Chapter Summaries

Kawamoto overwhelmed Jousei with an unstoppable scoring performance, leading Shohoku by 25 at halftime and leaving Mikoshiba and his teammates shaken. After Kawamoto was substituted out, he looked ahead to the nationals and possibly going to the United States in search of a worthy opponent.

• Kawamoto scored through Mikoshiba with a spin move and a three-point play, then used his strength to back him down and score again.
• Kawamoto dominated the rest of the first half with an array of shots, drives, steals, and assists as Shohoku built a 45-20 lead.
• Mikoshiba and Jousei's players left for the locker room devastated, while Akagi, Miyagi, and Kogure watched Kawamoto in shock.
• Akagi suggested Kawamoto rest in the second half, and Kawamoto agreed because he had achieved his objective.
• Kawamoto thought about finding a real opponent at the nationals or going to the United States before Shohoku substituted him out.
• Jousei's players remained numb despite Kawamoto's absence, haunted by his 38-point first half.

Mari Kawai arrived to cover Shohoku’s final practice game against Jousei and questioned why MVP Kawamoto Kazuki was not playing. After she praised Kaede Rukawa and called Kawamoto a benchwarmer, Ayako revealed that Kawamoto had nearly overwhelmed a national quarterfinalist by himself in just five minutes.

• Mari Kawai and two Shohoku news club members arrived at Jousei’s gym, and Ayako allowed them to watch and take photos from beside the bench.
• Mari found Kawamoto Kazuki and asked for an exclusive interview, but he declined and said he was following the coach’s arrangements.
• Shohoku started the game without Kawamoto, while Kaede Rukawa scored repeatedly and led the team’s offense.
• Mari wondered aloud why Kawamoto had won the MVP when Rukawa looked like the stronger player, prompting Ayako and the other Shohoku members to react with disbelief.
• Ayako told Mari that Kawamoto had nearly reduced a national quarterfinalist to tears by himself in five minutes and said Rukawa was no match for him.

Shohoku narrowly defeated Jousei, and Mari Kawai grew intrigued by the strange respect Kawamoto Kazuki received despite not playing. After Kawamoto ended her interview with a single matter-of-fact answer, he went to Flash Wind Express, where Murasame returned from a delivery looking unsteady.

• Shohoku beat Jousei 78–77 after Akagi scored the winning putback, while Rukawa led Shohoku with 35 points.
• After the game, Jousei's players flocked to thank and praise Kawamoto, prompting Mari Kawai to suspect he was hiding extraordinary abilities.
• On the Shinkansen, Mari tried to interview Kawamoto, but his answer that he excelled at whatever the team needed left her unable to continue.
• Kawamoto went to Flash Wind Express, learned Murasame had taken an urgent cigarette delivery, and saw Murasame stagger into the base.

After Idaten delinquents beat Murasame and steal his motorcycle, Masaki, Kawamoto, and the Racing Angels set out to confront them. They roar through the rainy night toward Heike, determined to reclaim the bike and punish the gang.

• Murasame returns to the Racing Angels base beaten and explains that Idaten members took his delivery cigarettes without paying, attacked him, and stole his motorcycle.
• Masaki praises Murasame for fighting back and vows that Idaten will pay for dishonoring Flash Wind Express and the Racing Angels.
• Junya volunteers to go after Idaten, and Masaki asks Kawamoto to join them.
• Kawamoto puts on his helmet, and Masaki, Kawamoto, Nakajo, Kamishima, and Junya ride out toward Heike in the rain.

Masaki and his four companions stormed Idaten’s warehouse to destroy the gang, and the fight erupted against hundreds of members. As Junya, Nakajo, and Kamishima battled through the crowd, Kawamoto revealed overwhelming strength and began cutting down the attackers; the fight continued with Idaten’s men still surrounding them.

• Masaki and his companions smashed through Idaten’s warehouse doors and declared that Idaten would disappear from Shonan.
• Junya, Nakajo, and Kamishima charged into the crowd and began fighting the gang members with their distinct brutal styles.
• Masaki stayed by his motorcycle, precisely knocking down anyone who came near while watching Mitani on the platform.
• Dozens of Idaten members targeted Kawamoto, but he crushed one attacker’s hand and punched him through the crowd.
• Kawamoto broke another attacker’s wrist, struck a second with his elbow, dodged two knives, and stabbed one knife wielder in the thigh with his companion’s blade.

