(Wind blowing)
Are you kidding me?! What's up with this school?
It's friggin' huge!
"Kyokusei Dormitory"...
Where the heck is this place?
The sun's going down!
(Crows cawing)
I'm tired... I'm cold...
And this dried squid ain't gonna cut it anymore.
Ugh...
There sure are a lot of pompous-looking buildings around here.
I have no idea what they could all be for...
Well, this school looks like it's got plenty of cash.
All the facilities are awesome.
So, maybe my dorm will be all fancy-schmancy, too.
I can't wait!
(Cawing)
(Ominous music)
(More cawing)
Guess not...
(Opening Song)
(Door creaks)
Hello?
Smoke?
Something's on fire!
(Clatter)
(Loud bang)
A-an earthquake?
Uh!
(Numerous animal sounds)
Usako! Kamosuke! Shikanoshin!
[GIRL] Stop, stop running! Please!
[FEMALE VOICE] Hey, Room No. 116!
You cannot bring wild game into the dorms.
You do that again, I will skin you alive!
I swear to God! [GIRL] I'm sorry!
[SOMA] Ooohhh...
[FEMALE VOICE] Oh, and Room No. 208:
You turned an empty room into a smoker again, didn't you?
How about I hang you upside-down and flavorize you! How'd ya like that?
[RED-HAIRED STUDENT] Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.
And you, Room. No. 205!
If you've trashed your room again, I'll gut you and feed you to the hogs!
I know! I know! I'm sorry!
But these morons won't stop fighting in my room! (Arguing in background)
You wanna throw down, bro? Fine by me, dude!
You're Soma Yukihira, the transfer student looking to move in, yes?
I am the dorm mother for this establishment...
Fumio. Or Miss Daimidou... Hmph.
Or the "Holy Mother of Kyokusei".
You can call me that.
I'm surrounded by nut-jobs again!
Okay, young man...
What ingredients have you prepared for us?
Huh? Ingredients for what?
Uh! What else?!
[FUMIO] For the famous Kyokusei Entrance Exam, of course!
"1: Those who wish to board here must create a dish.
Residency will only be granted if said dish's flavor is acceptable.
2: Judging will be by the dorm supervisor.
And 3: Applicants may bring any ingredients they wish."
How was I supposed to know that?!
I didn't bring any ingredients with me!
Then you've lost by default.
Unless you show what you can do, you have no place here.
Huh?! So what about tonight?
You will be sleeping outside.
You've gotta be kidding me!
Do you know how cold it gets out there in April?!
Come on, lady! I'm about to fall over from hunger and exhaustion!
Hmph. Oh, well aren't you pathetic? You can eat.
We've got some leftovers in the kitchen, but it's a mish-mash.
Huh?
Guess today is just not your day.
[SOMA] Ah! Can I use the leftovers for the test?
What's that?
I'm gonna do this "test" of yours.
Where's the kitchen?
Hm...
Woah...
Oh my god!
I never would've guessed you'd have a kitchen like this!
[FUMIO] If there's one thing I hate, it's cocky kids with inflated egos.
I mean you have no idea how many students' dishes I've tasted in my life.
Do you really think you'll impress me with some slop you just throw together?
[SOMA] There are some vegetables, onions and whatnot.
Eggs...
Bread crumbs...
And lots of spices.
I got this...
Mm-hmm. I think this oughta be enough.
Hm?
What is he thinkin'?!
Ms. Fumio Daimido, Kyokusei Dorm Mother...
give me a few minutes!
There should've only been a scrap or two of ground pork and beef lying around.
[FUMIO] How could this be?
How did he make such a thick Hamburg steak?
Hmph. I used the rest of your canned mackerel to make...
a "Mackerel burger"!
Canned mackerel?!
[SOMA] I added onions and breadcrumbs to the egg,
then mixed it with the mackerel,
added pepper, and lightly salted it.
I fried that up, creating a flaky mackerel-burger steak.
Then, I added ponzu
to the leftover mackerel liquid
and thickened it up with some potato starch
to make a simple, refreshing sauce.
Given the timeframe;
I call it: Yukihira Brand "Use What You've Got"...
