}
|ShortSummary= The day of the match arrives, however, due to the unique personalities of it's members, the Machido High Kendo Club is awfully delayed. The real match starts very late in the episode, and the episode ends with Machido High's members awed by Tamaki's ability, after scoring a point in the first battle.
| ShortSummary = The day of the match arrives, however, due to the unique personalities of its members, the Machido High kendo club is awfully delayed. The real match starts very late in the episode, and the episode ends with the Machido High club members awed by Tamaki's ability, after scoring a point in the first battle.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=06
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| Title = Tamaki Kawazoe and the Tardy Braver
|JapaneseTitle=Kawazoe Tamaki to Chikoku no Bureiba
| AltTitle = Kawazoe Tamaki to Chikoku no Bureiba
|KanjiTitle=川添珠姫と遅刻の武礼葉
| NativeTitle = 川添珠姫と遅刻の武礼葉
|EnglishTitle=Tamaki Kawazoe and Late Comer Braver
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[November 6]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|11|6}}
|ShortSummary= After Tamaki's match, which ended in a victory for her, the other matches take place meanwhile she prepares to participate in the last match too. At the end, Muroe High School ends winning 3 wins to 1 loss and 1 tie. Therefore, Kenzaburo challenges Tamaki to a match, impressed of how a girl of her age with such a great talent is in a club like that.
| ShortSummary = After Tamaki's match, which ended in a victory for her, the other matches take place while she prepares to participate in the last match too. At the end, the Muroe High kendo club ends winning with three wins, one loss, and one tie against the Machido High kendo club. Therefore, Ishibashi challenges Tamaki to a match, impressed of how a girl of her age with such a great talent is in a kendo club like that.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=07
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| Title = Sushi and Mince Meat Cutlets
|JapaneseTitle=Sushi to Menchikatsu
| AltTitle = Sushi to Menchikatsu
|KanjiTitle=寿司とメンチカツ
| NativeTitle = 寿司とメンチカツ
|EnglishTitle=Sushi and Menchikatsu
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[November 13]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|11|13}}
|ShortSummary= This episode picks up at the end of the previous one, starting with Kenzaburo revealing that he knew the fifth fighter (Bureiba) was actually Tamaki. His challenge to Tamaki is accepted and so Kenzaburo and Tamaki's match starts. Kenzaburo goes all out on Tamaki, and they both score a point, but in the third round, Kenzaburo starts out in [[Jōdan-no-kamae|Jodan]] (a stance referred to in [[fansub]]s as the "ascension position"). This forces Tamaki to have a flashback of her mother in the same position. Kenzaburo leaves the match as a tie, and then goes out to a sushi dinner with Koujiru where Koujiru finds out that Kenzaburo's father has given his restaurant away, making their bet void.
| ShortSummary = This episode picks up at the end of the previous one, starting with Ishibashi revealing that he knew the fifth fighter, Bureiba, was actually Tamaki. His challenge to Tamaki is accepted and so their match starts. Ishibashi goes all out on Tamaki, and they both score a point, but in the third round, Ishibashi starts out in [[Jōdan-no-kamae|upper-level posture]], rather than the normal [[Chūdan-no-kamae|middle-level posture]]. This forces Tamaki to have a flashback of her mother in the same position. Ishibashi leaves the match as a tie, and then goes out to a sushi dinner with Toraji. However, this is when Toraji finds out that Ishibashi's father has given his restaurant away, making their bet void.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=08
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| Title = Tama and Part-time Work
|JapaneseTitle=Tama-chan to Arubaito
| AltTitle = Tama-chan to Arubaito
|KanjiTitle=タマちゃんとアルバイト
| NativeTitle = タマちゃんとアルバイト
|EnglishTitle=Tama-chan and the part-time job
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[November 20]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|11|20}}
|ShortSummary=Tamaki sees an anime package on TV that she wants, but later finds out that she does not have enough money for it. At the school's dojo, Tamaki overhears Miyako on the phone talking about how she could not work part-time that day. Tamaki approaches her and inquires about it. Miyako then asks Tamaki to work part time there, to which Tamaki agrees to. Tamaki's father at first disagrees with Tamaki getting job, mosty because the school does not allow students to work part time jobs, but then accepts because he thinks that Tamaki is growing up, and also she will use the money to buy him a gift for his upcoming birthday.
| ShortSummary = Tamaki sees an anime package on TV that she wants, but later finds out that she does not have enough money for it. At the kendo dojo, Tamaki overhears Miyako on the phone talking about how she could not work part-time that day. Tamaki approaches her and inquires about it. Miyako then asks Tamaki to work part time there, to which Tamaki agrees to. Tamaki's father at first disagrees with Tamaki getting a job, mostly because the school does not allow students to work part time jobs, but then accepts because he thinks that Tamaki is growing up, and also thinks she will use the money to buy him a gift for his upcoming birthday.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=09
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| Title = Kojiro and the Crossroads of Fate
|JapaneseTitle=Kojirō to Unmei no Bunkiten
| AltTitle = Kojirō to Unmei no Bunkiten
|KanjiTitle=コジローと運命の分岐点
| NativeTitle = コジローと運命の分岐点
|EnglishTitle=Kojiro and the branch point of destiny
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[November 27]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|11|27}}
|ShortSummary=Kojiro has an incident in a public setting that places his teaching prospects at Muroe High School in doubt. With the rest of the club he resolves to get to the Nationals (or some similar honour) in an attempt to improve the club, gain distinction and save his teaching position. A weary Tamaki nears the end of her part time job filling in for Miyako. Then a suspicious customer arrives.
| ShortSummary = Tamaki nears the end of her part time-job filling in for Miyako, while the other club member are practicing at the kendo dojo. Tamaki's father still ponders if Tamaki will buy him a gift for his birthday. Toraji has bad luck when he goes shopping for food. He encounters a woman, also shopping for food, who causes him to lose his temper. This leads to him to the possibility of being unemployed at the kendo dojo. The only way to prevent unemployment is to improve the skills of the kendo club members and compete in the upcoming tournament. At Tamaki last time at her part-job, a mysterious customer arrives.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=10
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| Title = Miyako Miyazaki's Melancholy and the First Tournament
|JapaneseTitle=Miyazaki Miyako no Yūutsu to Hajitaikai
| AltTitle = Miyazaki Miyako no Yūutsu to Hajitaikai
|KanjiTitle=宮崎都の憂鬱と初大会
| NativeTitle = 宮崎都の憂鬱と初大会
|EnglishTitle=The Melancholy of Miyazaki Miyako and The First Tournament
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[December 2]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|12|4}}
|ShortSummary=The team enters the high school tournament. Only Tama-chan did well enough to win. Miyako meets her middle school classmate, Otajima Reimi who has a crush on her even though she is also a female. Miyako as such became troubled and couldn't concentrate on her match. It was revealed that Reimi used to harass Miyako when they were in middle school. The episode ends off wih Kojiro sensei discussing about a fifth member with Kirino, the club captain.
| ShortSummary = Toraji meets with his parents, and helps his mom working at a store. He receives his paycheck. Tamaki finishes up her job and receives her paycheck as well. The Muroe High kendo club enters the high school tournament. Only Tamaki did well enough to win. Miyako meets her middle school classmate, Reimi Otajima, who has a crush on her. Reimi is the customer that Tamaki met. Miyako as such became troubled and couldn't concentrate on her match. It was revealed that Reimi used to harass Miyako when they were in middle school. The episode ends off with Toraji discussing about a fifth member with Kirino.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=11
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| Title = Animation and Dreams
|JapaneseTitle=Animeeshon to Doriimu
| AltTitle = Animēshon to Dorīmu
|KanjiTitle=アニメーションとドリーム
| NativeTitle = アニメーションとドリーム
|EnglishTitle=Animation and Dream
