We hear the blue.
In the creaky planks of the old classrooms,
the voices in the hallways during break time,
and the bustle of the grounds after school.
We become flowers blooming with blue.
Expressing the earnest desire to be special.
We paint ourselves blue.
Looking for unity and common ground,
even among all the mistakes and misunderstandings.
We scream into the blue void.
As we hurt and shed tears
and yet stand up and stand tall.
We write in blue ink.
So that we don't lose heart or lose our way
as we walk down the long road that will lead us to our dreams.
We burn the blue flames of passion.
Hoping to give everything we have
and live every moment to its fullest.
And that is how we live our youth.
Gasping for breath, sifting through the blues that flood the springtime of our lives,
and seeking to uncover and unearth a unique reflection of our minds...
We search for our very own rose-tinted shade of blue.
CHITOSE IS IN THE RAMUNE BOTTLE
Spring is a season of new beginnings.
The open air and pastel-blue skies,
the black hair and skirts swaying in the breeze,
and the faces lit up by the pink of the sakura blossoms...
All of it tinged with the undertone of new possibilities.
One day, when I'm old,
I'll look back on the days to come with fondness, tears,
and just a little hint of embarrassment.
That's what this season almost makes me want to believe.
Yikes.
Morning,
Saku-kun.
This is Yua Uchida.
Not exactly the biggest name in school,
but certainly one that'll come up a surprising amount of times
when the guys get together to discuss who's hot or not during the school trip.
What's wrong?
Morning. Just take a look at this.
ANON: SAKU CHITOSE OF CLASS 5 IS A FUCCBOI ANON: HOW MANY HEARTS HAS HE BROKEN NOW
Oh, that? It's okay. It'll pass.
What's with that reaction? Are you saying it's all true and I should get over it?
You're popular, so you get to take the haters with the lovers.
No way! I'm nice to everyone,
I can handle any conversation from thought-provoking to toilet humor,
and I'm super hot, super athletic, and super smart!
What is it about me that could possibly piss people off?
I think that pretty much painted the whole picture.
Did you see that our classes for the new year were announced after school yesterday?
Were they?
We're in the same class again. Here's to another year together.
Hey, it's not just us two. Our whole group's together again.
I wish you'd shown some happiness at my statement before moving on.
FUKUI PREFECTURAL FUJI HIGH SCHOOL
Hey, Saku! Morning! You too, Ucchi!
That's Yuko Hiiragi.
The gossipmongers call her my number one.
Her penchant to graciously smile upon us all, boy or girl,
has made her our year's goddess of sorts.
Morning, Yuko-chan. And you two, too.
Yay, we're in the same class again!
Does that make you happy too, Saku?
Of course. If I ended up separated from you,
I'd have to walk to school with my head down and my shoulders slumped.
Says the guy who practically skipped to school checking out the freshman girls.
- What the heck? That's so gross, Saku! - Right?
I have no recollection of this!
Yua, you're just jealous I reacted differently to you, aren't you?
- Take that! - Ow!
Sorry. I figured I needed to take you down a notch.
Kaito Asano. A second-year who's already the boys' basketball team's star.
Your typical jock, and the very definition of a simpleton.
They might have gone on forever if you hadn't.
Kazuki Mizushino. A core member of the soccer team.
His easygoing demeanor masks his scheming, calculating nature.
Anyway, we got the gang all together again!
Team Chitose!
Yuko Hiiragi's Angels!
Kaito Dynamite Bombers.
Kazu Creative Agency.
Yua Five!
Okay, too many creative differences!
We disband!
Morning.
- Hey, if it ain't Chitose! - Morning.
Looks like your hair's grown out.
Haru Aomi.
You wouldn't believe this tiny dynamo is the girls' basketball team's star.
She's your athletic ball of energy and cheer.
Want me to cut it for you?
No, thanks. I don't wanna spill any blood.
Say what?!
- What's that supposed to mean, huh?! - She talks and acts like one of the bros,
which makes her occasional flashes of girliness real sucker punches.
Hey, you're supposed to talk to me first. We're both on the basketball team.