Holy Mackerel Burger!
What's this?
Impossible.
A "Hamburg steak" made from canned mackerel...
This should be horrendous and inedible.
Haahmmm...
MM!
OH!
AH!
Mmmm...
It's so thick that if he'd told me he used just meat, I'd believe it.
And it's fried up so flaky and soft!
Well, what's with this egg soup?
Ah! Where is all this flavor coming from?!
It's the quality of the fish stock that makes a soup's flavor.
This rich taste is proof that he used a high-quality stock!
(Crash)
Hey boy, how on earth did you make this?
We have no seaweed or fish flakes
nothing that could have been used to create a fish stock!
Well, about that...
I happened to have something on hand.
(Flick)
[FUMIO] Squid?!
You mean you used that thing to make your stock?!
[SOMA] Dried squid is pure umami.
Soak it for a while in some boiling water, add some salt,
and you'll get a richly flavored soup stock.
The perfect start for many dishes.
(Slurping)
This kid is something else.
For him to make food of this caliber using only those ingredients...
is remarkable.
Such a soothing taste...
Ahh! It warms both the body and the soul.
Mackerel and squid...
These fruits of the sea combine to create a delicious, salty flavor.
It reminds me of my youth! Ooh!
(Waves crashing)
Uh, aren't you kinda cold in that...
Fumio?
No, come on...
Kou, you know what I really want to do right now...
Don't you, too?
Fumio! U-um, yeah, well uh...
Um...
(Sigh)
(Annoyed sigh)
Making a girl say it is just... cruel.
Come here...
[FUMIO] Come closer to me.
(Awkward gasps) I just want you to...
I want you to warm me up.
[KOU] (Heavy breathing)
Hm.
I beg you...
Ahh...
Aagghh...
(Frantic screams) Gimme some-a that sugar...
Whoa! Hey! Get away from me!
(Sigh)
My reactions to the taste of so many of his "new dishes"
have left me utterly exhausted.
(Cackle) [MEGUMI] Soma, that jerk-wad!
He treats me like some kind of experimental lab rat.
Ahh...
That right, Mr. Ducky?
Soma's a real pain in the butt, huh?
[FUMIO] Ahem! Very well!
Uuuh! You may live in the dorm!
Huh?!
Hm!
You're welcome!
Your room is No. 303.
Here.
Oh, yes!
Doing so much with such limited ingredients...
Looks like we have an interesting new resident.
Soma Yukihira, hm?
[MEGUMI] Ahh... Ever since I got here,
this is the only place where I've been able to relax.
Ms. Fumio CAN be a bit terrifying,
but at least there aren't any strict teachers or Soma.
[SOMA] Guess I'll start things off with a hot bath!
Hm?
(Gasp)
Hm.
Uh!
(Fearful whimper)
(Terrified scream)
Oh. I see he's already making some friends.
I'll have to tell him the bath schedule.
(Owl hooting)
Man, that bath felt good.
(Exhale)
Heh. This is my first time away from the only home I've ever known for 15 years.
[SOMA] 'Kay! Here's your liver and onions!
Can I get a meat-and-tofu plate, please?
Say, uh... And I'd like to have the daily special.
Right, you got it!
One meat-and-tofu! One daily!
It's so quiet...
Hello! Young transfer student!
Guh! Huh?!
Who are you and what are you doing up there?!
Come on, there's a welcome party.
[ZENJI] I already told you...
I am extremely busy trying to study for my written exam!
If you want to have a party, do it in someone else's room!
Why do you guys always insist on coming in here?
What choice do we have?
You have the only room that can fit us all.
Hey, do not sit on my bed!
And not to mention how sparkly clean it is!
Because I just finished straightening it up!
Oh yeah, there was crap all over the place, huh?
[ZENJI] Because you two destroyed the place!
Dude, you need to get some more chairs up in here.
No, I don't!
Hmph.
[AOKI] Whoops!
[ZENJI] Ah! My books!
[AOKI] Sorry bro.
(Shy whimpers)
Listen here, sweetheart.
A true lady never exposes her goodies 'til she gets married.
I'm sorry, Mom.
But nobody is going to make me his bride now!