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[December 9]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|12|11}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = Miyako reveals to the other kendo club members that Reimi has been harassing her because during middle school she refused to go out with the captain of the men's football team, whom Reimi had already been rejected by. Try as she might, Kirino is unable to remember the name of the potential fifth female member who's studying at Muroe High School. Yūji suggests that Kirino should call her friend up and ask for her name again, which she does. Armed with the name Satori Azuma, Kirino and Sayako begin to search for her.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=12
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| Title = Azuma's Circumstances and Mei's Circumstances
|JapaneseTitle=Azuma no Jijō to Mei no Jijō
| AltTitle = Azuma no Jijō to Mei no Jijō
|KanjiTitle=東の事情とメイの事情
| NativeTitle = 東の事情とメイの事情
|EnglishTitle=Azuma's Circunstnces and Mei's Circumstances
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[December 16]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|12|18}}
|ShortSummary=This episode dedicates to Mei from Seimei high and Azuma from Muroe High. Mei joined Seimei High's Kendo club to get along with her friends, but many of her friends quit teh club as they couldn't take the sensei's strict training. They gear up for the practice match with Muroe High, she had set her mind to quit after the practice match. Koujiro found out that Azuma didn't want to join the kendo club as her results in examinations were bad. Not because she wasn't able to do it, but she made careless mistakes. Nevertheless, Kirino drags her to the practice match. The episode concludes with Seimei High's Kendo team training against Muroe High's Kendo team.
| ShortSummary = This episode dedicates to Satori Azuma from Muroe High School and Mei Ogawa from Seimei High School. Mei joined the Seimei High kendo club to get along with her friends, but many of her friends quit the club as they couldn't take the teacher's strict training. They gear up for the practice match with the Muroe High kendo club. However, she had set her mind to quit after the practice match. Toraji found out that Azuma didn't want to join the kendo club as her results in examinations were bad. Not because she wasn't able to do it, but she made careless mistakes. Nevertheless, Kirino drags her to the practice match. The episode concludes with the Muroe High kendo club training against the Seimei High kendo club.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=13
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| Title = Teachers and Students
|JapaneseTitle=Senseitachi to Seitotachi
| AltTitle = Senseitachi to Seitotachi
|KanjiTitle=先生たちと生徒たち
| NativeTitle = 先生たちと生徒たち
|EnglishTitle=Teachers and Pupils
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[December 23]] [[2007]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|12|25}}
|ShortSummary=Muroe High School Kendo team won all their matches against Seimei high in the practice match. Azuma upon seeing Tama's Strong kendo skills become motivated and took part in the practice match. Before that, Tama had a match with Azuma, despite Azuma losing, she was impressed and therefore became motivated. Mei, from Seimei high who originally wanted to quit decided to stay on as she was impressed by Tama's skills. The episode end off when Seimei High's Sensei competed with Muroe's high sensei and won the match.
| ShortSummary = The Muroe High kendo club won all their matches against the Seimei High kendo club in the practice match. Azuma, upon seeing Tamaki's strong kendo skills become motivated and took part in the practice match. Before that, Tamaki had a match with Azuma. Despite Azuma losing, she was impressed and therefore became motivated. Mei, from Seimei High School, who originally wanted to quit, decided to stay on, as she was impressed by Tamaki's skills. The episode end off when Tadaaki Hayashi, the Seimei High kendo club's teacher, competed with Toraji, the Muroe High kendo club's teacher, having Hayashi winning the match.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=14
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| Title = Satorin's Resolve and Nomming
|JapaneseTitle=Satorin no Ketsui to Mogyumogyu
| AltTitle = Satorin no Ketsui to Mogyumogyu
|KanjiTitle=さとりんの決意ともぎゅもぎゅ
| NativeTitle = さとりんの決意ともぎゅもぎゅ
|EnglishTitle=Sadorin's Determination and Mogyu Mogyu
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[January 7]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|1|9}}
|ShortSummary=Kirino and Sayako continue their attempts to persuade Azuma to join the kendo club. Their attempts end only in tears. As they run through and around the school, Miyako hears their mobile lamentation and springs into action. She offers an excuse that she has cleaning duties, then sweetly dumps said duties onto her classmates. Alternating between a good friend, salesperson and snake cornering a frog she attempts to win over Azuma. Miyako's tactics eventually convince Azuma (and later her parents) to join the kendo club with the expectation/condition that it will lead to improved grades. With the team set (and and the boys ignored) a training camp is announced. Due to a lack of funds, this intensive training will take place on the school grounds. Tamaki's father is perturbed especially when Tamaki confirms Yūji Nakata will be there.
| ShortSummary = Kirino and Sayako continue their attempts to persuade Azuma to join the kendo club. Their attempts end only in tears. As they run through and around the school, Miyako hears their mobile lamentation and springs into action. She offers an excuse that she has cleaning duties, then sweetly dumps said duties onto her classmates. Alternating between a good friend, salesperson and snake cornering a frog she attempts to win over Azuma. Miyako's tactics eventually convince Azuma (and later her parents) to join the kendo club with the expectation/condition that it will lead to improved grades. With the kendo club set with five girls, while Yūji and Eiga are excluded from participation, a training camp is announced. Due to a lack of funds, this intensive training will take place on the school grounds. Tamaki's father is perturbed especially when Tamaki confirms Yūji will be there.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=15
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| Title = First Training Camp and First Public Bath
|JapaneseTitle=Hatsugasshuku to Hatsusentō
| AltTitle = Hatsugasshuku to Hatsusentō
|KanjiTitle=初合宿と初銭湯
| NativeTitle = 初合宿と初銭湯
|EnglishTitle=First Training Camp and First Bath House
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[January 14]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|1|16}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = It's training camp at the Muroe High kendo club, jointly with the Machido High kendo club that they had a practice match with. Tamaki's father sneaks around worried about the boys while the group cleans up the pool, fights over who gets to train with Tamaki, and takes a break at the bathhouse. After that, they have to deal with one of them sneaking away, pillow fights, Sayako's guitar, and even getting freaked out by the sleeping habits of their fellow students. The episode wraps up with Tama and Kirino, the latter who can't help but stay up and hold her bamboo sword a bit longer. Camp ends and everyone returns home, but for Kirino, something more than a warm welcome awaits.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=16
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| Title = Kirino's Absence and the Preliminary Tournament
|JapaneseTitle=Kirino no Kesseki to Yosen Taikai
| AltTitle = Kirino no Kesseki to Yosen Taikai
|KanjiTitle=キリノの欠席と予選大会
| NativeTitle = キリノの欠席と予選大会
|EnglishTitle=Kirino's Absense and the Preliminary Tournament
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[January 21]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|1|23}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = The Muroe High kendo club faces against the Tozyo High kendo club. Kirino is worried by home troubles while the rest of the team worries about her, however. Sayako, sharing a deep connection with Kirino, is prepared to step up for the win and ease Kirino's burden. Despite these troubles, however, Kirino seems even more focused than ever, gaining her a win in her match against her opponent. Meanwhile, Tamaki is pulled into a deceitful web by a few girls from the Tozyo High kendo club.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=17
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| Title = Light and Shadow
|JapaneseTitle=Hikari to Kage
| AltTitle = Hikari to Kage
|KanjiTitle=光と陰
| NativeTitle = 光と陰
|EnglishTitle=Light and Shadow
