anime episode summaries

I Won’t Lose!! I Challenge You With My Osaka-Pan!

Kawachi’s training continues. Azuma falls down because of fatigue in Miura (en route to Izu) where a sushi-shop owner finds him and takes him in. The nice man serves him some sushi and to Azuma’s delight, he discovers the main ingredient for his Japan #32: wasabi. Azuma rushes home and bakes his bread right away. As usual, Azuma’s bread is good. Kawachi feels depressed because he thinks he has no chance of winning in the upcoming newcomers’ battle and while wallowing in self-pity, the manager pours sake on his pathetic little head. Kawachi runs away but then he realizes that alcohol has antiseptic properties (that was what the manager was trying to tell him). Kawachi adds brandy to his bread and calls it Osaka-pan (also o-sake-pan). Incidentally, Kawachi’s and Azuma’s sempai at the store (the one with the mushroom-head) gets drunk when he eats a slice of Kawachi’s bread. Kawachi thanks the manager for his help.

Momo and Komomo deliver a letter from a school drop-out to her alter ego who stayed in school.

Kawachi Kai!! The Solar Gauntlet!

Azuma’s grandfather sees our hero on TV and misses him. A letter from the Main Store arrives, announcing the Newcomers’ Battle. All new employees of Pantasia from all 128 stores are invited to join the tournament. The manager won the battle during his time and Tsukino placed third eight years ago. The theme for this year is dinner bread that won’t go moldy even after three weeks. The winner will get several prizes: 1M yen, a sabbatical in France, and the opportunity to work at the Main Store. The branch where the winning employee came from will also receive prize money. Kawachi resolves to win but the Manager tells him that there are thrice as many participants this year than the previous ones. Azuma seems to have a plan already and he runs out to get his ingredients. Kawachi is discouraged because he doesn’t have Azuma’s solar hands but Tsukino tells him there is a way to get them… (more…)