It's pretty crazy, Megumi...
I can't believe we ended up in the same dorm.
Isn't it though.
Hmm! You mean to tell me that you actually passed
the entrance exam on your very first try.
Sort of.
I'm just glad that it worked out.
That's incredible...
Not very many people have cleared the test
in just one shot.
[SOMA] Huh? How'd it go with you?
Um... So-so, I guess you might say.
Ah? I-I can't say it.
I can't say it took me three months to get in!
Hey. You want some of this?
Oh? Ah, thank you.
Sure.
(Sniff) Huh?
[SOMA] It's so cloudy...
And the bottle has a handwritten label.
Yeah it's some "special" juice I made from rice.
Drink up.
Uh-huh...
(Festivities continue)
[SOMA] So, it's okay to make all this racket this late at night?
[RYOKO] It's fine. The dorm is in the middle of a forest.
[SOMA] Yeah, but still...
I mean, won't the dorm mother get mad and-
Guh! [FUMIO, LOUDSPEAKER] Hey! You kids!
There's stewed amberjack and daikon down here. Come and get it!
Whoo! All right, dude!
Love you, Gramma!
(Both laugh) They're going down?!
I'm sure they'll be back before Ms. Fumio
starts yammering on about The Ten.
"The Ten"?
Get away from her!
Do you know who you just touched? Not really.
This is none other than the top student in the Middle-School Division
and the youngest member in history ever seated at the table for the Council of Ten...
this is Erina Nakiri!
[SOMA] The Ten...
What is "The Council of Ten" exactly?
Huh? Are you asking for real?
What? You seriously came here not knowing anything about the Tohtsuki Academy?
Zenji, will you please fill him in?
Why's it always gotta be ME?
Oh stop your complaining.
Can you just help the new guy out?
All right, fine.
The Tohtsuki Council of Ten...
It's a committee made up of the ten highest-ranked students on campus.
At Tohtsuki, students settle most of their issues through self-governance,
and all items are decided by a mutual consensus of the Ten.
It is the highest decision-making body on campus.
In terms of school organization, they're right below the director.
Which means, even the teachers have to follow the decisions made by The Ten.
It is said that decades ago
the rooms at Kyokusei were always full,
and that most members of The Ten often came from here.
There was even a time when Kyokusei residents held every single one of the council seats.
Hm?
And Ms. Fumio can really get going
on and on about it, too.
Huh?
And I take it Erina Nakiri is one of The Ten, huh?
(Door opens) Uh!
[BOTH] Back with deliciousness, dudes!
[ISSHIKI] Hello, Young Soma Yukihira.
Welcome. It's nice to meet you.
We're glad you're with us.
I am Satoshi Isshiki, a 2nd-year.
Please call me "Isshiki"
Will do.
Well. Isn't this just lovely.
I am simply delighted we have acquired a new student.
We must share the bloom of our youth!
Nothing on Earth could make me happier!
Now listen to me:
We are adolescents living under the same roof,
sharing our joys and sorrows!
This student life is a blossoming spring!
I entered this dormitory enamored with that concept.
Let us embrace one another and rejoice in our resplendent dorm-life existence!
That's real nice and all,
but can you please stop comin' to get us by creeping around in the attic?
Doesn't sit right with you?
Hmm... I suppose I could use this contraption.
[ISSHIKI] When I do, Megumi Tadokoro is always quick to respond.
Uh, well, do I have to...?
[MEGUMI](Scared whimpers) [ISSHIKI](Creepy whisper) Megumi. Are you asleep?
I'm having a little fun over here.
(Continued whimpering) But I'm all alone...
And I have so much WONDERFUL food to share.
Scamper on over if you're still awake. M'kay?
I promise I'll... make it worth your while.
If I don't, then you'll just keep calling me, won't you?
He'll eventually give up if you just ignore him, okay?
You need to stand your ground, girl.
But it does totally suck whenever he does that.
It's probably pretty nice up there.
What is going on?
My dorm-mates are a bunch of weirdos and freaks.
I'm pretty sure that you'll have no problem blending in.
'Kay then, does everyone have a drink in hand?
