EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting at the two-thirds mark of this 12-episode season, Episode 8 builds on the curry-focused explorations of Episode 7 while meaningfully expanding Aletta's role beyond waitress duties, signaling her growing importance to the series' emotional core. The introduction of a mermaid patron continues the steady expansion of Nekoya's fantastical clientele that has been the season's structural backbone. This sets the table for Episode 9's 'Fried Seafood / Melon Soda Float,' maintaining the show's rhythm of pairing new dishes with new character stories as the season enters its final stretch.