Hey, are you all right?
This is my third report!
Do we really have to do these write-ups?
It'd be quicker just to explain orally.
I see where you're coming from.
But having a written record is important.
Hang in there, Kukuru-san.
The assistant director's giving you so much work only because he has high hopes for you.
Akari-chan, do you really believe that?
You're so soft.
Plankton.
Yes, sir!
Come up with some ideas for the project presentation ASAP.
Project presentation?
We're using the first floor west wing.
Think of a buzzworthy event that'll attract a lot of guests.
Do it by tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Don't you think that's a bit—
That's all from me.
Fine, sir!
I see. You need ideas by tomorrow, huh?
Yeah!
Can you believe it?
He just keeps pushing more work on me.
He's such a slave driver.
Sounds rough.
But it also sounds good.
It's an opportunity to get people to learn about sea life, right?
It'll be really rewarding, getting to choose what we're exhibiting.
Yeah.
We didn't have enough people or funding to do much at Gama Gama.
But you might be able to do something new at Tingaara.
You're right.
Thanks, Fuuka.
All right!
I thought there were some preparations underway for a big exhibit in the summer.
That got postponed.
But we can't just sit on our hands till then,
so now we're scrambling to come up with a new plan.
So that's why Kukuru-san's been tapped.
Welcome to the fish area.
The spines on the porcupinefish are normally facing flat,
but they point up when its body inflates.
Now, what do you think these spines are for?
Yeah, sounds good.
Thank you.
Kai-kun, you're up.
Uh, all right.
This is the porcupinefish.
It's a kind of pufferfish.
Do you have any questions or anything?
Sorry.
We'll have you do the next tour, Eiji-kun.
Okay.
Kai-kun, have something ready to talk about.
It can be something you're more familiar with.
Okay.
Hello.
Do you know where Chief Garandou is?
Dunno.
I'm sure he's somewhere.
The assistant director asked me to deliver some mail.
No clue where the chief might be?
Nope.
He wasn't in the attendant room, either.
I seriously can't find him.
I saw the chief in the break room.
Really?
Yeah.
Thank you.
Thanks, you saved me.
You can deal with her from now on.
Kuuya-kun, could you help Umi-yan-san when you're done here?
A'ight.
Don't "a'ight" me.
We're at work.
A'ight.
I said...
Explain.
Right!
The first one is an exhibit of dangerous sea animals.
I thought it'd be fun to show off some animals that you don't get to see often.
Diadema setosum
Red piranha
Like piranhas, or other things that are particularly vicious.
The next one is a killifish exhibit.
Killifish are easy to keep, and they're popular right now.
That one's a salamander.
The one below that is deep sea fish.
There's all sorts of unique critters. They're great!
I want to talk about the plastic waste problem and the endangerment of coral.
Which of these can we do in two weeks?
Eh?
I think we can do sea slugs.
We won't have to borrow any from other aquariums,
since we can find them in nearby waters.
Sea slugs, huh?
They aren't called jewels of the sea for nothing.
Ardaedoris cruenta
Tambja sagamiana
Goniobranchus coi
Phyllidia coelestis
Colorful Sea Slugs
Dermatobranchus ornatus
They're really colorful, and you never get bored of them.
But you don't really get a chance to get a good look at them at the shore.
I'm absolutely certain it'll generate buzz if we show off lots of different kinds!
We'll do sea slugs, if you're that confident in them.
Thank you!
But we'll need to make some adjustments.
Yes, sir!
We need more than five.
We need at least eight.
Sea slugs are hard to keep, though.
It might put a lot of strain on the attendant team.
Which team are you on?
The marketing team.
That's right.
You need to put the guests' feelings ahead of the attendant team's problems.
That's how you gain customers and make profit.
It's how we create a future for Tingaara.
We don't have time.
Hurry up and get it started.
Yes, sir!
Wow.
Her proposal got accepted.
Sea slugs sound fun.
Are sea slugs slugs in the sea?
Haven't you seen them?
They're in the shallows.
They're like slugs.
Are you sure they're cute?
This space is pretty big.
He's right. Five species might not be enough.
Umi-yan.
Kukuru-chan.
Can I ask you about sea slugs?
Hi, long time.
It's Misakino. Thank you for your help at Gama Gama.
There's something I'd like to ask you.