[ISSHIKI] Then here is to Soma's success...
and to the glory of Kyokusei...
[ISSHIKI] Cheers!
[ALL] Cheers!
(Festivities continue)
What is this magical "rice juice"?!
This is like the best stuff in the universe!
I think I could drink this all night long!
Yep he's fitting in, no problem.
[ZENJI] ｶI will be reborn
ｶI will live right here and nowｶ
ｶI'll transcend the sky
ｶThe sky up above the cloudsｶ
Hungry! We need more food! (Crazy laugh)
[SHUN] So, I guess I should bring out what I made today.
Huh?
[SHUN] Smoked cheese and three kinds of jerky.
Ah, I can't get enough of that smoky flavor!
Shun, my man, you can do no wrong!
Uuuh-huh.
[AOKI] Dig in, dudes!
It's an assortment of fried vegetables, all taken from the garden out back.
Oh man, this stuff is delicious!
HAHAHAH!
I know, totally awesome, right?!
The fried shrimp I served last week
was way better than this, bro.
Whatever!
You've got the weakest taste buds of anybody here, dude.
Bring it on, hoss! Bro! Don't push me!
[SATO] Get outta my face!
[ZENJI] AAGH! What is with you meatheads?!
If you're a chef, then prove it with your cooking, bro!
No problem, dude! Just gimme eight minutes, holmes.
Oh, come on!
This is how we end up always making way too much food
and leaving the kitchen a disaster!
[BOTH] Shut up, you wild-game hose beast!
(Annoyed groan) [AOKI] You stink like animals!
[SATO] The whole floor around your room does!
It's like a petting zoo!
Anyone who says something like that
obviously does not appreciate the freshness
that my wildlife brings.
[YUKI] Just give me about an hour...
[RYOKO] You're going to go strangle something this late at night?!
[MEGUMI] Come on, Yuki, please calm down!
Oho, wait a second.
I've got a brand-new dish I was able
to make earlier today.
Way to go, Soma! That's what I'm talking about.
Give it here!
Oh, my bad, it turned out to be revolting.
BLEEEGH! THAT'S NASTY, BRO!
(CACKLE)
(Sato gagging)
[SOMA] Sorry, sorry.
(Gagging continues) (Group laughing)
[SATO] I think I'm dying, bro!
[ISSHIKI] Bing! Bang!
POW!
Aw yeah, there it is!
Bang! Ping! It was only a matter of time before
"He's Naked and Wearing his Apron of Illusion"!
(Raucous laughter)
[SOMA] Nice!
(Echoing laughter)
Hehe. Times may continue to change in this life,
but two things will always stay the same:
One is the laughter of students...
Hmm. And the other one...
is how the stars will always gather beneath the brightly lit moon.
(Ending Song)
(Owl hooting)
(Light snoring)
(Snoring)
Uhaahhhhh...
(Light snoring)
[ISSHIKI] Ah... Tonight sure was dandy fun, yes?
I would like to welcome you again, Soma.
I'm glad you're here.
Nah, the pleasure's all mine.
Are we already out of food?
Ah, well we do have some mackerel fillets.
I shall make something TASTY!
You're going to the kitchen like that, aren't you?
(Dramatic violin music)
[ISSHIKI] Well, it's ready.
Enjoy...
Mackerel pan-fried in Chinese pepper.
Ehehe!
[SOMA] Don't mind if I do!
This is TOO delicious!
It makes perfect use of seasonal spring ingredients.
He made an extremely delicate dish in a short amount of time!
This is on a whole different level than the other people here.
Sure, he's a sophomore,
but is that all it takes here for someone
to learn to make something like THIS?
[ISSHIKI] By the way, Young Soma...
Uh!
My attention is aroused.
You said something interesting at the opening ceremony.
Aiming for the top spot here at Tohtsuki
may not be as easy as you think.
Allow me the indulgence of re-introducing myself:
[ISSHIKI] From the Tohtsuki Council of Ten...
Uhh.
[ISSHIKI] I am Chair No. 7...
Satoshi Isshiki.
Now then...
I would like to try YOUR food, next.
(Nervous inhale)
Come and show me...
how you express yourself...
through your cooking.