It is June 17th, which happens to be Saki's birthday. So how am I going to celebrate her birthday? By doing something that doesn't even remotely have anything to do with Saki, a write-up of the seventh episode of the Cuties season featuring Ruka. Saki will probably not appear at all because her and Ruka haven't appeared together until really recently in the manga, so look forward to a write-up featuring Ruka and probably Hayate with no Saki. (After the jump.)
The episode opens with Ruka on a bicycle giving her information. The ride soon ends and it is shown that the whole prior scene was just an imagining of a drink advertisement Ruka is going to have to do, by her manager. (I can't really remember the manager's name. I think it might be Atsumari or something like that. If her name is revealed I will start using it, otherwise I will put her real name in at the end once I've looked it up.) The manager is quite excited about the opportunity to make a lot of money and gets to be excited for both her and Ruka as Ruka isn't quite as enthusiastic. Ruka simply thinks about how she wants udon and the intro plays.
After the intro, Hayate, Maria, and Nagi are shown watching a recording of Ruka's concert in Las Vegas. (The continuity nod to CTMEOY is nice, I guess.) Nagi says that watching the concert makes one really see that Ruka is an idol. Hayate then says that it was nice when she lived at the apartments as she had more time off and Maria thinks about the times past. (I wonder what memories Maria has.) Ruka then makes a dramatic entrance and playfully hits Hayate on the head. She then tells them that she has a problem, but not before apparently asking Hayate for udon, as she is shown with a bowl. She says that she doesn't know what to do and tells Hayate about the advertisement. Hayate is happy for her and says that she is just going to have to try hard. Ruka agrees but seems a bit sad. Maria and Nagi pick up on the mood and become concerned while Hayate says that he will do anything to help her out. Ruka finally tells him her problem, that she doesn't know how to ride a bicycle, and Hayate sees that it is a problem. Hayate says that since she has the day off that she should be able to learn so she doesn't miss the opportunity for money. Ruka then gives pathetic examples about how difficult it is to ride a bicycle and concludes that only a god could ride a bicycle. Hayate gets angry at her self-pity, takes her udon, and says that anybody can learn how to ride. He then says that he will teach her as he is the best bicyclist around, as many people have seen. Ruka accepts and Nagi gives him the day off to teach Ruka. Ruka then asks where they will practice. Hayate rules out the street due to Ruka's fame and decides to have her use the apartment yard with training wheels on. Ruka then complains about using training wheels as they are "childish". Hayate takes her udon again, because Ruka is being pathetic again. Maria and Nagi comment that Hayate is like a drill sergeant. (Oh how they have likely spoken too early.) Hayate gets Ruka started in the yard and Chiharu returns home. Ruka has started plowing through Maria's garden and Chiharu asks Hayate if Ruka has something against the garden. Maria comes out and scolds Hayate and Ruka for ruining her garden while Nagi and Chiharu think that Maria is using a mother's wrath. Night falls and Ruka has failed to learn anything (besides not to get on Maria's bad side which she might have known already.) Chiharu suggests they go somewhere else to teach Ruka and ends up suggesting that they go to Hakuou for practice. Hayate reminisces about how long it has been since he last went to the school at night and Chiharu is surprised to hear he had been there before at night. Hayate says that they only have a few hours in which they must ensure Ruka knows how to ride a bike and asks Ruka if she wants him to teach her harshly or kindly. Hayate says that he is confident in his skills, but he doesn't know if he can teach her enough, including some tricks, in four hours kindly. Ruka sees this as an important part of being an idol and asks Hayate to teach her strictly. Hayate begins by telling her to call him "Coach" or else he will squirt her with a water gun. (I didn't note this earlier, but Ruka seems to have worn a decent outfit for bicycling, consisting of shorts and a long sleeved top.) Hayate and Ruka go over getting ready by having her practice calling him Coach. While Hayate and Ruka shout at each other, Chiharu thinks to herself that she came along to make sure nothing weird happened, but it looks fine so she will go get a drink for everybody. Hayate and Ruka commence actual