There, done!
Now...
Kai!
Kai, do you have a minute?
Hurry!
Morning?
Yeah.
You have some time, since you're on the late shift, right?
Could you come to the shore with me?
Please?
Sure, I guess.
Yay!
See you tomorrow!
Based on my observations, your courtship behavior is shy,
modest, and difficult to read.
Courtship?
Did you know? The male prickleback fish builds a nest and dances in front of it.
The male seahorse shows off its brood pouch to the female to request egg deposits.
I think you'd be better off being just as obvious.
What?
So she was the motivation behind you becoming an aquarium attendant,
despite your parents being fishermen.
I'll be rooting for your successful courtship, in secret.
Hey, I never...
It feels great, Kai!
Yeah.
It feels great, Fuuka!
Miyazawa-san's here, too.
Heave ho.
There's some. Look.
Wow!
Umi-yan told me there are a lot of sea slugs here.
I found some here, too.
There are so many!
Verconia simplex and Hypselodoris purpureomaculosa.
I know which sea sponges these kids eat, so we'll take them home.
We don't know what Tambja sagamiana eats, so it might not work.
Huh?
What do you mean?
Sea slugs are super picky eaters. They eat only certain things.
So it's really important what we feed them.
Some kinds of sea slugs eat sea sponges. Others eat sea moss or sea squirts.
And they eat only fresh natural stuff, so it's a pain.
Seriously?
That's a pain.
So I called an aquarium I'm acquainted with
and gathered information on what they eat.
In other words, there's a lot that we don't know yet?
Yup!
This is going to be tough.
There's so much to know about sea slugs!
Let's check out the rocks over there.
They'll die out easily if we gather too many from one spot.
Okay.
R-Right.
Eat up lots.
Chief Garandou.
Yeah? What's up?
We're doing a sea-slug exhibit soon.
May we have your cooperation?
This is the project proposal.
You sure do come up with challenging events.
I guess I can't say "no" to the assistant director.
When are we starting?
The end of next week.
That's too soon.
We had this problem with the behind-the-scenes tour.
Couldn't you tell us earlier?
We need to prepare, too.
Sorry.
So what's the exhibit?
Eight kinds?
That's a lot.
Can we cut it down by half?
That'll be difficult.
You were an attendant before, weren't you?
Don't you know how hard it is to keep sea slugs?
I understand.
I do, but...
But I think the guests come first.
Are you saying the attendants don't matter?
There, there.
What do you plan to do for food?
We know the species and where they feed.
We just need to gather some.
Sea sponges and moss are delicate.
We'll have to harvest them frequently.
And telling them apart is difficult.
If we spend time on food, we won't be able to finish our other work.
How about giving up on food?
Keep them unfed, huh?
We can't do that!
It'd be cruel not to feed them!
It's a short exhibit, though.
I think we should consider it.
Absolutely not!
I'll make a list of what each one eats, so that all the attendants will know!
I'll be back.
Huh?
The sea sponge hasn't shrunk.
What's wrong?
These ones aren't eating.
Don't they eat what we found these sea slugs on?
They're supposed to.
All right.
Let's try some other sea sponges.
The Great Sea Slug Debate
The sea slugs aren't feeding?
Seven species are, but the Tambja sagamiana aren't.
It's just one species. Figure it out.
Give me a little more time.
I want to gather some moss at a different shore.
The exhibit starts at the end of the week.
We aren't postponing it.
But the food...
Let the attendant team figure it out.
Get back to marketing work!
They aren't eating.
This one's a no-go, too.
Two more left...
What if they don't eat it, either?
There you are!
Kukuru!
The behind-the-scenes tour!
Penguins have a way of shooting their poop outside of their own nests.
They can come at you really fast out of nowhere,
so we attendants get hit all the time.
They shoot their poop?
Awesome!
Sorry I'm late!
I'm Misakino, the guide.
I'm really sorry!
I've introduced the tour already.
Not to worry.
Sorry.
Would you move out of the way?
We're about to start feeding.
Hi!
We've all been waiting for feeding time, haven't we?
They start pecking at you if you don't go fast.
So the trick is to be quick.
Seriously.
How could you forget the tour that you're in charge of?
This is why I can't stand Gama Gama.
Is the other Gama Gama like that, too?
That one's a little more useful.
How about yours?
