Episode recaps and detailed synopsizes for The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
Summary
Main cast of characters and setting is introduced and framed. Kanda's reason for being at Sakura Hall is explained via flashback. Sorata meets Mashiro and is thrust into taking care of her and getting her ready for her first day at Suimei High, despite her quirks.Detailed Synopsis
Prologue
Sorata does some introspection while dreaming. His dream crashes as his cell phone alarm clock rings and Hikari sits on his face. Staring at the ceiling, he remarks about his life and turns over revealing Misaki's panties to which he freaks out and flies backward into his desk, a box falling on his head. The scene cuts to feature Sorata's banner "Goal: Escape Sakurasou!" as he opens the blinds. Turning around, he half-covers his eyes and pleads with Misaki to not sleep in his room, to which she wakes up, stretches, and declares she wants to be a housewife in the future. As he tries to get ready for school, she bumbles around roleplaying as his housewife then challenging him to play video games, in which she'll strip for each round he wins. Sorata hurries away from her as she assails him with sexual harassment.
Once outside the door, he runs into Chihiro-sensei wearing something very provocative. Kanda exclaims, questioning why she has so much cleavage. She remarks that ceremonies are merely social events for picking up guys. He takes it that she's going to hit on the freshmen and says as such, but she replies that he's an idiot and she's looking for a hot, single father there. A toolbox is thrown into Sorata's arms and she instructs him to fix the falling sign out front. Scene cuts to his seven cats tilting their heads in time with his hammer swings as he pounds a nail into the bottom-right corner of the sign. Two girls, fellow Suimei High students, walk by and remark that they found Sakura Hall and that it's where the high school places their problem students.
Kanda's internal monologue confirms the girls' statements and is cut off by Misaki, who loudly exclaims she looks great naked out the window.note Sorata internally yells that Sakura Hall is a place full of crazy people. This begins detailed introductory segment complete with graphic overlays introducing the current cast with Sorata as narrator. Misaki's segment is first, introduces her as an "Alien" who created her own anime that got commercial success. Misaki goes back to sexually harassing Sorata in front of a now-busy street, saying they should explore sexuality. As the passers-by are shocked and exclaim in response to her statements, Jin shows up, kiss on his collar, telling Sorata that he's back. Jin's segment begins, explaining how he wrote Misaki's anime scripts and that he's a ladies' man. Checking his phone calendar, he thinks out loud, specifying three of his sexual partners, mentioning the last one is married. The passers-by are shocked again, and exclaim regarding the affair.
Chihiro pops out, asking Sorata if he's done fixing the sign, introducing her as a 30 year-old desperately looking for a husband. The noise prompts Akasaka's AI "Maid-chan" to pop up on everyone's phones, saying her designer is hard at work programming and would like everyone to quiet down or she'll send them a computer virus. Ryuunosuke's segment begins and it's explained he's a recluse programmer who designed Maid-chan. All the commotion prompts Jin to offer his partner who dropped him off another sex session, to which Sorata loudly exclaims against. Sorata finally introduces himself as "normal" for every attribute. Chihiro tells Sorata to drop by the school staff room later and to not be late to school, annoying him given the hypocrisy. Misaki waves goodbye to Chihiro exclaiming Sorata will marry her if she doesn't find a partner, to which he sternly objects. Jin is seen driving off with his lover. Kanda looks in the direction of the original passing girls, they scream and flee. He clutches his chest as the stress overwhelms him and he says confidently that this is why he's trying to escape Sakura Hall.
Part A
The principal of the school is heard giving a monotone and boring speech during the Opening Ceremony, nearly making Sorata fall asleep on his feet. The scene cuts to the classroom and him collapsing on his desk tiredly. Miyahara is introduced and reassures him, saying he's tired because of the crazy people he lives with. Aoyama is introduced, asking him how long he plans to live in Sakura Hall, giving him some advice on how to achieve that. Miyahara pokes fun at Sorata for taking in all the cats like he's got a harem of girls, annoying him. Aoyama has a daydream flashback: Sorata finding Hikari, she telling him to not take him in, the eventual discovery of his cat, and his decision to move to Sakura Hall rather than part with his cat. The flashback ends and Sorata exclaims he keeps finding cats in cardboard boxes ever since he moved into Sakura Hall; they meow at him and he can't morally leave them there. Miyahara calls it a curse. She calls him a nice guy, but they didn't hear it and she blushes while redirecting by pulling out some fish cakes. She gives them to Sorata for the cats, explaining they were from her job and expired. The topic changes to how many jobs Aoyama has and how hard she works, as she's trying to pay for voice acting school. Kanda's internal monologue plays remarking how Aoyama is amazing for coming all the way from Osaka and supporting herself without her family's support. She talks about how all the opportunities she has here while the scene shoes Misaki disregarding one of her drawing classes to create a flipboard anime storyboard, which she test flips and Chihiro hits her on the head with a paper for it. Aoyama continues explaining how she doesn't have Misaki's talent and needs to work hard to get where she's going.
