 This article is about an episode in Choujin Sentai Jetman.
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WARNING: This episode contains scenes of graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised! |
Cup Noodles (カップめん Kappumen) is the tenth episode of Choujin Sentai Jetman.
Synopsis
A ramen-loving student obsessed with Ako is influenced by a noodle Dimensional Beast to create the ultimate product to win her love.
Plot
While walking home from school, Ako hears a voice from a nearby window: that of classmate Tatsuta, a glasses wearing boy holding a cup of noodles. When Ako acknowledges it's him, Tatsuta dives back into his apartment and asks without being seen to eat a rare cup of noodles with her: an Olympics-edition Ramen made in Nagoya made in 1983. Ako and the other girls run away as fast as they can with her classmates asking her about Tatsuta; she admits that he's just this weird eccentric obsessed with cup noodles. As Ako leaves, Tatsuta frets about wanting to show Ako his finds, such as a super-rare misaligned lid of a noodle cup he kept in his collection, but starts to realize that he is potentially just a weirdo no one likes. However, a voice suddenly states that he isn't and that there needs to be a better appreciation of cup noodles; the voice belongs to a giant cup of noodles that appears within Tatsuta's apartment that summons a hot water kettle that brings it to life. The cup introduces itself as God Ramen, the god of all cup noodles, which surprises Tatsuta in hearing such a thing exists. While astonished, God Ramen announces that Tatsuta had been chosen due to his love of cup noodles and extensive knowledge of them. Tatsuta still doesn't believe it, but God Ramen states that he'd be a hero if he could master the flavor of cup noodles. Believing that helping the sentient noodle cup will help him win Ako, Tatsuta decides to help create the ultimate cup of noodles with God Ramen.
Working to figure out the proper distribution of ingredients such as salt, spices and tonkotsu soup, Tatsuta works with excitement delighting God Ramen in his work; soon moving to the proper distribution of broth and the right ingredients for the dehydrated noodles to create the proper texture for partaking in them. Tatsuta even works on creating the perfect label, figuring out the right design and logo to place on the Styrofoam cup. However as he prepares to finish, God Ramen stumbles, having run out of hot water in it's cup; Tatsuta quickly refills it as the cup states that it just simply lost track of time with it's work alongside the noodle enthusiast as he tries to make the ultimate cup of noodles. When God Ramen asks for it's name, Tatsuta merely says "leave it to me" while staring at his photo of Ako, knowing what he was to call his masterwork.
Back at Sky Camp, Raita suddenly storms in with a cup of noodles as if an emergency. When asked why, Raita yells out that there's a commercial they have to check out: the commercial is for "Shinjigen Ramen's Happy Ako-chan", with God Ramen and Tatsuta (as "Professor Cup Noodles") performing to sell the item. Ako sees the commercial on a giant screen in the city and is shocked wondering what her classmate is doing with this. When she returns to Sky Camp, the team goads her in how she knows the guy behind the noodles but she doesn't want to talk about it, even as Kaori starts singing the jingle and Ako tells her not to. Raita thinks that it could take off as a product but Ako remains defiant in such a thing even existing and still wants nothing to do with it. As people start buying up the ramen, Tran on the Vylock mentions that the noodles can be "made" in a minute, with Radiguet complaining that such speedy food shows how foolish humans are in valuing time despite not being able to make good use of it, as Maria adds in; further stating that "if this is the best civilization can make of themselves, they deserve to die". However as they comment on the foolishness, God Ramen appears in the Vylock stating he used a ramen lover to distribute the noodles as the means to his plan. As steam from his cup blows out, God Ramen turns into his true form of Noodle Dimension, stating that the rest of the plan involves playing a piccolo to those who eat the Ako-chan ramen to use them accordingly; playing the instrument, Tran's cup opens up and a noodle suspiciously squirms out.
At an amusement park, a girl is waiting to get on a ride while holding a cup of Ako-chan Ramen indecisive of where to go. Noodle Dimension's piccolo starts to resonate through the park and she suddenly becomes "controlled"; the same happens to an office lady who is only eating the ramen due to her own desire to try and remain hurried. Even Raita ends up captured, having eaten several cups of ramen that he purchased. Those who eat the ramen suddenly become violent and hurried in wanting to get their way: the girl attacks others in the line wanting to get on immediately, while the office lady starts wrecking her office trying to get to the copier. Gai encounters a woman who can't even wait a minute waiting in line at a bank, when he tries to restrain her, he becomes attacked and thrown into the chairs. Seeing how she won't let up, Gai returns to the fray and punches the woman, knocking her out and into his arms wondering what's going on. Tran admits the real plan was for those who eat the cup noodles to become impatient and violent if they have to wait for anything over a minute. Upon investigating the girl, Odagari reveals that what the girl ate wasn't noodles but a "noodle lifeform" that resided within her stomach, also known as "living ramen". But as the revelation occurs, Raita starts acting up in similar manner, wanting to just fight the Vyram right there and then. The team restrain Yellow Owl as he threatens to transform and he throws them off his body and violently attacks them before hitting a wall knocking him out instantly. Finding the Ako-chan ramen cups, Odagari identifies the source of the living ramen, making Ako worried about what Tatsuta is doing.
