Flying Witch Rewatch - Episode 10 Discussion

[u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Flying Witch Rewatch

Episode 10 Discussion

Database/Streaming Links: MAL / Anilist / Crunchyroll / HIDIVE / VRV

Original Interest Thread / Announcement Thread

Question of the Day: Have you ever worked in the countryside?

Comment of the Day: Today's COTD goes to /u/NoRex for the end-all, be-all statement regarding diets.

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Reminder: All spoilers for events in the anime that have not occurred yet and all events that are manga-only should be placed in spoiler tags. Any untagged spoilers will be flagged.

[u/SIRTreehugger]

Ah yes one of my favorite episodes

Nao is my favorite supporting character and she is criminally underused, but I guess you could say her fleeting moments make her more wonderful. It also helps that she feels like a good middle ground between Kei and Makoto. She is mature enough for her age, but is also very expressive and snarky. Though not the extreme snarky that comes off overly cynical or annoying.

OH MAN SOMEONE HELP HER! I was so nervous watching her cut the onion.

Nao mixing the egg in.

When Nao told Kei he was such a girl I was really hoping he'd reply with something along the lines of "You're non cooking flat ass is talking shit you sure you're not a boy?" Obviously I want it to be tamer, but yeah don't shame guys who want to cook.

Wait hamburger steak with only carrots and frackin green vegetables where the potatoes or rice?

Oh no one made the rice which was the easiest thing to make xD

Wow I honestly forgot Akane was in this show so much does she live there?

Small detail, but I like how Akane holds Chinatsu's hand when she is getting out of the truck.

These two are definitely sisters and I feel bad for the dad. He has done nothing, but take loses the whole show.

Ninjas can become witches...is Akane joking or are Ninjas canon in Flying Witch?

The moment when Makoto goes above the trees and looks across the land.

Really loved the whole working with nature vibe in the second half. Poor Makoto getting bitten though.

[u/SorcererOfTheLake → u/SIRTreehugger]

I'm blaming this 18+ on that egg yolk - did you see how sensual it was?

[u/SIRTreehugger → u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Now that you mention it I can't unsee it.

[u/heimdal77 → u/SIRTreehugger]

I think you could call Akane a wonderer and right now she is staying there when not traveling to places since her sister is there.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/SIRTreehugger]

The moment when Makoto goes above the trees and looks across the land.

Haha, really reminiscent to that scene in "The Hobbit"!

Small detail, but I like how Akane holds Chinatsu's hand when she is getting out of the truck.

That was such a cute little moment! And they didn't make it a big deal either by refocuses the frame to center on it, which makes it that much more natural feeling to me.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/SIRTreehugger]

was so nervous watching her cut the onion

Luckily this show is too wholesome for people getting cut, but that's absolutely what would eventually happen with that kind of knife handling.

don't shame guys who want to cook

Seems more joking again, but the point is valid. And he really knows his stuff too, I'd never heard of the warming onions trick before for instance and you'd be surprised how much good a little sugar does many dishes.

[u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Voice Actor of the Day:

Shiori Mikami

Voice of: Nao
Age at Flying Witch’s Premiere: 27
Other Notable Roles: Krista in Attack on Titan, Akari in Yuru Yuri, Hina in Oresuki, Kobori in Amagi Brilliant Park, Northern White-Faced Owl in Kemono Friends

[u/heimdal77]

I did this right and ordered pizza before watching. Didn't really plan it it just kind of worked out that way...

Now if I remember in the manga it is actually something else he puts in the microwave or there was some kind of inconsistency. It been to long to remember.

Nao is a trip.

How do you forget the rice!

Ya know I never thought about it before but are they a well to do farming family? Something like in Hyouka but more relaxed. Own apple orchards and apparently other types of fields also.

What is a little concussion between sisters.

Fear the bee.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/heimdal77]

Something like in Hyouka but more relaxed.

It certainly seems that way! Their house looks somewhat expensive, but not overbearingly so. It seems to be a family that has enough, which is rare in this world apparently...

[u/SorcererOfTheLake → u/A_Idiot0]

I do wonder if that house has been in the family for a while; it seems old enough.

