10 Second Anime - Dagashi Kashi - Episode 2

Hotaru teaches Kokonotsu that selling candy is war. Saya discovers why Hotaru is living in town.

Episode 2 - "Kinako Sticks, Namaika Beer and..."

"Ramune Whistle, Menko and..."

Heh.

I learned some things in passing during all the hijinks with messy candy, Alka-Seltzer like punch and candy whistles. Hotaru is the same age as Kokonotsu and Saya. All the kids are on Summer break and avoiding homework. Kokonotsu is now in big trouble because Saya has signed on with Team You and Hotaru to make him stay in town running the candy store.

Hotaru revealed some things about herself too. She thinks selling candy is war, which it may well be and she might be in a rush to grow up. The little flashback with the fake beer showed her as the only child in a room full of adults which tells me she grew up lonely and without the benefit of friends her own age. No wonder she's slightly daft.

This show recycles a lot of the same scenes for the opening credits from the first episode and the end credits always have scenes from the current episode playing on the Shikada television.

Here's some unrecycled scenes from the opening.

Hotaru Sensei

Let Hotaru-sensei explain how selling candy is a war but a messy sweet thing on a stick relies only on its powerful flavor.

Hotaru appears to have already been bothering Kokonotsu daily and her antics appear to have no point. However, it looks like she's trying to show Kokonotsu that his candy merchant instincts are reliable and he has a talent for marketing too.

Here endeth the lesson of Kinako Sticks.

Adorable Hotaru the Happy Drunk

Here in America, they used to market candy cigarettes. That was a long time ago. However, kids have always wanted to imitate adults, so in one sense I'm not surprised the Japanese did something interesting with juice and seltzer tablets, but in another sense, damn! That fake beer is kind of cool!

Ramune Whistle Parable

Hotaru carries a lot of candy around with her, but her tight fitting dresses don't show where she keeps them.

Does she rehearse her little demonstrations for Kokonotsu? The Ramune whistle candy as the successor to the gum whistle was a little heavy handed. So much so that even Kokonotsu figured it out. Of course, the audience figured it out because the faces of the candies were the elder and younger Shikadas.

Kokonotsu may still be rebelling against running the candy store, but Hotaru secured another victory.

Saya doesn't want Kokonotsu to leave the village because she dai-dai-dai loves him, so helping Hotaru anchor him to the candy store makes perfect sense. Three against one now, Kokonotsu. Dai-pinchi!

Business Then Pleasure

The structure of the episode's four parts appeared to consist of Hotaru's hard sell on Kokonotsu followed by some fun stuff. But even the fun stuff is related to selling candy. The fake beer captures children's desire to grow up or imitate adults. The Menko card game and collectible stuff is another enticement to buy candy.

I'm really enjoying the previews with the chibi girls.

It's pretty interesting to see the actual candies that were featured in the episode. It feels like some huge candy commercial, but it's more like reaffirming cultural touchstones.

Hotaru appears to have quite a selection of frilly white shirts. And that necktie... niiice.

Next time, more crazy Hotaru eating candy while explaining stuff. Can't wait!