By the time this post is published, I’d have already gone for our company’s Beach Party, and won’t be back till Sunday afternoon. I remember mentioning to some people about my Oryzae plushie, and how it’s going to become our Beach Party Mascot character. And well, I wasn’t kidding when I said that.

See, this cute Oryzae is like the epitome of a happy summertime, with its sun shape and its radiant smile. So a couple my officemates and I suggested Oryzae to be our official mascot, and it was heartily approved What can I say, Oryzae is well loved <33 xD

Enough with the talk, and on with the pics!

The Preparation

Just like with any star, of course we’d need a few touch ups before the photo shoot~

The Actual Pictorial

My officemates and I went trigger happy as we sort-of cosplayed Oryzae for some Summer-y getup. The only thing that’s missing would be a matching summer outfit rofl.

Hurray for Summer!

Treat yourself to some Starbucks!

Aloha!

A little out of place, but oh well. Oryzae gains a koala friend~!

You can just imagine how lax we are in the office, for us to be able to do this kind of photoshoot activity Well we did it after our work is done, so there’s completely nothing wrong with it~

Thanks to my dear teammates/buddies in the office who tagged along with this wacky idea xDD

Useless fact of the day: Moyashimon microbes are moe-inducingly deadly, especially with their cute squiggly voices <3

I didn’t finish watching Moyashimon (and I don’t think I will finish it any time soon), but I will forever remember it for its cute little microbes, which I consider to be the stars of the show :3 I can’t get enough of them!!! So you can just imagine how happy I was when I got to watch the 1st episode of the Moyashimon Microbe Theatre Deluxe, thanks to Lupus’ random pimping in the AB IRC channel who brought it to my attention It seems that this is the first among five mini-specials included in the Moyashimon DVDs, and I soo want to see the rest of them~ +__+

I almost died from the cuteness of this mini special. I was giggling all throughout the episode, much to my oniichan’s dismay. I swear if I still left my Oryzae plushie at home, he would’ve threatened to strangle it or throw it away just to make me shut up. >_>

Even non-Moyashimon fans can wholeheartedly enjoy this mini special, as can be attested by some of my officemates who now adores Oryzae~ xDD

Animate is having a one month Moyashimon fair. Plushies aside, there are also other Moyashimon merchandise for sale, such as notebooks, stickers, CD’s and DVD’s.

かもすぞー。

The Moyashimon Magnet Gashapon toys were unleashed last December 14, 2007 for world かもす domination. The entire Japan (or at least those who has been luckily infected by these bacteria) went OPERATION: BACTER(i)ADICATION™, and in less than 3 days, most shops in Japan has been purified. The lucky owners of these bacteria magnets must be rejoicing by now, especially those who took advantage of its profitability. With these gashapon toys sold out in almost all stores in Japan (I’m not sure if there are still other shops where they’re available), the only way to get them now would be online. And boy has its market value INCREASED. From its original 300yen a piece, there are now shops which sell them for 3x and even 6x as much!

When I was searching for shops to buy these moyashimon thingies last month, the common price I saw was 8,100yen for the entire 9pc set (8 “ordinary” moyashimon bacteria + the secret character Nigger Oryzae lol). At 900yen a piece, that’s thrice its original price! Look further and what do we see, a shop that sells the entire set for a whooping 14,800yen! That’s about 1,650yen a piece, which is roughly 6x its original price!! Crazy! Luckily, there are still other shops which sell the set for a lower price, at 4,450yen. About twice as expensive as the original, decent enough. Most of the winning bids I see in yahoo auctions are also of this price range.

With the number of shops selling the set for 8,100 yen, there’s a great possibility that a number of people settled for this “offer”. I’m doubtful that someone bought the 14,800 yen one, but who knows… o___O Update straight from Japan (chef Seleria reporting): they are now selling these Moyashimon magnets, for 1,800 yen a piece (well, the oryzae in particular. The other bacteria are sold at 600-1,000 yen)! Well I know these Moyashimon charas are oh so cute and cuddly~ But really, are you willing to shell out THAT much, for these bacteria babies?? o___O

Tadayasu has fallen asleep in Kawahama and Misato’s room. Misato awakens him and Kawahama. Kawahama sneezes and spews rhinoviruses into the air. Rhinoviruses are the cause of common cold. Tadayasu sees a tub of kuchikami, a type of sake created by chewing rice and spitting the mixture into a tub. A. oryzae, S. lactis and S. cerevisiae are playing on top of the tub’s cover.