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[January 28]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|1|30}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = The tournament continues, with Tamaki seemingly in trouble with the other team's treacherous plots. Konishi, a girl from the Tozyo High kendo club, purposely causes Tamaki to trip over tennis balls, inflicting an injury on her foot. Meanwhile, Azuma encounters a little bit of stomach troubles, ending her match in a tie, and Miyako is continuously haunted by Reimi's face, ending her match in a loss. Sayako does her duty to relieve Kirino's burden, and Kirino does her part as the team's captain. When Tamaki steps up, she has a little payback in store for Konishi.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=18
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| Title = The Tournament and Muroe High After That
|JapaneseTitle=Taikai to Sonogo no Muroe Kou
| AltTitle = Taikai to Sonogo no Muroe Kou
|KanjiTitle=大会とその後の室江高
| NativeTitle = 大会とその後の室江高
|EnglishTitle=The Tournament and the Subsequent Muroe High
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[February 2]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|2|6}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = Toraji and Tamaki have a little talk and wounds are tended to. Since Tamaki and Konishi were both badly injured from their match, Kirino, from the Muroe High kendo club, and Aoki, from the Tozyo High kendo club, participate in a representative match. The tournament ends, with at a loss, due to Kirino's lack of motivation and focus caused by her mother feeling better. The Muroe High kendo club is back at the kendo dojo as usual, with Sayako off somewhere and Tamaki all right.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=19
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| Title = The Armadillo and the Pangolin
|JapaneseTitle=
| AltTitle = Arumajiro to Senzankou
|KanjiTitle=
| NativeTitle = アルマジロとセンザンコウ
|EnglishTitle=
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[February 11]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|2|13}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = Toraji takes Tamaki to the hospital while the other members of the Muroe High kendo club practice matches with each other. However, Miyako's sword breaks, so Miyako and Eiga go shopping for a new bamboo sword at the kendo store. Tamaki meets Ishibashi at the hospital, while Miyako and Eiga meet Carrie Nishikawa, an expatriate living in Japan, who falls in love with Eiga at first sight. Ishibashi, taking Tamaki back to her house, tells her she must understand what it is like to lose a match. At the kendo store, Miyako challenges Carrie to a kendo match at the kendo dojo. Miyako notices that Carrie uses a double-sword technique, giving Carrie an advantage. Miyako loses the match, expectedly. As Carrie departs, she informs Miyako that she will return again.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=20
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| Title = Braver and Shinaider
|JapaneseTitle=BUREIBAA to SHINAIDAA
| AltTitle = BUREIBAA to SHINAIDAA
|KanjiTitle=ブレイバーとシナイダー
| NativeTitle = ブレイバーとシナイダー
|EnglishTitle=Braver and Schneider
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[February 18]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|2|20}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = Toraji gives the Muroe High kendo club a vacation, since he has a business trip to schedule. Yūji invites Tamaki to go to an amusement park that's hosting a Blade Braver play. At the venue, She meets a girl called Rin Suzuki, a fan of Braver's rival, Shinaider. They enter a quiz game show to win The Blade Bravers plush dolls. Unfortunately, Rin wins the plush dolls, in a tie-breaker round. However, Rin gives up all the plush dolls, except the Shinaider plush doll, to Tamaki.
}}
}}
{{Japanese episode list
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=21
| EpisodeNumber = 21
|JapaneseTitle=Kawazoe Tamaki to Suzuki Rin
| Title = Tamaki Kawazoe and Rin Suzuki
| AltTitle = Kawazoe Tamaki to Suzuki Rin
|KanjiTitle=川添珠姫と鈴木凛
| NativeTitle = 川 添珠姫と鈴木凛
|EnglishTitle=Kawazoe Tamake and Suzuki Rin
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
|OriginalAirDate=[[February 25]], [[2008]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|2|27}}
|ShortSummary=
| ShortSummary = Tamaki and Rin witness a scene for the Blade Bravers movie. They stay up late comparing whether Blade Braver or Shinaider is the better character. In the morning Tamaki and Rin, along with the production crew, go on location to film the new Blade Bravers movie, where an incident gets both of them the replacement roles in the new film. The rest of the Muroe High kendo club members either practice or take the day off doing what they want. The episode concludes with Toraji returning from his business trip.
}}
}}
{{Episode list
|}
| EpisodeNumber = 22
{{Inc-up}}
| Title = Winners and Losers
| AltTitle = Haisha to Shousha
| NativeTitle = 敗者と勝者
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|3|5}}
| ShortSummary = The Muroe High kendo club goes to the Kanto High kendo tournament. Miyako shows her improvement in practice, but fails to defeat Carrie in the tournament. The Muroe High kendo club makes it to the third round, where Tamaki is finally defeated by Rin, and Muroe is pushed out of the tournament. Meanwhile, Toyama and Iwasa, two former members of the Muroe High kendo club, are caught fighting in a video game arcade and destroying two machines.
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 23
| Title = Lie and Silence
| AltTitle = Uso to Chinmoku
| NativeTitle = 嘘と沈黙
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|3|12}}
| ShortSummary = The principal of the school tells Toraji that the Muroe High kendo club will be disbanded because of club members engaging in suspicious or risky activities. It turns to be Toyama and Iwasa's fault. They, ironically, have stopped attending Muroe High kendo club but have not turned in any resignation forms. Kirino and Sayako are distraught when Toraji reveals the news to them, and they protest the principal's decision, calling it unfair. Meanwhile, Miyako has an emotional breakdown over her failure in the competition and, surprisingly, refuses Eiga's comfort. Tamaki, also unhappy over losing the competition, quits the Muroe High kendo club, much to Kirino's dismay.
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 24
| Title = The Sword and the Way
| AltTitle = Ken to Michi
| NativeTitle = 剣と道
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|3|19}}
| ShortSummary = Kirino attempts and fails to prevent Tamaki from resigning from the Muroe High kendo club, the latter already having decided to give up. Neither she nor Miyako decide to attend the Muroe High kendo club, and nobody knows of Miyako's whereabouts. Eventually even Kirino decides not to attend, and the only members left are Azuma, Yūji, Eiga, and Sayako. Azuma manages to convince Miyako to keep up with kendo, while Sayako dissuades Kirino from quitting kendo. Yūji comforts Tamaki, telling her that losing is not as bad as she thinks, and Tamaki decides to learn upper-level posture to help improve her kendo skills. Eventually she decides to come back to kendo club, and the members are reunited.
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 25
| Title = Kendo and What it Brings About
| AltTitle = Kendou to sore ga motarasumono
| NativeTitle = 剣道とそれがもたらすもの
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|3|26}}
| ShortSummary = The Muroe High kendo club goes to a national kendo competition and meets with many of their former opponents. Miyako, having watched footage of her previous kendo match filmed by Reimi in an effort to improve her kendo skills, manages to beat Carrie, the latter of which calls the former out for a match of their own and is beaten again. Tamaki fights Rin again and wins by using the thrust attack. Toraji, on the other hand, has emptied out his apartment, and in the last few minutes of the episode is shown getting on Nobu's motorcycle and going to a different place, presumably his new home.
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 26
| Title = "Since Then" and "From Here on Out"
| AltTitle = "Sorekara" to "korekara"
| NativeTitle = "それから"と"これから"
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2008|4|2}}
| ShortSummary = It is a new year and several months have passed since the national kendo competition. Rin invites Tamaki to see the Blade Bravers movie in a movie theater. Back at the kendo dojo, two freshmen show up to join the Muroe High kendo club. The members one by one appear trying to convince them to join the club only to perform sideshow tricks leaving the freshmen unimpressed. The Muroe High kendo club later have a sparring match which causes the freshmen to become enthusiastic about joining the kendo club. It is later revealed that these two new kendo club members, Shinobu Toyama and Makoto Iwasa, are the siblings of the previous members that quit. Toraji returns to school having settled the problem with the woman, which he encountered at the store, that forced him to leave. At the very end of the episode Tamaki encounters a long purple haired woman with blue eyes, hinting that Bamboo Blade may have another season to come.
}}
}}

