Inazuma Eleven Anime Concept Part Nine: The Path to Glory Begins (Again)
Back to it after a little while away we are back to draft the first part of the concept for the second Path of Glory series in the third and final series in this triology (and the ninth of ten parts). Where we last left off we saw that youth football in Japan was split in two those behind the Raimon manager and those behind this new antagonist for who should take over the reigns as head of the Japanese Youth Football Federation with battle lines drawn each man will hope for one thing, one of the teams backing them to win The Path To Glory. Should you wish to look through the eight previous parts which cover the start of this season and the previous two please follow the below links:
Part One: Story, Main Character & First Episode Concepts: https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2021/12/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-one.html
Part Two: The Path To Glory Begins: https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2021/12/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-two.html
Part Three: The Path To Glory Concludes: https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2021/12/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-three.html
Part Four: Football Frontier International Characters and Concepts: https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2022/02/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-four.html
We begin not long after the first episode with Protagonist & ProC going to school talking about what happened. This would serve as a good recap as well as to go over some of our key teams on Raimon's side. Plus now we get to head into training and meet all of our new players for the first time.
As Protagonist and ProC get to training they are greeted by Copycat who is excited to see them continuously talking to Protagonist about what he’s done almost in awe he’s in the same team. We then go into training to see how all of the new talent are settling in. Of them all Limitless is the one fitting in the most bonding with his teammates saying ‘the time for training has begun we must all be prepared for the battles ahead’ confusing his teammates with how serious his language is.
The others have a more difficult time. MS is seen going all out in training if he misses a tackle he can seemingly pivot his body around and go again, after one near rough tackle Manager pulls his aside and from training which annoys MS. Protagonist notices this and is confused it feels like there’s something going on between those two with the amount of tension.
Prodigy is working on attacking plays with Ace and Captain against the defence but while Ace and Captain pass to each other Prodigy does not, keeping the ball and even when getting stuck by a defender he would shoot not pass the another player which annoys his teammates but he doesn’t seem to care thinking he’d get it next time.
As for Axel, Saix, Roxas and Xion they are quiet in training only really speaking to each other and Xion just saying ok and doing anything asked of her by C. After training Protagonist asks if they want to hand out but Axel says thanks but no thanks and they leave. Realising the work he has to do Protagonist sighs but Limitless says he will accompanying him where he is going. Protagonist and Limitless talk with Limitless speaking about while Protagonist might be facing struggles here the team will support him he just needs to find the right way to approach them.
The next day begins with a meeting about their first round match. Manager starts by saying although they have powerful allies fighting alongside them if they end up facing them they have to fight with all their power in the spirit of competition as all their opponents will. However, their first round opponents are a new team. Confused by the line up they ask why no manager or coach is listed. Manager states this is a unique case the captain is also the manager and coach, it seems are new competitor can pull some strings and nothing feels off the table. While they might do the same it makes them no better than their opponents so will fight honourably. Manager says how his captain (we are calling him Shibata for reasons we will reveal later) and is a former X-Gen player and now he has trained his team to play how he likes. Manager makes a point from the data given this is a strongly regimented team all know their roles and positions.
Being that Shibata has a heavy regimented team and that the team is a very new team in terms of players in and out they will look to go toe to toe with this having each player having a specific role and position which they will try with the starting 11 and those not starting will be looking at how to drag them out of position. The starting 11 for Raimon would be GK, Roxas (LB), Limitless and ProC (CBs), CapF (RB), Captain (DM), Protagonist and BF (CM), Axel and Saix (wingers) and Ace (ST). While the training begins it isn’t as effective as hoped. While Copycat is effective in dribbling using moves that BF notices are similar to that of Protagonist the same issues appear with Prodigy’s selfish plays and MS being taken out of training this time before he can try to bulldoze his way through opponents which ends in another glare between Manager and MS.
After training is the next time we get to see the Inazuma Japan team back together or at least most of it. They run down the teams they are facing with each other. We get a meet up of those at Raimon, Teikoku, Dynamic, Naito & Tana all from the FFI squad who are discussing their first round opponents which they admit don't have a large amount of information as most are new schools. Omega & Ibushi mention that they have heard that the team they are facing is a very violent one. When Protagonist mentions about Shibata we see Tana's interest peak, he mentions how he is an old friend from X-Gen they spent a lot of time together when they say about how he is a manager, coach and player Tana says that makes sense with how he is and says Raimon need to be cautious, while they have no manager or coach a team trained to be a team of Shibata's will be disciplined and regimented into an absolute gameplan which they may find hard to counter.
