Nichijou Episode 0

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"Nichijou Episode 0"

"Nichijou Episode 1"

Episode 0
OVA Episode Artwork
Information
Japanese Name:	日常の0話
Romanized Name:	Nichijou no Zero-wa
English Name:	Nichijou Episode 0
Directed by:	Kazuya Sakamoto
Written by:	Jukki Hanada
Original air date:	March 12, 2011
Episode List
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"Nichijou Episode 0" (日常の0話, Nichijou no Zero-wa^?) is an OVA adaptation of the Nichijou manga, the first episode produced by Kyoto Animation, before the anime series. The OVA was written by Jukki Hanada and directed by Kazuya Sakamoto, and aired on March 12, 2011. It was shipped with the sixth manga volume.

The presentation is somewhat different as a proof of concept pilot for the actual anime. Chronologically this OVA takes place at least after the 5th episode, after the introduction of Sakamoto. Based on events that may be referenced by Mio in later episodes, the OVA is likely set after at least the 20th episode, and be set after the last episode of the series itself.

Plot

Praise

The series opens in class 1-Q. Yuuko Aioi sheepishly insists to Mio Naganohara that she really only scored a measly 32 on the last assignment, but Mio wants to see it for herself. Somewhat disappointed, Mio reminds Yuuko that they'd agreed show each other on the count of three; Mio showed Yuuko her 67 grade, why won't Yuuko fulfill her part of the deal?

Clearly embarrassed, Yuuko repeats that she got a 32; but Mio still wants to see. "I'm telling the truth!" Yuuko insists. She then uses some logic: 32 is a terrible score, so why would Yuuko lie about it? "Thirty-twelve!" she adds, trying to laugh it off. Mio corrects her, unamused. Yuuko suggests they just leave it at that and gives an odd, nervous clap. Mio relents and agrees to let it be, greatly relieving Yuuko; besides, Mio's own score wasn't that good either. Yuuko gives a sigh of relief as Mio goes to sit down.

Suddenly Mio strikes! Having lulled Yuuko into a false sense of security, Mio spins around and grabs Yuuko's worksheet. Dramatic classical music plays as Mio brings the paper towards her in slow motion, revealing that Yuuko's actual score was (gasp!) the loneliest number of all: One.

Mio stares at Yuuko's lonely grade completely astounded, and is soon trembling and sweating in horror. She quickly blinks herself out of her stupor only to notice Yuuko sitting at her desk, head in hands, shimmering in embarrassment.

Mio strikes

Mio's reaction when she discovers that Yuuko got a 1%.

Yuuko mumbles.

Still somewhat stunned, Mio carefully places Yuuko's assignment on her desk (with the grade facing down). Mio puts her hand in front of her open mouth in shock, unsure of what to say. She then closes her eyes and strains to think of something, anything to say.

Suddenly, Pino pushes a button, which causes a box to open, releasing a button on the back of a miniature Mio lamp, causing the light bulb to turn on. "Oh! L.E.D." a strange man (or woman... maybe) reads as neon lights spell out the words in the darkness next to the light bulb.

Back in reality, Mio gives Yuuko a "way to go!" Yuuko does not take this well. Mio, clearly seeing her upset, desperately tries to cheer her up. Mio frantically waves her hands in front of herself. "No no no! I didn't mean 'way to get a 1', I meant..." Mio tries again.

"Way to go! Yukko!"

"Remember how you forgot your homework the day before yesterday?!" and then Yuuko falls on the floor dramatically, hitting the lockers at the back of the room before limply lying on the ground.Mio quickly tells Yuuko that isn't what she meant, either. "You did your homework but forgot to bring it in, right?" Mio waits with bated breath for Yuuko to respond; she eventually does, giving a no-hearted "so...?" without looking up.

Yuuko being unable to take Mio's reminder of her failure.

"Remember how you forgot your homework the day before yesterday?!"

Dramatically, Yuuko hits the lockers.

Mio clenches her fist in motivation. "It's that mindset which counts! You don't usually do your homework, but that time you did! That's really hard to do!" The scene suddenly switches and the roof is shown as a figure, (probably Sasahara) is blown up (probably by Misato Tachibana). Principal Shinonome is then briefly shown sweeping up as Mio continues with her speech. "It's the same with dreams and ambitions. The first step is always the hardest. And you've done that, Yuuko! You've cleared the hardest part!"

"The hardest part?" Yuuko repeats; emotionless, again not bothering to look up. Mio continues to tell Yuuko that she's cleared the hardest part, and it seems to very slowly get through to her. Yuuko doubles down. "You're amazing, Yuuko, and you may not have noticed, but to a normal person, that's a really hard thing to accomplish!" Yuuko slowly pushes herself up off the floor, invigorated.

"Well, I guess..." Yuuko suddenly cheers up as she continues, "...you're right!" Mio continues to cheer on Yuuko as she stands up. "But you're definitely better than me, Mio-chan," Yuuko says, sweeping herself off. "After all, you always do your homework," Yuuko adds, glancing sideways.

"It's that mindset which counts!"

The school roof where Sasahara is shot dead.

"Well, I guess..."

Mio tells Yuuko that it's not that impressive; it's just a habit to always do her homework. Yuuko did something she doesn't usually do, and that takes real motivation. Yuuko then gives the most anime face I've seen in this series and have no idea what the heck she's trying to do. Her tongue is pushing one of her cheeks out (??) as she looks at her hand, hovering near her head and doing... something. I guess it kind of looks like she's a fish on a hook, but is that even it? It's disgusting. Stop it. Would Yuuko consciously do that? WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER??? Yuuko then gives a modest look, aflush with pride.

