Sakaki's on the front of this thinpak, and on the DVD.
Yukari officially promotes everyone to 2nd year. Most of the generic featureless white masses dance around.
The only one who stands who wasn't already is Osaka.
Draft Picks ("Draft" is written in katakana.)
The lights go off, and everybody fades away but Osaka, who sits down wavily. Irregular footsteps from a single source are heard from the hall. Chiyo twirls into view, cheerily identifying the sole occupant of the room. Dropping into the Japanese audio for a little bit, Osaka responds, "Haaaaaaaaaai..." Back to English. Chiyo notices that she's not as cheery as the occasion would merit. Chiyo dances into the room, either exhorting her to be cheery OR simply asking what's the matter and recognizing that she's not very cheerful. When Chiyo arrives, Osaka says it wouln't be too long before they're 2nd-years. Chiyo says they are. Osaka says the classes are going to be shuffled, but wants to be in the same class as Chiyo. Chiyo's pigtails raise some, she gains a thick border, and she declares that they can and will be. Osaka goes on to mention Tomo, Yomi, and Sakaki. Chiyo's pigtails point diagonally upward, and she makes a similar declaration. The border goes back to thin, and she slumps some, realizing that she can't really be that certain. Osaka also wants Yukari for homeroom. (What would be wrong with Minamo? Oh well. I guess it wouldn't be as funny, unless Yukari or Kimura came into homeroom frequently.) The thick border around Chiyo returns, and her pigtails are pointing even higher than before, as she says they'll all be together. Then she goes back to normal.
Yukari pokes her head in, saying they don't have to worry about that. Chiyo blinks, and turns her head toward the now-vacant doorway. They blink. Yukari pokes her head in through the other doorway, and says that she is their homeroom teacher for second year. They turn toward that doorway, and Yukari pokes her head in the first one, and tells Chiyo that they could use her fighting power. They turn back toward that doorway. Yukari pokes her head in the other doorway again, and happily watched silently as Chiyo jumps for joy, and Osaka gives an open-mouthed smile and a light giggle.
Meanwhile, Kaorin looks down. She reaches into one of those long, rectangular flower gardens in a brick structure. Now she has a flower. Her hand shakes as she reaches for a petal. The thing she wants the petal plucking to predict is not the standard Loves Me Not thing (though that's likely the ultimate goal), but whether or not she'll be in the same class as Sakaki. All we see is petals falling until there's only one left. And it would predict a "not" outcome. Her hair frizzes up as she goes to pluck it, being torn between "having" to pick it to get a fair outcome, and not wanting the outcome it predicts. Suddenly, another flower is presented to her... by Yukari! It's a second chance!
Now we see the discarded stem with one petal attached, and petals falling down around it as both of them chant the two possibilities. The second chance, too, is a wash, though. As she struggles with plucking the last petal again, a third flower is offered... by Kimura-sensei. He says that they could be together, and uses her name with the "n" attached again.
Dub:
Sub:
Now for a shot reminiscent of episode 1, but now a cloud of dust is forming. Tomo is running through the crowd of students, excited about the new school year. Some other female students stop to watch her run and leap into the air.
She passes Kaorin at the gardens, where Kaorin has a pile of stems and petals. At the shoe cubbies, Chiyo says being in the same class would be great, like how Tomo and Yomi have been in the same class for all those years. Tomo is hanging on Yomi's shoulder. Chiyo says she envies them, since she doesn't have anyone like that. Tomo wonders if she's being sarcastic. Kagura, who's walking by, just wonders about her presence.
There's a larger pile of stems and petals now.
But now we get to the only thing that can really tell you who's in whose class: the Second Year Class Roster. Chiyo's in Yukari's class, as are Tomo, Yomi, and Sakaki. Osaka, however, doeswn't see her name. Chiyo says they're all here together.
The others look at her.
The discarded daisy pile has grown. For an instant, Kimura appears to be behind Kaorin, scaring her.