Misato suggests that they check the bulletin board since it lists the students’ daily schedule. Kawahama says he’s not going. Misato tells him that in his case, he has to go or else he’d be in trouble. Kawahama then decides to attend classes.

Tadayasu notices that Kei hasn’t come back. Kei was given several tasks by Haruka and he had to stay up until morning. Haruka tells him he should be grateful he got to see a part of a graduate student’s work. Kei tells her he just entered the university the other day, he doesn’t understand the details. He did learn how to use some machine though.

Tadayasu, Misato and Kawahama are surprised to see their names posted in the bulletin board. Prof. Itsuki wants to see them. Tadayasu thinks it might have something to do with the illegal making of sake but wonders why he and Kei are included.

Back to Kei, Haruka tells him to break ties with Kawahama and Misato as the two have no future. Unknown to her, Kawahama and Misata have come.

The professor arrives. He says he’d like to celebrate Sawaki and Kei’s entrance to the university before discussing things. He beckons an Oikawa to come. A huge ray appears at the door. Sawaki and the others are shocked at the sight. Prof. Itsuki introduces her as Oikawa Hazuki. It turns out that a girl was holding the ray. Prof. Itsuki asks Oikawa to cut the ray into pieces. Oikawa refuses but Prof. Itsuki tells her he’ll give her credit.

Haruka asks if it’s hongeohoe. The professor explains it’s a South Korean dish, a fermented skate sashimi. Tadayasu wonders why he doesn’t see any microbes. He takes a closer look and realizes there are lots of them. There are Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus halodurans and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Prof. Itsuki says that by the smell alone, hongeohoe is five times stronger than kiviak and fourteen times stronger than natto. It’s the world’s second strongest fermented smell. He asks Tadayasu if it’s good. The others are disgusted.

L. plantarum are present in sauerkraut, pickles and kimchi. They are also present in saliva. They are is said to be a probiotic or “good bacteria”. Pediococcus pentosaceus are categorized as “lactic acid bacteria”.

Tadayasu asks the professor what kind of research he is doing. He asks if the kiviak and the hongeohoe are related. Prof. Itsuki asks him in return if he’s heard about terraforming. He explains it’s an idea of altering planets so they would become like Earth. Microbes can live in the harshest of environments. Thus, the professor is interested in their potential for terraforming.

Misato and Kawahama wonder why they were told to come. The professor tells Haruka to hand over something to them. It’s a bill for repair of the room they used to illegally make sake. The cost of the equipment in that room as well as the materials they used in making sake is also included. Kawahama and Misato look at it. They are shocked at the amount. It totaled to 10,285,000 yen.

Hazuki asks why money was being demanded from the two. Tadayasu says he doesn’t know. Kei, however, says that the two deserve it.

Tadayasu and Hazuki have some snacks together at the school grounds. Hazuki offers anti-bacterial tissues to Tadayasu. She says Tadayasu should first wipe his hands before eating. Tadayasu finds it weird since it was Hazuki who suggested that they sit on the ground. Hazuki then asks why Tadayasu isn’t with Kei. Tadayasu replies that Haruka called out Kei and the others since morning. Hazuki thinks Haruka is making Misato and Kawahama work off the 10 million yen. Tadayasu doubts it but it’s actually happening.

Later that day, Hazuki and Tadayasu goes to Misato and Kawahama’s dormitory. Tadayasu tells her she didn’t have to come. Hazuki is shocked to find the dormitory stinking of molds. Tadayasu comments that the wet tissues wouldn’t be enough. Hazuki says it’s alright since she has an disinfectant spray.

Hazuki is even more shocked to see the two’s filthy room. She tidies the room and washes the two’s dishes saying she can’t stand dirty places. Slowly, the room becomes spic and span.

Misato talks to Sawaki about the C. sinensis. He and Kawahama obtained Common Swift Moth larvae, the host for the priced fungi. Misato wonders how they are going to cultivate it. Kawahama thinks they should put more of the microbes. The three notice Hazuki spraying the room. Misato apologizes for having her do it. She goes around the room in a spraying spree. Tadayasu suddenly realizes something bad. The C. sinensis are also microbes!

