March Comes in Like a Lion Season 1 Episode 17 Episode 17

Kirie and Hina are having their qualifying matches for the upcoming Meijin Cup, but their opponents are incredibly formidable. Hina, in particular, has to face a middle schooler who has already won the tournament once before. Meanwhile, Rei spends some time with the Kawamoto family, where he's amazed by Akari's cooking skills. He also offers to help with household chores, but his lack of experience in performing these duties leads to some hilarious results. Akari appreciates his help all the same and invites him to stay for dinner. As they eat, Hina recounts her day at the tournament, and Rei can tell how hard she's been working to improve her skills. The conversation turns to the girls' father, who Akari says is finally recovering from his depression. Rei expresses his relief at hearing this and reminisces about when he himself was struggling with similar feelings. The episode ends with Rei heading home, feeling grateful for the warmth and comfort the Kawamoto family has provided him.