[prologue through chapter 6 (of 11) up now, catching up after being diverted by a fresh batch of naked catgirls...]

General note: the first book was adapted almost shot-for-shot into the first two episodes, with the notable addition of Aoi's opening action scene. Some minor characters were eliminated, consolidated, or set aside for later use, but almost everything else appears, in the exact same order.

This book forms the basis of episodes 3-5, but the order of some scenes were rearranged, some were omitted, and some new ones were created using material that was presented differently in the book. Many of the changes are improvements; for instance, there's no need to show great-aunt Ushi giving Kio and the Assistoroids a lesson in how to make yakiniku. Others were done simply to emphasize the harem comedy side of the story, such as having the catgirls use their bells to change clothes in front of Kio, giving him an eyeful. The small joke about two #17 Assistoroids is anime-only, and in any case, they got their numbers in book 1.

[26] Opening quote:

• 「君が話しなさい、わたしはいつでも聞いているよ」
• 映画「オー！ゴッド」より。
• "You talk, I'm always listening."
• From the 1977 film "Oh, God!" (final line, "I'll tell you what. You talk, I'll listen.")

[32] Prologue: They were wild about cat ears

1. [37]
   • Saitama Super Arena. blah blah this big, blah blah holds 37,000, blah blah cost this much, blah blah bigger than Tokyo Dome.
   • Conversation between two security guards outside. I'm only including it so I can figure out the one complicated line of dialogue later.
   • New guy: "Hey, what's up with all the ruckus in the world from this alien thing?" (forbidden to talk while on duty, so speaking quietly while still looking straight ahead).
   • Senior: だが宇宙人が来たからって、すぐに何かおっぱじまる訳じゃないようだし、人間、何かが動く、という不安に向き合うより、昨日と同じ今日に追われた方が良いと思うもんだからなぁ (TODO)
   • New guy: Wow, that's deep.
   • Senior: Well, that's because I'll be 40 soon.
   • From inside, they feel a tremor and hear huge cheers.
   • New guy: What in the world is this concert?
   • Incidentally, renting the entire place out on a Saturday that's a national holiday costs around 2,000,000 yen. The event running right now was booked suddenly last week, one day after the aliens appeared over Naha, Okinawa. You'd think that a last-minute event scheduled on a Saturday during summer vacation would have poor attendance, but the place is actually 25% over normal capacity. There must be more than 40,000 people inside.
   • Senior: Dunno. Don't wanna know. Security guards are living scarecrows, no more, no less.
   • New guy: Wow, that's deep.
   • Senior: Well, that's because I'll be 40 soon.
2. [57]
   • Inside for Antonia's speech. Much the same.
   • The place is stuffed with people. White, black, asian, men and women from 10 to 60, pensioners and executives, blahblahblah college kids and high-school girls and grade-school kids, none of them with an obvious connection. ([58]TODO)
   • Naturally, with more than 40,000 people inside, it's standing room only.
   • Well, they did have one item in common, or more precisely, a symbol.
   • In the midst of this strange enthusiasm, a girl appeared on stage wearing the symbol. Detailed description of Antonia, ending with the revelation that she's wearing cat-ears and a mechanical tail.
   • Antonia: Unyaa!
   • All: Unyaa! Unyaa! Unyaa! Unyaa!
   • Narrator speaks directly to the reader (the only time I've noticed this) (loosely): Ah, readers, what a sight! If you look carefully in the roaring darkness, every person there, man, woman, old, young, aren't they all wearing cat-ears and tails? Yes, it's true, this is a huge secret convention of people who've sold their souls for cat-ears and tails. (そうです、ここは猫耳と尻尾に魂を売り渡した人たちの、秘密の大集会だったのです)
   • The shouting continues until some of the elderly and children pass out and are carried out of the arena, but finally they calm down. Closer to 50,000 estimated now.
   • Antonia works the crowd expertly, but she's actually a bit annoyed and impatient with them.
   • Her speech is basically identical.
   • The Engrish for the group's name, "Underside of Kitten Paw", does not appear in the books; literally, 子猫の足裏 is the sole of a kitten's paw, but unless someone else comes up with a clever way to render it in English, might as well stick with the anime as canon. Informally, characters in the books use "Cat-ear Church".
   • She announces not only that Eris is their savior, but they will do whatever it takes, legal or illegal, to welcome her.
   • Starting now, they will begin "Operation Unyaa-kun"!
   • The final shouts of "Unyaa" repeat so much and so loud that they shake the place until the glass breaks. No one notices.
3. [143]
   • Same day, same moment.
   • Ichika: "Oh, my, just when I can't return to Okinawa, great things are happening."
   • (not identified by name until book 3, but it's her)
   • Lying on the floor watching TV and snacking, with a pillow in one hand and a remote control in the other, lazily pulling a plate of cashews closer to her (with what? ...)
   • She's blonde with blue eyes.
   • She was up all night. In fact, for the past ten days, she's been sitting in front of the TV playing a ten-year-old video game that she recently spent a lot of money on.
   • "This is serious", she says, looking at the huge flying saucer (円盤) floating over Naha.
   • (TODO: inconsistent timing; it's the day after the ship landed, but I parsed Antonia's arena booking as a week? it makes more sense for it to be yesterday)
   • "Aliens, huh? What sort? Octopus-like?"
   • A boy shows up ("Tabito", written 旅士; Wikipedia has 旅人 for this character, so someone likely goofed...)
   • "Ah, Tabito-chin, Aloha; what did you bring me?"
   • He's upset, out of breath, and looking like he ran all the way here.
   • Tabito: You, you're...
   • He starts smacking her with a big paper fan.
   • [188] TODO: 「しばらく大人しくするとかなんとか言っておきながら、舌の根も乾かぬうちにこれかー！」
   • He yells at her, saying she's been lying to them all along, playing a bad joke.
     "What are you talking about?" "That!"
   • She looks at the TV and sees a busty redhead being photographed by reporters. The sight of her causes Ichika to reflexively touch her own head and rear, where, sure enough, she has cat-ears and a tail (used recently for pulling the plate of cashews closer...).
   • The boy is angry, and in a voice like pronouncing death by firing squad, accuses her of being an alien.
   • まぁ、やっぱりアレね。宇宙でも地球でもかーいらしーモノの基準は一つ、ってこと？ (TODO)
   • Smack with the paper fan again.

