Original subtitles

This is Quetzalcoatl Sassassul-san, from Antarctica.

You'll sit next to Kimihara-san.

Kimihara-san, as her neighbor, show her the ropes, okay?

Nice to meet you.

Y-Yeah... You, too.

Now, let's start class.

Stand.

Bow.

I'm sorry!

No problem.

Take your seats.

Focus on the lesson, everyone.

"I wish to drink it, but a mounted pipa player urges me on."

A classic poem...

Chinese, at that.

Would she know that?

Kimihara-san!

What happened?!

Hime was startled.

Hey, you're awake?

Are you okay?

She's not in here.

Whew...

Don't "whew" us.

I mean, sure, she's scary, but...

If you faint at every little thing, you won't be able to come to school.

That, too, but it could also be interpreted as discrimination.

Oh, no! Discrimination has nothing to do with it!

It's just... snake people...

They bother you?

Better not let anyone else hear you say that.

You're asking for trouble.

Yeah...

Why do they bother you, anyway?

Remember that movie, The Fear of Antarctica?

Which one? The old one or the remake?

The one that's in color.

We watched it at home when I was little, and...

Who's there?!

I get it.

The one where the centaur heroine gets swallowed, huh?

Then it spits up her skin and disguises itself as her.

They show that on TV sometimes.

I kinda like it.

It's a movie that gets referenced a lot these days.

That whole thing is so far-fetched, though.

It worked fine in the novel it was based on,

but the rough edges stand out a lot in the film version.

The part where it spit up her skeleton was realistic, though.

Realistic in a sort of fake way.

The production quality doesn't matter!

The point is, they've scared me ever since I saw that as a kid.

What should I do?

You're asking us?

You have a problem with snake people because of a movie, right?

Then maybe you should watch it again and overcome your trauma?

Huh? I couldn't...

That'll just make her even more scared.

No, no. I get that it might've been scary to the baby princess,

but the film itself just an old B movie.

One that's a little... you know.

If you watch it now, you'll think, "Wow, that's all it is?"

And your trauma will be gone!

You really think so?

You have nothing to lose, right?

By the way, did you guys carry me in here?

Do I look like a professional wrestler or weightlifter to you?

Jeez...

May I come in?

Yes.

How are you feeling?

I'm all right now, thank you.

Shigetoki-san carried you here.

Komori and Nekomi helped, too.

Thank you very much.

No trouble at all.

Um... It seems I scared you.

Oh, no, not at all...

I was trying to smile, but I didn't do a very good job.

Really? What'd it look like? Let's see.

Yeah, that definitely packs a punch...

Maybe I can never fit in with all of you, after all...

H-Hey, come on... The thing with Hime is, there's this movie...

A movie?

Man, Kimihara sure is heavy.

But... she felt really soft.

Nurse's Office

So, um... that's the story.

It's a terrible movie, really.

I see. So a thing like that exists.

Now look!

Yeah, but...

It sounds highly interesting.

Earth Sciences Prep Room

I'm not allowed to enter the classroom, so I'll leave you here.

Okay, got it.

Yo!

It's unusual for you guys to come in here yourselves.

We cleaned the aquarium before, didn't we, Shrimp-senpai?

Who are you calling a shrimp?

Hello. I'll be joining you.

H-Hello...

Oh, wow! It's an Antarctican!

Pleased to meet you.

We can talk later.

Vice Prez, you have a lot of videos stored here, right?

Found it!

Well, let's watch it!

Huh?!

What?

I'm not ready for this...

I'm putting it on.

No closing your eyes.

But...

Is this okay?

I just hope she doesn't get mad.

Alyssa, what's wrong?!

Eyes on the screen.

You aren't Alyssa!

Who have you turned into this time?!

Let's check your blood!

S-Sorry!

Play Movie | Audio & Subtitles | Chapter Select | Extras

What did you think?

It was still scary!

It was scary.

Humans certainly are incredible.

To come up with a terrifying monster like that...

It ate people... Do you...

No, no, don't be silly!

