Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story- Season One, Episode Nine: Ichina Saotome Wants to Be a Pro Caddy!
Victory and the winds of change.
"My name is Ichina Satome! I’m a first year at Raiou Girls Academy."
— Ichina Satome
Ichina Saotome Wants to Be a Pro Caddy! (早乙女イチナはプロキャディーを目指してる, Saotome Ichina wa Puro Kyadī wo Mezashiteru) is the ninth episode of the first season of Birdie Wing.
Eve appears at a golf course near Raiou Academy where she beats Haruka in a golf game and meets aspiring pro caddy Ichina Saotome. While there, she reunites with Aoi who is overjoyed to see her. Later, she enrolls in the academy as a student.
Tropes:
- Blunt "No": Ichina flatly refuses Haruka’s offer to be her caddy to help her beat Aoi and says that Haruka is not strong enough yet.
- The Bus Came Back: Everyone from the Raiou Girls Academy who debuted in Episode 3 has returned.
- Establishing Character Moment: While clumsy and almost scatterbrained, Ichina is able to accurately assess Aoi’s performance from a match the other day when the two meet going to school.
- While Haruka is not really motivated to participate in class, she sees Ichina’s skill as a caddy and is determined to have her on her side.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Ichina is a Suspiciously Similar Substitute to Lily, to the point that even Lily’s adopted sister Eve sees the resemblance.
- Lighter and Softer: The Raiou Arc is noticeably less dramatic and intense than the Nafrece Arc.
- You Remind Me of X: When Eve questions herself why she is showing Ichina her tee shot like the latter asked, she realizes that she reminds her of Lily.Eve: Why am I doing what she wants me to? Oh, I get it. She reminds me of Lily.