[214] Chapter 1: In the garden, she taught them to cook

1. [219]
   • Great-aunt Ushi teaches Kio and the Assistoroids how to make yakiniku. In detail.
   • Ushi's old Okinawa dialect also gets rendered with a lot of katakana. I dread the thought of a Jack/Ushi conversation...
   • At the end, Kio wonders how Eris and company are doing.
2. [255]
   • air-conditioned conference room.
   • Kuune does all the talking, smoothly handling the discussion while the humans sweat. Similar negotiation, including promising not to formally pursue the issue of Eris' kidnapping (using it as leverage for the loan).
   • The "ni" line appears to be "ni juu oku", 2 billion yen, per year, as a loan to provide them with Earth currency (backed by future trade?). She arranges for 5% to be sent to the Kakazu household to set up the embassy and provide them with spending money, and then tries to put the rest in a standard postal savings account.
   • They have to explain to her the deposit limits on that sort of account, so she has the bulk of it put into a standard account in the embassy name.
   • Basically, she deliberately left out the counter so that they'd fill it in themselves, and they were so flustered they assumed "billion". She has no real grasp of the yen's value...
   • The physical description of each catgirl includes markings on their bell to indicate department and rank.
   • Only Kuune's sizes are given: 100F-60-90. Also, 27-ish appearance (二十代半ばから後半).
   • They finish up and agree to meet again in a month, then the girls head out to the elevator.
   • TODO: しかし参ったよ……目のやり場に困る、ああいう格好は (roughly, "Damn, no safe place to look, with them in outfits like that")
   • "But weren't they wearing more on TV?" "Yes, why were they in school swimsuits and maid-fuku?"
3. [319]
   • Cool, professional Kuune loses it in embarrassment the moment the door closes. Much the same scene, with the addition that they find out Eris got the idea for the costumes from Kio's books, which Chaika finds hilarious.
   • Kuune, Dyureru, and Melwin are in sukumizu, Eris and Chaika are in maid-fuku. As in the anime, Dyureru likes the outfit, Melwin doesn't think she has the body for it. Eris reassures her she looks fine.
   • [339]
     
