Episode 10

**Idea 10** is the 10th episode of the Heaven's Design Team anime.

## Synopsis

### Part 1

In an underground colony, a hooded man is arguing with a woman. The woman is trying to stop the man from leaving the colony, claiming that it is too dangerous outside. But the man refuses, claiming that the queen is brainwashing everyone. Their conversation is interrupted by the nearby door to the outside opening. The man takes the opportunity to exit, leaving the woman begging him not to go, while a bewildered Shimoda walks in.

The woman (number 213 indicated on her chest) suddenly notices Shimoda and welcomes him to the colony (or queendom.) She informs him that it is a perfect society ruled by their queen and offers to give him the tour. As they walk, Shimoda notices that everyone looks the same regardless of gender. 213 explains that everyone aside from the queen and her husbands is an infantile worker. She shares further information with Shimoda as they make their way towards an area the workers mentioned as possible food storage.

Upon arriving, Shimoda notices that there is no food when 213 draws her sword. Shimoda panics, thinking he might be the food, only for 213 to pierce the wall next to him. Afterward, she bites into the big chunk she carved out which is actually potato, and offers some to Shimoda. She explains that her people dig tunnels through potatoes to provide safe passage as well as a source of food.

Shimoda compliments how knowledgeable 213 is. But she explains that she is only following the book of instructions that her predecessor 72 left behind. She pulls out the book and indicates the last page with blood stains and a message stating that 72 may have attempted to murder the queen. 213 is determined not to fall into the same trap.

At that moment, the queen shows up to greet Shimoda and 213. 213 asks the queen why she has appeared. The queen explains that it is her job to monitor all progress throughout the queendom and ensure that everyone is in good health. She then gives 213 a health supplement before continuing on. Shimoda comments on how magnificent the queen is. 213 explains the queendom acts as a meritocracy, where only the strongest, hardest worker can become queen. She then gives her health supplement to Shimoda.

Next, 213 shows Shimoda the nursery. However, he is shocked to see several workers acting as mattresses for the babies, three layers deep. He becomes concerned that the workers below can’t breathe despite 213 stating that it was normal. Just then, they hear some commotion down the tunnel and see a group of soldiers moving out. Shimoda asks if the soldiers are strong. But 213 explains that they are not and that their purpose is to barricade the entrances and get eaten. Shocked, Shimoda asks her why she would say that. 213 explains that she and the others are perfect beings, and if called upon, she would gladly be eaten. However, Shimoda questions whether their roles are absolute, especially in a meritocracy. This causes 213 to re-think what her departed companion was saying earlier about her being brainwashed.

At that moment, the queen comes in asking if 213 took her supplement. 213 realizes why her companion left. The health supplements were the source of the brainwashing. She then proclaims that she will become the new queen and engages the queen in combat. Shimoda watches in shock as 213 overcomes the queen. Suddenly, everything starts to fade away and after a few seconds comes back into view. Shimoda awakens to find himself back in the design department.

Both Meido and Higuchi welcome Shimoda back, who proclaims how insane the experience was. Meido asks Shimoda about her idea for “an animal that creates a perfect society.” He said that everything seemed perfect, making Meido happy. Higuchi jumps in asking how the new virtual reality system performed. Turns out, the whole experience was a virtual reality to allow one to experience an animal society from an animal’s perspective.

Shimoda claims that it was very immersive, which pleases Higuchi. Meido then shows Shimoda the final design for the animal, which is given divine approval by God. Thus the naked mole rat is born. As everyone turns to leave, Shimoda asks Meido about the contents of the health supplement, which she replies is the queen’s excrement. Shimoda is relieved that he chose not to take it.

### Part 2

It’s another day in the design department. Shimoda makes his way to the office with a basket of sweet bean buns he baked for the team. He double-checks the latest assignment from God for “an animal that ages in reverse.” Despite it being another unreasonable request, Shimoda hopes it won’t affect the designer’s mood.

He opens the door to greet everyone but stops short at the scene that unfolds in front of him. The whole team is standing around a glowing magic circle where a giant goat-like demon stands. Tsuchiya recites a proclamation and prepares to cut his hand with a knife. Scared, Shimoda lunges forward and shoves Tsuchiya away before he could finish.

As they sit back up, Tsuchiya asks Shimoda if there was something wrong with the new design. Confused, Shimoda asks if they were about to ship the demon to Hell. Tsuchiya confirms this and notes that now the creature is stuck halfway through the transfer process. Shimoda apologizes for interfering, which Tsuchiya reassures is no big deal, as Shimoda was concerned for his colleagues.

Upon gazing at the creature, Shimoda asks if it was the familiar that Hell ordered a while back. Tsuchiya answers stating that it is. With some collaboration with the insect department, the team came up with an animal that communicates nonverbally by transmitting pheromone signals through the air. The pheromones are received by the goat's horns, which are actually bug antennae. To send the familiar to Hell, they had to perform a summoning ritual which has now been interrupted.

The team then sits down to figure out how to fix the problem while they chow down on Shimoda’s bean buns. Shimoda then shares the new request from God with the team. He then asks whether it would be hard to free animals from the curse of getting older. Surprised, the team states that aging isn’t a curse at all. In fact, it is a tactic to ensure a continuation of a species. To help Shimoda understand the concept, Tsuchiya has Higuchi bring out one of her gadgets, a time accelerator.

He then sets up two terrariums with the same number of specimens (tiny discs) in them. After turning on the time accelerator, they observe that the aging group is reproducing and adding to the population. As time goes by, the specimens that start to weaken through age become the targets of predators, ensuring the younger generations a chance to survive. Next, the team observes the terrarium with specimens that don’t age. The specimens continue to get bigger, causing the predators to target the smaller weaker ones. After a few seconds, the group goes extinct.

Tsuchiya explains that without new generations, the species becomes less diverse, which prevents them from fighting up pathogens. With a clear understanding that eternal youth may not be a good thing, Shimoda wonders how they can come up with an animal that ages in reverse. Since the time accelerator is out, the team decides to experiment with it to find out.

Tsuchiya first tries it on a miniaturized version of a horse. He turns the time accelerator on in reverse, causing the horse to turn into a cellular division phase. They wait to see if it will turn back into a horse, but instead, the mass looks like a jellyfish, much to Tsuchiya’s dismay. Higuchi states that resetting a complex animal gives no guarantee it will go back to its original form.

The team agrees to go with the concept of a jellyfish. With the jellyfish having a lot of predators and several odd characteristics, the team comes up with the idea of creating a loop so that it can keep regenerating forever. At that moment, God sends divine approval and the immortal jellyfish is born. As the team celebrates, Kimura has an idea of maybe using the time accelerator to help send the demon to Hell. The team gives it a try, but the demon still refuses to budge. Kimura then tries setting the accelerator on high, which causes Higuchi to cry out an alarm. Before she can intervene, the accelerator explodes.

As the smoke clears away, Shimoda (unharmed) checks on the first person he sees. However, he doesn’t recognize the person until he identifies himself as Tsuchiya. Apparently, the accelerator caused everyone except Shimoda to revert to a younger age. After noticing that the others are missing, the two notice the door leading to Trial Island in the Galapagos is open. They both realize that the explosion sent the team out into the wild.

## Characters

* Shimoda
* Ueda
* Tsuchiya (Mr. Saturn)
* Kanamori (Venus or "Ven")
* Kimura (Jupiter)
* Meido (Pluto)
* Mizushima (Mercury)
* Unabara (Neptune)
* Higuchi (Mars)

## Featured Animals

* Naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber)
* Immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii)

## Trivia

* This episode consists of chapters 27 and 28 of the manga series.