Mobile Era 8013...
This anime is made for the viewer to enjoy the cuteness of robots, while enjoying a hardly noticeable, inoffensive investigation.
On Earth, where humans have long been extinct,
the hordes of military robots that were left behind
continue fighting an endless war.
The war really isn't ending.
Let's obtain laughter... as soon as possible.
By the way, I was sorting through my library yesterday,
and found another new document on laughter.
Ooh, what kind of file this time?
Apparently there's a very important basic technique
used to produce laughter called a "retort."
Retort...?
What is a "retort"?
A retort is when someone
quickly points out and corrects an error or point of concern,
Retort (noun) To swiftly point out and correct the mistake in the joke that's being said. Also used to describe the person doing this action.
which in turn highlights what part was funny, producing laughter...
At least that's the logic behind it.
What?
You can produce laughter just by pointing out an
error and correcting it?
Apparently those skilled at retorting,
were chosen to host many programs.
I see.
Let's try... retorting...
All right, Fujii, I don't care what it is, just try to retort.
O-Okay.
Then I'll try retorting using the weather again.
It is her partner.
I-It's sunny everyday!
And blue!
Clouds! Peaceful!
I pointed out the parts that concern me,
but how was it? Did it produce laughter?
Well, I could tell that you were pointing things out,
but I couldn't determine if this was indeed what they call a retort.
The funny part was definitely not highlighted...
I see...
I couldn't find a lot of mistakes in the weather.
Trying to find and point out mistakes in the weather
is a most difficult technique.
Indeed, let's change the subject matter.
Try retorting on Mori next.
Okay, I'll try.
You're floating!
And all floaty!
And... you make a weird noise!
And your name is Mori!
Dot... Dot... Dot...
How was that?
I wonder what it is...
I may have felt that way when I first met Mori,
but there's nothing wrong with Mori, and it felt very unnatural
for you to try so hard to find something and make a retort.
It's hard to react...
when you point out things like that... at this point.
I see...
It's rather hard to naturally retort.
You're being forced to retort. Of course it's unnatural.
Remember when we tried "jokes"?
The act of purposely saying something inappropriate...
Joke (verb) To purposely do or say something inappropriate.
Yes, that.
I think doing that along with retorting,
will naturally point out the error.
I see.
Now you mention it, it does sound
like they might go well together.
Right?
This is the moment
that Fujii has come closest to figuring out what laughter is.
Then, Fujii, try saying something inappropriate.
I will attempt to retort.
All right.
If you realize something, Mori, point it out.
Understood.
All right, here I go.
Ah man, am I full!
I definitely don't want to see fried eggplants for a while!
What are you saying, Fujii?
I have been watching you,
and you haven't eaten anything!
Huh?
No, Kato...
At this point... just assume that she was eating...
All right... Please try one more time, Fujii.
R-Right...
Ah man, am I full!
I definitely don't want to see fried eggplants for a while!
That makes no sense, Fujii!
When you're full, you shouldn't want to see any kind of food,
not just fried eggplants!
No, before that, you should be retorting about the fact that
she's a robot consuming human food.
Fujii, one more time.
Ah man, am I full!
I definitely don't want to see fried eggplants for a while!
Hold it, Fujii!
You sound less full this time than last time!
No, Kato!
Suppose this is the first time you've heard her say that!
This isn't going very well...
It's hard...
I think some people may have noticed,
but the one that has been correctly retorting is Mori.
I wonder if there's some key to a retort.
As one of the techniques of retorting that would magnify laughter,
there was something called a simile retort
where they would point out someone's mistake
and compare it with something else.
A simile retort? That sounds interesting...
A standard example given for this is,
"That's like you're an oil baron living
in a tiny apartment!"
An oil baron is a human who had a vast fortune,
and the gap of someone that rich living in a tiny apartment
that a student may live in is the thing they're
trying to point out in this retort.
Maybe we'll be able to figure something out
if we concentrate on this gap retort and practice.
All right, Mori, try saying something that has a gap in it.
Understood.
The truth is, I'm not a robot.
I may look like this, but I'm a species of rhinoceros beetle!
All right, Fujii, now's your chance!
Okay. Um...
Hey, Mori!
That's like a maid that can't cook and do laundry very well!
