Episode 6

**Because It's Sentimental SAGA** (**だってセンチメンタル SAGA**, *Datte Senchimentaru SAGA*) is the sixth episode and the mid-season finale of the first season of Zombie Land Saga and is the sixth episode overall.

## Plot

This episode begins with journalists looking for Franchouchou information on their website, with them being their 666th visitor. We see a scene with Franchouchou practicing for a new concert with Ai and Junko as the main vocalists. This one stops because they are slow in some parts, Sakura has a flashback of Ai.

While Kotaro bathes, he realizes that he does not have shampoo and asks for more of it. At the same time, Franchouchou uses his computer without his permission. Sakura says that they should not do this, Ai says that she has done this three times before. She mentions that she doesn't want to see her website again. Meanwhile, Tae brings a limpid jug to Kotaro because Ai indeed asked Tae for the favor. While investigating Franchouchou, she looks for bigger concerts they can go to. Ai and Junko have a little class for their ideologies. Ai wants the group to be riskier, while Junko is more conservative.

Kotaro appears, saying that Franchouchou has fans and that they finally begin to shine. He also learns Sakura for wanting to teach him how to dance. Ai and Junko have another little generational touch. Kotaro tells them that he has something big prepared.

It is seen that people like Tae because of the commercial in which she crows, Ookoba is seen in the background. They make them take photos with their fans and sell products. Ai is shocked by the flashback of a camera. Junko refuses to participate, saying that idols should shine only on stage.

Kotaro gets angry and scolds them when they arrive at the mansion. Ai and Junko discuss ideologies from different times, which causes them both to leave the basement. Ai goes to the balcony and sees a flashback of her searching for information about herself. She argues with Saki and Yugiri, making Lily cry because she says they are not friends.

Junko goes to the beach and talks to Sakura about how different things are. It is revealed that Junko died in a plane crash. She says that she will overcome everything and get ahead despite everything because she wanted to be great in life, but unfortunately, she died.

Ai is seen walking and has a panic attack caused by lightning. Saki finds her and tells her that everything will be fine. During the night, it is seen that the rain took off her makeup, Saki talks to Ai, and she reveals that she died by lightning when it was her glory time in Japan. The stadium, in particular, is located in Tosu.

We return to the mansion where Kotaro mentions that they will go to the Saga rock, which is an open-air concert, causing discomfort between Ai and Junko.

## Features

### Character

* Kotaro Tatsumi
* Romero
* Franchouchou
	+ Sakura Minamoto
	+ Saki Nikaido
	+ Ai Mizuno
	+ Junko Konno
	+ Yugiri
	+ Lily Hoshikawa
	+ Tae Yamada
* Journalists
	+ Arata Ookoba
	+ Inubashiri
* Iron Frill (flashback)
* Drive-In Tori staff
	+ Cocco (mentioned)
* Skull and Bull (non-speaking cameo)
* Dorami Biker Gang (mentioned)

### Locations

* Saga Prefecture
	+ Karatsu City
		- Journalists’ office
		- Franchouchou Mansion
			* Bathroom (debut)
		- Geils Live House
	+ Tosu City
		- Best Amenity Stadium

## Trivia

* It is revealed that a month and a half has passed since the events of the previous episode.
* It is revealed that Kotaro bathes with his sunglasses on.
* This is the first episode to focus on Ai and Junko.
	+ Additionally, both Ai and Junko’s deaths are also revealed in this episode.
	+ Ai is shown to have died after being struck by lightning in the midst of her performance with the rest of Iron Frill, her group, from when she was alive. Whereas, Junko is shown to have died in a plane crash during her trip to Kyushu.
	+ Both Junko and Ai have had the most fatal deaths out of the rest of the girls, excluding Tae and Yugiri, whose cause of deaths have not yet been disclosed.
	+ The two are also shown to not have died instantly, as they lived long enough to develop their acrophobia and astraphobia.
	+ One of the articles posted online indicated that she did not die instantly on stage, but on her way to the hospital. Rays can reach temperatures five times higher than the sun's surface, but they can still survive and may even be lower depending on the period and route of exposure. Ai appears to have been hit by “high current rays”, also known as “hot rays”; a sustained arc actually known for being able to completely carbonize large objects. Given the degree of exposure she suffered, even if she wasn't killed directly, she would certainly do so. They were instantly unconscious at a speed that she could not have perceived and, consequently, would not have had the presence of mind to develop her reflexive phobia; she would not have known. The only way it could have gotten it is if the poor girl, instantly knocked out and almost charred, somehow clung to life enough to regain consciousness in the ambulance, where she would have been powerless in absolutely unthinkable agony as she watched the paramedics simply go through the motions for any length of time it took her to finally let go, knowing she couldn't be saved. So far on the show, all the other girls appear to have had at least quick and relatively painless deaths, but Ai would have suffered the worst.
* Yugiri and Junko’s amazement at what a computer is a reminder on how the girls are from different eras, and these two in particular, died before the internet became a thing/was only gaining its popularity.
	+ This is further touched upon when Junko thought that the photoshoot they were going to do still involved Polaroids, and when she referred to a television as a tube.
* Apparently, Ai has used Kotaro’s computer in secret three times before already, thinking he has no clue.
* Kotaro’s diary entry for the episode is written sometime after Junko refusing having her picture taken with fans and right before Kotaro has his shower.

### Dub Differences

* Saki’s response to hearing how Ai died in the original, “Holy crap, girl… that *is* legendary.”, has her confirming for herself that the way Ai died was literally legendary. Whereas in the dub, they made her exclaim how “That was a way to go.” before she says her original line.

### Cultural References

* The skit Kotaro does at the beginning of their daily sermon is a reference to real-life Kabuki actors.
* As revealed in their website, Franchouchou is shown to have 666 visitors currently. 666 is a number commonly associated with the devil, or in this show’s case, affiliating Franchouchou with their terrible luck.
* During the scene wherein the girls are taking pictures with their fans, Yugiri is noticeably posing similar to that of the poses one can usually see of people in paintings during the Meiji period.

### Continuity

* The journalists start their investigations on why some members of Franchouchou seem oddly familiar.
* This is the second time Tae does her signature chicken squawk.
* This is the third time the police officer from before does not cross paths with Sakura or anyone affiliated with Franchouchou.