Episode 001

Let's Play Soccer! (サッカーやろうぜ！, Sakkā yarou ze!) is episode 1 of the Inazuma Eleven anime.
 * Episode 1 | |  →

Summary
The episode begins showing a destructive hissatsu, the shade of the Teikoku Academy's team members and Kageyama Reiji. The next scene shows the Raimon Junior High where Mamoru Endō is the captain of its long-neglected soccer club.

At the time, it only has seven members: Someoka Ryuugo, Heigoro Kabeyama, Teppei Kurimatsu, Handa Shinichi, Shourinji Ayumu, Shishido Sakichi and Endō; but only the last was interested in practicing at all. Endō tried to persuade them to practice, but they all said that they did not even have a field to practice in. The captain then went to the field and asked the people there, but no one want to.

In the afternoon, Endō plays with some kids when two punks come in and one of them is accidentaly hit by the soccer ball. Endō apologizes and asks the boy to give back the ball, but he rather kicks Endō's stomach and the ball which is headed straight for a small girl. Suddenly a mysterious boy kicks the soccer ball right at his face. Endō comments how powerful the shot was and asks if he can join Raimon. But the boy ignores him and leaves. The next day, a new student joins Raimon Junior High, he is called Gouenji Shuuya and he is revealed to be the boy Endō met before.

The situation takes a turn when Endō gets called to the principal office. He is told by the principal and Natsumi Raimon that the Teikoku team wants to have a training game with Raimon but if the soccer club does not get 11 players, they would disband the club. Of course he does not want that to happen. Following that event, Endō goes around the school inviting others to join the team. He is able to get Kazemaru Ichirouta, Kuusuke Matsuno, Kageno Jin, and Kakeru Megane to join, even though Megane has no athletic talents whatsoever and wants to be the ace striker. He also asks Gouenji to join his soccer team again, but he says he stoped playing football. When the Teikoku team arrives, Yuuto Kidou kicks a soccer ball at Endō, whose hands come injured, but gets happy to see how powerful his opponent is.

Trivia

 * Kurimatsu is seen playing a Nintendo DS, which is a reference to the games which were developed for the console.

Characters

 * Endou Mamoru
 * Gouenji Shuuya
 * Kidou Yuuto
 * Kino Aki
 * Otonashi Haruna
 * Kazemaru Ichirouta
 * Kuusuke Matsuno
 * Someoka Ryuugo
 * Shishido Sakichi
 * Handa Shinichi
 * Heigoro Kabeyama
 * Shourinji Ayumu
 * Megane Kakeru
 * Teppei Kurimatsu
 * Kageno Jin