==Video game==
A video game titled "Bamboo Blade: Sorekara no Chousen" was released for PSP. It is an Action game that was developed and published by Gadget Soft. It was released in Japan in 2009.<ref>[http://www.gamefaqs.com/psp/955154-bamboo-blade-sorekara-no-chousen Bamboo Blade: Sorekara no Chousen], GameFAQ. ({{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920011042/http://www.gamefaqs.com/psp/955154-bamboo-blade-sorekara-no-chousen |date=2015-09-20 }})</ref>

==Reception==
"The recent series from anime production house [[Anime International Company|AIC A.S.T.A]] is a surprise - and yet not really one at all," wrote Andrez Bergen in the June 2008 issue of U.K. magazine, ''[[Impact (student magazine)|impact]]''. "While ''Bamboo Blade'' follows the travails of a bunch of high school girls in one very special kendo team, rather than boys, the producers were previously responsible for ''[[Gun Sword]]'', a series in which one very special woman - Carmen 99 - also pretty much stole the show."<ref>''Japanime'', Andrez Bergen. ''[[Impact (student magazine)|Impact]]'', June 2008.</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Square Enix video game franchises]]

==Notes==
{{notelist-ua}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite web |last=Dacey |first=Katherine |url=http://mangacritic.com/2009/07/06/bamboo-blade-vol-1/ |title=Bamboo Blade, Vol. 1 |work=The Manga Critic |date=July 6, 2009 }}