As news gets out about people running red lights and causing accidents after eating the Ako-chan ramen, Tatsuta realizes that something is up as God Ramen returns to his apartment. As he asks what is going on, God Ramen transforms into Noodle Dimension, claiming Tatsuta should be happy for what he's done for the sake of Vyram. As Tatsuta realizes the noodles were used for evil, Noodle Dimension tries to attack him but is blocked by the real Ako who tells him that he was used. Showing what happens to those that go against it, the Dimensional Beast fires a wad of noodles to strangle Ako and send her outside to be destroyed first. Ako tries to change but Noodle Dimension fires a fishcake boomerang knocking the Cross Changer off and attacking her with Corn Bombs and shrimp bombs. As Ako continues to be attacked, Tatsuta rushes in and knocks him down to save her life; telling her to get away as the Dimension Beast fires cup noodle bombs towards them. Noodle Dimension tries to attack Tatsuta; Ako tries to protect him but is bound up by noodle rope constricting her. However as it appears at it's strongest, Noodle Dimension starts weakening due to running out of hot water in it's cup. The Dimension Beast tries to summon a kettle to restore itself, but Tatsuta grabs it and runs off to try and stop it's revival, trying to prevent the creature from regaining power. After pursuit through a playground, Tatsuta starts dumping the hot water, making Noodle Dimension attack him and toss him around to regain it's power source despite him not letting go. Ultimately, the water runs out and Noodle Dimension starts weakening until it explodes it's noodles to force Tatsuta to let go and the Dimensional Beast to restore itself. It lets go of Tatsuta forcing Ako to save him as it completes its restoration.
However before it can attack them, Yellow Owl appears, still in a hurry to defeat the Vyram due to effects of the ramen. Ako shows she was impressed with Tatsuta's bravery and transforms to join her hasty teammate as the rest of Jetman show up for the battle. However once reunited, Raita once again charges due to the effects of the Ako-chan ramen, frustrating Noodle Dimension that a member of Jetman has it's effects and is using it against him. It throws Yellow Owl back and sends an explosion and beams towards Jetman. Angered by what it had done, Ako thrusts multiple Wing Gauntlet punches towards Noodle Dimension. As the team prepares to use Bird Bomber, Noodle Dimension admits it wasn't strong enough without enough Hot Water and instead invokes the Dimension Bug to make it grow giant. In haste, Raita summons the Jet Machines; but Noodle Dimension uses a beam to turn Jet Swallow into a cup of Ako-chan Ramen, trapping Blue Swallow within and allowing for easier attack! In a hurry to beat it, Raita uses a "Super Special Rock Drop" to open the ramen cup while Ryu and Gai use Double Jet Beam to hit Noodle Dimension. Baring with Raita's haste, the team becomes Jet Icarus, but tie up Raita to prevent him from causing any more problems in the cockpit. Noodle Dimension attacks the mech with physical force and more ramen cups but the team make quick work of it with the Birdonic Saber.
Later, Ako takes care of Tatsuta after his burns from stealing Noodle Dimension's hot water, with him attempting to apologize; Ako nearly doesn't accept it but chooses to after all that happened. Gaining confidence, Tatsuta decides to make an even better Ako-chan Ramen than before, the "Happy Ako-chan 2", making Ako further frustrated at him.
Cast
- Ryu Tendo (天堂 竜 Tendō Ryū): Kotaro Tanaka (田中 弘太郎 Tanaka Kotarō)
- Gai Yuki (結城 凱 Yūki Gai): Toshihide Wakamatsu (若松 俊秀 Wakamatsu Toshihide)
- Raita Ooishi (大石 雷太 Ōishi Raita): Ikko Tadano (ただの いっこ Tadano Ikko)
- Kaori Rokumeikan (鹿鳴館 香 Rokumeikan Kaori): Rika Kishida (岸田 里佳 Kishida Rika)
- Ako Hayasaka (早坂 アコ Hayasaka Ako): Sayuri Uchida (内田 さゆり Uchida Sayuri)
- Commander Aya Odagiri (小田切綾 Odagiri Aya): Mikiko Miki (三輝みきこ Miki Mikiko)
- Back Dimensional Count Radiguet (裏次元伯爵ラディゲ Urajigen Hakushaku Radige): Masaki Tachi (舘 正貴 Tachi Masaki)
- Maria (マリア Maria): Maho Maruyama (丸山 真歩 Maruyama Maho)
- Tran (トラン Toran): Miku Kuga (久我未来 Kuga Miku)
- Grey (グレイ Gurei, Voice): Hideaki Kusaka (日下秀昭 Kusaka Hideaki)
Guest Cast
- Noodle Dimension (ヌードルジゲン Nūdoru Jigen, Voice): Takuzou Kamiyama (神山 卓三 Kamiyama Takuzō)
- Mitsuo Tatsuta (龍田三夫 Tatsuta Mitsuo): Hiroaki Irisawa (入沢宏彰 Irisawa Hiroaki)
- Mother: Nana Sanpei (三瓶奈奈 Sanpei Nana)
- OL: Kanako Kawagishi (河岸加奈子 Kawagishi Kanako), Keiko Matsumoto (松本恵子 Matsumoto Keiko), Kyoko Kishikawa (岸川恭子 Kishikawa Kyōko)
- College Student: Katsue Aoki (青木克枝 Aoki Katsue)
Songs
Notes
- Viewership: 6.7%
Les Misérables in the background.
- This episode not only introduces the "Happy Ako" ramen but also the song used as its jingle, "Always Happy Ako". Both would be referenced by later Sentai series, including during Boukenger's The 30 Sentai Encyclopedia as well as a cup of the ramen appearing during the Jetman tribute in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
- This episode was the very first Sentai work by future Sentai writing legend Naruhisa Arakawa; he would become notable as one of the more comedic writers and as the main writer for many later Sentai including Abaranger, Dekaranger, and Gokaiger, as well as the Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger series.
- A billboard featuring Les Misérables can be seen in the background when Ako sees the Happy Ako commercial.
DVD Releases
Jetman Volume 1, DVD cover
- Choujin Sentai Jetman Volume 1 features episodes 1-10.[1]
Jetman: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)
- The complete Jetman series was released in North America by Shout! Factory on September 25th, 2018.