Fairyland Class
From the lectern, Chiyo announces that she'd like to decide what to do for the culture fest, and asks for ideas. One boy suggests a haunted house. Assistant rep Tomo writes it down. Chihiro suggests a café. While Chiyo asks for more ideas, Tomo isn't writing; she jitters instead. It turns out she doesn't know (or remember) how to write the kanji for it. (I suppose she could've written the hiragana for it, but with so many homophones...) She makes some kind of vertical stroke. Chiyo, seeing her difficulty, quickly writes a kanji for her to copy. Now that Tomo's written the rest, and nobody's said anything else, Chiyo decides to take a vote. Yukari, however, thinks they should go with something out of the ordinary, like... well, she can't come up with anything, either, so she says a café is a great idea.
A comment box has been mounted on the wall, which Osaka notices. Yomi states its purpose. Osaka thinks it would be a good idea for just their class to have a sports fest. Yomi asks if she heard what she just said. Tomo thinks the comment box looks hungry. Yomi suggests she stop admiring it and put something in, so she does. It sounds suspiciously like a not-piece-of-paper-with-an-idea-on-it, so Yomi asks what it was: it was a 5-yen coin. Yomi clarifies that it's for project ideas. Tomo starts to tell us the legend of that comment box, but Yomi says it doesn't have one.
Culture fest ideas, take 2. Chiyo shakes the comment box, and a 5-yen coin falls out, conveniently landing in front of Tomo, who reclaims it. Chiyo wonders if nothing else is in there. She looks, and sees a piece of paper, which she pulls out and reads. The idea is for everyone to bring their stuffed animals and put them on display. (Stuffed animals are shown floating against a light green background. Among them: a biting cat, an Iriomote cat (!), a penguin, and the yellow cat-thing that we'll properly meet next episode.) The suggester feels that the stuffed animals would be happy to make new friends. The response to the idea seems positive. Kaorin is curious as to the identity of the one who suggested it. Chiyo says that the person wanted to remain anonymous; the camera seems to imply that it was Sakaki.
Osaka has the additional idea of making fanciful uniforms and wearing them. The word meruhen, which Google leads me to believe means "fantasy-like", is shown against a pink background with flowers and cherubs. (That is, the naked babies with wings and halos. If I were talking Biblical things, I would've written it proper-like.) The classroom door slides open, revealing Kimura-sensei, who just happens to have a suggestion for that. He starts to turn the paper around and show us, but Tomo blocks our view. "NO THANK YOU!" Chiyo thinks they should have a class mascot; Yomi suggests one big enough to wear. Tomo thinks this is a good idea, and says they should make it at Chiyo's. Sakaki starts drawing some sort of quadraped. All this time, Kimura is describing his idea, until Yukari, offscreen, gets him outside and closes the door over his protests. Sakaki erases her drawing.
Man of Character
At Chiyo's, Osaka is being traced around by Kaorin as Yomi, Chiyo, and a large white dog look on. Kaorin finishes, but Osaka is unsure if her size will fit everyone. Yomi thinks it'll be fine.
Let's look at our height charts, at least as of second year.
- 133cm: Chiyo
- 154cm: Tomo
- 156cm: Osaka
- 158cm: Yukari
- 163cm: Yomi
- 174cm: Sakaki
So from that, it looks like Yukari might have been a better choice, if they're not making it to fit Chiyo or Sakaki.
Chiyo heads to the store to get some jusu, as they're out. Kaorin apologizes for the trouble, and Yomi thanks her. Chiyo tells Tadakichi-san (Mr. Tadakichi, in the dub), the dog, that it's time to go. He barks.