Ours are...
They're a mixed bag.
What's up?
Sorry, this is urgent.
Okay, later.
Bye.
Are you having lunch, Kaoru-chan?
Handmade bento, huh?
Looks delicious.
Wow, what are you, a food guy?
Huh?
What?
She's not a guy.
Wait a second. Did you think Kaoru-chan's...
A woman?
Our Kuuya here's delicate.
I need air!
Kukuru-san, we got an inquiry about the pamphlets.
Did we order the right number?
Huh?
Wait...
Shit!
Kukuru, sorry, could you confirm the merch once you're done there?
Okay, got it.
What do I do about the sea slug exhibit?
I have to do something.
Oh, Kai, it's you.
For you.
Thanks.
Are you on late shift?
Yeah.
I'm taking a short break.
Hey...
Yeah?
Is there anything I can do?
You have too much to do by yourself.
If there's anything I can help with, let me know.
Let me think...
There is!
Sorry.
No, I feel better.
I'll go check on the sea slugs.
Thanks, Kai!
I guess I should get to work, too.
It's no good.
It isn't shrinking.
If they don't eat this one, I'll have to try sea moss.
And if that doesn't work...
Are they not eating?
We'll have to do the exhibit without feeding them.
I won't do it without feeding!
They aren't eating right now as it is.
But we might stress them out even more if we present them like this.
It'll be cruel to the sea slugs!
Cruel?
What do you think aquariums exist for?
We capture animals, trap them in tanks,
and have people look at them.
That's what an aquarium is.
If you care about the animals' happiness, aquariums shouldn't exist.
Am I wrong?
That might be true,
but I want a lot of people to see them and learn about them.
That's contradictory.
Then why do you think they exist, Shimabukuro-san?
To protect the planet.
We study aquatic animals and present and exhibit the results of our research.
The main objective is to have people understand the wonders of life.
I believe aquariums are the gateway to that.
How do we coexist with the natural world and all the creatures in it?
Isn't that what's most important?
What do you intend to do if we don't find food for this guy?
I'll take it back to the water.
That's irresponsible.
You brought it here, so it's your responsibility to take care of it until the end.
But I can't watch it grow weaker!
You were the one who brought it here in the first place.
That's why I'll take responsibility and take it back.
This isn't just about the sea slug.
I want to save it first!
You're being narrow-minded.
You're too broad-minded!
What is that supposed to mean?
Why sea slugs?
What's the reason?
I like them.
And?
That's all.
Sea slugs are full of mysteries.
You wouldn't believe it, but they're a kind of water snail.
There's a ton of species, and they're all different.
Some of them camouflage. Some of them have toxins.
And they're just so colorful and pretty.
I want more people to know how interesting sea slugs are.
I get it.
That's why you want to do the—
But I can't accept it!
I won't accept not feeding them!
All right. I get what you're saying.
But it isn't necessarily correct.
There is no right or wrong answer to this problem.
The most we can do is to think about what the best thing to do for the animals is,
and to be responsible for the answers we come up with.
I'll help you out, if you're okay with it.
I like thinking about animals.
I do, too.
We finally agree on something.
Yeah.
Sea Slug Salad Bowl Exhibit
They're so cute!
They're gross.
Let's buy some merch on our way out.
Totally!
I hope they have hats!
What do you think, seeing them up close?
I thought it'd be worse.
Actually, they're cuter than I imagined.
You should let Kukuru know.
Thank goodness. There are a lot of people.
Mom, there aren't any sea slugs.
You're right.
Maybe they're playing hide-and-seek.
What is going on?!
We'll put the Tambja sagamiana in the exhibit, once we determine what they eat.
Until then, we'll keep them in the back area.
Their condition will be the same either way. So present them!
We can't.
Move them immediately!
I said we can't!
Plankton!
Looks like he wrung you dry.
Well, not everything went as we wanted, but I think we can call it a success.
Right!
By the way, do you have plans after?
No, I don't.
I know of a good shore.
I'll go!
Sea slugs are very picky eaters.
They're difficult to raise, so they're not well-suited for exhibits.
And the reason we decided to show them off is
because one of the staff is passionate about them.
This is courtship behavior.
Huh?
Hey, get back to work.
Are you listening, Kuuya-kun?
A'ight.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
What's his deal?
Dunno.