You know, I’m growing to enjoy this show more and more as the emphasis towards alcohol continues. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but it’s certainly managed to increase my interest in this very unique series.

Episode 5’s Microbe Theatre was just exceptionally awesome, really. Deep down I’ve always been convinced that alcoholic beverages were produced by flurries of gleeful dancing bacteria that leapt about joyously as they guided the holy fermentation process. This was all the affirmation I needed, really.

And while the human characters are still great, the microbes always manage to steal the show without even trying.

Watching the show’s depiction of biodegradable plastics being devoured by tiny bacteria had me in such stitches that I kept rewinding to watch it again and again.

Kind of scary how casually Haruka can drop death threats, and with a completely straight face! Makes me wonder who’s more terrifying between the two Harukas of this season - Hasegawa Haruka of Moyashimon or Haruka-banchou of Minami-ke.

As they entered the store I couldn’t help but think, “Whoa, why is the sake outside?!” It was quite gratifying to see Kei have the same reaction.

Now, my knowledge of sake is pretty rudimentary, but my interest in it is rather is considerable. So even a baka gaijin like myself knows that you don’t leave good sake sitting out exposed to direct sunlight…this is madness!

Unquestionably, my favorite part of the episode was seeing the veritable swarm of microbes surrounding old man Kikuji. It reminded me somewhat of the boar-god from the opening scene of Mononoke Hime.

Often times meshing cel animation with CG can look sloppy (lol Dragonauts), but when it’s pulled off with this much panache it’s really a treat.

Kowai!

Interesting bit of a role reversal there between Sawaki and Haruka, as well. Funny, I never really noticed just how much taller she is until this scene.

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Man, if I knew where to find a bar like this I’d be down there every night partying like it’s 1999 Tokyo! Mmm…just looking at that sake makes me want to go have a drink or two.

Mi-Mi-Mikuru Beamu!!

Well now I’ve really seen everything. I mean, I’ve seen shiny teeth, shiny glasses, even shiny foreheads…but shiny eyeballs?? That’s gotta be a first.

Never thought I’d be jealous of a melon before. Yet another first.

Whenever I see those Japanese melons with the split stem like that, I have this sudden urge to go “BA-LUM!!” And then I do a flutter kick jump.

I find it kind of funny how Moyashimon makes a big show of not letting the underage characters drink. Even in real life its not like anyone would care. But of course they have to keep things politically correct for television broadcast.

MmmmMmm…

Man, after this sequence…as over the top as it was, I really wanted to purchase some good sake. Thankfully, because it is true that the foreign consumer market is becoming more lucrative, you can actually get some pretty decent sake even here in the States.

I don’t really understand how it’s become passé to drink sake in Japan. I imagine it’s the same sort of xenophilic thing that makes deplorable American pop music popular in other countries. The only problem is, good sake is exceptionally delicious, whereas American pop is almost unequivocally abysmal.

You can tell they are gaijin because they have the huge nose, ha ha!

What old man Kikuji said it absolutely true, sadly - sake consumption in Japan has been dropping steadily year after year, and many breweries have been forced to close their doors. The only thing keeping the sake industry from suffering a major downsize is exports.

Consumption of sake outside of Japan has been growing significantly in the last few years, and with good reason. The modern brewing technology this show features is helping brewers to make better, purer, and even more delicious sake than ever before. It’s damn good stuff, really.

Unfortunately, the Japanese are more enamored with imported foreign imported wines and beers. It’s just the perception of foreign stuff being more “hip” and “exotic”, really. The Japanese pay big bucks to import fine Napa Valley wines. Meanwhile, folks here in California who live within driving distance of those wineries would rather have a bottle of sake and a sushi roll.

Enter Mutou…and to think, I thought only otaku had the power to clear a room with odor alone.

Ugh…I once had a similar experience involving spilt milk that had been spoiled for quite some time. OTL

I must say, regardless of what you do, that smell NEVER leaves your carpet. Really, the best option at that point is just to burn down your residence and stage it as an act of random arson.

Oh well, at least the bacteria are happy.

The closing scene kind of reminded me of Potemayo and Moriyama, what with the Oryzae-tan chillin’ in the front of Sawaki’s jacket. Man, I really want a plushie of one of those!