Once the meeting is done all of the Inazuma Japan team part ways and we follow BF on his way home where he spots Copycat training by himself. BF notices that all that is happening is he is basically copy techniques Protagonist uses. BF goes in takes the ball and says he will practice with him to Copycat’s delight who however just can’t get the ball from BF. After failing multiple times BF tells him he has seen this dribbling technique from Protagonist so many times now he knows how to counter it. He asks Copycat who he is and when he goes to give his name he says no and asks again who he is because all he currently stands as is a copy of a better player down to the way he looks and acts. BF leaves Copycat thinking on that question.
The next day as Protagonist is entering school he sees MS alone. Seeing this as the perfect time to speak to him about what has been happening. However, the conversation doesn’t go as well as he has hoped MS tells him not to worry about it it’s just the manager doesn’t get his style of play and maybe it doesn’t help for this match. Curiously he dodged all other questions and then heads off to class.
Training again doesn’t get all that well again trying to stick to a specific system and with the team being a mixture of new and old players it isn’t really something working. Limitless ends up being the one suggesting that going system to system won’t work if they are like this but they eventually agree to keep trying with this game-plan. But with that all in mind it is now time for the match.
Path of Glory Round One: Raimon vs Team Shibata
Raimon line up is as follows:
GK
Roxas-Limitless-ProC-CapF
Captain
Protagonist-BF
Axel-Ace-Saix
The match begins and Raimon's issues with their gameplan contine they just can't get into a rhythm where as Shibata can direct his team with absolute loyalty and it shows. Disjointed Raimon fail to retain possession against a team who are from various countries like Japan, America and England they are all united in one fluid motion headed up by Shibata up front. As the gameplan for Raimon falls apart Team Shibata takes the lead with their captain, coach and manager getting the goal.
All seems lost for Raimon they struggle to half time luckily it's only 1-0. The team talk and Limitless again suggests they should not go system to system but it falls on deaf ears. The second half starts much like the first with Raimon struggling. This is until Limitless breaks formation with a shocking burst of pace. He breaks out of his designated zone in the formation to do this, he tells everyone that this is not Raimon they are all about free spirit of football they are trting to save. With that being said the team seemingly burst into life free flowing breaking the formation and getting it to 1-1 thanks to Ace and Standing Ovation. They look over to the manager who nods telling them to play like this. Perhaps he was too worried about having half a new team he forgot what Raimon was all about in spirit and fight.
The game continues going back and forth now with Raimon's free flowing and Shibata instructing his team in a strong command. Turnovers in play at common with Shibata and the front three for Raimon of Axel, Ace & Saix all going close to no avail. In the end if was Raimon that got the decisive goal the ball sent up the field and it ended up with Axel and Saix who surprisingly combine for a duel shot which had not been seen in training called 'Heart & Mind' to get the win for Raimon.
Full Time Score:
Raimon: 2
Team Shibata: 1
The Raimon team celebrate their first win of the campaign and as they do it seems they are a full united unit. However, when Axel and his friends look into the crowd one person catches their eyes someone from their former school, right away they tense up and leave but as they do Captain notices who they were looking at, seems like he has taken an concern about this.
Just after this Shibata extends his hand to Protagonist he thanks him for the match, while he was part of an opposing viewpoint he was happy to lead a team this way, maybe there's lessons to be had with how he sets a team up, when asked why his school sided with the antagonist Shibata says the school was offered good money for improving facilities and they didn't care how the football team was run which confuses the Raimon team it seems like football is being used as a tool.
The next day the team sit down for a meeting they are talking about the results when they notice that the match with Tana should be over now so they flick from the post match debrief and check the final result. A state of shock fills the room as Tana's team has lost 5-0 to this new school they had never heard of. But that can't be. Sure they lost CapR but Tana is still a top class player surrounded by other strong players but it is true. Our main core of Protagonist, BF, GK & ProC go to the ground to see them as they are finishing packing up where Tana tries to break a smile but can't hide his pain. He speak on how the team they faced is like nothing they had seen before, well mostly. He tells the Raimon players about how one of the players he faced was an old friend, a goalkeeper called Naka (it's short for Nakamura work with the comparison) and was someone he was close to in XGen like Shibata who they just faced. While Shibata was interested in training Nakamura became self obsessed and ended up overseas, now back he seems to have this unbeatable prodigy up front nobody has heard of before, lightning quick and ruthless all they have to go by is his name and that is Okada (which it likely wouldn't be in the actual series but for here it makes sense as he is basically like Kazuchika Okada coming out of nowhere and winning). Tana says his team can still provide support to the rest of the teams on their side but he feels sorry for Dynamic Gakuen as they face them next providing they can even make it to the match. Confused by what he meant Protagonist asks for clarification to which Tana is confused simply saying they don't know what happened.
