Kujima: Why Sing, When You Can Warble? Episode 2: Episode 2

The episode opens with the gentle ripples of a sunlit river, hinting at an unusual presence before settling into the domestic calm of the family breakfast. Here, Kujima expertly uses chopsticks, a creature of alien origin at ease in a human home. His enthusiastic praise for the food and casual mention of shouting at the sunrise establish his peculiar, yet endearing, routine. As the family members depart for their day, Arata is left contemplating Kujima's solitary hours, a concern that shadows his thoughts on the way to school.

Back at the house, Kujima attempts to fill his time with green tea, television, and a book of Japanese proverbs, his attention easily swayed by a shopping channel's energetic sales pitch. Suguru, arriving for his own studies, finds Kujima hiding a snack, leading to a brief, strained exchange about simple pleasures and the complexities of human life. Kujima's earnest efforts to learn Japanese, even from television, underscore his commitment to understanding his new world. This culminates in a disastrous attempt to recreate yakisoba, a comedic failure that leaves him dejected but strangely resolute.

Dejected by his culinary misadventure, Kujima seeks solace by the river, sprawling comfortably on a grassy island. An elderly woman spots him from the bridge, mistaking his prone form for a discarded toy, an early whisper of the rumors to come. His quiet reflection takes him back to a warm log cabin in Russia and the kind old Maxim, a poignant memory of his origins and a life he left behind. The setting sun finds Arata at the riverbank, calling Kujima back to the present with talk of winter holidays and shared future fun.

The serene moment is shattered by Kujima's sudden realization about the yakisoba mess, sending him sprinting home to frantically devour the evidence before Arata's mother can discover it. His attempt at stealth is thwarted by Suguru, who scolds him for being too loud. Suguru then uses a proverb, calling Kujima a 'crow mimicking a cormorant,' an insult that Kujima, ever the earnest student, eagerly adopts as a new lesson. Their dynamic is one of constant friction, born of misunderstanding and differing priorities.

From his window, Arata watches Kujima standing in the river, surrounded by ducks. Kujima mimics their movements, his long neck bending, his arms flapping, a whimsical imitation of their natural grace. The ducks, unperturbed by his presence, accept him into their circle, a testament to his innate connection with nature. This quiet scene offers a brief, pure moment of Kujima's true self, unburdened by human expectations or linguistic barriers.

A spooky narrative introduces whispers of a 'ghost' near the river, a tall figure in white haunting the morning mist. The family quickly realizes the truth: the ghostly apparitions are merely Kujima on his early morning territorial shouts. Arata's parents are surprised, while Kujima is embarrassed to be seen as a supernatural being. Neighbor testimonies are recounted, each one a comedic exaggeration of Kujima's striking appearance, illustrating how easily rumor distorts reality.

Suguru introduces a serious note, warning that widespread rumors could lead to Kujima's discovery and expose his true nature. Kujima, with quiet sincerity, shares Maxim's warning: if he is found by too many humans, his simple life will become impossible, turning him into a spectacle. To protect him, Arata proposes a cover story: Kujima is merely a person in a high-quality mascot costume. The idea brings a hopeful, if slightly absurd, solution to their predicament.

Under the quiet glow of a starlit night, Kujima prepares for his morning ritual, roused and ready before dawn. He diligently follows 'Rule Number One,' moving stealthily through the dark streets to avoid detection. At the river, he performs his loud, high-pitched squawks, the source of the 'ghostly' screams. He then practices 'Rule Number Two' — a polite greeting — and 'Rule Number Three' — casually stating he's in a costume. His earnest preparation for an encounter contrasts sharply with the growing morning light, and he spots the gate of Mr. Mitsuki, setting the stage for disaster.

As Kujima walks back from the river, he is suddenly paralyzed by terror, seeing a long, dark, hair-like object floating in the water. He believes it is the very ghost from the rumors, his own fear overriding all his learned rules. At that precise moment, Mr. Mitsuki steps out of his house. In his panic, Kujima blurts out a garbled mix of Russian and Japanese, apologizing for stolen bamboo, and, instead of 'mascot,' declares, 'It's a mermaid!' Mr. Mitsuki, utterly terrified, collapses in shock, convinced he faces a true monster.

In a frantic rush, Kujima returns home, waking a groggy Arata to confess his complete failure. He cries, distraught, over his broken rules and his declaration of being a mermaid. The morning sun illuminates the gravity of the situation. Arata's parents take Kujima to Mr. Mitsuki's house for a formal apology, presenting a gift as a gesture of goodwill. Kujima, sheepish and still trying to look 'mascot-like,' stands awkwardly as the family attempts to soothe the shaken neighbor.

Later, the family discusses the incident, and Arata's mother makes a startling realization: the ghost rumors predated Kujima's arrival. This means a genuine, unexplained entity might inhabit the river. Kujima remains terrified of the 'ghost' he saw, insistent on the reality of the hair in the water. The episode concludes with a chilling stinger: the actual ghost, a figure with long, dark hair, stands in the river, beckoning. A new mystery unfolds as one is put to rest.