Q10 Episode 2

I know many are anxiously waiting for this recap. Sorry but English subbed Q10 videos are really hard to search out these past weeks.

Episode 2

For some, the day starts like any other regular school day, but not for Heita. His school life has become insanely bizarre… all bcoz of this humanoid named Q10.

Sensei Ogawa fretfully informs Heita that Nakao (one of their classmates) is stalking Q10. And that is a lurking problem. When Nakao continues to prowls around her like a fly, he might find out she’s a robot! Heita finds it absurd. Nakao is a certified otaku. He will never like girls. Sensei is cautious. They can’t be too certain and he’s counting on Heita to take care of it!

Heita investigates on the matter at hand. And in doing so, he sneakily reads Nakao’s doodles.

Into the sluggish, endless everyday

Suddenly something sparkling has appeared.

Always, we strive frantically to grasp that which shines

But if we hold it, for a moment we’ll only return,

Once again, to a meaningless classroom.

Heita relays his findings to Kubo, who confidently concludes it is love. Thinking about it, Kubo dreamily remarks that he should have done it too. It doesn’t matter with whom as long as they could walk together at night while holding hands, making that moment a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Obviously, Heita is devoid of any romantic inclinations as he rudely comments that Kubo’s idea of dating is lame. If he were to date, he’ll do something more normal, like watching movies together and laughing until they cry. He then imagines himself having a date with Q10. And that unexpected, spontaneous mind’s eye got him really, really confused.

Kubo  continues to be wishful. He should have gone on a date. At least, when the surgery fails, he can still say it’s alright. Heita asks if it’s really that important. Kubo: “Something that ties you to this world is a big thing”.

On the way home, Heita ponders on things. Is love really something that ties me to this world? Finally, he understands.

Meet Yamamoto,  a fellow classmate and a secret all-girl rock band guitarist. One day, she dyes her trademark red hair in black, which pretty much surprises everybody.

She accidentally drops a guitar pick. Q10 picks it up and believes it’s a fish scale from Little Mermaid. Q10 walks towards Yamamoto and innocently asks  if she had fallen in love with a human. Heita goes gaga and drags Q10 far, far away.

Far, far away is at the school’s rooftop. Q10 gets some scolding. Heita angrily tells her that Yamamoto isn’t a mermaid. She’s human from head to toe. The pick isn’t a scale but a plastic used to strum guitars. But Q10 believes otherwise. Yamamoto is a mermaid just like in the book (Little Mermaid). Heita insists that the book is a lie. Mermaids doesn’t exist. Sometines, books are made up of lies.! Q10: “Why? For what purpose do humans lie?”

Q10 is still bothered about the Little Mermaid issue. She finds it weird that Little Mermaid chose to live on land and leave behind the comforts she had at sea. Thankfully, she finds some light from Yanagi and Makoto (from Episode 1).

Yanagi explains that Little Mermaid was just too infatuated that she sacrificed everything to be with the man she loves. Q10 asks what infatuation means. Yanagi answers it’s a human condition wherein a person can’t eat or sleep. Q10 asks again if that’s a bad thing. Makoto chips in and says that though it looks bad, being infatuated is still important to keep people going. It’s one of the reasons why people give their best.

The new learning kept Q10 busy. She goes around and asks people if they are infatuated.  Of course, Heita won’t be exempted.

Heita, with Q10, secretly follows Nakao after school. While they were busy hiding, Q10 asks if Heita is infatuated with Nakao. And he absent-mindedly answers yes. Haha!

Heita ends up having a haircut with Nakao. Eventually, he figures that Nakao is interested with Q10 bcoz she looks exactly like Luna, an manga character. Now busted, Nakao runs off speedily. Heita, on the other hand, is forced to get a new hairdo!

After the hair make over, Heita went to a bookstore to further investigates on the manga Nakao was reading. There, he runs into Kawai (a classmate). And the most awkward thing happens. As she saw him, she looks overly stunned, shocked, mesmerized! Without saying a word, she dashes off, leaving a befuddled Heita behind.

All the while, Q10 follows Yamamoto to a concert hall.

Heita went home and just like Kawai, his mom and sister goes in a frenzy when they saw him. Ahh, so we know it’s bcoz his new hairdo made him an instant Hajime-look-alike (a famous teen idol). When he declares that he’ll just return to his old hairstyle, Mom and Sister becomes intensely violent. Haha!

The concert ends and Yamamoto left with her rock star boyfriend, Chaca. When alone, a group of jealous “fans” came to give Yamamoto a good beating. And while they were at it, Yamamoto happens to look up and see Chaca just staring at them. Ouch!

And Q10 appears, blocking the kicks and punches. She waves white flags (literally) which freaked out the girls. Q10: “You can’t continue hurting a person once he surrenders. That is a rule”. She asks if Yamamoto’s okay. Hurt and disappointed, Yamamoto mutters she wants to die. Q10 gives back her guitar pick. Q10: “Is this the place you could go on living?”

