Area no Kishi - Episode 11

Sparkles in a shōnen anime!? What has the world come to?

It's no surprise that the soccer club's team chemistry is beyond bad; combining two teams who have gone through totally different styles of training and practising will undoubtedly cause conflicts to arise between the two sides. And so, division is imminent. I personally feel it's better this way since a small team of average players who can play as a cohesive unit is much more valuable than a larger team of skilled players who are always at each other's necks. With that being said, I'm quite sure that a solution to the current problem will be reached sometime soon.

Looking from the former SC's point of view, I can understand why they would be upset with the laidback coaching style of Iwaki. Players like Araki, who don't take practices seriously, have no chance of improving if the coach does not step in and change their attitude. But on the other hand, if a coach becomes too strict, the fun of playing soccer will vanish, which explains Iwaki's coaching style. Although it's easier said than done, a more balanced approach to practices and games would greatly increase the team's chances of success when it comes to competitive matches. And with the inter-high tournament coming up, the chance for the new soccer club to show their talent to the other competitors is within reach. What they end up doing with this opportunity is up to Coach Iwaki and the players.

In addition to the main plot, Takase's backstory and life were expanded on in this episode. Despite his often calm and composed appearance, it turns out he's struggling to support his family financially by taking up a part-time job on top of all his studies and club activities. He even ended up sacrificing the opportunity to become a professional in basketball, the sport he loved, in order to become a soccer player, in hopes of earning the money needed to help his family. Knowing this, my view of him has changed drastically. To be honest, I originally thought Takase was just someone who liked to look down on his opponents since they were inferior to him in terms of height. However, I now realize that this is not the case and that he's actually doing his best not for himself, but for his loved ones. Although the scene in the park at the end where Kaoru, Kakeru and Nana practised with Takase was slightly cheesy, it really showcased how one shouldn't jump to conclusions when it comes to the reasons behind other people's actions.