Scheduled Venus Trip Informational Meeting
I♥ VN
Today I have an important announcement for those of you accompanying us to Venus.
We've determined that the weight limit for the rocket to Venus is really only 500 kilograms.
What?
So what does that mean?
Can we all ride?
Quiet down!
Because of this, we'll be weighing everyone today.
Anyone who's gone flabby has a duty to diet!
If you lag behind, we're leaving you on Earth!
No way!
So how many people can ride if the limit's 500 kilograms?
Look at just how strict a limit 500 kilograms is.
It's roughly five adults!
All right, I guess you're the first to be cut.
You're going to Venus, aren't you?
Shine bright out there. So bright we can see you down here on the riverbank!
Episode 171 "Diet"
Male
What the—!?
Only 3% body fat?
He has nothing left to lose!
No way! We're all going to Venus together!
We just have to lose enough weight to make up for Sister!
Nino...
She's right!
We're all going on a diet!
But how shall we do it? I hope we just don't all drag each other down...
Does anyone have an idea?
Me, me!
I know all about diets!
I'll teach you my special strawberry diet!
That sounds like a great diet for girls!
Strawberries are really tasty!
All right, so the girls are decided!
We'll have strawberries at every meal and go to Venus!
Straw-ber-ries! Straw-ber-ries!
Hey! Are you sure that diet's gonna work!?
Oh?
Whitey?
Oh, right, there was an announcement for people going to Venus.
Yeah.
I see.
You're all going, aren't you.
It'll be lonely down here.
Oh, right, Whitey's staying behind...
Don't worry! We'll come back!
What are you talking about?
You're not supposed to think about coming back before you even leave.
I'll help out as much as I can. If you think of anything just tell me.
Whitey...
I'll help out too!
Jacqueline!
As an aesthetician, my slimming massage can help you achieve your ideal figure.
If you're ready to drive the goddess of beauty Aphrodite mad with envy,
simply knock upon the door of my salon, "Queen Bee".
You mean my perfectly-proportioned alluring figure could become even more beautiful!?
I'm afraid! I'm afraid of my own potential!
What, all we need to do is get a little shiatsu?
Right this way!
All right! Then I'll try some poking and pushing from a goddess too!
What's up with those lame weight-loss schemes?
They're not really into this at all!
I agree. You can't build a body without exercise.
Even a week of Boot Camp or something can have a major impact.
And I know even more effective exercises.
Really? I'll do it!
Us too!
From today forth, Sister shall be my mentor!
I see. Very well.
Welcome to exercises that go far beyond what you'd do at boot camp!
Boot Camp
Rookie Debut
Did you know? Quivering is its own series of muscle contractions which burn calories.
Add the effective aerobic exercise of running...
And just by fleeing in sheer terror, you'll lose those sizes in no time!
Save us, Blanks!
Episode 172 "Secondary Objective"
Currently dieting
One week into the pre-Venus trip diet...
Heh, I'm not getting skinnier at all.
Wait, don't Venusians' weights not change?
I think I've eaten enough strawberries for a whole lifetime...
I was always proud of Sister training me to survive on almost nothing, but my stomach...
P-ko...
Maybe we should have something else to eat?
Stop it! Didn't we decide on this?
One bowl of strawberries a day!
But it's three in the afternoon and your bowl is already empty.
Well, except for the stems.
No, we decided! Strawberries only!
And the stems are part of the strawberry, right?
Stop it, P-ko! I get the feeling that's something you really shouldn't do!
Like someone with your metabolism can understand what I'm going through!
Are you okay?
I was worried you'd take dieting too far, so I came to see how you were doing.
What, are you just here to mock me?
I'm losing weight, aren't I?
And you just have this weird glossy sheen!
Venus
Aww, don't stare.
I'm satisfied with only Aphrodite's envy.
Well, I guess I am wearing this mini-T because she said it would draw people's eyes.
Oh, sorry, it's time for me to take my supplements.
Why are you walking around with Complex Bleep?
But he looks five kilos thinner... Was all my effort for nothing?
I can't give up, though! I have another goal besides Venus!
Until his dress shirts are all cute and baggy on me like I've always dreamed of—!
Hey, P-ko, did you gain some weight?
Wait, never mind, I just lost a lot.
I guess it's because I sweat more than most people.
What? It's like his back has a zipper on it!
Oh, it's because you wore that sauna suit thing to the spa.
No, I'm just beloved by the goddess of beauty.