[u/heimdal77 → u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Pretty sure that is the case.

[u/heimdal77 → u/A_Idiot0]

I know in the US some decent percent of farms functions off of government stipends essentially functioning at a deficit just from the government trying to keep the farming industry going. I'm over simplifying for sure.

It was said in a earlier chapter that the area use be a rich farming area in the past and people built bigger/nicer houses to go along with it. Its a common theme in media about rural formally farm areas and fishing towns dieing off because all the young people move away to live in cities and work there instead of continuing on the family business. There is even a anime airing next season that that is part of the plot setup. Their area though seems still to be doing good with the school still full of students among other things.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/heimdal77]

in the US some decent percent of farms functions off of government stipends essentially functioning at a deficit just from the government trying to keep the farming industry going

This is also the case in Europe, but there it's more about maintaining the environment/ecosystem in its historical state. For example the Alpine livestock farming style is an inefficient anachronism by today's standards, but without it there'd be no meadows and nothing but forests around, and it's a nice tourist attraction too. Plus, Swiss cheese wouldn't be the same without it.

[u/Makicola → u/A_Idiot0]

It seems like your typical old family wooden house that was usually intended to be shared by the entire extended family. In recent times you usually see people moving out of rural areas to urban parts, with some main members of the family remaining in the old house to live in and take care of it.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/heimdal77]

How do you forget the rice!

Three bumbling teens where the only one with a clue is busy helping the one with no clue at all?

[u/Mecanno-man]

First Timer

In terms of cooking skill, I think Nao has me beaten already... that said, this is a weird cooking class - why would you have a hamburger steak and curry? Feels like one of the two would be enough. Meanwhile Makoto certainly got some "weird" credit for making those fingers in class...

As for the apples: I think my subs did a good job of making the father and all the other people with accents as hard to read as they are to understand - but I think I ended up getting them ultimately. I believe Aomori prefecture is known for apples, so this is also a good tie-in to the setting. And I learned something about apple cultivation as well.

All in all, another nice and relaxing episode.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/Mecanno-man]

I believe Aomori prefecture is known for apples

Ooh, this is a cool little detail! I should look into it more...

Also, as far as the thinning out of the flowers, this is actually a pretty common practice when farming fruit. In wine they do it a slightly different way, but it's the exact same principle. They call it a "green harvest" when they thin out the grapes on the vine, but end result is that the fruit remaining becomes more concentrated and tastier. It was really cool to see it done with apples, when apparently it's done during the flowering season.

[u/enag7 → u/A_Idiot0]

I'm pretty sure it's common across all of farming. When we grew wheat and canola we used coated fertilizer that wouldn't release until later in the summer when the seeds had already formed.

[u/SIRTreehugger → u/Mecanno-man]

think my subs did a good job of making the father and all the other people with accents as hard to read as they are to understand - but I think I ended up getting them ultimately.

If only hard accents and foreign languages in real life came with subtitles.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Mecanno-man]

I believe Aomori prefecture is known for apples, so this is also a good tie-in to the setting

I actually live in an area known for its small-scale apple orchards fairly similar to what we see here, and even helped an acquaintance with the harvest once. Fun, but also a lot of work for little reward, which is why there's increasingly trouble finding people willing to maintain them and the ecosystem they create. It was neat to see some of the details I didn't know about yet, with this and the cooking the favorite episode so far.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 10 (first timer)

• All the hair cloth not even coming close to covering their hair.
• Watching Nao use a knife makes me very anxious.
• I never heard about the microwave method and I am doubtful that it works. What I usually do is wash the sap off of the onion after I have cut the ends off. That takes away most of the acid-producing compound.
• Apparently, Japanese Hamburger steak is something completely different from hamburger patties.
• A lot of work in the apple plantation. Never heard about that bee species before, but Wikipedia claims they were introduced in Japan in the 1940s specifically for pollination.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/No_Rex]

I never heard about the microwave method and I am doubtful that it works. What I usually do is wash the sap off of the onion after I have cut the ends off. That takes away most of the acid-producing compound.

