When Kanna makes a birdhouse for Dera, little does she know that she will set in motion a chain of events that will result in no more mochi for the talking bird.
What They Say:
Episode 8: “I Won’t Let You Call Me a Chicken”
No show description provided at this time.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Dera is too fat. Apparently, the mochi likes him too much, at least according to him. His unnecessary girth is brought into stronger focus when Kanna makes a birdhouse for him. A birdhouse that the original Dera would have fit in, but which the overweight Dera has no chance of entering without the need for a crowbar to get him out.
So, the girls decide to put Dera on a diet, a rather strict one. No mochi. While Tamako’s father and grandfather pity Dera, the girls are strict and won’t let him have anything to eat, especially mochi. As Choi is worried that Dera, left alone, would be fed by the adults in Usagiyama, Tamako offers to take him to school with her. Choi wants to tag along, and so they acquire a school uniform for her to wear. Yes, this is just a vague excuse to engage in some cosplay for Choi, as we see her in the school uniform as well as some modern casual clothes. In the meantime, Dera’s exercising and dieting pays off and he is again a slim bird able to fly with ease. Of course, this makes all of the adults in the shopping arcade worry, since he looks like someone who has been forcibly starved for a long time. Dera swears that he will retain this new slim frame (we’ll see).
And, well, that’s it for this episode. We have no real further progress (the prince makes a brief appearance, but largely just to remind us of the story thread dealing with his search for a bride). Not that I have any expectations for plot or story any more for this show. So, an episode of fluff and minor comedy, largely provided by Kanna’s role in getting Dera down to size. As I have already said before, this show is vaguely pleasant and gently entertaining, but it’s basically anime cotton candy: light and fluffy and lacking in substance.
In Summary:
Dera has gotten much too fat eating mochi. The girls decide that it’s time for him to shed those unnecessary pounds by putting him on a strict exercise and diet regimen. It works, as by the end, Dera is back to being as slim (perhaps even slightly slimmer) as he was in the beginning of the show. Since he needed to be watched all day, Choi comes along to school with the girls and we get to see Choi in the Usagiyama school uniform. Another episode where not much happens.
Grade: B-
Streamed by: The Anime Network
Review Equipment:
Apple iMac with 4GB RAM, Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard
