Kagawa Prefecture.
Located on the north side of Shikoku,
facing the Seto Inland Sea.
Also known as...
Udon Prefecture.
Boy, do I miss your family's udon.
Reopen the restaurant!
I told you...
I'm not going to run
an udon restaurant.
Poco's Udon World
Aww, what?
You oughta take it over.
Didn't your folks teach ya the family recipes and such?
Episode 1: "Bukkake Udon"
No way. I couldn't.
I didn't learn any of that.
Sheesh, you're one cold guy.
If I hadn't happened to call ya,
you wouldn't have even told me you were in town.
Yeah, but...
We just saw each other at my dad's funeral.
So wrong!
Ya sound so wrong without your accent!
Man, it really sucks.
Everybody who's been to Tokyo once
starts lookin' down on this place like it's in the sticks.
Well, Kagawa really is in the sticks.
There's so much open sky here.
Ha! Don't make fun of us when you're unemployed.
I'm not unemployed!
I just asked for some time off so I could come back here for a while.
Bukkake Udon Daien
Thanks for the food!
I can drive ya.
Nah, that's okay.
I'm in the mood for a walk.
Ya know, that part of you really hasn't changed.
Next time, you be the one to get in touch, ya hear?
Yeah, yeah.
Shinmiya River Bridge
I'm the son of an udon restaurant owner...
Or I was, to be precise.
I never thought that,
at the milestone age of 30,
I'd be coming back home to an empty house.
Tawara Noodles
Was it always...
this run-down?
Wh-What was that?
A rat?
Huh?
Wheat
Wh-Wheat thief!
What the heck? What's with this place?
I can't take it!
It's scary out in the sticks!
Udon
Howdy do?
Ah... The granny from next door.
It's good to see you.
You're little Souta-kun from Tawara Udon, aren'tcha?
Look how old you've gotten.
Still ain't married,
spent all that time bummin' around in Tokyo,
and now yer back here, are ya?
This sharp-tongued granny...
Her words still cut like a knife.
Oh, that reminds me.
The little tyke at your house...
Huh?
Is that your secret love child?
Pardon?
No?
Definitely no.
Oh, dear. Where'd the little thing come from, then?
I just saw the dearie at your restaurant.
I was sure that was the case...
Tawara Noodles
Our restaurant closed down, you know.
Udon
Do you know how to get home?
You'll catch a cold out here.
Oh, don't worry about the wheat. I won't tell on you.
Gurgle
Rumble
Is that a stomach growl?!
All I have is udon, but...
When it's done, do you want some?
Just sit down anywhere.
You can watch TV, too, if you want.
Gurgle
Rumble
Oh, yeah. If I put in green onions and ginger, will you—
Raw?!
A lost child?
Yeah. Looks like the kid wandered into our yard...
That's all? It's probably one of the neighborhood kids.
Nothin' to raise a fuss over.
I don't think this one's from the neighborhood.
I mean, the kid has no shoes,
is covered in mud,
was really hungry,
and stole some wheat.
Since when have you been the type to poke his nose
into troublesome stuff like that?
I know, but the kid seems to have taken to me...
Ow! Ow! Don't pull!
Just hurry up and take the kid to the police! I'm busy here!
Yeah...
I bet your parents are worried sick.
I have to take you to the police.
I'll be right back.
Stay here and watch TV, okay?
Dry your eyes.
Your mascara will run.
Far away on the edge of space, in Galaxy M87,
there lived a terrifying alien
bent on invading Earth.
His name is Ipalnemoani Gaogao,
and he is said to be the most fearsome alien in the universe.
Lyrics: Shinomaru Nodoka Composition: Hashimoto Yukari
Gaogao-chan Exercises
He came from the edge of the universe!
Gao gao...
The scar on his back is the mark of a champion!
One, two!
Knowing my dad,
I doubt he threw it away.
Oh, here it is!
What's that?
Hello?
Hey, Souta?
Sis?
How goes it? Did ya make it to the house already?
Yeah, I just got here.
So how's it goin'?
Is the clean-up comin' along?
No, I only just got here, so I haven't done anything.
How much time did ya get off from work?
Eh, however much...
What the heck? Well, whatever.
When the mourning period ends, we need to get rid of the house,
so keep it up with the cleanin', okay?
Souta?
Are ya listening?
A notebook?
Yeah, I am.
Well, whatever.
Anyway, I'll come by to help soon.
At least get a little bit done by then.
Wh-What was that?!
Nothing, nothing.
Notes Part 1
Good grief... Ya always were clumsy.
You're 30 now, ya know.
This is...
You've gotta get your act together!
Udon Recipe For every 400g of wheat flour, 23g of salt *In the summer, the dough can get too slack, so add more salt. In the winter, the dough will get harder, so use less salt. Salt Water Spring/Fall 23g 169cc Keep salt concentration high. Summer 24g 164cc Winter 22g 174cc While mixing in water, spread your hands and mix quickly. *Have salt ready.
Dad's...
Hey, are you listening?
Oh, shoot!
Ribbit, ribbit!
What's that? Is somebody else there?
Uh, no. It's nothing.
I've gotta go, okay?
What the heck?
Ribbit, ribbit!
What are you doing?
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!
Did you drop something down there?
Ow...
Ribbit, ribbit!
You okay?
Ribbit!
How long has it been since Mom died?
Twenty-five years? No... Longer?
Letters?
What are these? Dad's?
So many...
