As we can expect from Science Saru, they delivered again on amazing action set pieces, and we got more advancement on the Momo/Okarun/Aira love triangle. Without further ado, let’s recap this action packed episode. As usual, there is some sexual humor in this episode, but this episode also contains a significant amount of fanservice too. Viewer and reader discretion are advised.
As we left off last episode, we learn that Aira got a new form, and it turns out that it is indeed powers from Acrobatic Silky, the ghost that saved her life back in episode seven. We are treated to an awesome action scene of Aira delivering lots of parkour and acrobatics to provide a beatdown on the aliens. The aliens have the ability to shapeshift into “shrimp looking things” with super punching powers. We flashback to what seemed like a throwaway scene from last episode, when the class was learning about a mantis shrimp’s punching power. Meanwhile, Okarun is looking for spare articles of clothing as the aliens telepathic powers stripped him bare. To make matters worse, Aira, who has a huge crush on him, caught a peek, much to his embarrassment. Although Aira is clearly the better physical fighter than the aliens, the aliens use psychokinesis to immobilize both Aira and Okarun. Things seem hopeless, but Momo arrives just in time to come to their rescue.
The aliens then break out into a very strange musical number
about a Japanese business man. Yes, I’m not making that up and things seem to be going off the rails even by anime standards. The school floods even more, putting our heroes, who can’t transform into giant shrimp, at a disadvantage. Aira sinks into the water and ends up in great peril. Trying their best to swim away, Okarun and Momo still have time to argue about what happened last episode, but fortunately, in a heartwarming scene, Okarun is finally able to get a heartfelt apology in that gets accepted.
Momo gets an idea of how to quickly escape the alien, and decides to use her psychic power to turn Okarun into a vehicle to ride across the water and save Aira. Momo and Aira end up stripping down to their skivvies in order to swim faster, a scene for blatant fanservice, but one that ends up being the setup for a future plot point. It turns out that a giant Loch Ness monster alien is also swimming after them and it fused with a mantis shrimp alien, thus explaining the title of the episode. The alien fires a beam and they all dodge it and formulate the plan to defeat it.
Cut to another flashback to the classroom lesson on mantis shrimp, reminding viewers that mantis shrimp are not good at punching on land. They lure it to the surface and Momo is able to literally disarm it with her psychic powers. Our heroes are able to defeat it and turn the school back to normal and allow all the non superpowered teens to un-disappear.
For the second time, they were in a life or death situation, they cling to each other in an embrace. This time, however, one of them is naked and the other is in her underwear. Also, this time, the entire school sees them hugging naked in the hallway inexplicably soaking wet. Aira is also in her underwear in front of the entire school. It appears that earlier scene was setting up the classic public underwear exposure humiliation gag. Our heroes run away in humiliation before any teachers can see what just happened.
This episode probably excited fans of the Momo/Okarun pairing more than Aira/Okarun, but action and comedy fans were satisfied full stop. Next episode tackles the age old aliens abducting cattle cliche, and it is sure to pack some laughs.