Misato and Kawahama rush to their box of larvae but according to Tadayasu, the C. sinensis are already dead because of the spray. The two go to Hazuki, yelling. She does not understand what’s going on. She thought she cleaned the room for their sake. Kawahama says that the human body might have a hundred trillion bacteria. If one would line them up, they’d cover five times the circumference of the earth. Hazuki tells them to shut up. She sprays some more. Tadayasu tells them to stop.

Kei, Haruka and Prof. Itsuki arrive. The professor tells Tadayasu he should have come with them. Since he did not come, they came instead, thinking that Tadayasu would be there. Kei notices the gloomy mood in the room. The professor sees the box of larvae and says that it must be going well. He says the room (which was destroyed) is filled with yeast and is doing well too. He shows Tadayasu blueprints for the new room.

Tadayasu takes a look at it and becomes amazed. The professor explains it will be a fermentation cellar, a laboratory for research in fermentation. Misato and Kawahama are shocked to hear about it, they thought their debt was only for the room’s repair.

Prof. Itsuki decides to demonstrate how unrefined sake is made. Misata and Kahawama say they are illegal manufacturers as well. Haruka tells them they got permission from the university since it’s research. Prof. Itsuki then explains that fermentation and decay are the same since they are phenomenon resulting from microbial activity. What is beneficial to people is called fermentation, other than that, it is decay.

According to the professor, to make unrefined sake, rice is first placed into a bucket filled with an equal amount of water. An onigiri is placed in a pouch and is soaked into the bucket. If stirred once a day, it will begin to smell like sake in three days. The yeast in the air is cultivated in the water. The water is then set aside. The rice is heated to body-level temperatures and filled with yeast. This rice and the water from before are combined into a single container.

Tadayasu asks if it will be covered since he sees other microbes in the container. He says it is just spoiled water. The professor tells him that the container will be placed in a room with 6°C temperature. It is slowly heated after that. The S. cerevisiae and A. oryzae that remain will begin to brew. Starch is converted to sugar and then sugar to alchohol. In about a month, something intricate will happen.

Tadayasu comments that sake is basically made from yeast waste. Prof. Itsuki corrects him saying that when it comes to fermentation, it is called by-product instead of waste. The professor then instructs Haruka to try the finished product.

Haruka tries to drink but finds out it is very sour. It doesn’t taste like sake at all. Misato says it was their sake. He switched the containers. He says he doesn’t use yeast to brew sake. In his method, cooked rice is chewed and spitted out into a container. Haruka is disgusted.

Kei says it’s kuchikami sake. It uses saliva to breakdown starch. He explains further that it’s sake from ancient times. Originally, it was the shrine maiden’s job to chew the rice.

Kawahama says that aside from that method, they also added insect eggs. It holds the sake’s roundness and improves the flavor. Haruka is angry at them for switching the containers. Misato says that their ancestors didn’t even know the science behind the enzymatic effects of saliva but they created the kuchikami sake.

The professor, however, is awed. He says he is deeply moved, Misato and Kawahama are using skillfull, practical science that arose from their interests. He kneels in front of the two and apologizes for giving them a ridiculous bill.

Moyashimon microbe theatre

A. oryzae introduce their friends. There’s Aspergillus sojae, used in making miso and soy sauce. There’s Aspergillus niger, used in making shochu, they use citric acid. And then there’s Aspergillus awamori, used in making awamori, a strong Okinawan liquor

********

In my previous blog, I mentioned about Moyashimon showing viruses. They did in this episode — the rhinoviruses that came out when Kawahama sneezed.

There aren’t much microbes in this episode though compared to the previous one. The microbe theatre showed molds of the genus Aspergillus. Since they are relatives, the design for the molds look alike. Aspergillus molds have commercial and medical importance.

A. niger grow in damp walls and are major component of mildew. They are major source of citric acid, which they produce from sucrose.

As for sake production, which was featured in this episode, A. oryzae convert the starch in rice into sugars. The sugars are subsequently fermented into alchohol by S. cerevisiae and S. lactis. Kuchikami sake, however, does not use A. oryzae as the starch in rice is broken down by the enzyme amylase in salive.

Anyway, I think this was somehow a boring episode. I think it’s because it mainly focuses on Misato and Kawahama. I don’t like the two much. Oh well.

Tadayasu and Kei rush to a balcony to find out where the homohiochi are coming from. Tadayasu sees that they’re coming from a room below. In that room, homohiochi float from a huge vat. A man looks into the vat and wonders if there’s something strange about it. His companion takes a look and says there’s nothing wrong about it. The other, however, says it smells weird.

