Master Toro

**"Master Toro"** is the thirty-eighth episode of *Kobushi*. It was released in January 11, 2014, on Gulli, and later in December 24, 2014, on Mangas.

## Synopsis

Tako names Toro responsible for the community during his absence. Against all odds, Toro takes his role very seriously. But the Kobushis do not take Toro seriously ... except for Ebi!

## Plot

The episode begins with Toro, Hokkigaï, Ebi, and Onigiri all discussing over who would get chosen by Master Tako to take place during his absence, and they all agree that Tamago is the perfect candidate since "he's" the top of the class and is Master Tako's favorite student. After Tamago disguises herself as a Kobushi, Toro arrives and asks her if they can shake hands, only to reveal that he have prank her by tricking her into getting her hand get stuck onto a sticky pink gum. This angers Tamago that she uses her toothpick sword to break the gum and hits Toro in the face with her sword, much to the amusement of her classmates.

At the bonsai tree, Master Tako announces to his students that he have made his choice for which student would take his place while he's gone and according to the Kobushido, the student must be confident in someone who made a mistake and correct it. The master explains that choosing the one who hadn't made any mistakes is far too reckless and that he decided that the one would replace him for a day is: Toro. Everyone, especially Tamago, are surprised by Master Tako's decision and he entrusts the tuna sushi his precious sacred stick, a symbol of authority during his absence and a guide in his decisions to look after the Kobushi village.

After Master Tako left with Torigai, "Master Toro" starts taking his role very seriously and out of an arrogant way. At the bonsai tree, he dismisses Ikura's request to be his sensi and insults him by saying that makis like him should never become a samurai. Ikura doesn't believe what Toro said explains to him that the villagers could do anything they want since he's not Master Tako and Toro is only his temporarily replacement. Toro arrives at the dojo to see everyone all partying for Tako's absence, which angers Toro who demands everyone to stop dancing and get back to their duties. However, it turns out that no one really take Toro seriously and think he's pretending to be like Master Tako. This causes Toro to become depress and cancelled his students' training, telling Ebi at the bonsai tree that he refuses to play the role as "master" anymore with nobody taking him seriously. Ebi, wanting to cheer up Toro, explains to him the time when the villagers all believe Néko supposedly become a vegetarian which lead to the Kobushis all refuse to train due to they believe he's no longer a threat, and Master Tako have to do everything to get Néko to find his true nature again. Toro, seeing Ebi accidentally steps onto a gum, suddenly have an idea to get the other Kobushis to take him seriously: he'll open the gate and get Néko capture the villagers, then Toro have to come rescue them since he's going to create the situation to make himself look good.

Upon realizing Toro's intent, Ebi meets up with Néko at his altar and make another deal to him: if Néko manages to eat all the sushis, he must promise that he have to eat Ebi last. Just then, Toro arrives and opens the vent door, causing Néko to enter the village and captures Toro's classmates, the Sushi Guard, and Shaké with his bamboo steamer. However just when Néko is about to reach his altar, he accidentally steps onto a large wad of gum, causing his feet to get stuck. Toro "arrives" to come rescue his friends, but Néko easily captures him and puts him inside his bamboo steamer. Tamago realizes she has an idea since Toro has a wad of gum at the end of his toothpick sword. She takes some gum and starts chewing, blowing a large bubble that lifts her up and the villagers all hang onto her. Néko, not wanting to give up, tries to eat the sushi, but Toro uses his toothpick sword to deflate the bubble causing everyone to fly back to the dojo and safely away from Néko.

At the end of the day, Master Tako returns from his trip and is impressed when Toro boastfully tells him what happened earlier and that he manages to saved the Kobushis from Néko's claws all by himself, much to Tamago's annoyance. But when Toro hands Master Tako his stick back, he accidentally places a gum onto the stick, causing Master Tako's hand to get stuck. Toro's classmates all laugh at Toro as he apologizes to Master Tako for the incident.

## Characters

* Toro
* Ebi
* Oni San
* Néko
* Tamago/Tamachan
* Hokkigaï
* Onigiri
* Master Tako
* Ikura
* Sho, Yu, and Ka (flashback)
* Torigai (background)
* Shaké (background)
* Banh Boi (background)
* Sushi Guard (background)
* Tekka (background)
* Villagers

## Trivia

* The French episode title is "Maître Toro".
* According to Toro, Tamago is the bootlicker, Master Tako's favorite, and is the top of his class.
* At the beginning of the episode, Toro can be seen with a gum stuck onto him before he pulls a prank on Tamago.
* It's revealed that because of Toro's love for pranking and his arrogant personality, no one in the village take him seriously when Toro temporarily became Master Tako's substitute.
* After Ebi reminds Toro of the time Néko tricked the villagers that he became a vegetarian, he remembers in a flashback the moment in "Sushitarien" when the Kobushis are no longer motivated to train and Master Tako have to do everything to get Néko to find his true nature again.
* When Néko and Ebi are discussing about Toro's plan, Néko can be seen crossing his fingers behind his back when Ebi asks him that he must promise to eat him last.

### Errors

* During the scene when Tamago cuts the gum off her hand, she uses her right hand to carry her sword. However after she beats up Toro and she lands on the ground, Tamago's sword is on her left hand where the gum is supposed to be.

## References

1. ↑ https://playtv.fr/programmes-tv/gulli/11-01-2014/
2. ↑ https://playtv.fr/programmes-tv/mangas/24-12-2014/