Mio pictures herself fishing in a stream

Mio, realising her motivation worked, imagines herself fishing in a stream, having just got a bite; the fish is a metaphor for Yuuko who is implied to be extremely gullible. Back in the classroom, Yuuko sheepishly rubs the back of her head.

"But you know..."

"But you know..." Mio then informs Yuuko that trains and cars use the most energy to get moving; if you think of it that way, Yuuko has an immense amount of power within her. Embarrassed, Yuuko keeps switching between looking at Mio and looking away.

"I see."

Yuuko then puts her hand up to shield her face from a sudden light shining on her. "I... see." Mio then imagines the fish jumping out of the water, hook in mouth. "Little by little..." she tells herself.

Then Yuuko tidies her books, and she said she was just an ordinary person who could fail easily and could feel depressed too. Mio however then tells Yuuko not to be modest; Yuuko says she didn't mean like that. Mio tells Yuuko then that "everyone already knows" that she's amazing. After Yuuko hears that she feels ashamed. Then Yuuko tells Mio to call it a type of a challenge-loving personality.

Mio holds her laugh when she hears this. She then tells Yuuko that she felt bad for herself when she thought her manga she wrote back wasn't going to get an award. She got scared and couldn't bring herself to submit it. After Yuuko hears what Mio says, Yuuko tells Mio that she gets scared too easily. After Mio hears this, she gets annoyed and says she doesn't like being called that. Then suddenly Yuuko is depressed again much to her disdain.

Mio however then takes Yuuko's hand takes her to the hallway and gives her a piece of paper. She then tells Yuuko to read the paper and Yuuko obliges.

Yuuko reads it, and it says, "Take everything in with all your strength". Mio then tells Yuuko that she's doing everything with all she has and has been keeping the most important thing in mind the whole time. Yuuko however ignores this beautifully apt motivational quote and reminds her of her terrible test score, once again annoying Mio.

Mio imagines that her fishing line is stuck to a wood root.

Snapping back to the reality, Mio apologizes to Yuuko and says she's been worrying so much about the grades and forgot the most important thing for her. She then confesses that she's jealous. Yuuko is confused, until Mio tells her that despite doing homework out of pure habit, Mio isn't sure if she could say she studied, nor took her test with everything she had, and she could say the same for her manga. Mio then tells Yuuko that its different with her and says that Yuuko is always giving everything she does her very best, and with spirit Mio tells Yuuko that "Up to the point that it's even refreshing!!". After hearing this, Yuuko blushes.

Mio's fishing line is untangled from the root.

---

Cold

Nichijou-No-Kaze

Meanwhile, robot girl and housekeeper Nano Shinonome tries to give the young Hakase, who has a cold, some medicine, which she refuses to eat. She tries to then get some advice from their pet cat Sakamoto. He advises Nano to mix the medicine in with her snack and Nano decides to give it a try. Nano brings a pudding for Hakase with the medicine plainly on the top of the pudding.

Sakamoto was dumbfounded, as Nano didn't even attempt to hide the medicine. Nano upon realising this, wants to take the pudding back, but Hakase already eats it, along with the medicine that Nano mixed in with pudding. Hakase likes it and calls it 'Crunchy Pudding'

---

Reservation

Nichijou-No-Kashikiri

Later in the episode, the Trio Sucharaka show up at the train station, waiting for the train to school to arrive. Yukko looks to her left, then to her right... There's not a single soul in sight (other than Mio and Mai)... THE RAPTURE HAS COME!!! THERE HAS BEEN A SECRET NINJA ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!! EVERYONE THEY KNOW AND LOVE IS ACTUALLY DEAD!!! (and she went nuts like the main character in Gakkou Gurashi)!!! Nope. the train station's just empty during that time of day since the rush-hour's over. Nothing special.

Yuuko's acrobatic skill

Out of excitement in this discovery, Yuuko performs a slick cartwheel (with her gravity-defying skirt) Mio tries as well but ultimately fails in the long run as her "cartwheel" is just a roll. When the train comes by, Mai checks the platforms by using her finger to trace the yellow line bordering the space between the platform and the train. As the doors open, they find out they're actually alone on the train. YAY! The doors close and they depart.

Yukko and Mio play a Push sumo.

Then Yukko and Mio start playing push sumo. When Yuuko asks Mai to be their referee, Mai had already started sleeping in the storage space.

Triple bunk bed!

Struck by the same kind of idea, Mio went to a random seat and laid down. Yuuko then lies down on the floor, completing the Triple Bunk Bed (sounds like a monster of the week thing) But. She feels left out as the bottom bunk is the last place someone wants to be in a triple bunk bed. Poor Yuuko. No one understands her...

Reception

This OVA episode had a mix reception on release, being slow paced, having several tangents and having original writing. Audience reception warmed up to the new comedic style of the Nichijou anime after the release of the series.

Trivia

• All of these scenes are not originally from Manga.
• In Praise, when Yukko and Mio are in the hall, you can see Izumi chasing Makoto like in the continuation of Episode 15 (part 62).
• In Cold, Hakase has a cold after playing Hide and seek. (Episode 20, part 85)

Gallery

NichijouNo Hō-me