Episode 4: Happy New Year! The New Year's Tournament Is Where We Get Serious!

## Happy New Year! The New Year's Tournament Is Where We Get Serious!

**Happy New Year! The New Year's Tournament is When We Get Serious!** (あけまして!　ここから本気の新年大会!! *Akemashite! Koko kara honki no Shin'nen taikai!!*) is the fourth episode of Season 1 in the Nanbaka anime and the fourth episode overall.

## Synopsis

The New Year's Tournament kicks off, with Building 13's Cell 13 being chosen as one of the participates. The first round includes all guards and inmates, the second has Yamato Godai and Rock team up while Seitarou Tanabata and Uno team up for Round 3.

## Summary

Momoko Hyakushiki announces the beginning of Nanba Prison's traditional New Year's tournament. Cell thirteen are surprised by the announcement, but they are keen to compete once Yamato Godai reveals the winners are each given an item of their choosing; to the surprise of the guards, they are chosen to compete after all. Shortly after the introductory ceremony, Hajime Sugoroku is approached by Samon Gokuu who believes the former has lost by default due to the cell he's participating with. Kiji Mitsuba and Kenshirou Yozakura attempt to break up the fight, which only leads to more arguing between all four of the supervisors. While Rock, Nico and Jyugo point out the eccentricities of the four of them, Mitsuru Hitokoe begins the tournament commentary and announces the rules.

The first event is a competition of calligraphy, which Jyugo soon fails due to his inability to write. While Uno worries the building will be kicked out of the tournament after the first round, Yamato and Hajime manage to secure a win with their own beautiful penmanship. Congratulating them, Mitsuru announces the next event, a combination of mochi pounding and daruma drop where one guard and one inmate must complete their mochi without letting the bowl hit the ground. It is decided that Rock and Yamato will participate due to their raw strength and stamina, and Yamato states that he'll pound the mochi while Rock defends the daruma, claiming to prefer a more peaceful approach to the match.

Yamato and Rock are opposed by Inori Hakkai and Liang from building five; Rock recognizes Liang as a former cellmate of his before he was transferred fro building five to building thirteen. As Yamato begins pounding their mochi, Liang takes a daruma out from underneath while Rock isn't looking. He announces his intention to take revenge against Rock for defeating him in the past, and disarms him with a powerful kick. As

Yamato watches, he is confronted and attacked by Inori; from the stands, Hajime explains the competitive nature of building five's occupants. Liang continues to attack Rock, who only blocks his kicks; Liang mocks him as he recalls the time that Rock brutally beat him, leading him to train endlessly in the hopes of revenge. He states that if he wins he'll have them install more training equipment as his prize before asks what Rock hopes to win; the latter immediately responds that he wants them to install a stone oven in the building's kitchen in order to make more meals. In response, Liang continues to mock him and refers to him as greedy and cowardly before trying to subdue him with a high-level martial arts move. Rock becomes angered at his comments and begins fighting back for the first time in the match, eventually managing to knock him out with nothing more than a punch, knocking out a daruma in the process.

Watching the fight, Yamato renounces his peaceful methods in favor of punching Inori off the mortyr, defeating him and destroying their daruma. This secures a victory for he and Rock, while Samon looks on in anger; elsewhere, Kiji deduces that he and his inmates are up against building thirteen next.

Mitsuru announces the current leaders as building thirteen, and states that the next event will be a game of Hyakunin Isshu. After some discussion, Hajime nominates Seitarou to participate, much to the inmates' suprise. Mitsuru begins to explain the rules. While Jyugo worries that he will be nominated and subsequently lose, Uno volunteers to play due to his immense experience with cards and ignores Jyugo's attempts at disuading him; what's more, he refuses the help of a recommended third player. Mitsuru announces that Seitarou will be up against Kiji, who believes that building thirteen will surely lose but showers Seitarou with compliments regardless. This causes Uno to become jealous, which is enhanced by the presence of his two rather handsome opponents named Honey and Trois; he remains determined to defeat them. Seitarou wins against Kiji with little effort due to his enhanced memory, but Uno seems headed for defeat against Honey and Trois. This causes Kiji to gloat, despite his own easy loss; however, Jyugo believes that Uno will turn.

## Character Appearances

* Momoko Hyakushiki
* Jyugo
* Nico
* Uno
* Rock
* Kenshirou Yozakura
* Hajime Sugoroku
* Seitarou Tanabata
* Yamato Godai
* Samon Gokuu
* Kiji Mitsuba
* Mitsuru Hitokoe
* Inori Hakkai
* Liang
* Honey
* Trois