夏のあらし！ Episode 09
(Summer Storm)
Natsu no Arashi! – 09

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

 Master has an expired package of mackerel and again proposes taking it back to the past before its expiration date. This leads to a serious discussion of time travel and the paradox that can result because of it. Hajime is wondering what happens to the history they had previously known if they change history. Further, since some people saved would mean some people would never be born, this causes further complications in the idea of going back and saving people, something Arashi has been keen on doing.

The discussion hits Arashi hard, so Master has a talk with Hajime to get him to see the light. Hajime takes it to ask Arashi out, but on a time-traveling trip back to 1985. Arashi agrees since always going to 1945 is unhealthy. Hajime is excited to see all of the old games, computers, and cars. While playing an old console game at a store display, a boy knocks down Arashi to get his turn to play.

Hajime gets angry but when the boy hears Arashi’s name, his attitude changes. They walk home with the boy, Hideo, who tells of how his father was saved in the war by a girl named Arashi and that his dad has often wanted to thank her. Arriving outside Hideo’s home, they see the family name “MURATA” and discover Hideo’s father is Sankichi, the boy she saved during a bombing raid. Arashi is very happy now that they came to 1985

Back in the present, the Detective has doubts about the authenticity of his client’s claims of kinship with Arashi. After he leaves Kanako and Yayoi, Kanako decides to take matters into her own hands and pays a visit to the Ark. When Kanako touches Arashi, she has a reaction and has to go home. She’s escorted by Hajime and they encounter Kanako on the wooded road. Kanako needs Arashi’s power and attacks Arashi, holding Hajime at bay with a crossbow.

Thoughts/Review:

Before I get started, I wanted to address the issue of cameos in this anime. I know there are a ton of them here and I notice Motsu (Negima!?) appeared on the label of the mackerel package. Author from アニ・ノート has pointed this out to me and indeed has mentioned it in his own blog. Author pointed to Beta-Waffle, who has a good sized list of parody cameos listed for this episode. Outside of Motsu, I wouldn’t have caught any of these cameos since I don’t think I’ve watched any of those anime titles. However, should those of you who read this blog wish to mention cameos you see in an episode, please feel free to say so in the comments. ^_^

As expected, the body-swap ending of last week was ignored here. No surprise really but the only reason I mention it is that this anime actually has a plot of sorts dealing with Arashi’s and Kaja’s being in the present.

That leads me to my next point, whereby we learn that it is Kanako and Yayoi who’ve hired the Detective to retrieve Arashi for them. I didn’t expect that at all because outside of the first episode, the two of them have been in those annoying jokes which I believe are parody tribute references to different anime, manga, or the like. That said, despite the episode ending on a cliff hanger with Kanako attacking Arashi, I know all will end OK because episode 1 has Kanako and Yayoi working at the Ark. Yeah, as a heroine, Arashi was always going to be OK, but episode 1 removes all the dramatic tension for me of Arashi being attacked. The only unanswered questions are the obvious, “What are Yayoi and Kanako?” and “Why do they want Arashi’s power?”

SHAFT apparently decided that since the absurd logic joke from last episode worked so well, why not trot it out again? Fortunately it works this week because it became part of the larger time paradox issue that bothered Hajime so. Actually, as Hajime laid out the diagram, I couldn’t help but think of the Back to the Future movies and Doc Brown’s explanation of changing time.

The trip back to 1985 tickled me, since I would have been 15 then. I could relate to Hajime’s excitement over the game console and the like because I lived those moments. As I watched those moments, I couldn’t help but reflect on how many people watching this episode were born after 1985 and thus have no connection to the year, much as I have no connection to 1965. Just one of those things that mark the passage of time and how 1985 is “ancient history” in some ways. *lol*

Arashi and Hajime meeting Hideo, the son of the kid (Sankichi) they saved in World War II was a nice touch. I thought they might meet Sankichi, but that would have been a bit much I guess.

So there was a wide-range of stuff here from nostalgia to humor to a serious discussion of time travel and whether Arashi is doing the right thing. As such, its a really enjoyable and good episode for me.