Dynamic Gakuen's opponents were a bunch of violent individuals seemingly this team had linked up with the antagonist not to win but to hurt all those in opposition (I will be referring to them as BCC like AEW's Blackpool Combat Club from here on out). The BCC is led by an older player who found he had no clubs left wanting to sign him over the world as he picked up a reputation as an on the field thug with more red cards than goals. He seemingly bounced around coaching normally letting his players run around commiting violent acts on the pitch and he had those which would follow him from school to school above all else his adopted son Mox. If this old manager was an English Bulldog than his son was a Pitbull. Dyanmic won but only because they game was thrown out due to excessive violence.
The next stop for the quartet is to Dynamic Gakuen. Here we see all the new members as well as Ibushi and the new captain Omega as the Ginyu Force just never returned. We see they have attracted players from around the world which follow their somewhat unique philosophy when it comes to football. Walking around their training centre a lot of players were covered in plasters and bandages when they meet Omega he is covered in cuts and bruises still passing the ball to some of the other team members they ask how he is and he says he and his whole team are suffering through a violent encounter but will be good to face Okada. He recounts the match and how his team were kicked and bloodied but are still standing.
A few days pass and next we get to Raimon training when they are called in for an emergency meeting. They are shocked the hear their next opponents are BCC but how? The announcement they watch says the ref who was in charge has been charged with cheating and as well as this the school Raimon were to face has dropped out so BCC take their place. Obviously, this is all lies by the antagonist to get a powerful team back in the Path to Glory. But that isn't all we go to the chairman of the BCC school which shocks the team but BF the most as it turns out that the school the BCC inhabit is actually Hakuren.
The Hakuren principal talks about how delighted he is that not only has the antagonist helped set this up and not only that but is happy to usher in a new era as BCC no longer Hakuren. Hearing this BF leaves the room and goes straight training annoyed about what he had heard from his former school. Post training that day BF goes for a run by the riverbank where he is interrupted by Copycat who asks him to train by the riverbank why BF agrees to. They get talking and BF talks about Hakuren and how the owner of the school was always money hungry. The reason he ended up there was due to XGen and how the school owner jumped on the chance to make money and its the same here. Regardless of it all he loved the idea of representing such a famous club in Hakuren so to see it taken away hurts him. As he passes the ball to Copycat it is intercepted midair by a misterious figure.
This figure is someone BF recognises the second they speak but cannot see their face as it is covered by jet black hair much like how BF's hair was when he at Hakuren. This individual was someone who trained with the Hakuren team but was too young to be in the school but now would be a first year but why is he hear now, BF asks for answers. This individual who we will call Mirror (as for BF it is like looking in a mirror) says he felt betrayed, BF just ran off to Raimon and left Hakuren but maybe that's for the best they don't need BF and they don't need Hakuren he will be better and BCC will be better than anything that school stood for, BF could've been apart of this but no now he will beat the person he wanted to be like and show he is better. Mirror then leaves confusing Copycat but shocking BF.
So Raimon seemingly are having two battles with Hakuren/BCC (these names are going to be used interchangeably here please bare that in mind) one with the manager and his violent team and another with BF & Mirror and trying to save Hakuren from what is happening after being part of that issue in the first Path to Glory. But that's not all the issues going on for Raimon in this match and for BF but we go somewhere else for the rest of this night.
We see Protagonist and C walking home discussing the talking points of Hakuren and BCC when they notice a car up ahead which the manager pulls out of. He seems to be arguing with who he was also in the car which turns out to be MS. It seems quite heated so they stay out of it. The next day we see Manager discussing the training set up with C & Xion, when Xion leaves C asks about what she saw and Manager brushes it aside not wanting to talk about it and just says it was a discussion about MS and his reckless playing style and he should stop and until he does he won't be playing.
