Episode 8

**"Tears of Disappointment"** (あふれる悔し涙, *Afureru Kuyashi Namida*) is the eighth episode of the *Hang On! Sport Climbing Girls* anime series.

## Characters

* Jun Uehara
* Konomi Kasahara
* Sayo Yotsuba
* Nonoka Sugiura
* Asuka Fujimura
* Kikuko Goto
* Juzo Goto
* Masumi Fujita
* Chinari Iwamine
* Chigusa Kumagai
* Maruno Satou
* Rina Samura
* Kurea Ooba
* Kaoru Niijima
* Akane Uchimura
* Anne Kurusu
* Hifumi Benibana

## Summary

Sayo climbs the first and second wall in her first attempt, but before reaching the top of the second, she injures her middle finger on the right hand. Due to the pain, she freezes in the middle of the third wall and is unable to climb it. She bandages it, but is still feels the pain in stops on the fourth wall as well. Seeing the concerning face of Nonoka she decides to fight the pain, knowing it may cost her more and asks for cheers. Nonoka and Konomi starts cheering and little by little the crowd follows and cheers for Sayo, who gathers strength and climbs the fourth wall. The final climber in the semifinals, Chinari Iwamine, who becomes the only one who climb all four walls.

The results come out and Chinari and Chigusa take the first two places. Sayo and Konomi are third and fourth, while Masumi Fujita, Kaoru Niijima and Rina Samura take fifth, sixth and seventh places. Sayo congratulates Konomi and states they have a chance for the champion team, however Nonoka had realized Sayo is injured and tells her she must not climb. Sayo listens to her and agrees to withdraw, telling Konomi that she will be representing their team alone. Masumi is disappointed she is fifth, losing even to the rookie Konomi and sees that Chinari doesn't even care for her anymore as rival and has turned her eyes on Konomi. However, her teammates come and support her, knowing she will do well in the finals.

In the finals, Kaoru fails to climb the first wall. Inspired and moved by her team, Masumi climbs the first wall in her first attempt. Konomi comes out and routesetter Nakata, explains that she should shine here as the finals also follow the World Cup finals format where all the climbers are allowed to see the walls beforehand, allowing them to analyze it before its even their turn to climb. Konomi had climbed all the walls in her mind already and prepares to start her actual climbing, however she slips on her first move and falls.

After the finals, the individual results come out and Kaoru takes third place. Chinari ends up being second, while Masumi takes first place. Chinari and Masumi both climbed the three walls, but Masumi took less attempts. The team results follow and Chinari's Kurikawa High becomes the champion team. Konomi wonders why she couldn't climb at all, even though she knew all the correct moves, but quickly shakes the dark though and motivates herself that she can and will do better. Returning to the other girls, Sayo informs Konomi that Jun requested time off from the team. She had found a mental weakness in her climbing and would like to climb and train by herself for a while. However Sayo is sure that Jun will be back before the Combined Japan High School Cup in six months, a national competition where climbers compete in all three disciplines: lead, bouldering and speed. The girls decide to improve themselves and aim at the upcoming competition.