Scene cuts to Chihiro in the staff room thanking Kanda for fixing the sign, to which he asks her how her man hunt went. She replies to how there weren't any hot, single guys, but she got the number of a hot, married guy, prompting a little unnerve from surrounding teachers and students. When Sorata questions her on her lack of shame for said act. She counters saying she left any shame in her father's testicles, prompting shock and a spit-take from the same surrounding people; Sorata personally exclaiming he's never heard a woman say "testicles" before. Moving on, she hands Kanda an outdated picture of Mashiro Shiina, saying she's her cousin and coming to live in Sakura Hall. After some shock of Kanda (given the outdated nature of the picture), she instructs him to pick her up at the train station at 6:00pm. Sorata is annoyed at all the work she's making him do, calling her a hard video game quest non-player character. She rejects his feelings and pats him on the head brazenly.
Evening comes and Sorata is walking down to the train station, passing some familiar shopkeepers, the last of which is a couple who gives him some free food and talks to him about ambition. He reaches the train station, sits down, and thinks about how he hasn't given his future plans much thought while eating. A single cherry blossom petal falls on his food, being swept away by a gust of wind as he tries to remove it. His eyes follow it to reveal Mashiro sitting beneath a cherry tree, covered in petals which are swirling around her and landing on her clothes. Sorata gasps seeing her, stands up, looks at the picture, scarfs down his food, and ambles over to her. While standing in front of her, trying to finish chewing his hastily-eaten food, she asks him what color he thinks he is. He replies he hasn't thought about it, prompting Mashiro to insist he think about it now. After a brief moment, he says he's iridescent, much to her surprise. In turn, he asks her what color she is, giving him the same response he gave her earlier, and then saying that she's probably white. Sorata notes the connection with her namenote . He introduces himself as Sorata Kanda and how Chihiro asked him to pick her up. Kanda looks down at the sorely-outdated picture, wondering how he recognized her and just knew it was her. She remarks on his name. Pulling her hair behind her right ear she repeats his name, saying it sounds pretty and that she loves it. This makes Sorata gasp and the train wishes by onward to another place, cascading petals through the station. The scene ends symbolically, a cherry petal falling to overlay onto one that was already landed. Mashiro repeats that she loves his name.
Part B
Sakura Hall after nightfall is now shown. Misaki loudly welcomes Mashiro to the dorm and announces tonight's group dinner is a leek and tuna hot pot. Both the group and their cats dig into their respective dinners. Misaki encourages Mashiro to eat and explains that it's Sakura Hall tradition to have hot pot celebrations. Maid-chan emails Sorata to have them set aside some tuna only for reclusive Ryuunosuke in the refrigerator. Chihiro remarks and Misaki encourages Mashiro to eat a section of leek using sexual innuendo. Sorata, protesting how they're speaking to her, stands up, and is quickly shut down by Chihiro and Misaki insinuating this is arousing him. Jin breaks the situation and asks Mashiro about her past living in England, to which she explains she transferred in. Jin uses his intimate experience to ogle her and gives Sorata unsolicited measurement and body details via whisper. Sorata is caught off-guard by Jin's perversion but the scene is interrupted by his cat, Hikari, who hisses at Mashiro for no apparent reason. Hikari is dealt with and Misaki announces she'll be screening a test of her latest anime in honor of Mashiro. The very colorful and fantastical animation plays while Misaki gives a very unrelated narration welcoming Mashiro while making various sound effects. Sorata doesn't know what to say, but Jin goes over and he and Misaki begin a detailed feedback session together. Chihiro speaks to the pair's dedication to producing anime. Sorata looks over toward Mashiro and blushes as he notices her staring at him already, to which she slowly looks back toward Jin and Misaki.
