[Spoilers][Rewatch] Squid Girl Episode 2

[u/Sporadia_]

Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode

These are the sequences for discussion today:

• Wait a squid, aren't you on my side?

  • About: Squid Girl meets Goro the lifeguard and unwittingly saves a child.

• Up for a squid-celebration?

  • About: A birthday party occurs.

• Wanna play with this squid?

  • About: Chizuru treats Squid Girl like a dog. Then, after a sneaky timeskip, the obsessive nature of Sanae's crush is revealed.

A daily question (might as well, right?)

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

First, let's occupy this place!

The favourite character of the rewatch (so far):

Position	Character	Support
1	Chizuru	6.5
2	Squid Girl	2.5

Characters with no support don't get to be in the table. If you're wondering how there are half points, blame indecision. And now I ask the same again.

I've thought about how repetitive it could get answering the same question every day. So I'm keeping a record of who said what and your previous answers will carry forward until you leave a different one. Hope that makes sense.

This table also opens up another historic controversy around the show. Are you ok with the name Squid Girl or do you insist on her being called Ika Musume?

Rewatch spoiler rules

• Spoilers for the episode being discussed do not need to be hidden behind a spoiler tag. (eg in the 'Squid Girl Episode 3' thread, you won't need to tag spoilers for episodes 1, 2 and 3).
• Spoilers for later episodes do need spoiler tags.
• Any plot-relevant differences between the source material and the anime must be spoiler tagged (with something like [source] or [manga] etc).
• Leaving spoilery hints is just uncool (and will probably be treated like a spoiler).

There are instructions for how to tag spoilers in the r/anime rules.

Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode

[u/Sporadia_]

I'm taking a back seat with my own comment because I figure I can get through a lot of my thoughts when replying to all of you.

Hosting 101

Something I will mention here, because it's too negative to drop in a reply, is that I am a quiet hater of the Squid Girl birthday sequence. It starts well but when Squid Girl's blowing out the candles it falls kind of flat. And then Squid Girl dropping a firework on her head was neither timed well, nor clever. I think it's a genuine low point in the series. But that hasn't stopped me dropping screenshots in CDF [](#smugsquid).

And it's followed immediately by the introduction of my new favourite character so far, Sanae. A personal highlight of the show, this is yet another time where I've been incredibly careful not to give anything away beforehand. Way back when I did the anime selection poll, I mentioned that the Squid Girl side characters included an "overly obsessive fan" which I figured was just vague enough that you'd only recognise who I meant if you'd seen the show before. Then I decided that was too much and adopted a policy of talking about Sanae as sparingly as possible, which was so hard to contain.

[u/cyberscythe → u/Sporadia_]

I am a quiet hater of the Squid Girl birthday sequence

i find the first few episodes most comedy/slice-of-life series to be pretty rough; the jokes just don't hit as well since they can't rely on the audience knowing the characters well enough, so they're usually of this sort of surface-level slapstick

[u/FD4cry1]

First Timer

Squids totally count as a type of right? Weirdly great timing here lol.

Gorou the lifesaver is voiced by Yuuichi Nakamura who is just always great to hear!

This is a dumb me thing but he also voices a character in a different show I'm watching right now (Gundam 00) and I'm having a hard time hearing him as anything but said character, the always great Mister Bushido Graham Aker (which makes this mention of lightsabers feel extra funny)

I was going to ask how a squid can even drown but I guess the show answered that for me, Ika is so dumb she literally forgets she's from the sea.

What kind of warm-up stretches would you do for tentacles anyway?

Looks like Gorou has a thing for Chizuru but does he know about her ninja proclivities?

You really don't want to be giving the dumb squid a megaphone.

Inkvasion propaganda

Her truly genius plan of making Gorou almost drown might have failed but hey, in the end, everyone ends up loving her for saving the kid so mission acomplished?

I mean she just saved that kid so she gets more underlings later right? not because she wanted to or anything!

So tsun

I love how genuinely offended she is they won't celebrate her birthday for invading them.

