Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 75 - Ramen! (and plot)

We continue to advance the plot, Doki style. Utau shows up at Amu's house searching for Ikuto. Amu's afraid the jig is up and that Utau knows Ikuto is in her closet, but Utau is actually just asking for Amu's help to find him. Utau takes her to a ramen stand so they can talk. While there, Utau orders rice, and some kid named Conan Maruyama insults her taste, saying that she doesn't know how to enjoy ramen properly (there's a traditional way of eating it right, but most people don't care anymore). Utau says it doesn't matter because it tastes good, and poor Maruyama gets all confused inside. Apparently he's some ramen expert who only eats the finest ramen and he does it RIGHT. After they eat, Amu and Utau run into Tadase and Kukai. Amu and Tadase are still blushy from Tadase's confession in the last episode. Kukai decides to give them some "alone time" so he challenges Utau to a ramen-eating contest. She readily agrees. Amu and Tadase talk for awhile, and he states very plainly that she is the one he loves. In the meantime Maruyama has a visit from Lulu who gives him a jewel so he can go all riddle egg. He transforms into some ramen delivery boy (I forget the name - not important), and starts dishing out (haha, get it?) his ramen justice on people who aren't enjoying it right (like drinking water between bites or eating two pieces of meat in a row). Amu, Tadase, Utau, and Kukai show up to battle, but Kukai can't transform because he feels ill from eating too much. Amu gains a new weapon that appears to be a sparkly soy sauce (available in stores soon!), and they manage to bring Maruyama back to his normal self. Now he realizes that it doesn't matter how you enjoy ramen as long as you're enjoying it. Awww. Meanwhile, late at night a mysterious violin-playing figure is drawing out a very large amount of X-eggs. What will happen now?

It's nice to see the plot advance, even if it has little Lulu interruptions throughout. I wonder if she'll be at the climax fight when they all go to [spoiler]. Utau is once again wonderful. It's nice to see Lunatic Charm again after so long. It's a pity the animation in this episode was so inconsistent. Her head and eyes kept being different sizes (but her hair was lovely). MAN, I am so craving ramen right now. Anyway. Next episode is Ikuto vs. Tadase. Hopefully we're moving along with the manga now with no interruptions. I'm really impatient for Nagihiko's chara transformation(s).

--Ou-bento