Taiho Shichauzo! Full Throttle Episode 10
逮捕しちゃうぞ フルスロットル Episode 10

SPOILER Summary: Natsumi, Miyuki, Kachou, and others are attending a briefing by some robot scientists who have picked Natsumi and Miyuki to demonstrate their latest robot models at a forthcoming exposé on robots. Because Miyuki has experience using a large robot (From YUA2 I believe. -ANB), she will demo the HAL K-2 robot. Because Natsumi has rumored great strength and has trained with the SDF, she will demo the Fitter R-1 robot bodysuit. When Miyuki, Natsumi, Aoi-chan, and Yoriko discuss the matter, Aoi-chan wonders if one of the robots will be a transformer.

That afternoon, the robots arrive. Miyuki takes the controls of HAL K-2 and Nakajima-kun wonders if the robot is even finished since it doesn’t have legs or a face. He is chastised for this as one of the creators informs him that such things are only a creation of manga and anime. Despite its large size, Miyuki is able to have HAL K-2 perform simple tasks such as moving small dice-sized cubes from one tray to another without breaking them. The robot creators also have her build a Gundam mecha model with the HAL K-2. Yoriko jabs Nakajima-kun about his possibly still building them only to learn that Aoi-chan still does. The purpose of the HAL K-2 will be to clear debris and other things from a disaster area to allow rescuers access to victims.

Meanwhile Natsumi is given the Fitter R-1 bodysuit, which will work in conjunction with her own strength. The purpose of the suit is to allow the person wearing the suit to have extra strength and stability in a rescue situation to allow them to get victims of a disaster out safely. For her training, Kachou is tied up to be the helpless victim. She starts running to him, but finds she cannot stop and ends up crashing through the large cabinet-like structure he was laying on, sending him flying through the air. Her second attempt sees her safely reach Kachou and carefully pick him up. However, in her excitement over doing it right, she forgets that the suit gives her extra strength and she ends up tossing Kachou in the air and a distance away.

Natsumi needs more practice with the suit doing simple tasks, so she tries to deliver hot tea to Nakajima-kun. She makes it to his desk without destroying the try or cup, but accidentally splashes the hot tea in his face. She tries delivering hot tea to Kachou and while she successfully delivers it, she gets too excited about it and plants the serving tray deep in the ceiling. She then attempts to deliver beverages to Aoi-chan and Yoriko who immediately flee the area. That night, Natsumi again makes a tea delivery to Kachou and is successful. Before she can get too excited, Miyuki places a hand on her to remind her not to do anything stupid.

It is time for the expo, which is being held at the Tokyo Big Sight Convention Center. Nakajima-kun and Yoriko look at some robots while Yoriko wants to find a nice male scientist. Nakajima wonders why she even came. Yoriko counters by asking him the same thing. When his eye catches a robotic motorcycle, he turns into a little boy wanting a toy. Kachou and Aoi-chan check out some robot guard dogs which are acting very friendly. However, Aoi-chan makes a move which immediately sets them off. Meanwhile behind the scenes, someone plots something sinister.

The time for the demo arrives and Miyuki takes the reigns of HAL K-2. The demo has her safely removing debris to uncover a mannequin. Once that’s done, it is Natsumi’s turn in the Fitter R-1 to safely extract the mannequin and get it out of the danger area. Everyone is a bit worried that Natsumi will screw up, but she performs perfectly. Next, the creators have Miyuki exit the HAL K-2 and take the control unit with her so that she can operate the robot remotely, something that might be required in certain situations. She starts her next demo, but suddenly finds her signals are being jammed.

The sinister someone behind the scene emerges in his own robot, Scar Zero, and calls himself Doctor Suu. Because his alias and real name make a pun, people laugh at him and more at his robot. However, he’s not amused and the robot scientist know him as a fired member of their team. Miyuki picks up a rock from their display area and hands it to Natsumi, who wonders what its for. Miyuki tells her that she doesn’t have to hold back and Natsumi gets what Miyuki is driving at. So as Doctor Suu charges in Scar Zero, Natsumi does her pitcher’s windup and pitches a perfect strike which destroys Scar Zero. As Doctor Suu is on the ground, one of the robot dogs “pees” on him. Doctor Suu is taken to jail to warn of impending dangers.

Thoughts: A brief rant first…why the smeg did the Japanese air this series in 4:3 initially before switching it to its proper widescreen viewing weeks from now on another channel (and for the DVD release)?

As to the episode itself, while I enjoyed it, I couldn’t help but think that the episode was just a cheap imitation of a Strike Man episode, only not as good. He has to make an appearance in this series, right?

Still no progress on the Miyuki-Nakajima front either. *sigh* I’m rapidly begining to think that this series will mostly avoid things from the previous episodes but we’ll see. I mean we still need an episode with Nakajima-kun’s parents. We need Strike Man and “Scooter Mama” (as AnimEigo called her). We need an episode with Saori-chan back and Shouji as well. We need advancement and resolution on Nakajima-kun and Miyuki’s relationship.