Episode 2: Alien & Violence Cosmic Bath

The episode opens with a “management meeting” led by Kotomi, the bathhouse’s owner and manager. The staff (Kotomi, Mr. Yoshioka and Momo Enoshima) and residents (Mayuko and NieA) are all present, even if NieA seems to be attending mostly because of the free snacks. This irks Mayuko, but Kotomi says that she accepts help from anyone.

Kotomi explains that if the bathhouse has been operating in the red for several months, and that this needs to change before the situation gets desperate. Mr. Yoshioka doesn’t think the situation can be that grim because the bathhouse has many regular costumers. Kotomi retorts that there aren’t enough of them to keep the place open in the long term. She believes the bathhouse needs “renewal,” something that can be used to draw in new customers. The biggest hurdle, however, is that there are no funds to spend on actually making changes and improvements to the bathhouse, particularly with the repairs that need to be made to Mayuko’s room.

As the brainstorming for ideas stats, Mr. Yoshioka mentions that he’s heard rumors about a strange flammable substance that is bubbling to the surface within the Crater near town and that he had been thinking about investigating for use in the boiler. When NieA states that she has also heard about this “oil,” Mr. Yoshioka is certain that with her help he’ll be able to locate its source. Kotomi is initially hesitant to use a mysterious alien oil in her boilers, but when she hits upon the name “Enohana Cosmic Bath,” she changes her mind. While she knows most people no longer find the aliens interesting, she suspects that a bath heated with “cosmic oils” will bring the “UFO freaks” in droves. Mayuko shudders at the thought of the bathhouse becoming the center of UFO mania, but she offers no arguments when Kotomi volunteers her for the “mysterious oil retrieval team.”

Later that morning, Mr. Yoshioka, Mayuko, and NieA head for the Enohana Crater. They are bringing a container-laden pushcart and bento (boxed lunches) provided by Kotomi, the latter offered partly as a bribe for NieA and partly in recognition of the extra effort that Yoshioka and Mayuko are putting forth. While keeping the lunch safe from NieA, Yoshioka and Mayuko talk about how long he has worked at the bathhouse, and how nice Kotomi is. Yoshioka reveals that she has been coming to the bathhouse since her college days.

When the trio reaches the Crater, NieA reveals that she doesn’t even know where to begin to look for the mysterious fuel. The expedition seems like it might be even further derailed when NieA is once again taunted by alien children; but rather than ignoring them like she did the day before, she retaliates by destroying a mud-castle they were making. Before the situation gets too out of hand, an elderly alien points the group in the right direction and they head into the forest beyond the Under Alien village.

The forest is a curious mix of earth and alien vegetation and insect life. The expedition is going peaceful enough, except for NieA teasing Yoshioka about his crush on Kotomi. Yoshioka and the young alien are so engaged in their exchange that they initially don’t notice that one of the forest’s otherworldly dangers--massive, animated flesh-eating vine-pods--have crept up on them and swallowed Mayuoko. She manages to cry for help, however, and Yoshioka leaps into action with a battle cry. A few swift strokes of his machete later, Mayuko is safe.

Back at the bathhouse, Momo Enoshima and Kotomi are having lunch. Kotomi wonders if the expedition is going well.

Meanwhile, deep within the forest, the members of expedition find themselves on the shores of a small lake. Mayuko is impressed by the beauty and fresh air found here, but NieA grumps that fresh air won’t fill her empty stomach and starts demanding to eat the bento. She leaps into the shallow lake and splashes water at the two humans while chanting “bento, bento, bento!” Mayuko wades into the water as well to engage NieA on her own terms.

Chuckling over the girls’ behavior, Yoshioka decides that now is a good time to take a lunch break and takes out his pipe, intending to enjoy a good smoke before his meal. But, as soon as he lights it, the fire leaps from the pipe to his sleeve where NieA splashed him--the “water” of the lake is actually the mysterious alien oil the trio has sought. Yoshioka doesn’t realize this, however, and is about to leap into the lake to put out his burning arm. Mayuko rushes forward to stop him and the seat of her soaked jeans catch fire. The two run in circles, panicking, until NieA trips them and sprays them with a mouthful of water from a canteen.

NieA declares she gets all the bento because she saved Yoshioka and Mayuko. If either of the other two were going to object, they don’t have the opportunity, because that is the moment another one of the alien plants choose to attack. It strikes, knocking NieA aside and swallowing all three bento boxes, digesting them in seconds and spitting out the empty containers. NieA and Yoshioka are both seized with a savage rage--NieA over being denied food and Yoshioka over being denied his beloved Kotomi’s handmade bento. The plant doesn’t have a chance and it is soon reduced to tiny bits. Yoshioka is on the verge of sinking into a depression, but then he notices a fragrance coming from a piece of the plant. Subsequently, when the team returns from the forest, they are not only carrying gallons of the alien oil but also buckets of plant parts. Yoshioka discovers that his instinct in the forest was correct: the alien plant gives off a unique and wonderful fragrance when burned with the alien fuel. He has created his most elaborate flammable concoction yet!

The next day, the signs announcing the special “Enohana Cosmic Bath” bring in a rush of new customers, much to Kotomi’s delight. After the baths close for the day, Mayuko is once again scrubbing the floors, thinking happily that things are looking up for everyone. But then there is a strange rumble and a whole clutch of flesh-eating plants burst from the floor. Mayuko almost becomes plant-food, but Yoshioka once again saves her.

By the next morning, the entire bathhouse is overgrown by alien vines, and heavy machinery is brought in to remove them. Even though this is a major setback to the finances of the bathhouse, Kotomi remains optimistic and energetic--despite a momentary flash of anger over Yoshioka’s continued pride in his flammable concoction of alien fuel and plant parts. Mayuko is impressed with Kotomi’s tireless devotion both to the bathhouse and her job as a television producer, and wonders if she will find something that will inspire that sort of energy in her.