ケロロ軍曹 Episode 69
Sgt. Frog anime, 69
Keroro Gunsou episode 69

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Aki-san is driving Natsumi and Fuyuki home, but the road is very different as it goes through a wooded area even though they can see the Nishizawa Tower. They stop when the road comes to a tunnel with the entrance blocked by a guardian statue. Getting out of the car and walking through the tunnel, they come upon an onsen-bath resort called Health Land Japuro. The three take a dip in an onsen and discover Moa-chan is working there. It turns out the resort was built by Keroro to raise capital for the invasion. However, the resort was built for aliens.

On cue, the aliens begin arriving, some of whom Natsumi and Fuyuki recognize. Aki-san disappears as Keroro receives terrible news — the water they imported contained a Banana Crocodile egg. This causes Keroro great fear as he has encountered the beast before. So Natsumi and Fuyuki aid Tamama, Keroro, and Giroro to look for the egg. In doing so, the guest become restless at Keroro’s ruining their vacation. When they finally find the egg, it is too late. It hatches and a large but cute-looking alien with a banana grove on its back emerges. It eats one of the banana’s on its back and tosses the peel on the ground. Keroro can’t resist and runs to the peel, slipping on it and doing a face-plant that causes the guest to be very happy by the comedy.

The Hinata family take a trip to Doinaka Beach again, which distresses Natsumi considering what happened the last time they went. As before, there is a manzai contest and while Keroro feigns disinterest in the competition this year, he soon dons a female human suit and does comedy with Moa-chan. Their practice is judged by Kogoro, who’s laughter has to be interpreted by his sister. Keroro’s comedy is not working. Tamama gets jealous and takes off, returning with his own female human suit. With a harisen, he ends up whacking Giroro which causes Kogoro to laugh.

The contests starts and because Mutsumi is giving away an autograph board, Koyuki convinces Natsumi to enter the contest. While Dororo finds Koyuki’s homonym-related jokes funny, Natsumi isn’t sure. However, she and Koyuki do win the autograph board but Natsumi is disappoint not to meet with Mutsumi. Keroro wins a washing machine and Giroro, who was the target of abuse from Tamama the whole time, feels he’s lost something important. Later back home, Keroro is excited to see himself on TV but disappointed when the news only shows the bikini babes.

Thoughts/Review:

I’ve seen Spirited Away just twice — once in English and once in Japanese. That was enough for me to be able to spot the parody road moment at the beginning of the episode with the guardian statue and the tunnel. That in and of itself isn’t funny per se, but I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw it. While the aliens visiting this onsen/bath resort helped further the Spirited Away parody feel, that’s was it. The story with the Banana Crocodile was amusing in that it seemed like a silly alien-monster to be so fearsome but at the same time, the revelation that the alien is a cute thing that just eats bananas was amusing as well.

The second story dealing with a return to Doinaka Beach and the manzai contest was boring and tedious. Rehashing old material and trying to slap a new coat of paint on it just doesn’t fly for me. Oh well, they all can’t be winners.