==External links==
==External links==
; Manga
*[http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/introduction/bamboo/ Manga official website] {{jp icon}}
*[http://www.bambooblade.jp/ Anime official website] {{jp icon}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121101001608/http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/introduction/bamboo/ Manga official website] {{in lang|ja}}
* {{ann|manga|8454}}
*[http://www.asta.anime-int.com/works/bambooblade/ AIC A.S.T.A's website for the anime] {{jp icon}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090828094700/http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/BambooBladev2.htm Manga Life review]
*[http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/bambooblade/ TV Tokyo's website for the anime] {{jp icon}}
*{{ann anime|id=8455}}


; Anime
* [http://www.bambooblade.jp/ Anime official website] {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071101174104/http://www.asta.anime-int.com/works/bambooblade/ AIC A.S.T.A's website for the anime] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/bambooblade/ TV Tokyo's website for the anime] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://www.funimation.com/bambooblade/ Funimation official Bamboo Blade website]


{{Young Gangan}}
[[Category:Comedy anime and manga]]
{{AIC TV series}}
[[Category:Seinen]]
[[Category:Martial arts anime and manga]]


[[Category:Anime International Company]]
[[fr:Bamboo blade]]
[[Category:Funimation]]
[[ko:뱀부 블레이드]]
[[Category:Gangan Comics manga]]
[[ja:BAMBOO BLADE]]
[[Category:Kendo in anime and manga]]
[[zh:竹劍]]
[[Category:Seinen manga]]
[[Category:Square Enix franchises]]
[[Category:Yen Press titles]]

Latest revision as of 12:20, 4 May 2024

Bamboo Blade
Cover of Bamboo Blade, volume 1 as published by Square Enix
Manga
Written byMasahiro Totsuka
Illustrated byAguri Igarashi
Published bySquare Enix
English publisher
MagazineYoung Gangan
English magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original runDecember 3, 2004 – September 3, 2010
Volumes14
Manga
Bamboo Blade B
Written byMasahiro Totsuka
Illustrated byNeko Sutajio
Published bySquare Enix
MagazineMonthly Shōnen Gangan
DemographicShōnen
Original runJanuary 10, 2009 – November 12, 2013
Volumes12
Manga
Bamboo Blade C
Written byMasahiro Totsuka
Illustrated byJingu Takao
Published bySquare Enix
MagazineMonthly Big Gangan
DemographicShōnen
Original runMay 25, 2013 – August 25, 2016
Volumes7
Manga
BB Deformer
Written byMasahiro Totsuka
Illustrated bySaki Azumi
Published bySquare Enix
MagazineMonthly Big Gangan
DemographicShōnen
Original runOctober 25, 2013 – August 25, 2016
Volumes2
Anime television series
Directed byHisashi Saitō
Produced byTsuneo Takechi
Shigeaki Komatsu
Hiroshi Yoshida
Jiyū Ōgi
Masataka Katagiri
Written byHideyuki Kurata
Music byKiyohiko Senba
StudioAIC ASTA
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo
English network
Original run October 2, 2007 – April 2, 2008
Episodes26 (List of episodes)

Bamboo Blade (stylized as BAMBOO BLADE) is a Japanese manga series written by Masahiro Totsuka and illustrated by Aguri Igarashi. It was serialized in Square Enix's Young Gangan magazine from December 2004 to September 2010.[1] The series tells the story of Toraji Ishida, a luckless high school Kendo instructor, who is challenged by his former upperclassman, also a kendo instructor, to a competition between their female students. The bet inspires Toraji to gather and train a team of five girls, where he meets Tamaki Kawazoe, a gifted young female kendo practitioner.

An anime adaptation by AIC A.S.T.A was broadcast in Japan between October 2007 and April 2008 on TV Tokyo. The Bamboo Blade manga has been licensed for distribution in North America by Yen Press.[2] The anime has been licensed for distribution in North America by Funimation and began airing on their Funimation Channel on October 25, 2010.[3]

Characters

[edit]
Main article: List of Bamboo Blade characters

Some of the character's names are based on real professional kendo practitioners. Ishida Toraji is based on the famous kendoka Toshiya Ishida. Miyako Miyazaki is based on Masahiro Miyazaki, and Danjuro Eiga is based on Naoki Eiga, Kirino Chiba is based on Masashi Chiba etc., even though there are not any relations between the Bamboo Blade characters in regards to the real kendoka. Eiga Dan is the only exception, as he seems to be designed to represent Naoki Eiga, who also is not very tall, just like Eiga.

