The BEST episodes written by Katsuhiko Chiba
#1 - Midnight Trial
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 15
Kon just wants to make it to the library but will uncover the capitals many hidden societies, whether he likes it or not.
#2 - Bridal Service
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 17
Kon answers on how to get home are at the research center, but when he makes it the lab chief will not give up any answers without payment.
#3 - Metamorphose at Gate
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 21
The Mysterious woman has brought Ecarlate and her group along with Erec and his team to tell them the reason behind everything.
#4 - Shining Master
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 8
Kon-trol, Kon-sumer, Kon-vention, Kon-pact, Kon-vict?
#5 - Home Sick
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 10
Kon has seemed to have lost his mind and reverted back to his days as an anti-social gamer nerd. The princess has ordered Marion and Sainglain to bring him back to his senses.
#6 - No Margin
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 23
The easy part was becoming a Hyperion; the hard part is dealing with family.
#7 - Pretty kama
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer - Season 1 - Episode 4
Erec has returned home to recover, a plot against honor and family is hatched against him.
#8 - Sesshomaru and Kirinmaru
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 18
Konton learns of the origins of the Rainbow Pearl and the connection between Kirinmaru and the Dream Butterfly. He summons an ogre to attack the Half-Demon Princesses.
Watch Now:Amazon
#9 - The Delicious Feudal Monks
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 13
When a demon begins to devour virtuous monks and Shinto priests in the region, Hisui is assigned to guard his father, Miroku, who has been undergoing harsh training for the past two years.
Watch Now:Amazon
#10 - Trap of the Two Perils
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 17
Konton devises a plan to destroy the Half-Demon Princesses. Riku offers to help him out, letting the girls know that the man-eating demon Totetsu has reappeared. The three are lured into a ravine by Totetsu and fall right into Konton’s trap.
#11 - The Hidden Village for Half Demons
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 20
Setsuna opens up to Towa about the hidden village for half-demons where she was raised for most of her childhood.
#12 - The Cat Juan at the Old Temple
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 6
Travelers are going missing one after another. Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha head to the northern mountains to crack the case, but instead they find a village completely overrun by ghost cats!
#13 - Meifuku, the Meioju
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Season 1 - Episode 9
Moroha accepts a job to slay Konton, a member of the Four Perils said to have defeated Meioju, a demon beast with the ultimate armored shell.
#14 - The Speed of Evolution
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 8
Eiichirō and Miyagawa face off in the second round of the tournament for their second match. If Eiichirō loses he knows he'll lose all chance of going pro. If Miyagawa loses he knows his path to become a pro will take longer and might force him to go to college first. As the two face off both unveil their new weapons. For Eiichirō he unveils his dangerous serve while Miyagawa unveils some new counters that will force Eiichirō to adjust his data in unexpected ways. How many breaks can each get off of each other?
#15 - Pro At My Age
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 17
Araya and Eiichirō end up at deuce after neither player can gain an advantage. An ace end up being huge for Araya give him the match point advantage, and despite his best efforts a lucky bounce proves to be the end for Eiichirō as he loses 6-1, 6-4. The finals are held between Araya and Takuma. Takuma plays to his best ability and once again prevails, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to win the championship. As Eiichirō returns to his bag he runs into an unknown youngster named Ike Souji. Ike asks to see Eiichirō's notes before running off due to an important phone call. However he asks Eiichirō to inform Coach Miura that he will soon be visiting STC. After the awards ceremony is held, the others vow to defeat Eiichirō in the All Japan Junior before Eiichirō says he can't participate due to his low showings the year before. However he swears he'll get ready for the Inter-High. As Eiichirō gets home, he gets rewarded for his performance, but he shocks his parents when he asks them what they'd think if he decided to go Pro at tennis.
#16 - Start With a Roar
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 10
Araya and Eiichirō begin their match in the Kanagawa Prefectural Final. At first both are holding serve and the score is at 3-3. However Coach Aoi realizes Eiichirō doesn't have the knowledge on how to deal with left handers since he's only played Araya once. Araya starts to target Eiichirō's backhand. To counter Eiichirō is forced to continually adjust his speed, making his center shots an easy target for Araya. Araya gets the first break and goes on to win set 1 6-3. However Eiichirō begins to return Araya's shots as the first set ends, making Araya realize Eiichirō is growing as fast as Ike previously did. Both realize they have to find a way to get massive breaks if they are to have any chance of winning.
