Momoharu´s Wings (百春の翼, Momoharu no Tsubasa) is the third episode of the Ahiru no Sora anime. The opening theme is Happy Go Ducky! which is performed by the pillows. The ending theme is Tsubasa which is performed by saji.
Synopsis[]
Delinquents from Shinmaruko High have challenged Sora and his teammates to a basketball match, but how good is their team, anyway? Sora goes undercover to investigate!
Summary[]
Momoharu trying to calculate Sora's 1000 three-pointers
After witnessing Sora's passion for basketball, Momoharu becomes anxious about taking the sport of basketball seriously. He tries to toss folded pieces of paper in the bin in his room; most of them don't go in due to his insufficient shooting skill. Afterward, Momoharu starts to calculate Sora's 1000 baskets a day. However, he halfway loses his count on calculation due to his weak math skills. The next day, one of Sora's classmates asks him about his participation in any club activities. Sora informs him that he has decided to join the basketball club. As Sora excitingly makes his way to the locker room, he sees Chiaki with his unusual antics taking a bath in the basketball ball cart. Sora becomes furious over him and tells Chiaki he would now have to clean the locker room on the mess he has created. Chiaki questions Sora on his hardworking ethic and reveals that his brother, Momoharu saw a dumbfounded individual referencing to Sora's practice yesterday.
Chiaki takes Sora to the outside court, where Momoharu is practicing diligently. Chiaki then leaves. Sora becomes excited seeing Momoharu practice and heads over to the court to greet him. Meanwhile, Momoharu tries to make free throws but is unsuccessful. Frustrated over his futile attempts tries to make a dunk. Sora witnesses Momoharu's amazing jumping ability, murmurs that he flew. Momoharu sees an exciting Sora approaching him. During that time, the troublemakers from Shinmaruko High make their unannounced appearance. They have come to settle their unfinished bout with Momoharu and have brought extra artillery such as baseball bats with them. They mock Momoharu on his poor basketball skills, the fight begins. To save Momoharu, Sora jumps in as well. However, the battle's outcome remains the same, and the Maru High troublemakers give both of them a ferocious beating. Upon leaving, they challenged Kuzuryu High to a basketball practice match.
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Sora watching Momoharu as he attempts making layup shots
After their departure, Momoharu informed Sora that in comparison to him, his basketball skills are minute and mediocre. In his second year of middle school, he gave up on playing the sport. While expressing his inconsistencies, not realizing that after that beat down, Sora's ears were ringing, making him unable to hear him properly. Sora later apologizes to Momoharu that he didn't understand what he said earlier and requested Momoharu to show him that dunk again, meaning 'how does it feel to fly.' Momoharu, being amazed by Sora's request, also felt relieved and happy at the same time. While making their way to the court, Momoharu decides to keep his promise to Sora to show his dunk and, going forward, also vows to take the sport of basketball seriously and earnestly.
After their intense brawl with the troubled seniors of Shinmaruko High, Sora and Momoharu head to the school's basketball court for some practice. While seeing Sora's three-pointers, Momoharu asks him how he can improve his shooting skills? Sora explains that he is a feeling type of basketball player. Momoharu, unable to understand, jokingly throws the ball at him. Sora explains further that every person has their unique way of shooting depending on their personality and thinks Momoharu's shooting form isn't bad. He needs to work on his accuracy. He then further explains that he always shoots the ball for it to go in. Sora making his explanations complicated makes Momoharu furious, and a small argument takes place.
Chiba and Tokiwa
Meanwhile, Madoka enters the basketball court and watches all the action between them unfold. She starts to smile at their friendly argument; Momoharu tells her to leave and not interfere. Madoka is also amazed when the two of them became good friends all of a sudden. Momoharu then asks Madoka that didn't the girls' team have a practice match today. Madoka stated that it got canceled. Momoharu notifies Madoka that the seniors of Shinmaruko High challenged them to a basketball match, and he is thinking of seeking permission from their schools' advisor. At the locker room, Sora informs his other team members of the upcoming practice game. Upon hearing Yasuhara, Nabe and Masahiro gets furious and ask Sora are the upper classmen of Shinmaruko High looking for another fight. To calm his seniors, Sora explains that they can consider this upcoming practice match a form of fighting and tells them, let's show Shinmaruko High their way of basketball.