Back with BF the next day and he’s getting some additional practice by himself by the riverbank when he is interrupted again by a different figure. This one apologises for yesterdays antics as he wanted to do this with Mirror. BF is shocked and refers to the player by his name and talks about how he is best friend at Hakuren (we will call him BFF). BFF says he wanted to do this today as it is the anniversary of the day they finished work on his Hissatsu ‘Snowstorm’. He was disappointed that he was injured before the match against Raimon and all of the FFI but maybe it was a blessing in disguise as he didn’t get soft like BF and run away from the ever sweeping change of Hakuren. BF left them and need to accept he never ran this school ace or not. BF says this isn’t right and wants to help but BFF says that he was never interested in helping previously. BFF says he has information on the school principal pocketing bribes and all donations from XGen and the antagonist for himself and could remove him but Hakuren has never been stronger. BF says that isn’t right and illegal so BFF makes a wager if Raimon wins he will send that information to the police but when he wins that will never come to light. He says it’s nice to see BF again and leaves. Am I retroactively adding players to season 1? Yes but I think this covers why BFF is missing.
Path of Glory Round Two: Raimon vs Hakuren
Raimon line up is as follows:
GK
Roxas-Limitless-ProC-CapF
Captain
Protagonist-BF
Axel-Ace-Saix
As was expected this is a violent encounter. Mox leads the charge for Hakuren and his band a violent players to hurt and win while Mirror & BFF have something to prove against BF. Raimon struggle to begin with mainly thanks the BFF's Hissatsu Snowstorm proving unavoidable and blowing any attacker away. Soon after Hakuren take the lead thanks to Mox teaming up with his close friends in the team King who is more of a heavy for him brading the defenders out of the way and then stomping on Limitless' foot which the ref ignores. 1-0 Hakuren. From there the attacks begin on players first Saix is taken out and injured and is replaced by Prodigy. It's not long after that Roxas is taken off hurt and is replaced by Copycat, while he protests that he isn't a defender he is a midfielder like Protagonist but agrees to go on. The game continues at the pace it has been at and as we get close to the end of the half we see captain on the ball when King looks to go in on him looking to hurt with that Axel jumps in the way taking the hurt and with that Captain can play a ball bypassing BFF to Ace who scores with Standing Ovation. We finish the half at 1-1 but Axel is hurt. Captain races over to him asking why he did it and Axel laughs saying he doesn't actually know maybe, maybe it was just nice that someone outside of the four KH guys really cares for them. Helping him off the pitch Manager sighs he looks at MS and says ok you're on and BF will play on the wing.
Our second half is dominated by two contests. Mirror vs. Copycat & BFF vs. BF. Copycat isn't a defender and every time he and Mirror duel he loses, and it allows Mirror in we see at some points ProC or CapF covers but one time this doesn't happen Mirror gets in looking back at BF before scoring with The Void a direct shot at BF. Copycat is annoyed but BF helps him up he says as he stands he cannot beat Mirror. BF says it is like watching Protagonist and himself and he won each time, Copycat asks how he can stop him BF just turns to him and again says 'who are you' confusing Copycat. He fails again to stop Mirror but is saved and asks himself 'who are you' over and over again and it hits him. If Protagonist can't stop him but then maybe he can. The next time Mirror runs towards him he stands his hair like Protagonists he takes a hairband out which we had using to keep it how is was and then moves in a different way and gets the ball shocking everyone, he looks up with his eye colour different and he plays out dribbling through the centre of the pitch past challenges from Mox and going shoulder to shoulder with King before getting the ball to Protagonist who scores with Ray of Hope, BFF on the otherside of the defence and not being able to stop it 2-2 the score. The team surround Copycat and celebrate what he has done, he turns to BF and says he finally has an answer to his who are you question to which BF looks and he says 'I am me' to which BF smiles.
With the score at 2-2 the game opens up however BF is still struggling on the wing against BFF and his snowstorm technique which leads to counters from Hakuren. Time and time again this happens when Mirror gets the ball one time he gets more aggressive with the ball determined to beat Copycat but this time Copycat uses a block Hissatsu named ‘Land of Confusion’ to take the ball again shocking his teammates. He calls out to BF to change it up if he can inspire Copycat to change he can do it himself. BF takes these words to heart. Next time he gets the ball he charges through, when BFF hits Snowstorm but this time it doesn’t work and BF powers through instead of being blown away. It shocks BFF as he passes through and BF scores with a new shot called ‘Shining Beacon’. 3-2 Raimon final score.