Please don't see me in the same light as a monster in a movie.

We don't even have venomous fangs.

Unlike mammals that chew food,

our jaws aren't strong at all.

Even if one of us did bite you, it would feel like a kitten biting you.

Of course, we can't kill by constricting like snakes do, either.

And we don't have expanding rib cages,

so we can't swallow things whole.

I can't even entertain the thought of eating someone I can speak with like this.

But if I'm seen as a monster like this one...

Well, there's nothing worse than that, for sure.

Are you going to sue them or anything?

No.

I came here to put an end to misunderstandings like this, after all.

I would be honored if you would be my friends.

Oh, it's nothing...

We'd be happy to be your friends.

Smile

Hey, Hime!

Hime!

Wha—

Princess!

Antarcticans Are Like Walking Rumors.

But In the End, The Antarcticans' History and Roots Are a Mystery, Too.

Quetzalcoatl-san.

Yes?

I'd like to ask you a question. May I?

Sure.

I would, too!

Me, too!

Okay, okay. Everyone in order.

You're taking charge again?

Well, can I go first, then?

Quetzalcoatl-san, you're a reptile...

or rather, not a warm-blooded creature, right?

How do you live in Antarctica, where it's so cold?

Good question.

There are two things you're mistaken about.

First, we are warm-blooded creatures.

We're more like birds than primitive reptiles such as snakes.

Also, although we're commonly referred to as "snake people,"

that's only a vernacular term based on our appearance.

Our actual link to snakes is believed to be quite tenuous.

In the first place, if I didn't have the ability to maintain

a stable supply of energy to my brain, like other warm-blooded creatures,

I wouldn't be able to talk to you all like this.

The brain consumes a lot of energy, after all.

Second, not all of Antarctica is buried under ice and snow.

Also, I grew up in an environment where it's expected that we'd have heating,

so I don't fare well in the cold.

My turn next.

Is it true that Antarcticans have controlled humanity from the shadows since ancient times?

Well...

Legends say that if you trace our civilization back several millennia,

our ancestors, who still crawled on the ground,

built underground cities all around the world.

It's unknown whether that's true, though.

*All of these books have been banned by the Department of the Interior's Bureau for the Conservation of Normal Society.

Plant Cultivators Have Decided That Our Next Rulers Will Be Snake People

Snake People Are Behind All the World's Conspiracies

But all the things written in so-called "occult books"

are basically groundless.

Our contact with humans began relatively recently,

and it has been very limited.

We differ on a spiritual level, for starters,

so it's difficult for us to comprehend humans, much less control them.

We are not omnipotent.

Is it true that your kind ruled the Aztecs?

As it happened,

we did contribute some knowledge and technology to their civilization,

but the rule was that we could not interfere in government affairs.

Humans and Antarcticans had minimal involvement with each other.

But humans are trying to get involved with you now?

Well, yes.

In the past, the very existence of Antarctica was unknown.

But now, it's easy to travel there in airplanes and boats.

But why'd you come to this school?

Because it's in a college town with an environment replicating the one I'm used to,

and I felt I could expect to find people of intelligence

and understanding who wouldn't greatly exceed a normal range.

In other words, because we're slightly above average?

Also, it's neither hot nor cold in extremes.

The wind gets pretty cold here in winter.

And it's hot in summer.

So, pedantic questions aside...

Quetzalcoatl-san, do you have a boyfriend?

No.

I see! Just like me, then!

What type of guys do you like?

That's a difficult question.

Only our queen can lay eggs,

and most of our common citizens and warriors are female.

Oh. I see.

So I shouldn't really have romantic feelings...

Shouldn't? Does that mean you do?

We do feel specialized emotions of favor toward certain individuals.

These things are hard to explain, though...

I'm not sure whether it's equivalent to friendship or romantic interest in humans.

I believe that, while we are fairly proficient in the natural sciences,

our understanding of ourselves is less than that of humans.

And our lack of knowledge about ourselves

is something we learned from humans.

This is starting to sound pedantic again...