P-ko somehow doubted that she was really a female youkai
hoping his kappa suit would be cute and baggy on her.
Episode 173 "Midterm Results"
D i e t
M i d t e r m R e p o r t
And, on the day the midterm results were announced...
From Team Spa...
Ric, minus six kilos!
Mayor, minus seven kilos!
Queen Bee Spa Presents
A grand total of 13 kilos lost!
Wow, that's great!
Next, Sister's group!
Wait, where are they?
Have you seen them anywhere, Ric?
Now that I think of it, I've heard Sister's gunfire and their screams quite a bit recently.
Wait, is he really going to make them lose it?
I'm going to go check—
Don't worry, Ric.
Sister?
Of course. We've been here all this time.
What!? You conceled yourselves under the bridge!?
Wow, their bodies are completely changed!
A warrior's body, without a trace of excess fat...
But that had to have increased your weight!
Didn't you hear that thud you made while landing!?
Don't worry, Ric.
Or should I say, don't be afraid?
What the hell are you talking about? Who'd be afraid of someone in that mask?
Our weight may have increased...
But we've lost more than just our fat.
But you haven't lost those iron masks yet.
What we've honed the most in this past week...
Are our hearts.
Whatever, just stop looking like you think you've accomplished anything!
I'm so proud of you all for surviving!
Teacher!
There's five of them to lug around now?
This is making my hard work a waste of time!
P-ko's strawberry diet hasn't given her group anything but bad skin, too.
Sorry...
If I remove all the hair on my body, maybe I can lose half a kilo...
If I bleed out...
They say the human soul weighs two tenths of a gram. If I just lose that...
Calm down, you all! P-ko especially!
Hi guys. How're your diets going?
Whitey!
Well, I guess some of us are doing fine.
I see. You're leaving soon, aren't you? Congrats!
I picked up some konnyaku for you to take on the trip.
Thanks, Whitey.
I shouldn't be crying. I wanted to see you off with a smile.
I'm happy you were so thoughtful as to bring us konnyaku.
Huh? Chocolate?
Mine's full of cream.
Mine has anko.
Whitey... This is...
After all...
I don't want to be lonely.
He put it right out there.
A magical messenger who can grant a girl one single wish.
Emiri Kato
I want you to form a contract with me and become a magical girl.
Episode 174 "Muscle"
One week after the men enlisted into Sister's boot camp built tough bodies due to his Spartan training...
So the secondary sexual characteristics are—
Man, I'm already out of shape.
I guess when you bulk up quickly it just doesn't stick.
And going to boot camp is just a pain in the ass.
'Tis such a nuisance.
So now they're overindulging themselves to make up for it.
Hey, Tetsuro! You're in class!
You know, Ric, Tetsuro's been sleeping all this time too. Why not wake him up?
Yeah, you're right.
Hey, Tetsuro! Wake up!
Hey!
Muscles are granted to those who desire might.
If I could just ask you to turn to page 62 of your textbook...
Are you okay, Ric?
Textbook? Give me a break.
What all living things require is not knowledge, but power!
Your lecturing made a fine lullaby for me to nap to,
but now it's time to go back to training.
Oh, then we should leave now.
We'd just be in your way sitting here.
No, it's fine.
That's the perfect place for those who have lost their muscles.
The two of you aren't even enough to be weights.
Bro can't stop his weight training even when he's not at camp...
Lately he won't even listen to me!
Hey, is it working? They say the more pain, the more gain!
He never talks about anything but his pecs...
Pecs, huh...
He must have a fabulous new friend.
No! There's obviously something seriously wrong with him!
Anyway, that's just not healthy!
A healthy body needs a healthy mind!
Really? I learned it the other way around!
He's doing great! Not only did he survive Sister's training, he's even keeping it up afterward!
You're so manly now, Tetsuo!
Don't touch my divine obliques.
What, are you mad that someone touched you?
Fine, fine, we'll play.
How do you like it, obliques? Is it working?
I love how cutely you contract like that!
Goddamn this kid is creepy!
Now you're nice and full of lactic acid—
What did you just say to me, Tetsuo?
That's not how you talk to your boss.
Stella, didn't you say that the strongest one was the boss?
So are you really the boss now?
Oh really? Try me.
What's going on? Stop it, Tetsuo!
You too, Stella!
Stella's not the boss of me!
Stella is the woman suitable to bear my children!
Only her DNA is good enough to combine with my flawless DNA!
How conceited!
My DNA belongs to Sister!
Come on! We haven't gotten to that page yet!