Kawamoto Kazuki and the Racing Angels defeated Idaten in the warehouse, with Kawamoto’s overwhelming fighting skill breaking the gang’s resistance. Masaki and the others captured Mitani Jun and his officers, then rode off with them as Kawamoto left alone into the rain.

• Kawamoto silently overwhelmed Idaten’s fighters, impressing Junya, Nakajo, Kamishima, and Masaki with his combat skill.
• Mitani Jun charged Kawamoto, but Masaki intercepted him while Kawamoto defeated the blond youth and two other officers.
• Masaki knocked Mitani down and tied him up as the warehouse battle ended, with half of Idaten’s members fleeing and the rest defeated.
• Junya and the others bound Mitani’s officers to their motorcycles, while Masaki declared that the Racing Angels called the shots on Shonan’s nights.
• Masaki and the others dragged the captured Idaten leaders into the rain, and Kawamoto Kazuki rode away alone on his blue Z1.

Kazami Academy coach Takahashi Nanase visited Shohoku with his team for a practice game and introduced first-years Chiba Hidekazu and Shimizu Seisaku as key newcomers. Chiba challenged Kawamoto Kazuki’s reputation as a three-point shooter, but Coach Anzai said Kawamoto was not in the gym and left the answer for the game.

• Takahashi Nanase arrived at Shohoku with the Kazami Academy team, greeted Coach Anzai, and gave him a box of Gunma’s Fujiwara tofu.
• Takahashi praised Shohoku’s basketball atmosphere and discussed the modified motorcycles and Flash Wind Express riders he had seen on the way.
• Takahashi introduced Chiba Hidekazu, Kazami’s aggressive first-year point guard, and Shimizu Seisaku, a dependable first-year small forward.
• Chiba asked to meet Kawamoto Kazuki and said he wanted to test the Kanagawa MVP’s three-point shooting, prompting Sakuragi to defend Kawamoto.
• Coach Anzai told Chiba that Kawamoto was not in the gym and that Kazami would see his three-pointers during the practice game.

Shohoku fell far behind Kazami after Mitsui’s second-half shooting collapsed and Shimizu Seisaku repeatedly hit three-pointers. Coach Anzai sent Kawakawamoto into the game to turn the tide, and Kawamoto scored a three before taking on Shimizu defensively.

• Chiba Hidekazu volunteered to guard Kaede Rukawa, while Shimizu Seisaku served as Kazami’s other defensive anchor.
• Akagi scored inside and Shimizu Seisaku made three-pointers as Shohoku and Kazami stayed close through halftime.
• Mitsui missed four straight threes after the break while Shimizu Seisaku hit five in a row, pushing Kazami’s lead to seventeen points.
• Kazami widened the margin to twenty-two as its zone defense contained Kaede Rukawa, prompting Coach Anzai to call Kawakawamoto into the game.
• Kawakawamoto asked to defend Shimizu Seisaku, then made a three-pointer after Kaede Rukawa passed him the ball.
• Kawakawamoto matched up against Shimizu Seisaku as Kazami began its next possession.

Kawamoto Kazuki disrupted Kazami Academy’s offense with steals and lockdown defense while helping Kaede Rukawa fuel Shohoku’s comeback. Shohoku cut its 22-point deficit to nine, and Kawamoto fixed Chiba Hidekazu with a chilling stare after making a three despite Chiba’s threatening closeout.

• Kawamoto stole the ball from Shimizu Seisaku and passed upcourt to Kaede Rukawa for a tomahawk dunk.
• Kawamoto denied Shimizu an answer-ball opportunity, and Kazami’s rushed shot missed before Kawamoto made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 14.
• Kawamoto stole the ball from Shimizu again and knocked it upcourt for Kaede Rukawa, who dunked to narrow the deficit to 12.
• Kawamoto escaped Chiba Hidekazu’s pressure, caught Kaede Rukawa’s pass, and hit a three-pointer despite Chiba lunging toward his face.
• Kawamoto stared down Chiba after the shot, leaving Chiba unsettled as Shohoku closed the gap to nine points.