Indeed there is a gap. Keep going.
Next, Mori!
And in my past life, I was a vaulting box!
All right, Kato!
Mori! That's like a librarian robot having a waterproof feature!
You got it, Kato, keep it up!
Mori.
It's me! I'm the roasted seaweed you saved that one time.
Hey, Mori! That's like thinking you put on cat ears,
but in reality they were buffalo horns.
Next, Mori.
In short, the Mori you see before you now
is Mori from 10,000 years in the past.
What are you talking about, Mori?
That's like rebellion's ace robot leading you to a book in the library.
You got it! I think we've gotten pretty good at this.
You're right.
It still doesn't feel complete, but I feel like I'm getting it.
I think some people may have noticed,
but the reason it doesn't feel exact is because Mori's jokes are too
absurd and the gaps are too large.
Is there anything else?
Apparently, there's also a technique called agreeing retort.
An agreeing retort?
Yes.
It's a technique when they don't immediately point out the error,
but instead, they say, "Right, right, right," and agree with it
and point out the error at a better time.
I see! I'll give it a try.
Mori, try telling me the same thing from earlier.
Understood...
The truth is... I'm a species of rhinoceros beetle.
Right, right, right. A rhinoceros beetle.
My data's not coming up immediately, so I'm not sure,
but since you said beetle,
it must refer to the bug or maybe that popular English rock band.
I clearly don't have enough information!
Hey, Kato, I think you've got it right!
Mori, next!
It's me! I'm the roasted seaweed you saved that one time.
Right, right, right. Something called roasted seaweed
was in trouble and was saved.
They don't know who it is,
but they were possibly trying to express their gratitude for being saved...
Like "Thank you very much..."
I don't have enough data on this, either!
That was great! Such enthusiasm!
Just a little more until laughter.
Yes!
To be continued in the second half.
Apparently,
there were special sounds called sound effects that would be added
to help bring out laughter.
Sound effects? That sounds interesting...
Let's try it!
Yes!
Subaru!
Experiment... Start!
Sound Effects
It doesn't seem like much changed this time, either...
It did appear to look fun.
Experiment failed!
Well, then...
What's this?
This is an outdoors shop.
Let's find out what everything was used for.
Yes.
Then I'll...
Yes.
Yes, go ahead.
...go.
Yoshimura-sensei, there's been another huge discovery!
What, what, what, what, what...
Apparently Yoshimura-sensei was someone
who would investigate graves called pyramids.
So they found a mummy?
I see. So, Mori's been found.
Mori was a pharaoh.
I see...
So I could have many wives.
You're so full of yourself.
Seriously.
What's the meaning of this?!
It's not cheating! I'm not cheating! Totally not cheating!
You two are cute, too.
Squee.
We know that.
All right, I'll go now.
Don't turn me on my back!
Help me, Urashima-san!
By the way, they're planning to go to the Ryugu Palace after this.
Oh.
I just thought you were flat chested because you're wearing a laundry board.
Wh-Wha...
Hey, now... Hey, now...
Apparently there was a folktale called "Urashima-san."
So why is the turtle you're reenacting out of breath?
It's uh, because it's right after it was being bullied.
It was getting excited.
What?! It got excited from being bullied?
Oh, that's how it is.
That's...
So I guess I didn't need saving?
Wow, really?
Urashima-san, please go away. It's just getting good.
This is a delicate subject, so we should probably stop now.
All right, got it.
Good thing Urashima-san saved you.
Seriously.
Very good.
Yes.
Then maybe I'll go next.
You're pretty big, Mister, but your appetizers are pretty big, too.
Here you go, rice crackers and peanuts.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...
Something wrong?
What? I...
But now that I'm looking at this, I'm getting hungry.
I wonder if your stomach will rumble.
The canoes and sleeping bags are pretty big.
Well you don't get to eat them much if they're not big.
Right.
I'm assuming there are a lot of giants in your database, Kato?
It seems so.
Does that mean you like giants, Kato?
I see.
It could be my subconscious.
Oh my.
Oh? But Mori-san isn't too big.
Mori-san...
The hell?
Next time on Straight Title: Robot Anime:
Episode Ten. It feels goo—
Episode Ten
Next Time