Daring Leadership

"**Daring Leadership**" (大胆リーダーシップ, *Daitan Rīdāshippu*) is the seventh episode of the anime series *Hoshikuzu Telepath*. It premiered on November 20, 2023.

## Synopsis

Ever since Umika met Kei Akizuki, the leader of the Model Rocket Championship and the winner of the previous year's competition, her admiration for Kei has only grown. Umika is determined to become a leader like Kei and declares that she is determined to win this year's championship. The Rocket Research Association's next goal has been decided, and everyone is determined to achieve it. They will continue to prepare for the championships, including obtaining a model rocket license. However, Umika is pushed aside by Matataki, who tells her that if she wants to win, she must entrust her command to her. Umika wonders if she should continue...

## Plot

Umika is dreaming about Kei, the club president from another school; she wishes she could be a cool president like her. Haruno calls Umika when Emihara is coming, and Emihara scolds her when she's not listening to her. Yu pats Umika until it gets relaxed; Matataki remembers her like that since they came back from that event and thinking they will be joining this year's championship. Umika will be fine there and will have a club president meeting after school; they need to explain what they do to start the association. Umika did write down a statement from her notes, and Matataki checked Umika's review activities, but it looked like wishy-washy terms. She rewrites Umika's notes for a little more intimidation, and Umika agrees to join Haruno.

The meeting of the second club president has started, those students already taking down the notes and Umika writes something; while, Yu watches Umika while meeting, another student is scared by Yu. Yu tells them that Umika was eagerly writing down today's date in her notes; Matataki bet Umika would come back and doesn't want to deal with her. During the meeting, Umika thinks that Kei would be cool and opens her notes and sees what they drew; she calls Umika and stands up. After the meeting, Matataki rudes Yu about Umika and she is there; Umika stumbled on her words and thinks she managed to speak clearly until the end. She noticed that they wrote down in the notes that gave her strength. Originally, she didn't say it, but Matataki wrote "winners" down in the notes. Back in the meeting, Umika hoped to perform well at the model rocket tournament this summer and they'll definitely be the champions, thus she declared victory. Matataki guts her for a big statement, Umika still has a long way to go, but she wants to become cool like Kei. She writes down showing her determination.

Haruno has a problem with the championship's rules that all team members must possess a model rocket license, but they don't have a license. They bring back some dirt as a memento, Matataki has a Class 3 license and explains to it, that Umika, Yu, and Haruno should get Class 4 licenses. Yu stares at Matataki's picture on her license, Matataki also has an Educational Instructor license. She remembers Umika when she taught her that consider that a part of the education. They will be able to get their licenses when they can just ace the launch and recovery demonstrations. Umika and Yu come to daydreaming then they are top-class.

Umika finally managed to launch it, and Matataki announced the result to them, Haruno succeeded on her first try, Yu succeeded on her second try, and Umika succeeded after ten tries but she had too many engine ignition failures when she was scared of the black powder. Matataki will grant them Class 4 licenses, but there's one thing for them to keep in mind, engines don't come free. That means they can take part in the championship without any problems and Umika needs to work harder. Yu glads Matataki for it but Matataki worked so hard, Haruno knows just the thing. Haruno whispers to them about Matataki, then they celebrate their passing. Yu has been rocketing this and that, day in and day out, Yu and Haruno want to surprise Matataki.

Before they go to the buffet, Yu keeps Matataki's eyes closed until they surprise her with a birthday. Matataki's birthday was two months ago (born in April) but they know it. They should be getting ready for the championship and waste their time on that. Matataki wants Umika to be a little more strict about enforcing a schedule, Haruno stares at her while eating the cake but she doesn't enjoy it at all and doesn't like them including sweets. They will give a present to Matataki that will be a model kit from a movie-exclusive robot, but Matataki already owns three model kits. Then, she expected them and happily accepted the model kit; Yu heard she liked it.

