| “ | The air is suffociating, almost as if it was an illusion of being underwater. This heat is not normal. Is this due to the world coming to an end? Or is it due to the finals just around the corner? |
” |
Daruma-san (だるまさん) is the nineteenth chapter of the Kozue Amano manga Amanchu!.
It was originally published in Monthly Comic Blade on August 30th, 2010, and was later republished in Amanchu! Volume 4 on March 10th, 2012. Following this chapter, the series changed from a monthly serialization to a seasonal (3-monthly) serialization while Amano began maternity leave.
Summary[]
_-_Chapter_19_-_01.png){kind=link}
On a very hot summers day, the students of the diving club sits lethargically on the steps to the school entrance. Mato Katori spots them loitering, and asks why they aren't at home studying for their final exams since there are no club activities during the test period. They make excuses about enjoying the sun's rays.
_-_Chapter_19_-_02.png){kind=link}
Mato decides to energize them, so she forces them to play a game of Daruma-san ga koronda as a punishment for neglecting their studies. The game begins with Makoto Ninomiya as "it", versus Futaba Ooki, Hikari Kohinata, and his sister Ai Ninomiya. Hikari gets caught moving immediately in the first round because she's not good at standing still, so she joins hands with Makoto. In the second round, Ai is knocked out of the game because she hid in the shade behind a car, which is against the rules - she joins hands with Hikari.
_-_Chapter_19_-_03.png){kind=link}
Futaba is the last one still in the game, and manages to pass through several rounds to reach Hikari and Ai and "free" them. Freed players can run away for 10 seconds then stand still, and the "it" has exactly 10 steps to catch up to them. He easily catches Hikari, then is torn between catching Ai and Futaba with his remaining 6 steps, but ultimately chooses to catch Ai, leaving Futaba as the winner of the game. The group plays a second game, this time with Hikari as "it", but she loses the game because she isn't able to catch anyone before they reach her.
In the third game, Ai is "it", and deliberately turns round quickly so that she can catch Makoto and Hikari in the first round, which she does. Like the first game, Futaba makes it all the way up to Ai and frees Makoto and Hikari, who quickly run off. Ai manages to recapture Hikari and Makoto in her 10 steps, and thinks she is in range of capturing Futaba, but her arms aren't long enough and Futaba manages to dodge, winning again.
_-_Chapter_19_-_05.png){kind=link}
One of the other teachers comes out of the school to talk to Mato and give her a canned coffee. While watching Ai try different techniques to try and get in range of Futaba to get her out - her arms, her legs, all kinds of gymnastic approaches - Mato talks to the other teacher about school testing, and muses that even games can help you solve problems, because unlike tests where you solve problems that are conveniently laid out for you, there are things in life that need to be found out and solve by yourself. Mato then gets up and joins the daruma game as the next "it", and though Futaba nearly wins again, this time Mato catches her and Makoto by throwing her sandals at them.
Interstitial Mini Comics[]
_-_Chapter_19_minicomic_1.png "Amanchu (manga) - Chapter 19 minicomic 1.png (75 KB)")
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Ai Ninomiya | Makoto Ninomiya | Futaba Ooki | Hikari Kohinata | Mato Katori |
 |
 |
|||
| Cha | Ohime |
[]
| Volume 1: | 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 | Volume 2: | 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 | Volume 3: | 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 |
| Volume 4: | 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | Volume 5: | 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 | Volume 6: | 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 |
| Volume 7: | 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 | Volume 8: | 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 | Volume 9: | 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 |
| Volume 10: | 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 | Volume 11: | 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 | Volume 12: | 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 |
| Volume 13: | |||||