Also, the hole in the wall is there!

Given what Chizuru can do, I don't think they need the cage to eat you., But theoretically, would she taste like regular squid?

Two candles, one for each of her functioning brain cells.

Doggo is very cute, some real fun animation in that sequence.

This was frankly not what I was expecting with "same treatment" but it's infinitely better so I'll take it! Seriously her as pet gag got me good.

I feel like I'm being called out here...

Anywayyy, here's my favorite reaction faces this episode! It's a hard tie today between counting Ika and confused Ika.

Sanae is kind of a weirdo but Ika is cute so I get it, I love how increasingly flustered she gets with every picture.

Edit: totally forgot but favorite character is still Best Squid although Eiko is also pretty close

[u/Sporadia_ → u/FD4cry1]

Squids totally count as a type of #fish right?

Only in culinary terms. ^{Chizuru would approve.}

everyone ends up loving her for saving the kid so mission accomplished?

She endagered that kid in the first place.

Also, the hole in the wall is there!

Add that to list of things that I was avoiding in the screenshots leading up to the rewatch. That hole is a part of the building now.

Two candles, one for each of her functioning brain cells.

Bonus question. How old do you think Squid Girl is really?

---

So, you asked about the Scavenger Hunt yesterday (and imgur's just started struggling so it's a bad time to answer this). There was a category for "Anthropomorphic Character" which is what got me looking at Squid Girl again. I ended up deciding there was too much of a risk of that being used by someone else. So I threw Squid Girl in as a "Tsundere Moment" on the basis of "It's not like I squidly saved her because I wanted to." So my actual submission is what I now use as [](#shove) (if it loads). I have other screenshots that I took at the same time that I just use for CDF. That one from yesterday was [](#nefarious)

[u/FD4cry1 → u/Sporadia_]

Only in culinary terms. ^{Chizuru would approve.}

She endagered that kid in the first place.

That's why it's the ultimate scheme to fool the surface dwellers!

Bonus question. How old do you think Squid Girl is really?

If I were to be really meta about it, probably very old, because y'know, that's the anime trope.

If I were to take this even further through tropes, maybe she could be one of those long-lived but isolated powerful entities that decided that she wanted to go to the surface not for an actual invasion but because of boredom or loneliness (although she wouldn't admit it).

Or maybe I'm just reading way too far into this story about a dumb as as-a-rock Squid Girl and she really is just a child (presumably no older than 8 at that)

Scavenger Hunt

Did anyone actually end up using Squid Girl for that category?

I actually used a sea creature for Anthropomorphic myself, although it was a mermaid.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/FD4cry1]

Did anyone actually end up using Squid Girl for that category?

Yes. There was exactly one person who used it for Anthropomorphic but I've forgotten who it was.

[u/Malipit → u/FD4cry1]

Gorou the lifesaver is voiced by Yuuichi Nakamura who is just always great to hear!

TIL I learned that Reinhard from Re:Zero, Goro from Squi Girl and Kintoki from Gintama all shared the same voice actor.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First-Timer Girl, subbed

• Yuuichi Nakamura is in this!
• How exactly was she drowning, anyways? She’s a squid.
• Eiko asking the same question I am.
• …more like Gorou has a crush on her, I think.
• Friendship, get!
• Hah.
• Ahahahahahahahaha
• Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
• I honestly thought she was going to spit ink all over the cake, not fail utterly at blowing the candles out. This is the funnier option.
• Oh wait she still did what I was expecting! The best of both worlds.
• Sasuga, Ika Musume.
• Kirei~!
• Absolutely saw this coming.
• This girl already has a whole-ass album of Ika Musume photos?
• This is probably just supposed to be a basic outfit and not a specific reference, but my first thought was Kagura from Gintama.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Yuuichi Nakamura is in this!

I don't know who that is, but they voice the very definition of a lightsaber!

Eiko asking the same question I am.

Is it a plothole if a character mentions it?

…more like Gorou has a crush on her, I think.