The five are all looking at the roster.
Kaorin strains to look over the crowd, afraid to look and see her name on a separate list from Sakaki's.
Tomo compares Osaka's situation to being given notice. Chiyo encourages Osaka by telling her she'll make new friends right away. At the same time, Tomo is answering the question of why she herself wasn't shuffled out; she figures it's because she's spirited. Yomi interrupts, and points out... the "Osaka" on the roster! Yes, that's right, on something as official as a class roster, Ayumu's nickname was used. Osaka wonders if that's what it means. An arrow points to her, pointing out that she's Ayumu Kasuga.
Kaorin is still straining. She works up the courage to look... and not only are they in the same class, but...
- Sakaki
- Kaorin
Good thing the school has a One Kaori Limit, huh? Also a One Sakaki limit. Karin is overjoyed at this. The background from the ED appears, but with Kaorin running in place, then leaving a brown silhouette to run then as she runs farther forward, then leaving a red silhouette as she runs in place at a point farther ahead. But now we see Sakaki facing away. She turns a bit and sparkles come off as Kaorin runs in place behind her.
Now the "Rasuberi Heven" background is replaced by the classroom. Sakaki is just standing there, looking at the washed-out image of Kaorin. Kaorin turns to a more consistent shading, and stands with her hands in front of her. She greets Sakaki, emits wavy red vertical lines, and remarks that they got to be in the same class again. Sakaki doesn't have much to say about that, and goes to her seat. Kaorin is exhausted.
Then she notices someone walking. It's Kagura! She's walking with replicated frames of animation against a shining background. She pulls up a chair to Sakaki's desk, gives a greeting, remarks that they're in the same class, and sits down as Kaorin observes, still except for motion across the background. Kagura had been wanting to have a proper chat with her. (You don't have a proper chat with Sakaki. Not right after you meet. You dominate the conversation by default.) She's heard that they have a lot in common. She figures they don't need to be told, as they both feel it... right? Sakaki looks at her, then looks away. Kagura gets the impression that Sakaki doesn't remember her. Sakaki looks at her again, and indicates that she doesn't. Kagura's kind of not pleased about this, but tries to jog her memories of competing in the sports fest. Sakaki looks at her again, then looks away. Kagura asks if she really doesn't remember. Sakaki indicates that she doesn't. Kagura says they're rivals, and shakes hands. Kaorin has a realization: Yukari's planning ahead for the sports fest!
The episode dividers feature Kaorin and Sakaki. (...! I never noticed before, but if you look at Sakaki's eye in that image, you can see the face of the Iriomote kitten!)
Wolf
Yukari comes in, slams a bunch of papers on the desk, and writes "Second Year Students" on the board. She introduces herself. She looks around, and remarks that a lot of them were also in her first year class. We're looking around, and see Tomo, Yomi, Sakaki, Kaorin, Chihiro, Chiyo (with Osaka behind her). Yukari wonders why. Kagura actually does wonder why, to herself. Osaka tells herself it's her year to get it together. Yukari claims that it's not because learning and remembering new names would be a pain. Cue vehicle horns. She also says not to change their seating arrangement, even the class reps. She has the class rep say hello. Tomo stands up, but there are two voices. The notation pointing out Tomo as class rep zooms over to Chiyo. Both are confused, so Yukari tells Chiyo to come to the front. As Chiyo does, Kagura remarks that she really is cute, and not well-known for nothing, unlike the "wildcat idiot". Speaking of, she's labeled as Assistant Class Representative ("Assistant" is in red in the kanji, and in yellow in the text subtitling). She starts to indroduce herself as the school's well-known wildcat idiot, and even the kanji above her head says so, but then she calls Kagura an "eternally-running-behind-Miss-Sakaki girl". Some kanji flies over to Kagura to identify her as such. Kagura points out that "behinds are more useful than idiots" (sub) or that she has more brains in her behind than in Tomo's head (dub). Tomo says Kagura's boobs are more developed. (Yomi agrees with the "wildcat idiot" assessment.) Kagura counters that at least she has them. Tomo says she is one. Yukari sweetly tells them to be nice to each other, as they're all part of their forces, then more forcefully tells them to settle down. Osaka's been repeating "Get it together" all this time.
