Fighter's Brew Transcript: Episode 1 (Patreon)

• Fighter's Brew 

If you don't already know what Fighter's Brew is, it's the newest project from Southpaw and is a recap show of the manga All-Rounder Meguru.

Check out our introductory episode for more information about All-Rounder Meguru and this project. But keep in mind this series takes place in 2008 Japan.

If you're part of the Liberation Martial Arts program or a higher tier, you'll also get transcripts of each episode with pictures and more explanations of the techniques and concepts, along with LMA commentary. Fighter's Brew will be a fun and engaging way to learn concepts from our curriculum. Manga has now entered the discourse.

All-Rounder Meguru was created by Hiroki Endo. Fighter's Brew is written and produced by Sam. Narrated by Alexander Buckner.

Fighter's Brew, Episode 1

Meguru Takayanagi thinks back. "In class 4 of grade 5, Takashi Segawa was something of an outcast. He barely talked and had a melancholy to him." 

"His grandfather ran a small karate dojo where Takashi studied."

"After transferring schools in April, my dad made me start taking lessons. For some reason, Takashi and I got along."

"But thinking back, it might have been because both of us didn't have our moms."

"After my mom passed away, my dad left my sister and me with his mom, our grandmother, since he had to go overseas for work all the time. My sister was already in high school and became like my mom."

"Takashi would come over to our house to play a lot."

"Your dad works overseas, too, Takashi-kun?" Meguru's sister said. "Same as us!"

"You should stay for dinner tonight," she said as she walked to the kitchen.

"Your house sure is lively," Takashi said, "It's only Grandpa and me at my place."

In the kitchen, Meguru's grandmother was making rice.

"How long's that boy gonna be here?" she asked. "Send him home."

"Grandma, you don't have to be so rude," Meguru's sister said.

"All that talk about working overseas is a lie. That boy's father was always a hooligan. Eventually, he got mixed up with the yakuza and had to skip town. Because of that, his wife left him, too. She was always a loose girl, anyhow."

Meguru's sister was stunned. That comment was for her.

Meguru and Takashi were fishing in the river. Takashi was taller than Meguru, with longer hair and sad, mistrusting eyes. Meguru had short hair and curious eyes. He looked like he was always daydreaming. They were the same but different.

As Meguru was opening the tacklebox, three older boys came by and kicked it over.

"Hey Takayangi," an older boy with a cap said, "I heard you started doing karate."

Meguru thinks back. "There were times like this. When guys who thought they were tough picked fights with us. But it was forbidden to use karate outside of the dojo."

"Let's go," Takashi said to Meguru.

"Did you know, Takayanagi?" The boy with the cap said. "The reason Segawa doesn't have a mom is because she ran off with some guy. Takayanagi, you don't have a mom, either? No wonder you two are friends. You both have slutty moms."

"My body moved on its own," Meguru remembers.

Meguru delivered a lunging right body punch to the boy. The older boy grabbed Meguru's shirt and delivered a headbutt to his nose. Drawing blood. Another boy punched Takashi. The third boy watched, not knowing what to do. Not wanting to jump in but not wanting to stop the fight either. Such is often the case in conflict. There's often a bystander.

"Thinking back," Meguru remembers, "compared to half-hearted karate, guys who were used to fighting were stronger. Plus, they were older."

Meguru and Takashi were bloodied on the ground.

"I want to get stronger," Takashi said. "Then people won't push me around."

Meguru thinks back. "I heard somewhere that true strength comes from money and power."

The next day at the dojo, Sensei, Takashi's grandfather, said to a bruised and battered Takashi and Meguru, "I forbid you two from retaliating. Rather, you must become men who someday will be respected by the ones who hit you. That is true strength."

"I didn't understand back then," Meguru remembers.

"Three months later, I fought in a karate competition but lost my first match by decision. Takashi also lost his first fight to the last competition's champion. He was so frustrated he cried."

"You just had bad luck getting pitted against such a strong fighter," Meguru said.

"How?" Takashi asked Meguru. "Even though you lost, too. How can you still smile?"

Meguru remembers, "He hated losing more than me. To him, it was the worst thing in the world."

Sometime later.

Three rough-looking men in cheap suits barged into the dojo. One had a scar. Another wore sunglasses. The oldest had slicked hair.

