Tawara Noodles
Chips
Edamame
Oh, you're awake.
Poco's Udon World
Souta! Souta!
Episode 4: "Yashima"
Huh? Sis?
What's with the kid?
Well, I'm bettin' it's Shinobu-chan's with some random woman.
There it is. Her Nakajima bullying...
Heck no!
Rinko, what kinda guy do ya think I am?!
Then whose kid is it?
Souta!
Hey, he's terrified of you.
More than he was of me.
Huh? I wasn't tryin' to...
God, I'm just awful with kids!
If I so much as hold 'em, they start wailin'.
Do I look that scary?
Yep.
Shinobu-chan, you shut your mouth!
You'll get yours! Stupid! Stupid!
Shinobu-chan hasn't changed one bit.
He'd always go home like that when he was a kid, too.
I'm Souta's big sister.
My name's Rinko.
Can you tell me your name?
Poco.
Huh? That's your real name? One of those unconventional names?
I figured that's what you'd comment on...
Anyway, I'm taking care of him for a friend for a little while.
Who's the friend?
A friend from Tokyo. You wouldn't know them.
Oh, really? How long is "a little while"?
Until the end of my summer vacation?
Is he really a friend's kid?
Whoa! He forced himself in to hide!
Let me go get him dressed.
Until the end of my summer vacation...
These, too.
When I go back to Tokyo,
what will happen to Poco?
What will he eat?
And... what will he eat?
Souta?
Whoa!
Poco, do you remember our promise?
Pwomise?
But from now on,
don't show your ears and tail in front of anyone but me, okay?
Uh-huh. Pwomise!
Right. Promise.
It's clean...
You know, I am a housewife.
Actually, I came by today because I thought it was high time we tidied up the house.
Oh, right...
But you know... It's sad...
Losin' the house we grew up in...
Yeah.
Hey, for lunch, let's go to Yashima.
Sound good?
I haven't gone up to the top of Yashima in forever.
I don't usually go all the way to Yashimaji Temple...
Same here.
It's been too long...
have many children
Castle Remains
Throwing
We have a special path. Walk with us!
Driveway
Has Yashima...
Welcome to Yashima
Lion Rock
always been this filled with tanuki?
Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum
The tanuki are so cute, aren't they?
Wait...
Could it be there's...
Cute!
some connection between Yashima and Poco?
Here, put this on and...
You look just like a tanuki!
No, it looks better on me!
He's tryin' to be funny.
Be a dear and laugh for him, Poco-chan.
I wish I could just tell her!
Seto Inland Sea National Park Yashima
Shikoku Sacred Site #84
Look at that!
Huh?
Whoa! They're so big!
They're tanuki?
Wow! The shapeshifting tanuki of Yashima, huh...
Hey, it says he's a god of family happiness.
Better say a prayer!
I'm goin' up ahead!
Hey, wait!
The Yashima Tasaburou Tanuki
general head of tanuki in Shikoku
metamorphosis stood unchallenged throughout Japan
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.
Poco...
Could you be...
a relative of this general or something?!
Maybe you're super famous in the tanuki world?!
A VIP?! Are you a VIP?!
Every time he smiles, I get the sense that I'm being fooled!
They're pilgrims.
They're on a long trip to visit lots of temples.
Pilgwim.
That's right.
Poco-chan has to pray, too.
Souta, give us some money to offer.
Don't tell me you came empty-handed!
You didn't even bring a wallet?!
I'll pay ya back later!
And he's so little. What a good boy.
He really is!
They praised you, huh?
He's bein' bashful.
Fortunes
Your Fortune: Bad Luck
Great Luck
Bad Luck
Yep. I had a feeling that's what you'd get.
What does that mean?!
What did you get, Poco-chan?
Oh! You got "good luck"—kichi!
Your fortune: Good Luck
Chi?
Pon! Kan! Call with abandon!
I knew you'd do that.
My big sister
Chi?
is fond of mahjong.
Fortune Slips/ Wish Plaques
We're supposed to tie 'em as high up as we can, right?
Okay, I'm counting on you, Poco.
Help me fix my bad luck!
Ow, ow, ow...
What's wrong? You okay?
Yeah, I'm good...
Siblings in Their Thirties
Just my leg acting up...
I'm getting old.
I sympathize, but stop callin' yourself "old"!
Let's sit over there.
Poco-chan, how 'bout I buy you ice cream?
Ice cweam?
Uh... I thought you didn't bring your wallet.
Yashima Little Tanuki
Yummy!
Hey, I just remembered...
Didn't you, me, and Dad come to Yashima before?
Really? When was that?
You know, probably when Mom was in the hospital.
So on the way home from visiting her.
Hmm... Did we really?
We ate ice cream here then, too...
Yummy, yummy!
Uh... Hey, shouldn't you feed that to him?
I know, but he's trying so hard.
Give him a bit longer.
B-But...
He's makin' a mess!
Ah! I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.
Ah... Er...
It's okay, it's okay.
We can just wipe it off.
Okay?
Wh-What do I do now, Souta? He looks super sad...
Well, yeah, you can be kind of harsh.
I know that better than anyone!
Tile Throwing
Lion Rock Tea House
Seto Inland Sea National Park, Yashima
Why am I so bad with little kids?
Here.
You, on the other hand... Kids and animals have always liked you.
I can't deny that...
Bye-bye.
Still... I think I regret it.