Kei wonders why homohiochi are there. Haruka and Prof. Itsuki come out. Haruka says the building is old so it isn’t used much except for the professor’s lab. Prof. Itsuki comments that there are students who use it anyway.

The men at the room seem to be brewing sake. The short one notices that the floor looks like they are about to collapse. They wonder if sake is supposed to smell weird when brewed. The short one shifts to another location. The part of the floor where he is standing gives way. The rest of the floor collapses and the vat falls, spilling its content.

Tadayasu and the others hear a large thud. Tadayasu says the homohiochi are rushing out. Haruka asks him if he meant the homohiochi (Lactobacillus fructivorans) that spoil sake. Tadayasu nods. The professor explains that the homohiochi belong to the Lactobacillus group. They consume mevalonic acid which yeast produce. They cause trouble to those who brew sake. Prof. Itsuki comments that Kei, who’s family owns a sake brewery, must detest them. When Kei was younger, the sake brewery’s owner committed suicide after homohiochi contaminated all of the sake they produced.

Prof. Itsuki then says that the large number of homohiochi at the building must mean that someone is trying to brew sake illegally. Haruka tells the professor they should check it out. Kei tells Tadayasu they should go too. Tadayasu asks why. As a son of a sake brewer, Kei might not want to see homohiochi. Kei tells him he can’t ignore it.

Tadayasu leads Haruka and the others to where the homohiochi are coming from. Haruka says making sake without a permit is a crime. Tadayasu, however, feels sick as he finds his way to the homohiochi source. They reach a room and when Kei opens it, more of the bacteria rush out. They see a vat lying on the floor.

Prof. Itsuki says sake can’t be made in such an environment. For one, the wooden floor is rotting, it couldn’t support the vat’s weight. He examines around, saying it could be important data. Kei asks Tadayasu where the homohiochi are gathering. Tadayasu tells him that they’re all over the room already. Kei suggests they borrow a burner and incinerate the microbes. He asks if the professor has any alcohol. The professor, however, throws ashes around the room. He explains that ash was once used to restore alcoholic beverages that went bad because of homohiochi. Ash, being basic, neutralizes sake that’s become acidic. He throws more ashes. He then asks Tadayasu if the yeast factory in his hometown use ash to purify yeast. Different methods have now been developed to combat homohiochi but the pesky microbes will always be an enemy to sake brewing.

Tadayasu asks if there’s anything they can clean themselves with as they are all covered with ash. Haruka tells him there’s none. The professor returns to his lab. Haruka tells Tadayasu and Kei they must find the culprit. She leaves too.

Tadayasu suggests to Kei that they go home but Kei orders Tadayasu to mop the floor while he exterminate the homohiochi. He sprinkles ashes around as if possessed.

The two men who brewed the sake illegally come out from hiding. Seeing that Tadayasu and Kei are wearing suits, they ask if they are new students. Tadayasu tells them they are. The bearded man then asks how they were able to identify the homohiochi. Tadayasu points at Kei and tells the men he’s the son of a sake brewer. The two men look at each other. The short one invites Tadayasu and Kei to their dorm, which is inside the campus. He says they need to shower first. Tadayasu agrees. Kei doesn’t say anything.

Prof. Itsuki and Haruka are having a conversation. Prof. Itsuki says that it’s often said sake will turn into vingear but it really doesn’t. The homohiochi create a vinger-like smell in sake so people of old must have thought it turned into vinegar. Haruka then sees Tadayasu and Kei with two men, Misato and Kawahama from second year. Misato Karou often attended summer labs, wanting to learn about brewing. Kawahama Takuma was more interested in biological environments more than the seminars. Haruka comments they are stupid for trying to brew sake in the campus. Prof. Itsuki nods. He says he doesn’t like it if they lead Tadayasu to their side. He accidentally told them about Tadayasu and his ability the other day.

Tadayasu and the others reach a shabby building. Kawahama says it’s their dormitory. The two men let Tadayasu and Kei use their shower. They also lent them a fresh set of clothes. Tadayasu tells Kei that they’ll excuse themselves for a while but Kawahama tells him to wait. He asks if Tadayasu is the guy with the strange ability. They want to talk to him as they are in trouble after the sake was spoilled. Kei shakes his head disapprovingly. He asks why they were trying to make sake in that place. He says brewing that much sake is way beyond the illegal production level. Tadayasu comments that since the sake is all gone, it was a waste of money. Misato says they really need the money. Kawahama offers that they talk more about it in their room. Kei agrees.

