Box 1: Normal, Special, and Abnormal (ノーマルと、スペシャルと、アブノーマル, Nōmaru to, Supesharu to, Abunōmaru) is the thirteenth episode of the Medaka Box anime, and the first episode of the second season.
Summary[]
While watching the repairs being made to the school building, Medaka remembers her meeting with Hakama, who labeled her as Abnormal. Presently, Medaka is approached by a girl dragging several ball and chains with her. She says several numbers, then attacks.
Medaka is seen walking to school. She finds a note in the suggestion box from the academy chairman, asking to meet with her. Hakama meets with Medaka in his office, thanking her for getting Unzen under control, and asks Medaka if she would be willing to take Unzen's place in the Flask Plan. In the lunch room, Yobuko sits with Unzen in her lap as the boy explains the Flask Plan to several members of the Public Morals Committee. Unzen goes on to explain Abnormals and the dice test. When Medaka rolls eight dice at once, they form into a tower, a result that amazes Hakama. Following Shiranui (attracted by their sweets), Zenkichi comes up to the Enforcers' table. Unzen is pleased, stating he was looking to talk to Zenkichi. Medaka turns Hakama down, claiming that she is only interested in helping others. She then leaves. Hakama thinks to himself that Medaka is very strong, but that that also makes her weak points very easy to find. He then addresses the six members of the Thirteen Party concealed in his office, asking their thoughts. After hearing their assessment, Hakama thinks to himself how difficult they are to handle, but that at least these six bothered to answer his summons. In the lunch room, Zenkichi listens as Unzen continues to describe his sister, claiming that he and Medaka are the only normal people in Class 13, while his sister is a total nonconformist who speaks a math language. When Zenkichi asks if Myouga is the fighting type, Unzen states that she is, though she has never once been able to beat him in a fight. Myouga is seen standing over a hole in floor; on the next level down, Medaka is seen driven into the floor.
Nabeshima is sleeping in class when the seniors hear of a fight between Medaka and Myouga. After Yakushima addresses her as the Judo Club captain, she corrects him by stating that she is the former captain. Myouga stands over Medaka, motionless in a crater. In her math language, Myouga muses on what it means to be the strongest, and though she can come up with no definitive answer, she reaffirms her belief that she must become a member of the Thirteen Party. As Myouga prepares to leave, Medaka rises to her feet, calling out to her in Myouga's own math language. Myouga expresses her amazement that Medaka was able to decipher her language, and questions where Medaka did not dodge her earlier attack. Medaka states that there was no reason for Myouga to attack her, so there was no reason to dodge, which prompts Myouga to hit her again, sending her into an empty classroom. Myouga attacks a third time, but Nabeshima trips Medaka up, causing the incoming attack to miss. The crowd erupts in cheers at the sight of the Foul King, leading Medaka to comment that Nabeshima is quite popular, though Nabeshima brushes the praise off.
Myouga angrily tells Nabeshima not to interfere, as this is a fight between Abnormals. Nabeshima confronts Myouga, and though she initially appears infuriated that Medaka has been attacked, she quickly reverts to her usual demeanor. Pulling off her school uniform and throwing it to Medaka, Nabeshima states her intent to enter the fight. Myouga states that she has heard of Nabeshima from her brother, and that she won't lose to a Special. As Myouga lunges, Nabeshima punches her in the face, knocking her back and momentarily stunning her. The crowd roars that Nabeshima is fouling already. Medaka comments that the punch is technically not a foul, though modern Judo does not use punches. Coming up behind her, Yakushima agrees, stating that strikes are actually a part of Judo, and that it would only be a foul in an official match. Nabeshima taunts Myouga, promising to defeat the Abnormal with her fists alone. Infuriated, Myouga declares her intent crush Nabeshima.
