Sailing 20

The Captain Rides the Waves (茉莉香、波に乗る, Senchō, Nami ni Noru) or Sailing 20 is the 20th episode of Mouretsu Pirates.

Synopsis[]

Part 1[]

When Marika arrives at the yacht club's room, she finds the yacht club looking at a promotional image for the Nebula Cup dinghy tournament, which Ai is excited about. Though the yacht club are interested in competing, Lynn brings to light a problem - aside from Ai, none of the yacht club members have actually flown a dinghy outside the simulator. Kane then enters, dressing and acting differently from usual, declaring what a joke it would be to enter a real tournament without any time or real experience, or any help from him. When Marika asks him what he's doing there, he replies that they need an advisor and reveals that he's renewed his teaching credentials to be their PE teacher.

Later, in the simulators, the yacht club members struggle against a simulation of the strongest typhoon on record, Fransisco II. Marika questions whether Kane is overdoing it, to which Kane replies that if they plan to enter a tournament with no actual experience they should be able to handle at least that much. He then switches the simulation to a storm in the Great Red Spot. As the group continue to struggle and the rest look on, Ursula loses control of her dinghy, forcing Ai to make a fast manoeuvre to avoid getting hit, something which Kane takes note of. After the simulation ends, a cross Marika goes to confront Kane only to find that he has already left. While the others leave, Ai remains seated in the simulator, thinking about how it was different.

After the simulator training, Grunhilde, Yayoi and Natalia look up details about Hakuoh Academy's previous participation in the Nebula Cup and are shocked to discover that Hakuoh had previously received a five-year ban for interfering with the race and violating safety regulations. At the same time, the Nebula Cup planning committee learn that Hakuoh Academy will be competing. When the chairwoman wonders if they'll be able to handle the 'devils' in their current state, the vice-chairwoman suggests that if they hire someone with a similar disregard for rules to deal with them, making contact with the Harold Lloyd Insurance Union and Show.

In the evening, Ai is working on the dinghies when Marika arrives with a canned drink for her, inadvertently startling her. On being asked what she was doing, Marika tells Ai that she was looking for Kane as his terminal was off. The two agree that he was acting weird earlier and Marika suspects he's up to something. Ai mentions she had fun earlier, though Marika adds that as captain it still worries her, deciding to have him tell her what's going on tomorrow. Ai remarks on how Marika was busy, with both the club and piracy on the go, though Marika says that when one of her juniors is working hard herself, she has time to bring her a drink. Ai ponders her words, saying how she never thought of it as working hard, mentioning how she loves dinghies and loses track of time when working on them. She then feels a good wind coming and climbs up onto one of the dinghies to feel it. Marika offers to help and Ai thanks her, nearly falling off the dinghy when bowing.

At a bar somewhere, members of the groups involved with the non-aggression pact concerning Marika and her family are gathered to discuss the Bisque Company, a group from the Port of Orion who are targeting them. Ririka is also present with Kane. After being asked why he's showing her this now, Kane points out a hooded figure at the bar, whom Ririka immediately recognizes, realizing why the shady groups had agreed to leave Marika alone. Kane mentions their concerns about what will happen after Marika graduates from Hakuoh Academy and the protection no longer applies, but Ririka replies that it is for Marika to decide as she do what she likes after that.

As she is riding home, Marika thinks back on her conversation with Ai and about why she joined the yacht club in the first place. Looking at a shuttle taking off in the distance, she remembers that it was because she wanted to go into space. Her phone then rings, the call being from Misa who tells her they have a job offer. Later on the Bentenmaru, Marika speaks with Show who tells her that the security job is from the Nebula Cup Administration Committee who wish them to stop someone from interfering with the race. Show mentions that he'd heard Marika's club would be competing so he thought it would be a good fit. Marika thinks for a moment then agrees to take on the job. After the call finishes, Misa asks if she's OK with this, as if she's working with the Bentenmaru she won't be able to participate in the race, but Marika replies that she will be in the race. She adds that they don't know if she'll qualify yet so it will work out.

Part 2[]

On a beach near New Okuhama City, Kane assembles the yacht club for the qualifiers to decide their representatives for the Nebula Cup. When questioned by the yacht club, Kane, who insists on being referred by them as 'Coach', reveals that they will be deciding the competitors through a wave-surfing race, claiming that the important thing in the tournament will their endurance and how they put their skills to use. Despite objections from Marika and others, who have only used waveboards a little in marine sports class - a class the first-years haven't had yet, Kane has them go ahead with the race, claiming that they'll just endanger themselves if their bodies can't keep up with their skills when it really counts. Ai focuses on winning, thinking about how she won't be able to compete if she doesn't.

Several of the yacht club members fall off their boards soon into the race, including Gruier (who is unable to swim) whom Grunhilde vows to avenge. Having resolved to do their best to win, Marika and Ai continue racing onwards. Back on the beach, Asta brings Lynn, Izumi and Berinda some cool drinks from the beach house as they look on, but to their dismay, Kane sends them off to run fifty laps up and down the beach. As the racers round the buoy, Kane looks up, thinking that it is about time.