Dear Tawara Udon, Last month, my family and I had the pleasure of eating at your restaurant on a trip from Osaka. It was absolutely delicious. Frankly, I looked down on udon before, but your restaurant changed my mind. If all udon tasted that good, I'd eat it every day! My family agrees that if we're ever in Kagawa again, we have to go back to Tawara Udon. We look forward to being able to taste your udon again. Please keep up the good work!
This is... about Dad's udon?
Here.
Thanks.
This used to be mine. You can wear it.
I'm not sure if the shoes will fit, though...
I know the feeling.
When I was little, for some reason, wearing a poncho always got me excited, too.
Can you tell the police officers
your name when they ask?
You didn't learn how? You know...
"I'm Tawara Souta, 30 years old." Like that.
Souta?
No, uh...
Not my name...
Souta! Souta!
Okay, okay.
Souta! Souta!
Hello!
Souta!
By any chance... Are you open?
Ah... Sorry.
I hate to say it,
but the udon restaurant is no longer in business.
What?!
Tawara Noodles
Sorry!
I know the sign's still up...
Aww, man...
And here I thought Tawara Udon had come back...
Um...
Did you come by to eat it a lot?
My dad's udon.
Yes! My workplace is right around the corner,
so I came 'round all the time.
Oh...
Uh-huh!
Tawara-san's kamatama udon is one of my favorites.
Gurgle
Is that her stomach?!
Gorgle
Gurgle
Their tummies are grumbling in sync?!
My lunch break's about to end!
Sorry for interrupting you!
It's fine...
If you ever reopen the restaurant, please let me know!
Huh?
Souta?
Souta!
Let's go.
Ribbit, ribbit!
Wait—
Ouch!
Too many stairs...
Hey!
Souta!
Come on, you shouldn't run off on your own like that.
Souta!
I thought this child was lost.
I'm glad the father was here.
Oh, no, I'm not...
Do be careful.
If a child wanders around alone here,
a tanuki could bewitch them.
Oh...
There are stories of a shapeshifting tanuki appearing in these parts.
They say that the tanuki takes on a human appearance,
and lives in the form of a child for years and years.
Really...
Well...
Even for a tanuki,
I'm sure being alone for so very long
must be quite a sad thing...
Ready to go?
Don't run off again, okay?
Souta! Souta! Souta!
I know we're in the right area...
Yeah. That's weird.
Souta! Souta!
I'm here, I'm here.
Souta! Souta!
Oh, excuse me!
There's supposed to be a restaurant
called "Tawara Noodles" in this area...
Actually, that restaurant closed down.
What?! Are you sure?
But it's in the guidebook...
My family ran it, actually, so I am sure.
Huh? You're from the restaurant?
You don't make udon?
When I grow up,
I wanna be cool like Dad
and make handmade udon!
I don't, no.
You're not taking over the restaurant?
But if your family ran it, you can make udon, right?
No...
You always stink like soup stock!
An udon restaurant? That's so lame!
We came all this way.
I'd really love to eat the udon at Tawara Noodles!
Yeah!
No. There's no way I'm takin' over.
I don't wanna run an udon restaurant.
I'm goin' to Tokyo.
Do what ya want.
We'd be totally happy to eat your udon!
Please?
No, I really can't...
If it was that simple for me to take over...
Whoa! What's with this kid?
H-Hey...
Ah! Don't! Don't hit there!
Hey!
Stop that!
"Fluff"?
Ears?!
A tail?!
Oh my God! Are you okay?!
Souta?
My instincts...
are screaming, "Don't let them see this!"
Ah! Hey, wait!
Was that... a tail?
Huh?
What is this?
What the heck is going on?!
Am I dreaming this up?
Souta!
There are stories of a shapeshifting tanuki appearing in these parts.
They say that the tanuki takes on a human appearance,
and lives in the form of a child for years and years.
Souta!
What... are you?
Gaogao-chan and
The Blue Sky
Episode 1
"Gaogao-chan and the Blue Planet"
The Tale of Gaogao-chan
and the Blue Planet!
Far away on the edge of space, in Galazy M87,
lived the most fearsome alien in the universe.
Gao...
Gao!
I sure am bright,
because I'm the sun!
And this is an automobile repair shop
somewhere on Earth.
The kind mechanics, Mimi and Momo,
are hard at work today.
We're not getting any customers at all!
It's just how it is, Mimi.
After all, none of our neighborhood friends use cars!
I'm sorry, Momo-chan.
If only I were a little braver,
I could ride in a car...
It's okay, Cat.
Here, have some rice balls and cheer up!
Argh! If only there'd be an accident nearby!
Then we could fix the car!
Don't say that, now—
I am the most fearsome alien in the universe,
Ipalnemoani Gaogao.
I have come to invade your Earth.
Huh?
To Be Continued
Voices Gaogao-chan: Kuroda Takaya Mimi: Makino Yui Momo: Kokido Shiho Scaredy-Cat: Minaguchi Yuuko Sun: Tachibana Shinnosuke Hedgehog: Kobayashi Yuu Rice Ball-chan: Kobayashi Yuu Narration: Minaguchi Yuuko
Staff Story: Ikeda Rintarou Storyboards/Production: Yamashita Hidemi Art/Backgrounds: Itou Eriko Coloring: Onodera Emiko Camera: Gotou Haruka Camera: Shiradou Katsunori Production Assistant: Ishibashi Shingo
Udon Prefecture Vice Governor
Welcome to the Land of Udon.
I am the vice governor of Udon Prefecture, Kaname Jun.
Narration: Kaname Jun
As a native of Kagawa, I'm in charge of previews.
Next time: "Kotoden." See you then.