   • Chaika's comments are puzzling. "atsui atsui ne, ganmodoki. ... noshiika hotaruika? nikui yo nikui yo, chon-chon kono-kono". ganmodoki is deep-fried tofu with thin-sliced vegetables, noshiika and hotaruika are ways of preparing squid. chon-chon is wood clappers? She's speaking rapidly as if she memorized a tongue-twister?
   • Chaika continues sexy teasing, leading Eris to insist that she can't do that sort of thing (with Kio) when she's not in heat! Chaika says, "oh, yes we can, anytime, just like males!"
   • Melwin says, "anyway, let's change". The three bridge officers use their bells to instantly transform their clothes, and Chaika is a bit jealous.
   • TODO: do Eris and Chaika change into uniform, or stay as maids?
   • Kuune announces that the rest of them will return to the ship, leaving only Eris as the on-ground rep, to avoid any further "incidents".
   • The remaining 3,000 catgirls on the ship will be cranky about it, so as compensation, Kuune's first use of the money will be to purchase and send up fresh food.
   • Photographers are waiting outside (hence my desire to know if they're still in maid costumes...)
4. [374]
   • Manami and Aoi are waiting nearby in a van to pick them up. They're unofficial embassy employees, really volunteers because there was no money to pay them with yet. They're trying to make up for their previous behavior, with Manami in particular hoping to repair her childhood-friend relationship with Kio.
   • The nice flying car from the anime has not appeared.
   • Yun-fa is in the car with them. As will be the case with the other custom Assistoroids, his decorative accessories are all explained as special-purpose sensors, armor, or weapons.
   • As they pull away with reporters and photographers following them, an electronics-specialist Assistoroid (complete with retro-looking gear) hacks their cameras and vehicles to prevent pursuit. Once they're clear, they head for Kio's house.
   • Kuune tells them she can give them salaries now, and asks how much would be good. When Manami starts to suggest the number 15, Kuune cuts in that they only have 20 Oku (10^8), so 15 is too much. Manami has to clear up that she meant 15 Man (10^4) yen. Kuune has no grasp of how much cash she just got, so she suggests splitting 3 Oku per year between the two of them, divided into monthly payments. Yes, that's $156,000 per month, each. Manami freaks out a bit, but Aoi takes it in stride, pointing out the dangerous nature of the job.
5. [435]
   • They prefer an airtight, dark room. They don't like UV light.
   • TODO: 暗いところで謀議を巡らせるという習慣を地球に持ち込んだのは彼等であったし、紫外線は彼等にとってあまり有益なものではないからだ
   • X: The Japanese government did what?
   • (with a flap of wings, sounding shocked, and sullenly expecting an unpleasant answer)
   • Human: Naturally, with such a highly-visible, talked-about visit, they couldn't just reject them.
   • Jens(?): Failing to control the mass-media as your first move caused your failure. (初動でマスコミを抑えられなかったのも敗因ですな)
   • If this isn't Jens, it's someone else on their team who doesn't have wings.
   • X: It can't be helped; water under the bridge. We've made arrangements for our opponents in space (宇宙にいる相手に対しては手を打った). It will take some time before we see the results, but as for the problematic ones, that's to be handled by people already present in this solar system.
   • Human: You'll wipe them out?
   • X: Almost all. Your people will remove the remainder of them for us.
   • Human: ?
   • X: First, the method for that will be... (calling out) First Lieutenant Jens!
   • Jens steps forward, as pictured in the anime. Hot dog!
   • Specifically mentions the lack of a tail, removal of which is something soldiers of her race do. Not as a requirement, but as a sign of dedication.
   • The human is instructed to place all his forces under Jens' command.
   • Jens is introduced to the human for the first time. She was clearly not involved in any prior meetings with him, so either the "dog-like bark" of the speaker in book one, chapter 4 was a red herring, or this is a new human, and the one Eris beat up has been replaced. (TODO)
   • There are two winged people present, both giving orders to Jens.

[464] Chapter 2: She was dancing the mambo in the morning

1. [469]
   • Aoi is dreaming.
   • Her oldest memory: sitting on her father's lap watching a movie with him. She was very small, and didn't understand what was going on, but the singing and dancing was fun for her, and made him smile even more. This is her only memory of her gentle father.
   • My guess at the movie referenced is here.
   • Next, she remembers being dumped off at a training center by her mother. Mom says she's here because of her power. You will become a not-powerless-woman-like-me, capable of anything, omnipotent woman. (あなたのちからはそのためにあるのです。わたしのようなむりょくなおんなではなく、なんでもできる、ばんのうのおんなになるのです)
   • (bannou also means "all-purpose", which was used as the translation for the original Nuku-Nuku title, but I'm leaning towards its other meaning here)
   • Aoi cries and wants to go home, and asks for Dad.
   • Mom angrily spits out that he discarded the two of them and ran off.
   • Then she tells Aoi to go and never come back, and leaves.
   • Aoi tried to run after her, but her mother's departing figure quickly, disappeared, and finally, the door closed.
   • Her instructors were very strict, but outside of her training, she came into contact with some gentle people. (TODO [510])
   • However, "thrown away" was her sad reality, so she cried every day. Because every time she returned to her empty, lonely room, that reality was thrust on her.
   • Nearly ten years later, she leaves the training center. By then, she wouldn't cry in front of anyone. She had never seen her mother again. She now had the ability to search for her, but no desire to. She'd been thrown away. So she threw her mother away.
   • The first time she could cry again was a year later. While standing by for a mission, by chance she saw that movie again, on a hotel cable tv. It became necessary.
2. [536]
   • Aoi, awake. "A bad dream".
   • She looks around her empty, lonely room, with nothing but some simple furniture and a shelf of DVDs.
   • Deep sigh.
3. [553]
   • Antonia, pissed off at the contents of the secret Japanese government document she's gotten her hands on. She's not happy with the handling of official relations with her goddess.
   • She takes her frustrations out on Chief Maid Maya, whacking her with a big paper fan (harisen).
   • Maya cries out "forgive me mistress" repeatedly, but her face reveals that she's the sort who likes being treated that way...
   • (TODO: more detail)
4. [586]
   • Eris, drunkenly singing and dancing in anticipation of fried gyoza for breakfast.
   • She got drunk on the silver vine wine. Not just a whiff, Manami actually gave her a shot of it to drink.
   • When she tries to get more, Kio grabs the container, but unlike in the anime where she presses herself against him trying to get it back, here she tackles him and winds herself around him thoroughly. As a healthy 16-year-old boy, he has no strength to resist...
   • [645]
     