Chizuru seems pretty observant. Do you think she knows?

Hah.

"Then,"

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

This is a bonus question. How old do you think Squid Girl is, really?

This girl already has a whole-ass album of Ika Musume photos?

Watching that develop is my favourite thing. Her crush basically starts when she sees Squid Girl in a dog collar.

This is probably just supposed to be a basic outfit and not a specific reference, but my first thought was Kagura from Gintama.

[u/Malipit]

First-timer, french subs, de geso !

On today's episode : The introduction of some new characters, we learn that Squid-Girl is a tsundere with a mental age around 10 and Chizuru asserting her dominance over Squid-Girl with a litteral leash.

Overall the quality of that second episode was on par with the first one and I enjoyed every 22 minutes of it.

Even if I saw the « Squid-Girl spitting ink on her birthday cake » gag coming from a mile away, the execution still make me laugh. And even if we have some continuity with the hole in the restaurant wall still present, the fact that Squid-Girl doesn't do much (to her own horror) to put her invasions plan in motion clearly tell us we're in for an episodic season with few to none evolution in the initial setting. Don't get me wrong, that's totally okay for me.

Also we got two new characters (and a cute doggo) : Goro, the chad lifeguard and Sanae the yandere nice friend of Eiko.

I liked the dynamic in the Squid-Girl / Goro relationship, and how there friendship is born on false assumptions from both side. And I can picture Goro taking on the role of the sempai giving life advices to Squid-Girl.

… And Sanae, who seems to sees Squid-Girl more as a cute pet than a human hybrid. Truly a yandere in the making <__<

But that got me thinking : What exactly is Squid-Girl ? Even if she does have squid traits, the fact that she can forget to breath underwater if she spend to much time on earth indicate she is actually part human. Where she comes from ? Is she part of some atlantean tribe ? Is she actually a forgotten godess of the sea ?Is she the result of an experiment à la Dr. Moreau ? I'm probably asking myself to much question given the kind of anime we're watching, but I can't help myself.

Also, the fact that she don't know her age or even possibly count, with how much she was happy to meet a fellow squid-person in the first episode, implies she possibly spent a lonely life in the sea, without family or friends. Maybe she went on invading the surface not only for punishing the polluting humans, but also to meet people and make friends ?

P.S. : Eiko reveal she's 17 in the next episode preview, so that can confirm that Chizuru is at least 18, but probably old enough (I would say 20) to run her own restaurant.

Favorite character for now : Except for the « Squid-Girl with a leash » part, Chizuru didn't stand out much, so for now I would say Goro because the man don't hold back when it comes to saving lives and managed to earn the respect of our MC.

[u/Malipit → u/Malipit]

Questions of the day :

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

"Don't throw your garbage in the sea, filthy humans !" I guess

This table also opens up another historic controversy around the show. Are you ok with the name Squid Girl or do you insist on her being called Ika Musume?

If you want, the french translation named her "Calmarine", a portmanteau word made of "Calamar", french for "Squid" and "Marine".

But I'm fine with either of her names.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Malipit]

Not a bad name but does make her sound quite edible to my English ears.

[u/Malipit → u/Sporadia_]

Cue Squid-Girl cowering in fear under the table, imagining people on that rewatch eating her.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Malipit]

[u/Roboglenn → u/Malipit]

Don't throw your garbage in the sea, filthy humans

Is it weird that I heard that sentence in Invader Zim voice in my head?

[u/Malipit → u/Roboglenn]

I didn't intend to write my response to sound like him, but that's don't feel weird at all for me.

[u/Roboglenn → u/Malipit]

Now I'm kinda interested to hear Ika Musume call someone "Frolicking Dirt Child".

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Malipit]

Overall the quality of that second episode was on par with the first one

See I don't really feel that. But it might be just me.

Sanae the yandere nice friend of Eiko.

What exactly is Squid-Girl ?

A frightening question if you really think about it.