After the buffet, Haruno might up skipping dinner, Matataki thinks should build a model kit. Umika wants to get some photo stickers taken as a group with Matataki, but Matataki doesn't like it again and Umika forgets she said anything. Matataki doesn't mind taking it once. They will take a picture at the booth for the big day and they will hang out again after the match. Umika is always talking about her clumsy with those small words of hers, her promises aren't sincere offers. After they take a picture, Matataki likes it again, and they will take the license photo. Matataki is sure that they'll win.

After school, they gladly accepted the entry for the championship, and then Umika and her friends needed to work hard until the qualifiers. Matataki will have two months until the qualifiers and they will build a rocket that's the fastest way to win. Matataki will take care of the design and will be the production lead. Since they don't have any club funds, they evenly split the production costs, Matataki will fit them into the budget later, she tells her wants to win and will handle it by herself, then tells her not to let her selfishness. Umika thinks to begin with and will ask Matataki to work on the design. Yu doesn't want Matataki to hog everything and has been good about saving money.

Yu thinks that the rain will almost be there, and Matataki sure takes that seriously; Yu stares at Umika after she answers, and Umika gets a grip. She needs her money for other things, and Yu has a roof over her head and can survive without eating Earth food; her savings are meant for enjoying her life and she's going to use it to do lots of fun and interesting things. The rain has started, and Yu grabs Umika's hand to dash to the Space Plaza for the claw machine arcade. Yu got hooked on them last time and played the claw machine a hundred times, or until she won. She has failed to attempt it a few times, and Umika tells her not to cheat it using her alien powers and will watch from the side and gives her a sign, and then they combine forces and grab both of them at once. Yu focuses on Umika while she listens to her and they drop the prize.

Yu is really fun for Earth is full and needs to explore it lots more so she can learn lots more about it. Haruno told Umika that she wanted aliens to find out all about the wonderful places on Earth and it suddenly came back to her. Yu likes that and has a reliable partner to help her and they will find them together. She sures her know lot about the wonderful things on Earth, her friends, including Kei, are brilliant and Umika thinks they're wonderful, and Yu is not from Earth. Umika looks at Yu and sparkling so brightly, and it makes her wish Umika was like that and she does cause trouble for everyone. She's not a cool club president like Kei and can't do anything by herself. Umika is the one who taught her and Yu gives a stuffed alien and sparkles because of Umika's feelings and words; Yu can walk forward without getting lost. They touch their kinds of stuff, can aim for the same goal, and take told of the same thing. Yu discovers the planet from the light and finds it to be wonderful, and sparkles inside her. Umika knows that Matataki is correct and going to act as a proper leader. They should try and win with the best rocket that they can all build together. Umika's dream of going into outer space with everyone as well as her promise with Yu. She doesn't have any right to say that, then they walk hand-in-hand; Umika thinks she is being selfish after all. She wants to practice at it and will get better at launching rockets. She won't let Matataki bear the burden alone. Now, they have matching sparkles.

In the post-credit scene, Umika arrives at Planet Popipupi and the aliens greet her since she is an alien. Yu introduces a space coconut tree, a space UMA (horse for Japanese), a space swing since they can't ride it, and a space cradle for babies. Umika wants to ride a rocket, and the monster alien will be testing their knowledge and they know all that (cause Matataki). Yu had a dream of that and Matataki thinks that could be a monster.

## Characters

List of characters in order of appearance:

* Kei Akizuki (fantasy; flashback)
* Umika Konohoshi
* Akane Emihara
* Haruno Takaragi
* Kinashi (cameo)
* Yu Akeuchi
* Matataki Raimon

## Trivia

* This episode title is based on the chapter 16 title.
* This episode has no opening song.
* This episode has no eyecatch.
* The piano version of "Tentaizu" has been used since episode 3.
* In the errors:
	+ The episode title in Cosmic language was mistakenly for the second letter "ŭ," but it hasn't been converted into Cosmic language.
	+ The ending credits added the opening animation, but it actually doesn't have an opening song or animation.

### Adaptation changes

* The story has been ordered before they launch their rockets from chapter 17 of the manga in the anime.
* Yu hugs Umika at the claw machine arcade cut in the anime.
* The last four panels from chapter 18 are cut in the anime and they do in episode 8.

## References

1. ↑ Translated from the official anime website.