Keroro Gunso 66

Natsumi and Koyuki's heart-pounding first date! It's been 53 episodes since they first met and this first date is so overdue. At least Koyuki appeared much earlier in the anime compared to the manga. The short summary is: Natsumi and Koyuki go out together for ice cream, shopping, sightseeing and generally have fun - with Koyuki taking every opportunity to be a little romantic with her dear Natsumi-san.

However Giroro is following them out of jealousy while Keroro and Tamama are doing so to research any weaknesses in the Earth's last line of defence. Giroro's jealous aura nearly gives them away several times, leading Koyuki to over-react ninja-style. But all's well that ends well. After Koyuki leaves, Natsumi discovers the Keronians and lays the smackdown. Meanwhile Koyuki is concerned that being with Natsumi dulls her ninja senses but is reassured by Dororo that it may not be a bad thing. The commenter closes by saying that Koyuki is really a ninja rather than a normal girl.

Natsumi doesn't actually say who she is going out on this date with at first - leading to considerable anxiety on Giroro's part after the idea sinks in.

It's quite clear that Natsumi's romantic interest is Saburo (823). Significantly, I don't recall that the anime making it sort of a triangle, like in the manga, with 823 hitting on Koyuki repeatedly while Natsumi doesn't reciprocate Koyuki's feelings but still wants to be good friends. Thus this episode is interesting for a few reasons. Firstly, Natsumi herself specifically describes her outing with Koyuki as a "date" and she takes the trouble to doll herself up (which the off screen narrator and Giroro both notice) as well as use some of her mom's perfume (noticed by Koyuki). Giroro also feels less threatened by Koyuki in the anime ("She's a girl!") than in the manga.

Unlike Giroro, Koyuki isn't shy to show her feelings to Natsumi at all. But I suppose the fact that she's a girl (and a thoroughly cute one at that) helps her get away with a lot of things that Giroro never could. Anime Koyuki is already fairly restrained, which makes it even sweeter, though it wouldn't be out of character at all for the more aggressive manga Koyuki to lick the soft cream directly off Natsumi's cheek. Hoho.

Despite how Koyuki's ninja reactions repeatedly caused Natsumi worry and embarrassment, it's pretty hard to be and stay angry at her since she's so guileless and cute - Natsumi's first impression of Koyuki in Ep 13 was that she was "small and cute" but the Chinese sub's "????" is also so melodically appropriate.

According to the traditions of Koyuki's ninja clan, Natsumi has apparently just married her - by putting a friendship band on Koyuki's wrist and having a twin one for herself. LOL

Thoroughly enjoyable half fo an episode. Koyuki x Natsumi sweetness, humour from how Koyuki's ninja and rural background is starkly contrasts with citydweller Natsumi's - as shown by their respective ideas of transport and dessert. The Keronians' tailing them also adds humour because of Giroro's jealousy and the reaction that his hostile aura provokes from Koyuki (followed by Natsumi and the general public's reaction). Overall, a cute slice of life episode mixed in with ninja and alien wackiness.

Related posts:

1. Keroro Gunso 13
2. Keroro Gunso 18
3. Keroro Gunso 26