Sakaki walks, carrying a bag. She stops when she sees a dog sitting in the middle of the street. He gives a bark. Chiyo emerges from behind him, having been completely hidden, and says "Sakaki-san!" She notes that they've been waiting a while for her. Sakaki apologizes, and points out that she brought some jusu, and hands it over. Chiyo is thankful, as she was going to get some. After a beat, Chiyo divines her unvoiced question, and introduces her family's pet dog, Tadakichi-san. Sakaki asks if it's okay to pet him. Chiyo says it is, and performs a chapter Title Drop, adding that he never gets angry. Sakaki still has reservations. (After all, there's this cat... and if a cat bites like that, a bite from a Great Pyrenees...) Chiyo insists that he's perfectly safe. Sakaki takes a while to reach out, and even then, she hesitates when she actually reaches his head. Chiyo reiterates that it's all right. She starts rubbing his head. Not only does he not bite, but he doesn't react at all. It's as though she's petting Hachiko. As she pets him, crows start to caw and crickets chirp, as the sky goes from blue to orange. At this point, Chiyo suggests they head back. Sakaki blushes. She realizes that Chiyo could almost ride him. Chiyo demonstrates that she can. Sakaki is startled. Tadakichi turns, and Chiyo urges Sakaki to come on. Tadakichi starts walking, and Sakaki follows a while before stopping to marvel at the sight. She thinks Chiyo is lucky to have him.
The chapter dividers feature Osaka and Kagura.
Go With Enthusiasm! (Nori nori <go>-!)
The culture fest archway is set up, with Yukari-sensei and Kurosawa-sensei standing in it. Minamo remarks that culture fest season is here again. It's been a while since theirs, but it brings back memories for her. Yukari thinks a while, then laughs. Minamo takes this to mean that she doesn't remember... at all.
1-3 is the Fairyland Class, which is some sort of pun in Japanese. A braided girl adjusts the original stuffed animal exhibit. Chiyo tells Sakaki they've had a good turnout. Sakaki adjusts a slouching teddy bear.
Chihiro has ears for everyone to put on. Kaorin has a pair, as well as a pin that says "Kaorin" (Wait, "Kaorin"? Shouldn't it be "Kaori" to the general public? I guess they'll know not to use the "n" if they're not supposed to) and has a cat head on it, and a "cat keeper" armband. Sakaki wears a pin with "Sakaki" and a larger cat head, and an armband that definitely says "cat", and may also have the kanji for "keeper", but if so, it's on the other side of her arm. Kaorin, sporting Blank White Eyes and a Luminescent Blush, tells Sakaki she looks wonderful. Chiyo thinks it suits her.
Osaka comes up in the cat suit. (As the template, it's only fair.) It's off-white with Blank White Eyes and a red bow. She asks how she looks. Chihiro thinks it's really cute, while Chiyo says it's incredible. Tomo is unsure. She clarifies that she doesn't think Osaka is wearing it well, and offers to switch. Osaka starts by taking off the head and handing it to Tomo.
Once she's fully costumed, Tomo gives an "Up... up... up... and away!" She spins a bit, making Chiyo giggle, before dashing off. She runs full tilt down the school hallways, inadvertently scaring people, including Nyamo, as she goes. She spots Yomi at the shoe cubbies, and jumps up and down, waving her arms, freaking Yomi out.
Back at the classroom, Tomo is exhausted. Chiyo asks where she went. Tomo, it seems was advertising by "sprinkling cuteness all over school."
Yomi: Topped off with a nice heavy dash of scary.Nyamo is walking around, looking at the outdoor booths. The swim team's booth has a girl trying to attract people to the booth by mentioning their diversity of drinks, and telling people they're thirsty. Kurosawa approaches her, compliments her on her work, and asks how thinks are going. The girl points out Kimura, who apparently has a complaint. As it turns out, he finds it rather odd that the girls working the swim teams booth aren't wearing swimsuits. He decides to drop the complaint, however, and order... a glass of pool water. As in, the water from the pool that they swim in. Kagura, his waitress, says they don't have any of that!
The Mascot
Sakaki and Osaka are (wo)manning the original stuffed animal table. Osaka, of course, is calling out the general "Welcome to Fairyland! Come over and take a look!" A woman comes over and calls the toys adorable. Then she notices a pair of nondescript white mammalesque stuffed blobs, which floating text tells us were made by Sakaki. She asks what they are. Sakaki says one is a dog, and the other is a cat. ...Or is it the other way around? (Nui... kone? ...Sewing Connection?
) The woman picks up a pinkish one, and wonders what it is. Osaka identifies it as Tsutenkaku Tower. She puts it down and points out another, which Osaka calls "Hanshin." This seems to break the woman's brain.
