First half of this episode is a Midori no Hibi parody combined with a softball game. Koyuki, of course, immediately realizes that something’s up when Natsumi shows up in school with her hand bandaged. In any case, this is a Giroro Gains Natsumi Brownie Points half-ep. The real meat for me was in the second half when Sylvee, a ninja of the inter-galatic Moonlight clan, hunts down Koyuki and threatens Natsumi to get to her.

Giroro saves the day blah blah but it was also Koyuki who came up with the idea of disguising him as a hand support by adding a wristband to the melded couple. As to be expected of the well-balanced and non-neurotic Koyuki, she didn’t mind at all and there was no psychotic “I wish I was her right hand too” wish.

On the way to school, another Natsumi-san glomp LOL (BTW by ep 98, Natsumi seems much more at ease with Koyuki’s glomping) but the merriment turns to stress when she feels someone is watching her. Koyuki refuses Sylvee’s challenge because she has no reason to fight her. Moreever Dororo had told her that the Moonlight Clan and the Keronians were on friendly terms. She responds mainly by trying to escape.

She finds herself on the roof of the Hinata home and sneaks into Natsumi’s room to bid a possible silent farewell – she’s being chased to the ends of her limits but is gratified that Natsumi calls out her name in her sleep.

Things nearly escalate out of control when Sylvee implicitly threatens Natsumi to get Koyuki to fight seriously. This has its intended effect and beyond when Koyuki unleashes her deadliest but also suicidal technique. Dororo arrives just in time to save them both and turns out Sylvee was talent-scouting Koyuki for membership in moonlight. In any case, because of Koyuki’s obvious devotion to Natsumi, Sylvee also realizes that she won’t join the clan. The sun rises on another day, the rivers flow on and Koyuki happily goes to school together with the blissfully ignorant Natsumi.

It always surprises me how much SUNRISE can fight into less than fifteen minutes and it still feels like a complete story that adds to the overall narrative and characterization. Until the appearance of the Keron Special Force in Ep 101, this has probably been the most serious we’ve seen Koyuki. The plot itself was well supported by nice touches like the music and Koyuki removing her mask during her night visit to Natsumi – though having Koyuki shout out the names of her various techniques’ still felt silly but it’s mainly because I find it hard not to laugh at anything with the words “ninpo” or “jutsu” post-Onsokumaru.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Natsumi and Koyuki’s heart-pounding first date! It’s been 53 episodes since they first met and this first date is so overdue. At least Koyuki appeared much earlier in the anime compared to the manga. The short summary is: Natsumi and Koyuki go out together for ice cream, shopping, sightseeing and generally have fun – with Koyuki taking every opportunity to be a little romantic with her dear Natsumi-san.

However Giroro is following them out of jealousy while Keroro and Tamama are doing so to research any weaknesses in the Earth’s last line of defence. Giroro’s jealous aura nearly gives them away several times, leading Koyuki to over-react ninja-style. But all’s well that ends well. After Koyuki leaves, Natsumi discovers the Keronians and lays the smackdown. Meanwhile Koyuki is concerned that being with Natsumi dulls her ninja senses but is reassured by Dororo that it may not be a bad thing. The commenter closes by saying that Koyuki is really a ninja rather than a normal girl.

Natsumi doesn’t actually say who she is going out on this date with at first – leading to considerable anxiety on Giroro’s part after the idea sinks in.

It’s quite clear that Natsumi’s romantic interest is Saburo (823). Significantly, I don’t recall that the anime making it sort of a triangle, like in the manga, with 823 hitting on Koyuki repeatedly while Natsumi doesn’t reciprocate Koyuki’s feelings but still wants to be good friends. Thus this episode is interesting for a few reasons. Firstly, Natsumi herself specifically describes her outing with Koyuki as a “date” and she takes the trouble to doll herself up (which the off screen narrator and Giroro both notice) as well as use some of her mom’s perfume (noticed by Koyuki). Giroro also feels less threatened by Koyuki in the anime ("She’s a girl!") than in the manga.

Unlike Giroro, Koyuki isn’t shy to show her feelings to Natsumi at all. But I suppose the fact that she’s a girl (and a thoroughly cute one at that) helps her get away with a lot of things that Giroro never could. Anime Koyuki is already fairly restrained, which makes it even sweeter, though it wouldn’t be out of character at all for the more aggressive manga Koyuki to lick the soft cream directly off Natsumi’s cheek. Hoho.

Despite how Koyuki’s ninja reactions repeatedly caused Natsumi worry and embarrassment, it’s pretty hard to be and stay angry at her since she’s so guileless and cute – Natsumi’s first impression of Koyuki in Ep 13 was that she was “small and cute” but the Chinese sub’s “娇小玲珑” is also so melodically appropriate.

According to the traditions of Koyuki’s ninja clan, Natsumi has apparently just married her – by putting a friendship band on Koyuki’s wrist and having a twin one for herself. LOL

Thoroughly enjoyable half fo an episode. Koyuki x Natsumi sweetness, humour from how Koyuki’s ninja and rural background is starkly contrasts with citydweller Natsumi’s – as shown by their respective ideas of transport and dessert. The Keronians’ tailing them also adds humour because of Giroro’s jealousy and the reaction that his hostile aura provokes from Koyuki (followed by Natsumi and the general public’s reaction). Overall, a cute slice of life episode mixed in with ninja and alien wackiness.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Natsumi’s birthday plan (2 Dec). Keroro leads the gang to prepare a surprise birthday party for Natsumi who has always avoided one in order not to trouble the rest of her family. Koyuki and Dororo are in charge of keeping track of her movements so that the element of surprise can be maintained.

Not much to say since there’s not much chance for Koyuki x Natsumi love love but it was really sweet how Koyuki and Dororo’s combined present was a bouquet of flowers that were hand-picked from outside the city. In the end, we realize that Keroro’s burning motivation to make a successful birthday party for Natsumi was because his own birthday is just a week later.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.