   • Otherwise the scene is much the same, except that after Doctor Dyureru shows up and has her assistoroid taser Eris, not only has Eris sobered up and forgotten everything, when they tell her how she was behaving, she doesn't believe them.
   • Eris: I love to dance, but I'd never do anything embarrassing like that sort of dancing.
   • Manami: What? In the end, you had Kio pinned down and were saying things like "I'll devour you completely".
   • E: You... you're just joking. I'm a Catian Field Surveyor. I'd never do such idiotic things!
   • Her denials are countered by Manami, Kio, and finally Dyureru, who proves it first by ordering the assistoroids to simulate how she was dancing, and having her medical assistoroid play a holo of what they saw when they walked in (using a device that looks suspiciously like an 8mm projector...).
   • Eris goes pale as she sees the whole thing, ending up throwing herself to the ground and apologizing at length: ごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさいごめんなさい！...
   • The "toothpicks" Dyureru habitually has in her mouth are nicotine sticks. The lab coat is something she bought on Earth.
5. [731]
   • Aoi, in her new place, lined with shelves stuffed with DVDs, movie magazines, and soundtracks, unpacks a large box containing her new custom assistoroids.
   • The "black cat" delivery service was added for the anime.
   • Otherwise this is much the same, including her failing to read ahead about the consequences of giving orders her new friends can't obey.
6. [766]
   • Eris is still apologizing.
   • Dyureru explains the real cause of how a single drink sent Eris into orbit: she's coming up on her first heat. And isn't it nice that unlike most girls, you won't have to rely on a simulation device (lit: 疑似体験 装置) your first time, you have a partner!
   • Same dialogue for the rest, ending right before Eris asks Dyureru why she came by today.

[819] Chapter 3: Riding an airplane was terrible

1. [824]
   • On the 8:05am flight from Naha to Tokyo Haneda Airport, something rarely seen in the world was trotting down the aisle. "Mama, new p_k_m_n!" The little girl waves at them, the two assistoroids wave back. Big hit with the kids on board.
   • Basically identical scene, including the friendly confrontation with the stewardesses, ending with giving the assistoroids their own seats.
2. [874]
   • Flashback to the afternoon of the day of "the fried gyoza dance" incident.
   • Eris announces that at the request of the Science Research Group on the ship, she wants to fly to Tokyo.
   • someone: Why don't they come down themselves?
   • Eris: Well, there's 200 of them; it would be unwise if they came down all at once, don't you think? And I'm the resident explorer.
   • Aoi: It'll be dangerous. Like walking blindfolded in a minefield.
   • Eris: It's safer to stay in Okinawa, but in addition to investigating Tokyo, it serves a second purpose: a demonstration. It says "We can co-exist peacefully".
   • Basically, the negotiations have been bogging down, so this is also a bit of prodding.
   • Aoi: So what will you be investigating?
   • Eris: Cultural level, news and financial relationships, science and technology.
   • Aoi: In concrete terms?
   • Eris: Buying lots of toys and manga!
   • Aoi and Manami exchange looks, thinking about the likely reaction to an alien buying up a mountain of otaku goods.
   • Same line about luxury goods not revealing as much about a culture as cheap, mass-produced items.
   • Aoi: Pretty basic stuff, as far as cultural level goes.
   • Eris: Oh, I think that their interest developed after I sent up the stuff I borrowed from Kio's room. ([909] TODO)
   • Aoi: Oh, what stuff?
   • Eris: Weekly manga magazines, figures, and...
   • (looks over at Kio and ducks her head a bit)
   • Eris: ...from under Kio's bed...
   • Sudden panic from the previously silent, very interested Kio, as he turns beet-red. Then Manami puts him in a headlock and demands to know what sort of books he keeps under his bed.
   • Kio: No gay porn, no bondage, nothing kinky!
   • Eris: I was happy that it seems Kio likes big ones!
   • Manami and Aoi touch their own chests, and their eyes get cold.
3. [934]
   • Aoi sighs: ...I wonder if Kakazu-kun really prefers big ones.
   • Manami: Looks that way.
   • Manami reflects on her peculiar classmate and partner, thinking about the sort of closed-off life she must have had, and how little she knows about her. (TODO)
4. [952]
   • Manami: By the way, Futaba-san, what sort of music do you like?
   • Aoi reflects on her partner, and decides not to blow her off in her usual way, but is embarrassed to admit she's a movie otaku.
   • Aoi: Old songs, ballads, movie songs...
   • M: Retro, huh?
   • A: And you, Kinjou-san?
   • M: Oh, ordinary J-pop and such.
   • (TODO: a bit more about the current tentative level of their friendship)
5. [980]
   • Jens looks at the blinking dot on her compact-shaped radar device. Very close.
   • She's on a military-owned executive jet.
   • Jens: I could fire a missile from here, but I suppose it's too soon. Too flashy... better to make them vanish somewhere farther away, with no one around.
   • A thin, cold smile.
   • [998]
     
