Summer Breeze

Summer Breeze (薫風, Kunpū) is the 37th episode of the Sket Dance anime.

Summary
After being betrayed by Arisa, Himeko transfers to another school to start a new life, but the rumors of Onihime still prevails. When Himeko knocks out a softball far during sports, Chiaki tries to convince her to join the team. Even though Himeko declines Chiaki's offer, she warms up to Chiaki and eventually to Bossun. When Chiaki gets bullied by some thugs, Himeko struggles to choose between saving Chiaki and risk exposing her Onihime side or not.

Plot
It starts off the day after the incident between Himeko and Nanba. While walking along the corridors, Himeko hears other people talking about her brawl with Nanba and her gang. Afterwards, she was interrogated by a school faculty, asking her if she hurt Arisa Kanou. She answers that she did, and walks away. That night, in the field hockey clubroom, she packs her field hockey stick and leaves while ignoring her other friends. While on her way home, she is faced by a delinquent trio led by a girl named Takenoshita, who mocks her. She replies by saying that "it is just one after another", takes out her stick, and charges. She leaves the trio unconscious on the street and walks away.

After that, she always gets into fights with other delinquents, where she always ends up winning with the help of her stick. Then one day, she colors her hair blonde and people starts to call her Onihime.

She becomes a much feared person so she decides to move to another school far away, a school that is not aware about "Onihime" and her whereabouts, changing her image by wearing a ponytail. That school is named Kaimei Academy Private High School. Once inside, she hears a group of students discussing Onihime's transfer of school, and that they are frightened by the fact that she might be in their school. She then remembers Kanou saying that she doesn’t want to stand out, and tells herself that she feels the same way.

One day, while out on the field during a physical education class, Himeko is told to throw a ball as far as she could. She throws the ball with great strength and her classmates commend her but she just ignores them. One of those classmates was a pig-tailed girl named Chiaki Takahashi. Moments later, Chiaki asks Himeko if she is interested in joining the softball club, but Himeko rejects her. Chiaki tries again, and this time tells her that she can make lots of friends once she joins; she still rejects her and tells her to leave her alone.

Then one day, while taking out some clothes from her bag in the classroom, she accidentally brings out her old Poppman hat. The hat captures the attention of a male student who is also an avid fan of Poppman. He then starts talking about Poppman but Himeko just ignores her. To her surprise, the boy does not leave, even after she ignores her. She tells the guy to leave her, but then Chiaki joins the conversation. Chiaki laughs at the two arguing and tells them that they are just like a comedy pair. Out of annoyance, Himeko gives the Poppman hat to the guy, named Fujisaki, but tells him in return to never speak to her again.

On her way home, she is once again approached by Fujisaki. This time he shows her his old Poppgoggles, saying that it narrows his vision and helps him concentrate really good. She still tells him to leave. The one day, while eating alone on the school rooftop, she is approached by Chiaki, inviting her to join her for lunch. She tells her to leave, but then Fujisaki approaches them once again, asking if he could join them for lunch. She tells him to leave, but the Fujisaki persuades, telling her that food tastes better when eaten with others. After hearing this, she allows them to eat with her, and after a while, gets along with them.

One night, two men are shown talking in a park. A man is talking to the other man, telling him that he dented his car out of anger after losing to a game of pachinko. The man who dented the car apologizes, but as he was talking, a softball rolls to his feet, followed by a running Chiaki, who apologizes and asks if anyone got hit by the ball. The dent on the car is circular shaped, just about the size of the ball. The man then smiles menacingly.

The next day, Himeko notices that Chiaki is feeling down. She asks if something is wrong, but Chiaki tells her that everything's fine. Meanwhile, Fujisaki is shown walking on a corridor while carrying some goods when he bumps into another student, who is actually Kazuyoshi Usui (although it is not mentioned), with his appearance prior to his younger brother's death. Fujisaki drops his goods which includes a Gumin Gumi candy packet. The student notices the candy packet and tells Fujisaki that it’s his brother's favorite. Fujisaki, out of kindness, gives the packet to the student.

That night on the rooftop, Chiaki finally tells Himeko what happened, while Fujisaki eavesdrops on them. She tells Himeko that she accidentally hit a car one night with a ball and now the owner of the car told her to bring money for the dent she had caused. They told her to go to the place with a “zou”. Himeko tells her that those men are not after money, and tells her not to come. But Chiaki goes otherwise, and thanks Himeko for worrying about her.

Fujisaki finally comes out after Chiaki has left and tells Himeko to go to the place with him, telling her that they couldn't let Chiaki go alone. Himeko disagrees, and Fujisaki tells her that Chiaki is their friend. Himeko still does not want to come, and tells him that he doesn’t understand her feelings. Fujisaki tells her that although he doesn't understand her feelings, he doesn't care, which makes Himeko angry and holds Fujisaki by the collar, telling him that he doesn't know anything about her past. Fujisaki answers back by asking her why she is acting so unhappy even after having friends. Himeko replies back by saying that friends betrayed her. Fujisaki tells her that running scared and making friends lose their trust is worse than being betrayed, and runs away to the place with the "zou”.

