Giant Killing - Episode 14

After the drawn-out but ultimately satisfying 2-0 victory against Nagoya Grand Palace (which we get to bathe in a little once again at the start of this episode - I was so caught up in the moment itself I didn't notice how genuine the depiction of the fan's joy was at this narrow victory), it's time to return to Earth with a bump as the next game looms already... at least, it is for the players, who are being worked harder than ever in an effort to keep their winning spirit in place ready for a side they have already lost against once this season.

The same cannot be said for the club's supporters however, as we see Goro trying to round up some of the old crowd to become hardcore fans of ETU once again - Something he fails at in the vast majority of cases, as his friends lives and responsibilities have changed over the years. This is something that I can personally sympathise with entirely; in years gone by I used to go to every AFC Bournemouth home game and see Arsenal at Highbury (as it was then) at least once a season if not more, but between work and other interests (not to mention the prohibitive cost) it's been a few years since I've managed to see any live football at all.


Despite this, the new-found excitement over ETU in footballing circles is tangible, as they get large spreads in the sporting press and fans flock to see their training sessions - Hell, Tsubaki even has himself a female fan club now, although I can't help but feel he'd do better to hook up with Yuri, but maybe I'm just projecting here. Speaking of Yuri, she is of course chomping at the bit to make the most of the PR implications for East Tokyo United's big victory, to the point where her own self-neglect causes her to pass out - The dangers of overwork. From here, we see that Yuri has almost completely lost touch with "the real world", so obsessed with her work is she; something which began when she got to see Tatsumi's impressive (nay, miraculous) debut for ETU as a player.

All of this made for a big change in both pace and focus after spending so many instalments on the last match, and I think it was much needed to be honest - Seeing those excited fans both new and old reminds me of my own moments of enthusiasm when I start to believe that Arsenal are about to become a trophy-winning force in the game again (only to have those hopes dashed weeks or months later), while Yuri's obsession with work also feels a little familiar. So, no football action here to speak of, but this was still a very enjoyable episode indeed - Perhaps the current England squad would do well to learn from this effort, and remember that the game is about more than just the coach and players... the fans are an important part of it all too.