#17 - Full Force Toward Adversity
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 12
Araya and Eiichirō prove to be even and are both unable to break each others serve. Making things worse is there will be no tiebreaker., Instead an individual must win by 2 games. As set 3 continues Eiichirō begins to rely more and more on his instincts as his mind tires, and it begins to give Araya the slightest advantage. Eiichirō realizes if he doesn't break Araya when it is 6 all that he will likely tire and lose the match. Even that knowledge doesn't prove to be enough. Araya holds serve and goes up 7-6. Eiichirō then holds serve and evens it up at 7, but his mind completely wears itself out, and Araya goes on to win 9-7.
#18 - Diligence is My Style
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 9
Eiichirō returns to the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. His first match is up against fellow high school student Koshimizu Nariyuki, a man whom is always trying to compete with Eiichirō for the top scores. Eiichirō is a little too tense and quickly falls behind 3-0 when he finds a note from Natsu at the back of his notebook talking about what to do if he feels too tense. With this help Eiichirō rebounds and wins 6-3, beginning a process that would take him into a third round match with 5-seed Miyagawa. However Miyagawa is confident and proclaims he has learned Eiichirō's weakness after watching one match. Match 2 begins as Eiichirō takes on the 52-seed Noborikawa. With no tension Eiichirō easily advances with a 6-1 win. After the match Eiichirō watches Miyagawa's match to see what his tennis style is truly like to get him ready for the 3rd round.
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#19 - Resolve and Hell
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 19
Eiichirō manages to steal 1-point in the 10-minute match with Ike before his coaches reappear and make him stop playing a match. Afterwards Eiichirō is sent home to rest. The next day Eiichirō begins a brutal practice regimen that will recondition his body into that of a pro's. After 2 weeks of practice Eiichirō is invited by Coach Miura to come view some of the top seeds at the All Japan Junior. Eiichirō finds a fellow kindred spirit in terms of note taking and is shocked to learn he is the 2-seed. Eiichirō quickly realizes his data will allow him to control his opponents shots if his body gets conditioned correctly.
#20 - Moonlight and the Sound of Waves
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 14
The final door on the way to the All-Japan Junior, the Kanto Junior Tournament, is just around the corner. Eiichiro psyches himself up as he confirms his promise to his parents that he'll give up if he doesn't win the All-Japan Junior, and then he sets off with the other STC members for Chiba, where the Kanto Junior will be held.
#21 - Whish, Then Fwoom
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 16
Eiichiro is stunned by all the cheering Ide receives as their match begins. He struggles with the unpredictable plays of the intuitive Ide, but he recalls what he learned in his match with Natsu and concentrates on watching his opponent. Meanwhile, Ide also struggles to keep up with Eiichiro's constant changes in tempo and starts to tune out the world as he tries to focus.
#22 - Consistency and Change
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 21
Eiichirō continues his practice and gets his next tournament schedule. As the last player to qualify he is placed up against the 1-seed, Yu Nabae. Eiichirō begins to look for weaknesses from Yu on tape, but what he finds is a highly adaptive style that could easily beat him if he doesn't come up with a few tricks.
#23 - Visualize the Pressure
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 18
Eiichiro thought he was successfully ignoring the crowd's roaring cheers for Ide, but his body was reacting to it more than he realized. The pressure of playing in front of a dramatic, Ide-centric crowd is troubling Eiichiro. What can he do to overcome this situation? Eiichiro wrote down the pressure he felt in his notebook and tries to face the details he has been ignoring. Ide is on his game as his crowd cheers on; what will lead to Eiichiro's road to victory?!
#24 - Psychological Warfare and Self-Control
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 20
The match against Takagi begins. Just as Yukichi warned, Takagi's style is unique.