Kaorin, in the mascot suit, is welcoming people. Chiyo comes up and says "Omatase shimashita" (well, probably) and that it's the next person's turn. In the classroom, she takes off the head, giving off sparkles as her hair comes down. She remarks that it's hot in there. Yomi tells her "good job" and gives her a bottle of water, which she gratefully accepts. It's Yomi's turn, but Chiyo wants to try it. Yomi allows it, and Chiyo puts it on. It's way too big for her, though, and hangs off her disturbingly... not too mention it's a touch heavy, and badly balanced. Kaorin says it's kind of scary. Yomi says her name, and Chiyo turns at hearing her name. They somehow see the costume as a large cat monster, and run away from it in circles, screaming as it follows them.
At the original stuffed animal booth, two girls are looking them over. One says "they're" cute and weird at the same time. The other agrees about the weird. Apparently, they're talking about the vaguely canine/feline blobs. The first girl picks one up, wanting to buy it. Sakaki asks if she won't take the cat... err... dog? with her, as well. She doesn't, and Sakaki silently wishes "you" happiness. (The purchaser, or the stuffed whatever?)
Back to a de-Chiyo-ed and oddly silent mascot suit. Clearly, it's occupied. Chiyo gets Sakaki to take a picture of her with it. Awww! She has her arms around it, and it has an arm around her. Sakaki decides to have her picture taken with it, as well. It has an arm around her shoulders and a paw at her hip. Chiyo wonders who's inside. The head is removed. It's Old Man McCready Kimura! After processing the shock, Sakaki denies the fact and runs away, leaving sparkles behind.
Osaka is still welcoming people.
Enemy?
At a café, Nyamo and Yukari are having something to drink: an orange juice on one hand, and what may be a root beer float or possibly a cola float on the other. Yukari sounds like she's remembered. It was a café, as Nyamo remembers. Yukari can hardly remember what her students did last year, let alone what they did when they were students. Nyamo tells her not to brag about it. Yukari enthusiatically extolls not being a slave to your past, and living in the here and now. Nyamo warns her not to get drunk on orange juice; Yukari claims being drunk on youth.
Back at the OSA booth, three stuffed animals remain, and one is Sakaki's. (It seems even Tsutenkaku and Hanshin were bought by then!) Sakaki looks at it. Then a pair of small hands pick it up. Awwwww! It's a little girl, about 4-6 years old, looking at it. Then she notices Sakaki looking at her, and looks back. Sakaki tells her she made it herself, and offers to let her take it. She declines, gives it back, and leaves. (And for this act, someone on MAL made a hate group focused on her. *eyeroll*)
Afterward, Chiyo announces a toast-with-jusu to celebrate. Yukari comes in and congratulates them on their hard work. Now she wants to take the remaining stuffed animals and burn them. (Hey, wait, do I see both of Sakaki's contributions there? Did the girl who bought one return it?) Most of the students are not pleased, but Chiyo and Sakaki look horrified. Yukari thought they were going to burn them as a memorial, but Yomi asks what it would be a memorial for.
Tomo in the mascot suit, Chiyo, and Osaka in the ears are in the sparse classroom. Tomo remarks that there seemed to be quite a few visitors. Chiyo adds that they got a lot of surveys back, and sold a bunch of stuffed animals. As Tomo munches a sandwich, Osaka concludes that it was a huge hit. Then Yomi comes in and sighs. Tomo asks about it. Chiyo asks if she's really tired. Yomi says it's just that it's the end of the day, and she felt a twinge of sadness. Osaka understands, wishing that tomorrow was also part of the culture fest. Yomi admits it's probably not possible. Tomo comes up with the idea of a victory parade. Osaka gives a "Yeah!" Yomi wonders what the victory is.
Outside, Chiyo, Osaka, and Yomi follow Tomo with the full mascot suit on in a small parade. The background music, played on guitar and harmonica, feels... wistful, as though something is ending that you don't quite want to yet.
That night, at the Mihama residence, Tadakichi-san is barking... because Chiyo has come home in the mascot outfit. Tadakichi-san is apparently going by sight rather than scent... unless... ! Does he, perhaps, smell Kimura? Chiyo says "Tadakichi-san..." and the episode ends.
Next time: Episode 8!
