My Deer Friend Nokotan – Season 1 Episode 9 Recap & Review

Get the Sports Festival Done!

Episode 9 of My Deer Friend Nokotan begins with Koshi, Bashame, Nokotan, and Anko relaxing in the Deer Club clubroom. Anko warns Koshi about the upcoming sports festival. Koshi tells Anko everything will be okay as she’s prepared for it. Then, Neko enters the clubroom. Neko tells Koshi some of the relay batons for the sports festival broke. 

Koshi tells Neko not to worry about it since she bought extras. Then, Kinu and others enter the clubroom, sharing more problems Koshi’s way. Overwhelmed, Koshi starts panicking. Koshi asks the others for help, but nobody offers to help her besides Anko. Anko says she wants something in return and this bums Koshi out. 

Regardless, the sports festival commences and Koshi is happy everything is going well. Then, the 100-meter dash event begins. Koshi learns that Nokotan is participating in the event as a part of the deer team. She’s not thrilled about that and questions Anko about it. After more people take photos of Nokotan, the announcer states the bread-eating race will start soon. 

Kinu tells Koshi they’re out of bread for the competition and Koshi panics. Nokotan offers a solution and replaces the bread with deer crackers. Then, the race begins. Tsubameya wants to win the race to earn Chiharu’s respect. As Tsubameya approaches each required food item, he realizes they’re all deer-related. 

Regardless, Tsubameya tries his best to persevere through these obstacles. Inukai wins the race and Tsubameya learns Chiharu didn’t pay him attention. Then, the next competition begins. Koshi gives it her best shot and realizes she must carry an antler-themed bomb somewhere. Nokotan reveals she wanted the antler-themed bombs in the competition.

After the bombs go off and the cheerleading event ends, we cut away to Koshi reflecting on the sports festival. Then, Anko announces the Deer Club will be performing soon. Nokotan and her deer herd arrive and perform in front of everyone. While people cry, Koshi yells at Nokotan for her ridiculous performance and worries they won’t end things on time. 

After a humorous game of tug-of-antler unfolds, the announcer tells everyone the ball toss competition will begin soon. Neko hopes to uncover Koshi’s weakness during the competition. Then, Neko notices Tsucchi is involved in the ball toss competition and heads toward Tsucchi, concerned for its safety. This delays matters further and Koshi’s bothered by that result.

Anko announces that the relay race will begin soon. Koshi’s thrilled since she knows the relay race is the final competition. Kinu tells Koshi that numerous deer are gathered on the track. This frustrates Koshi and she asks everyone where Bashame is. 

Bashame arrives and Koshi learns she’s been focusing on her rice-planting activities. Koshi orders Bashame to help out with the deer problem. Bashame and the others don’t offer Koshi much help. This encourages Koshi to grab Nokotan. Koshi heads to the school’s roof with Nokotan. 

There, Koshi opens up Nokotan’s head and throws several deer crackers at the deer. Koshi yells at Nokotan in front of everyone. She reveals her delinquent side to everyone. Everyone praises Koshi for doing so. Koshi doesn’t know how to feel.

The episode ends with the narrator informing the audience that the sports festival ran three hours late.

The Episode Review

This is one of the most bonkers sports festival depictions in anime history. It was utter madness from beginning to end. From the weird bread race activity to the strange tug-of-antler undertaking, it was hard not to laugh at this sports festival’s bizarre shenanigans.

On that note, it was great seeing supporting characters like Inukai and Tsubameya join the fray. It shows audiences that these supporting characters are here to stay. Whether or not, they’ll receive great development, begs to be seen.

Regardless, this episode highlighted these characters’ personalities to great effect. This will allow fans to develop a connection with them. Hopefully, the story will implement them in more impactful segments though.

 On the other hand, it’s great that Koshi’s teachers, friends, and acquaintances accepted Koshi’s delinquent side. While the show could’ve opted for a more emotional route with that, some won’t mind Oshiooshio’s comedic way of developing Koshi’s character here.

But all in all, this was a fun showcase from My Deer Friend Nokotan. This chapter and the previous one were a delight to watch. I’m optimistic the remaining episodes will be just as entertaining.