#25 - A First Match Full of Surprises
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 5
Eiichirō is about to play his first match. He receives advice from the other STC members, but it only makes him more nervous. He doesn't get a chance to calm himself down as he's soon called to the tennis court. His first opponent is Oobayashi Ryo, a player with five years of experience, the assistant captain of the tennis team at Shonan Tech, and a top eight finalist in the prefectural tournament. It's finally time for Eiichirō's first match! This episode covers chapters 8, 9, and 10 in the manga.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#26 - Risk and Possibility
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 11
After managing to hold serve Eiichirō starts looking for an opportunity to break Miyagawa. Both hold serve and force a tiebreaker. With the score 6-5 Maruo in the tiebreaker Eiichirō decides to try and gamble to use his full stroke and steal a point. The gamble backfires and Miyagawa evens the score 6-6. However Eiichirō's gamble makes Miyagawa think too much during his serve. He falls victim to a double fault, giving Eiichirō the match point opportunity on his serve. Seeing no other choice, Miyagawa makes a move to the net to catch Eiichirō by surprise. However Eiichirō's racket happens to be in the right spot for a return from short distance. Eiichirō's miracle return gives him the tiebreaker 8-6 and the match 7-6. The crowd is shocked as the 5-seed has been knocked out.
#27 - Reckless 100-Square
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 23
In an effort to try and reverse the tide, Eiichirō decides to go back to his idea of having 100-squares to aim for instead of 9. The precision allows him to begin winning some points, but more often than not Nabae watches balls go out and gets some easy points. How many games will Eiichirō manage to win against Nabae, and will he be able to gain a break?
#28 - Existence is the Driving Force
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 22
After beating Takagi, Eiichiro moves onto the semi-finals as does Natsu in the women's division. Eiichiro becomes aware of new feelings towards Natsu while watching her match. The next match is against the top tennis player, Nabae who has no physical or psychological weaknesses. While Eiichiro is troubled by what strategy to use, Takuma reveals Nabae's childhood weakness to Eiichiro. The battle against Nabae, the greatest opponent is about to begin!
#29 - Revenge at the Critical Moment
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 7
The Kanagawa Prefectural begins as Eiichirō faces off against Araya's new underclassman Nishimura. Araya has told Nishimura all of Eiichirō's weaknesses from the year before, making Nishimura very confident in his chances of winning. To counter this knowledge Eiichirō debuts his new serve and wins easily 6-0. Eiichirō then goes to scout Miyagawa, knowing he will be his second round opponent, but he arrives just in time to see the final point as Miyagawa wins 6-1, giving neither the knowledge of each other's growth in the past year.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#30 - Beast and Initiative
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 16
After going up Love-15, Araya uses a number of service aces to go up 3-1 in set 2. Eiichirō holds serve, and as he gains a 30-40 advantage in Game 6 of Set 2, Araya punches himself in his face to eliminate his emotions from the game. Both players manage to hold serve, giving Araya a 5-4 advantage in what could be the final game. Eiichirō decides to gamble and begins to predict where Araya will hit his shots. With the two even at 30-30, Araya serves knowing that whichever player wins the point will hold the advantage for the rest of the match.
#31 - Baffled by Intuition
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 9
Coach Ryuhei Aoi decides to teach Eiichirō the importance of relying on instincts during a match instead of relying solely on data. In order to teach him how to play against a player who relies solely on instinct Eiichirō is forced to face off with Natsu. Eiichirō takes the words that he can play at full strength to hearts content though and starts using the data he's collected in his head to target all of Natsu's small weak points.
#32 - One Year and Twenty Notebooks
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 8
Maruo Eiichirō continues his training at STC as he tries to master every shot. At smaller tournaments he begins advancing to the third round but is unable to go further. His mother worries that Eiichirō is spending too much time on tennis when he drops out of cram school to practice more. Eiichirō begins calling Natsu Nat-chan. After one year of playing Maruo prepares to return to the Kanagawa Junior Circuit and make it past the third round, but in order to do so he'll likely have to defeat three seeded players.
#33 - Choices and Explosive Power
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 11
Eiichirō throws out a couple of unexpected dropshots in set 2 and begins to alter the speed of his game. After trailing 30-love to begin match 2 of set 2 Eiichirō is able to rally with this new strategy and pull off a break. The break begins to build up Araya's frustrations, but instead of getting angry Araya yells at the sky and is able to calm down. Eiichirō stuns the crowd and wins set 2 6-3 to set up a third and final set. Araya acknowledges that Eiichirō's strategy is allowing him to address his weaknesses and actually get stronger as the game goes on. Over on the women's side Natsu easily wins the women's title 6-2, 6-0.
