As expected, the author's writing is immaculate when writing multiple characters. We get to see both the eastern and the western qualification, both showing how heated the matches are, even when it just started. We see Sudo and Hiro both fleshed out, even Harada-sensei and Sumire got their character bits in too.. I do wonder what will happen to Taichi, especially after this episode, with his mother and all. And we got surprise visit on the western side, that may or may not be a catharsis for Arata. Things are definitely firing up!