Appare-Ranman! (天晴爛漫！)

Racers, start your engines

because the Trans-America Wild Race is about to begin!

The rules are simple.

Take off from our starting point here in sunny Los Angeles

and the first one to cross the finish line

and take the checkered flag in New York City wins!

Now to kick things off right,

today's first place driver will take home

a ten-thousand-dollar prize!

These daredevils are rip-roaring to go

in this contest of speed and skill!

But who's got the grit and moxie to take them all the way?

The signal flag is just about to fly!

Did you hear that, Appare?

The race is about to start; we need to get going!

Just a final tuning.

So pipe down and let me think.

Not good. It feels like we're behind the pack already.

Relax, Kosame. There's far to go.

Oh, what do you know? You're just a child!

I can't wait on you, Appare!

Come on, it's not like you had no idea

that the race was starting today!

Why didn't you have it all tuned up

and ready to go ahead of time?

Done.

Hurry! Go! Go!

You ready?

Yes!

Now, hold on to your loincloth, Kosame.

Huh? Uh. Please be safe, okay?

Show time, boys.

It's gonna be a long road, but at the end, victory awaits!

Here we go!

Best of luck! Please be careful.

There you are, Appare. The race is on now!

I won't hold anything back!

Kid's got some spunk.

All right, you guys. Hang on!

Because we're about to blast outta here!

Have you lost your mind?

Careful! I don't want to die!

Can you believe the boy did that?

I know!

So my experiment resulted in about

65% of the amount of steam pressure I was expecting.

I'd like to get the thermal conductivity to the boiler

a lot closer to my calculations.

I'll need to readjust the heat pipe.

But what'll be enough clearance between the pipe and the boiler?

Guess I'll also need to reexamine the cooling system

to see how long I can extend the practical running time.

There's still a lot of room for improvement.

Next up!

Big brother!

Huh?

Big brother!

Yes, Fumi. What's the matter?

And don't forget, in the dojo, address me...

..."me as Shihandai."

Shihandai, a messenger from Lord Kuroda has arrived

and is requesting that you report

to his lordship's manor immediately.

Really? Why didn't you say that sooner?

You know Sorano Appare, yes?

The Sorano family's second son?

Yes, sir. He's a mechanical genius.

He creates unusual gadgets and things,

calling them "experiments,"

but rumor has it that he carries on in some rather wild behavior.

They're not merely rumors!

Huh?

What in the world is that?

Who cares? The thing has destroyed my garden!

Were we still in the Tokugawa Era,

I would slay him for this disrespect no questions asked.

But, though they may be commoners now,

the family were once major merchants

who had official dealings with the Shogunate.

So I'll have to deal with this matter

with some degree of restraint.

Yes, you're right.

But the boy is trouble, one can't deny.

Which is why I called for you.

I am ordering you to be Appare's overseer.

Huh? Who, me?

That's right.

Your close age means you're the perfect fit.

The perfect fit for what exactly, sir?

Also, from what I understand,

he was once a pupil at your dojo.

Uh, well, not quite, sir.

His father twisted my arm to let him join,

but I expelled him after just three days for--

This is not a discussion!

If anything else happens, I'm holding you responsible as well.

You're to keep a close watch on him.

Yes, sir.

However, I wouldn't be that surprised

if he's already been murdered by his cellmates.

I had him thrown in with the major criminals.

If he dies as a result of some jailhouse scuffle,

well, that's hardly any fault of mine.

What's your deal, new guy? You too good to say hello?

No, I never say hello. It's a waste of my time.

Is that so? Well, then...

Hm?

Move your foot.

Tch. Why don't you make me, you snot-nosed punk?

The hell was that for?

Because he told me to, didn't he?

You've got some attitude, kid.

Guess I'll have to teach you how it works in here.

That won't be necessary.

I'm leaving.

Whoa, wait! Open that back up!

Hey, what's all the racket?

I don't know.

Our only job here is to look the other way if something happens.

Yeah.

What the--?

There's someone missing, right? You seen a cheeky little brat?

He just busted out.

Huh?

Appare, stop!

Just where have you been?

At the beach.

After that, I broke into an estate,

spent some time in jail, and now I've come back home.

Explain yourself. What exactly do you think you're doing, son?

What's the point explaining something

you wouldn't understand?

Appare.

How dare you speak to your father with such disrespect!

You are 19 years old.

Stop wasting your time with this foolishness

and help out with the business!

You may be the second son, but that is no excuse!

I'm busy right now. I've got some other things to do.

Well, either you get to work, or you get out!

You see, he just opened the jail door on his own and walked away.

Breaking out of jail is a serious offense.

Go gather some men!

We'll catch him

and make sure that he can't wreak this kind of havoc again!

Sir!

Damn it! He's such a pain!

All right.

Why do you need your katana, brother?

I just do. To catch a criminal.

Is everything okay?

Yes. I'll handle it before things get out of hand.

Huh?

It's fine, so don't you worry. I'll be back home soon

Hey!

Oh, boy.

Pardon me, but I'm looking for Sorano Appare.

Oh, you're the Shihandai from the Hangetsu Dojo.

I'm his older brother, Hanbei. Has he done something again?

Well, yes, sort of.

That fool.

He never does any work,

just spends all day tinkering with those silly gadgets.

So, uh...

He's here. You'll find him in the old storehouse.

Just head around back outside.

Thank you.

He won't lift a finger for us,

so please convince him not to bother anyone else

at the very least!

Appare! I know you're in there!

Appare! I'm coming in!

Hm?

Oh. I could use some tea.

Seems that explosion's happening too late.

Guess I gotta tweak the internal steam pressure

just a little bit more.

Hey, hold on just a minute, please!

What is this place?

A western technical manual?

Nope, not a manual. It's a story.

Really, you don't say.

Whoever you are, stop touching my stuff.

Have you really forgotten who I am?

You enrolled in my dojo three years ago

and used that cowardly weapon on me.

Huh?

Gotcha.

Oh, right. You're the guy who lost to me.

That doesn't count as a loss!

Anyway, now I'm the Shihandai of the Hangetsu Ittoryu School.

But that's beside the point.

Look, as we speak, men are being gathered

to either arrest you or immediately put you to death.

I promise I will beg them to let you live

as long as you agree to go back to jail