EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting at the one-fifth mark of this 50-episode run, Episode 10 arrives after a stretch of internal team friction and external competitive pressure that tested Kuzuryu High's fragile unity. The introduction of Nao Nanao as manager represents a pivotal structural addition to the team, setting up a new dynamic that will influence strategy, morale, and interpersonal relationships for the episodes ahead. This is a transitional episode — it closes one chapter of the team finding its footing and opens another focused on building the infrastructure needed to compete seriously.