6. [990]
   • As the plane lands, and all the passengers leave, the flight attendants and cleaning crew are a bit concerned. Someone's still in one of the bathrooms.
   • Typing out a message on a cell-phone, as fast as a schoolgirl, someone is sending email somewhere. The long, excited message is revised and corrected again and again, and finally is down to one sentence:
   • "Target Tokyo arrival, accompanying 1 boy, 2 girls, 2 robots (← extremely pretty!)" (lit: 激プリティ！)
7. [1005]
   • The gang makes their way through the airport, with the assistoroids leading the way. Yeah, they stand out. Anticipating this, Kio and Manami are in sunglasses and a mask.
   • Back-and-forth between them about taking the last flight on a Friday, with Manami insisting that it was a good way to dodge the media ([1012] TODO), and besides, who's paying for this trip?
   • Apparently the bank transfer from the Japanese government will take a week to arrive, so Manami cleaned out her savings to pay for the tickets. Kio first tried getting money from Uncle Yuuichi and his parents.
   • They start to head for the exit with their carry-on luggage, but Aoi tells them to wait. She checked a bag.
   • Eris is of course interested in everything, so comes over to watch the luggage conveyor.
   • Sure enough, Aoi's assistoroids show up wrapped in clear plastic bags. (this is important later...)

[1035] Chapter 4: Manami suffered the most

(lit: 真奈美が一番ご苦労だった)

1. [1040]
   • Manami explains to Eris how the exit gates at train stations work, using Suica cards. Kio comments on how convenient they are, which leads Manami to call him a hick.
   • Kio: Wait, doesn't the same apply to you?
   • Manami (very loosely): No, hick is a state of mind. (lit: その心根と知識の問題なの)
   • Manami takes charge, herding her charges toward their destination.
2. [1066]
   • Aoi envies Manami's casual familiarity with Kio, watching her poke and prod to hurry him along. She briefly visualizes herself in Manami's place, then shakes the image out of her head. The thought makes her so happy she could cry.
   • Her assistoroids tug at her skirt and give her a worried look (which she somehow feels, despite their expressionless faces). She tells them she's fine, and asks them to keep watch.
3. [1079]
   • They reach the Nakano Broadway building, and Manami suggests starting at the top and working their way down.
   • With a cheery "here we go!", they enter the place known as "The Four-Story Den of Thieves" (四階建ての魔窟).
   • Kio and Manami think the place feels familiar, and finally realize that it reminds them of the basement shops in the International Shopping Center that was torn down in their hometown five years earlier. Except that that place had become a scary hangout for delinquents.
   • They enter the first shop and Eris starts reading off the list of specific items she wants, while the assistoroids wander around exploring.
   • While looking around, the clerk asks Eris if her costume is cosplay, and when she starts to tell the truth, Manami cuts in and agrees, claiming that they're doing a promotion for a space game. She grabs Eris by the arm and an assistoroid by the ear and drags them outside, scolding her for breaking her promise about not carelessly revealing she's an alien, then scolds the assistoroids for wandering around. They hang their heads and give her their "contemplation" pose.
   • Of course, dragging them out in the hall backfires, since this attracts the attention of excitable schoolgirls who adore the little robots. "Kawaiii!", "Where did you get them?", "How much?", "Are they available yet?"
   • A frantic Manami fumbles her way through her cover story about a special promotion by the maker, while the schoolgirls squat down and start taking pictures.
   • Then one of them asks for a picture of Eris holding the assistoroids. In the middle of all this, frantic Manami suddenly wonders where Kio and Aoi got to.
   • [1146]
     