Fujisaki goes to the train station with a statue on its front, mistaking the word "zou" for statue, which is also the word for elephant. On the other hand, Himeko goes to the right place, with "zou" meaning elephant toys. There, she prepares her stick, telling Chiaki that she arrived just in time. Chiaki tells her that the men tried to get her to their car and Himeko tells her that she'll protect her. The men mock them, but Himeko charges with her stick, sending a man to the ground. The man gets up and tells the others to get rid of Himeko's stick. Himeko charges on another guy who is holding a wooden stick. The man falls to the ground but when Himeko is just about to deliver the final blow, he blocks her stick with his stick, causing Himeko's stick to break into two. This causes Himeko to be weaponless and a huge guy holds her while another one holds Chiaki.

Just when the men were about to stuff both of them in the car, a pinball hits the guy holding Himeko, causing Hime to escape. To her surprise, the ball came from Fujisaki. It then rewinds to the time Fujisaki is figuring out where the place with the “zou” is. Using his Poppman goggles, Fujisaki concentrates and thinks carefully for the place with the “zou”. He realizes that the place is the park, where there are huge elephant toys.

It jumps back to the present, after Fujisaki, while wearing Poppman’s hat and goggles, fired a pinball with the use of a slingshot. He then screams at Himeko, telling her that she lied to her about the place with the “zou”. Himeko asks why he went this far and he replies that he doesn’t have a reason. When he will save someone, he will definitely save them. Himeko’s eyes begin to water after hearing that. Fujisaki prepares himself to face the men but ends up shaking and nervous. Himeko tells him to stand back and picks up the wooden stick. As she prepares herself to fight, she thinks that once they know that she is Onihime, it means goodbye once and for all. She thanks Fujisaki for coming and beats up the men. As Fujisaki and Chiaki watches in awe, Himeko’s ponytail breaks free and shows her long blonde hair, revealing her to be Onihime. Once the men find out that Himeko is Onihime, they apologize and tells the truth about the car dent and run away.

Himeko finally tells them that she is Onihime, and tells both of them to go home. Chiaki does not comply, telling her that it does not matter if she is Onihime, for she is a nice person. Hime answers back, saying that she is a person that is feared and have hurt a lot of people, and it is better that she is left alone. Fujisaki commends Himeko’s strength, and asks her if she could lend that strength. He tells her that he has been planning to create a club that helps people, and that her strength is perfect for the club. Himeko disagrees but Fujisaki tells her that he needs someone strong like her. While looking at Fujisaki, Hime sees Poppman, and realizes that Fujisaki is her hero, just like Poppman. She then starts to cry. Chiaki asks her if she hadn’t cried in a while and tells her that now she has a shoulder to cry on. She then pushes Fujisaki towards Himeko and Himeko cries on his shoulder.

While on their way home, Himeko asks Fujisaki why he is wearing the Poppman hat and tells him that it suits him, making him look like Poppman. Fujisaki is flattered by this comment and decides to keep the hat as a part of his everyday attire.

It then jumps back to the present, where Bossun and Switch are playing on a see-saw on the playground while Himeko is sitting on a bench, wondering about A-chan and if she continues to play field hockey. Just then, Arisa appears on the park and calls Himeko “Onizuka-san”. She has cut her hair short, just up to her neck. Himeko stands up and faces Arisa. Arisa bows down to Himeko in apology. Himeko turns her back, sighs, and faces Arisa again. Arisa calls Himeko “Onizuka-san” once again, and Himeko replies by telling Arisa to call her “Hime”, while calling Arisa “A-chan” once again, a sign that Himeko forgives her. A-chan is brought to tears, and Himeko smiles back at her.

Gallery
Check out the episode's image gallery!

Cast & Credits

 * Hiroyuki Yoshino: Bossun
 * Ryōko Shiraishi: Himeko
 * Tomokazu Sugita: Switch
 * Satomi Satō: Chiaki Takahashi
 * Haruka Tomatsu: Arisa Kanō
 * Erika Sawai: Takenoshita

Anime and Manga Differences

 * Anime Only Scenes: The bathroom scene with Chiaki and Hime extends their conversation.
 * Manga Only Scenes: Hime sees Chiaki with the thugs at the park, the class notice Chiaki and Hime's conversation, and Hime's thoughts about Bossun after Chiaki leaves the scene.
 * Ending Changes: In the manga, Hime and Arisa had an extended scene where they talked more and hug. Compared to the anime, Arisa just bows down in apology, and Hime just tells her that her name is Hime. Arisa cries. No hug is seen between the two girls.
 * Hime's ponytail came off only in the anime. See images below.