Anime episodes

[edit]
No.Official English title
Original Japanese title		Original air date [4]
1"A Bamboo Broom and a Champion of Justice"
"Takebōki to Seigi no Mikata" (Japanese: 竹ぼうきと正義の味方)		October 2, 2007 (2007-10-02)
Toraji "Kojirō" Ishida, the coach of the Muroe High kendo club, makes a bet with his senpai, Kenzaburō Ishibashi, the coach of the Machido High kendo club, on a practice match between both schools, but the fighters must be five girls, no boys. Toraji's victory would mean he could eat all he wants at Ishibashi's father's sushi restaurant for a full year. Toraji desperately needs to find more talented female kendo students because he only has the team captain in his club, Kirino Chiba. With only a month remaining before his team's match with Ishibashi's team, he meets an extremely talented freshman, Tamaki Kawazoe.
2"The Blade Bravers and Boxed Lunch"
"Burēdo Bureibā to Obentō" (Japanese: ブレードブレイバーとお弁当)		October 9, 2007 (2007-10-09)
Tamaki's motivation is presented in the form of her TV superhero, Blade Braver. Miyako Miyazaki, Yūji Nakata, Danjūrō Eiga join the club. Tamaki's relationship with the other club members develop when they start having lunch together and sharing their boxed lunches. Her everyday boxed lunch, however, consisted of a single umeboshi and rice, which she constantly made in honor of her parents, and couldn't share with the others. She start making "shareable" boxed lunches at the end of the episode, even though she feels she's disrespecting her parents a little.
3"Black and Blue"
"Burakku to Burū" (Japanese: ブラックとブルー)		October 16, 2007 (2007-10-16)
The club members go shopping for protective gear. After trying on their protective gear, Kojirō nicknames Tamaki "Red", the leader of the kendo club's female team, Kirino is nicknamed "Yellow", and Miyako is nicknamed "Pink". The fourth female member of the kendo club, Sayako Kuwahara nicknamed "Blue", is revealed, and has a painful first encounter with Miyako's "Black" personality. Kojirō will nickname the last female club member "Green".
4"Pink and Blue"
"Pinku to Burū" (Japanese: ピンクとブルー)		October 23, 2007 (2007-10-23)
Miyako learns that the girl she had thrown in the lake the previous day was actually her senpai in the club, this leads her, in her "Pink" personality (different from her "Black" personality), to awkwardly try to hide her identity from Sayako to avoid any confrontations. She starts to enjoy more of the club's activities, even though being forced to train from early in the morning, because of the opportunities kendo give to harm others legally. She is eventually convinced by Toraji to apologize and befriends Sayako.
5"Muroe High and Machido High"
"Muroe Kō to Machido Kō" (Japanese: 室江高と町戸高)		October 30, 2007 (2007-10-30)
The day of the match arrives, however, due to the unique personalities of its members, the Machido High kendo club is awfully delayed. The real match starts very late in the episode, and the episode ends with the Machido High club members awed by Tamaki's ability, after scoring a point in the first battle.
6"Tamaki Kawazoe and the Tardy Braver"
"Kawazoe Tamaki to Chikoku no Bureiba" (Japanese: 川添珠姫と遅刻の武礼葉)		November 6, 2007 (2007-11-06)
After Tamaki's match, which ended in a victory for her, the other matches take place while she prepares to participate in the last match too. At the end, the Muroe High kendo club ends winning with three wins, one loss, and one tie against the Machido High kendo club. Therefore, Ishibashi challenges Tamaki to a match, impressed of how a girl of her age with such a great talent is in a kendo club like that.
7"Sushi and Mince Meat Cutlets"
"Sushi to Menchikatsu" (Japanese: 寿司とメンチカツ)		November 13, 2007 (2007-11-13)
This episode picks up at the end of the previous one, starting with Ishibashi revealing that he knew the fifth fighter, Bureiba, was actually Tamaki. His challenge to Tamaki is accepted and so their match starts. Ishibashi goes all out on Tamaki, and they both score a point, but in the third round, Ishibashi starts out in upper-level posture, rather than the normal middle-level posture. This forces Tamaki to have a flashback of her mother in the same position. Ishibashi leaves the match as a tie, and then goes out to a sushi dinner with Toraji. However, this is when Toraji finds out that Ishibashi's father has given his restaurant away, making their bet void.
8"Tama and Part-time Work"
"Tama-chan to Arubaito" (Japanese: タマちゃんとアルバイト)		November 20, 2007 (2007-11-20)
Tamaki sees an anime package on TV that she wants, but later finds out that she does not have enough money for it. At the kendo dojo, Tamaki overhears Miyako on the phone talking about how she could not work part-time that day. Tamaki approaches her and inquires about it. Miyako then asks Tamaki to work part time there, to which Tamaki agrees to. Tamaki's father at first disagrees with Tamaki getting a job, mostly because the school does not allow students to work part time jobs, but then accepts because he thinks that Tamaki is growing up, and also thinks she will use the money to buy him a gift for his upcoming birthday.
9"Kojiro and the Crossroads of Fate"
"Kojirō to Unmei no Bunkiten" (Japanese: コジローと運命の分岐点)		November 27, 2007 (2007-11-27)
Tamaki nears the end of her part time-job filling in for Miyako, while the other club member are practicing at the kendo dojo. Tamaki's father still ponders if Tamaki will buy him a gift for his birthday. Toraji has bad luck when he goes shopping for food. He encounters a woman, also shopping for food, who causes him to lose his temper. This leads to him to the possibility of being unemployed at the kendo dojo. The only way to prevent unemployment is to improve the skills of the kendo club members and compete in the upcoming tournament. At Tamaki last time at her part-job, a mysterious customer arrives.
10"Miyako Miyazaki's Melancholy and the First Tournament"
"Miyazaki Miyako no Yūutsu to Hajitaikai" (Japanese: 宮崎都の憂鬱と初大会)		December 4, 2007 (2007-12-04)
Toraji meets with his parents, and helps his mom working at a store. He receives his paycheck. Tamaki finishes up her job and receives her paycheck as well. The Muroe High kendo club enters the high school tournament. Only Tamaki did well enough to win. Miyako meets her middle school classmate, Reimi Otajima, who has a crush on her. Reimi is the customer that Tamaki met. Miyako as such became troubled and couldn't concentrate on her match. It was revealed that Reimi used to harass Miyako when they were in middle school. The episode ends off with Toraji discussing about a fifth member with Kirino.
11"Animation and Dreams"