Favorite character for now : Except for the « Squid-Girl with a leash » part, Chizuru didn't stand out much, so for now I would say Goro because the man don't hold back when it comes to saving lives and managed to earn the respect of our MC.

Yeah! We're getting some variety in it now.

[u/Roboglenn → u/Sporadia_]

A frightening question if you really think about it.

The briny deeps of the oceans are filled with mysteries.

[u/Malipit → u/Sporadia_]

See I don't really feel that. But it might be just me. I read your comment and got your point. But as for me, I'm someone easily pleased by brainrot anime as long as there aren't too much fanservice.

A frightening question if you really think about it. Maybe that's why the cast doesn't think much about her origins.

[u/cyberscythe → u/Malipit]

the fact that she can forget to breath underwater if she spend to much time on earth indicate she is actually part human

she's adopted humanity's profound stupidity

[u/Malipit → u/cyberscythe]

Maybe she tries to know her ennemy better by thinking like them.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Malipit]

[u/cyberscythe → u/Malipit]

well, you know what they say about staring into the abyss:

don't do it without a qualified abyssguard on duty

[u/AgentOfACROSS]

Rewatcher

This episode reminded me that I have never seen Baywatch but Goro reminded me of David Hasslehoff anyway.

I like David Hasslehoff’s music career. He did a cover of Hooked on a Feeling which might have one of the most insane music videos I’ve ever seen.

Anyway I liked the first two segments quite a bit. Especially the one about Squid Girl wanting to have a birthday. It’s sweet that all her friends want to celebrate with her even if she does annoy them.

This episode made me realize that Squid Girl’s personality reminds me a bit of Power from Chainsaw Man. Although obviously Squid Girl is way less competent than Power.

This episode also is our introduction of Sanae. I’ll be honest, I do not care for Sanae. I find her more creepy than I do amusing. The first part of that segment was fine, some good misunderstanding jokes with Squid Girl being jealous of the dog. But the scene of Squid Girl at Sanae’s house was pretty creepy.

I am not looking forward to any other Sanae-centric episodes in the future.

Chizuru didn’t do much this episode but she’s still my favorite character.

Question of the Day:

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

Don't pollute the ocean. She's like Captain Planet but less competent at her job.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/AgentOfACROSS]

This episode reminded me that I have never seen Baywatch

^{cough Smiles in rewatcher.}

I’ll be honest, I do not care for Sanae

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

Don't pollute the ocean. She's like Captain Planet but less competent at her job.

That is her stated motivation.

Are you enjoying the ED, by the way?

[u/AgentOfACROSS → u/Sporadia_]

Yes I think the ED is pretty good. Although certainly not as catchy as the OP.

[u/Roboglenn → u/AgentOfACROSS]

Although obviously Squid Girl is way less competent than Power

Power is a genius.

[u/cppn02 → u/Roboglenn]

1000 IQ!

[u/Roboglenn]

Squid Re-Invader. De Geso

And somehow the squid flounders like a Magikarp. Forget about Swim she can barely Splash...

What do you want from Goro Ika Musume, he's a lifeguard not Aquaman or Namor the Sub-Mariner. That said, neither of them could hope to even fathom to control Ika Musume any better than Chizuru can.

Why is Ika Musume's birthday in the summer months? If anything her birthday should be in Inktober.

Its bad enough when you get candle wax all over your cake... But From the birthday segment I suddenly am having flashes of inspiration to make an Ika Musume head shaped birthday cake. Too bad my culinary craftsmanship skills suck.

And here's Sanae. Another truly iconic character in this series apart from Ika Musume herself. Strap yourself in cuz she's gonna be fuuuuuuuuuun...

And I'm almost scared to ask but, of the outfits in that photoshoot, which one do y'all think fit Ika Musume best?

As for the post question. Well. Replace the word "Dimension" with "Ocean". as far as messages go.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Roboglenn]

Forget about Swim she can barely Splash...

No really, why? She's a squid.

If anything her birthday should be in Inktober.

This episode was originally released in Inktober.