lessons by Hayate telling Ruka the most important thing for riding is to be one with the bicycle and that he has a technique to help her with that. He reveals that his technique is to tie her hands to the handlebars and sent her down a hill. (How he instantly tied her hands to the handlebars is interesting.) She objects to the plan as it is quite dangerous, but Hayate is now Coach so he just pushes her down the hill. (Another weird thing is that Ruka doesn't have a helmet, but Hayate had one earlier in his life. Their heads seem about the same size so I don't get it. Maybe Nagi stole it.) She freaks out, hits a rock and thinks about how she is going to die as Hayate catches the bicycle so she doesn't get hurt. Hayate begins a tender moment where he tells her one of the most important things is to overcome the fear of falling and that he will be there to catch her. Ruka get caught up in the moment until Hayate asks her if she is ready to begin again. She says no and he probably gets her started again. The scene cuts to Ruka sitting by a tree resting after her lesson. Hayate compliments her for learning to ride so fast, but Ruka doesn't know what to think about his words. She accuses him of starting to enjoy teasing her, which he denies, and then she pulls out the water gun and starts shooting Hayate. They have a water fight while Chiharu walks in with the drinks, unsure what to think. (Apparently Ruka learned within about half an hour, Chiharu had to walk across the campus for drinks, or Chiharu took a really slow walk to get the drinks. I don't know which is true.) Cut forward a few hours, Hayate is at the apartments serving Nagi breakfast. Nagi asks if Ruka succeeded in her endeavor and Hayate says yes. Nagi then asks Hayate to teach her to ride and Hayate asks if she wants to be taught kindly or strictly. (This segment was inspired by chapters 357 - 358.) The connecting theater plays.
In the first half, Hayate shows Nagi that the easy path begins with a tricycle. He assures her that she won't look too weird as she is a short, pigtailed, and underdeveloped schoolgirl. Nagi throws the tricycle at Hayate for his stupidity. (This is actually hilarious.) In the second half, the director of the commercial shows that the plans for the advertisement will involve Ruka doing tricks. Her manager says she can't do that, but Ruka seems confident she can. (I like the reference to the fact that Hayate said he would teach her tricks.)
The second half opens with a mini-festival/concert that Ruka is performing at. Hayate and Hinagiku are there with Hayate saying he was happy to help Ruka and Hinagiku teasing Hayate for letting his sadistic side out as Chiharu told her. Hayate justifies it by saying that it got them into the concert, but Hinagiku isn't impressed. Hayate then asks why the Three Amiga came. Risa says that they are the Hakuou idols, Miki goes off of that and says they have to scout the competition, and Izumi agrees with a nod before spotting candy apples for sale and asking Hayate to buy her one. The girls are impressed by Ruka's popularity, Hayate receives a call and has to leave Hinagiku with the Amiga. It is soon shown that Ruka called him because they needed a backup dancer. Hayate wonders why he has to dress like a girl, but Ruka and her manager tell him it suits him. The manager even says that he could get a job at the agency as an idol before leaving. Ruka apologizes for inconveniencing Hayate and says he is the only person she can rely on. He then touches her shoulder and figures out she is injured when she reacts with pain. She tells him she fell down while practicing and Hayate seems concerned as it is the arm she uses to hold the microphone and suggests they play it safe. Ruka refuses to play it safe and tells Hayate she has to put on a good show. This convinces Hayate to help her out as it is his duty to help people. She asks him to do one more thing, which isn't revealed immediately. Hayate goes to Ruka's changing room and she seems in pain, but says she is okay. She says that the thing she asked about before, for him to help her change every three songs is important as she doesn't want anybody but him to know she is hurt. Back with the Amiga and Hinagiku, Izumi notices that Hayate isn't back yet. (I find it interesting that Hayate's saved seat is by Izumi. It is probably the seat closest to the aisle, but that doesn't change that Izumi is sitting next to the saved seat and not Hinagiku.) Risa says that he probably is getting a lot of snacks, but Miki points out that he is poor so he is possibly getting food other people threw away. Hinagiku seems unhappy with the conversation when the concert