Yasuhara, Nabe, and Masahiro are inexperienced members of the team. Either of them knows nothing about the rules of the sport, nor they have never participated in any official match. Sora takes them to court and tries to teach them the basics of dribbling. While dribbling the basketball from Yasuhara's hand slips and hits Masahiro in the forehead, and the girls' team members of Kuzuryu High start to laugh at them. Embarrassed by it, the three leave the court and tell Sora that they are not participating in the match. Momoharu tells Sora not to stop them, and the game is next week, and it would be impossible for the three of them to learn all the basics. After practice, Momoharu, accompanied by his brother Chiaki goes to the nearby shoe store and purchases a pair of new basketball sneakers. Chiaki asks Momoharu that his behavior has changed lately and how he managed to buy these shoes since both of them get the same allowance. Momoharu responds unlike him (Chiaki), he is a thrifty person, and ever since Sora has joined the team, basketball club hasn't been boring anymore.
The following day Sora requests Yasuhara, Nabe, and Masahiro to reconsider playing basketball. They don't give a proper response; Sora tells them he will clean the locker room and buy buns. Yasuhara responds that they will reconsider playing if he (Sora) will go to the gym without pants. Sora took it even further and entered the court without wearing any clothes, everyone is shocked, and Yasuhara, Nabe, and Masahiro agreed to participate in the upcoming practice game.
Tokiwa attempting to stop Sora from scoring
The next day Sora and Momoharu go on an undercover spying mission to Shinmaruko High. As soon as they enter, Hanazono gets into a small argument with one of the Maru High students due to his outlandish thug-like appearance. Meanwhile, Kurumatani, due to his small stature, sneaks in. He makes his way to the basketball court and spies on the players from a small outside window. Tokiwa sees him and mistaken Sora for being one of the freshmen who want to join their team. He then invites Kurumatani to join them for practice. While entering the court, Sora witnesses Shinichi's vicious dunk and is amazed that the delinquent team he thought Shinmaruko High would be is the opposite. They are a very well-organized team with members of tall heights. Tokiwa informs Chiba that they have a lot of new freshmen this time joining their team. Shinichi goes to meet all of them and tells all the small height newcomers to go home. One of the freshmen questions Chiba's decision and asks why he cannot join the team. Shinichi elucidates that basketball is a sport that emphasizes height and power. People who aren't even 170 cm tall should not play high school basketball.
Sore hearing Chiba's ideology interrupts the ongoing practice of Shinmaruko High and intercepts Tokiwa's pass. Shinichi yells at Tokiwa to stop him. Tokiwa challenges Kurumatani to a 1-on-1 match. Sora, not being fazed by his adversary's tall height, goes for a layup, does a double-clutch move, and then scores the point. Everyone on the court is surprised by Kurumatani's skills. While leaving Sora issues a challenge to them, he is looking forward to playing against Shinmaruko High in the upcoming practice match. After Sora's departure, Tokiwa questions Chiba's decision to agree to do a practice match with a lesser-known team Kuzuryu High. He tells Chiba that their focus is to qualify for the upcoming Inter-High Tournament. Shinichi informs Tokiwa that he was in two minds about the practice match at first, but seeing Kurumatani's double-clutch has made him excited, and he looks forward to competing against them.
Characters by Appearance[]
- Sora Kurumatani
- Chiaki Hanazono
- Momoharu Hanazono
- Ryuuhei Nabeshima
- Yasuhara Shinichi
- Masahiro Saki
- Madoka Yabuchi
- Tokitaka Tokiwa (debut)
- Shinichi Chiba (debut)
Episode Staff[]
- Storyboard: Keizo Kusakawa
- Director: Keizo Kusakawa
- Animation Director: Naomi Ide, Mayuko Matsumoto, Masakazu Ishikawa, Hiromi Ono, En Ozawa, Synod