Why? You're just the same old, same old at this point.
Yep. Gotta take an eyeful of Chitose and Mizushino's good looks to make up for it.
Yuzuki Nanase.
She's Haru's basketball teammate and best buddy.
When the guys argue about the prettiest girl in our year,
she's right there with Yuko at the top of the list.
While Yuko's a natural goddess,
Nanase's an actress, an international woman of mystery.
Um... I think this is our first time talking.
Can we start with some introductions?
Wow, Ucchi, way to play by the book.
She's exactly as advertised.
Ahem.
Time to celebrate Team Chitose's new members.
Ooh, Aomi Dangerous Challengers!
Yuzuki's Moonlight Crusaders!
Yep, saw that coming.
Crap, guess we overdid it a little.
But hey, it's business as usual.
Some people love me,
while others despise my very being.
The world around me continues to motor along like it should.
I'm Iwanami, your class teacher.
Let's take it easy and have a good year.
Kuranosuke Iwanami, AKA Kura-sen.
We had him in first year, too.
His casualness feels out of place in this prep school,
but the students trust him.
Yes! He doesn't seem to be a stickler for the rules.
I mean, he doesn't dress by the rules either.
I'm out there sweating my ass off in practice, y'know.
You can't expect me to have my necktie on nice and snug after that.
Why not go with a ribbon, then?
Gives you more freedom than a necktie.
Bossman, do you really think I could pull off a ribbon with my persona?
Ah...
- Okay, Chitose, take over. - Huh?
Just don't suck, Saku.
Gotcha.
Ahem.
Well, I don't think there's anyone here who hasn't heard my name before.
Nevertheless, I am Iwanami-sensei's personal maid,
Saku Chitose-chan!
Oh, and people call me "fuccboi" behind my back!
You're bombing, Saku!
Cringe.
Let's get this over and done with.
First, the class rep.
Why don't you do it like last year?
Probably the best choice.
No objections here!
Everyone okay with that?
All right, I'll take the position.
Next is the vice class rep.
Me, me, me!
If you're gonna be the class rep, I'm on board!
And who was it who volunteered last year,
only to dump pretty much all the work on my lap?
It'll be okay!
I was real good at taking care of the bunnies and fish back in elementary school!
Maybe work with animals instead, then?
Cute!
I'm Yuko Hiiragi. Let's do this.
Okay, here's hoping for your support over the next year.
ROOFTOP
Heya. There you are.
I thought the whole campus was no-smoking now.
Hmph. No big deal, as long as I don't puff away in any students' faces.
What exactly do you think I am?
A cheeky brat who got the spare key to here in return for keeping my smoking secret.
You love to hear it.
It must suck to be a smoker these days. You guys get bashed constantly.
People love a common enemy, you see.
ANON: SAKU CHITOSE OF CLASS 5 IS A FUCCBOI ANON: HOW MANY HEARTS HAS HE BROKEN NOW
Sounds awfully familiar.
So, what'd you want?
Kenta Yamazaki. Hasn't come to school since the third term of first year.
Oh?
All I've gathered about him for now is that he loves anime and light novels and such.
Why come to me about it?
Listen, why do you think this stud of a man before you remains single in his thirties?
You get why I blow my low salary on "No, Not My Blazer," a gentleman's club in Katamachi?
All I get is that you're a rotten example of a teacher and a human being.
Only kids get what other kids go through.
Just like how only grown-ups get what other grown-ups go through.
Sheesh.
So basically, you want me to talk this Yamazaki-kun into coming back to school?
Just to confirm, what if I refuse?
Here's an issue you know you can resolve.
Are you sure you want to walk away from it?
You, our do-it-all superhero,
Chitose-kun?
Ugh, this guy is a massive pain in the ass.
If I don't live a beautiful life, then I might as well be dead.
That's my philosophy.
I had a feeling I'd be seeing you today.
What're you reading?
Phantom Lady by William Irish.
"The night was young, and so was he.
But the night was sweet, and he was sour."
The updated translation, I see.
So you knew.
You sly dog, you.
I met Asu-nee in September of last year.
Stop it!
Wait right there!