Misato and Kawahama’s room is very dirty. Tadayasu sees a lot of germs around. There’s Geotrichum, fungi commonly found in human wastes. (I learned that Geotrichum destroys CD’s, it eats the aluminum in the disk making it partially transparent.)

There’s also Rhizopus japonicus, also known as Rhizophus arrhizus. It causes a disease called zygomycosis. There’s Mucor mucedo, the fluffy white fungi that appear on spoiled fruits and veggies, Aspergillus niger, the most common species of the Aspergillus genus causing black molds on some fruits and vegetables. Interestingly, A. niger being relatives of A. oryzae are designed similar to the latter in Moyashimon, except for the black filaments.

And then there’s Candida albicans which is normally harmless to humans except to immunocompromised patients. Lastly, there’s Cladosporium tricoides and Alternaria alternata. More regarding these two fungi will be discussed later.

Anyway, Misato and Kawahama have money issues. Misato says they were planning to open up a show for the school’s spring festival. They told people that they know how they can make cheap sake and had them gather money. If it went well, they could have paid off the initial expenses with the earnings.

Misato tells Tadayasu that they have a favor to ask of him. Tadaysu asks for ventilation. He tells the two that there are a lot of microbes in the room. Kawahama asks him if he could help them with his ability. Misato asks him if there are new microbes or those that can make them money such as matsutake (Tricholoma matsutake) in the room. Tadayasu tells them that there are only black and green fungi in the room. Misato and Kawahama are disapointed.

Kawahama then says that they can make penicillin from Penicillium chrysogenum. He asks Tadayasu if he can distinguish between microbes and cultivate them. Kawahama thinks that if they can get pure penicillin, they can sell it to labs. Misato goes out to ask his biology friends about penicillin. Kawahama begs Tadayasu. He tells him he will give him part of the profit. Tadayasu thinks about it.

Misato returns reporting that green fungi are coming. He begins to quarrel with Kawahama, eventually about their dead silkworm. Tadayasu says it has Cordyceps sinensis, fungi that infects the larvae of a particular caterpillar. It is highly priced in Tibetan and Chinese medicine. A kilogram could be traded for US$3000 to US$15000.

Kei asks Tadayasu how he knew it was C. sinensis. Tadayasu replies Mrs. Sekiguchi from across the bridge near their home used to buy a bottle of C. sinensis medicine. It cost her around 20,000 yen. Tadayasu then tells Misato and Kawahama that if they grow the fungi, they could sell it to traditional medicine practitioners. The two men are overjoyed at the prospect of money. Haruka, however, is observing from outside.

Tadayasu tells Kei that no one’s been happy before because he can see microorganisms. He says he is somehow happy that someone needs his ability.

Haruka reports what she observed to Prof. Itsuki. The professor says it’s a shame. Sawaki’s power has become a tool for money. He then tells Haruka that he has an idea. He reads a letter with some bills enclosed inside. Haruka posts a notice at a bulletin board. It’s for Tadayasu, Kei, Kawahama and Misato to appear at the faculty room.

It’s dark already and Misato and Kawahama have fallen asleep from their little celebration. Kei tells Tadayasu he’s going to Prof. Itsuki’s lab to retrieve their bags. Tadayasu looks at Misato and Kawahama. He thinks that unlike Prof. Itsuki and Haruka, they didn’t test his power. He remembers how in the past he was shunned because of his ability. Tadayasu plays with the microbes. He picks a slab of bread and summons the green fungi.

Kei finds that Haruki is still in the lab. He tells her they were at Misato and Kawahama’s dorm. He picks up Tadayasu and his backpack. Haruka asks him how he plans to spend time with Tadayasu from then on. Kei replies they are the sons of a sake brewer and a yeast factory owner so they should be best friends forever. Haruka approaches him and says that comparing Tadayasu’s power to an electron microscope, it’d be worth 300 million yen. She says if more find out about his ability, it won’t be just the professor or the two second year students who will exploit him.

Moyashimon microbe theatre

A group of P. chrysogenum dance around the surface of bread. They say they love humid places. C. tricoides arrive. They live in between bathroom tiles, in those blackened areas, thus their nickname, black fungi. A chained fungi arrive, A. alternata, known as soot fungus. They can grow in dirty contact lenses. They hide in air conditioners too. The P. chrysogenum, C. tricoides and A. alternata are happy that the room is full of fungi.