The chimes ring, signalling the end of school. Some students are out front. Kagura doesn't have swim practice today, so she wants to walk home with Sakaki. She runs in place in an effort to get where Sakaki is.
As they walk, Kagura lets on that she's wanted to ask her something, namely is she usually plays sports. She doesn't, which makes Kagura even more amazed that she was as good as she was in the sports fest events. (The background folk they pass go from being slightly less detailed than usual to being white with black outlines. These are club recruiters and the people they're trying to recruit.) Kagura wonders if she's thinking about joining a club, and thinks the sports teams would want to talk to her. A group of female recruiters — a basketball player, a tennis player, and a... is that a baseball bat she's holding? — ask Sakaki to join their club in a manner similar to a Hive-Mind Testimonial. Sakaki says sports clubs aren't her kind of thing. (A plethora of outlined white figures follow her.) Kagura says she's impressed (sub) or that it's classic Sakaki (dub). Sakaki questions this. Another group, male this time — a shot putter, a (pro?) baseball player, and a sumo wrestler — ask her to join. (Yeah, I'm sure Sakaki would be interested in a sumo wrestling club. Maybe some of the people who cosplay her could be sumo wrestlers with a little training, but...) Kagura asks Sakaki how she'd feel about joining the swim team. Sakaki says nothing. Kagura takes this as confirmation that she's a silent lone wolf who doesn't like big crowds. Sakaki questions the "wolf" aspect. Kagura imagines an adult wolf, standing boldly near the edge of a precipice as snowy winds howl around. The sports recruiters from earlier repeat their request in unison. Kagura thinks Sakaki's being too cool. Sakaki's mental image of the wolf is that of a cute, white, yipping wolf puppy.
They continue walking, Kagura wondering what she'll say to her sempai tomorrow. (How about, "Sorry, but she just doesn't want to join any sports clubs"?) Sakaki stops, and Kagura stops right behind her. She looks where Sakaki is looking. It's a gray cat. Sakaki approaches her as usual, but Kagura scares it away by yelling at it. She laughs at it, saying it was great. Sakaki's not so pleased.
At school, Chiyo descends the stairs angrily, saying nobody understands. She talks to Sakaki, who lets the viewer know that some first years said Chiyo was cute.
Putting On Senior Airs
Chiyo relates that she and Osaka were going to the faculty office on the first floor, and on the way back, were surrounded by first-years gushing over her cuteness. She found it rude, as she's a second-year. And when she told Yomi, she simply laughed it off and remarked that their surprise is only natural. Kagura just said that she just has to be cute. Osaka played with Chiyo's pigtails using static and a pencil board. Tomo had a practical suggestion: make a sign telling people she's a second-year. Chiyo is dissatisfied with their support, and doesn't want first-years telling her that she's cute, small, or a kid. She asks Sakaki if she understands how she feels. Sakaki thinks.
When Sakaki goes walking around the school, the girls think she's just so cool. She's in year two, and class 3, and her height's over 170. ...Aynbody want a peanut? Anyway, Sakaki feels boxed in by their classification. Chiyo repeats her question. Sakaki claims she doesn't understand.
Chiyo goes down the stairs, angry again. She passes a male student. He notices her, and stops, wondering what a kid is doing there. He turns and looks. She's stopped, as well. She looks back at him. Suddenly, she runs up to him, and asks if he's a new student. He is. She introduces herself as Chiyo Mihama, a second-year. That is, Mihama-sempai. He repeats it. Satisfied, she walks off giggling, leaving him to wonder.