#34 - Determination and Presentation
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 18
Eiichirō investigates going Pro, but his reaction from his parents is less than he expected. Eiichirō joins Natsu at the first round of the All Japan Pro to watch the debut match of Ike Souji. Afterwards he puts together a presentation for his parents on going Pro and asks for one year where he won't have to study or attend cram school so he can make the All Japan Junior. Should he fail to win the All Japan Junior, Eiichirō will turn his entire focus to studying. After gaining approval Eiichirō informs his coaches at STC, who come up with a hellacious schedule, both for practice and for tournaments, that will qualify him for the All Japan Junior. At the end of the episode Ike Souji appears to greet his old friends at STC, and after getting approval from his coach, manager, and doctor he gets 10 minutes of practice time with each STC member who volunteers to face him. When his doctor, coach, and manager disappear, Ike grabs a hold of the ball and asks Eiichirō to play a practice match with him during the remaining time instead of just hitting the ball back and forth.
#35 - Gathering of Rivals
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 13
The gang begins their third and final year of high school in different classes. Eiichirō and Natsu both realize their classes seem to be moving on without them as they are getting ready for cram schools and entrance tests. STC has their own sort of ideas though. The top clubs in Japan have gotten together and decide to have their top players rotate between the top clubs. Included in the group is Eiichirō, and Natsu's top rival is also involved. The practices allow Eiichirō to focus on changing pace at all times and give him more experience. The bracket for the All Japan Junior is announced, and in order for Eiichirō to continue his goal he'll have to defeat the fifth seed. As the episode ends Takuma arrives back at STC. He had advanced to the Top 8 in Japan and is signing a bunch of contracts. Eiichirō challenges him to finish their match. Takuma agrees but points out he is headed over seas next week, so they'll have to do it as soon as the signings are done.
#36 - Face of Conviction
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 4
Eiichiro finds himself in a contest with Takuma. Eiichiro has fifty tries to return Takuma's serve. One successful return and Eiichiro wins. However, despite Eiichiro's best attempts to follow his notes and stick to the basics, he can do nothing against one of the strongest serves in the country.
#37 - A Hero and Loud Cheers
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 15
The Kanto Junior Tennis Tournament begins at last, and Eiichiro is facing Yakabe Tadanori in his first match. Although he had watched videos of Yakabe's matches from a year ago, Eiichiro is bewildered by his opponent's much taller stature and completely different play style, and all the unexpected factors lead him to consider blanking all his mental data and starting from scratch.
#38 - Meat Buns and Yakisoba
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 20
Eiichirō participates in a tournament after 3 months of hellish training. He learns about active rest while participating in the tournament and makes it to the final. Terashima is his opponent. Eiichirō shocks Terashima with how his game has changed and manages to win 6-1, 6-0. In all of his matches the closest game was 6-2. After the match Coach Miura informs Eiichirō he will have a week off before they do another 3 weeks of hellish training. He informs Eiichirō that this type of training will continue for the rest of the year, with him eventually getting down to only two days of rest inbetween. With a week off, Eiichirō helps his school perform their yearly cultural festival, a festival which ends up serving only to bring him and Natsu a little closer.
#39 - Dramatic by Nature
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 17
Ide's remarkable ability to adapt instantly to everything has Eiichiro struggling, and reads his notes again to regain his focus. This improves his movements and leads to more impressive rallies, making the match even more exciting. Neither is willing to yield as the match comes down to which player can manage to hold serve...
#40 - Unease on the Edge
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 10
The match between Eiichirō and Miyagawa begins with each holding serve. However Eiichirō feels that something is off. After studying his notes, Eiichirō realizes that Miyagawa has been studying his shots, and with a 4-3 lead he plans on making his move in the eighth game. If Miyagawa manages to break Eiichirō in the 8th game, the set will be all over. Instead of getting too depressed, Eiichirō changes his strategy and starts playing serve and volley tennis. The change of pace allows Eiichirō to win Game 8 and even it at 4-4, but will either competitor manage to break serve, and will Eiichirō be able to find his winning shot before it becomes too late?