C. tricoides grow on surfaces where moisture is present. A. alternata are another opportunistic fungi. They cause leaf spots, rots and blights on plants. They also affect those who are immunocompromised.

Anyway, I thought this was a boring episode but I really enjoyed it, especially for its educational value. I’m learning a lot here. Knowledge aside, the episode poses a possible conflict for Tadayasu. I wonder if the series will deal more about opportunistic people (like the fungi) wanting to gain from Tadayasu’s ability. Also, I don’t know if Prof. Itsuki is one of them. He is mildly suspicious but he could just be after Tadayasu’s best interest.

I noticed that most of the microbes that Tadayasu sees are fungi. Fungi, after all, have a lot of agricultural significance. There are only a few bacteria shown though. I wonder if other bacteria will be shown, especially the pathogenic ones like Streptococcus, Staphylococcus or the notorious E. coli and Salmonella (which infects eggs and poultry). I wonder if Tadayasu can also see other microorganisms like Protozoans (Euglena, Amoeba, Paramecium, etc) and Algae. Though not considered microorganisms because they are thought to be non-living (thus, not an organism), I wonder if Tadayasu can see virus.

Oh well, I think Amoeba would be cute in Moyashimon.

I know this is late but oh well, as they say, better late than never. Was supposed to blog about Moyashimon earlier but wasn’t able to due to technical difficulties. I tried to blog from the raws but my translations were a complete hit-or-miss.

Anyway, two old men are talking. One of them, Sawaki, says that it’s their grandsons’ first day at a university in Tokyo. The other one, Yuuki, says there’s nothing to be happy about it. He says He wonders what things his grandson will see there. Yuuki says that Sawaki’s grandson used to mention seeing microbes. He asks if Sawaki believes in it. Sawaki replies that if he doesn’t believe his own grandson, who will? He says he saw the young Tadayasu playing with unseen things in the garage.

It’s Sawaki Tadayasu and his friend Yuuki Kei’s first day at the university. They see police at the university entrance. Tadayasu comments about. Kei says the police seem to be handing out something.

At the ceremony, an old man, Goto, the university’s president, welcomes the students. He makes a speech about the agricultural industry. The university registrar interrupts the ceremony announcing that a student, Hasegawa Haruka, has been missing for over a month. The police will be investigating her disappearance. He says the school is quite large so Haruka might be buried somewhere in the campus. If anyone finds her, they must contact him and the police immediately.

Tadayasu comments about the opening ceremony. Kei says it did make an impact. The missing person is the most memorable part. Tadayasu says the missing person’s parents are just being overprotective. She might just be at her boyfriend’s place or something. Kei says that the school may looks like it’s in the countryside but it’s still in Tokyo.

Tadayasu takes a piece of paper from his pocket. There’s someone his grandfather wants him to meet. It’s a Prof. Itsuki. Kei asks if it’s a friend of his grandfather. Tadayasu replies that he never heard his grandfather had a friend in Tokyo. Kei suggests that they visit him first. Tadayasu says he wants to check out some circles though. Kei, however, asks two men in lab coats where they can find Prof. Itsuki.

Tadayasu finds it troublesome. Kei tells him at least they can explore the school. A man carrying a huge radish pass by. Tadayasu and Kei are awed at its size. The man carrying the giant vegetable says the new students will surely be surprised when he shows the radish to them. A drove of pigs, sheep and cattle pass by. One of the pigs defecate on the road. Two men dispose of the pig’s manure happily.

The two boys pass by a waste disposal area. The men there are dressed in biohazard suits. Tadayasu comments that his image of Tokyo univesities is crumbling. Kei tells Tadayasu that he didn’t expect him to enter an agricultural university. Tadayasu asks Kei why he got into that school. Kei says he has his reasons. Tadayasu tells him that in his case, his dad would not allow him to go to Tokyo unless he attended the agricultural university. His brother graduated from there and got a job right away.

Tadayasu sees a microbe being blown by the wind. Kei asks him what’s wrong. The other replies it was nothing. Kei then says that thinking about the Sawaki Yeast Shop’s situation, Tadayasu has no choice but to inherit the business. Tadayasu comments that he does not want to inherit a shop full of microbes.

