Yawara finds out Kojiro is Syaka’s coach. Although she’s supposed to participate in the All Japan as a judoka representing Tsurukame’s new judo club, she does not show up at the tournament. No one knows where she is since she leaves supposedly for the All Japan in the morning. Matsuda finds Yawara at a park where she used to play with Kojiro, and Matsuda acknowledges that her father had trained Sayaka at the last All Japan, which means that her defeat of Sayaka is another “throw” she executed against her father, after her throw when she was 5 year old. She takes Matsuda to an amusement park; afterwards, she tells him he won’t be interested in her after she quits judo. Sayaka is leaving the arena after Yawara is ruled a loss by default, but Kojiro orders her to go back and compete. She wins the All Japan easily without Yawara there, and believes that Yawara did not compete because she was afraid of her. Sayaka publicly challenges Yawara again. Jigoro and Kojiro encounter each other at a food stand after the All Japan competition, and Kojiro doesn’t answer Jigoro’s “It’s been a dog’s age” greeting. But Jigoro finds out the reason for Yawara’s absence after all. When Jigoro confronts her with the news, Yawara tells him not to tell Tamao.
虎滋郎がさやかを指導しているのを確信した柔は、ショックから試合会場に向かうことができない。柔不在の中、さやかはオール一本勝ちで階級を制覇。柔を案じていたマスコミや観客の関心も次第にさやかへ集中し…。
