EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting at episode 97 of 142, this installment arrives shortly after a warmhearted festival outing with Maruko's grandfather and a spirited household debate in episode 96, maintaining the show's rhythm of alternating between family-centered and peer-centered stories. Episode 97 shifts focus squarely to Maruko's social world at school, exploring how she navigates ridicule and embarrassment. It feeds naturally into episode 98, where Maruko heads out on a class trip for mikan picking, continuing the show's steady rotation of school and community-based adventures.