Tomodachin'chi

## Friend's House

Title Card

**A Friend's House** or **Tomodachin'chi (ともだちンち)** in Japanese is the thirty sixth story of Atashin'chi and it's in Episode 18b. It aired together with Haha, homete nobasu on August 30, 2002. A 1080p upscaled version of the episode was uploaded onto the official Atashin'chi Youtube Channel on February 15, 2023.

## **Synopsis**

After swimming, Mikan visits Rio's house, a way richer and luxurious home than Tachibanas'. But after going to the bathroom, Mikan forgets to take off the toilet slippers which causes problems.

## **Plot**

On their way of going home from swimming, Rio suggests the idea of Mikan coming to their home since Mikan is very tired. After hearing this, Mikan accepts her invitation since it's her first time going to Rio's home.
Upon entering their house, Rio gives Mikan house slippers. Fascinated by the rich furniture and clean house, Mikan envies and compliments Rio's home.

Afterwards Mikan and Rio sit down and receive snacks and tea from Rio's Mother, which Mikan finds very nice. During Rio Mother's serving, Mikan compares the moment with how Okaa-san treated her guests in Story 2. After a while, Mikan excuses herself to the bathroom and switches her home slippers with toilet slippers then comes back to the living room, but to her surprise, she's forgot to switch her slippers back to home ones.

Mikan tries a bunch of things in order for Rio and Rio's Mother not to notice this, but it leads to no avail. Once she's told Rio's Father was coming soon, Mikan is terrified because her house slippers can be seen immediately once someone enters the house. She decides to excuse herself to the bathroom again and hurries to it in hopes of changing her slippers in time, when she suddenly trips and falls, making Rio and Rio's Mother realize what Mikan was trying to do.

## **Cast**

* Mikan Tachibana
* Rio
* Alex
* Rio's Mother (debut)
* Asada (flashback)
* Kajii (flashback)
* Okaa-san Tachibana
* Rio's Father (mentioned)
* Yuzuhiko Tachibana (one line)

## **Songs**

* Saraba (OP)
* Kite Kite Atashinchi (ED)

## **Did you know?**

* The title is a wordplay on the series' name. **Atashin'**chi is made up from the words Atashi (あたし) and no (の) and means "My (feminine)". Here the "Atashi" gets replaced with the Japanese word for friend, which is Tomodachi (ともだち). So we get Tomodachi (ともだち) and no (の) instead of "Atashi no" (あたしの) which because "(a) Friend's". If we write how the word gets normally said we get "Tomodachin'chi" (A friend's house).
* This is the first time we see a dog or any kind of pet in Atashin'chi.
* There is a flashback to Bikkuri shinai de nee~.

## **Manga differences**

This episode is an adaptation of No. 21 in Atashin'chi Manga Volume 4.

* The anime changes Rio's dog from a brown dog to a black furry dog.
* After noticing her slippers, Mikan quietly goes to change them back instead of causing distractions, hiding them, etc.
* In the anime, Mikan hesitates to go back to the bathroom again once she notices the slippers, but this isn't the case in the Manga, where she immediately asks if she can go again.
* Rio's Mothers' question about asking if Mikan's Parents are from Kyushu does not appear in the Anime.

## **Quotes**

* "It's a tree! The fact you have a tree is so cool!" - Mikan Tachibana
* "It tastes like toothpaste." - Mikan Tachibana
* "She uses brand-name products in the bathroom too." - Mikan Tachibana
* "Why does this happen to me in such a rich home?" - Mikan Tachibana
* "Please let the ground swallow me up." - Mikan Tachibana
* "Who does she resemble, really?" - Yuzuhiko Tachibana