Cut to Sorata clinging to his pillow while Hikari flips his tail in his face. He puts Mashiro on a pedestal and expresses how she must have some amazing talent to be in the Fine Arts program, lamenting this fact due to budding attraction to her. Hikari whines and crawls on top of him and Sorata stares at his "Escape Sakura Hall" banner. His internal monologue plays as he reflects saying how after taking in Hikari and moving to Sakura Hall he realized he wasn't bored with life (like he originally thought), instead he realized he as a person was boring and didn't like that.
Misaki's loud voice heralds the next day, running off to school and beckoning Jin to run and catch her, which he declines. Inside the dorm, Sorata pours food for the cats and remarks how everyone is up early. Chihiro passively agrees and drinks her morning coffee. A curious Sorata asks her while Mashiro is staying at Sakura Hall instead of the regular dorms. She replies that Sakura Hall is a perfect fit for her. Questioning his trustworthiness, she sternly assigns him to task of making sure Mashiro is woken up, readied, and taken to school. Sorata accepts, at first excitedly but later reluctantly.
Climbing the stairs, he nervously enters the girl's only second floor of the dorm, and tries to rouse Mashiro with a loud voice and knocking. The complete lack of response results in him being forced to open the door. Upon opening the door, her messy room takes him by complete surprise and he loudly wonders if it was caused by a robbery or whirlwind. He stumbles through the chaos of clothes and books toward the window, repeatedly calling her name and looking around. While looking, he notices the manga opennote and looks through it in awe. note His talking and noise elicits minor movement from a mass under the desk, surprising him and causing him to fall into her desk chair. From this vantage point, he sees something human and leans in closer, pulling back some of the blanket to reveal a sleeping Mashiro.
At first he asks gently, but then knocks on the desk and speaks louder, trying his best to wake Mashiro up. She opens her eyes and replies ominously. Shaking the sleep from her eyes, she slowly crawls out of her blanket and desk and stands up, completely nude, and tells Sorata good morning. Looking at her face, he then gazes down and freezes then yells loudly once he realizes she's naked.note The scene cuts back to a blushing, shocked Sorata babbling and pointing at her while having fallen back onto her bed. He regains some of his composure and turns around, ordering her to put on some clothes while questioning her as to why she was naked. Mashiro explains she took a bath last night, where she took off all her clothes, and after the bath took out all her clothes in her room because she had nothing to wear. The flustered Sorata sees a white button-up shirt to his side and hands it back to her and tells her to put it on. She obliges, but only puts it on over her shoulders, telling him that she put it on. He turns around and is again shocked with her nakedness, screaming that she needs to put on some clothes.
She asks him what to put on, he says he won't decide, so she replies that they're unnecessary then. He hastily stops her while she's putting on her skirt and digs through piles of clothes, finding a pair of green panties, and throwing them at her (landing on her face and hair). She remarks the panties aren't cute, but he says he doesn't care. She puts them on and stands with basic shirt, skirt, and panties on. He remarks how she needs to go do her hair and wash her face to get ready. The scene cuts to him waiting outside the bathroom while she washes up. He's trying to collect himself, but notes how this is not the same girl he thought she was last night. She calls for him and he turns to find she's washed her hair and face, but in turn completely soaked her white button-up shirt, revealing her breasts, and leading to another exclamation by him about not wearing a bra and the wet clothes. She remarks how he needed to pick a bra out for her to wear. Cut to Sorata cleaning up the water all over the floor and Mashiro putting on her school uniform (obviously brought by Sorata). While toweling up the water, Sorata curses Chihiro for assigning him this and Hikari gets angry at Mashiro (again, for no apparent reason).
Mashiro calms the scene by bringing up what he told her yesterday about being iridescent, asking Sorata about what he meant and if that's a color. He explains it's somewhat like a rainbow but mostly uncertain. He questions her bringing it up but pauses when he sees her staring at him intensely. She calmly says that she think's that he's interesting, eliciting a light gasp and blush from him. Hikari is shown touching a small bit of water, disliking it, and trying to shake it off his paw. Sorata narrates again talking about how he took in a pure white cat (Hikari) in Summer and met a pure white girl (Mashiro) in Spring. Classes are shown starting, Chihiro is seen checking her watch and smiling, and Sorata is seen putting on Mashiro's shoes, taking her by the hand, and leading her at fast pace toward the school. She says he's bossy, he retorts. Cherry blossom petals fly through the air.
