Ep 8. I Won't Let You Call Me a Chicken

In Tamako Market season 1 episode 8 titled "I Won't Let You Call Me a Chicken," we see the continuation of the story of Tamako, a high school student who works at her family's mochi shop.

The episode begins with Tamako and her friends visiting a nearby shopping district to try some of the famous street food. However, Tamako becomes hesitant when she spots a chicken-shaped mascot that she is afraid of. Her friends tease her about being scared of the costume, but Tamako insists that she is not a chicken.

Later, Tamako's father and the other shopkeepers in the market begin planning for a festival that will be held in two weeks. Tamako's father assigns her the task of creating a new flavor of mochi for the festival, and Tamako is excited to get started.

As Tamako is brainstorming ideas for the new mochi flavor, she encounters a boy named Anko, who is visiting the market to buy ingredients for his own snack stand. Anko recognizes Tamako and reveals that they used to go to the same elementary school, but Tamako does not remember him. Anko becomes upset and accuses Tamako of forgetting about her old friends now that she is in high school and working at the mochi shop.

Meanwhile, Tamako's friend Midori becomes concerned that she has not been able to reach her crush, Mochizou, who has been busy preparing for the festival. The group decides to visit Mochizou's house to see if he is okay. They discover that Mochizou has been working on a complicated film project for the festival and hasn't had time to check his phone or social media.

As Tamako continues to work on the new mochi flavor, she becomes frustrated and begins to doubt her ability to come up with something good enough for the festival. However, with encouragement from her friends and family, she eventually creates a unique and delicious mochi that everyone loves.

The episode concludes with Tamako and Anko bonding over their shared love of mochi and deciding to work together to create a new snack for the festival. Tamako's father is pleased with the new addition to the mochi shop's offerings and everyone looks forward to the upcoming festival.

"I Won't Let You Call Me a Chicken" is an enjoyable episode that showcases the character development and interactions that make Tamako Market such a charming series. From Tamako's anxiety about the chicken mascot to Anko's feelings of nostalgia and rejection, the episode explores themes of fear, friendship, and growing up in a relatable way. The focus on food and festivals also adds to the overall cozy and heartwarming atmosphere of the show.