Hakuren: 2
As the final whistle goes Raimon celebrate with most going over the Copycat. BFF sinks to the ground but is helped up by BF. BF talks about how he is glad BFF can play at this level again which breaks the cold exterior of BFF into a smile. He says he held so much bitter emotion over everything it was nice to let it all out. A deals a deal and BFF tells him to turn around and you see the school principal being taken away by the police which makes BF smile. He notices most of the Hakuren team has disappeared making note it’s likely the BCC contingent will now leave and not come back. Mirror then appears and says BF should come back but BF says he won’t. What Hakuren needs is those two (Mirror & BFF) they are the spirit of Hakuren now which the two smile and accept saying they will meet again on the field but this time for a fun game not one as personal of this.
The next we of Raimon is them in the football club room watching the Dynamic Gakuen vs. Okada match. We see a slightly closer contest but Okada wins out in shocking fashion. His team, goalkeeper Naka ruthless defender Ishii and tireless midfielder Yoshi-Hashi comprimising the main core of the team and when we see Dynamic their entire team is down and hurt except their captain Omega. He and Okada clash for the ball and Omega gets sent flying. With Dynamic all down the ref calls the match and Okada wins.
After seeing this Ace leaves when they ask where he is going he says he is off to see AceF about Okada. Next we see is Ace at AceF's school where his team is practising. The FFI has had a dramatic effect on AceF, gone is the selfish self serving player now he is seen helping and encouraging his team as captain. Before Ace can speak AceF introduced him to a few of his team who AceF referrs to as the Yin & Yang of his team. Yin (the goalkeeper) and Yang (the secondary striker) and Ace laughs and remarks about how much AceF has changed and AceF says he had help realising the error of his ways. They then have a talk between the two of them about Okada. AceF says that XGen always felt Okada would be the best of them and sent him away for training with the idea he'd come back for this Path to Glory and dominate they talked him up as better than him, Tana & Omega to name a few which he's face two of those and won. They ponder his goals and why he's alligned with the antagonist.
As an audience we don't have to wait long as we get our first look at Okada outside of matches, we see him returning home, living alone in a small apartment, not much decour apart from a picture of him and some of the teammates we've seen and focused on before and Okada get a call from The Opposition. He congratulates Okada on beating Dynamic and reminding him of the promise they made, he comes back to Japan and if he helps The Opposition take control he will personally fund his next move wherever to do whatever and reminds him football is not a sport it is a business that neededs someone like him in charge. Okada just says ok and the call ends.
Back with Raimon and they are training. Manager remarks that Axel, Saix and Roxas are still hurting but will be fine for the next game. He mentions that it is odd they do not know who they are facing yet as normally it is announced by now. Manager gathers the team in to discuss preliminary tactics for the next round and while they do not know their opponents it might make sense to study the teams they haven’t had a chance to look at. At that point a shot fires in off screen aimed straight at the Manager who fires it straight back to where it came and it lands at the feet of someone watching them.
This person walks into shot and Manager calls out his name as Mutoh. This man walks towards the Raimon team looking at Manager saying how it is nice he finally remembers him, from teammates to rivals they done it all but the second he gets this job nothing it’s like all they done all the barriers broken and records set meant nothing. Well he has some news about Raimon’s next opponent in fact they are looking at the manager of that team and even more so he has a plus one with him and brings out his son and captain of the team Kiyomiya. When he appears he instantly locks eyes with MS forming a rivalry right away. When Manager asks why Mutoh is doing this he says he was approached by Antagonist with what he wanted to do with youth football in Japan and agreed, given a blank cheque book to convince and sign players from all over the world with one goal take down Raimon and his greatest rival in Manager. In fact his surprises do not end their as whole scouting all over the world he encountered one man who shared he passion for defeating Raimon more than any other.
Flanked by two new characters we see ZSJ of the England team from FFI emerge to the shock of the Raimon team. ZSJ speaks about how since the FFI the defeat to Japan has eaten him alive in and FFI which England hosted no less. While others like CapF’s friends just accepted the loss and others fled when the cabal fell apart like The Brothers all he could think of was beating Japan and beating CapF, football was suppose to come home and because of him it didn't. So what did ZSJ do? He ventured the world post tournament scouring the world for eduction and the correct teammates and in Australia he found these two men in Shane & Mikey (yes I am doing TMDK) and all three then maybe by luck were found by Mutoh all with the same goal. If ZSJ can’t beat Inazuma Japan then he would take down each member at their club and being able to beat CapF would be what he wants.