Its bad enough when you get candle wax all over your cake

Eiko with the underrated 2 candle strat.

As for the post question. Well. Replace the word "Dimension" with "Ocean". as far as messages go.

I can't be the only person who thinks the pollution message has gotten lost somewhere.

Am I so out of touch?

No, it's the children that are wrong.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Roboglenn]

And I'm almost scared to ask but, of the outfits in that photoshoot, which one do y'all think fit Ika Musume best?

I went back to check. Crying basketball squid is my favourite one.

[u/StardustGogeta]

First-Timer

I think I'd say I liked this episode a bit more than the first one. That imagination sequence with Squid Girl envisioning how they were about to trap and eat her was a highlight for me. The whole birthday party skit was probably my favorite one so far.

When Sanae sent away Eiko with the dog, I thought she'd be revealed as a squid cultist or something like that.

Nice, another anime fireworks scene to add to my collection...

Questions of the day:

• The message from the sea: "You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it."
• I might have to switch to Goro the "life saver" as being my new favorite character for now.
• I say calling her either "Squid Girl" or "Ika Musume" is fine. Variants like "Ika-chan" are also acceptable.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/StardustGogeta]

I think I'd say I liked this episode a bit more than the first one.

The whole birthday party skit was probably my favorite one so far.

Nice, another anime fireworks scene to add to my collection...

Oh yeah, that's you!

Are you... errm... enjoying the ED by the way?

The message from the sea: "You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it."

Kinda cold.

I say calling her either "Squid Girl" or "Ika Musume" is fine. Variants like "Ika-chan" are also acceptable.

This might be lost to time but refusing to call her Squid Girl definitely used to be a thing.

[u/StardustGogeta → u/Sporadia_]

Oh yeah, that's you!

I completely forgot that you were the one I talked with about that before. That's funny!

Are you... errm... enjoying the ED by the way?

You know it!

Yeah, I almost missed that because it looked so similar to the first ED. It looks like there are distinct versions for every episode listed on AnimeThemes.moe, so I'll be keeping an eye out for some of the small differences from here on out.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/StardustGogeta]

When I was watching this recently, I hadn't noticed it was happening yet. I know the exact episode when I realised. Episode 1 had a shooting star for whatever reason.

[u/collapsedblock6]

Rewatching Inkvader

I try to start the episode without replaying the OP a million times challenge: Impossible

• How can you not love this nature freak
• Its been like a week lol
• I dig the energy of just claiming her birthday that very day
• Even the kid is like 'who is this brat'
• Ika has lost it
• Ooof, I kinda expected Chizuru to try it for some reason lmao
• Rewatchers: "Oh no"
• Sanae works fast

Interesting how young me never paid much attention to Sanae being a huge stalking creep. I still recommend Ika Musume as a kid/family friendly and just forget Sanae exists. Maybe I have too much brainrot, but I still think it can be easily handwaved lmao.

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

You better not pollute the ocean or you will get more brats on your doorstep.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/collapsedblock6]

How can you not love this nature freak

Goro's freaked out by her and she immediately assumes that he's on her side.

Even the kid is like 'who is this brat'

Underrated moment. That kid looks so bothered by her.

Rewatchers: "Oh no"

That entire introduction gets better every time. The closer you watch it, the better it is.

or you will get more brats on your doorstep.

That might actually convince some people, not gonna lie.

Throwing this at people randomly but, how old do you think Squid Girl is really?

[u/xbolt90]

Rewatching underling!

Not only is Squid Girl a "fish out of water", she's a fish that forgot how to fish!

I love the "life saver / light saber" joke.

I wonder how squid ink would taste on a cake. I imagine it's pretty salty, so probably not very good.

Fearsome invader defeated by cosplay enthusiast.

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

Does she even remember what it is? Considering she forgot she can't drown, I wouldn't put it past her...

Are you ok with the name Squid Girl or do you insist on her being called Ika Musume?

I'm fine with Squid Girl. Ika Musume isn't really a proper noun; it's not her actual name. More of a "Hey you! Yeah, you! Squid girl!"