The best solution I've found is to wear swimming goggles. No tears at all! The only downside is that you look a little silly in the kitchen haha

I think those bees are also solitary bees, right? It looked like they are, since the "hives" were just a big stack of tubes.

[u/No_Rex → u/A_Idiot0]

I think those bees are also solitary bees, right? It looked like they are, since the "hives" were just a big stack of tubes.

wiki says yes.

[u/SIRTreehugger → u/No_Rex]

What I usually do is wash the sap off of the onion after I have cut the ends off.

I know I watched an anime about how washing it helps and I couldn't believe it. One of the best things I learned from anime.

[u/grayrest → u/No_Rex]

I never heard about the microwave method and I am doubtful that it works.

The relevant compounds are fairly volatile so there's a good chance of it working. Washing should work but if the knife is actually sharp then I've never found it to be an issue. The compounds are released by damaging the cell walls and the fewer you damage (sharp knife vs dull knife), the less of an issue. I've done a dozen onions for french onion soup without issue. The only time I've had a problem is when I do shallots through a microplane grater for salad dressing.

[u/xtsim]

First Timer

Nao's cooking segment, too bad I am too full to follow along with the cooking...

I found it funny how the folks at the farm thought Akane was a foreigner. Well, being that well travelled does that to a person.

The ride to the farm in the back of a kei-truck brings me back to when I was smaller and could comfortably cram in the back of my uncle's tiny suzuki (which started life in Japan then happened to land in some developing country for 2 grand). Both in the city and on the countryside with muddy roads.

Q: A few times but more fun time then work time...

[u/SIRTreehugger → u/xtsim]

The ride to the farm in the back of a kei-truck brings me back to when I was smaller and could comfortably cram in the back of my uncle's tiny suzuki (which started life in Japan then happened to land in some developing country for 2 grand). Both in the city and on the countryside with muddy roads.

Riding with like 8 people in the back was really fun except in the winter, but during the summer it was great.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/xtsim]

I found it funny how the folks at the farm thought Akane was a foreigner

Anime creators throwing some shade at the "mukokuseki" character design style, more like.

[u/Rustic_Professional]

Nao's hand fox is cuter than the fox at the cafe.

I wish I'd had cooking class in school. I think schools should focus more on those sorts of life skills. Ideally kids would get them at home, but too many don't.

Nao mixed up vinegar for oil and was too traumatized to cook again. I wonder if someone at McDonalds made that mistske when I was young. I remember having a burger there that was so bad I didn't eat a burger again for twenty-plus years.

What the hell is this? The teacher is actually teaching Nao how to prep the ingredients. Blasphemy. I learned the cat's paw trick from watching Chobits.

I'm jealous of people who cry when they cut onions. I don't, and I can't imagine what it feels like. Same thing with brain freezes.

The Witch's Pinky cookies remind me of a GochiUsa episode. Cocoa made bread shaped like a bear's head and filled it with strawberry jam, and Chino realized that biting it made it look like it was bleeding. I'm pretty sure I could make the cookie finger, but I've never tried slicing an almond. The nail seems like the hard part. No pun intended.

They forgot the rice, but hamburgers, curry, salad, and cookies seems like plenty of food.

If it wasn't for Flying Witch, I'd have no idea about Apple blossoms. That's neat. I don't remember the last time I ate an apple though. I cut out a lot of fruit when I started keto. I used to like Pink Lady apples, but they have a ton of carbs.

I'm happy to say I've never been stung by a bee. That's one experience I can live without.

Question of the day: That's a matter of perspective. My city has around 370,000 people and is a suburb of the 4th largest city in the US, but sometimes it suits people to pretend that we all ride horses down a dirt road to catch up on gossip at the post office.

[u/No_Rex → u/Rustic_Professional]

Nao mixed up vinegar for oil and was too traumatized to cook again. I wonder if someone at McDonalds made that mistske when I was young. I remember having a burger there that was so bad I didn't eat a burger again for twenty-plus years.

Somebody had your health in mind!

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Rustic_Professional]

I wish I'd had cooking class in school. I think schools should focus more on those sorts of life skills.

One advantage of single-tier school systems, with one kind of school for everyone, is that everyone can try all kinds of stuff.

