Ep 3. Ojichan

PEN15 season 1 episode 3, titled "Ojichan," follows Maya and Anna as they navigate their first day of middle school. Maya is excited to see her older cousin Shuji, who is visiting from Japan and staying with her family. Anna, on the other hand, is nervous about fitting in and making new friends.

As they make their way to school, Maya introduces Anna to Shuji and his friend, who both immediately take an interest in Anna. Maya is jealous, but her feelings are quickly pushed aside when they run into their former elementary school classmates, Brandt and Heather. Maya is excited to see Brandt, who she has had a crush on since the third grade, but she is disappointed when he immediately takes an interest in Heather. Anna, meanwhile, is struggling to keep up with the group and feeling left out.

When they arrive at school, Maya and Anna are placed in different homerooms. Maya is placed with Shuji, while Anna is placed with a group of girls who seem uninterested in getting to know her. Maya is having a great time with Shuji until he starts making fun of her for being half-Japanese. Maya is hurt, but she decides to laugh it off and go along with the joke.

During lunch, Maya and Anna try to sit with their former elementary school friends, but they are rejected and end up sitting with Maya's little brother. Maya's brother tells them about a game that he and his friends play, and Maya decides that they should try it out. The game involves asking each other questions and answering with a nonsense answer. Maya and Anna end up having a great time playing the game and even start to attract a small crowd of onlookers.

As the day goes on, Maya and Anna have a number of awkward and embarrassing moments. Maya's backpack gets caught on a locker, and Anna accidentally walks in on a group of girls talking about her. But despite the setbacks, Maya and Anna are both able to make some new friends and start to feel a little more comfortable in their new surroundings.

One of the highlights of the episode comes towards the end, when Maya introduces Shuji to her Ojichan, or grandfather, who is visiting from Japan. Maya is excited to show Shuji that she knows how to speak Japanese, but she is nervous when her Ojichan starts speaking to her in rapid-fire Japanese. Despite her initial confusion, Maya is able to keep up with the conversation and impress Shuji.

Overall, "Ojichan" is a relatable and heartwarming episode that perfectly captures the awkwardness and excitement of the first day of middle school. Maya and Anna's insecurities and struggles are easy to relate to, and viewers will undoubtedly find themselves rooting for the two girls as they navigate the ups and downs of middle school life.