"Outsiders aren't permitted!" Sensei told them.

"Pardon us. We'll be leaving shortly." The man with slicked hair said. He was the boss.

"Koichi Segawa. He's your son, is he not, Sensei?" He asked.

"I disowned him years ago!" Sensei said.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. If he happens to show himself, would you mind giving us a call?" The man handed Sensei a business card.

The man walked over to Takashi. "Say, boy. If—"

"—Leave him out of this!" Sensei interrupted. "Get out!"

The three men left.

"Hey," the man with slicked hair said to the one with the scar. "Keep tabs on the kid, too."

The seasons had changed. Fall was here. Meguru and his sister were looking for their grandfather.

"Grandpa!" Meguru's sister called.

"My grandfather's dementia progressed, and he started to wander off on his own," Meguru remembers. "A week later, he fell from a bridge in the middle of the night and died. Then shortly before I entered the sixth grade, I had to transfer again."

"I'll see you off," Takashi told Meguru.

"Thanks," Meguru said.

On their path was a disheveled man in a suit. 

"Takashi," the man said, "mind if we talk?

"Sorry, Meguru," Takashi said.

Meguru watched Takashi walk away with the man.

"You're learning karate from Grandpa?" the man said.

"Uh-huh. But he says not to use it in a fight."

"He never told me anything like that. Rather, he called it 'fight karate' and would whoop my ass whenever I lost. By the time I hit middle school, I ruled this town. I was unbeatable. But I ended up dropping out of school due to my fighting. Then my life got all messed up. I moved to Tokyo to make a living off of karate and laid waste to competition after competition. To be honest, I got carried away. Then I got injured and quit. Before I knew it, I was yakuza. And a chump at that. No wonder your mom split."

Takashi looked away, sad.

"Takashi, don't become like me. That's all I wanted to say. Take care."

Takashi didn't say a word as he watched his father, Koichi Segawa, walk away.

When Koichi got to his car, the man with slicked hair shot Koichi with a tranquilizer gun.

"Long time no see, Koichi."

"You!" Koichi said.

"I understand you want to start a fresh life," the man with slicked hair said. "But you can't do that with someone else's money."

Koichi fell unconscious. The two other men grabbed Koichi and put him in his car.

"Well, I do pity you," the man with slicked hair said, "but we're obligated to set things right."

The police found Koichi's car down a hill, smashed into a tree. Koichi was dead.

Sensei identified the body at the hospital.

"There's no mistake. He's my son," he told the examiner.

Sensei came out of the exam room. Takashi was sitting alone on a bench. Waiting. So young and small.

Sensei sat next to him and held his grandson. They both cried.

Later.

The man with slicked hair was taking care of some final business.

Takashi was running.

Meguru and his sister and grandmother were getting on the train.

"It doesn't look like he's coming," Meguru's sister said.

"Yeah," Meguru said as he looked for his friend.

Takashi ran as fast as he could. It was snowing. Winter was here.

Takashi saw the man with slicked hair getting into a car. Takashi ran harder.

On the train, Meguru's sister offered Meguru a soda, but Meguru's mind was somewhere else.

Takashi was running to his father's killer.

"What's your problem, kid?!" said the man with sunglasses.

Takashi leapt at him and smashed his sunglasses into his face with a flying knee.

Takashi punched the next man with a kneeling reverse punch to the groin.

Another man tackled Takashi.

He sat on his chest in mount and pounded Takashi's face.

"That's enough," Koichi's killer said.

"I'm gonna kill this kid," the man with sunglasses said as he pulled out a knife.

Koichi's killer held him back. "Knock it off," he said. "Don't lose your cool over a kid."

Koichi's killer looked down at a bloodied Takahashi. "Here to get revenge for your old man?" he asked.

Takashi, with defiant eyes, remained silent.

"I'll be in Tokyo. Come see me when you get stronger."

Koichi's killer and his men drove off.

It was snowing at the dojo. Sensei was meditating. Takashi came. Once again, bruised and battered. "Grandpa, teach me how to be strong," he said.

Sensei thought for a minute. "Thoughtless strength only leads to self-destruction. If you truly want to be stronger, then you mustn't seek revenge."

It kept snowing.