[The Stinger Post-Credits]]
Mashiro narrates saying green panties forecasts a coming storm.Summary
Sorata is forced into becoming Mashiro's caretaker (dubbed "Mashiro Duty"). More of Mashiro's quirks are revealed throughout her second day of school. Sorata and Jin deal with Misaki's surprise for Jin's birthday. Mashiro and Sorata get to understand each other better through some intimate, but platonic, moments. A huge fact about Mashiro's backstory is revealed.Detailed Synopsis
Opening
It is the evening after the first day of school and Sorata has called a house meeting. He explains the meeting is about the care of Mashiro and recaps his hardships getting her ready for school that day. He points out she can't take care of herself, so he proposes all of them look after her. Jin turns on the lights and Misaki makes an innuendo, annoying Sorata at their lack of attention. Chihiro confirms Sorata's assessment, saying Mashiro's parents even said as much, and that's why she's living at Sakura Hall instead of the general dorms. Sorata lectures her about how she should be the one taking care of Mashiro, as her guardian. Mashiro interrupts his lecture by breaking a cookie all over her face and chest while attempting to eat it. He helps her and cleans her up. Jin notes how Sorata is perfect for taking care of her, Misaki agrees, Chihiro agrees and makes it official, placing him on "Mashiro Duty". Ryuunosuke messages Misaki and vaguely agrees with their decision. Taken as unanimous, Sorata is forced to become her caretaker. The group dismisses the meeting, Mashiro nibbles her cookie, Jin walks away talking about a date he has with a nurse tomorrow much to Misaki's chagrin. Sorata is annoyed by their lack of care for his opinion, starting in almost disbelief, but is woken from it by Mashiro who says she wishes that she and him can become friends. Sorata blushes lightly and returns the sentiment. Misaki's meeting minutes are displayed, listing the decision and wishing him good luck, to his unhappiness.
Part A
The next day begins, three of the cats shown waking up on the roof while bathing in the morning sun. Sorata is seen chopping opinions and looking for cabbage so he can make morning breakfast salads for him and Mashiro. As he gets the cabbage out from the refrigerator, he sees a "Mashiro Duty" magnet stuck next to his name on the chore assignments and begins to sigh. Misaki comes up behind him and puts her hands over his mouth, invoking a folk saying about how sighing lets your happiness out, and tries to put it back in by pressing on his face and cheer him up. He resists and expresses how being her caretaker is just too much for him to handle while noting he doesn't plan to stay at Sakura Hall for long (referencing his escape plans). Questioning from Misaki gets nowhere and Mashiro appears, clad only in a partially-buttoned, oversized white button-up shirt. Sorata questions her dress and Mashiro explains that Misaki encouraged her to do it to make him happy (turn him on) which Misaki cheers on. Sorata objects to his hard work teaching her to get dressed being impeded by Misaki, but is ignored and Misaki does a good impression of Mashiro talking about how hard work is good for character, supposedly a quote by Chihiro. Relenting, Sorata talks about how he has no time to make them breakfast anymore and takes Mashiro upstairs to get dressed, giving the cabbage in his hands to Misaki and telling her he doesn't need it anymore. Inspiration hits when Misaki looks at the cabbage. Directly after, Jin and his nurse partner are having sex, but apparently stop when Jin abruptly gets a bad feeling but is painfully "treated" by his nurse partner.
At the store, Sorata echoes Jin's words of pain when he sees how much salads cost (¥380 each). He laments the hit to his finances, but Mashiro turns to him and is already eating a baumkuchen note , much to his shock. She questions his frozen face, he questions what she's doing, she replies literally, he questions why (before paying), and she says because she likes them. He exclaims about the societal need for laws and how she needs to pay for things she likes. This prompts him to question her previous life experience. Mashiro replies simply and repeatedly "I painted pictures." Sorata doesn't understand. It's revealed that Aoyama works at the store and is getting off her shift. Mashiro instantly opens another baumkuchen and offers it to Sorata, prompting him to yell again and Aoyama to stare dumbfounded.