   • She drags Kio away from a used-video-game shop by the ear, scolding him for treating this like a sightseeing trip. They're here to serve as Eris' escorts and negotiators. "But that was a real PC-FX..."
   • Manami: Now, to keep Eris out of trouble, we're advance salesmen for those robots, and she's the campaign girl, got it?
   • She then looks for Aoi, thinking she must have found a good observation post. Not seeing her, she calls Aoi's assistoroids over, and asks them. They grab the hem of her skirt and lead her around the corner.
   • She finds Aoi with an earnest look on her face... in a DVD shop, with box sets in each hand. Same scene.
4. [1189]
   • Manami: Ah-ha! She's a movie nut!
   • Thinking back over their conversation on the plane, she comes back around the corner, and realizes that Kio and Eris have disappeared. "This is like some kind of fishing enthusiast's journal, or a Kubozuka film... or maybe a Godzilla movie!"
   • As she grumbles, she pulls out her cellphone.
5. [1201]
   • Aoi right after Manami left. Sigh. Chiba-chan tugs at her skirt, and the two indicate that they want her to buy them a box set of a series about Yagyuu Jubei, in which the actor is the model for Chiba-chan's look.
   • Aoi sighs that she'll be glad when it's next week (payday!).
6. [1225]
   • Eris and Kio, gawking and talking. Very different from her sort of shopping malls.
   • Eris points out a particular store and asks if it's a church. Kio explains it's an occult shop. He then has to explain about superstitions, good-luck charms, etc.
   • They walk and talk, with assistoroids underfoot, failing to notice the crowd they're gathering.
7. [1241]
   • Manami is on the phone with her mom. Mom calls Yun-fa to the phone for her. Unable to speak, he replies to her by tapping on the phone.
   • She says the others aren't sufficient, so can he please come join her.
   • Mom asks Yun-fa what Manami wanted, and he pulls out a small signboard and magic marker and crudely writes "going to Tokyo for a bit". She asks if he'll be okay, and he nods.
   • This is the first time their signboards appear in the novels.
8. [1262]
   • Yun-fa teleports to Manami. Fortunately, no one notices, either because he's so small or because of the crowd Eris is gathering somewhere.
   • She asks him to find Eris, stick by her side, and protect her.
   • He writes a question, "is it okay to shoot?", and she says no. He shows her his gun and special ammo, to reassure her it's as safe as their hammers.
   • Feeling a headache coming on, she goes looking for Kio, but is immediately distracted by a model gun shop. Same scene.
9. [1307]
   • Kio and Eris are actually still together, in a used-toy store on the second floor, working through her list. He's making sure she gets receipts.
   • Eris calls him over, and asks "aren't we the first aliens to reach Earth?", pointing out sexy catgirl figurines. He tries to fumble out an answer, and then she remembers that the members of Beautiful Contact seemed to be familiar with her shape as well.
   • Kio gives up and says he'll explain later.
   • Then another customer asks Eris what marketing campaign she's with, and Kio scrambles to intervene with Manami's cover story, meanwhile frantically looking around for her.
   • Someone asks if he can take pictures, which sets off other people, and suddenly everyone's whipping out cameras, cellphones, and disposable cameras.
   • Before he can come up with an answer, Aoi appears out of nowhere, and smoothly says that this would inconvenience the shopkeeper, and says there will be an exhibition the next day in Akihabara, so please take pictures there instead.
   • Some of them start to protest, but they see something in her eyes that makes them back off and turn away.
   • She takes their hands, and sounding like Manami, herds them to their next destination.
10. [1363]
    • Finally making it out of the building, the humans heave a weary sigh.
    • They all have just enough money left for food and transportation home, with Manami having to hit an ATM.
    • Eris: This place is amazing! Let's come again!
    • The others wearily exchange glances.
    • "A place that should be feared, Nakano Broadway."