From there this quintet leaves and in that shocking Manager just like that the news of who Raimon are facing comes in and it’s the exact team that just confronted them. Manager tries to shake it off and get back to training but he leaves with the players just to train by themselves clearly shook up by events. We focus on MS training but he seems to be holding back. Limitless speaks to him saying he is holding back out of fear of hurting someone, Limitless talks about how he’s is likely the strongest player in the team and says he wants to see MS for extra training down by the riverbank later so they can both go all out.
We join them heading to the riverbank after training. When they get there they see someone not from Raimon who they have never met taking part in some individual training exercises. Both MS & Limitless remark the person down there has a unique aura. They go down and speak to him the person introduced himself as Swerve an American who only recently moved to Japan and is still sorting out the formalities of living there, but one thing is for sure he kept his love of football from the other side of the world. He mentions he saw the last Raimon game against Hakuren and was amazed by how MS plays and wants to help them practice. The two Raimon players enjoy a quick training session with Swerve but after a while he leaves dodging the questions on joining Raimon and leaves. He does keep appearing at multiple different times but each time he doesn't reveal anything instead talking about Limitless and his speed and strength make him a unique defender and how while MS can be seen as reckless he can see the split second timing and thinking in his movements in order to cause the maximum chaos for minimum injury.
We move onto the match we get some back and forths seeing Mutoh's team training we see TMDK bonding with one of the younger Japanese talents as Mutoh goes through scouting reports on a computer screen (which would be a fun time to showcase some of the random players for the scouting system on the game that runs alongside it) when Kiyomiya comes in and says the team is working well to achieve their goals. Mutoh says they are close and have 10 good players and luckily he has the eleventh all signed up.
We reach the day of the match and Mutoh's team and we see them line up when Limitless and MS are shocked to see Swerve line up for Mutoh's team. MS asks him what happened and Swerve said no hard feelings but business is business and Mutoh wanted him on the team and knew what he could bring not just physically but mentally to the team giving him that insight into two of Raimon's biggest players because winning isn't what Raimon think it is just scoring more goals some games are won before you even step onto the field. Mutoh looks over at manager and laughs.
Before the match kicks off we see ZSJ and his new friends as well as the goalkeeper for his team who he's also created a bond with when CapF and he cross paths again, CapF asks what the issue is fully it can't be just that CapF and Japan won. ZSJ says it's not just that when but everyone saw CapF as this hot new thing in English football even the captain of the FFI team was amazed by his work it left the rest of them looking like an afterthought and after all of the fuss he just upped and left again and everyone still loved him upon his return with Japan. He came back to take from them the trophy they all worked so hard for so if CapF wants to take his spotlight on his home turf then he's here to do the same to him.
Path of Glory Round Three: Raimon vs Team Mutoh
Raimon line up is as follows:
GK
Roxas-Limitless-CapF-ProC
Captain
Protagonist-MS
Axel-Ace-Saix
The game starts out relatively even both sides are cautious but Mutoh’s team has the advantage attacking more. We have a few duels mainly between Swerve and MS due to Swerve’s tendencies as a winger to invert and ZSJ and CapF with ZSJ now a winger instead of the wing back he was for England. With the Mutoh team operating as a 4-2-3-1 with Kaito as the CAM they slowly start to take advantage of play back up by the younger member of the team in midfield TMDK took under their wing.
The domination pays off as Swerve makes it 1-0. He gets past MS smirking as he does saying he learned everything MS does from their time together and the same for Limitless. CapF goes to block Swerve off but he himself is blocked off by ZSJ and can’t get past as Team Mutoh takes the lead.
After this team Mutoh let off on their pressure having taken the lead. Happy to let TMDK as their centre back partnership stop Raimon and they keep doing it. It isn’t until Xion notices a pattern in their play and calls MS over. After this MS starts making random erratic runs confusing TMDK and it drags one of them out allowing just enough space for the ball to be played to Ace who scores with Standing Ovation making it 1-1.
Raimon keeps this pressure up doing the same thing again but now Axel and Saix also make the same sort of erratic runs stretching and dragging the defence out of position allowing Ace to use Standing Ovation again. Thinking this will be going in the team let out a cheer however the goalkeeper uses his hissatsu move 'Crescendo' he in a sense sings loudly which brings the ball to a stop.
The game then swings in Mutoh's teams way, adapting and getting use to Raimon's movements. They are able to focus back and restrict the erratic movements allowing them more play. They remain at an even footing cancelling out the ways both teams scored their first goal until CapF gets the ball at one point. It is then ZSJ using a block move Octopus Hold (I'll list it here but would be the same one shown being used in the FFI) and follows up right away with a shoot move (I don't have a name for one) to make it 2-1. It's a shocking turn and switch of moves even Raimons manager says moving him wing back with England to winger for Mutoh was a strong move and one that paid off for him he really is the ultimate balance.