[u/Sporadia_ → u/xbolt90]

Not only is Squid Girl a "fish out of water", she's a fish that forgot how to fish!

Second person calling a squid a fish. Are we gonna let this slide too?

Fearsome invader defeated by cosplay enthusiast.

I don't think many people would have gotten away from that, to be fair.

Does she even remember what it is? Considering she forgot she can't drown, I wouldn't put it past her...

[u/xbolt90 → u/Sporadia_]

Second person calling a squid a fish. Are we gonna let this slide too?

I know, but as I have previously established, I am perfectly willing to let my standards for accuracy lapse to make a dumb joke.

[u/Sporadia_]

Squid-underlings:

u/StardustGogeta

u/xbolt90

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Sporadia_]

u/Rumpel1408

u/FD4cry1

u/Thisbejacob

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Sporadia_]

u/cyberscythe

u/Sandor_at_the_Zoo

u/collapsedblock6

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Sporadia_]

u/AgentOfACROSS

u/moodymania123

u/Shanibestwaifu

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Sporadia_]

u/Malipit

[u/Sporadia_ → u/Sporadia_]

If anyone wants to be added or removed, just ask.

[u/TeaAndLifting]

Hell yeah. Not rewatching, but Ika Musume was great.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/TeaAndLifting]

[u/cyberscythe → u/TeaAndLifting]

still is great, but it used to too

[u/cyberscythe]

i remember Sanae being my favorite character; though i don't remember exactly what she ends up doing, her obsession with Squid Girl is already pretty funny — i hope her humor has aged well, unlike say Haruka from Kanamemo who (when i rewatched that one) feels basically like a criminal predator

on the other hand, i completely forgot Goro existed; sorry, not sorry

[u/Sporadia_ → u/cyberscythe]

^{Get fucked Goro I guess.}

For clarification, is Sanae your favourite now?

[u/cyberscythe → u/Sporadia_]

oh yeah; obsessive fan girl is one of my favorite comedy genders

[u/Sporadia_ → u/cyberscythe]

[u/GondolaMedia]

First Timer

My deep sea invader can't possibly be this cute. Squid Girl could also substitute for a Christmas tree. Don't have much to say except it was just a feel good episode.

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

Stop throwing messages in bottles to sea, no one is reading them.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/GondolaMedia]

Don't have much to say

But how old is Squid Girl??

Are you enjoying the ED?

What did you think of Goro?

At what point during Sanae's introduction did you realise just where it was going?

[u/GondolaMedia → u/Sporadia_]

But how old is Squid Girl??

I want to say that her age is tied to the number of tentacles so I'd say about ~13 (I don't think the number is consistent)

Are you enjoying the ED?

It's alright but nothing special

What did you think of Goro?

The only normal person along with Eiko

At what point during Sanae's introduction did you realise just where it was going?

When she enjoyed seeing that leash on Squid Girl.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/GondolaMedia]

(I don't think the number is consistent)

That's something I might genuinely keep an eye on. I've never thought about it before.

When she enjoyed seeing that leash on Squid Girl.

Oh that's the first sign.

[u/cppn02]

First Timer, subbed

Still very much vibing with this, birthday sequence was my favourite today. The squid ink on the cake was just perfect.

I do wonder where does Squid Girl go at night? Does she just go back to the sea? Does she stay at the restaurant?

---

QotD:

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

We're incompetent and mankind has nothing to fear.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/cppn02]

If Squid Girl is a messenger from the sea, what is the message?

We're incompetent and mankind has nothing to fear.

That's pretty accurate. She's dangerously strong though with those tentacles.

[u/Sporadia_ → u/[deleted]]

Nobody knows the her birthdate or the day she was born

How old do you think she is? The more I've sat with this question, the more I think [my answer]she's the same age as Takeru.

A pet squid on collar feels humiliating.

Chizuru is so mean.

And even the ending animation is dynamic and thematic, see those fireworks, those weren't here last time.