I really don't wanna!
Come on!
Take that!
So lame!
Don't walk home with us. You're gross.
Oh, come on!
Don't say that!
Gross!
That looks fun!
Let me join in!
Take that!
What's wrong? Come at me.
You asked for it!
Oh, you two join us.
Come on, hurry up!
Take this!
This girl's a weirdo!
Get her!
Okay. All of you bring it at once!
Come on!
Hey!
- Get her ass! - No fair!
Bye, weird girl!
Bye-bye!
Captivated by the lady of the lake?
Nah, I can give you "ghost of a drowned girl," at best.
Is that what I look like?
Ack. I'll have to give this up for dry cleaning.
Hey...
Mm? What is it?
Why'd you do that?
If you wanted to do something, you could've just helped the kid out of the water.
And maybe scolded the other two a little.
Hmm...
Don't you think it's better for them to go home together all messy and smiling?
Even if it means you, a stranger, are left soaking wet
and get sneered at by other thoughtless passersby?
It just seemed more fun to me that way.
So you're a little off the mark there.
May I ask you one more question?
Go for it.
Can I have your name, please?
Asuka Nishino.
Asuka, written like "tomorrow's wind."
"Tomorrow's wind."
For someone like her, who seemed to live life wild and free,
I thought that name was a perfect fit.
Kura-sen's got me doing his grunt work yet again.
I see you're as imperfectly perfect as ever.
Like a pretty little park that doesn't allow fireworks.
That's awfully roundabout.
A park with no playground for kids to get hurt on,
one that even bans playing with balls.
All it has is stuck-up grown-ups with their stuck-up faces stuck in their books.
Hup.
Let's say the girl you're closest to in class and I are both drowning.
Who would you save?
You rush to our aid in a bright-red kayak that only seats two people.
Couldn't one of you just cling on to the kayak?
Oh, and there are sharks, piranhas, and crocodiles out for blood in the water.
I'm not sure I'd go rowing into that hell.
I would save you with zero hesitation.
I mean, I like you more than the boy I'm closest to in class.
I wish you'd use a more romantic hypothetical to ask me out.
I bet you wouldn't choose either one.
You'd say, "Don't worry about me. You two take the boat and get away."
You'd believe that'd be the most beautiful choice you could make.
No way. I don't want piranhas nibbling away at me.
As your pinky toes, earlobes, and lips are ripped off, you'd think to yourself,
"This is who Saku Chitose is."
Long after the people on the streets all hole up in one home or another,
the clock strikes 10 PM with even the sound of cars growing sparse.
Half the population is in dreamland,
and the other half's nearly there.
There's a thought that creeps into my mind during little pockets of time like this.
Have I made a place for myself in this town?
Am I playing my role right in this corner of our world, which at times feels unreal?
Kenta Yamazaki, what are you thinking right now?
Are you looking up at the moon?
And is it the same moon I'm looking at here?
Ugh, I ate too much.
Chitose.
What's up, Nanase?
About to ask me out on a date?
Now there's an ambush idea, but this is about something else.
Are you having trouble with something?
Ah, so she did pick up on it.
One of our classmates isn't coming to school.
Kura-sen asked me to talk him into coming back.
I'll go see him after school today, for starters.
Want me to come along with you?
It might not be the best look for you to go alone.
Nanase controls her image, keeping her finger on the pulse of how people see her.
She's so perfect, it's actually weird.
Thanks, but I already asked somebody else.
I was overstepping, huh?
Well, feel free to come to me if you ever think I can help.
I like to give my all to people I respect.
FUJI
Sorry! Did I keep you waiting?
Nah. All good with band?
Yep. We had solo practice today.
Why me, though?
I'm a love-me-or-hate-me kinda guy,
but you're good at gradually closing the gap.
I don't know about that.
I asked Kaito to lend me his bike.
What...
Don't worry. I won't mention how hard it is to pedal.
I'm not that heavy!
You'll be comfier straddling the bike.
I'm not going to do that in a skirt.
But stay safe and grab on to my shoulder or waist, okay?
Okay.
Can you not act like you're touching a dirty rag?
