For the story so far, simply watch all 13 episodes of the anime and then read my summaries of the previous manga chapters. I'm assuming that you're reading this to find out what happens next, so the following are packed with spoilers. Since this page contains some large pictures, please be patient with the slow loading.
Shuri arrives at Okinawa with Bashô & Yûna, and he is as giddy as a kid in a candy store. The island is packed with merchants, foreigners, exotic flora and fauna, and Shuri is having the time of his life checking everything out. He sure looks cute when he's being a kid. ^_^
Signs of an upcoming election are everywhere, and Bashô informs Shuri that Okinawa is a democracy. Instead of a king, they have a president, who is elected by the people. The current president, Asato, just so happens to be Yûna's fiancé. Bashô goes on to explain that in comparison to Okinawa, Japan still has a backward government where any son of the Emperor, no matter how tyrannical or stupid, can be a king. Of course, Shuri doesn't agree with democracy, and still believes that a ruler should be determined by birth, not the people.
All politics aside, Shuri takes a look at the lush vegetation growing on Okinawa, and wonders why West Japan isn't like that:
"My Suou is a desert city... It's on an island like this one. It's got the same scorching sun. Why? Why is it so different?"
After much comtemplation, Shuri (along with Bashô and Yûna) finally arrive at Bashô Sanctuary, home of Dr. Bashô and his many students. They are greeted by Bashô's best student Nakijin, who is the younger brother of challenger presidential candidate Unten. Nakijin takes an instant dislike to Shuri once he finds out Shuri's from Japan. You see, Okinawa once belonged to Japan, but then it became an independent country, and now the Japanese Emperor wants to take it back by force. (In actuality, Okinawa still belongs to Japan, but it does house a major U.S. military base.) Naturally, Nakijin suspects Shuri of being a spy for Japan. And Shuri is put off by this rude welcome. So the two get ready for a fight.
Unfortunately, Bashô stops the fight from happening by splashing water on them both. He then orders Shuri to go tend a field of herbs. This will be Shuri's way of repaying Bashô for saving his life.
Meanwhile, Sarasa (along with Nagi and Kakujî) asks Red Eric to sail her to Okinawa, and despite an impending typhoon, he obliges on account of trying to impress his life-long love, Cha-Cha (he doesn't know she's already got Zaki as a lover).
Back at Okinawa, Shuri has been working hard on his field, but all his hard work is soon laid to waste by the oncoming typhoon.
Shuri tries his best to prevent his field from flooding, but even with the help of Yûna, it was a futile attempt.
Despite the overall damage, not all was lost, as Yûna discovers a few surviving buds. Shuri gets really happy about that, and immediately tries to save the few surviving crops. But then, he stops himself...
At the same time, Red Eric's ship (carrying Sarasa & Co.) is sunk by the same storm that destroyed Shuri's field, and Sarasa is lost among the waves. She eventually washes up on Okinawa, and hears someone being murdered (remember she's still blind). In the end, she's found by none other than Nakijin.
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