With conceding another goal Raimon are back to square one. They need a new stratergy to break through team Mutoh. They try various ways but each time they get shut out. Raimon eventually move into using a strategy of the front three of Axel, Saix & Ace running in a circle around Protagonist up the field greating almost a hurricane force protecting him and blowing away the midfield and defence of Mutoh's Team with the Hissatsu tactic we will call Jet Force Hurricane getting Protagonist in scoring with Ray of Hope for 2-2.
Raimon have battled back again but it's not all sunshine and rianbows. We are still not even at half time and the game is as lively as ever. It's not good news for Raimon however as Team Mutoh manage to force the issue and score. Kaito bursts through gathering the ball and as the forward players and midfielders hold back Raimon's defences stopping them from getting near Kaito who then shoots and scores with his shoot move (I don't have a name for it) and Team Mutoh lead 3-2 at half time. Raimon feel stumped at half time not sure how they can stop the press of Team Mutoh and are worried it all ends here. Downtrodden MS steps and says he has a risky idea and needs to speak with Limitless, Saix & Axel.
The second half begins with a few surprising faces in the crowd, We see someone in a Raimon uniform (he will be called Mastermind later when he is shown again in this) suffling past a few audiences members with snacks speaking on how he hopes he's not late. We see another person wearing the captains armband of a team we haven't seen yet on the phone to the Old Man we saw earlier in the series who we know is the manager of Axel's old side who tells him to wait until he gives a signal and then put their plan into action.
The action itself resumes with Team Mutoh having the momentum after a late goal in the first half. As ever they set up to give Kaito a shot by blocking off all other players. It is at that point MS yells now and with that he runs back towards Limitless confusing Kaito and the two combine for the new block Hissatsu called 'Canon Ball' where it does as it says MS literally bounces off of Limitless and with that grabs the ball and right away hoofs it forward while Mutoh's Team is distracted directly to Axel & Saix who score with Heart & Mind to make it 3-3.
However, this comes at a cost both Axel & Saix both then go down clutching the ankle of their preferred shooting foot and we see the previously mentioned captain walking away smiling. Needless to say both Axel & Saix won't continue on and they are replaced by BF & Prodigy. This isn't all bad news the injuries aren't going to keep them out long but should Raimon get through they won't have the two of them next game. Prodigy brushes that off saying they only need him to score and he will do just that and that he does. Almost getting the ball right away his play is second to none but really doesn't believe in teamwork. Prodigy pushes through Team Mutoh surprising them even having set up for a game where Raimon are all about teamwork and it sets Prodigy up to shoot with his move 'One in a Million' in which he fires the ball up into the air and a million fall back down combining into one huge ball. For the first time in the match Raimon lead at 4-3 which leaves Mastermind standing up and cheering in the stand.
At this point Mutoh looks to his bench and says to 'release the beast'. From this a new player comes out an aggressive striker we will call Mortos. A Mexican forward only communicating in grunts storms onto the pitch for Team Mutoh's current forward and Kaito isn't happy with this decision. Mortos shows his hand right away chargine at MS and hurting him while grabbing the ball shocking Raimon. Mortos rampages through and scores with his shooting move taking us to 4-4. From kick off Mortos does the same he charges at MS even though Mortos himself has the ball before he hits him Captain dives in the way taking the blow but injuring himself. With Captain off for Copycat we see Raimon go to a 5-2-3 bit of an odd one but we work with what we have for now.
Kaito yells over to Mutoh telling him to stop this isn't football but Mutoh does not relent and ignores him. Mortos goes again charging through but this time as he turns to go and hit MS and Manager yells out for this to stop Kaito & Swerve move in a taking the hit shocking both teams even ZSJ thinking why would they do something for Raimon like that. Mutoh says this isn't right he's ashamed at what he has become. He yells to sub Mortos but the ball is still in play so cannot, he then yells to Mortos to kick the ball and stop but he ignores his manager and keeps charging. This is until he comes face to face with Limitless who says he will hurt not more today. Seeing his friends hurt builds something deep inside Limitless who uses a new move Man Moutain to send Mortos down and the ball out allowing Mutoh to make the sub as Kaito and Swerve try and with the help of other get Mortos off the pitch and security help him get out. Mutoh then looks over to Manager and then his own players and apologizes for what he has done in this match he put winning over the safety of the players and shouldn't have done that. He says to his team to go out and play their football, win not for anyone to gain power or gain footing in the football world off their win but win for themselves.