Your back.
Hmm?
Your back, Saku-kun.
It's much bigger than I thought. It's built and manly.
Believe it or not, I was one of the best baseball players in the prefecture.
I'm aware. I saw you playing a game during summer break last year.
I watched from the classroom I was in for band practice.
That was before we became friends, huh?
Were you secretly a fan of me?
Who knows? Maybe, maybe not.
Is there something on your mind, Saku-kun?
Sure do. I was wondering when to suddenly brake
so I can get some boob-to-back action.
Okay, I'm sorry! Can you stop squeezing my carotid arteries?
Sheesh! Why are you like this?
I was talking about Yamazaki-kun. Do you have a plan in mind?
I tried coming up with one,
but I realized it was pointless brainstorming without any intel.
I'll just go for it and break him.
I think you mean "go for broke." Please don't break the poor boy.
YAMAZAKI
Yes?
Hello, I'm Saku Chitose! I'm in the same class as Kenta-kun now.
I'm here to deliver some handouts and stuff.
Right...
Hello, I'm Yua Uchida.
I was wondering what Kenta-kun was up to since he hasn't come to school for a while.
I've been somewhat worried.
Oh, my. So you came all the way to visit?
Please give me one moment.
Has Kenta-kun not told you either?
The reason he won't go to school, I mean.
No, he won't say anything.
If you don't mind, can we try talking to him?
I don't mind, but he might not play very nice.
Maybe there're things he can only talk to us fellow students about and not his mom.
So sit back and let us do our thing.
Please talk to him.
I can hear you! What do you want?
Yo! I'm Saku Chitose, Class 2-5's rep.
You're in my class, Yamazaki-kun. Here's to knowing you.
Saku... Chitose? Why would that asshole manslut come here?
Down, boy.
Nice to meet you, Yamazaki-kun.
I'm Yua Uchida. We're in the same class now.
Sorry for showing up out of the blue. We heard you hadn't come to school in ages.
U-Uchida? One of the skanks in Chitose's harem?
Down, girl, down!
There are a few inaccuracies there, but you got the right Chitose and Uchida.
Why don't we chat while we have the chance?
I bet you're just here because the teacher made you come.
You're not exactly wrong, but I personally also wanted to talk to you.
You know a lot about anime and LNs, right?
Yeah, yeah, spare me the "how do you do, fellow nerd" shtick.
If you were really into it,
you'd've heard of at least one of the following LNs.
Is a Loser Allowed to Love?
I'm an Otaku, but a Gyaru Floozy's After My D!
My Youth as the Biggest Loser in the Destroy Happy People Club!
That Time I Reincarnated and Went from Bottom-Rung to Having My Own Harem!
Apparently, My Face Is the Definition of Handsome in Another World?!
The Most Popular Guy in School Became My Flunky for Some Reason!
I'm an Introvert, but My Super Beautiful Senpai Has It In for Me!
Sorry, never heard of any of 'em.
Yamazaki-kun, I don't know much about this stuff either.
Do you have any recommendations?
Uh, you know...
I don't think you'd find any of this stuff interesting, Uchida-san.
You'd think, but I like reading my little brother's shonen manga.
Can I see your bookshelf?
N-No, my room's too messy.
Then through the door is fine. Let's chat.
I dunno what you flashy, popular kids talk about.
I'd say I'm more on the dull side, myself.
Nah, you shone pretty bright from what I saw.
Probably because the people around me are stars of the school.
Are you someone who values alone time over group activities?
Yeah, I guess.
I'm happy you found something that made you feel that way.
Yamazaki-kun, I'm glad you and Yua found something in common.
Want me to step away for a bit?
Oh, you think it's no biggie? You're so cool because you can talk to her anytime?
Uh, sorry, that's not really what I was going for.
We don't have anything in common!
Gotcha. We'll leave for today.
See you again next week.
Don't you ever come back, you shitty manslut!
What'd you think, Yua?
It felt like he was afraid of something.
He was particularly hostile towards you, too.
I know, right?
Did you notice anything?
Yeah...
This Yamazaki-kun must hate my guts, yeah?
