みなみけ Episode 08

SPOILER Summary: Hosaka-senpai has Maki in the hall, having learned she and Atsuko are going to Haruka’s house. Since he’s never spoken to her, he needs a way to quickly befriend Haruka before the end of the day and get an invite. Hayami-senpai comes by and Maki tries to enlist her help in protecting Haruka, but Hayami has a better idea and goes off to find Haruka. Meanwhile, Hosaka runs through “simulations” in his mind, one with he and Haruka meeting in the rain and one with the two of them meeting in the snow. Hosaka asks Maki which is better to say — “suki desu” (polite way to say you like someone) or “suki da” (more masculine way of saying the same thing). He’s saying that over and over to Maki as Hayami arrives with Haruka, so it seems to Haruka that Hosaka is making a love confession to her. Maki sees her walk away and chases her to set the record straight.

Chiaki comes home and finds some bubblegum on the table. Kana comes in and discovers Chiaki blowing a nice-sized bubble. Kana is amazed, but then has to pop it. Chiaki cleans herself up and Kana tries to blow a bubble but fails. Chiaki gets another piece of gum to demonstrate how its done and again, Kana pops the bubble. Kana asks for and received some harsh training from Chiaki on bubble blowing. Chiaki for the third time shows Kana how its done and again Kana pops the bubble. It is here that Haruka comes home and seeing the bubblegum, decides to have a piece. She blows a bubble, but then blows a second bubble within the first. Chiaki and Kana are amazed by this godly technique and praise her. Having finished her bubble, she carefully lets it go down, then carefully removes and disposes of the gum. However, when they ask her to show them again, she pauses, then simply smiles and announces its time for dinner.

Hayami-senpai is “sampling” Haruka’s bento before returning to her own classroom and Hosaka, who’s again pondering Haruka. She convinces him to get in on some of her homemade bento, so he goes to her classroom. Atsuko is in the classroom with her back to the door waiting for Haruka and Maki to return and knows she’s being summoned by Hosaka, who’s standing and “sparkling” in the doorway. Outside, Hosaka is disappointed to learn that Haruka isn’t there. He’s stunned to hear that she’s gone to go buy a bread product (pan) but doesn’t hear the reason why (Hayami ate all Haruka’s bento). As such, he decides that she needs proper nutrition and thus he must learn to cook (taking the time to fantasize about painting crows white for Haruka and undo his shirt and jacket). The following day, Hayami discovers Hosaka pondering two identical bentos. She samples one and finds it good but is horrified when she learns he prepared it and isn’t happy with it.

It’s Monday morning and as the sisters sit down to eat, Haruka discovers a horrifying thing — the rice cooker is empty. Kana swears she remembers putting rice in and switching it on but clearly that didn’t happen. Chiaki is very angry and so Kana offers to make her some toast. At school, Haruka has no energy because she didn’t get her rice. Hayami learns this and rushes to inform Hosaka (who’s imagining cooking spaghetti). He happens to have another bento prepared and rushes to bring it to Haruka. Maki spots him in the doorway with a bento and figures he’s up to something while Atsuko brings Haruka some onigiri. Hosaka witnesses Haruka’s immediate mood improvement at eating the rice and that’s enough for him. Back at the Minami residence, Haruka comes home to find Chiaki beating on Kana. Kana had made some rice for Haruka but this was the night they were going to make pasta.

At a supermarket, Hosaka is looking over ingredients. He leaves without buying anything and sees a fish market across the way. He spots a rather large fish and fantasizes about being with Haruka and her two daughters (Kana and Chiaki) as the sukiyaki is almost done. At the end of his fantasy, he has the large fish and is embracing it with his shirt and jacket coming off as he does so. This is seen by Hayami, Maki, and Atsuko, and Maki finds this gross. Meanwhile, Haruka enters the supermarket and finds some thin-sliced beef and decides to make sukiyaki.

Thoughts: Kana’s bubblegum training was a hoot followed by Haruka’s “godly” bubble within a bubble technique. I guess in Japan, its one bubble and then toss out the gum.

Never underestimate the power of rice, y’all! *lol* Never underestimate the wrath of those denied their bowl of rice with their traditional Japanese breakfast. *lol* Man!

One day, I really have to try sukiyaki, though mine will have more meat than vegetables.

This series is certainly on my “buy” list should it ever be licensed (unless Viz gets it, and then I’ll be forced to pass). I’m going to be real curious to see how the next series will be since it is being done by another company (same seiyuu though, which is fortunate).