[1375] Chapter 5: The train was delayed

1. [1380]
   • After shipping all their packages home, the gang finally heads off to Nakano Station.
   • Only Eris and the assistoroids are still cheerful, with the rest wiped out from the ordeal.
   • As they reach the platform, Aoi tenses up and realizes something's wrong; some sort of magic has been used to keep other people away. Same basic scene, but without the initial chit-chat about having spent too much at Nakano.
   • She asks if Manami is armed, and in response, Manami pulls her Beretta out of a secret compartment in her bag.
   • Aoi is described as suddenly vanishing from sight before sending the others ahead on the train (不意にアオイの気配は消え), with Manami looking around and not seeing her. No explanation this time, but it happens again soon.
2. [1416]
   • Jens: a spiritual barrier?
   • Same scene, with additional speculation as to who the third player entering the game might be. Not Russia, maybe EU?
   • Engineer: If so, we should have received some sort of notice from England.
   • TODO [1429] 英国紳士どもの考えは皮肉が過ぎるし、意地が悪いわ…
   • Jens: That country's always preferred cats to dogs.
3. [1434]
   • Kio notices that Aoi is missing, Manami says she had something to do and will catch up at Hamamatsu station. Eris catches on that something's up, and quietly alerts her assistoroids.
   • Together, they follow Kio onto the train.
4. [1453]
   • Aoi follows four salaryman-types down the stairs, quickly ducking into a bathroom. Flipping up her skirt, the black garter-belt-style holster stands out against her long, slender, tensed white thighs.
   • In the holster, a five-shot Chief's Special, that she'd had her assistoroids smuggle through the airport.
   • She doesn't draw the gun, but rather the yawara-style stick next to it.
   • She also has a full-auto Glock in a hidden compartment of her bag, that she can retrieve with her apporting power, but since quitting the Immigration Bureau, she tries to avoid bloodshed.
   • She glides past the station attendant without him giving her so much as a glance. (TODO [1465]) Using some sort of Taoist no-mind technique to avoid notice.
5. [1469]
   • The one-eyed maid (Sara, not named yet) reports that Megane has taken the bait. Chibisuke-tachi, Short, and Omake are still with the target.
   • "Ending Phase 2, starting Phase 3"; she signals to the other maids with her, and they all check their weapons.
6. [1479]
   • Aoi stabs the rearmost salaryman-type in the back of the neck, and he turns to paper. She looks around, and the other three have also become paper.
   • From somewhere, she hears a listless voice say "Looks like my task is finished", probably a hired Taoist mage. "Nice meeting you, Bad-luck Momiji; see ya!"
   • In that instant, the spell is lifted, and she hears an announcment that their train has been delayed to to receipt of an emergency stop signal.
   • Then, what was that train Kio and the others boarded, she wonders.
7. [1495]
   • As the door closes behind them on the empty train car, Manami gets an intensely uncomfortable feeling. By then the train had already left the platform.
   • She tells the assistoroids to watch out, and pulls out her Beretta. They draw their guns, swords, and hammers, and surround Kio and Eris.
   • Kio: what's wrong?
   • Manami: there are no ads inside this train.
   • Suddenly smoke pours out from under the seats, then the seats open to reveal large gun barrels.
8. [1518]
   • Aoi realizes she's too late to get back to the platform, and heads for the exit.
   • A group of bikers hits on her, inviting her to climb aboard their cool bikes. Naturally, she steals one. The owner's only reward is a quick flash of her long white legs and blue panties as she mounts up.
   • She guns the engine and heads back inside the station, flipping her Suica card at the reader as she jumps the gate.
   • She races toward the platform and drops onto the tracks, chasing the far-off train.
9. [1548]
   • Back on the train, the large gun barrels turn out to be "gum-stun-gun" launchers. The opponents who'd been hiding inside all of the seats all fire at once, hitting Manami once in the shoulder, somersaulting her onto her back. It hits her hard enough to make her see stars, and she drops her gun.
   • She yells to Yun-fa to go after Eris and Kio, then spots her gun, and when she goes after it, a rustling sound like a large piece of paper being crumpled is heard.
10. [1559]
    • Aoi races down the tracks, catching up with the train, only to discover the rear car has been uncoupled.
    • She calls out to Kio and Manami, and Manami manages to tear herself from where she's glued to the floor. "We're fine, go after them"
11. [1573]
    • Glued to the floor along with the assistoroids, Manami reflects on how easily she was taken out. As she pulls them all free, she thinks to herself that she's just an amateur, and it's all up to Aoi now.
    • TODO [1575]
12. [1586]
    • Aoi catches up to the train, and the heavily-armed maids start shooting at her with sub-machine guns. Much the same scene, with the addition that she first shoots out the connection to the electrical rail, expecting that to stop the train.
    • Before Aoi has time to say anything, Sara uses one of the gum-stun-gun launchers to knock her out the back of the train.
    • [1615]
      
    • In the anime, she picks herself up after the train is gone, but here, she manages to get back to her feet with gun in hand, only to see it move out of range.
    • Without bothering to fix her glasses or check herself for injuries (of which there are none, because she's Bad-luck Momiji)...
    • However, as soon as she tries to walk, she staggers to the side of the tunnel, leans a hand against it, and vomits. And cries.
    • After, she walks back to the bike and heads out. "I must go after them."