"Animēshon to Dorīmu" (Japanese: アニメーションとドリーム)		December 11, 2007 (2007-12-11)
Miyako reveals to the other kendo club members that Reimi has been harassing her because during middle school she refused to go out with the captain of the men's football team, whom Reimi had already been rejected by. Try as she might, Kirino is unable to remember the name of the potential fifth female member who's studying at Muroe High School. Yūji suggests that Kirino should call her friend up and ask for her name again, which she does. Armed with the name Satori Azuma, Kirino and Sayako begin to search for her.
12"Azuma's Circumstances and Mei's Circumstances"
"Azuma no Jijō to Mei no Jijō" (Japanese: 東の事情とメイの事情)		December 18, 2007 (2007-12-18)
This episode dedicates to Satori Azuma from Muroe High School and Mei Ogawa from Seimei High School. Mei joined the Seimei High kendo club to get along with her friends, but many of her friends quit the club as they couldn't take the teacher's strict training. They gear up for the practice match with the Muroe High kendo club. However, she had set her mind to quit after the practice match. Toraji found out that Azuma didn't want to join the kendo club as her results in examinations were bad. Not because she wasn't able to do it, but she made careless mistakes. Nevertheless, Kirino drags her to the practice match. The episode concludes with the Muroe High kendo club training against the Seimei High kendo club.
13"Teachers and Students"
"Senseitachi to Seitotachi" (Japanese: 先生たちと生徒たち)		December 25, 2007 (2007-12-25)
The Muroe High kendo club won all their matches against the Seimei High kendo club in the practice match. Azuma, upon seeing Tamaki's strong kendo skills become motivated and took part in the practice match. Before that, Tamaki had a match with Azuma. Despite Azuma losing, she was impressed and therefore became motivated. Mei, from Seimei High School, who originally wanted to quit, decided to stay on, as she was impressed by Tamaki's skills. The episode end off when Tadaaki Hayashi, the Seimei High kendo club's teacher, competed with Toraji, the Muroe High kendo club's teacher, having Hayashi winning the match.
14"Satorin's Resolve and Nomming"
"Satorin no Ketsui to Mogyumogyu" (Japanese: さとりんの決意ともぎゅもぎゅ)		January 9, 2008 (2008-01-09)
Kirino and Sayako continue their attempts to persuade Azuma to join the kendo club. Their attempts end only in tears. As they run through and around the school, Miyako hears their mobile lamentation and springs into action. She offers an excuse that she has cleaning duties, then sweetly dumps said duties onto her classmates. Alternating between a good friend, salesperson and snake cornering a frog she attempts to win over Azuma. Miyako's tactics eventually convince Azuma (and later her parents) to join the kendo club with the expectation/condition that it will lead to improved grades. With the kendo club set with five girls, while Yūji and Eiga are excluded from participation, a training camp is announced. Due to a lack of funds, this intensive training will take place on the school grounds. Tamaki's father is perturbed especially when Tamaki confirms Yūji will be there.
15"First Training Camp and First Public Bath"
"Hatsugasshuku to Hatsusentō" (Japanese: 初合宿と初銭湯)		January 16, 2008 (2008-01-16)
It's training camp at the Muroe High kendo club, jointly with the Machido High kendo club that they had a practice match with. Tamaki's father sneaks around worried about the boys while the group cleans up the pool, fights over who gets to train with Tamaki, and takes a break at the bathhouse. After that, they have to deal with one of them sneaking away, pillow fights, Sayako's guitar, and even getting freaked out by the sleeping habits of their fellow students. The episode wraps up with Tama and Kirino, the latter who can't help but stay up and hold her bamboo sword a bit longer. Camp ends and everyone returns home, but for Kirino, something more than a warm welcome awaits.
16"Kirino's Absence and the Preliminary Tournament"
"Kirino no Kesseki to Yosen Taikai" (Japanese: キリノの欠席と予選大会)		January 23, 2008 (2008-01-23)
The Muroe High kendo club faces against the Tozyo High kendo club. Kirino is worried by home troubles while the rest of the team worries about her, however. Sayako, sharing a deep connection with Kirino, is prepared to step up for the win and ease Kirino's burden. Despite these troubles, however, Kirino seems even more focused than ever, gaining her a win in her match against her opponent. Meanwhile, Tamaki is pulled into a deceitful web by a few girls from the Tozyo High kendo club.
17"Light and Shadow"
"Hikari to Kage" (Japanese: 光と陰)		January 30, 2008 (2008-01-30)
The tournament continues, with Tamaki seemingly in trouble with the other team's treacherous plots. Konishi, a girl from the Tozyo High kendo club, purposely causes Tamaki to trip over tennis balls, inflicting an injury on her foot. Meanwhile, Azuma encounters a little bit of stomach troubles, ending her match in a tie, and Miyako is continuously haunted by Reimi's face, ending her match in a loss. Sayako does her duty to relieve Kirino's burden, and Kirino does her part as the team's captain. When Tamaki steps up, she has a little payback in store for Konishi.
18"The Tournament and Muroe High After That"
"Taikai to Sonogo no Muroe Kou" (Japanese: 大会とその後の室江高)		February 6, 2008 (2008-02-06)
Toraji and Tamaki have a little talk and wounds are tended to. Since Tamaki and Konishi were both badly injured from their match, Kirino, from the Muroe High kendo club, and Aoki, from the Tozyo High kendo club, participate in a representative match. The tournament ends, with at a loss, due to Kirino's lack of motivation and focus caused by her mother feeling better. The Muroe High kendo club is back at the kendo dojo as usual, with Sayako off somewhere and Tamaki all right.
19"The Armadillo and the Pangolin"
"Arumajiro to Senzankou" (Japanese: アルマジロとセンザンコウ)		February 13, 2008 (2008-02-13)
Toraji takes Tamaki to the hospital while the other members of the Muroe High kendo club practice matches with each other. However, Miyako's sword breaks, so Miyako and Eiga go shopping for a new bamboo sword at the kendo store. Tamaki meets Ishibashi at the hospital, while Miyako and Eiga meet Carrie Nishikawa, an expatriate living in Japan, who falls in love with Eiga at first sight. Ishibashi, taking Tamaki back to her house, tells her she must understand what it is like to lose a match. At the kendo store, Miyako challenges Carrie to a kendo match at the kendo dojo. Miyako notices that Carrie uses a double-sword technique, giving Carrie an advantage. Miyako loses the match, expectedly. As Carrie departs, she informs Miyako that she will return again.