Okay, next question...

I'm next!

All right, time's up.

Aw, I wanted to ask her what she eats.

You'll find that out at lunchtime.

But we still don't know anything about her at all!

You'll learn more in time.

All right, back to your seats!

Now is the time to bring victory to our nation!

Human Evolutionary Theory

For Delicate Skin Seirei Cream

If you have pale skin, this is for you!

Magical Girl Pretty Horn!

Kazuko-san!

No...

Breaking

Shocking! The Work of an Antarctican UFO?

In the case of an American research ship being sunk in Antarctic waters,

the US government has evacuated Antarctica.

However, the government of Antarctica remains silent.

Other nations have expressed dismay in response to this incident,

but are resigned to watching and waiting to see what both nations do next.

Next in the news...

What's that about?

Morning, Suu-chan!

Oh... Good morning.

So what's with that thing on your head?

Is it Antarctican fashion?

Ah, no... It's, um...

The news...

Hm? What?

Oh, the thing about the American ship that was sunk?

And?

I felt it would be best to avoid drawing attention to myself, if at all possible.

Avoid drawing attention?!

Lower your head.

How are you avoiding attention?

Idiot! Don't do that!

It's all right. A little overreaction like this is no big deal.

It doesn't look that way to me...

More importantly, was that what you call a "retort"?

Uh, that's not more important...

Look, you're not some burglar who needs a mask.

I felt I should at least try...

Yeah, no. First of all, no one can hurt you right now.

Also, it was an American ship, so we should be fine here.

Do you think that's true? They were still humans.

Well, yeah...

Anyway, Suu-chan, you always wear clothes like that, huh?

I do wear a different one each day...

Does it smell?

That's not what I meant!

Come to think of it, you guys are always dressed that way on TV, too.

Apparently, its origins lie in human monk garments.

By the way, the hems are short in following with advice I received

from the lady ambassador, who is also my language teacher.

It does look very girlish!

Teacher? So you learn a language by studying it?

Not through sleep-learning or something?

Of course. Memory works in essentially the same way

for all animal species, including insects.

My teacher taught me everything from mannerisms to general knowledge,

all with great passion.

You've had it rough, huh?

Oh, no. I've had so much help, I couldn't feel more guilty.

Are you required to dress like that?

No, not at all.

Then would you like to come look at clothes with us?

You look surprisingly good in girly clothes.

Why don't you try some on, Nozomi-chan?

Me?!

You look like a boy in drag!

It's fine! If we just comb your hair out...

You both look so handsome!

I think it's a bit too open in the seat, though...

That one's meant for trying on, so the tail opening is one-size-fits-all.

If you buy it, we'll alter it to fit you perfectly.

Hang on!

I've never altered anything for a snake person before!

If you refuse, you'll be sent to a correctional clinic.

If you can't do it, just get the owner.

What do you think?

It's cold and delicious.

Still...

Furukanata VISION

Strained relations between the US and Antarctica continue. US government considering recall of ambassador to Antarctica.

Everyone is being so kind, even after that terrible incident.

Well, it's not like that was your fault.

They don't even have proof Antarctica's government did it, right?

That's true.

We are capable of protecting ourselves from beasts and belligerent peoples—

I'm sorry. I can't say any more than that.

Uh, I don't think you need to.

A-hup.

Well, anyone up for a movie?

One of your choosing?

What? It's a really popular one! I'm sure it'll be good!

I don't want to see anything violent...

You're not supposed to think about that. Just enjoy it.

Bonds on the Battlefield

See? That was pretty good, right?

It certainly made me think.

Huh? It's just meant to entertain. There's nothing to think about.

I hope to deepen my understanding enough to think the same way someday.

Why? For work?

Normal Antarcticans would see it as their duty.

But I'm not normal, and I think...

that's why I'm here.

Wow, nice line! Like something out of a movie!

Next Time

Is Being Able to Retrace One's Past and Ancestors A Reason to Be Happy or Unhappy?

Does Getting a Job Doing What You Love Really Bring Happiness?