Last week, Tomo-Chan Is a Girl ended in a cliffhanger when Jun let slip that he and Misuzu dated in middle school. This week picks up right after that moment when Tomo discovers that maybe her best friends aren't telling her everything. She'll spend this episode figuring that out and maybe try to go on a date of her own.
To recap: Tomo-chan is in love with her next door neighbor and best friend Jun. Despite or perhaps because they've been best friends since childhood, he refuses to treat her as anything more than a bro. Jun does know Tomo's a girl, he even saves her from a groper on the bus! He just doesn't want their friendship dynamic to change. Misuzu is Tomo's scheming gal pal, who recognizes the dynamic between Jun and Tomo (it's obvious to everyone but the people in question) and uses it for her own amusement. She even goes so far as to recommend Tomo do without her trademark shorts to see what kind of rise Tomo's too-short skirt gets out of Jun. Kosuke is the effeminate captain of the high school karate team and secret admirer of Tomo. However, he has his own admirer in the form of bubbly blonde Carol who briefly considers Tomo her enemy before realizing what's up and becoming friends with Tomo and Misuzu.
Best Bud's Secret
Tomo is completely shocked to learn that Jun and Misuzu used to date, and hurt that she never knew before this. Aren't they all best friends? She immediately corners Misuzu to demand and explanation only to discover that they'd only dated for a very brief amount of time. How brief? Three whole days, and Misuzu had second thoughts after the first day. Out of the blue, Jun asks Misuzu to date him, and because she wants to rub it in the face of her compatriots (Jun is popular) Misuzu agrees.
However, on their very first date, Jun takes her on a grueling two hour 40 km bike ride to see...a nice view? The second date is no better and equally athletic. By the third day, exhausted in mind and body, Misuzu is about to break up with Jun when Jun breaks up with her first! This "black mark" on her dating record earns Jun Misuzu's undying animosity. Frankly it explains a lot about their current dynamic, especially when Misuzu is quick to point out privately to Jun that he only started hanging out with Tomo again after his relationship with Misuzu ended. Tomo is just relieved to learn there was no kissing involved. She quizes Jun about his feelings and is quietly overjoyed to hear that there's no girl he likes.
The jealousy tables turn when Tomo introduces Jun to the leader of the karate club, Kosuke Misaki. Jun is surprised to find out Kosuke's a boy, and immediately hits him on the head, much to Tomo's horror. After 'correction' by Tomo, Jun is able to greet Kosuke...barely, threatening him and over-squeezing his hand. Jun realizes his error in promising Tomo's dad that he'll stick with the dojo and won't join the high school team. Now he can't spar with Tomo at school, and he's jealous.
Kosuke finds himself at the bus stop with the somewhat terrifying Jun, who's been pressured by Tomo to smooth things over. Jun reveals that despite what Tomo says about it, he couldn't take on Tomo in a fair fight with rules, like the karate club, and he doesn't want to lose to her. Kosuke briefly feels kinship in their mutual admiration of Tomo, but is horrified to discover that Jun and Tomo just hit each other when they fight. He reminds Jun that Tomo is a girl, but Jun defends his actions saying that Tomo goes all out with him, and he has to defend himself. Moreover, he intimidates and threatens Kosuke not to reveal what they talked about. Tomo is delighted that Jun and Kosuke seem to be friends since Jun has been weirdly intimidating to every guy she's introduced him to in the past. Hmmm...no reason of course other than a difficultly in making friends.
Let's Go On a Date!
While having tea, Misuzu teases the boyishly dressed (jeans, the horror!) Tomo about not hanging out with Jun, even though he invites her out. Does she want him to hang out with another girl? Nope. So it's decided then. Tomo is going to ask Jun out, and not to their regular batting cage/bowling hangout. Misuzu correctly predicts JUn's puppy-like joy at being asked to hang out by Tomo, leaving her imagining him wagging his tail and sorry she's put him off so much.
Misuzu and Carol bring the sisterhood on and rally around Tomo to get her some actual girl's clothes. Tomo is immediately overwhelmed by the choices in the women's clothing section, but Carol and Misuzu have it well in hand, chosing an outfit that's not so girly it will have Tomo uncomfortable and Jun running in the other direction. So gaucho pants and a nice sweater to take her from a "boy at first glance" to "a girl with boyish features" and give her the proper sporty girl look. They are indeed a "powerful new tag team" and make Tomo promise to tell them everything that happened on the date.
The odd silence at Tomo's very cute appearance is the best reaction Jun can give but he lightens up once they hit the batting cages. Tomo's worried that this will just be a hang-out, but is soon caught up in the nostalgia of the moment when Jun reveals he's hitting at 160 kilometers an hour. The last time they were here they both hit 120 kph! She's never going to hit that...until Jun encourages her to try. Tomo immediately hits a home run.
At the bowling ally, Tomo worries that again they're just following the same plan. What's different? Now Jun bowls with a 16 pound ball! Once again he's outpaced her, and she doubts she could even lift that ball...until Jun tells her to try it out and, of course, she hits a strike. Looks like they've both grown, but unless she changes something up this will just be like their usual hang out and not a real date. Tomo suggests karaoke and to her surprise Jun agrees. Tomo is desperately uncomfortable at the karaoke place, but rallies after Jun tells her how he always had fun doing reckless things with her when they were kids. Realizing that Jun just came there to have fun, Tomo forces herself to sing...a kid's song, painfully loudly and off-key. Jun even tapes it before dissolving in laughter.
As Tomo tells it to Carol and Misuzu, apparently she spent the next THREE hours singing kiddie songs because Jun refused to participate, and then they went home. Tomo, horribly embarrassed, chases Carol and Misuzu away from asking Jun to see the tape, while Jun muses as to what was "different" about Tomo that day. There's a coda to this episode of Tomo-Chan Is a Girl featuring all three of the girls singing karaoke. Misuzu sings a fairly traditional love song very well, Carol sings a bubbly bouncing English song, and then it's Tomo's turn...once again, the off-key kiddie song for the win! Don't miss out! Be sure to watch past the end song for this cute bonding moment and Tomo's emotional torture. Make a date for next Wednesday at 10 AM Pacific Time for the next episode and see what hijinks everyone gets into next.