[1633] Chapter 6: The two of them were still held prisoner

1. [1638]
   • When Eris is away from the Embassy (Kio's house), her boss Chaika comes down from the ship to substitute for her.
   • Primarily covering for her subordinate, but big-hearted, adventurous Chaika really enjoys house-sitting for her. (TODO [1640])
   • Eating cookies (タンナックルー, another "hey, we're in Okinawa" thing) and watching TV, Chaika signals to her assistoroid to refill her tea. This is her personal one, blue to match her uniform.
   • She answers the phone, and Aoi reports the situation. She explains that without a treaty in place, she can't intervene; Eris has to act on her own.
2. [1662]
   • Aoi's PoV of the conversation, as she walks quickly down an alley; she says she knew that, but wants to make sure she and Manami can rescue her.
   • No request for delivery of the electronics-specialist assistoroid, and of course Yun-fa is already there as well.
   • Aoi shooting open the hidden weapons depot is the same, including her "things are going to get rough" line, but here, her shot destroys the lock and sets off alarms rather than just acting as a key.
3. [1678]
   • Eris wakes up, still a bit fuddled. She remembers shopping, then going to the station, then, "oh, right, were we kidnapped?"
   • She looks over and sees that Kio is okay, then sort-of thinks for a moment (ぽやぽやする頭で考え), and nods.
   • "I'll sleep a little longer", she decides, lies back down, hugs Kio like her favorite stuffed animal, and closes her eyes. Her tail briefly sways happily, then lowers to the bed as she falls asleep.
   • She doesn't notice the hidden cameras recording the scene.
4. [1696]
   • The main office for the Immigration Bureau is in Minato-ku, but the special branch is run out of Shibuya. As the sun goes down, some of the employees start packing up to head home for the night, some who have to work longer are calling for takeout dinners.
   • Suddenly, the scene changes completely. The entrance door opens, and something walks up to the desk, then suddenly jumps up onto it. It's Yun-fa, described in detail as if seen for the first time. The response he provokes is less shock and awe than happiness. "Kawaiiiiii"
   • This changes when he pulls out a gun, summons his holographic pigeons, aims at a window, and shoots. The window and the wall around it vanish.
   • They catch on that the charming little mechanical doll is actually an alien robot.
   • Gun at the ready, looking around vigilantly, Yun-fa pulls out a cellphone with his left hand and holds it up, set to speaker mode. A girl's voice comes out.
   • Aoi: Hello, everyone, Aoi Futaba here, currently working as a bodyguard for the Catians.
   • Someone mutters, "Bad-luck Momiji".
   • Yun-fa turns to face that person as Aoi confirms his identification. He cringes.
   • She tells them that the person she's guarding was kidnapped by someone, and that no one could have gotten that phony train car into the station without help from the government, and she *very* politely asks for the identity of the kidnappers.
   • They try to talk their way out of it, but she says that if they don't tell her, she'll judge them to be her enemies. When someone asks what she'll do, she says she'll have Yun-fa get violent. "If you think about what his previous shot did... how about it?"
   • They look at the hole, and at the assistoroid menacingly waving his gun around, clearly understanding the "got plenty of bullets left" look he gives them. They realize he could pull the building down on top of them.
   • The boss finally breaks.
5. [1744]
   • Yun-fa leaves the building, knocks on the door of a nearby van, and is lifted inside by Manami. Patting him on the head and thanking him, she asks Aoi what their next move is.
   • Not much space for all of them in the van, since it's stuffed with weapons.
   • Aoi: Now we go shopping.
   • They pool their remaining cash (not much) (TODO [1753]).
   • M: Will it be enough?
   • A: I don't know, but it's necessary. Also, please contact Okinawa and report on the situation, and have them send the electronics-specialist assistoroid.
   • [1757]
     
6. [1764]
   • Reaction shots of Cat-ear Church members around the world watching the hidden-camera footage of Eris ("they're real, they're real", "the ears moved", "a tail, a tail", "it's moooooving").
   • Much shorter dialogue from Antonia after her first line about Eris falling asleep), but to the same effect.
   • Antonia: After she wakes, we'll force the whole world to revere her, unyaa!
   • Their reaction is the "Unyaa" heard 'round the world.
7. [1789]
   • "Cat-ear Church?", asks Jens, raising a well-shaped eyebrow, her habit when hearing unpleasant news.
   • Informed of the location of the Kio/Eris kidnappers, her fully-stocked-with-electronics command car heads to that location.
   • DIA agent: They have a lot of names, but that's what we call them.
   • TODO [1793]
   • Jens: I don't believe it. They prayed to cats in Ancient Egypt, but (this group) is worshipping the ears and tail. Fetishists? (lit: 切片淫楽症というやつ)
8. [1798]
   • Manami: They're what?!?
   • Aoi: A religious organization that's been rapidly spreading its influence over the past twenty years or so... no, semi-religious.
   • Aoi, driving, also has a complicated look on her face (lit: アオイの顔も、少々複雑だ)
   • The sun begins to set.
9. [1806]
   • There are two kinds of people in the world, cat-lovers and dog-lovers.
   • Dogs and cats have both been humanity's friends for thousands of years, but blah blah blah. Honestly, this lengthy bit of exposition had me nodding off.
   • The secret origin of Underside of Kitten Paw: Ancient Egypt, Crowley and The Golden Dawn, Hugh Hefner, and finally, the global distribution of anime.
   • TODO sometime when I have the patience.
10. [1824]
    • Manami: That's amazing.
    • Aoi: Yes. ...(TODO)... At any rate, with their economic power, they're definitely tougher opponents than Beautiful Contact was. To make it worse, the place Kio/Eris were taken to is a floating fortress. See that ship out there?
    • Aoi describes the ship, ending with the name, Andoroura (official anime rendering Androala; no idea what it's supposed to mean).
    • Note that the "gou" heard after it is 号, "designation"; at least one translator misheard it as part of the name.
    • The infodump that Jack delivered in the anime is just exposition here, with the additional information that Antonia's grandfather set up his financial empire as an independent nation, so that she's a girl without a country, traveling the high seas paying taxes to no one.
    • The scene ends the same way, with Aoi revealing their destination.

[more soon]

[placeholder! I was going to finish up my notes and post them Sunday, but after an annoying Saturday involving a 70-mile drive to cannibalize my personal file server to replace the power supply in one that our execs rely on, I'd rather get started on book 3. Significant differences between book and anime: Ichika is introduced and revealed as an earth-born catgirl, First Lieutenant Jens receives her orders in person, Aoi's past is revealed (from her point of view; you don't find out the real truth until much later in the series), Hugh Hefner is credited as paving the way for the modern catgirl, and Kio gets some surprising assistance when he rescues Aoi.]