Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-San – Episode 8 – [Review]

By: v.o.lynnIt’s just another day at the beach for Koizu- wait, no, that’s not her! Although we get a false open with a flashy swimsuit sequence from Misa, we don’t get a lot of Misa and Yuu this episode.  In a Jun, Koizumi, and Shuu-focused episode, and we get introduced to Shuu’s pals from college.[Spoilers below, as per usual]Part 1 – Local Instant NoodlesJun, STILL confused by the prospect of having to nail down a “what I want to be when I grow up” sort of essay topic, is spending her summer at the library instead of the beach. She’s promised herself to read a certain number of books by the end of the summer, but the motivation for it just isn’t there. When she runs into Koizumi, the two head to a bar that sells packs of instant noodles.I really love a couple things about this episode: Koizumi mentions that she has trouble making instant noodles at home. (If you’ve ever made ramen at home, you’ll recognize the annoyance of soggy noodles, or dry noodles, or even murky soup if that bothers you.) Koizumi also takes a minute to debunk the theory that she’s planning on working in the Ramen industry... apparently it wasn’t something that she was planning on, per se, but it sure does make sense.

Part 2 – Iekei

Shuu and his friends, Takagi, Kobayashi, and Nakatani, have differing opinions on ramen at the top of part 2. Two are in the mood for noodles, two are in the mood for rice. After a little convincing by Shuu and Nakatani, the four-man band heads out to a famous Iekei shop where they all settle in for a ramen-and-rice lunch.  Adding Rice to create a bit of a risotto isn’t new to the show either, it’s mentioned in an episode or two. But the debate around it is the fun part for the episode: it’s been a while since the writers converted a nonbeliever and Kobayashi is the victim for the trope this time.Without Koizumi present for the bulk of this part of the episode, you almost wonder what she could possibly add. True to form, she continues to surprise her observers by going just a little bit further, and eating it just a little bit differently than those around her.