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After two weeks of working part time at Aki's house, Hachiken starts getting used to farm work. On his day off, he goes with Aki to visit Tamako's "Giga Farm."
When they arrive, Hachiken begins looking around on his own. He is about to step inside a cowshed when Tamako nails him with a cardboard box. She gives him an earful about how he must disinfect his shoes before entering the facilities or else everyone on this farm could be out of their jobs. Inside, they witness the efficiency and mechanized milking line. Tamako explains to Hachiken that farms simply cannot be profitable unless they are large-scale and efficient. Tamako's parents seem worried that Tamako might feel obligated in taking over the family business, but she assures them that she definitely wants to be involved in management.
When left alone with Aki, Hachiken senses she is worried and offers to talk with her. Hachiken isn't sure what Aki means when she responds, "You remind me of a horse, Hachiken."
Afterward, Hachiken somehow becomes involved in helping a cow give birth. The calf is delivered safely, but Hachiken is taken aback by the process and the grotesque nature of the birth.
After returning to Aki's house, Hachiken takes care of the calves there. He begins thinking about the economics of raising animals and the difficulty of farm management. Looking at the horses, Aki begins talking about how she would like to work with horses in the future. Hachiken tells her that she should tell her parents about this goal. Aki tells him that it is his sensitivity and eagerness to assist others that make Hachiken, to her, resemble a horse. Hachiken is very relieved to hear and finally understand what she meant earlier.
However, after visiting Tamako’s, Aki’s, and Komaba's family farms and experiencing different methods of management in each of them, Hachiken must think about the difficulty of running an agricultural business. Hachiken will surely have time to reconcile reality and his naive ideals before the time comes for him to set out on his own.
–– Staff ––
Original work: Hiromu Arakawa (serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday)
Director: Tomohiko Itō
Scriptwriter: Taku Kishimoto
Storyboard artist: Pyeon-Gang Ho
Chief animation director: Takahiro Chiba
Animation director: Naohiro Ōsugi, Kengo Matsumoto
© Hiromu Arakawa, Shogakukan Inc. / Ezono Festival Executive Committee