Myouga discards her balls and chains, prompting Nabeshima to ask if she is going to pull a Dragonball and speed up. Myouga does, and is able to get behind Nabeshima and knock the older girl to the ground before she can react. Myouga declares that Specials cannot hope to compete with Abnormals, and, grabbing Nabeshima, promises to beat her into unconsciousness a hundred times. Thinking Nabeshima is in trouble, Medaka moves to try and help her, only for Yakushima to hold her back. He tells her she has no right to help as she was the one who got Nabeshima into the situation in the first place, but that she need not worry, pointing out that not a single senior student present is showing concern, and that Nabeshima didn't take the title of "Foul King" just because it sounded cool.
Nabeshima suddenly awakens and grabs onto Myouga, revealing she was just playing possum. She chastises Myouga for getting within a Judo practitioner's range, and drops her with a full point back flip. Medaka comments that it would have been a foul in an official match because Nabeshima grabbed the same shoulder and elbow, though Yakushima repeats that fouling only matters in an official match. Myouga shakily rises, insisting that she is not finished, only to find Nabeshima grabbing her around the waist. Nabeshima tells Myouga she will stop once the younger girl has lost consciousness, prompting the younger girl to scream at her. Yakushima asks Medaka if Myouga just called Nabeshima a cheater. When Medaka questions if he has deciphered Myouga's language, he replied in the negative, claiming that every one of Nabeshima's opponents have said that at some point. Nabeshima drops Myouga on her head, defeating her. Later, Myouga is carried away on a stretcher, though the medics leave her weapons behind.
Afterwards, Nabeshima talks with Medaka, and tells the younger girl that it would have been better if she had fought, as Medaka could have defeated Myouga without hurting her. Medaka remembers her past fights when she entered War God Mode, and thanks Nabeshima for her advice before leaving. Watching her go with Yakushima, Nabeshima wonders if she has woken a sleeping lion. As she sets about tying her hair in a braid, Medaka decides she will have to look into the Flask Plan as the Student Council president. She is confronted by Ushibuka, Hirado, and Noogata, all of Class 13. Though they attack her simultaneously, Medaka defeats them all in an instant with no remarkable show of effort (she continues fixing her hair throughout the assault), only commenting that she held back on reflex. Realizing she has been holding back for too long, Medaka decides to seek help from her brother.
Having learned all he can from Unzen, Zenkichi seeks out Medaka to warn her about Myouga. Zenkichi asks Shiranui if she knows anything about the Flask Plan, but she reminds him that she is just one of the chairman's many grandchildren, and that he should be more concerned about Medaka. As the pair searches, they are spotted by Oudo, who orders them to tell him where he can find the suggestion box.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
*Note: Bold = First Appearance
- Medaka Kurokami
- Hakama Shiranui
- Myouga Unzen
- Harigane Onigase
- Tousei Chijiwa
- Kaishi Yame
- Tomojiki Koyu
- Kabuto Nomozaki
- Myouri Unzen
- Fue Yobuko
- Hansode Shiranui
- Zenkichi Hitoyoshi
- Youka Naze
- Itami Koga
- Oudo Miyakonojou
- Mizou Yukuhashi
- Shigusa Takachiho
- Kei Munakata
- Nekomi Nabeshima
- Umumichi Yakushima
- Misogi Kumagawa (flashback)
- Najimi Ajimu (flashback)
- Kouki Akune (flashback)
- Mogana Kikaijima (flashback)
- Garaharu Ushibuka
- Kenri Noogata
- Royal Hirado
Differences Between Anime and Manga[]
- In the anime, Myouga approaches Medaka from the front, rather than attacking her from behind.
- In the anime, Unzen and Yobuko have much more than just a cake in front of them on the table.
- In the manga, the members of the Thirteen Party all stand behind Hakama's couch; in the anime, they take up positions all over his office.
- In the manga, Myouga's initial attack drops Medaka to the floor with a bloody head wound. She does far more damage in the anime.
- In the anime, Medaka defeats the trio from Class 13 on an escalator; in the manga, she fought them in an ordinary hallway.