It seems like they have knowledge in addition to power.
Episode 175 "Muscle Muscle"
Tetsuo... I'll show you just how wrong you are about your muscles!
This is bad. They're serious.
They may even draw blood.
No, it's worse. One will lose their life!
Dammit! Is there nothing we can do!?
Over here, Sister!
Oh, Sister!
Hurry and stop this pointless fight!
Man, it's great to be a kid.
I've never seen Sister this happy!
You trained them both! Stop them!
Wrong. I didn't train them.
They were chosen by muscle.
I'm in despair! Forgetting he's the biggest musclehead of them all has left me in despair!
Not shabby.
But this is as far as you get!
You can't defeat me!
Not this nice body that I toned for the man I love!
You think you're the only one who can control your height?
You mustn't, Bro!
If your head gets any fatter, your mask won't be able to take the strain!
If your mask breaks the men from the lab will find us!
Very well!
Tetsuo's become gigantic, too!
I'll take out the men from the lab and Stella!
Bro!
Wow, he grew a lot!
His clothes also grew just enough to not bother the censors.
Episode 176 "Sibling Rivalry"
This is getting really bad!
If I have to...
What are you doing, Tetsuro!? Working out now isn't going to do any good!
I mean, I know why you're trying to do, but...
If I don't stop Bro...
I believe in muscle, even if it's not quite the same way as Bro does!
If you believe in muscle, it will answer you!
If you just train yourself feeling thankful for its support...
Hey, wait!
Let's go, muscles! Let's save Bro!
Sister! Is that—!?
Ever since boot camp, I've known it was possible. So it's true...
He's a prodigy of a bodybuilder who can surpass even his brother with his holy muscle!
Can we just pretend we're daydreaming at this point?
Give me more power, biceps!
Move faster!
Quadriceps, lateralis!
More!
Stop, Bro!
Such soft muscle...
Bro! Can't you hear your muscles crying!?
What!?
Stella! I can see your panties!
Oh no!
You're wrong, Bro! Muscles aren't there to feel the pain!
You should love them tenderly, like a flower or a sweetheart!
Wrong! Muscles are like a lion cub!
They become strong by falling into the ravine!
You're wrong! The deltoid, the teres major, the abs... They're all our precious friends!
Wrong! There's no need to cooperate with the soldiers!
Have they just been posing the entire time they've argued?
You may well have spoiled your muscles into beauty...
But Tetsuro!
Your untested muscles may as well be fat.
Do you resent me?
If you resent me, then smash the fortress that my muscles form!
Stop their general, the heart!
I won't forgive you for insulting my friends, even if you are my brother!
Hold it! Are you two really going to fight?
Sister, you have to stop them!
If they fight in that form...
Not yet!
If Tetsuro is really the master of the holy muscle...
Blood shall not flow!
That power which even I was unable to grasp...
Tetsuro! You can do it!
Feel joy, my muscles! To battle!
Those poor things...
My strength is draining away!
Your muscles are in such pain, Bro... They've tried so hard...
My muscle soldiers... They're defecting to Tetsuro's body!?
Traitors! My muscles are traitors!
Bro, your muscles have worked hard enough.
What's happening, Sister?
This is the power of those who love their muscles...
Holy Muscle Revolution...
Um, Sister. I think we're a bit tired. We'll be leaving now.
Even though I wanted to think it was all a dream, Tetsuro's body stayed like that for some time.
Looking back at the end of my journey,
as the days I long for pass
I see you wrapped in your red coat,
playing without waiting for winter
Farewell, mazelike days , I'd thank you if I realized days
Oh, oh, goodbye days
Looking forward at the beginning of my journey,
I take a deep breath so I won't have to stop
We're both swimming upstream toward tomorrow,
Swaying side to side like fish
Pain? No thank you days, sadness? No thank you days
Oh, oh goodbye days
Episode 177 "Arakawa Open-air Classroom, Second Period"
For today's lesson, we'll be using clay to improve your dexterity as an aesthetician!
Spa basics
Sure.
There's just one point to remember: focus your love into your fingertips!
That's how you do it! Call out your love!
Knead with love!
Spa basics
And we're done!
With love!
Spa basics
Takai! Takai!
What's wrong, Ric?
Takai recorded something weird on a tape and then went missing!
Sometimes people's songs reveal the emotions they can't talk about.
Next time, 11 Bridge×2.
Takai!
Illustration: Hiromu Arakawa
I expect you all to watch again next time, men!