finally starts. The concert starts and after awhile Hinagiku gets into it and starts cheering with everybody else. (The first song is the intro from Heaven is a Place on Earth, I think.) Hayate is shown backstage wondering if the pain is gone, but deciding that Ruka is just overcoming the pain through her force of will. The song (or first couple) ends and Ruka has to change with Hayate's help. Hayate is a bit shocked when she drops her clothes quickly, but gets over it quickly and helps her change in time for the next song. The concert continues for quite awhile with Hayate and Ruka doing their work and Hinagiku really getting into the concert atmosphere to the point that the Amiga are a bit shocked. (I don't know what song plays during this part, unfortunately.) Backstage, Hayate is prepared for the last song when Gilbert walks up and not recognizing Hayate in maid clothes, asks if he has seen a shabby butler. Hayate recognizes Gilbert and gives him a strong punch. Gilbert is confused as to why the cute maid knows his name until Hayate removes the headband and Gilbert recognizes the maid as Hayate. Gilbert then says Hayate will regret his actions and brings out another Eight clone, this time with a drill and a love for money. (Where does Gilbert get these robots from? Does he bribe Makimura with cake or something?) Hayate knocks the robot out and into another room. Some of the concert staff mistake the robot for a costumed person who should be in the finale and take the robot out on stage. (The staff isn't that sharp as all the costumes are of animals, not a robot.) The final song begins and Miki notes that the program says that people in animal costumes come out and dance during the last song. (Nobody notices the robot flailing out of place.) Hayate wants the robot off of the stage and once Gilbert tries to refuse to do anything, gets Gilbert to do something with an eye glint. Gilbert tries but breaks the control and the robot starts attacking the other dancers. The staff is concerned because the robot isn't responding to them and one person says to kick the robot off stage, which Hayate commences doing. He succeeds in kicking the robot out and realizes that he needs to get out to do what he wore a maid dress for and join Ruka on stage as her backup. The Amiga and Hinagiku know it is Hayate and wonder why he didn't tell them what he was doing; Hinagiku notes how unnervingly good Hayate looks dressed as a girl. The performance goes on and Ruka seems to slip in a "love me" to Hayate mid-song. (I sadly do not know what the last song is either.) The concert ends. Time passes and Maria is shown watching the concert on the television with Hayate and Nagi. Nagi comments that he should just become a girl and Maria is quite excited to dress Hayate in cute clothes again. (This segment was inspired by chapters 297ish - 299.)
Afterward is the ending which is actually quite nice and is kind of watching a music video compared to a clip show set to music like others. The only other thing of particular interest is the different outfits she wears, with her chorus outfit from CTMEOY being the second to last shown.
So this was yet another good episode in my opinion. I was a bit surprised that the first concert with Ruka was adapted, but the bicycle lesson was expected. This episode, possibly rightly, had a different feel from other episodes, in my opinion. The first half felt like a typical episode, but the second half felt smoother and felt faster. This is probably because a fair amount was taken by song and the songs are kind of relaxing. I also like this episode a lot due to Hayate looking pretty useful, compared to some others. I would say that it is interesting how Hayate treats Ruka as she kind of seems like his third mistress with the people who saved him, Athena and Nagi, acting as his first and second mistresses. I might explore his relationships with different people in the future. I have to say that this episode might have made me see why those who ship Hayate and Ruka do so. (This doesn't change my opinions on ships though. Not that anybody knows who I ship with who.)
Thus marks the end of the seventh write-up for Cuties. Look forward to another highly anticipate write-up "Ayumu Nishizawa" very soon. (Ruka's manager's name is actually Atsumari as I guessed. I do not know how I actually remembered that.)
Postscript: As I guessed earlier, Saki didn't appear. I don't really have any thing in mind to acknowledge Saki's birthday, so I guess I'll just toast her. Here's to Kijima Saki, may her life be long, healthy, and happy and may her ward Wataru find success.
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