Dagashi Kashi (だがしかし)

Say, Coconuts...

Hm?

There's something that I've been wanting to tell you all this time.

What is it?

You may not have noticed since you're so dense,

so I'm just gonna be bold and spit it out.

Why...

"Ice"

...is your shop...

...so...

"Shikada Dagashi"

...run down like this?

It's been...

...three months since then.

"Shikada Dagashi"

"Look after the shop. Thanks! Your father"

Kokonotsu! I'm leaving the rest to you!

Damn you, dad!

I feel like eating some good food.

Curry... Sushi... Ton-Tonkatsu...

F-For some reason, I feel like I said something that would summon Hotaru.

Summoning... Right, like a summoning spell.

Yeah...

H... Hotaru!

Thank you for wait--

You said it... Kokonotsu.

You came running?! And you were pushing yourself to act cool?!

Ramune after a sprint really hits the spot.

Why did you have to hurry like that?

Tee-hee-hee... hee!

The time has finally come!

I thought of making it "today's theme" so many times,

but then I would think, "Maybe this isn't the right time."

So I've refrained from using it all this time.

But today, you yourself have summoned it, Kokonotsu!

It's a legend in the deep-fried dagashi world!

It's the king of deep-fried foods wearing a gold-colored coat!

"Big Katsu" "Special Sauce Flavor"

It's Big Katsu!

Big Katsu? Katsu...?

"Magic Word"

So... "tonkatsu" is the magic word to summon her, huh?

Seriously... I've been anxiously waiting for you to finally say that word.

"Anxious"

Why did you have to wait for me to say it?

So...!

"Big Katsu"

Well... You know... I just figured that this is kind of my thing, so...

"Ho"

Hm? Why are you acting embarrassed? Did you bring that rice bowl yourself?

At any rate, Big Katsu, huh?

Tonkatsu was what I--

Big Katsu... Tonkatsu...

Hotaru...

Hm?

Big Katsu isn't made of pork, is it...? It's fish.

It's tonkatsu style!

It's a style, Kokonotsu!

A-Ahh... Y-You're hurting me.

"Ice"

That being said...

...in order to discuss it, I have to talk about the secret origins of Big Katsu.

Secret origins?!

The truth is, Kokonotsu, Big Katsu started with...

...squids!

Squids?!

The company that started it was developing a product using squid as the main ingredient,

"Suguru" "President" "Employees"

"Processed Squids"

but they had a tough time because they couldn't find any suppliers.

"Suppliers" "President" "Employees"

Um...

But they didn't give up!

This time, they set their eyes on fish instead and developed these!

"Amatarakko Dried Squid Flavor" "Ika Ajiten"

"Amatarakko Dried Squid Flavor"

They made sheets from ground fish and soaked them in a sauce.

That's Amatarakko, sweet dried squid style.

"Ika Ajiten"

And this is Ika Ajiten, the deep-fried one without any sauce!

Um, Hotaru...?

They're both wonderful and I love them!

But... the developers weren't satisfied, thinking,

"What can we do to surpass the taste of real squids?!"

Hm?

What is it?

Well, they were trying to surpass dried squid with dried squid style dagashi?

Yes, that's right.

"Employees"

Their hardship continued. Even on a rainy day or a windy day.

Even when it was painful and tears welled up in their eyes...

...they never gave up...

"President" "Employees"

...in order to aim for even greater heights!

"Employees"

"Employees" "President"

And...

And...?

"Ho"

...they thought tonkatsu might be good, so that's how Big Katsu was born.

What?!

"Ho" "Big Katsu"

Why?!

Oh? You have an issue with that?