Takunomi. – 06

Ah, nothing wakes you up and gets you ready for the morning than the upbeat stylings of RaFa and meg rock…even if that show is primarily about drinking booze, which in the morning usually only comes in the form of the occasional mimosa or bloody mary (for the record, Takunomi. airs at 2:43 in the morning JST).

At first, this episode seems more interested in a suddenly somewhat homesick Michiru’s futile quest for fish to eat; ironically back home there was hardly anything but fish and she always craved meat, but the protein tables have turned. It’s fortunate, then, that Nao and Makoto’s folks shipped them a care package full of fish from Hokkaido, and that fish is waiting for Michiru when she gets home.

It’s when Michiru finally gets some fish that Nao introduces the booze of the week: sake, and not just any sake, but Dassai, made from 50% polished rice for extra fragrance. Nao welcomes Michiru to the “Fish-and-Sake Pairing Crew”, and the new squab learns firsthand how blissful a bite of fish is when paired with a sip of Dassai. “Captain” Nao goes on to list the higher quality sakes, the highest of which don’t even disclose how much they polish the rice prior to brewing.

The first time Michiru tried sake, she could barely handle it, but now that she knows it’s all about the kind of sake you drink and what you pair it with, she’s expanded her drinking horizons thanks to Captain Nao, and shares her rekindled passion for the occasional fancy fish set with a co-worker at lunch.

Takunomi. – 05

This week we learn a little more about Midorikawa Kae, who at 27 is the eldest member of Stella House Haruno. Specifically, we learn she isn’t the most excited about continuing to grow older and remain single, as well as her preferred drink (red wine).

Neither Michiru or Makoto like the wine straight (probably the tannins), but Kae cuts it with ginger ale to make a “kitty” (akin to a spritzer) that many guests at her weddings are able to enjoy.

Kae has a few too many of these amidst a light accompaniment of almonds, crackers, cheese and ham, and shows Michiru and Makoto the kind of drunk she is: a bit of a pessimist at first, and devolving into someone who simply wants someone or something to spoon for the night.

When Michiru brings her phone, Kae is in the latter state, and Michiru is snatched up and becomes Kae’s warm stuffed animal for the night. The next morning, Michiru can scarcely look a much-better-put-together Kae in the eyes, but Kae doesn’t remember last night…until Michiru jogs her memory.

The moral of the story is as simple as it is universal: Try not to drink too much…especially if you have some not-so-happy thoughts on your mind!