Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! – 10

「鳥取で遊びたい!」 (Tottori de Asobitai!)
“I Want to Hang Out in Tottori!”

As you might’ve guessed, this week’s Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! reveals that the shadowy Danganronpa murder suspects turned out to be Ami and Itsuhito tailing Uzaki and Sakurai on their trip to Tottori. But as you might’ve also guessed, the tickets that the pair received for their trip were also given with subterfuge in mind as they discover that Tottori is a hot-spot for couples.

Although it wasn’t as sentimental as some of the other romance-centric episodes, it makes up for this absence by adding in some very hilarious moments. It was a funny twist-of-fate to have Sakurai win in a footrace down the Tottori dunes after Uzaki tried to cheat by surfing down the hill on a board. I also got a huge laugh out of Uzaki doing a voiceover for the Usagi dumpling that Sakurai is trying to eat so that she can distract him long enough to get a bite in. There was plenty of misunderstanding-based humor such as the times when Sakurai and Itsuhito get mistaken for a couple twice or when an attendant thinks that Uzaki and Sakurai are trying to get frisky in the sauna when they’re both getting on each other’s nerves.

But it was amusing how the trip ended up devolving into Uzaki and Sakurai attempting to annoy one another during their night on the town. I was expecting it to backfire much more rashly for Ami and Itsuhito given how they were openly gloating about tricking Uzaki and Sakurai into going on a romantic trip. But for the most part, they get off scot-free by tagging along with the pair as they mull around Tottori. It would’ve been nice to see if Ami and Itsuhito had to reflect on their behavior if Uzaki and Sakurai caused a scene or dug into them, but I can accept it being a low-stakes vacation too.

Speaking of vacation, much of the episode’s purpose was definitely to advertise Tottori as a tourist attraction. Whenever the show wasn’t trying to make you laugh, it was giving you a glimpse at all of the cool locations and foods that you can try while you’re in the city. If you like Detective Conan or Kitaro, Tottori has a ton of must-see attractions for you. And with Ami and Itsuhito’s interference in our main duo’s vacation together, they sell Tottori as a romantic getaway that is perfect for any couple wanting to celebrate their love for each other. Still enjoyed the episode for its laughs, but it is one of those anime episodes where they take a specific city, do their research on all the fun things you could do for a weekend excursion, and condense them all into a 24-minute advert for a cool new place to consider taking a trip down to for your next pilgrimage.