More microbes are in the wind. Kei tells Tadayasu they are taking a shortcut. Tadayasu says he’s sure there are plenty of microbes up ahead. Kei apologizes and suggests they take another route. Tadayasu says he doesn’t see microbes as much as he used to but it’s been a while since he saw a lot. Kei tells him maybe there’s a dead animal ahead.

They continue along that path. Tadayasu sees something shocking. A mound is oozing with microbes. He says there must be something buried underneath. Judging from it’s size, it must be 1.5 to 2 meters in size, about the size of a human. They find a piece of wood sticking out marked “Hasegawa”.

The police are informed of what they found. A crowd gathers around the mound as the police try to dig. The police ask Tadayasu how he found it. Tadayasu would have replied about the microbes but Kei tells the police that his friend has an amazing sense of smell, he sensed something rotten from far away. The police tell him that if a body is buried underneath, they will talk to him again. Tadayasu thinks Tokyo police are scary. Kei tells him that even if he told the police he can see microbes, no one would believe him.

Prof. Itsuki comes. He walks towards the mound and digs it. The air is filled with the smell of something decaying. He asks Tadayasu and Kei if they recognize what was buried. It was a huge seal. Prof. Itsuki says it’s a shame Tadayasu could not distinguish between a fermenting smell and a rotting smell. Tadayasu asks if it’s supposed to be eaten. Kei says he read somewhere of some pickled seal delicacy. Prof. Itsuki replies Kei is correct. It’s a Canadian Inuit fermented meal called “kiviak”.

Prof. Itsuki tears the seal apart. Kei explains that the seal is filled with about 70-80 seagulls. The intestinal fluid of the birds is then drunk by sucking it through the bird’s butt. Prof. Itsuki does exactly what Kei said. He comments it feels like rice bran or natto bean paste. The people around are disgusted. Prof. Itsuki explains that the northern natives ate a lot of raw meat to compensate for the lack of vegetables in their diet. Once the practice of cooking meat arrived, they were not able to obtain enough vitamins from eating cooked meat and that’s why they ate kiviak to supplement their nutritional needs.

Prof. Itsuki then introduces himself to Tadayasu. He says it’s been twenty years since he met the boy’s grandfather. He recognizes Kei too. He tells the two that they will be his students. He offers them some kiviak. They decline.

A woman in leather arrives. She tells the professor it’s her research project. The woman is Hasegawa Haruka. He asked the professor why he dug up her kiviak without her permission. The professor replies it’s because she left and he couldn’t contact her. Haruka replies he should have waited for her. Prof. Itsuki suggests they go to his lab. Kei informs Haruka that the police were searching for her. She says her parents are over-protective. She already visited her house along the way. Prof. Itsuki then introduces Tadayasu to her.

At Prof. Itsuki’s lab, the professor tells Tadayasu that Haruka would like to see his ability. The professor hands Tadayasu a plastic container. It’s filled with Aspergillus oryzae. The fungi greet Tadayasu. The boy tells the professor that it’s just miso paste from their shop. He says he came all the way to Tokyo because he hated that smell. He closes the container.

Haruka asks him how he was able to find out. He says the molds are from their shop. Haruka could not believe Tadayasu sees microbes. She tells the professor to increase the difficulty of the test.

The professor gives Tadayasu a container filled with something white. Tadayasu sees it has Streptococcus lactis (Lactobacillus lactis) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. He says it’s yogurt. Prof. Itsuki tells him he’s correct. Haruka tells the professor that anyone can identify it as yogurt.

She gives Tadayasu another container filled with white stuff. She says that it’s still yogurt but it’s made from different countries. One is from Europe, the other is from Japan. She asks Tadayasu to identify the Japanese one. Tadayasu says the new one is from Japan. In disbelief, Haruka asks him how he was able to tell. He replies that the bacteria in that container look more Japanese. It has Lactobacillus yogurti which is used in yogurt production in Japan.

Tadayasu asks the professor a question. He looks at Haruka and asks whether it is alright not to wear protective shoes. Haruka replies it doesn’t matter what shoes she wears. Tadayasu says it bothers him a bit.

The professor tells Tadayasu that he has an amazing ability. He might have seen yet undiscovered microbes. Receiving a Nobel Prize would be possible. Haruka, however, is still unconvinced.

Prof. Itsuki shows Tadayasu a bottle of vinegar. He says it’s undergoing fermentation. Tadayasu catches a bacteria from the air, an Acetobacter aceti. Vinegar usually has them but since the liquid in the bottle doesn’t, Tadayasu says it’s possibly mirin, an alcoholic drink made by mixing sake with sweet rice.