The match continues at a free flowing pace it seems like the team enjoy the game more now. The game however ends with two key moments. First ZSJ gets the ball and goes through charging at CapF yelling how this is the moment he will beat him he will have his victory. CapF however has different idea breaking out a new block move saying that he will guide Raimon to victory in which he calls it 'Clawback' where the opponent goes past and he literally claws the ball back. CapF then send the ball to MS who comes face to face with Swerve. The two of them tussle for the ball until MS mentions how he doesn't regret the time they spent together, despite a betrayal it wasn't all in vain. Swerve seems confused but MS then says he learnt so much in the time playing with Swerve including this in which he flips the ball over Swerve beats his man and then scores with 'Reckless Intent' where MS literally just runs at the ball and collides with it in midair creating an explosion as it both end up going towards goal before MS peels off and just the ball goes toward the goalkeeper. MS scores and Raimon win.
Team Mutoh: 4
After the match both teams collapse, exhausted at the end up the match. We go over the ZSJ and see someone extend a hand to him and that person being CapF. While ZSJ refuses initially, CapF talks about how this was a great match and if ZSJ does something right it is he is determined to win and not just that but he tells him to look behind where ZSJ sees all of TMDK and the Goalkeeper, CapF says that regardless of his intentions ZSJ is someone people follow and believe in. It shows he has a strong will and heart for football regardless. ZSJ then accepts CapF's hand he looks at him and says maybe he understands what the England players saw in CapF. ZSJ turns around to his friends and says while they didn't win today, one day as long as they work together they'll beat Raimon. ZSJ walks away but not before looking back and nodding towards CapF, their feud now done.
We then go to MS with Swerve & Kaito. They both apologise for the actions of the game and ask if MS is ok. MS responds saying he may need some time to rest but should be all good and thanks both of them for a great match. While both Swerve & Kaito are confused but MS says without what they did he wouldn't have been able to get stronger and to do what he needs to do he needs people like them pushing him. They resolve that once this is all done to play again.
Mutoh and Manager also have words in which Mutoh reveals why he allinged with The Opposition. He says he was jealous of Manager and all the success he had. Jealous that he was so far behind that they would never have one last great battle and The Opposition knew this and gave him and his son a way in, he apologises for his actions and wishes Manager well before leaving with Manager remarking he's always been mysterious but is glad he got to face him one last time and wishes him well.
Conclusion and Apology
God, it's been a while looking at this maybe writing this was a long slog I should've done in one go. Truth be told I got writers block, games and everything for the series stopped I had no passion for it I mean one of the characters is coded as Limitless and that's after Keith Lee and he's not wrestled in about 2 years lol.
I want to tie everything up and put this out it was going to be 10 parts with a conclusion but the notes are old and the will isn't there I think I'm better off taking a new concept I hadn't started.
Next match would've been against a team inspired by L.I.J (and now even they have disbanded) with additions of Mexican players representing the original Los Ingobernables like Andrade & RUSH. Story of the match would be around MS & Hiromu. I would've had some additional stuff for the antagonist group I never really covered why he's scorned by football or whatever.
If it wasn't clear from the names Axel and co come from a school based on Organisation 13 they would appear a lot. We would've spent some more time with Tekioku and how they are evolving we had a good number of players to add around TC a new striker they worker with to really be the Haizaki to TC's Kidou and how he came from a sister school from Tekikou who got knockout of of the last Football Frontier early. It'd really be a game of the majority of the team being known or highlighted we need to put of Raimon vs. Tekioku more.
We'd also have a new midfielder for Raimon with Captain still not 100% from his injuries. We will call him Mastermind and old friend of Prodigy and with that would allow the later to be seen a bit more positive and work in the team.
So semi-final would be against Organisation 13 and then the final against Okada and co as you'd expect big team for the final two matches. Raimon win and football is saved through big matches and big scorelines and alls well that ends well.
So, sorry for the rush job at the end about 2 years late. I would've had a lot more to this breaking it down if I had the will and want byt it's time to leave this pitch in the past. Inazuma Eleven Victory Road dropped two days ago and gave me the want to finally conclude this. If you have ever read any of the nine parts of this rambling thank you so much.
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