Sure seemed that way.
Sob, sob.
I kinda get where he's coming from, though.
Yua-chan?
It's okay. It's all good.
Doesn't make you any less hot.
Hey, you're just saying that.
Yamazaki-kun hadn't hit the low point of rejecting anything and everything yet.
Guess he just missed his window of opportunity.
The light of the setting sun dyed the trailing clouds in its hues.
From orange to tangerine,
from tangerine to apricot,
from apricot to azure and indigo...
A beautiful spectrum of colors that hardly feels natural.
As the two of us leaned on each other,
we formed a silhouette like something right out of the book of youth.
Too slow! Pick it up!
One week later.
After mulling over it, I asked Yuko to come with me the second time.
If I wanted to have a heart-to-heart,
I figured I needed the straight-shooting Yuko's help.
This feels great, huh, Saku?
Sit down. Your panties will show.
Eh, not like some rando passerby seeing my undies is gonna bother me.
Then would you be willing to allow me to bear witness too, milady?
No. You're special.
Shouldn't it be the special ones who get to see, not the randos?
You will, once that special day comes along.
You don't reek of sweat as much as last year.
Yeah, I'm not in a team or club anymore.
It's too bad. I didn't mind the scent of your sweat.
So, got any good ideas?
Not at all.
But I know it'll all work out in the end with you there.
You're my hero.
Anyway, all you need to do is talk to Yamazaki-kun.
Even if things go south, I'll handle it.
- Roger-dodger! - Hey, Yuko-san?!
What makes one a hero?
It's never stopping being a hero, no matter when, no matter where.
Yamazaki-kun, Chitose here.
But I told her we weren't friends and not to let you in.
Your mom's just worried about you.
Did Uchida-san come too?
Nah, Yua couldn't come. She has practice.
See? Knew it.
She came along to make you seem legit,
but then she gave up 'cause this seemed like a pain.
Yua's not that kind of girl.
She really was concerned for you.
Anyway, I brought someone else with me this time.
'Ello! I'm Yuko Hiiragi!
I hear you haven't been coming to school?
Must be rough. What's wrong?
H-Hiiragi? The Hiiragi?
Queen Skank of the Chitose Harem?!
What'd you bring that floozy here for?
What's a "floozy"?
An easy lay, probably.
Grumble-wumble! Calling me a floozy is mean!
I only have eyes for Saku!
Hmph. I bet you only came here to score points with Chitose too.
I mean, duh? If Saku needs help, I wanna help.
See? You're trying to become his number one by showing you can even be nice to losers.
Why wouldn't I want to impress someone I like?
And why would I want to help you impress him?!
You'll be nice to me and then pull the rug out the moment I open up.
I bet you'll just laugh at me later—
laugh at how easy nerds are to wrap around your little finger!
Uh, I'm just guessing here, but Yamazaki-kun...
Did you try to get with a girl who was nice to you and mess things up or something?
Y-You're in the same boat, you know!
That guy next to you is nice to Uchida-san and a bunch of other girls!
I know all about how nice Saku is to everyone.
That's what attracted me to him, and that's why I want to be his number one.
Of course, I'd be crushed if he picked some other girl.
But that'd just mean I wasn't good enough to be chosen by him, no?
I'd never hold it against him for being nice, at least.
Thanks. Go have some tea downstairs.
I'll take it from here.
Roger-dodger!
I get what happened now. I might be able to help.
Oh, piss off. Don't patronize me.
Could you please just open the door?
No way.
Let's enjoy some tea time, complete with a view of Yuko's bountiful E-cups.
Screw you. I'm never opening that door.
You sure? No matter what?
I said I'm not, and that's that!
Get the hell out, you goddamn manslut!
Oh, okay. If that's what you want.
I wish I could've been over there with you, you know.
Don't worry. Things will work out.
- I sure hope so. - Mrs. Yamazaki.
I hate to break it to you, but...
Batting third, right field, Chitose-kun!
Number... 9!
Heya.
Now...
Let's start breaking common ground.
