One of the ways I know a show is well-written is when I think something in response to a development, and immediately a character on-screen says or does it. Maybe that just means we’re synched up (which is certainly in no doubt here), but I like to think otherwise. Full credit to the mangaka ANGYAMAN, who actually got a cameo appearance in this episode as the glasses guy looking on with envy as Tajima-san (Isobe Masako) was giving Bunshou pats. But we’ll get to that in a minute…
Who is Tajima-san? She’s the menma lady, and quite an intimidating figure (only Hana is willing to say that part out loud). Tajima only supplies menma to ramen shops she finds up to snuff, and she stops by for a surprise inspection (though in fact she’s just on her way to visit her grandchild overseas). Tajima is a tough old bird and she has a tough old cat herself – one who taught the staff how not to shed. Though they’ve been sworn to secrecy on the technique. She might also be the only customer who could get away with giving Bunshou scritches.
Next up Tamako-san brings a watermelon her family sent her for the staff. I’ve never seen a cat (certainly not one of mine) eat watermelon (which I guess is safe for them) but I have seen them eat some weird stuff, and some do have a sweet tooth. As it turns out Krishna absolutely loves the stuff, and buries her face in the large heel Bunzou cuts for her. This has the rather humorous but terrifying effect of transforming her tiger (why isn’t there a tiger equivalent of “leonine”?) visage quite profoundly.
In the aftermath of this is one of those moments I was talking about, where Tamako is brushing Hana and Hana is being her usual tsundere self (as many cats are). Twice, she almost caves and calls her “Tamako” – you can see Tamako really wants it – but catches herself. Hana also notes that she usually only eats the tip of watermelon before passing it to Krishna. I found myself thinking “Tamako is totally turning into a cat lover” and at that very moment Tamako says “Hey, am I turning into a nekozuki? Is that okay?”. The fact is unless you have a cold, dead soul (or a bad allergy) it’s very hard not to come to love cats if you spend lots of time with them. They truly are wondrous little beasts.
Next up we have what eerily resembles serious plot, potentially. A guy named Shintani Mitsuhiko (Kase Yasuyuki) and his assistant Shirafuji (Kitahara Sayaka) show up during the dinner rush. He tells Sasaki he’d like to talk business, and after the shop closes Sasaki and Bunzou join them (drinking hot water). Shintani reveals that he’s the owner of a successful (and famous) ramen chain, and would like to franchise Ramen Akaneko out. Sasaki gently informs him that getting most cats to work is hard and expensive (even finding ones that talk is hard). Shintani then suggests a partnership with a show roll-out of the Akaneko brand. Sasaki tries to play it diplomatically, but Bunzou doesn’t have a tactful whisker on his head.
I immediately figured this was gonna be trouble, and indeed Shintani has already decided to play dirty. Sasaki doesn’t seem too worried, and it struck me that the reason why might be because there are always cat lovers out there willing to step up. And right on cue, Shirafuji reveals herself to be enough of a nekozuki that she immediately quits her job rather than carry out Shintani’s orders to force all of Red Cat Ramen’s suppliers to cut them off. She later admits she’d have done it if cats (she has at least one) weren’t involved, so this is no stand on principle for her – she just loves cats that much. And that’s how powerful the love of cats can be.
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