20"Braver and Shinaider"
"BUREIBAA to SHINAIDAA" (Japanese: ブレイバーとシナイダー)		February 20, 2008 (2008-02-20)
Toraji gives the Muroe High kendo club a vacation, since he has a business trip to schedule. Yūji invites Tamaki to go to an amusement park that's hosting a Blade Braver play. At the venue, She meets a girl called Rin Suzuki, a fan of Braver's rival, Shinaider. They enter a quiz game show to win The Blade Bravers plush dolls. Unfortunately, Rin wins the plush dolls, in a tie-breaker round. However, Rin gives up all the plush dolls, except the Shinaider plush doll, to Tamaki.
21"Tamaki Kawazoe and Rin Suzuki"
"Kawazoe Tamaki to Suzuki Rin" (Japanese: 川 添珠姫と鈴木凛)		February 27, 2008 (2008-02-27)
Tamaki and Rin witness a scene for the Blade Bravers movie. They stay up late comparing whether Blade Braver or Shinaider is the better character. In the morning Tamaki and Rin, along with the production crew, go on location to film the new Blade Bravers movie, where an incident gets both of them the replacement roles in the new film. The rest of the Muroe High kendo club members either practice or take the day off doing what they want. The episode concludes with Toraji returning from his business trip.
22"Winners and Losers"
"Haisha to Shousha" (Japanese: 敗者と勝者)		March 5, 2008 (2008-03-05)
The Muroe High kendo club goes to the Kanto High kendo tournament. Miyako shows her improvement in practice, but fails to defeat Carrie in the tournament. The Muroe High kendo club makes it to the third round, where Tamaki is finally defeated by Rin, and Muroe is pushed out of the tournament. Meanwhile, Toyama and Iwasa, two former members of the Muroe High kendo club, are caught fighting in a video game arcade and destroying two machines.
23"Lie and Silence"
"Uso to Chinmoku" (Japanese: 嘘と沈黙)		March 12, 2008 (2008-03-12)
The principal of the school tells Toraji that the Muroe High kendo club will be disbanded because of club members engaging in suspicious or risky activities. It turns to be Toyama and Iwasa's fault. They, ironically, have stopped attending Muroe High kendo club but have not turned in any resignation forms. Kirino and Sayako are distraught when Toraji reveals the news to them, and they protest the principal's decision, calling it unfair. Meanwhile, Miyako has an emotional breakdown over her failure in the competition and, surprisingly, refuses Eiga's comfort. Tamaki, also unhappy over losing the competition, quits the Muroe High kendo club, much to Kirino's dismay.
24"The Sword and the Way"
"Ken to Michi" (Japanese: 剣と道)		March 19, 2008 (2008-03-19)
Kirino attempts and fails to prevent Tamaki from resigning from the Muroe High kendo club, the latter already having decided to give up. Neither she nor Miyako decide to attend the Muroe High kendo club, and nobody knows of Miyako's whereabouts. Eventually even Kirino decides not to attend, and the only members left are Azuma, Yūji, Eiga, and Sayako. Azuma manages to convince Miyako to keep up with kendo, while Sayako dissuades Kirino from quitting kendo. Yūji comforts Tamaki, telling her that losing is not as bad as she thinks, and Tamaki decides to learn upper-level posture to help improve her kendo skills. Eventually she decides to come back to kendo club, and the members are reunited.
25"Kendo and What it Brings About"
"Kendou to sore ga motarasumono" (Japanese: 剣道とそれがもたらすもの)		March 26, 2008 (2008-03-26)
The Muroe High kendo club goes to a national kendo competition and meets with many of their former opponents. Miyako, having watched footage of her previous kendo match filmed by Reimi in an effort to improve her kendo skills, manages to beat Carrie, the latter of which calls the former out for a match of their own and is beaten again. Tamaki fights Rin again and wins by using the thrust attack. Toraji, on the other hand, has emptied out his apartment, and in the last few minutes of the episode is shown getting on Nobu's motorcycle and going to a different place, presumably his new home.
26""Since Then" and "From Here on Out""
""Sorekara" to "korekara"" (Japanese: "それから"と"これから")		April 2, 2008 (2008-04-02)
It is a new year and several months have passed since the national kendo competition. Rin invites Tamaki to see the Blade Bravers movie in a movie theater. Back at the kendo dojo, two freshmen show up to join the Muroe High kendo club. The members one by one appear trying to convince them to join the club only to perform sideshow tricks leaving the freshmen unimpressed. The Muroe High kendo club later have a sparring match which causes the freshmen to become enthusiastic about joining the kendo club. It is later revealed that these two new kendo club members, Shinobu Toyama and Makoto Iwasa, are the siblings of the previous members that quit. Toraji returns to school having settled the problem with the woman, which he encountered at the store, that forced him to leave. At the very end of the episode Tamaki encounters a long purple haired woman with blue eyes, hinting that Bamboo Blade may have another season to come.

Video game

[edit]

A video game titled "Bamboo Blade: Sorekara no Chousen" was released for PSP. It is an Action game that was developed and published by Gadget Soft. It was released in Japan in 2009.[5]

Reception

[edit]

"The recent series from anime production house AIC A.S.T.A is a surprise - and yet not really one at all," wrote Andrez Bergen in the June 2008 issue of U.K. magazine, impact. "While Bamboo Blade follows the travails of a bunch of high school girls in one very special kendo team, rather than boys, the producers were previously responsible for Gun Sword, a series in which one very special woman - Carmen 99 - also pretty much stole the show."[6]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 2004年12月3日創刊号発売 (in Japanese). Square Enix. Archived from the original on December 7, 2004. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "Yen Press Announces Titles to Run in Anthology Mag". Anime News Network. April 19, 2008. Archived from the original on 21 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  3. ^ Funimation Channel Schedule, October 2010
  4. ^ "検索結果 / アニメ / メディア芸術データベース – 作品情報（シリーズ）". mediaarts-db.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  5. ^ Bamboo Blade: Sorekara no Chousen, GameFAQ. (Archived 2015-09-20 at the Wayback Machine)
  6. ^ Japanime, Andrez Bergen. Impact, June 2008.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Manga
Anime
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