Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl

First pressure (1x84)

Air date: Oct 28, 1991

As Japan's under 52kg contestant Yokomizo is defeated, Japan's women team is without a gold medal at this point, with only the under 48 kg and free weight division left as gold medal opportunities. Jody takes Yawara and Fujiko shopping on the day before her contests to take some pressure off. Jigoro holds a "press conference" in Yawara's place and regales them with his life story, though he mistakes the BBC for some type of vaccine. With the available judokas either injured and broken in spirits, the Japan coach enters Fujiko's name on Jigoro's advice. Fujiko is unable to eat or sleep after being told she has been nominated to enter free weight competition. She and Yawara eat some Japanese dry preserved plums as a midnight snack to relieve their stress. The competition pairings are announced, and Fujiko will be fighting the powerful Martinez, and Japan's coach orders that it not be disclosed to her for the time lest she faints from fright. However, she manages to forget her white belt, and has to borrow someone's black belt. Shinnosuke suddenly realizes that Yawara might be out of sorts due to Matsuda's absence, but dismisses the idea as too absurd because Matsuda is just a "3rd rate reporter." Matsuda finally arrives at what he believes to be Belgrade, but it is actually Zagreb due to the fog diversion. He takes a creaky beat-up ancient Mercedes taxi from the airport to Belgrade, not knowing it is some 420 km away barely making 30 mph, getting a flat on the way.