In the classroom, Yomi is hungry. Tomo realizes that they were first-years until the other day. Yomi just wants her to get on with the copying. Tomo wants to do something second-yearish. Yomi still wants her to finish. Tomo has an idea. She opens her pots of curry and rice. This can only mean one thing: eating early! While it seems cheap and petty, there's the curry... As a second-year student, says Tomo, looking stereotypically Indian (India Indian, and this is Japan's stereotype), eating early goes beyond common knowledge, falling under the basics of the basics. She pours the curry on the rice, and begins eating. Some of the students, including all the mains, watch. Chiyo is concerned, as class'll be starting soon. Tomo counters that you can't be afraid of class starting if you're going to be afraid of that. She realizes that it's probably not something a child could aspire to. This peeves Chiyo. Tomo tries to tempt the others into doing as she does.
Kimura goes to the class he's supposed to teach, only to find everyone eating behind their Classical Lit textbooks. He comes to the conclusion that it's lunchtime. He apologizes, walks backwards to the faculty office, and has lunch... until he realizes that his coworkers and the principal are staring at him. He looks at the clock. "11 o'clock? DING-DONG!"
Marco...
Yukari runs to her classroom, carrying a box marked "tasty strawberries" or something. She's disappointed that nearly everyone's gone. It's just the main 6. She wants them to come to her. She sets down the box, which she just had to pick up. Sakaki starts leaving anyway. Tomo wonders if it'll explode when they open it. Yomi doesn't think they should open it, as things left out in the street can be dangerous. Yukari would have preferred dangerous, as what's actually inside... is a sleeping kitten! Upon this chorused identification, Sakaki instantly returns. She strains to see as the others talk about it. Yukari wants one of them to take him home. Tomo wonders if Yukari isn't going to take him, but she says she's too busy. She says a kitten like that can't survive on it's own. Tomo still thinks Yukari should keep him, but Yukari repeats her claim. Meanwhile, Kagura's just awakened. Yukari looks like she's going to start a lecture, but instead yells at them for someone to take him. Yomi says it's easy for her to say, but... Osaka says she can't, and Yomi can't, either. Tomo and Chiyo both have dogs. Kagura finally gets that there's a cat. Sakaki can't take him. Sakaki has a thought process, however. In the dub and sub, she combines the fact that he's curled up like a ball and reminds her of a marble with his vaguely-calico patterning (no black, though) to come up with "Marco" for a name. The name reminds her of 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, and she starts identifying the kitten with that Marco. All the while, Kagura's trying to get her attention. Finally, Sakaki says, "Be strong, Marco!" Kagura wonders about that.
The others, however, have apparently come up with "Tama". (Gerogerogero?)) Chiyo suggests the class taking care of him. Osaka understands that it'd be someone's duty to take care of him. Sakaki wants to, but is too quiet to be noticed. Chiyo figures she'll be the pet keeper if nobody else will. Sakaki tries again; still no one notices. Yukari says it's not like keeping goldfish. Tomo has a plan to help out; she lives next door to a pound/public health center. Sakaki shrinks.
The kitten wakes up. Sakaki experiences an overload and has to hold onto Kagura for support whilst she processes the cute intake. The others gush over his cuteness and want to hold him. Chiyo is first. Osaka's next, but we don't see her. The was Tomo holds him makes Yomi nervous, so she takes him. She offers to let Sakaki hold him. The background goes black. Kagura and Yomi remain as white silhouettes. Only Sakaki and Tama are in color. Her heartbeats are audible to us as she goes to hold him. He suddenly gets round Blank White Eyes. Kagura yells for some reason, and Tama jumps out the window and away. Tomo states the obvious, and the five stand at the window, watching. Kagura has apparently had a fright, and is experiencing Color Failure. the five look at Yukari. She looks out the window and sparkles as she tells them not to worry, as she knows he'll make it on his own. Yomi yells that that's not what she said earlier.
Next time: Episode 11!