Prof. Itsuki looks at the bacteria Tadayasu grabbed from the air through a microscope. He confirms that it is indeed an Acetobacter aceti. Haruka still could not believe it.

Tadayasu tells Kei that he is already troubled seeing microbes at home and now, they have more at the lab. Kei suggests that they go but Haruka tells him to stay for a bit longer.

She shows him a picture of a yeast cell taken by an electron microscope. She asks if he can see it with the naked eye. Tadayasu says he can but they don’t look like the one in the picture. Haruka asks him to make a drawing. Tadayasu does so but his yeast is comical. Haruka becomes mad.

She hands him a petri dish and tells Tadayasu what kind of microbes are in the colonies. Tadayasu replies that since he hasn’t studied about them before, he wouldn’t know what kind it would be. Tadayasu, however, recognizes the bacteria in the petri dish. He says he’s seen them in a public washroom near his house. The petri dish contain colonies of Bacillus halodurans which is used in making industrial enzymes. Tadayasu tells Haruka they’re playing S-ken, a children’s game.

Haruka becomes even more furious, thinking Tadayasu is babbling nonsense. She shows Tadayasu another petri dish. He says it has bacteria found in natto, the Bacillus natto. She shows him another. He says it has microbes found in bakeries, Saccharomyces cerevisiae which is commonly known as “baker’s yeast”. She shows him a mountain of petri dish. Tadayasu tells her the microbes are scared. Kei suggests they stop for the day.

Haruka says she can’t accept it. It took a long time to discover these microbes and yet Tadayasu could see them without any difficulties. Kei comments that Haruka looks like she’s shocked. Tadayasu says he’s really tired. He asks to be excused. He stands up and looks at Haruka’s feet. She asks if he has bondage fetish or something. Tadayasu sees Trichophyton rubrum on her feet. These fungi cause athlete’s foot and ringworm. He could hear the fungi wanting to make their home in Haruka’s feet. Tadayasu tells Haruka that she’s still safe for the moment. He tells her that she needs a dry feet, cleanliness and a doctor’s prescription.

Prof. Itsuki asks Haruka if she believes him. She says she now does.

Tadayasu sees another microbe floating in the air. He says there are fructivorans in the room. They are usually used to ferment sake but are known to spoil food. Kei says it’s bad. If he brings fructivorans home, he will be punished. Tadayasu finds out that they’re coming from outside. They go out to a balcony. Tadayasu sees that they are coming out from another room.

Haruka tells the professor it’s absurd. He tells her that if she makes a precious experimental specimen mad, everything will go to waste. He tells Haruka to think of it as a case study.

In the room where the fructivorans are coming from, is a large vat. Something inside it is fermenting, or spoiling.

After the episode is a short clip called “microbe theatre”. A solitary microbe visits a group of Aspergillus oryzae. The A. oryzae introduce themselves. They tell the other microbe they are in a yeast factory. They explain that there used in making miso, soy sauce, even sake. The solitary microbe comments that the yeast are multiplying fast. The A. oryzae ask him what he is. He replies he is a Penicillium chrysogenum, a green fungus. The A. oryzae become frightened of him.

Anyway, the main character Sawaki Tadayasu is interesting. He kinda looks like Edward Elric of Fullmetal Alchemist. Despite his ability, he seems to be passive or more like annoyed about it.

The opening theme, “Curriculum” by Sarasa Ifu is quite catchy. The opening sequence shows CG-rendered microbes in live scenes. Seeing how successfull they were in integrating the microbes with the scene makes me wish they’d make a live-action version of the series. The microbes are so cute. I especially love the part where they are blown in the wind. The overall feel of the opening sequence somehow reminds me of the openings of Honey and Clover.

The ending theme, “Rocket” by technicolor pogo punk band POLYSICS is a quirky one. It starts with game sounds and A. oryzae are shown walking on a sphere (like in Card Captor Sakura’s Groovy or an ending from Dragonball). The song changes mood and the microbes are shown in fireworks-like splendor.

Most say Moyashimon is quirky. I say it’s unique. The concept of people seeing microbes is an original. It’s also nice how the microbes are portrayed to be kawaii. Moyashimon isn’t also entertaining, it’s educational as well. I will certainly enjoy this.