#41 - A Rude First Meeting
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 19
Eitaro, upon winning spectacularly in his fight against Ide, decides to go to the National Junior's. Coach Aoi explains that towards the end of the match, Eitaro was completely in the zone.
#42 - Fundamentals are the Weakness
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 22
Yu Nabae matches up with Eiichirō and realizes they really are two players that are virtually the same. He realizes that what Eiichirō lacks is experience with the fundamentals, as he has never played anyone like himself, and after losing the first set Nabae begins to pull away and goes up 5-2.
#43 - Good, Evil, and Rules
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 21
Even if it seems to lack etiquette, Takagi's play style continues to work in his favor by disupting his opponent's pace. Eiichiro struggles to deal with Takagi's tactics. He tries to use his anger to his advantage, but he isn't successful. Eiichiro tries to remain calm and rational but this leads to a time-warning issued by the referee...
#44 - Methodical and Unorganized
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 2
Eiichiro is unable to answer Natsu when she asks him what he enjoys doing most. He becomes interested in tennis and returns to STC for another free trial. This time, he meets Egawa Takuma, an upperclassman who's friendly with Natsu. For some reason, he acts hostile towards Eiichiro, which is very intimidating. As Takuma watches, Natsu teaches Eiichiro how to hit the ball.
#45 - Aggressive is Ideal
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 23
The match has just begun and Eiichiro is already close to being in the zone. His excellent condition is reminiscent of his match against Ide; Eiichiro doesn't give Nabae a chance to fight back and soon takes the lead. Nabae is surprised at Eiichiro's aggressive play but remains calm and collects data by carefully analyzing Eiichiro's moves and attack patterns. However, Eiichiro's momentum is relentless. It seemed like he would take the first set when... l
#46 - Duty and Desire
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 24
Eiichirō runs to watch Natsu's match when he learns she is in danger of losing. Afterwards they return to STC where he Ryuhei Aoi, a man who will become his new coach. At first he doesn't trust Ryuhei's words, but he is even more shocked when Coach Miura says all of his training is being turned over to Ryuhei, and Ryuhei won't let him do any practice the next two days.
#47 - Recklessness and Surprise
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 24
The match between Eiichirou and Nabae finally reaches its thrilling climax, and the former risks losing to envision his victory.
#48 - Eiichiro and Natsu
Baby Steps - Season 1 - Episode 25
Eiichirō and Natsu go out on their first date. When Eiichirō asks Natsu what she thinks about him, she tells him he is cheating. Afterwards Eiichirō is allowed to resume practice. He learns how important it is for your ego and your subconscious to match up evenly. Coach Ryuhei decides the only way Eiichirō can meet his goals is to go to Florida during the winter break.
#49 - Final Set
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 25
The game finally reaches its final stage. Eiichiro who desperately envisions a vision to win Nambae and is ready for a new strategy with the intention of losing. Nambae, who determined that Eiichiro when it was driven down from the past data, was dangerous, tries to strike early.
#50 - The World and the Wall
Baby Steps - Season 2 - Episode 1
Eiichirō arrives in Florida, and Coach Mike introduces him to Marcia, an upcoming junior whose older brother just made the Pro's. Marcia and Eiichirō play a match, and Marcia decides Eiichirō must be training for the French Open because of his slow play style. Eiichirō is introduced to his new dorm mates, among which are Alex O'Brien, the older brother of Marcia. The next morning at breakfast Eiichirō is welcomed by Ike Souji, and his dorm mates begin to see him as a rival since Ike acknowledged him. Eiichirō's dorm mates are introduced to his 39 notebooks of tennis. Eiichirō and Alex are announced as a match for day one, but Alex refuses since Eiichirō isn't a Pro. Ike arrives and promises Eiichirō's dorm mates that anyone that can beat Eiichirō will be able to play him in the next two weeks. Eiichirō plays Alex in his first official match at the Florida Tennis Academy. During the day he learns about the video cameras showing his technique and the resources of the many coaches available.