Not givin' Dad any grandkids.
It was my decision, but...
If I had a kid, would it have changed anything?
Did I choose the wrong path? I have to wonder sometimes...
I just don't know.
Me, neither.
Really?
In the end, I never got Dad
to appreciate my Web design work.
I wonder if going to Tokyo was the right decision.
Oh, jeez.
Whenever we're together, we end up reminiscing.
What's wrong with that?
We never used to talk like this.
I remember now!
Huh?
I remember coming to Yashima with you and Dad.
Souta.
If ya hold the tile vertical,
it'll fly real far.
Poco.
I'll teach you how to throw those.
How to throw?
Hold the tile vertical...
Vertical...
Right.
Here we go!
One,
two...
Three!
Think that cancels out my bad luck?
No, I think this and that are two different matters.
Cancel!
Work
Incoming Call
You don't need to answer that?
I'll call them back later.
How long do you have off?
It's sort of up for discussion.
Are ya sure you can take so much time off?
Also, are Poco-chan's parents okay with this?
Yeah, it's fine.
Well, one way or another, your sister's worried.
Shikoku Village
Souta, leaf!
He's cheered right back up.
Thank goodness.
I don't deal with kids much.
I just don't know how to act with them.
But...
When I look at Poco-chan, I...
You what?
I wonder what this feeling is...
Who knows?
Why did you decide to take charge of Poco?
Weren't you concerned?
Well, you could say I'm always concerned, in a way...
Really?
Huh? Where's Poco-chan?
Huh?
Poco?
Do you think he...
Vine Bridge Entrance
Notice: No more than 20 people on the bridge at one time. Please cross quietly. Those who cannot cross, please use the alternate entrance.
Souta! Souta!
Souta!
That's dangerous!
Souta! Souta!
Poco-chan, that's dangerous!
Souta! Souta!
Don't bounce on it!
Souta!
Owie!
What did I tell you?
D-Don't move...
I'm... I'm on my way...
What are ya doin'? Hurry up!
You know I have an extreme fear
of high places and bridges like this!
My hands sweat like crazy!
Oh, good grief! This is no time for that!
How pathetic!
S-S—
S-Stop! Don't shake the bridge!
Poco-chan, I'll be right there.
Just wait right there a bit, okay?
Rin...
Poco-chan...
It's okay, it's okay.
"The Iya Valley vine bridge
sways back and forth,
but if you hold hands,
there's nothing to fear,"
they say.
See? It's not scary.
Good. Let's cross this bridge, okay?
Wait!
I'm scared! Poco!
There, we made it.
Made it!
Made it, made it, made it...
His hands...
are so small.
Poco-chan, are you lonely with just you and Souta?
Do you love Souta?
I love Souta!
Which do you love more, food or Souta?
S-Souta!
Oh? Really?
You had to think about it, didn't you?
Rin, too.
I love Rin, too!
Th-Thank you...
I'm glad.
Yep, I'm glad!
I thought I was gonna die...
Souta!
What's come over me? My heart's all tight...
I-Is this maternal instinct?!
Uh... Probably?
Up we go!
Oh, yeah. Poco-chan, do you love Shinobu-chan?
She means Nakajima.
Na... Nakaji...
Looks like he's torn!
Nakajima...
Staff Station
Gaogao-chan and
The Blue Sky
The Tale of Gaogao-chan
Episode 4: "Gaogao-chan and the Taste of First Love"
and the Taste of First Love!
Thanks to Gaogao-chan,
it's another peaceful day on Earth.
And on this peaceful day...
Let's play the "Guess What I Like" game!
Yay! Yay!
Okay, I'll start.
I like something
that's steamy hot and white,
and fills you with happiness just seeing it.
Rice balls!
That's right!
You're next, Flower-san!
Me? I don't have anything....
Liar!
Okay, he's really thorny,
but deep down, he's a romantic,
and he's really cool and chic, like he was brought up on the backstreets...
Gaogao-chan!
Don't worry. Just leave this to us!
A friend in need is a friend, indeed!
Huh?
Gaogao-chan!
Flower-san says she thinks you're cool!
Gao?
Jeez, Mimi-chan!
And so, Gaogao-chan and
Timid Flower-san agreed to go on a date.
Listen up! You'd better make this a great date, or I'll be mad!
I mean it!
Date Route
Treasure
Beast
Death
We planned out the perfect route for your date!
Momo-chan, maybe we shouldn't.
Top Secret
A flower, in love with a lion...
It's not right.
Don't worry. This date'll go off without a hitch!
Gaogao-chan, I want to cross that bridge.
Swaying Bridge
Gaogao-chan, I love you!
Why does my chest feel tight?
It's the suspension bridge effect.
Uh-huh, it's the suspension bridge effect.
Is this feeling...
Maternal instinct?
Voices Gaogao-chan: Kuroda Takaya Mimi: Makino Yui Momo: Kokido Shiho Timid Flower-san: Nakahara Mai Bear: Naka Hiroshi Monkey: Sugita Tomokazu Hedgehog-san: Kobayashi Yuu Flamingo: Makino Yui Bunny: Kokido Shiho Narration: Nakahara Mai
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
Narration: Kaname Jun
Udon Prefecture Vice Governor
I'd like to sink my teeth into it, too.
Even now, when I visit home, I always go out to eat this.
Next time: "Chicken on the Bone."