Cut to Sorata, Mashiro, and Aoyama walking to school and Sorata profusely apologizing to Aoyama for Mashiro's behavior. She replies that he paid for the treats, so it's fine. She's curious about Mashiro and Sorata introduces her to Aoyama. When Aoyama hears that Mashiro lives in Sakura Hall with Sorata, she becomes wary. That is quickly routed down a path of misunderstanding when Mashiro states Sorata was her "first", taken sexually by Aoyama, but intended to be "first male friend" as Mashiro explains to an upset Sorata after Aoyama runs off. Apparently in England she was only around girls, so Sorata was the first male friend she's ever had. Sorata lectures her about details and context and says she should've said that to Aoyama first. He's exasperated and holds is palm to his forehead.
Later on, during the lunch hour, a active school hallway is shown from the outside through windows. Then inside the classroom, Aoyama is see eating lunch with two other girls. Miyahara questions Aoyama if she's seen Sorata, to her disgruntlement. He notices her actions and asks if Sorata screwed up again. Aoyama becomes unhinged repeated "screw" for its sexual double meaning related to her misunderstanding. The scene cuts to Sorata drinking a lot of water from the public drinking fountain outside. Chihiro walks up and questions why he's alone during lunch. He explains due to Mashiro's actions earlier he didn't have the money to buy enough food for lunch, so he's filling up on water. He gets aggravated at her and asks for reimbursement. Hearing that, she quickly changes topics to his lack of handing in the school career plan. He tries to keep the subject on Mashiro, but she overpowers him and talks about how you could write just about thing, like Misaki did. She tells him it's mostly a worthless form he's taking too seriously and walks away. After she leaves, he becomes frustrated that she was able to change the subject.
Sorata walks back into his classroom (2-1), thinking to himself how cunning Chihiro is getting her way before starting to muse on possible careers, before being interrupted by Miyahara. Holding a magazine, Miyahara shows Sorata an interview with Misaki and Jin about their anime, lauding them, and talking about how they're childhood friends too. Their discussion of the pair is interrupted by a girl in the class getting Sorata's attention, because Mashiro has shown up looking for him. Mashiro lightly says Sorata's name, the class is in shock about this cute, new girl. Aoyama, seeing her, blushes hard and stares. Mashiro informs Sorata that she can go home by herself today, much to Sorata's surprise. He becomes protective, knowing her, until realizing the entire class is watching, and regains his composure, telling her to be careful and pay before eating anything. Miyahara grabs him from behind and teases him about the cute girl he was just talking to. His attempts to explain her "special" nature are ignored, Aoyama pouts and huffs away from Sorata, much to his dismay.
After school, Sorata is walking down the steps and thinking to himself how Aoyama has a big misunderstanding. He notices Mashiro talking with her editor, the just-introduced Ayano, and feels better about her going home without him. Next Ayano and Mashiro are seen walking down the sidewalk. Mashiro questions Ayano about her lack of her beloved car, to which she replies it's being serviced. In return, Ayano questions Mashiro how she is and if she's sad about leaving Rita (first time mentioned) in England. Mashiro replies that she has Sorata here in Japan. Ayano wonders more, and Mashiro informs her that he's a boy. Happy to hear she's made a male friend, she puts on her sunglasses and gives a happy expression while flashing a "success" gesture. Mashiro has them stop in front of the convenience store Aoyama works at and goes in. Aoyama begins to greet her but realizes it's Mashiro and becomes uncomfortable. Mashiro walks up to her and informs her of the details, ending the misunderstanding. The obviously lovesick Aoyama beats herself up about how she'll fact Sorata the next day. Meanwhile, Mashiro looks down at the baumkuchen display. Aoyama asks her if she wants one, to which she affirms but is limited because Sorata said she had to pay before eating. Ayano walks up behind her, buys two baumkuchens and winks at Mashiro. The pair leave eating the pastries and Aoyama is smiling again.