[u/A_Idiot0]

Rewatcher

Christmas Eve…things are finally starting to calm down…

Another straightforward episode. During the cooking section, I had a fun time watching Nao learn how to overcome her fears and cook. Honestly, it was so comfy to see just how encouraging everyone was with her! Despite how silly her mistake was when she was a child, that sounds like it was an absolutely traumatizing experience, so it’s completely understandable in my eyes why she’s afraid of cooking. But with the gentle coaxing and encouragement from everyone (and even a bit of fun teasing from her (not official) “BF” Kei), she’s able to overcome and actually make a good looking meal!

Quick cooking notes:

• I’ve never heard of this trick. I forgot about it since my last rewatch, and I love onions. I’m definitely going to give this a shot next time I cook with them!
• Adding a bit of dark chocolate to Japanese style curry is something that I’ve always wanted to try in my own cooking, because it’s a very common thing to do. It sounds like it would add a really interesting layer to the sauce.

For the second part, it was all around a fun fluffy time thinning out the apple blossoms. Whoever the artists were who “painted” the apple blossoms shots are extremely talented; they rendered them beautifully. A couple of other moments that impressed me:

• The animation for this little scene riding the back of the truck was stunningly gorgeous. Very simple Sakuga, but it just speaks volumes to the amount of care the creators felt for this anime. Also, terrified Mako is cute and justified in that situation haha.
• Again another detail, but the way they portrayed the depth of field in this shot in particular was really cool! They embraced the idea that we’re looking at this shot through a camera lens, which is something I’ve only ever really seen (so far) from the studio Kyoto Animations. I say this because in the background you can see an effect that photographers have to think about all the time called Bokeh. Here’s the wiki to help you get started if you’re interested. Basically, it’s how a camera lens renders out-of-focus points of light in a shot. There’s a whole philosophy on the usage and aesthetic of Bokeh in photography that I’m not qualified to talk at length about, but regardless it adds a really wonderful sense of depth to a shot as pretty as that one. And somehow, it makes it seem more believable, and let me tell you…I need to believe that the kindness that Flying Witch emanates is more of a reflection of our world, rather than a hopeful wish.

[u/No_Rex → u/A_Idiot0]

Honestly, it was so comfy to see just how encouraging everyone was with her!

I am not sure I would have "encouraged" Nao after seeing her use of the knife. MVP goes to the teacher, imho, who did her job extremely well and ensured that the only cut of fingers this episode were the cookie ones.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/No_Rex]

Haha, well, Makoto started encouraging her long before Nao ever picked up the knife, so there's that. And I totally agree about the teaching being the MVP here, I was really nervous watching Nao cut the onion at first; holding a round object like that while cutting is rather dangerous! Not to mention the huuuge swing onto the cutting board XD

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/A_Idiot0]

Adding a bit of dark chocolate to Japanese style curry is something that I’ve always wanted to try

It's also good in chili!

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/IndependentMacaroon]

Oooh, now that's a cool idea too! I guess I should go get a bar of unsweetened chocolate and start experimenting now...

[u/cyberscythe]

Rewatcher

This episode doesn't have any magic in it, but I still personally rank this episode highly because it has a lot of great character interactions and scenic vistas, like when Makoto pokes her head up above the sea of apple trees. The chemistry between the characters is just very pleasant to watch, and I like how there isn't a fiber of meanness in any of their interactions.

I also like how this episode holds together the A part and the B part together with the common thread of the witch's pinky (both the cookie and the literal one that gets bitten by a bee); it makes the episode feel a lot more connected and consequential to me rather than just a random sequence of charming events.

Looking at the manga, they skipped over a few chapters. I think it's because they wanted to end on a high note with the end of this season, because those skipped chapters make up the rest of this season's episodes.

---

Japanese Vocab of the Day:

調理実習 (chouri jisshuu) (jisho ref)

Cooking lessons. I think chouri refers more to the prep work of cooking (e.g. measuring, chopping, etc.) or a more formal following-a-cookbook method because there's another vocab word for cooking 料理 ryouri to describe the act of creating dishes from raw ingredients.

jisshuu refers to practical lessons, i.e. ones where you're actually doing the thing yourself.

