Switch Off (volume)

Switch Off (スイッチ・オフ, Suichi ofu) is volume 5 of the Sket Dance manga.

Chapter 36
"Confounded Angels (過ちのエンジェル, Ayamachi no enjeru)"

Ayumi introduces the Sket Dan to a guy from her class who needs their help. She explains that he's bad at communicating because he has adopted a visual-kei style of speaking, meaning he says complex things in a few simple words. After much roundabout, they learn that his name is Dante and that he has dropped something. In order to try to get Dante to open up, the Sket Dan start asking more basic questions... only to be met with more confounding words.

Chapter 37
"The Little Princess in High Spirits (リトルプリンセスは気分上々, Ritoru purinsesu wa kibun jōjō)"

Momoka visits the Sket Dan, and she and Himeko have a toast to her seiyū success with a bottle of Coke, which turns out to be Chū-san's youth potion. The two are reverted to toddler bodies, much to Himeko's delight. Bossun is tasked with babysitting the girls while Chū-san makes a remedy to prevent their bodies from being permanently changed.

Chapter 38
"A New Take on Momotarō (改じでくれよう桃太郎, Kaijide kure yō momotarō)"

The Principal comes to the Sket Dan with a request! His grandson is only in first grade, but rarely smiles. Thus the principal asks the Sket-dan to put on a kamishibai for his grandson in exchange for an increase in club funds. Switch suggests that they adapt the story of Momotarō. However, the adaption quickly gets out of hand when the boys change the setting to the present day and the characters to various creatures.

Chapter 39
"Otaku and Occult (オタクトオカルト, Otaku to okaruto)"

Reiko requests the Sket Dan - namely Switch - to help her purchase a computer. The two end up meeting Reiko's crush from middle school, Kobayashi, who tactlessly comments on how Reiko hasn't changed a bit. She explains to Switch that she had tried to become more normal by falling in love with a guy, but was rejected for being scary. Switch suddenly takes her through the store for a makeover, and Kobayashi ends up propositioning her, not realizing who she is.

Chapter 40
"Running Home Run (ランニングホームラン, Ranningu hōmuran)"

The principal requests that the Sket Dan look after his grandson Yoshihiko for the day. The three try to come up with ways to amuse Yoshihiko, but he turns out to be a stuck-up know-it-all, trying Himeko's patience at all turns. Finally, the three take Yoshihiko to a park to play baseball. Though unamused at first, he gets caught up in the game and is excited when he hits a home run.

Chapter 41
"Brothers (兄・弟, Ani, otōto)"

On their way home, the Sket Dan run into Shinzō having an argument with his younger brother Shinpei, a first year. Shinzō explains that his brother got into a fight with a gang and destroyed Shinzō's prized shinai, which he needs for a competition the next day. Later, the trio see Shinpei searching in a river. It turns out that when he had picked up the shinai to fight, he'd immediately paused to put it down upon realizing it was his brother's, but the gang took it and threw it into the river. Despite him telling the Sket Dan that it doesn't concern them, they wade in as well to help him look.

Chapter 42
"Switch Off, Part 1 (スイッチ・オフ 前編, Suichi ofu zenpen)"

Kazuyoshi meets Sawa, a childhood friend and neighbor, walking home with her friend Yukino. Sawa explains that recently, an unknown guy has been stalking her. The next day, Sawa comes by with a threatening letter she'd received. Later, while Sawa and Masafumi are out shopping for stalker security measures, Yukino tells Kazuyoshi that Sawa's stalker, Shinji, once stabbed someone with a knife and now carries one at all times.

Chapter 43
"Switch Off, Part 2 (スイッチ・オフ 中編, Suichi ofu chūhen)"

Kazuyoshi calls Masafumi to warn him about the stalker's knife incident. Yukino is surprised that Sawa and Kazuyoshi aren't romantically involved, but An-chan lies that Sawa and Masafumi are. Yukino sees the stalker behind them, and An-chan chases after him. Grabbing his bag, Kazuyoshi empties it only to find no knife. Shinji explains that he was only trying to work up the courage to confess to Sawa. He turns out to be Yukino's ex-boyfriend, explaining that they had had a bad breakup and Yukino has been trying to keep him from confessing to Sawa. He also reveals that Yukino was the one who stabbed someone with a knife back in middle school.

Chapter 44
"Switch Off, Part 3 (スイッチ・オフ 後編, Suichi ofu kōhen)"

Kazuyoshi arrives to see Masafumi loaded into an ambulance. At the hospital, his mother sobs and calls the two boys by name, revealing that Switch is Masafumi while An-chan is Kazuyoshi. The police tell the family that Yukino had meant to kill Sawa, but decided at the last last minute that killing the one she loved would be more painful. Kazuyoshi then realizes that the murder is his fault, since he told Yukino that Sawa and Masafumi were together.

Omake
"Puppet Dance (パペット・ダンス, Papetto dansu)"

A trio of 4-koma titled "Puppet Dance", "Muppet Dance" and "Silhouette Dance" which star puppet versions of the Sket Dan.

"Resort Dance (リゾートダンス, Rizōto dansu)"

It's time for a swimsuit contest at the beach! The boys all go crazy (to varying degrees) over Asahina, Yagi, Mimori, Momoka, Chiaki, Roman and Himeko in swimsuits. This contest has a twist, though - it's also a shiritori match.