Translation: Sriram Gurunathan
Subtitle Editing: Geoff Mazzolini Subtitle Timing: Krzysztof Kunc
Quality Check: Riley Dalton Translation Check: Rei Miyasaka
NEXT TIME LET'S START BREAKING COMMON GROUND
"Let's Start Breaking Common Ground."
Welcome to the TV anime of Chitose Is In the Ramune Bottle!
This is A Journey to Experience Chiramune: Fukui Gourmet Chapter!
Hello, everyone. I'm Ikumi Hasegawa, and I play Yuzuki Nanase.
And I'm Rumi Okubo, playing Haru Aomi.
The Chitose Is In the Ramune Bottle anime, AKA Chiramune, has begun,
and this is a special program aiming to highlight some cool stuff about it.
- Ooh! - Whoa!
You can hear the roars already.
- We're standing here outside Fukui Station. - Yeah?
- And there are dinosaurs everywhere! - Right?
Fukui is known for fossils, after all.
And they're roaring, like dinosaurs should.
- They move, and they roar! - Yeah!
It's worth coming here just to see them.
So episode one has been aired.
It happened just now.
- An extended cut with a 45-minute runtime! - It's so great that we got an extended cut!
- I hope everyone enjoyed it. - It's so great that we got an extended cut!
- I hope everyone enjoyed it. - Did you like it, everyone?
Our characters show up right in episode one.
Yeah, they sure do.
I wonder if the viewers felt the youthful spirit overflowing from the first episode.
The animation was great, the story was great, and in the end we got, you know...
Saku going bang! An impactful ending!
Just when the viewers got hyped for episode two,
- we two showed up. - Glad to be here, suddenly in live-action.
- Though you were watching a story set in Fukui. - Glad to be here, suddenly in live-action.
- Though you were watching a story set in Fukui. - Yeah, that's right!
- Right here. - Yeah, that's right!
Yep, we're here in Fukui.
We have perfect weather today.
It's so bright out.
The perfect day for filming.
This is the Fukui Gourmet Chapter,
so we'll go ahead and partake in some Fukui delicacies.
We're here to give you our thoughts,
which may be of help when you decide to come to Fukui.
Yeah! I hope people watch this and get tempted to travel to Fukui.
And I hope they choose their places to eat based on this show.
So, yeah, we'll be going to these shops in person.
Without any further ado, let's go!
Chiramune.
This is the first restaurant we're profiling today,
Yoroppa-ken!
We're here!
Yoroppa-ken is a Western restaurant with a history spanning over a century.
We're visiting the Toyoshima branch today.
You can enjoy sauced katsudon, Fukui's soul food, here among others.
Yoroppa-ken makes frequent appearances in the light novel.
- We wanna just try out the food already, huh? - Yup.
Let's go in and take a look!
- Very pretty interiors. - Right? It's nice and subdued.
It's spacious and comfortable, and they have counter seats, too.
A whole bunch of seating options.
Yoroppa-ken has 19 branches in Fukui Prefecture.
- And the taste varies slightly across branches. - Really?
And the Toyoshima Branch here likes to go a little hard on the flavors.
- That's unusual for a chain. - Right?
- The branches don't tend to differ like this. - I can't wait.
Same here. I love rich flavors.
Now allow us to introduce Hiromu-sensei's recommended dishes.
"For first-timers, I recommend the basic katsudon,
but if you want to try a variety of flavors,
I suggest the trio bowl, with a cutlet, fried shrimp, and minced meat cutlet!
The LN editor, who has visited Fukui several times,
eventually settled on ordering the gluttonous trio set with an extra cutlet."
- Wow. - They said, "You need at least two cutlets,
but I don't want to miss out on the others either. lol."
What a big eater.
Talk about gluttony. That's awesome.
- Here it comes! - Your trio bowl and sauced katsudon.
Thank you!
Whoa!
Wonder which is which.
- We don't know yet. - How exciting.
- Shall we open them together? - Let's do it.
One, two...
- Okay, I got the sauced katsudon! - Looks great!
It looks amazing!
- That means... - I have the trio bowl.
- That smells downright amazing, wow! - Wow!
It's got the lovely, saucy aroma.