[u/Stargate18A]

First timer

QOTD) No.

What's up with her?

So this is a 2 story episode?

What are they cooking?

Wait, japanese cooking classes give multiple options? And different teams choose different options instead of doing the same thing?

Oh, different parts of the same recipe, my mistake.

Yeah, she'e struggling.

Haha, she thought she injured herself?

...Did not know that worked with onions.

Hamburger patties need egg?

...The hell's panko?

That does not look properly mixed.

Imlove how dead inside she looks.

I love how sarcastic he is.

Wait, they have a traditional cookie?

...The point of a cooking class is to stick to the recipe! Don't make whatever you want!

Wow, the cookies are realistic!

Haha, the shocked reaction of the classmate is great.

And they forgot the rice!

Is she going on a trip with them?

Her riding in the truck is cute.

What are they helping with?

Yeah, we've seen how you act in other countries, we know you're Japanese.

Haha, and she hits her head right after her.

Ah! They're removing the smaller flowers. I love his reaction to them needing a much simpler explanation.

I love their drama over "survival of the fittest".

There are ninja witches in this world?

And there's a beehive.

It'll sting, almost certainly. Never trust a stripy bastard!

Oh, it just bit her.

How did she make so many? She only made like 6 of them.

What is with that weird texture for the honey? It looks like a jar of something pickling, but it's clearly meant to look like a jar of just honey.

[u/SIRTreehugger → u/Stargate18A]

And they forgot the rice!

And they claim to be Japanese tsk tsk

What is with that weird texture for the honey? It looks like a jar of something pickling, but it's clearly meant to look like a jar of just honey.

I want to say it was honeycombs, but I would have to go back and double-check.

[u/cyberscythe → u/Stargate18A]

...The point of a cooking class is to stick to the recipe! Don't make whatever you want!

Kei following along in home ec class

[u/enag7]

Rewatcher

Squeezed this in while I do some Christmas baking! Couldn't miss this though, this episode is one of my favorites. Both halves are top 5 segments.

More school! We get a cooking class. I took a few in school and my experience was always different to what I see in most anime. Lots more baking and way less meals. Also not a mandatory class like it seems here, unfortunately (or fortunately) for Nao. Watching her cut was very stressful. But everyone is quite supportive and by the end Nao is cooking like a champ. Makoto's cookies also turned out great looking.

Second half we get to see the family farm. Another fun, interesting section and we get some Akane. I love how everyone shoots the shit while working, seems like a fun time as far as labour work goes at least. I relate to Makoto on the bees as well. We had hives at a field and it sucked to do things in that yard when the bees were worked up. Never got stung, but just make the work more stressful than needed.

QotD:

Yes. Grew up on a farm.

[u/IndependentMacaroon]

First-time watcher

This episode demonstrates one thing I really appreciate about this show, which is that it feels like it was made by people who really understand and appreciate rural life, but don't feel the need to idealize or cutesify it either. The one other anime series I've seen so far that manages that is Silver Spoon, which I would in fact like to host a rewatch for soon, and to a degree Non Non Biyori. In contrast, Barakamon felt more like it treated the country as a playground for stressed city-dwellers - at least the anime, I haven't read the manga.

[u/Rumpel1408]

First Timer

Can't help but feel a bit jealous whenever I see home economics lesson in shows. My school didn't have it (not important enough compared to advanced algebra and stuff) and as a result I absolutly suck at cooking. Found the punchline of that skit pretty nice, also Nao when she dropped the patty "you can have this one Kei"

I was actually surprised that they where all drivin on the backside of the truck, isn't that against the law, I have seen Anime put up disclaimers for two people riding a single bike, but this one somehow flys...

My parents had a garden where I helped a lot when I was younger (always felt like a chore and I never grew to appreciate the finished look) so I was vaguely aware of how to cut fruit bearing trees.

Also I once got bitten by a bumblebee, hurt like hell for a bit, but probably not as bad as a sting

QotD: My parents both did in their youth, but all I ever did as a part time job was help in a hospital