Eren the Southpaw Episode 4: When You Find Yourself the Best Team

In 2007, Bureau Chief Furuya Noboru announces the formation of the Kamiya Team, led by the agency’s youngest creative director, Kamiya Yusuke. His team, including the stylish Mihashi Yurina and earnest Koichi Asakura, faces a gauntlet of skeptical stares. Kamiya defiantly declares his team will embrace friction and heated debate as tools for groundbreaking work. His aggressive confidence establishes the blueprint for his leadership and professional aims, making it clear he seeks to disrupt the status quo. This is a man staking his entire career on a belief.

Flashback to 1992, at a university library, a young and cocky Kamiya Yusuke encounters Hachiya Taku. Hachiya, already set for a prestigious job, listens as Kamiya dismisses current assignments, demanding a shortcut to success in design. Hachiya, unimpressed by the first-year’s arrogance, suggests he gain experience by helping an older student named Matsuura Naoki with a film project. This early interaction sets the stage for a mentor-like, yet deeply competitive, relationship between the two young men. Kamiya then meets Matsuura, confidently offering his technical skills for the graduation film. He instructs Matsuura to simply “use him,” highlighting his belief in individual prowess over shared vision.

A stark scene reveals Hachiya Taku in his apartment, ruthlessly dismissing a distraught woman who has discovered his infidelity. He remains cold, prioritizing his ambition above all else. Later, Hachiya encounters Kamiya on campus, delivering a harsh lecture on the realities of the creative industry. He warns Kamiya that individual talent alone will not change the world, stating that true revolution requires the perfect team. Kamiya visibly bristles, but Hachiya's words begin to take root, challenging his self-centered worldview.

Spurred by Hachiya’s challenge, Kamiya Yusuke throws himself into designing a poster for Matsuura’s film, working through an intense, sleepless night. He presents a physical mockup to Matsuura Naoki, who is genuinely surprised by the quality and effort. Hachiya Taku also sees the poster, quietly noting Kamiya’s subtle design intuition and deep study. However, the collaboration hits a major snag when Matsuura rejects the poster, claiming it lacks heart despite its technical perfection. Kamiya, outraged, argues for his individual merit over a collective vision, storming out in frustration.

Kamiya Yusuke watches Matsuura Naoki's finished film from the back of a lecture hall, observing the audience's genuine emotional reaction. When his name appears in the credits as 'Art Director,' he experiences a profound realization. He understands that genuine fulfillment comes not just from individual acclaim, but from contributing to a successful whole. This moment of 'illumination' becomes the bedrock of his future Kamiya Team philosophy, a hard-won lesson in the power of collective effort.

Back in 2007, Kamiya Yusuke brutally critiques the initial ideas submitted by Mihashi Yurina and Koichi Asakura, tossing their sketches onto the table. He accuses them of safe, boring work and failing to communicate as a team, demanding a breakthrough by morning. Later, Kamiya sits alone in the office, brooding over a soda. His rival, Yanagi, approaches, mocking Kamiya's 'team' concept, arguing there is no room for partners in a high-pressure agency. Yanagi claims Kamiya is like him, incapable of understanding those without talent, a suggestion that visibly rattles Kamiya.

Furuya Noboru summons Kamiya Yusuke to a high-level meeting, announcing a massive opportunity: a pitch for Sunny Try, a top beverage company worth 300 million yen. This could lead to a 23-billion yen account. However, Furuya delivers a blow, stating the Kamiya Team will be dissolved, with Kamiya leading a 'countermeasure' team of veterans. This reveals the stark corporate pressure to prioritize perceived experience over established creative chemistry during critical moments, putting Kamiya's new philosophy to the test.

Stunned by the decision to split his team, Kamiya Yusuke has a momentary crisis, recalling Yanagi's mocking words. He quickly recovers, defiantly requesting five minutes to explain why Mihashi Yurina and Koichi Asakura are the right choices. Standing before the executives, he delivers a masterful marketing analysis, predicting Sunny Try’s need for innovation beyond traditional media. He argues his 'boutique' team is uniquely qualified, leaving the Bureau Chiefs visibly impressed. Furuya challenges him one last time, but Kamiya remains unwavering. Furuya, energized by Kamiya’s passion, agrees to let the experiment proceed, acknowledging the high stakes involved.

Kamiya Yusuke reunites with Mihashi Yurina and Koichi Asakura, challenging them to 'think outside the box' for the Sunny Try pitch. While Koichi is initially confused, Mihashi explains the need to break from traditional constraints. Koichi offers a surprising counter-insight: they must first 'harden the box' by mastering fundamentals before innovating. This breakthrough allows the team to align their creative efforts, finally working as a unified force. Mihashi takes on a mentor role for Koichi, pushing him to refine his designs late into the night, as Kamiya watches, pleased by the productive friction.

In 2008, Kamiya Yusuke calmly announces to his team they have won the Sunny Try pitch. Koichi Asakura lets out a triumphant shout, while Mihashi Yurina looks deeply satisfied. This moment is the peak of their success, validating their collaborative method. Kamiya heads to Furuya Noboru's office, expecting celebration. However, Furuya delivers a devastating blow: the agency's top leadership has decided to reorganize the Sunny Try account. Despite their victory, the team is to be broken up, with Kamiya leading a new team of senior veterans. Kamiya is left speechless, crushed by the cold logic of corporate hierarchy.

Kamiya Yusuke meets Koichi Asakura at night, choosing to hide the news of the team's dissolution to spare his feelings. He tells Koichi that the final Sunny Try logo was based on Koichi’s specific design, giving the young artist a profound sense of personal achievement. Koichi, deeply moved, thanks Kamiya for believing in him and expresses his gratitude for being part of the team. Kamiya offers a sad, knowing smile, understanding their collaborative journey has ended abruptly, but not without leaving its mark.

The story shifts to New York City, where Koichi Asakura walks past a massive billboard displaying his finished Sunny Try design. He feels a quiet pride in his anonymous contribution, seeing the tangible result of his effort. Nearby, Eren, now with long, flowing white hair, looks through an advertising magazine and sees the Sunny Try campaign. She offers a small, cynical smile, calling the work “amateurish” but “not bad,” a grudging acknowledgment of Koichi’s growth. The episode closes with a montage of Eren's New York life, hinting at her own parallel artistic journey.