Part B
Now evening, Sorata returns to Sakura Hall wondering aloud if Mashiro returned safely. Hikari meows to welcome him home and they share a moment. Looking up, Sorata sees the floor lined with cabbages and is flummoxed. Jin appears, mentioning it's his birthday and he was right to be suspicious and come home early, as the lines of cabbage lead to his room. He remarks that last year he found Misaki naked in his bedroom covered with whipped cream. The two ponder the purpose of cabbages, to which Jin says he's just an average guy and has no idea how her genius brain works. Upon opening the door to his room, Jin and Sorata find a room covered in cabbages with a large present in the center. Seeing this, Sorata attempts to escape but Jin forces his accompaniment. Upon hearing the two argue, Misaki bursts out of the present wishing Jin happy birthday wearing only expertly-wrapped ribbon. Shocked, the two yell and Jin covers Sorata's eyes. Misaki rushes forth and inadvertently falls on a very blushy Sorata. Realizing she got the wrong guy, she turns around and attempts to pounce on Jin, who wraps her in a sheet, saying she's being indecent and to quit. Misaki complains about Jin's dismissal of her while Sorata attempts to leave. Jin belays him saying that everyone needs to help eat all the cabbage. Sorata hotfoots it away, Misaki removes the sheet and pounces on a now-alone Jin and begs him to eat her to which he screams loudly.
Back in his room, Sorata talks to himself. First about how he needs to leave the Hall before he becomes insane, then about how he has aspirations of his own while looking at a game designer magazine. He instant-messages Ryuunosuke's Maid-chan AI who replies that her creator is asleep and she'd sleep with him if she could. Sorata remarks regarding how he can sleep in this ruckus. His door opens, revealing Mashiro who instructs him to follow. He does so, gently walking backward into her room. She tells him to remove his clothes because she wants to see him naked. Flabbergasted, he questions why, to which she replies she's curious about his body. After a strong reaction from Sorata, she tells him to disrobe again, which he refuses. She questions his refusal, to which he claims embarrassment. She replies she won't be embarassed but he replies that he will. Mashiro segues into mentioning advice from Ayano regarding her manga, saying that if she has difficulty being subtle with emotions, why not go lewder. Sorata realizes this means she wants a male body model to draw from while remarking even Shoujo manga can be lewd at times. She offers to disrobe if he does. To avoid her stripping, he agrees to disrobe on the condition his underwear remain on, however she claims she'll take her underwear off then, which induces a disbelieving yell from him.
Cats are shown eating and then it cuts back to Mashiro's room. A blushing, mostly-naked Sorata kneels on her bed averting his eyes from Mashiro's sharp gaze across from him on the bed. She leans forward and begins gently touching his chest, neck, and listening to his chest, causing Sorata to become increasingly bright red in his face. She makes remarks on his physical condition and asks him to hold her. Cut to her having mounted and straddled him. He gently holds her and tightens his hold after instructed to. The situation making it hard to suppress his arousal. Out of the blue, Mashiro asks him if he's had sex before. He screams that he hasn't, to which she is surprised saying he has a great body. Sorata says he's only physically fit because he used to play soccer, which she questions has she inspects his arms. Shifting to a more serious tone, he tells her that it wasn't worth doing because he wasn't good at it and kept making less progress year after year, eventually losing drive and becoming apathetic. Abruptly, she goes to her computer and starts drawing on her digital drawing tablet. Sorata sees some earlier drafts on the floor and she says they're not good and she's redoing them. After completing the panel, she gets back on top of him, which he questions, to which she says that she won't let him sleep tonight.
The next morning, Misaki is sitting at the kitchen table eating cabbage and reading. Misaki asks Sorata if he had fun last night, to which he replies he didn't. Firing back, he asks if she had trouble making Jin eat her "cabbages" to which she becomes depressed. To avoid the issue, he takes out the trash. Making his way to the trash area, Sorata thinks to himself he has no idea what's going on with Jin and Misaki. Setting down the trash, Aoyama appears and the two awkwardly try to make up for yesterday. Sorata says he wants to support Mashiro and Aoyama in their pursuits. She runs off to work, departing in a friendly manner. Thinking to himself, Sorata wonders if he'll find passions like Mashiro, Aoyama, or Misaki. Walking back into the kitchen, he sees a painting in the book Misaki was reading and compliments it. Mashiro thanks him appearing to his left, confusing him until she informs him she's the painter. Jin appears questioning Sorata's ignorance of Mashiro. Jin explains to him that Mashiro is that "Shiina, Mashiro", to which Sorata furiously searches on the internet. He realizes with everything that she's a world famous painter.
