Kita ze Inbou! - キタぜ陰謀!

[ Episode 16: Ring ]

I am not interested in ordinary menus!

Right off the bat, I gotta say, Yukari is one hilarious mom. I can see the similarities between her and Miyuki now. So that’s where Miyuki gets it. I love how she playfully comments that it was because of her good raising that Miyuki has become such an amazing, knowledgeable character. Of course, both have the tendency to be clumsy too. Hearing Yukari talking while in pain got me rolling. It really does sound like she’s angry when she’s heard over the phone.

I think this episode actually gave us more background on Miyuki than ever before, which is really good since she’s clearly the weakest link of the four girls. We also learn how she came to wear glasses: reading at night with a light. Wow, and at an early age too. Two episodes later, we learn just how bad her eyesight is: 20/200. Wow, wouldn’t that mean Miyuki is well, officially blind?

The family talk is really one of the interesting things they ever elaborate on. Take the Hiiragi family, for example. They’re a wondrous family, but during dinnertime, the older sisters can get carried away with the the sukiyaki (having shabu shabu?) that it leaves Tsukasa with none! It’s nice to talk when the family’s all together, Tsukasa, but you gotta make room for eating too.

The girls finally pay Konata a visit to her cosplay café @ Akiba. First things first though, she has Kagami buy her Comptiq (the mag that the LS 4koma is serialized in) and also a Geass manga, or the “Lelouch comic,” as she was told by Konata. Notice the girl working at Gamers and her little sister? Those two are the Miyakawa sisters from the games, Hinata (elder sister) and Hikage (younger sister).

They make it to the café, only to be welcomed by a Haruhi-cosplayed Konata, much to Kagami’s shock. Inside though, is more Haruhi-like than you think. There are several familiar faces all around the girls. Look at that, Kyon’s even there, and his waitress is Yuki! The funny bit about this scene is that they say exactly the same lines as they did in Day of Sagittarius. Konata even switches to her Haruhi voice and badgers for their orders. It was pretty great seeing tsundere and tsundere talking back to each other. Kagami’s not one to be enjoying it though. More like getting an excruciating headache. I think that Hare Hare Yukai dance helped a bit though. Sure worked Konata up a sweat.

The Mikuru cosplayer was Patricia Martin, or Patty (Patti? Which is the official spelling?) for short. She is a transfer student from the US, and a first-year along with Yutaka. Not only looking the part of Mikuru, but acting like her too. Classified information!

Anizawa and Sugita make a brief appearance, but it was still hysterical! Sugita failing to sell Konata the Itsuki and Kyon CDs was pure gold. Next time guys, next time!

Another small scene shows Miyuki (surprisingly) learning the ins and outs of cooking thanks to Tsukasa, who is really excellent at cooking, and even Konata. Speaking of those two, Kagami notes some distinct similarities between them and her two friends Misao and Ayano. Maybe she does attract the same type of people?

At the end of the episode, we see that even the twins’ older sisters can discuss interesting bits. After failing to understand Jigoku Shoujo-like readings, they simply go off-tangent, kinda like what the main girls usually do too. I guess we can see similarities in them as well.

On Lucky Channel, we’re promised that live with Akira. Well, I guess they blew their budget, or they couldn’t find any other place to book, but they took the karaoke box, where the girls previously had their karaoke sessions. Akira sings Misoji Misaki, which sounds like enka, no? Not bad, Konno Hiromi, but I think your voice needs to be a teensy bit stronger. And hey, she gets her own live action ending this time, and in a nice kimono.