It seems incredible.
I heard something about the experts.
They put the extra cutlets on the lid,
leaving just one in the bowl.
- That's how the experts eat it, apparently. - Wow.
- Here I go. - Great.
Oh, it smells so good.
Yum!
Wow, that "yum" came from the soul.
This is so good! The meat is so soft!
Yeah?
I need you to eat yours right now.
I can't help but wonder about the shrimp.
Yeah, I feel you!
Whoa, it's big!
Woohoo, big!
Here I go with the shrimp.
Yum!
Good, right?
Take a look.
- Wow, the cutlet's fully packed. - Yeah, it's totally packed with shrimp.
- Wow. - Yeah, it's totally packed with shrimp.
It's so good!
Who'd've thought that sauce could go so well with rice?
It's great.
Since the different parts of the trio bowl differ in taste,
it gets you excited for what to try next.
Oh, I get that.
I think I really love this.
- It's crazy how it doesn't feel greasy at all. - The katsudon?
Yeah?
Yum! So yum!
Can we get this in Tokyo?
I wonder.
Right? The top dog of this show was throwing up an X just now.
I get it. If you grew up thinking all katsudon was sauced katsudon,
- you'd be shocked to see the egg version. - I would. It's totally different.
So, uh, we both ended up eating the whole thing.
We cleaned it all up.
This might be the first meal I've eaten in full this summer.
- Seriously?! - Yeah... It tasted so good.
- It really did. - Right?
So, yeah, if you ever find yourself in Fukui, give Yoroppa-ken a try!
Chiramune.
The next eatery we're profiling is Takohachi!
- You can see it over there. - Over there.
Takohachi is a teppanyaki restaurant founded in 1987.
Their original sauced yakisoba is the stuff of legend.
Locals, young and old, love this place!
Saku and gang often visit this place for meals in the story.
I wanted to go last year, when I did the Chiramune pilgrimage,
but I couldn't find the time to.
So this is like a wish come true.
- That's so exciting! A happy accident! - I can't wait!
- Yay! - Let's go in and give it a try!
Let's get going.
Wow, that smells so good.
The sound of the grill and the aroma have been attacking us since we got in.
Yeah, we know it's yummy even without taking a bite.
I get that.
- The aroma of the sauce is so rich. - Seriously.
Okay, let's introduce Hiromu-sensei's recommended dishes.
"The lady's sauced yakisoba is a real classic!
It's a taste you can't find anywhere else!
I usually get the pork version, but chicken and mixed are great too!
Chiramune fans have gained a strange affinity for the cheese-grilled eggplant.
Try if you've got room, lol."
- Here's the sauced yakisoba. - Wow, it looks so good!
It smells great!
Let's taste it right away.
Wow, check out all the steam.
This is gonna be good!
Hey, love that slurping sound.
Whaddaya say?
- Delicious! - Knew it!
Yeah, it tastes totally different from regular sauce.
It does?
I get what they mean when they say it's a taste unique to Takohachi.
Oh, yeah?
Wow, it really does smell great.
Check out all the steam!
Yum.
Isn't it?
Yeah. Like...
It's not your regular or soy sauce.
It's seriously a special dipping sauce.
Yum.
I'm in heaven.
This dipping sauce is so good!
You really can't find this anywhere else.
Don't you think it's somewhat milder than the usual yakisoba?
- It's got a hint of sweetness. - Yeah.
Too good!
Yum.
- I could eat this forever. - Right?
Can we really call this work?
Way to go!
I'm an expert eater, I'll have you know.
- That counts as expertise? Really? - Sure does.
I'll eat it like a master, too.
I wanna say I'm an expert at making food taste better as I eat.
Wow, you're really enjoying it!
Love that expression.
Gotta love a yakisoba that bursts with flavor the more bites you take.
- So we've fully enjoyed Takohachi's offering. - That was great.
- Seriously. - I can never recreate that dipping sauce.
Yeah, it really can only be experienced here.
- So please come visit, everyone. - Please!
Okay, let's move on to the next place!
Chiramune!
The next eatery we're profiling is...
Akiyoshi!
