Mahoraba 5

So Shiratori gets pressed into helping since he's such a nice guy :) Asami and Sayoko's room is filled to the top with cardboard boxes full of things they're doing for whatever odd job. Asami says they're びんぼう with a very happy expression on her face, then goes over the many different uses of cardboard boxes. Kozue and Tamami arrive home from school and ask where Shiratori's at and Momono points to Asami and Sayako's room..

The work continues with Shiratori and Asami working hard, but Sayoko having a bit of trouble. Shiratori wonders why he's doing this... he also wonders about Asami's father, he hasn't seen him -- perhaps they're divorced or maybe he even died? And Asami and Sayoko really are opposites of each other. Sayoko ネガティブ, Asami ポジティブ, hence the title this time of ネガポジ Sayoko's stomach growls so it's time to get some food.

Asami and Shiratori go to the grocery store and buy stuff, then Asami tries her best to grab the best deals when the half-off special starts. But she can't quite make it through the stampede of people there ;) On the way back Asami stops to grab some grass.. she read ina book that it's edible. Looks like Kozue taught her something from that "Survival Cooking" book she got..

Sayoko's been snoozing ever since they've been gone so no more work's gotten done yet. Asami makes dinner and that grass shows up on the plate.. but it's actually good ;) Shiratori suddenly remembers he has homework to do for school.. something about a parent and child.. he doesn't want to face Shirogane-sensei's wrath again so he'd better get work done quickly..

Asami and Shiratori work hard again with Sayoko not really contributing anything.. she does bring Asami some orange juice, though. But that orange juice is Tamami's.. Tamami comes stomping in demanding to know who drank it but Kozue diffuses the situation when she comes in with some onigiri. They manage to get all the work done overnight and give a BANZAI! as the morning comes. But Shiratori notices some flower petals leading up to Sayoko.. and when she imitates his BANZAI! more drop... oh well... Shiratori ends up sleeping through school but he did get his homework done ;)

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BANZAI! So they did end up changing what Sayoko did for the anime... in the manga she didn't hide herself and cry, she did this, but she was never in any real danger since she has unusually bad luck ;) But the hiding works well enough, and it's nothing to complain about since the rest of the episode was well done and sweet in places. We should learn about Asami and Sayoko's situation -- why her father isn't there, a hint of why Sayoko's like she is -- a bit later on. That particular chapter in the manga was the first one you could call really serious, I suppose. But anyways, next time it's all Tamami! ;)