The next morning, Heita thinks on how to put a stop on Nakao’s blind affections. It’s funny how he’s doing everything for Q10 and she’s totally oblivious.

In the end, Heita claims that Q10 is his girlfriend. Though saddened, Nakao assures he understands. In facy, he doesn’t really like Q10 but Luna. Seeing Nakao’s heartbreaking expression, Heita asks if having a date with Q10 is enough to become a once-in-a-lifetime memory for him. Nakao is overjoyed and excitedly answers yes. He wouldn’t even mind paying Heita 30 million yen!

Heita is baffled. He has that much money? Of course, he hasn’t. He’ll be paying on installment basis after he gets a job! Haha! Heita is amazed. Just for a walk, he’ll spend as much? Nakao raises the stakes and offers 40 million yen instead. Heita is convinced. He’ll agree to it if Nakao will never follow Q10 again. Nakao is so happy that he gets a nosebleed. Haha! In exchange for the favor, he gives Heita a miniature version of Luna.

It turns out Kawai is Hajime fanatic. She desperately begs Heita to take some pictures with her, wearing the Hajime hairstyle.

And while they’re at the photo-booth, Kageyama sees them. Now, Kageyama has a major crush on Kawai and thus, he gets jealous seeing them together. Heita tries to reason out, saying that he just looks like the famous teen star she admires. Bit Kageyama is already down in the dumps.

Kawai talks privately with Kageyama. She earnestly requests that he keep her secret of being an idol fanatic under wraps. She has a reputation to live up to and she’s afraid people won’t understand. Kageyama, however, sympathizes with her. He understands bcoz he is also struggling from same dilemma (referring to his unspoken feelings for her). But Kawai assumes he is also an idol fanatic! Haha. Kawai gets super excited that Kageyama is forced to play along.

Heita convinces Q10 to go on a date with Nakao. Q10 willingly agrees, thinking that he loves Nakao and wants him to be happy. Heita warns not to get a wrong idea about it!

Dressed in cosplay, Q10 and Nakao goes on a date. Heita follows, complete with proper documentation.

Suddenly, Yanagi appears out of nowhere. She came from a grouped blind date and by chance sees Heita. He asks if she finds someone special, someone good or someone who complements her. Yanagi laughs at his immature perception of love and gives some Love 101 lessons.

Love is a revolution. It turns everything you thought you know upside-down and inside-out. If it’s just someone good or someone who complements you, nothing will turn inside-out, not in a million years. Love will never begin for someone of that caliber.

Heita is confused so what if he falls in love and experience something inside-out, what will happen after?

Yanagi: There will be a different you. That is love.

Yamamoto has finally come to her senses. Chaca doesn’t love her at all. He just likes how she looks and that’s it. She confesses that she isn’t really human.  She’s a mermaid who keep on forcing to live in his world. Of course, it’s all in figurative speech. To prove her point, she jumps to sea and asks if he could follow her there. But sadly, he can’t.

The date has ended and Nakao is apparently pleased. Heita is reluctant if the date is really enough for him though. Nakao seriously answers that he loves a 2 dimensional thing, of course,  it is more than enough.

On the way home, Q10 keeps on reciting that Heita is infatuated with Nakao. Heita is getting pissed at her misconception. And unexpectedly, she runs out of battery! With her “sleeping” in the alley, Heita has all the time, and courage, to explain. Why would he be infatuated with Nakao? The only reason why he wants Nakao happy is bcoz he thought he was more admirable and better than him.

Heita: He can say without hesitation that he loves something that isn’t human. I’m probably more coward than he is. If it were  me, I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone, and I think I’d be afraid to admit that love even to myself.

Then it starts to rain.

Then he carefully covers her with plastic so she won’t get wet. Awww, that’s weirdly romantic!

Heita sends Q10 to Sensei Ogawa’s house. There, he discovers that Sensei has an eccentric obsession with electric poles. He doesn’t condemn Sensei though. He’s just moved bcoz he likes steel towers too. He just can’t tell anyone bcoz he knows he’ll get laughed at. Heita wonders if it’s okay to love something like that.  I believe he’s not only referring to steel towers but Q10 as well. Sensei: ” Of course. No matter what a person comes to love, it’s okay.”

At home, Heita finds dad rummaging the trash. Dad is looking for a chopsticks sleeve which serves as a remembrance of his first date (not with Mom). Heita suspects that Dad’s is still in love with the girl. Dad defensively refutes. He just wants to hang on to that feeling he had.

Random ending clips: Kubo’s surgery is a success. Yamamoto returns to being a rock-band guitarist. And Kageyama is busy reading teen idol magazines.