We're at the branch outside Fukui Station this time.
Fukui Station's right there.
Yeah. That's where we filmed the intro this morning.
- With the roaring dinosaurs. - There they are.
They're right over there.
Akiyoshi is a yakitori chain popular nationwide,
but it was founded in Fukui in 1959.
Their yakitori, grilled to perfection with their secret sauce, is said to be for die for!
Yay, yakitori!
So far, we've had sauced katsudon, sauced yakisoba... Delicious food after delicious food.
I have high hopes.
Right? Expectations are sky-high.
- Shall we go in already? - Yeah.
It's your typical izakaya. Less your Saku-and- gang haunt and more Kura-sen's watering hole.
- He'd be right at home. - He sure would.
- This is him. - You could find him here.
But I hear families and students love this place as well.
It's popular among all ages.
- I'm going to enjoy this. - Here we go.
They're grilling the chicken past these counter seats.
We can see them going to work.
Sitting at the counter might also be fun, huh?
This place smells good, too!
I hear it's hard to get a reservation at this place.
The branches outside town always have lines too, apparently.
- We're super lucky to have this opportunity. - Wow, must be super popular.
- We're super lucky to have this opportunity. - Right? I'm thankful!
I can't wait!
Okay, let's introduce Hiromu-sensei's recommended dishes.
"Junkei, shiro, and kushikatsu are so popular, nobody leaves without ordering them.
The cabbage (I like the mix with sauce and mayo) and cucumber are also good resets.
For the rest, eat whatever strokes your fancy. I always get the pitoro, though.
Also, ending the meal with red miso soup and grilled rice balls is the Fukui way."
So he says.
Excuse me, young ladies.
- "Young ladies"? - Oh, you just put them there?
I reacted to the "young ladies" part instead.
That's the junkei.
The junkei goes there?
It's salt-grilled, so eat it as-is or with spicy sauce.
- Got it, thanks. - Huh, it goes on there?
- Like, yeah, right? - Huh, it goes on there?
- I was wondering what this thing was for. - Yeah, ever since we walked in.
- Oh, there's more. - Next up, we have the shiro.
- The shiro! - And the kushikatsu.
- It might be a little hot still, so be careful. - Look at this!
- Use the sauce in the red saucer for this. - Oh, they're all different?
- Roll it in there a couple of times and dig in. - Oh, they're all different?
- Roll it in there a couple of times and dig in. - Got it, thanks!
- Okay, shall we young ladies dig in? - As a young lady, I shall.
I might actually be older than him, though.
Who can say?
Okay...
Junkei...
That's these ones.
- He said we could eat them as-is. - Yeah, here I go.
Oh, good. It's crispy and juicy.
What part is this?
Regular yakitori uses young chicken,
but in Fukui we use older fowl.
It's the junkei's thigh, and the white part underneath is the fat.
It's good all at once, or one piece at a time.
You put sauce on the shiro, right?
That's what he said.
It's on. Here I go.
Go for it.
- How is it? - Yum!
It has a mouthfeel like chicken skin.
Shiro isn't chicken, but rather pig.
Pig innards.
Huh? Innards?
It does taste like innards, actually.
So, yeah, Akiyoshi was delicious too.
It's a lovely place, so please come when you visit Fukui.
Chiramune.
All right, we've profiled three locations with ties to Chiramune. Did you all like it?
That was fun, huh?
- Right? It was fun, and the food was great! - I'm so satisfied, I'm starting to feel sleepy.
- I hear you. That hit the spot, huh? - I'm so satisfied, I'm starting to feel sleepy.
- It did, and now we have this breeze. - Yeah.
It's so pleasant.
What's more, we have this collab Royal Sawayaka.
- Yeah, it's got all the characters' faces. - It does.
- It's so delightful. - Right?
The full version of this show will be streamed on the KADOKAWA Anime Channel on YouTube.
In the YouTube version, you'll see us go through our whole meals at each eatery.
We spice things up with some quizzes, so please check it out.
And please watch episode two of Chiramune next week as well!
Please!
- Okay, goodbye. - Bye-bye!
Chiramune!