In the upper atmosphere, the Bentenmaru, piloted by Misa, deploys a device located in its nose cone. Though Schnitzer is unsure about it, he follows Kane's request and fires a pulse into the atmosphere, stirring up the winds and waves where the yacht club is racing. Marika wonders what he was thinking, thinking that no one will be left standing, but finds the remaining racers facing it well. Back on the beach, Lynn remarks how her yacht club gets good when they're in trouble as the wind bowls them over. Natalia finishes the race first, with Grunhilde coming second by means of a rope (something which several question though Gruier praises her). Ai jumps ahead of the others and is neck-and-neck with Marika for the last stretch, but ultimately manages to claim the third place for the Nebula Cup.

In the evening, as the yacht club recover and the winners celebrate, Kane remarks how he was a little surprised, seeing as how it was supposed to be a little joke. Marika then tells him not to do it again. Kane questions Marika about what she was planning to do if she had won since they had work. Marika replies that she had a few ideas, such as racing while pirating at the same time, and remarks on how Ai's love of dinghies and Kane's recent attitude, for which he apologies. Kane then tells the yacht club that he'll continue training those entering and those not until the tournament, before sending them to Lamp House for parfaits, as his treat.

Sometime later, Mami and her friend come across an exhausted Lynn and the others on the beach, having been left behind. On the day of the race, the yacht club set off from the Sea of the Morning Star relay station in a Hakuoh shuttle as the Bentenmaru prepares to launch, with Kane seemingly back to normal.

Major Events[]

The yacht club plan to enter the Nebula Cup, unaware of their school's actions and subsequent ban five years previously, and receive training from Kane.
The parties involved in the non-aggression pact concerning Marika, meet to discuss someone targeting the Katos, and Ririka learns of another person involved in the pact.
On hearing that Hakuoh Academy will be competing again, the Nebula Cup planning committee make preparations, one of which is to contact Harold Lloyd to provide additional security. Show gives the job to Marika.
The yacht club have a wind-surfing race to decide who will represent Hakuoh Academy in the Nebula Cup.

Characters[]

New Characters[]

Ships[]

Bentenmaru

Locations[]

Sea of the Morning Star

New Locations[]

Nebula Cup orbital station

Adaptation[]

The role that the man at the bar played in getting various groups to form a non-aggression pact regarding Marika is an anime-only element, given his likely identity (and thus his status in the novels).

Quotes[]

Opening Narration[]

"Yachts. In the past, they sailed the seven seas, but in this era, they fly through outer space, with the help of solar winds or instellar medium. And the people who pilot them are also flying, hoping to meet any possibility they can."

Next Episode Preview[]

"A truth revealed. The reason for hatred. Surrounded by dark conspiracies, the girls focuses on the tournament, her love of the sky in her heart. Marika's rage explodes at the violence that threatens the girl's dreams. Next time, on Mouretsu Pirates: Final Battle at the Nebula Cup. Look forward to it."

Ending Quote[]

"My treat."

Trivia[]

An altered version of the yacht club's race is featured as an event in Fever Mouretsu Pirates, as well as elements of Marika's talk with Ai ^[1].
One of the simulations that Kane subjects the yacht club to is that of a storm in the Great Red Spot, though it is unclear whether this is the same Great Red Spot as the storm on Jupiter or another similar feature on a different world.

Soundtrack[]

#	Title	Time	Scene & Notes
1	Daikoukai Jidai ^[2]	00.00	Opening Narration
2	Mugen no Ai	00.29	Opening Theme
3	Nodoka na Nichijou ^[2]	02.03	Interested in the Nebula Cup
4	Chiaki Kurihara ^[2]	03.11	Coach Kane
5	Kakemochi Marika ^[3]	03.47	Simulator training
6	Mikkou Oujo ^[3]	07.25	Marika and Ai's talk
7	Unverified Track	09.14	Representative's meeting
8	Eyecatch A	12.08	Part 1 End
9	Eyecatch B	12.11	Part 2 Start
10	Unverified Track	12.31	On the beach
11	Yukai na Daikatsugeki ^[4]	14.14	Wind-surfing
12	Tatakau Yacht-bu ^[2]	16.44	Surprise winds
13	Hibi Heion ^[2]	18.57	Treats afterwards
14	Uchuu Kaizokusen Bentenmaru ^[2]	20.22	Bentenmaru clear for launch, at the same time as #14B for the first part
14B	Yacht-bu no Uta ^[3]	20.23	The yacht club singing on the shuttle, at the same time as #14
15	Lost Child	21.18	Ending Theme
16	Daikoukai Jidai ^[2]	22.42	Next Episode Preview

References[]

↑ Fever Mouretsu Pirates
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Mouretsu Pirates OST 1
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Mouretsu Pirates OST 2
↑ Mouretsu Pirates OST 3

[Fever-1] Fever Mouretsu Pirates

[OST1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Mouretsu Pirates OST 1

[OST2-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Mouretsu Pirates OST 2

[OST3-4] Mouretsu Pirates OST 3

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